I have had some interesting questions and opinions posed to me this week. The most important of these are, what do you believe and why? Weren’t you a Jehovah’s Witness at one time why you would you leave? So this weeks writings are an attempt to respond to the questions. For my belief and stance I have labelled an apostate and a liar, yet as much as this words cut I can only stand on the fact that Jesus is my way. Have we not all heard or quoted the words of Jesus found in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to Father but by me”. Jesus is the only way unto God, He can be the only one through whom we may have fellowship with the Father. By providing us with the Holy Spirit we gain access to the throne room of God. Once there we find Christ Jesus ready to accompany us into the presence of God revealing to us all He is to us.
As the way, (the path by which we travel), He may only bring us to the Father while we live along that path. In other words the living and abiding that He continually encourages us to have with Him is our guarantee that His path is the only one that leads to His promise of salvation.
We must keep in mind that there is a huge difference in living a certain way or “Living in the way”. On October 14, 1975 at 10:00 pm in the Fort Point Lodge, Jasper Alberta room 201 I said a simple prayer in faith and life in the way began for me. This was the moment I walked out of death and into life, an everlasting and joyful life in the anointing of Jesus.
Before this yes, I was a member of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society or better known as a professing Jehovah’s Witness. But having struggled with certain issues of life I received a letter about a year earlier stating that I have been disfellowshipped on the grounds of “conduct unbecoming a Christian”. So now I was no longer a Christian, no longer had family (To this day many of my own brothers and sisters will not speak to me). Everyone I grew up with, all cousins, every friend, all considered me as dead.
So what had just happened in this little room, it goes back to the day of the disfellowshipping, I began a life of travelling, driven off like someone with a deadly contagious disease. I could not come to grips with this term “unbecoming a Christian”. So they forced me to ask questions of this religion and was there any conduct unbecoming a Christian within their leadership, were they ever or should have been disfellowshipped?
Charles Taze Russel, the founder, sold miracle wheat (could grow 5 times other wheat) for 60.00 a bushel (a huge amount in the late 1900’s) it actually grew less the regular wheat. Also sold a cure for cancer and the millennial bean (another super producing plant). His wife declared he was a paedophile and womanizer. He wasn’t disfellowshipped for conduct unbecoming a Christian (a flim flam man) Called himself Pastor yet never earned the title, didn’t finish high school, had no formal theology training. Lied in court as to his abilities in understanding the languages of Hebrew and Greek. (conduct unbecoming a Christian) Predicted the end of the world in 1914 and 1915, it didn’t happen.
Judge Rutherford, was never voted in or given the title, he stood in a for an absentee judge at times. A title unearned by assumed. Predicted in 1918 (later changing it to 1920) the world’s churches would be destroyed along with millions of their followers. Stated that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David would come back in the flesh in 1925 who he build a huge mansion for them. They didn’t arrive but he moved into the mansion during the great depression, sipping 60 dollars a bottle of scotch. Not conduct unbecoming a Christian?
Or How about the men that destroyed the life I knew from childhood.
One who stole from the company he worked at,(conduct unbecoming a Christian)
One who spent each Friday evening at a hookers house in Niagara Falls NY (conduct unbecoming a Christian)
One who was a paedophile and child abuser (conduct unbecoming a Christian)
So if these are the examples of Christians I need a better answer.
That better answer came in the form of a man stricken with MS yet a became a wealthy man after a career as an RCMP officer. It was at his feet I sat during a bible study. He turned to me and asked one simple question,
“Ron, no debating John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God (was a god, NWT) what came before the beginning”? Therefore if Jesus is the Word (and He is) He was already there (past tense) at creations, making Him the creator and not the createe as the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach. He handed me a small booklet which I read when I return back to room 201. At the back of the booklet was a prayer which simply said if you believe in Jesus say this prayer. He will come into your heart and you will be changed forever, I did, Jesus did AND SO IT HAS BEEN. My conduct was mine, the Jehovah’s Witnesses and they’re scourge no longer mattered, I found the Way. Which I follow.
Throughout scripture we are inspired to live in the way, perhaps our expression should not be “get out of the way” but rather “get in the way and stay in the way”. We should never have a desire to depart from the way in Jesus, Romans 3:12, “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doeth good, no, not one”. There is a life outside of Jesus that becomes heavy, dreary and distasteful. The Amplified version of this verse says, “they have gone wrong and have become unprofitable and worthless”, self worth, self satisfaction, and fulfilment only come through remaining in “the way”. So then the one way revelation may come is for us to examine how we may live within “the way of Jesus” so that we may see the Father, deepening our fellowship and strengthening our relationship with Him, and certainly not departing from it.
We begin in Psalm 119:1, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord”. This scripture reveals three values by which we may continue living successful lives as:
A) Blessed, to be blessed is to be supremely happy, regardless of all the circumstances, trials and situations that will arise by living for Christ Jesus we are given the promise of being blessed. To be supremely happy we will have to have been granted power, and all power has been given unto Jesus in heaven and earth and He in return gave that same power unto us. Kenneth Copeland says that to be blessed is to “have power in you, on you, and around you to prosper”, and certainly this is a most accurate definition of being supremely happy. No matter what the enemy may throw against us, we through the power, (which comes through the application of His name and the use of His redeeming blood) drive all of the devils assignments and weapons far from us.
B) Undefiled, To be defiled is to be; dirty, spoiled, stained, tarnished, degraded, disgraced, dishonoured and violated, all of which we were BEFORE we committed our lives to Christ Jesus and made an unchangeable decision to walk in the way. That life changing decision caused the blessing to flow and the power to perform its cleansing ability within us. We become undefiled which is to be; clean, pure, spotless, unsullied, unadulterated even virtuous. We may best call it “living in grace”, receiving that which we were not entitled to have but having it granted unto us anyway.
