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Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Work of Grace
Christ needs no assistance from us with his work of grace. You may wonder, "Don't I have a part in the work of grace?" If you try to bring something to Christ's work, you'll only mess it up. It is impossible to add to his glorious grace with our rags of unrighteousness. We don't contain grace; we only receive it. We may give it out, but it is God's grace, not ours. This is what Hebrews 10:29 means when it says we "trample underfoot" the blood of Christ when we try to add something to God's grace. We actually dilute it, insulting the glorious work he has done. In fact, we are operating in one of two modes at any given time: (1) We're either allowing God to say we are insufficient, and we accept the totality of his grace; or (2) we're calling his grace insufficient and attempting to add our efforts to it. You may say, "If I believed that, though, I'd never do anything for God." Actually, the opposite is true. When you live in the grace of Christ, you do more works than ever because you do them in joy rather than with a grudging sense of obligation. You go to prayer because you love God's holiness. You study his Word not because it contains your to-do list for the day, but because it's your life source, your wellspring of peace, joy, and direction. Simply put, grace empowers godly action. If you are miserable in your walk with Christ, if you are weary and going to church because you fear for your salvation, then you have fallen from the appropriation of his grace. Right now, he is inviting you back, saying, "Come into the covenant I have with the Father. I want to pour my grace over you, to empower you with my Spirit for life." Through him, we are fully cleansed, fully at peace with God, and abounding in his grace. We can't add anything to his finished work; his grace is fully sufficient. It is our role to receive the glorious gift and to walk in it with joy! "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV). |
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Starving Christians
Luke wrote about the prodigal son, "When he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything" (Luke 15:14-16, NKJV). I have seen this kind of starvation among Christians. They once had a marvelous testimony of grace and mercy; but because of sin, they became spiritual skeletons with no life whatsoever. Luke wrote, "When he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'" (Luke 15:17-19). The young prodigal had to admit, "I can't handle these blessings after all. I've sinned against God and my family and squandered everything that's been given to me." Repentance is more than just turning around and going back to God. It is a full surrender of self-government, a return to God with this confession: "Lord, I've made a mess of my life, and now I come humbly to you, asking you to take over my life!" That's when God begins to do a very special work of restoration. When the son returned, he was fully restored in his father's house, not as a servant but as a son. He was willing to submit to his father and be under his governance. Moreover, he wanted intimacy with his father. He had lost all interest in the things of the world and was ready to do as his father commanded (see Luke 15:20-23). What a wonderful scene of total restoration! |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Jesus Is Greater
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power..." (Hebrews 1:1-3, ESV). The opening chapter of Hebrews repeats a truth every Christian knows but few actually grasp: "Jesus is greater." The writer is so focused on this theme that he does not even take time to offer a greeting. He gives his readers no instructions, as we see in some epistles. Instead, he has one thing on his mind, and that is to say, "Jesus is greater!" He is enamored, thrilled, and overcome with Christ. "Jesus is greater than what?" you may ask. In Hebrews 1, we find the answer. He's greater than all the prophets, priests, kings, and angels. You name it, and he's greater than that. This isn't news to us who know Christ as our living Savior. He was present at the creation, and he is ruling eternally as King. Yes, he is greater than all that we can imagine. However, many Christians stumble over a simple truth when it comes to knowing that "Jesus is greater." The problem is this: Jesus is greater than the works of the law, but we live as if our works mean more than Christ's saving grace. We claim we're saved by his grace; but whenever we fail, we fall back on works in order to be restored. This is an Old Covenant mentality, one that leads to slavery; yet few of us realize we fall into it. Reading further in Hebrews, we see the greater covenant that God made with us in mind. "Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises... 'Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant...'" (Hebrews 8:6, 8). Jesus has overcome our slavery to works. He offers a better way! |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Christ Has Set Us Free
Think of all these blessed things: experiencing intimate prayer with the Lord, reading his wondrous Word, and sharing his gospel joyfully. They are all wonderful practices that make for a joyful, fulfilling life. However, we often make merit-based works out of them, turning them into arduous, duty-bound labors. By doing so, we neglect "so great a salvation," a saving grace that does not fail. You see, even when we fail, the New Covenant does not. According to Paul, that truth should set us free, not enslave us. "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1, ESV). Throughout this epistle, Paul asks believers, "Why would you ever go back to the Old Covenant of works? That system will only re-enslave you. You've been given the New Covenant, which sets you free to love and serve God in perfect liberty." Paul hammered this home to the Galatians, saying the gospel empowers us in the Spirit through grace. Even so, the Galatians kept trying to live out the gospel through a lens of works. They were convinced, "If I do this, I'll get a blessing. If I don't, I'll get a curse." We may not see this in ourselves, but we tend to do something similar today. Our attitude is saying, "I'll do my best to obey God's commands, and then he'll have to bless me." God says differently through the New Covenant. He declares, "I have blessed you already, before you even attempt to obey my commands. I also know you can't keep my Word perfectly, so I will empower you to keep it through my Spirit. My grace will be the power behind your works, not your own strength." This is the core of the gospel. God does it all! Therefore, when we are told to "pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it" (Hebrews 2:1), it doesn't mean we're to pay greater attention to rule-keeping. Instead, we are to pay attention to the gospel of grace that has set us free. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Works of Darkness
Scripture makes it plain that hidden sins are "works of darkness." Christ clearly stated, "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:23, NKJV). We know from God's Word that light has no communion with darkness. Peter told us that Christ "preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient..." (1 Peter 3:19-20). Disobedience cast these souls into a prison of darkness. Likewise today, every willful act of disobedience causes the light of discernment within us to darken. Over time our perception of truth becomes distorted, and our "open heaven" grows clouded. The Lord suffers greatly whenever hidden sin brings gross darkness upon our souls. Nothing grieves him more than when we resist and reject his warnings and convictions. Consider this tragic case described in a letter we received. "My husband has given himself over completely to internet pornography. Now I've filed for divorce, and he doesn't even care. We were happily married for twenty-five years before all this happened. I couldn't understand why he spent so much time shut up in his room with his computer. Finally, one day I walked in and was shocked by the ugly filth I saw on the screen. I knew he was addicted. He said, 'I can't help it. I'm going to do as I please.' He'd became obsessed. His personality had changed, and a meanness came over him." The apostle Paul directs a horrifying statement to those who walk "...in the futility of their mind" (Ephesians 4:17). Such people justify their sin, no longer seeking deliverance from it. Paul said of them, "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart" (Ephesians 4:18). How did they become so dark and blinded? They fell under a blindness that comes upon all who give themselves over to sin: "Who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness" (Ephesians 4:19). John Owen, the Puritan writer, spelled out the tragic result, "A man under the power of some predominant lust is under false security and does not discern coming perilous times." |