C) The law of the Lord, No matter what we require, whether an answer to a prayer, healing, financial release, or just day to day fellowship with God will not be accomplished unless the law of the Lord is deep within our hearts. We must get over that word “law” as something harmful, it is not. Its purpose is not to bring us into some kind of heavy bondage but rather just the opposite of that, the bringing of release from the hardship of Satan’s bondage.
The law is the Pentateuch or the first five books of the bible, contained therein are many blessings and curses, but Jesus bore and destroyed all the curses for us doing away with them forever. However the blessings of the law are still enforce for those who will walk in the way. Listening and following after the life style that is rich and fulfilling. Deuteronomy 28:1-14, gives us a list of great blessing that we will live in for heeding the lifestyle of the way. There is no other way than Jesus.
VANITY, ALL NOT OF GOD IS VANITY
From verse 37 of Psalm 119 we learn yet another key of walking in the way, which when given heed keeps us free and open to what God would reveal unto us. “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way”. Vanity becomes the downfall of many persons, once they have tread in its lifestyle all other things begin to fade and unfortunately one of the first to go is the revelation of the Lord.
The Hebrew word for vanity is, “shav’”, which means; ruin, guile, destructive evil, desolation all of which is caused through the leaving of the way of Jesus and living in the way of the devil. His ways are those of vanity, ways of; conceit, egotism, narcissism (the love of self), pride, strife, futility, uselessness and folly.
Yet because a person says, “I am an individual” they are lead through their vanity into destruction. To keep their individuality they trust in themselves deceiving themselves into believing that alone they can become all their vain heart desires, they trust is misplaced. Job 15:31, (Amplified version), “Let him not deceive himself and trust in vanity-emptiness, falseness and futility; for these shall be his recompense [for such living]“. When one spends his life seeking those things which are empty and futile then the only revelation that they will gain is how to continue in the empty things. God create each person in His likeness, therefore we should all be striving to obtain the life style that He has for us, in other words to go His way. When we do we achieve the greatest level of individuality that one may have. An individual completely sold out to God Himself.
Too much time is spent in the pursuit of the things of life when the simple fact is that these pursuits are also vanity, for all belongs to God. Psalm 24:1-5, “The earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He hath founded it upon the seas, and established upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in the Holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation”. We need not spend our lives searching out those things of life for one thing is necessary, that living in the way of Jesus Christ. His ways will lead, guide, teach and reveal how we are to go so that revelation knowledge flows from us.
Pursuit of things leaves one shallow and empty with the result that the things of the vain are given over to those who are not. Ecclesiastes 2:26, “For God giveth to a man that is good in sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and a vexation of spirit. What a price one must pay for rebellion to God, the very work of ones hands given over to the righteous because one could not seek and serve the Lord.
The way of God is the way of life, the way of the vain is that of death, one need but choose which they will serve and then do so knowing the consequences of their decision. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 sum up the choice that we face best, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and thy length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob to give them”. All heaven and earth stand as witness as to what you decide daily to follow, God or that which is vanity. Choose God, choose life, choose blessing and live, it is His way. Swallow your pride, evict strife, leave folly behind and go the way of life, so that all may be well with you. Revelation knowledge can only be found through a life completely sold out to God, this is His way.
THE WAY OF PEACE
The way is Jesus, His is the way of peace, it is only those who live in the peace of God who receive the revelation knowledge of God. The quite spirit is the spirit which is trained to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit by whom revelation knowledge comes.
It seems like mans quest on earth is find where peace lies and then to live within that place. Peace is no further away than a prayer of faith and a confession of the way of Christ. Peace is a servant given over to man to help him establish himself in the Son. John 14:26-27, ” But the Comfortor, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. Here Jesus is not only leaving us peace but also giving us His. However if we have no understanding of what exactly peace is we will have no way possible to live within it. So let’s examine peace to know what Jesus really did give us.
The word peace is translated comes from several different words in the bible. The Hebrew word for peace is, “shalom”, it means; to be safe, well, happy, to have health, prosperity, and to fare well. The Greek words for peace are; phimoo (fee-mo-o) which means to muzzle, Mark 1:25. Siapao (see-o-pah-o) which means a involuntary stillness, a hush Mark 4:39. Eirene (i-ray-nay) which means; A) a harmonious relationship, B) friendliness, C) freedom from molestation, D) to have rest and contentment, E) to be prosperous. So then when Jesus said that His peace He was leaving us, He was leaving us all these attributes. To live in less is to live outside of the goodness of God Himself, it is to exist within the turmoil of the a Satanic controlled world.
To have peace we must live in the way of Christ Jesus. His words are to abide in Him. Turn to John 15:4, Amplified version, “Dwell in Me and I will dwell in you.-Live in Me and I will live in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me”. Peace is a fruit produced by the living and dwelling within Jesus as made possible through the Comfortor or the Holy Spirit of God. Galatians 5:22-23, “Now the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law”. None of these may be separated from the other therefore the living in Christ Jesus would enable one to experience and use all these as required. Peace flows in conjunction with all the others. Once one is at peace or flowing in that harmonious relationship then and only then is one ready to have revelation knowledge given over to them.
Some people look to others who call themselves prophets for revelation knowledge but if the prophets life is without the peace of God therein, do not trust what he or she may speak and say. Peace is the result of every prophetic statement given via the Holy Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 14:3, “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation and comfort”. There is no other reason to speak a prophesy other than for these reasons and each one of these will minister peace to the recipient of the prophesy. So too revelation knowledge will bring the admonishment, guidance and contentment.
The operation of peace comes to us in the form of what we develop in Him when we are abiding in Him, to understand peace we must know our place of residence. Just we know the home that we dwell in we must come to know our spiritual address or residence equally as well. Our sense are so well refined in our home that even with lights off we know exactly where things are placed and what to avoid in order that we do no harm to ourselves. So too Jesus would have understand the way to His lifestyle and His dwelling place of peace in like manner. What is that we have in Him?
IN HIM
Romans 3:24, In Him we have redemption.
Romans 8:1, In Him there is no condemnation.
Romans 8:2, In Him is freedom from sin and death.
Romans 8:39, In Him is perfected love.
Romans 12:5, In Him is oneness.
1 Corinthians 1:2, In Him is sanctification.
1 Corinthians 1:30, In Him is wisdom, righteousness and sanctification.
2 Corinthians 2:14, In Him is triumph over the enemy.
2 Corinthians 5;17, In Him old things die away.
Ephesians 1:3, In Him are all spiritual blessings.
Ephesians 2:6, In Him we are seated in heavenly places.
1 Thessalonians 5:18, In Him is Gods will for you.
To abide outside of Christ is to choose confusion over peace, and that of course will never do.
Psalms 37:11, Amplified, “But the meek [in the end] shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace”. The “meek” refer to those who have a good or positive attitude toward the things of God, and perform from within that attitude without disputing or resisting. Peace in abundance gives us great assurance that when we face difficult times and trials that God is going to see us through them.
We know that Satan is an enemy that seeks to steal, kill and destroy and he may do so if we follow any other way other than “The Way”, allow your ways to be those of Jesus and even then Satan will not be able to create havoc within your life. Proverbs 16:7, “When a mans ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him”.
The quickest way for one to lose his peace is for that one to enter into a life of compromise.
Colossians 2:9-10, “For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power”. There is no compromise with God toward Jesus, all that the Father is Jesus is. Therefore there is no compromise in Jesus toward you, He has made you complete, that means there is nothing lacking in your life. If you “feel” that there is you simply have not learned to receive from Jesus that which you require to overcome the lack. If you are complete, then your complete go to Him and find out what you need, receive it and then put it in operation in your life at once.
There is also no compromise in the attitude and actions that Jesus took against the devil in assuring that we would be able to live the peaceful life in Christ, Colossians 2:14-15, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against you, which is contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross. And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it”. If Satan wants a fight give it to him. Don’t settle for less than the best because that is what Jesus bought for us upon the cross. Be single minded about the quality of life that you expect to live, Jesus never compromised in His action giving His very life so that you could have the best life possible, His. Meet every challenge that the devil places before you with the Word that God has placed in you.
To live without compromise is to live by faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we live by faith not by sight”. Forget what it looks like, see what Jesus has already done and said about then His peace will give you the ability to walk in your faith not compromising it due to what the devil may show and tell you. Simply decide that no manner what Gods Word is the only way to go, peace will give you the assurance that your decision is the right one.
Hebrews 10:35-39, “Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him”. To compromise is to cast away your confidence, (your beliefs, trust, faith or your reliance), all of which is Jesus, so then with each compromise we walk away from the way and into danger. Compromise means to; discredit, endanger, jeopardize, risk, concede, and yield; what is that you are putting at risk? It is “your faith“. Notice verse 38 says that if any man draws back that Gods soul is given displeasure. There can be no peace in the soul of the compromising person.
By not compromising we find that we are able to live free from worry, stress, and all anxiety that comes from attempting to go another way other than Jesus’ way. Philippians 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”. Peace of God can only come as one decides that there can be no compromise in His life. Dwelling in Christ Jesus and meditating on all that is healthy for mind, spirit and soul as we see in verse 8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are lovely, what soever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things”. Truly as we place all that is honourable in our lives, dwelling in the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) we come to know His way and through that knowledge revelation knowledge is given to us.
THE WAY OF SALVATION
On that fourteenth night in October I got saved. None could ever change that nor take it away from me. No one ever comes to any revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ, His Father or His Word had it not been for His provision of salvation. Acts 16:17, “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation”. Although Paul was at the moment being harassed by a demonically controlled girl, what she was saying was nevertheless true. He did have the way of salvation to offer to any who would receive it. That way is Jesus Christ.
In order to appreciate salvation we must have a full understand as to what exactly it is. We find the words salvation or saved are translated from three Greek words: A) Soteria; which means to rescue, bring to safety, deliver and be in health, B) Soterion; the one who rescues, delivers or produces health, C) Sozo; to deliver, protect, heal, preserve, do well (prosper) and to be made whole. So then Jesus is the Soterion who delivers us, protects us, heals us, preserves us, causes us to prosper and makes us whole. All these working together within us constitutes our being complete and finished works of God able to walk in the ways of our Soterion.
Closer examination of our salvation by the Soterion Jesus shows to us that these gifts of deliverance are not just for the moment of regeneration but are designed to carry on within us until we step into the heavenly kingdom of God and receive the fullness of them there.
As Soterion Jesus’ first concern was that He put to flight the works of the enemy of God in man. No longer would we serve the destroyer instead willingly and freely we choose to serve on the side of the one who brings to us deliverance, the Soterion Jesus. Luke 1:71-74, “That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To preform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant; The oath which He sware to our father Abraham, That He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear”. Any who discredit the ministry of deliverance have not come to the revelation knowledge of the Soterion Jesus. His hearts desire is that all be delivered from all bondage that comes from within the realm of darkness. Salvation is deliverance, so go free.
Then we see that salvation as provided by Jesus shows us the great mercy that is within the heart of the Father. Titus 3:4-7, “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved (sozo) us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”.