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A True Servant of God
When the prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of Christ and his kingdom, he outlined what Christ's true ministers would be like. In doing so, he defined our ministry in these last days by saying, in essence, "I want you to know the marks of the true people of God, those who will be ministering just before the Prince of Peace comes to reign." The prophet Isaiah boldly stated, "Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness" (Isaiah 32:1, NKJV). He then added, "A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, and a cover from the tempest, as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land" (Isaiah 32:2). It is clear to me that Isaiah was talking about Christ. He went on to tell us that a true servant of God will preach the all-sufficiency of Christ. Indeed, this believer shuts himself in with Jesus, trusting his Lord to make his soul a well-watered garden. He lives with a quiet confidence, his spirit at rest and full of peace. This true servant of God has no "tempest" brewing in his soul because of sin. On the contrary, he fully trusts the Holy Spirit to mortify his sins, and his spirit is as free as a bird. He has no fears or worries because all is clear between him and his Lord. There is a song in his heart because Christ is his delight! Moreover, this servant knows no one can harm him because he clings to the security and comfort of God's promise to defend the righteous. No weapon formed against him can prosper because God himself rises up against every tongue that comes against him. God is his defense in a weary land. Isaiah pointed out two distinguishing marks of the righteous servant. First, he has discernment; and second, he knows the voice of God distinctly. "The eyes of those who see will not be dim, and the ears of those who hear will listen" (Isaiah 32:3). We see an example of this in Jesus's first encounter with Nathaniel. When he saw Nathaniel coming toward him, he cried, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" (John 1:47). In other words, "Look, brothers! Here comes a man who is no hypocrite. There's no deceit in him, no immorality. He is a clean vessel." |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
So Great a Salvation
"Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?..." (Hebrews 2:1-3, ESV). The law that God delivered to man "proved to be reliable." Yet this seems like a paradox. If this law was impossible for any person to keep, how could it be reliable? First of all, the law was never meant to be the means of our salvation; it was meant to show us our need for salvation. The law reliably did that. Time after time, scripture reveals how miserably man failed to keep God's law. Note something else in this passage. Once again, the writer used the word "great" to describe what Jesus has done. Christ has made the perfect covenant with the Father, one that works to secure such a great salvation. Talk about something reliable! Christ's gift of salvation sets us free from the law of sin and death and is designed to work in our lives. Moreover, the New Covenant of grace is the power of God at work in our lives. It empowers us to follow his commands with his strength, not our own. "God also bore witness...by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will" (Hebrews 2:4). With such a great gift of salvation, why would anyone neglect it? Here's why. We are conditioned to respond to laws with works. Even in the realm of faith, we tend to fall back on works. We may give mental assent to being saved by grace, but deep down many of us still believe works are the way to secure God's blessings. Our minds are conditioned since childhood to fall back on law-keeping whenever we fail. There are basic rules in every household. It's a conditional arrangement based on rewards and punishment, and most parents use it to maintain their sanity. Since most of us grew up this way, years later we continue to see life through this lens. This system may work well in family life but not in Kingdom life. Works can never achieve what only the cross could provide. Works that are truly holy are the result of God's grace. They're what we do in gratitude, joy, and faithfulness because we've been provided "so great a salvation." |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Bad Days for an Apostle
Paul was hit with a bad day while traveling in Macedonia. "For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears" (2 Corinthians 7:5, NKJV). This godly man confessed that his inner man was plagued not just by one fear but by many fears! Indeed, Paul was no superhuman. He was subject to the same human emotions that we all face. At one point, all the believers in Asia turned against him, people for whom he'd given his lifeblood. He wrote, "...the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved" (2 Corinthians 12:15). Yes, Paul had awful days. However, he never gave in to his feelings and the temptations that accompanied them. He testified in his worst time, "Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation...Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus..." (2 Corinthians 7:4,6). Are you going through a bad day, a bad week, a long season of despondency? Are you cast down and discouraged with thoughts of quitting? If so, how do you think God reacts to your trial? Does he rebuke you or chasten you? No, never! Paul states, "The Lord is never closer to you, never more ready to help you, than when you're down and hurting." "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). The Greek word for comfort here means "to comfort or encourage, to call to one's side." What an amazing truth. When we experience bad days, our heavenly Father takes advantage of them to draw us closer to himself. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Delayed and Denied Prayers
"You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures" (James 4:3, NKJV). God will answer no prayer that adds to our honor or assists our temptations. In the first place, God does not answer the prayer of a person who harbors lust in his heart. All answers are dependent upon the plucking out of our hearts the evil, the lust, and the besetting sins. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psalm 66:18). The test of knowing whether or not our request is based on lust is very simple. How we handle delays and denials is the clue. Prayers founded on lust demand hasty answers. If the lusting heart does not get the desired thing quickly, it whimpers and cries, swoons and faints; or it breaks out in a spell of murmuring and complaining, finally accusing God of deafness. "'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and you take no notice?' In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers" (Isaiah 58:3). The lustful heart cannot see God's glory in his denials and delays. God, in his justice, is obligated to delay or deny our prayers until they are purged of all selfishness and lust. Could there be one simple reason why most of our prayers are hindered? Could it be a result of our ongoing flirtation with a lust or besetting sin? Have we forgotten that only those with clean hands and pure hearts can set their feet on his holy hill? Only a total forsaking of a pet sin will throw open the gates of heaven and unclog the blessings. Instead of yielding, we run from counselor to counselor, trying to find help to cope with despair, emptiness, and restlessness. It is all in vain because sin and lust have not yet been plucked out. Sin is the root of all our problems. Peace comes only when we surrender and forsake all secret sin. |
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He Says You Are Blessed