The mercy of God in offering us salvation is then five fold, 1) Kindness, 2) Love, 3) The washing, regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 4) Justification by grace, 5) We become heirs. So what we are seeing is that God loved us so greatly that He was willing to show us the greatest kindness ever offered to man, the redeeming power of Jesus as offered to us through His death and resurrection. In order to secure us and give us confidence in His work of salvation He poured out generously His Holy Spirit. Knowing that we could never do anything that would be worthy of vindication from sin He simply He forgave us showing that although He is a just God He is also a gracious God, one worthy of all love, praise, adoration and faithfulness. Once He gave us His grace He then brought us into His covenant and granted unto us all the benefits that are within that covenant.
Salvation shown by mercy is not something we turn and walk away from but rather seek ways as how to deepen it within us. Romans 1:16, “for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power unto salvation to everyone who believeth”. How could anyone be ashamed of the which provides deliverance, heal, prosperity, wellness and wholeness? Shame only will come when it is rejected and envy of the free takes root in ones heart.
SALVATION & FAITH
We also know that way of salvation is the way of faith. Faith in all that God has promised in His Word and faith in all the Jesus provides through His redeeming work on Calvary. Galatians
3:9-14, “So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith. And the law is of faith, the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the cruse of the law, being made a cruse for us; for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth upon a tree. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith”. Being set free from malediction found within the stringent rules set out for all, yet no-one ever being able to obtain or fulfil them. Christ came and took upon Himself all of the curse, freeing us into the blessing of the law.
Does this now mean that we need not do that which pleases God? Of course not, the freedom Jesus offers to all who call upon His name for salvation is that of living by faith. The exoneration that faith brings from the worse sin can only be found in the acceptance of the shed blood of Jesus Christ which may be received by any who may call upon Him through faith. The goal of all who walk in the redeeming power found in that blood is to do at all times that which pleases the Father. In order to please we must go to Him, believing all that His Word demonstrates in love, power, strength and victory. The rewards of faith can never be outweighed by the rewards of anything the systems of the world may have to offer. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”.
This faith is a most powerful key to the gaining of revelation knowledge through salvation, we must not let the principals set forth within this verse of scripture to ever slip from us. We see four simple yet profound fundamental truths for those of faith.
1) Please God, Acceptance of the way of salvation is the beginning of pleasing God, God is not interested in your past as much as He is in your future. In the past you could do nothing that was pleasing unto Him for you were not of faith. Once you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour faith recreated your heart and God then granted forgiveness, cleansing the heart and justifying you through your Soterion Jesus Christ. Deliverance came into the heart and no longer could Satan whisper condemnation into the heart, freeing you to take faith to new realms using it as a tool that at all times in all situations pleases God. 1 John 3:18-24, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. But if our hearts condemn us not, then we have confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. And he that keepeth His commandment dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And thereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us”.
2) Come to God, It is the fallen nature of man that keeps man from coming to God, he thinks (mistakenly) that he has no need for God, or anything else, he’s a man, he can make it on his own. He cannot, for those who will not come to God for salvation will be held in captivity by Satan and forced to do his will, ever living a life locked in strife, confusion, destruction and eventually death. 2 Timothy 2:24-26, “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will”. One translation says, “to do his will”, those locked in strife are nothing more than puppets on a string controlled by Satan himself. This certainly is not the plan of God, He would have us come to Him in all circumstances and in every situation. Just as Jesus is the Soterion equipped to deliver, heal, protect, preserve and heal, He is also the one who seeks a very close fellowship with Him in all matters, great and small. In order for us to do so we must come to Him.
All too often men will accuse God of not fulfilling His word, yet we find their request has gone unanswered because of their own failure to come to God and release the entire situation to Him. However for the answer to manifest we must release all of the circumstance to Him right down to the worry and concern over the situation. To hold onto the worry is to say that God is not capable of answering, therefore we actually stay away from God instead of doing what His word says, coming to Him. In all things run to God, come boldly to the throne room, jump into the arms of love and receive healing and freedom, just come. Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in a time of need”.
3) Believe that He is, Is what? Everything you require when you require it. Moses and the Israelites first knew Him not as Jehovah but as the great “I AM“. To them He would say, “I AM all you will ever need or require. Today He is still the same. As the Soterion Jesus brings to all the power of salvation, He becomes the one ever able to deliver, protect, heal, preserve, cause to do well (prosper) and to be made whole. We are able through faith to ask of the Great I AM and know with full assurance that the request is executed and completed just as His Word has promised. John 16:23-24, “And in that ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name, ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full”. There is no revelation knowledge available to those who will not come to God, ask and believe that He will provide for them.
4) Believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Make fellowship with Christ Jesus your primary goal in life, all else should become secondary to your life in Christ. As Soterion He has all that one requires therefore it should be common sense to seek only Him. Too many persons have taken their eyes off Jesus and placed them upon their need, seek not the provision but rather seek the provider. For when the provision has come the relationship with the provider will have deepened, but if you seek just the provision then the relationship will be shallow and less gratifying. He is the rewarder, but the rewards do not flow simply because one has a need, they flow because of the faith that one has placed in Him to answer the need. Seeking the provision will always cause one to be in a place of searching for the answers to the needs, seek the Soterion who is the answer. Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. Matthew 6:33, (Amplified version), “But seek for (aim at and strive after) first of all His Kingdom, and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right], and then all these things taken together will be given you besides”.
The Law of The Lord
Revelation of God is not only dependent upon your having a knowledge of The Way of Jesus Christ, but also in having a knowledge of what scripture terms the law. As we have already stated the law to the Jewish person are the first five book of the Bible, the Pentateuch. It is what they hang their very lives upon. However the law is far more than just the books of Moses, it is the Way of God, placed into ones heart and the evidence thereof in ones life. Therefore it is the entire Word of God as lived on a daily basis by the believer.
We find that the Hebrew word for law is, “torah”, which means a precept or statute. Torah is derived at from the root word, “yarah”, which is to flow as water, to shoot straight as an arrow, to teach, instruct, inform, or direct. This then is what the law of the Lord is, His teaching, and ways of directing, informing, and instructing us, so that we would lay down our lives and walk in these teaching as straight as arrow. It is to have flow like a running river from the very depths of our hearts. It is that example we find in Psalm 1:1-3, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of the sinners, nor sitteth in the sit of the scornful. But his delight is in the law (torah, yarah) of the Lord, and in His law (torah, yarah) does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does prospers”. Therefore if the law is to teach, instruct, lead and guide it would be expedient for us to find out as much as we can regarding the law. Each time you see, think or hear “the law” from here on, think of it as “the tool by which I am taught the ways of God, and the instrument by which I may fulfil my blood bought redemption.
The first thing that grip our hearts is the reality of the law. It purpose as we have said is not to bring us into bondage but to release from Satanic servitude. The law does not confine us but it does just the opposite, it frees us. We must never forget Jesus’ words regarding His mission that centred on the law. Matthew 5:17-18, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am come not to destroy but to fulfil. for verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”.
There can never be any doubt that the Word of God is forever settled in heaven and therefore should be forever settled as well in our hearts. Everything on earth and in heaven operate according to the devine law that God has established for it. Why then do we rebell against a plan that is pure prefection, could it we are just foolish and choose not to allow the Word of God to have it’s tightful place in our hearts? Psalm 119:89-93, “Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this according to thine ordinances: for they all are thy servants. Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine afflicition. I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou has quickened me”.
Many have made large ministries today in condemning the law of God, they are more than just misunderstood, they are wrong. By Jesus Christ fulfilling the law of the Lord, every covenant promise made therein becomes our way unto freedom, deliverance, health and prosperity.
What has been considered by some as restriction on their way of life is actually the way to liberty when received through the knowledge therein. It is the ignorant (unlearned) who reject the law, after all if it is the way, the instructions and teachings of God, why would any reject it? Only those deluded by Satan could possibly do so, only those who have given their lives over to the way of the flesh find little value in living a life of uncompromising integrity that comes from the Word of God.
Many have forgotten that the law of the Lord is exactly that, His way of directing and instructing, therefore it is His performing of His covenant and the promises therein in our lives that cause us to become completely dependent upon Him. Psalm 19:7-11, “The law of the Lord is prefect converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desire are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them is great reward”.
The law is described here in various words causing differing blessing to come and accompanied by a specific promise.
Word for the Law Blessing Promise Given
Vs.7, The law Perfection, Conversion of the soul
Vs.7, The testimony, Surety, Wisdom
Vs.8, The statutes, Right standing, Exultation of the heart
Vs.8, The commandments, Purity, Enlightenment of the mind
Vs.9, The fear, (request) Cleanliness, Patience for eternity
Vs.9, The judgement, Truth, Righteousness
From these then we quickly learn that the intent of God is that those who will be dedicated to the Law of the Lord will live in blessing and the fulfillment of promise. Notice that none are for affliction but rather all are given for your benefit. With the resultant factor being that when they are taken in the fashion given they become sweet, tasty, a tool of protection, the way to the rewards of God.
Anyone who would make the false claim that God is doing nothing for them on their behalf is certainly not following in the law of the Lord. We can be certain of this one thing, those who are faithful to the Law of the Lord, or who live according to it are sure to see their lives come into complete harmony, and enjoy rich heavenly ordained blessings.
We must not allow the statement from the above verse to slip by us, for within it is the key to receiving revelation, the revelation of the law of the Lord. The statement is “More are they to be desired“, What is that you are desiring, if it is not the law of the Lord then perhaps it is time to re-evaluated your priorities. All of what the Lord offers you is His Word, all of your desire should be placed upon it. Psalm 37:3-5, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shall thou dwell in the land, and verily shalt thou be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of your heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord: trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass”. All desire must be formulated in God and then finalized according to His Word and then success is sure to have it’s way in your life as it is fuelled from the Word itself, becoming pure, holy, true and righteous.
Revelation of the law may be experience best by a personal study of the Book of Psalms and especially the 119 Psalm. While you study it, be sure to keep your spiritual eyes open for lessons regarding the word of God from the following verses.
Vs.1, The law of the Lord.
Vs.3, Revelation of His ways. Vs.4, The code of His precepts.
Vs.5, A list of His statutes. Vs.9, The source of cleansing.
Vs.24, A ready counsellor. Vs.25, The source of life.
Vs.28, A tower of strength. Vs.30, The way of truth.
Vs.40, The way of righteousness. Vs.41, The way of salvation.
Vs.49, The source of hope. Vs.52, The source of comfort.
Vs.70, A source of delight. Vs.72, Better than wealth.
Vs.76, The promise of mercies. Vs.98, The source of wisdom.
Vs.99, The source of knowledge. Vs.101, Obedience to the Word.
Vs.103, The pathway of life. Vs.111, The source of joy.
Vs.116, A help in a time of trouble. Vs.130, The source of light.
So cling to the word and know that through it you will be established, in all the gifts and calling of God, including revelation knowledge.