Many Christians won't admit it, but deep down they believe God's grace is too good to be true. They think it buys them too much freedom, so they hold on to their sense of works because they are convinced it is the only thing that will keep them on a righteous path. Paul anticipated this thinking, which ends in dead works: "What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed" (Romans 6:15-17, ESV). What is the teaching Paul refers to here? It is that we are now owned by the grace of Jesus Christ! Thus, we no longer continue sinning as we did before because that is no longer our identity. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Finally, Paul says, "Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God" (Romans 7:4). The new life we have been given, the life of Christ himself, resurrects us to serve him in freedom, peace and joy. Unshackled from exhausting works of obligation, we now can shout with David, "Lord, I delight to do your will!" We can't help but witness about Jesus to a world that is hungry, desperate, starved for his grace. In a word, grace produces results. Friend, you can't wring life out of something that's dead. Only Jesus has the power to resurrect our old, dead man into new life. That kind of grace is incomprehensible, so far beyond our understanding that we will never fully grasp it in this life. Likewise, we'll never be able to attain it on our own. Will you lay down your scales and walk in the new life Jesus has graced you with? He has already spoken his blessing over you, so receive it! |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Prayer and Obedience
We sometimes go to God in prayer as if he were a rich relative who will support us and give us all we beg for, while we don't even lift a hand to help. We lift our hands to God in prayer...and then put them in our pockets. We expect our prayers to get God working for us while we sit idly by, thinking to ourselves, "He has all the power; I have none, so I will simply stand still and let him do the work." It sounds like good theology, but it is not. God will have no idle beggars at his door. He will not even allow us to be charitable to those on earth who refuse to work. "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10, NKJV). There is nothing unscriptural about adding sweat to our tears. Take, for example, the matter of praying for victory over a secret lust that lingers in the heart. Do you simply ask God to take it away miraculously, then sit by, hoping it will die on its own? No sin has ever been slain in the heart without the cooperation of man's own hand, as in the case of Joshua. All night long, he lay prostrated and mourning over Israel's defeat. God set him on his feet saying, "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them... Get up, sanctify the people" (Joshua 7:10-13). God has every right to rouse us from our knees and say, "Why sit around lazily, waiting for a miracle? Have I not commanded you to flee from the very appearance of evil? You are to do more than simply pray against your lust; you are commanded also to run from it. You cannot rest until you have done all that is commanded." Do not blame God for not listening to your prayers if you are not listening to his call to obedience. You will end up blaspheming God and accusing him of negligence, while all along you will be the culprit. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Jesus's Gentle Response to Doubt
Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard. . . . Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me." --Luke 7:22-23 In Luke 7, John the Baptist was in a Roman prison. When he heard about the miracles Jesus was performing, he sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus, in essence, "Lord, if You can't get me out of this prison, then what good are You?" Notice how Jesus responded: "He answered [John's disciples] and said to them, 'Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them'" (v. 22). Jesus emphasized His miracles. Then He added this reminder: "Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me" (v. 23). Jesus was saying very gently, "John, you'll be a lot happier with Me if you don't take offense just because I'm not performing the way you think I should." What impresses me about this exchange is the way Jesus dealt with John the Baptist. Jesus didn't blast him away, saying, "You unbelieving infidel! How could you doubt Me after everything I've done?" Instead, Jesus dealt gently with John's doubt, and He does the same with you and me. There is a big difference between doubt and unbelief. Whether doubt is good or bad depends on where it leads you. If doubt leads you to a deeper belief after questioning your faith and examining the evidence, then doubt is a good thing. If doubt leads you away from God, then it is an evil thing. But doubt in and of itself is not necessarily bad. It's important for parents and grandparents to remember that truth. More than likely, there will come a time when your child or grandchild says, "I grew up going to church and talking about Jesus, but I'm not sure I believe in Christianity any longer." When that happens, don't hit the panic button. Questioning is normal for teenagers and young adults as they move from embracing their parents' faith to embracing their own faith. When your child or grandchild questions their faith, you can say, "I've gone through those same doubts myself. Here's how I resolved them," and point out helpful resources to aid them in their questioning. Doubt is a normal process. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Power of Prayer
When we question the power of prayer, we lose it. The devil is trying to rob us of hope by making it appear that prayer is no longer effective. How clever Satan is, as he tries to deceive us with lies and unnecessary fears. When Jacob was brought the false news that Joseph had been killed, it sickened him to despair, even though it was a lie. Joseph was alive and prospering, while all this time his father grieved in sorrow, having believed the lie. Unbelieving fears rob the believer of joy and confidence in God. God does not hear all prayer; he hears only believing prayer. Prayer is the only weapon we have against the enemy and must be used in great confidence, or else we have no other defense against Satan's lies. We think God has not heard us because we see no evidence of an answer. However, you can be sure that the longer a prayer is delayed, the more perfect it will come forth at last. Also, the deeper the silence, the louder the answer. Our lack of patience is proof enough that we do not expect much from prayer. We leave the secret closet of prayer, ready to go on muddling our way through; it seems we would even be shocked if God did answer. Abraham prayed for a child, and God answered. How many years went by before he held that child in his arms? Every faithful prayer is heard the moment it is prayed, but God chooses to answer in his own way and in his own time. Meanwhile, he expects us to rejoice in the naked promises and feast on hope while we wait for the fulfillment. Also, he wraps his denials in the sweet package of love, to prevent us from falling into despair. "For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise" (Hebrews 10:36, NKJV). |
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Having a Good Memory
The believing soul, after he has unburdened his heart in prayer to the Lord, resigns himself to the faithfulness, goodness, and wisdom of God. The true believer will leave the shaping of the answer to God's mercy. Whatever way God chooses to answer, the believer will welcome it. David prayed diligently for his household, and then he committed all to God's covenant. "Although my house is not so with God, yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure..." (2 Samuel 23:5, NKJV). Those who prescribe to God how and when to answer actually limit the Holy One of Israel. Since God will not bring the answer in the front door, they are not aware of his coming in the back. They trust only in conclusions and not promises; but God will not be bound up to time, manner, or means of answering. He will forever do exceedingly more than we ask or think of asking. He will answer with health or grace that is better than health. He will send love or something beyond it. He will deliver or do something even greater. He desires that we simply leave our requests lodged in his powerful arms, cast all our care upon him, and go forth with peace and serenity to wait his answer. How tragic to have so great a God and so little faith in him. When you are down, and Satan whispers in your ear that God has forgotten you, stop his mouth with this: "Devil, it is not God who has forgotten, but it is me. I've forgotten all his past blessings, or else I could not now be questioning his faithfulness." Faith should have a good memory. Our rash and hasty words are results of our forgetting his past benefits. With David, we should pray, "And I said, 'This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.' I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember your wonders of old" (Psalm 77:10-11). |