Walk in the Ways of the Lord
All too often we are negligent of not walking in the ways of the Lord, this basically because we are not informed enough to know such ways. The lack of information comes through choice, simply not wanting to know, through lethargy, simply not doing what we know or a combination of both. In order to receive revelation of God, we not only must know God as the Way, know the Law (Word of God), and do that which we know. We must also know the ways of God which come through knowing the Way and doing the Law of God. By having both the Way and Law settled forever within our hearts we will automatically walk in the ways of God.
TRUTH
3 John 2-4, “Beloved I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth”. The first key we learn is that we are to walk in truth. Not temporal truth that is subject to change according to the whims and wishes of the one projecting what they call truth. All truth will withstand one test, does it come in line to what scripture has to say. If it does not then reject it entirely for it is not truth.
This is the reason that we should learn not to trust our senses, for they will surely bring us to ruin. You see the senses will show you only that which you desire to see. The eyes may say to you that all you can see is all the world is made up of. We of course know that such a statement is false, yet we insist on saying “I’ll believe it when I see”, most of us have never seen the North or South poles yet we know that they exist, simply because they have been proven to do so. Truth is much deeper than the senses, truth always shows the senses that there is a greater, much deeper way, the way of the Word. Should we not therefore walk in it, of course we should.
Isaiah has reminded us that Gods way is the better way to go. Isaiah 55:8-9,”For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are ways your ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts”. God way is the way of truth, then we must force ourselves if need be to walk in truth at all times.
Truth is the reality of any matter, or situation. It takes the Word of God instilled in our hearts to bring us into such reality. We must develop the attitude that all else is false and only God is truth, therefore we walk in the way of truth as given to us by God through His word and granted by the Soterion Jesus Christ, for He is the embodiment of truth.
Jesus has declared, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”, John 8:32. However many have twisted this scripture and formed the opinion that “the truth will make you free”. Not so, it is the truth that you know that makes you free. Many have died from what Jesus as Soterion freed them from, not because of His redeeming did not work but rather because they lacked knowledge of that work. To say “Jesus saves”, but not believe that Jesus heals is rejecting His work and therefore it is rejecting truth openly, causing the way to death by sickness and disease. It is the truth you know that makes you free.
Remember that as Soterion Jesus has declared, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me”. John 14:6. Therefore the truth that we know we must continue in, that our life in Jesus Christ is one of victory making Him Lord over all our ways. We must walk daily in His ways, following His steps, so that truth flows from us like a river of life.
We must choose to make the words of our mouth to be only that which is truth. We cannot establish any part of our lives upon that which may not be truth. By speaking forth the Word of God we cause ourselves ever to live in the covenant of God, we say like Solomon said in Proverbs 12:19a, “The lip of truth shall be established forever”. Choose the way of truth then speak it as if your entire life was dependent upon it, because it is.
We will find that truth will work it’s way of life within our hearts, we need not however concern ourselves as some do, that just speaking the truth at all times will cause us to appear harsh, or unkind, cacophonous in nature, dictatorial in personality, deceived by the very truth we seek to walk in, for Jesus has never been either. We emulate His life, we live like He lives. He has coupled truth with several other important ingredients so that as the free we may remain so.
The Companions of Truth
Psalm 85:10, “Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other”. If we are to walk in the way of truth we must do so through the power and ability of the Word of God, where the Word is, truth will always be accompanied by her three companions, mercy, righteousness and peace.
We must never forget that God showed us great mercy by sending Jesus as Soterion to us, giving us life, victory and success. This same mercy was then infused into our hearts by the Holy Spirit at the moment we chose to live our lives in Christ Jesus. This same mercy should therefore be granted to all who may require it. Mercy coupled with truth becomes a power that nothing Satan has can overcome it.
Mercy is: compassion, forgiveness and kindness. Compassion is: the ability to experience what another is going through and have the power to change it. Forgiveness is: the wiping away of all wrong, the remission or pardon of all debt, to give up all claim on an account. Kindness is: showing one’s self as useful in any situation. Combining these, we formulate mercy.
Coupled, mercy and truth become an unstoppable force, used to bring great freedom to the heart of all who may walk in the their pathways. Psalm 25:10, “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies”. Mercy and truth become unstoppable because God is unstoppable, His truth is marching on.
Walk in the Ways of the Lord \ Righteousness
Kenneth Copeland has said, “Righteousness is the ability to stand in the presence of the Father without a sense of guilt, condemnation, or inferiority–as though sin had never existed”.
Righteousness is the view God has of you through Christ Jesus. When the person who is born again in Jesus Christ is seen by God, He does not see that person is light of past errors, He see them as clean, whole and pure, because He sees them covered with the shed blood of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1:30, “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”.
Therefore the ability to receive revelation from and by God must come through righteousness, if one live a life of condemnation or is critical upon oneself there is very little opportunity fro God to speak to that ones heart. They must see themselves as pure and clean respecting the blood that Jesus shed on their behalf. This of course is no licence to sin, but rather it is the ability within to resist sin and see Satan overthrown in their life.
Through His blood sacrifice Christ has been made unto us:
The power of God, 1 Corinthians 1:24
The wisdom of God, 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30
The holiness of God, 1 Corinthians 1:30
The redemption of God, 1 Corinthians 1:30
The righteousness of God, 1 Corinthians 1:30
It is through the righteousness of God that the other four areas are given to us, ho w is it possible for one to believe that he\she has the power of God to defeat the enemy if that one does not believe they are righteous? It is not. So the understanding righteousness is absolutely vital to the well being of the successful Christian life.
The word righteousness is an old English word for “right-wiseness”, it is then more than just doing what is right, it is right thinking, right walking, right living. None of which can be accomplished by living a life outside of Christ Jesus. All the achievement that comes through right-wiseness comes because of the dedicated, sold out living one does to, for and in Jesus Christ.