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Payments in Praise
God never complains about the power of his enemies but rather the impatience of his own people. God wants us to rely on his love because love is the principle he constantly acts from and from which he never swerves. When he frowns with his brow, rebukes with his lips, or strikes with his hand--even in all this, his heart burns with love, and all his thoughts toward us are of peace and goodness. All hypocrisy lies in distrust, and the soul that cannot rely on God cannot long be true to him. Once we start to question his faithfulness, we begin to live by our own wits and care for ourselves. Like the backslidden children of Israel, we are saying, "Come, make us gods...we do know not what has become of [Moses]" (Exodus 32:1, NKJV). How can love for God be preserved in the heart that grumbles? The Word calls it "contending with God." Only a foolish person dares find fault with him. He will challenge such a person to lay his hand upon his mouth or else be consumed with bitterness. The Holy Spirit within us groans with that unutterable language of heaven that prays according to the perfect will of God. However, the fleshly grumble that proceeds out of the heart of the disenchanted believer is poison. Grumbling kept an entire nation out of the Promised Land, and today it is keeping multitudes from the blessings of the Lord. Groan if you must, but God forbid that you should grumble. God's promises, which he says will hold us, are like the ice on a frozen lake. The believer ventures out on it with boldness but the unbeliever with fear, lest it should break under him and leave him floundering. If God is delaying, it simply means your request is gaining interest in his bank of blessings. The saints of God were so assured of his faithfulness to his promises that they rejoiced even before seeing any conclusions. They went on joyfully, as if they had already received. God wants us to pay in praises before we receive the promises! The Holy Ghost assists us in prayer, and is he not welcome at the throne? Will the Father deny the Spirit? Never. That groaning in your soul is no less than God himself, and God will not deny himself. |
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Closest Friends
Who do you name as your closest friends? Believe it or not, this question is a matter of great concern to the Lord because your friendships speak loudly, both to God and to the world, about the condition of your heart. "Lord, what do you think of my friendships? Are they pleasing to you?" Have you ever thought to ask him these questions? The fact is that a righteous friend can provide a link to the blessing and favor of God because he encourages you toward a godly lifestyle. On the other hand, an unrighteous friend can be a chain to every kind of evil, leading you into terrible bondages. As I use the word friend throughout this message, I am not referring to immediate family members. My definition of a friend here is someone with whom you are closely associated, one in whom you naturally confide. In short, a friend is someone with whom you walk and talk and to whom you bare your soul. You probably have various circles of friends: a "business" circle, which includes your coworkers, partners, or clients; a "social" circle, which includes those with whom you associate on a surface level. You also may have contact with ungodly acquaintances. The apostle Paul says it's impossible for us to avoid these kinds of contacts; otherwise, we would have to leave the world altogether. However, the circle God cares about most is your intimate circle, your bosom pals. These are the people you love most and who most influence your life. You are naturally attracted to one another, and you agree on most things, so you feel safe opening your heart to each other. The Bible tells us that we are not to be ignorant concerning Satan's seductions. One of the devil's most common attacks against us is to bring someone who is walking in deception, an agent of hell who is on a mission to destroy us, into our inner circle of friends. Satan especially uses this ploy with lonely or compassionate Christians. He tries to turn an undiscerning person's kindness into an affinity with an evil spirit. "Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits.'" (1 Corinthians 15:33, NKJV). |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Laodicean Church
To the last church, the Laodicean church, the Lord cries, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20, NKJV). That is the last call of Christ to the church. There will come a spirit of lukewarmness, and multitudes will grow cold. Before that, though, he is saying to his people, "I'm asking to be heard. Open up. Let me into your secret closet. Let me talk with you and you with me. Let's commune. That's how I will keep you from the hour of temptation that is coming on all the world." John, in his revelation, talks about a day when our Lord's heart shall be lonely no more. "And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.... God himself will be with them...and [God] said, '...I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts'" (Revelation 21:2-6). That means free and full communication with no middle wall of partition, no dark glasses, no partial knowledge, but rather face-to-face conversation! We think of how glorious it will be to spend an eternity praising our Lord, bowing at his knee. Perhaps we often think of that, but have you ever tried to realize what that great homecoming will mean to our Savior? All his children will finally be home, free to share his very being. He will make us all sit down, and out of his innermost being will flow rivers of glorious truth. As he did on the road to Emmaus, our Redeemer will begin at Moses and take us all through the prophets. He will share the secrets of the universe; he will unfold every plan. Every cloud of darkness will be dispelled. Christ will share for an eternity. I see that the real joy of heaven is not just ours, but his. Our greatest joy in heaven will be to see his joy as he talks to us freely, face to face. We will see Christ fulfilled, his needs fully met. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
From Glory to Glory
Paul spoke of a ministry that every Christian is called to, one that does not require particular gifts or talents. It is to be undertaken by all who have been born again, both recognized ministers and laypersons. In fact, this ministry is every believer's first calling, and all other endeavors must flow out of it. No ministry can be pleasing to God unless it is birthed out of this calling. I am talking about the ministry of beholding the face of Christ. Paul said, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord?" (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV). What does it mean to behold the Lord's glory? Paul was speaking of devoted, focused worship. It is time that is given to God simply to behold him. The apostle quickly added, "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart" (2 Corinthians 4:1). Paul makes it clear that beholding the face of Christ is a ministry to which we all must devote ourselves. The Greek word for beholding in this verse is a very strong expression. It indicates not just taking a look but "fixing the gaze." It means deciding, "I won't move from this position. Before I do anything else, before I try to accomplish a single thing, I must be in God's presence." Many Christians misinterpret the phrase "beholding as in a glass." They think of a mirror with Jesus's face being reflected back to them. That is not Paul's meaning here. He is speaking of an intensely focused gaze, as if peering at something earnestly through a glass, trying to see it more clearly. We are to "fix our eyes" this way, determined to see God's glory in the face of Christ. We are to shut ourselves in the holy of holies with one obsession: to gaze so intently and to commune with such devotion that we are changed. Paul said the person who is shut in with Christ, beholding him, is being transfigured. What happens as a believer beholds the face of Christ? Paul concluded, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18). |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Spirit Breaking Out