Righteousness not only requires a life style of right living, but it also demands one of justice or one that is of reality in such areas as being, equitable, fair, faithful and truthful. It is therefore the setting of the standards by which ones moral lifestyle is placed into judgement only to found without reproach. Righteousness would then be living a life of such high standards that even our worse enemies could find no accusing faults within us. This would mean embodying the law of God in all areas of our life.
Justification then is exoneration and vindication of living the right lifestyle which has been instilled into us by; God, Christ’s resurrection, the Holy Spirit, the blood of Jesus, grace, faith, prayer, and obedience. In other words by a commitment to living a life with these areas.
A lifestyle of righteousness can be liken very much to the examples of King Solomon found in Proverbs that he encourages all to live within. One needs but chose to live what he has written in order to obtain righteousness. A study of one Proverb each day will cause a lifestyle of high integrity and morality to abound from one in all areas of living.
Righteousness is by Faith and not by Works
Romans 9:30-32, What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. for they stumbled at that stumblingstone: As it is written, Behold I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and a rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed”.
No matter how much we work to be good we will never acquire the righteousness that could only comes through Jesus Christ. We all come up short, there would always be something within our lives that hold us back from succeeding in doing what is right, until the time when Jesus comes into our hearts. Then it is no longer what I do that wins me favour and makes me pure with God, it becomes all that Christ has done for me.
The ultimate goal of every Christian should be providing God with pleasure, Hebrews 11:6 says that God gets His pleasure from those who do all things through faith. Therefore we must by faith reach forth and receive our righteousness, if the shed blood of Jesus made us clean, we must by faith receive it and then walk in the purity of it in our soul and spirit.
Many attempt to perform good works for God believing that if these are good enough then they will gain favour from God and thus receive that which is necessary to enter into the heavenly realms. Their faith is not in Christ Jesus but rather in a false hope that if the works are good enough and there are enough of them then this will win them that favour they so desperately seek. However Isaiah says in chapter 64 and verse 6, that this is just not so, one who is unclean cannot bring righteousness forth. It is for that reason we must accept the redemption of Jesus’ blood, giving us the ability to stand before God, full of faith, clean and pure.
The acquiesce of faith brings one into a realm that instead of working to obtain righteousness, they are righteous and because they are they then go forth and preform works. We work not because we have to, we work because we know the results of faith and righteousness within us, desiring others to come to the same knowledge. Therefore, although our works will not brings us into righteousness, faith will, we work because we have faith, therefore complimenting righteousness through faith and shown by our works. There is no advancement in Christ Jesus when all one does are works, advancement comes through works that are faith motivated and not soulishly motivated. Therefore the equation is, Righteousness by faith equals works of faith.
James 2:14-18, & 26, “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother and sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things needful to the body; what doth it profit. Even so faith, if it hath not works , is dead being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and i will shew thee my faith by my works. (26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also”.
However, although we work not to achieve righteousness, it is a free gift, we must ever be on our guard to maintain a righteous lifestyle. Satan will ever be attempting to deceive us, trying to cause to fail and thus fall into a lifestyle of unrighteousness.
Righteousness is Living Sin Free
There is a new kind of sin that is finding it’s way into the church today, it does not put on a deceiving appearance, yet it deceives more and more Christians into defeat and death more and more. It is about time the church wakes up to his deception and begins to do powerful warfare against this demonic force.
It is capable of it’s deception because those through whom it works will not admit that they are the possessors of him. Numbers 32:23, has something to say regarding this; “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out”.
So what is this sin that is loose, that will find you out, it is the sin of disobedience. Many are the people who spend great amounts of time in prayer, praise, and in study of the word, yet they constantly commit this sin. Righteousness is first and foremost being obedient to the life and Word of God. Learn the four great principals of conquest over disobedience and all areas that would steal from us our righteousness. 2 Corinthinians 10:3-6, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And having a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled”.
The four principals found here then are:
A) Destruction of strongholds, vs 4.
B) Casting down imaginations, vs 5.
C) Bringing into captivity every thought, vs 5.
D) Having a readiness to avenge all disobedience, vs 6.
Satan will try to establish certain strongholds in our lives so that we may not obtain the life of victory that God would have us obtain. So what are these strongholds, many of them are the feeble arguments put forth by the flesh as to why one should do or continue doing that which against the righteous way of living. For example strife, it is one of the best strong holds of Satan, for he knows that when he gets one into an argumentative mode they will progress in only one direction, hell, which is really to regress. As long as he can keep others arguing as to who is right, no one will be right. Once an argument has broken out then there is no longer a right one, both are now wrong. God’s way is that of peace, Satan’s way is that of strife, no-one can be right, doing the ways of unrighteousness, the ways of sin, the way of disobedience.
Therefore we must set aside the ways of the flesh, bringing destruction to all strongholds, when we think we just have to have something, question it, is it the way of God or the way of the flesh? If it is God’s way it will come into being, if it is not, we never really required it in the first place, let it go.
Next we learn that we are to “cast down imaginations”, the word imaginations comes from the Greek word, “logismos”, it’s root word is “logos”, which means the thoughts, reasoning’s, computations of the heart.
We are cautioned that once a stronghold has taken hold of us we may be able to break free from it by casting the thought down. Or, rejecting the very essence of the thought, we are not to reason out in our minds how we may be able to walk in the things of the Lord and hold onto whatever the thought is seeding into our hearts. It simply will not work, James says, “a double minded person is unstable in all his ways”. He becomes unstable because he has calculated what his risk may be to compromise the Word in his life, and he is willing to take the risk. Instead he should literally speak to the thought to be removed and go from his mind, guarding his heart from any root the stronghold may be attempting to place therein.