Micah brings to our attention one of the most glorious of all Old Testament prophecies. He prophesied of a people who would follow the Lord to new pasture. "I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold..." (Micah 2:12, NKJV). Micah saw a people of God being released, a people whose hearts beat as one, a people so led by the Spirit they would be called outcasts by the apostate church. "'In that day,' says the Lord, 'I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast and those whom I have afflicted; I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcast a strong nation; so the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever.'" (Micah 4:6-7). Who makes up this holy remnant? Not the proud, the self-centered ministries, the polished, applauded stars. No, these are a tested people who have been in the fires of trial. They include the unknowns, the outcasts, those who are considered lame in comparison to the high and mighty established church, and those who raise their voices against corruption in God's house. God says, "I will put them together." All human efforts to bring God's servants together is in vain. God must do it, and the one thing that brings this remnant together, causing them to see eye to eye, is a repentant heart in union with Christ. Jerome, one of the early church fathers and a Bible scholar, describes them as "those children of God who are repentant and who rise above worldly things and aspire to heaven." This is a heavenly-minded people, weary of lightness and compromise, a people who yearn for holiness in God's house. Even now there is a holy remnant leaping forth from among men. Every man and woman of God whose heart is broken over the sin and corruption in God's house can sense this leap of the Spirit! There is a coming out, a breaking out just ahead! |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
A Soothing Seduction
Let me show you what happens to every child of God who enters into a relationship with a bitter, unrighteous, rebellious person. There are awful consequences. "And the fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat" (2 Chronicles 17:10, NKJV). Jehoshaphat's kingdom, Judah, was blessed and prospered abundantly, and nobody dared come against them. That changed after Jehoshaphat entered into a relationship with Ahab. Scripture says, "After some years [Jehoshaphat] went down to visit Ahab in Samaria; and Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead" (2 Chronicles 18:2-3). The Hebrew word for persuaded in this passage means "a soothing seduction." Jehoshaphat allowed himself to be seduced into war by Ahab, answering, "I am as you are." In other words, "I'm your friend, so I'm with you all the way. I won't let you down. You can count on me." Tragically, when Jehoshaphat joined Ahab's war, he only hastened his friend along the path of destruction and introduced trouble and sorrow into his own life. Is your close friend full of bitterness, hatred, anger, and pursuing a war of some kind? Is he involved in a marriage war, a family war, or a personal war? Are you like a Jehoshaphat to him, offering help and encouragement? If so, look out, because you are about to be seduced into an unrighteous battle. That's right. Very soon, you will find yourself smack in the middle of your friend's mess, and you will be asked to take a stand. If your friend is in a troubled marriage, for example, you are going to be forced to take a side; and you will end up sympathizing with him all the way through his divorce. Beware, Christian, because whenever you extend comfort or encouragement to someone who is in rebellion, you take sides against the Holy Spirit. That actually makes you are a partaker in that person's sin, and there will always be consequences. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Fullness of Life
Here is the promise of all promises: "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5, ESV). Jesus is my promise and the core of all my promises. It's like that old song "I'd Rather Have Jesus" where we sing, I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I'd rather be his than have riches untold; I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land; I'd rather be led by his nail-pierced hand. I'd rather have Jesus! If we will comprehend the central, singular soul-conviction that the promises of God are encapsulated in Jesus, then everything else is diminished. Nothing can compare with this one promise. If you have Jesus, the response to all his other promises ought to be, "That's good. I believe that. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for letting me drink from this cup." Everything pales in comparison to the fact that I get to know him. I get to walk with him. I get to love him. Jesus's presence is central, better than any other promise any of us could possibly have, and he is free for the asking. He is saying, "Just call on my name, and I will come." If you will just come to Jesus, he will become illuminated in your life. He will take the highest position in your heart and be your everything. People who have that centrality of focus on Jesus Christ are the people I see walking in the fullness of their promises. Conversely, the people who lose sight of Jesus and begin to emphasize the promises more than Jesus are the ones who begin to struggle. They start to drift, and their journey stops because they are not finding the fullness of life that is found in Jesus Christ. Dear friends, I covet that deep relationship with Jesus for you because I love you. I long for you to know the depth and peace of that kind of focus on Jesus. As the Bible says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Faithful Friendship
If you are a follower of Jesus, if you are now in the blood lineage of Christ, Satan will try to bring someone into your life to destroy everything godly in you. Right now, you may be thinking, "Wait a minute! I don't want to start doubting my friends or suddenly become suspicious of them." If they are true friends, knit to your heart in the Spirit of Christ, you have nothing to fear in examining your relationships with them. You should look at all your friendships in the light of scripture. It is easy to determine whether your close friendships are of God, or if they have been planted by the enemy to destroy you. Simply think of your best friend, and then answer these questions: - Do they gossip, backbite, or speak evil of others? - Are they argumentative about scripture, a continual debater, never seeming to arrive at the truth? - Do they call conscientious, godly people "Pharisees"? - Do you detect in their words a spirit of disobedience, envy, or suspicion? - Do they spew out poisonous words against their spouse? - Have they succeeded in planting unkind thoughts in your mind about others? - Have you begun to join them in spewing out bitter comments? If your friend fits this description, you are being drawn farther away from Jesus because of this friendship, and you can know the devil has planted that person in your life. They have been sent to destroy the work of Christ in you. On the other hand, a godly friend will always take the side of the Lord's Word in any matter; they will not take your side every time simply because you are friends. Scripture describes such a righteous, true friend like this: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:6). Such a friend will not counsel you in the bitterness of sin. Instead, they will love you enough to tell you the truth. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Wait Upon the Lord
The devil has a strategy to deceive believers and make them doubt the faithfulness of God in answering prayer. Satan would have us believe that God has shut his ears to our cry and left us to work things out for ourselves. I believe the greatest tragedy in the church of Jesus Christ today is that so few believe in the power and effectiveness of prayer. Without meaning to blaspheme, multitudes of God's people can now be heard complaining, "I pray, but I get no answers. I've prayed so long, so hard, without any results. All I want is to see a little evidence of things changing. Things go on as usual; nothing happens. How long must I wait?" They no longer visit the secret closet because they are convinced that their petitions, born in prayer, are miscarried at the throne. Others are convinced that only Daniel, David, and Elijah types can get their prayers through to God. In all honesty, many saints of God struggle with thoughts like, "If God's ear is open to my prayer, and I pray diligently, why is there such little evidence of his answering?" Is there one certain prayer you have been praying for such a long time, and as yet it has not been answered? Have years gone by, and still you wait, hoping, yet wondering? Let us be careful not to charge God, as Job did, with being slothful and unconcerned about our needs and petitions. Job complained, "I cry out to you, but you do not answer me; I stand up, and you regard me" (Job 30:20, NKJV). Job's vision of God's faithfulness was clouded by his difficulties. He ended up accusing God of forgetting him, and God rebuked him soundly for it. It's time we Christians took an honest look at the reasons why our prayers are aborted. We can be guilty of charging God with neglect, when all along our own behavior is responsible. "Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off" (Psalm 37:34). |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Things Devoted to Destruction
The Lord warned Israel against taking any spoils from the enemies they defeated. Why this prohibition? It was so they would not trust in the power of man or try to conquer their enemies for material gain. God wanted their eyes fixed on things above, not on things "devoted to destruction" (material goods that would fade like the grass, see Joshua 6:18). Despite this warning, one man named Achan decided to take some things for himself. "When I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them..." (Joshua 7:21, ESV). It wasn't much, really, just a pretty coat and a handful of silver and gold. However, it's always that "one little thing" that God puts his finger on. Why? Because he knows that a small thing can hinder the fulfillment of his whole destiny for us. Do you have something you've been negligent about, one thing that could hold back God's best for you? For many of us, these could be reasonable things. Perhaps it's a desire to hold on to savings that the Lord wants us to give away, or it's clinging to a demanding career that takes us away from our family. Like Achan, we can hold on to something "insignificant" without considering what it does to our hearts. God says to us, "Yes! Take out that thing that doesn't belong. Get at it, because just one small hidden thing can hinder the unparalleled victory that I want to give you." Our God wants to do mighty things through us. He wants to express his love to the world through us. If we're clinging to one thing that gets in the way of his accomplishing that---some willfulness, some refusal to trust him for everything--he points it out to us. What is the Lord putting his finger on in your life? Is it to take away one small thing? Or to add something you've neglected? Don't delay in your response to the Spirit's faithful voice. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. Love One Another For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God's commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Extraordinary Faith
Do you sense that God is about to unleash something tremendous in your life? Perhaps he has spoken to your heart, saying, "I have prepared something special for you. You're about to enter a walk with me that you've never known before." Maybe your life has already been greatly blessed by God. Now the Holy Spirit is telling you that his longstanding promise is about to come into full fruition and that it will amaze you. If this describes your life right now, I can tell you with the authority of scripture, "Get ready to examine your heart." Let's talk about what I call experiencing "crazy faith." It's believing that no matter how good things are, the best is yet to come. It's a faith that says, "As much as we dream and do big things for God's kingdom, his vision is always greater." What the Lord has done in ministries I've been blessed to be part of has exceeded my wildest expectations. In the ministry, I sometimes feel like a week doesn't go by without me hearing testimonies of how people are hearing the gospel and dedicating themselves to God. Whenever we distribute food to the poor, many of them ask, "Why are you doing this?" We answer, "It's Jesus," and they give their lives to him. These new believers are quickly maturing into faithful disciples, growing in their knowledge of God. They are well on their way to our ultimate goal for them: to become radically devoted missionaries for Jesus, wherever he may lead them. This is all happening miraculously. God isn't just exceeding our expectations; he's showing us what his expectations are, and it is amazing to see. There are still millions of people in the world who don't know Christ, millions of widows and orphans in danger, and millions who will go hungry today. My heart breaks for them, and yet I hope in the Lord and his power to reach each one of them. I'm ready to be astonished by God's great works on the behalf of each person in need. "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, ESV). |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
We Are Not Alone
After prophesying his own betrayal and death, Christ told his disciples, "I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Helper, that he may abide with you forever--the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; but you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:18, NKJV). The Greek word for orphans here could also be translated "bereaved, fatherless." At times, you may feel as the disciples later did, that you're all alone, and God is not at work for you. You see no evidence of his care, and Satan lies to you that God's Spirit has left you for a season. One incredible miracle you cannot forget is Jesus's promise to all his followers: "I will not leave you as an orphan. I paid a price for you, and you are mine!" No matter what you are going through, your heavenly Father has never once abandoned you, and he never will. Listen to his eternal, unbreakable promise: "But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.' 'Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me...'" (Isaiah 49:14-16). This passage tells us, "Your need for protection is always before my eyes. There is never a moment when I am unconcerned about keeping my supernatural walls secure around you. My protective hedge is always there." I have known some mothers, including pastors' wives, who have abandoned their children. A pastor wrote to us, "I've been married for twenty-five years, but my wife recently left me for some man she met through the internet. She just walked out on our children and me. I still love her and want her to come home, but she won't. I hurt so badly right now, I can't sleep. I don't know how I'm going to make it." God answers this man, "Even your beloved wife may abandon you, but I never will. My walls around you will always be secure." He will not leave us comfortless! |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
An Endless Supply
The apostle Paul cried out to God about a thorn in his flesh, saying, "Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:8-9, NKJV). God was saying to his servant, "Paul, you're going to have to live with this thorn. In the midst of your pain, I'll give you all the grace you need." The Lord wants us to know that his grace is stronger than any deliverance he might bring to our circumstances. Why? His grace contains the full revelation of who he is! Simply put, God's grace is Jesus Christ fully revealed in all holiness yet with a tender, compassionate heart. Our heavenly Father sees every bit of our suffering, and he makes these wonderful promises to us. "But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their strength in the time of trouble" (Psalm 37:39). "...For he himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6). "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them--Those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing. For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'" (Isaiah 41:10-13). "The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them" (Isaiah 41:17). You can make it through any situation, crisis or disaster, all by the grace of Jesus Christ. No matter what comes your way, he has more than sufficient grace and Holy Ghost comfort for you! |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Walking in Truth and Love
It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Grace at Work in Us
Most of us would admit that we rarely feel God's grace at work in us. That is why we are prone to doubting that his presence abides in us. Paul addressed this dilemma for us in Galatians when he wrote, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16, ESV). It sounds simple enough, doesn't it? The problem is we tend to take Paul's counsel here as a hard command to be obeyed with striving. We grit our teeth and say, "I will walk in the Spirit today." Once we stumble, we think we aren't being spiritual enough, so we try even harder to walk in the Spirit. Suddenly, we're under the law again because we've turned to our fleshly ability rather than trusting that we are already in the Spirit. Paul said, "If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law" (Galatians 5:18). In other words, the Spirit of God abides in you, giving you access at all times to his grace, which empowers you. When Paul said, "Walk in the Spirit," he meant, "Walk under grace, not the law." Paul then showed us the result of a walk in the Spirit when he wrote, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23). These things don't come about because of what we do. They are the fruit of the righteousness God has put in us, the result of his work in us. You may not feel very loving at times, but love is in you because God put it there. You may not feel joy and peace, but God has implanted both deep within you. His Spirit is at work in you every hour of every day to his great glory and for your deep blessing. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
A Revival of Cleansing
All the prophets saw the end times and prophesied of the gathering of a separated, holy people who would have great understanding in the Word of the Lord. Daniel heard great things from God but "understood not" (see Daniel 12:8). However, he saw a day coming when a purified, tried and tested, remnant would understand; there would be a last-day company full of wisdom and discernment in the things of God. "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand" (Daniel 12:10, NKJV). Isaiah deplored the spiritual blindness of backslidden Israel. He said, "They err in vision, they stumble in judgment" (Isaiah 28:7). The little discernment they once had was destroyed by their lusts; but Isaiah prophesied of a day in which "the deaf shall hear the words...the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness...They will hallow my name, and hallow the Holy One of Jacob, and fear the God of Israel. These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, and those who complained will learn doctrine" (Isaiah 29:18, 23-24). I believe the last-day revival so many preach about is a revival of cleansing. If the work of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, it is certain that in a great Holy Ghost outpouring there will be powerful waves of conviction. A careless, indulgent church will be shaken and forced to face her sins. While multitudes of Christians chase after signs and miracles and flock to teachers of success and prosperity, God has been calling out a "wilderness people" who are consumed with hunger for more of Christ. Right now, a glorious company is coming forth! God began to stir their hearts, and they became disillusioned with all the hypocrisy and shame. They got into the Word of God and saw for themselves what his ultimate purposes are. They put on Christ's robe of righteousness by faith and decided to walk alone if necessary to be wholly obedient to him. They set themselves to hear and understand the Lord's will. They began to see things in the Spirit and were made to understand that the end of all things is at hand. To these, the Word of the Lord has come! This is the word being proclaimed loud and clear: "Christ is coming! Repent, for the day of the Lord is near. Lay aside every besetting sin and set your affection on things above. Do not partake in the empires and dreams of men. Forsake it all, and go out to meet him." |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Constant Battle
Why do we sense we're in a constant battle? It's like the cartoon where a devil sits on one shoulder and an angel on the other, each warring for our attention. We are indeed engaged in a battle, but it's not that kind. Paul addressed our real dilemma in Romans: "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate... For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out" (Romans 7:14-15, 18, ESV). Paul didn't mince words as he described his condition: "I am of the flesh. I do evil all the time. No good dwells within me." Was this Paul's basic description of a Christian life? Was he saying, "All your days will be full of such conflict?" Not at all. Further on, Paul wrote, "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:21-24). Many Christians stop here and say, "That's me. I'm saved, but my life is wretched. There's no way God could ever use me. I spend every waking hour just fighting off sin." The problem is that these Christians don't know who they are in Christ, and that was exactly Paul's point. He painted a full picture of our dilemma, describing our wretched condition, and asked, "Is there any way out? How can I ever be delivered from this? It's impossible in my own strength." Then, in one of the most amazing passages recorded in scripture, Paul gave us God's response to the human condition. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2). There is a new law at work in you because there's a new sheriff in town. Jesus, the new sheriff, has run out the old, corrupt one: the "old man" of your flesh. You no longer live under the law of sin and death for "the law of the Spirit has set you free in Christ Jesus." |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Those Honored by God
God makes certain, special promises to those who are determined to seek him with all their hearts. One such promise is a covenant of his presence. However, this covenant is strictly conditional. Scripture makes it clear that if we abide by the rule of this covenant, we will enjoy the incredible blessing of God's presence in our lives. This does not refer to issues of salvation alone. It also speaks of being such seekers after God that his awesome presence is poured out on us, and it is seen and known by all. God revealed this covenant of his presence through an unnamed prophet who delivered a message to Eli, the high priest of Israel. At the time, Eli was backslidden. The Lord had been speaking to him, warning him against allowing sin and compromise; but Eli had ignored all of God's words. Now this unnamed prophet said to Eli, "Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: 'I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before me forever.' But now the Lord says: 'Far be it from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.'" (1 Samuel 2:30, NKJV). The phrase "lightly esteemed" has to do with the lifting of God's presence. This does not mean a person is damned, but rather that he will have to walk in the power of his own flesh. God was telling Eli, "I intended to bless your house, to favor you. But you have scorned me, becoming soft on sin and allowing your lusts to push me aside. Now I will take my presence from you." Many people come to Christ with a great, initial burst of faith. Over time their zeal wears thin, and they begin to neglect the Lord. They "lightly esteem" his commands and turn back to their old, sinful ways. However, they still believe God's presence remains with them. That is a lie, a delusion. The Bible makes it clear that if you forsake him, he will forsake you. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Cloud of His Presence
When Israel was in the wilderness, God showed his presence to them through a cloud. This cloud was the manifestation of God's promise to be with his people. It came down and covered the tabernacle night and day and acted as their guide for every undertaking. When the cloud moved, they moved; and when it stayed, they stayed. The people did not have to hold committee meetings to try to figure out their direction or future. They put their confidence in that visible cloud of God's presence. Today, that same cloud of his presence hovers over your secret closet of prayer. It waits every day to envelope you in its peace. It will lead you, empower you, and give you peace. It will give you detailed guidance for your home, work, and relationships. Your secret closet can be anywhere, in the shower, on the bus or subway, or during your commute to work. You can shut out everything and say, "Lord, I've got half an hour right now. I love you, Jesus, and worship you. This is my closet time with you." It's a wonderful thing to be shut in with God, developing a consistent prayer life. God promises that as you become a seeking, praying servant, his presence will break forth in your life, closing and opening doors, and working his divine order all around you. However, something even greater than this will happen; God's presence will lead you into a revelation of his glory! There is a difference between God's presence and his glory. Most Christians know his presence and his great works in their lives, but few know his glory. In Exodus, we are given a glimpse of this difference. "Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (Exodus 40:34, NKJV). The apostle Paul writes that all believers? bodies are the dwelling place of God: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). Like the Israelites who lived under the cloud of God's presence, we should constantly invite his glory to cover us and guide our lives. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
Knowing the Real Jesus
I believe it has never been more important for the church and the world to know the real Jesus than it is right now. By "the real Jesus," I mean the only source able to satisfy every human need and longing; every desire to be loved, known, and accepted; every hope to have a life of value, worth, and purpose. These things aren't found in the world. Our culture is fully focused on American Idol-type fame, telling us we'll be satisfied by money or good looks or popularity. As lovers of God, we know that our deepest desires can be satisfied only by Christ. Knowing this, though, we in the church often try to reduce Jesus to our own image. Many of us want a Jesus who suits us, a right-wing Republican Jesus or a liberal-leaning Democratic Jesus. There is a black Jesus, a brown Jesus, a white Jesus (whom I call the Holiday Inn Jesus--the one with blow-dried, blond hair who seems to float through the air). When I speak of "the real Jesus," I mean the one who satisfies every human hunger and thirst. He cannot be reduced to some limited conception because the Bible says Christ can be known only in his fullness. It takes the whole counsel of God, the full biblical picture, for us to receive, know, and faithfully serve Jesus. "From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace" (John 1:16, ESV). John also says, "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him" (John 1:11). This speaks of Christ's rejection by the Jews, but how much of our Lord do we ignore today? Do we emphasize some of his teachings over others because some are uncomfortable? To what degree have we not accepted Jesus in his fullness? In short, we are able to walk in Christ's grace only as we know him fully. Anything else is a diminished walk of faith. |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Full Revelation
Why did Moses so desperately seek a vision of God's glory? I believe the reason is found in this verse: "There I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory" (Exodus 29:43, NKJV). The word sanctified here means "made clean." God was saying, "Moses, as you and the people worship me, I will meet with you and give you my presence. And when I reveal my glory to you, it will cleanse you." This is one of the most powerful verses in all of scripture. It offers hope to everyone who struggles with a besetting sin and yearns to be free and clean. God pledges, "Your temple will be made clean by a revelation of my glory, and that revelation is available to you right now in my Son, Jesus Christ." We find this revelation of Christ only as we come to the scriptures. Paul says that as we allow God's Word to reflect to us an ever-increasing revelation of Jesus, we will be changed from glory to glory. "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18). This revelation of God's glory will provide keeping power for our lives: "...For over all the glory there will be a covering" (Isaiah 4:5). In other words, God's glory will keep us clean in our worst hour. Satan may lie to us, "You're defeated. You're a cheat, a liar, an adulterer." However, we can answer, "No, devil. I have a high priest, and I am cleansed by a vision of his glory!" When God revealed to Moses all these things about his nature, he also gave him the full revelation that he "...will by no means clear the guilty..." (Exodus 34:7). Azariah prophesied to King Asa in his most prosperous hour, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you" (2 Chronicles 15:2). In other words, "If you despise God's glory, if you excuse your sin and neglect the Lord, he will not cleanse you." What God is telling us here is so simple: "Take time to get to know my Son! Search my Word, and seek me in your secret closet of prayer. As you abide in my presence, your eyes will begin to open to my glory. It is all revealed in Christ, the full revelation of my love, grace, mercy, kindness." |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Spirit of Discouragement
"I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long... I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart... Lord, all my desire is before you; and my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart pants, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me... But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; and I am like a mute who does not open his mouth. Thus I am like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth is no response" (Psalm 38:6-14, NKJV). As I read this psalm, I imagined David slumped in despair. Perhaps what troubled him most was that he couldn't understand why he was suddenly cast down so low. This man hungered for the Lord, pouring out his heart daily in prayer. He revered God and wrote psalms extolling his glory. Now in his depressed state, all he could do was cry, "Lord, I'm at the end of my rope, and I have no idea why this is happening." Like many discouraged Christians, David tried to figure out why he felt so empty and broken in spirit. He probably relived every failure, sin, and foolish deed in his life and thought, "Oh, Lord, have all my reckless acts left me so wounded that I'm beyond hope?" Finally, David reasoned that God must be chastening him. He cried, "O Lord, do not rebuke me in your wrath, nor chasten me in your hot displeasure!" (Psalm 38:1). Let me point out that David isn't writing just about his own condition in this psalm. He is describing something that all devoted lovers of Jesus face at some point in their lifetime: being under an attack from a plaguing spirit of discouragement, which comes straight from the bowels of hell. No Christian brings it on himself, nor does the Lord send it, and such an attack usually has nothing to do with any specific sin or failing by the believer. Very simply, the spirit of discouragement is Satan's most potent weapon against God's elect. Most often, he uses it to try to convince us we've brought God's wrath upon ourselves by not measuring up to his holy standards. With that in mind, the apostle Paul urges us not to fall prey to the devil's snare, "Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11). |
Re: POWER of PRAYER- No Matter Which Faith You Follow=GOD is With You
The Fiery Trial
In his times of discouragement, David could not figure out why he was so cast down. He asked, "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance" (Psalm 42:5, NKJV). Yet his questions were not doubts about God. David actually begins the psalm by expressing his deep thirst for the Lord: "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" (Psalm 42:1-2). In the midst of his discouragement, David cried out for a revelation of the Lord. He was saying, "God, there's never been a time when I have loved you more, so why am I suffering such overwhelming discouragement?" At times, David experienced despair and depression because of his sin. He endured the Lord's chastening for his pride when he numbered his fighting men, which was against God's law. He felt the pain of God's rod when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged to have her husband murdered. His heart broke over the judgment he brought upon his family because of these sins. Many believers today are depressed because the Holy Spirit has wanted to bring them into victory, but they resisted. They have chosen the way of the flesh, and that always leads to pain and discouragement. However, I am addressing repentant believers here, those who seek God with all their hearts. These faithful servants are gripped by a different kind of discouragement, the kind that comes upon them suddenly, out of nowhere, for no apparent reason. When the attack comes, do not think it is unusual. God allows this kind of fiery testing with all his saints. Peter writes, "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you" (1 Peter 4:12). If this is true of you, you can be absolutely sure you are under attack. Satan has sent a cloud of discouragement to overwhelm you. It has been the enemy's weapon of choice for centuries against God's elect, but the Lord always has the victory! |
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