We must heed the same advise that David gave to Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28:9, “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a prefect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, He will found of thee, but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off forever”. God knows what we are thinking and His desire is that we spend our time in thoughts of Him and His Word. When thoughts contrary to His Word plague our minds we need run to His Word and drive them out by putting the Word to our lips and speaking it forth, this then is process of casting down imaginations and wicked thoughts.
Paul encouraged the Philippian church to think on only those things which would prevent any imaginations of discouragement, grief, frustration, loneliness or anxiety. Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things”. What greater way could any have than to put that which is of the highest standards into ones life. These standards can only flow from the Highest One, Jesus Christ and by His Word.
The third recommendation given to us to free from preforming any disobedience is that we are to bring every thought into captivity. This indicates that we are in a battle, a war over who will rule our minds, will the Word rule or will the thoughts of the flesh fuelled by Satan take control? Certainly the warning is that if we do not lead our thoughts away captive then we will be the ones held prisoner. What is implied, is that we will be the ones lead away and incarcerated in a prison made of bars of negative and dysfunctional thoughts. Thoughts designed to bring us into deaths grip, with our lives on the brink of extinction, simply because of thoughts gone wild.
We may win the battle of the mind by turning all our thoughts toward Jesus. We must remember the worse kind of thoughts one may have are those of worry, distress and care. Jesus showed us in Mark 4:19, that one of the greatest hindrances to walking in faith and therefore righteousness was the influence of the daily cares of this world. The dictionary defines care as: worry, concern, anxiety, solicitude, distress, over charged attention to a certain matter, concern, trouble, and pains.
Is it any wonder that we must take such things captive? But what do we do with such thoughts once we have gained superiority over them? Peter gives us the solution, 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you”. No worries, as the saying goes, when you place all your worries upon Jesus Christ. His is the righteous one, well able to take all care upon Himself. He goes on to say in verse 8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour”. Peter didn’t say he was a lion he said “as” a lion, therefore the devil once again is using deception to appear like he is not. In hopes that you will give in and surrender your thought life over to him, DON”T DO IT. Take all his dirty thoughts captive and cast them up Jesus who is the Loin of Judah, well able to devour the devil and his minions.
The final principal of the four principals was that we are to have a readiness to avenge all disobedience. Our righteousness is dependant upon our willingness to follow after the paths of life that Jesus has set out in His Word. Disobedience will lead us far from that course and the resultant factor will be destruction by Satan as we move into a realm of strife, contention and constant conflict.
Disobedience is translated from two Greek words: apeitheia, to be obstinate, rebellious, in unbelief: parakoe, inattention, heedlessness, negligent. To operate in disobedience to the Lord, His Word or even his servants who minister from the Word is to be in rebellious unbelief. Hebrews 2:1-3, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, leat at any time we should let them slip. for if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward: How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him”. How do you escape in your rebellion, or unbelief? You can’t.
We cannot continue to place blame on God for our unanswered prayers when the key reason is that we will not listen and obey. To many are whining to their leaders and the leaders are saying “don’t come to me any longer until you are ready to do what you’ve been instructed already”. If one insists on being negligent to the Word and will not pay attention or give heed to what they have been instructed to do, they cannot except that desire to come to pass through God’s intervention. Disobedience is the scourge that steals the hearts of it’s victims carrying them off into eternal captivity. We must come to our Lord and His ministers with a willingness to listen and to act upon their knowledge of the Word. Hebrews 13:17, “Obey them that have rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch over for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you”.
In Exodus 19:5, we find that it is obedience that brings us into the realm of being Gods own special chosen treasure. “Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all the people, for all the earth is mine”. The Hebrew word for peculiar treasure is “cegullah”, it is more accurately translated as “shut up wealth”. God views those of obedience as His wealth that He has shut up or put away for just His enjoyment. God’s conviction is to always do that which will protect His valuables, the obedient are such.
As we now see that disobedience results in defeat, death and destruction, but what reward is there for obedience. The Word gives to us many promises when we obey, some of the blessing may be found in Deuteronomy 4, we should study these out then make them our goal. For in obedience, righteousness is sealed.
Dake defines the blessings from this chapter as:
1) Long life. vs 1,4,10,40
2) Success. vs 1,5, 40
3) Mercy & Judgement. vs 3
4) Wisdom & Understanding. vs 6
5) Known the world over for wisdom and knowledge. vs 6,7
6) Closer walk with God. vs 7
7) Answers to prayer.
8) Prefect code of life. vs 8
9) Good and lasting memories. vs 9
10) Given the truth to teach your children. vs 9,10
11) Learning the fear of God, the beginning of wisdom. vs 10, (Pr.1:7)
12) Preservation from corruption. vs 16-19
13) Being a special people unto God. vs 20
14) Share in the inheritance. vs 20,38
15) An unbreakable covenant with Jehovah. vs 23
16) Faithfulness of God. vs 31
17) Manifestation of God. vs 32-34
18) Proof that Jehovah is God. vs 35,39
19) Victory over our enemies. vs 38
20) Prosperity. vs 40
21) Blessing upon our children. vs 40
We must give special continuing consideration to the advise of the Apostle Paul found in Romans 6:12-16, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those alive from the dead, and your instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness”.
Revelation of God therefore comes through living a lifestyle free of sin, being righteous because of Christ Jesus within us. Remember, righteousness by faith equals works of faith, the equation now becomes, freedom from sin equals righteousness by faith equals works of faith equals revelation of God.
Walk in the Ways of the Lord \ Peace
Many expect to receive revelation of and from God yet they live lives that are of complete turmoil, they have no peace, yet they claim that they have the Prince of Peace Jesus Christ living and abiding within them.
Peace, it seems mans quest on earth is find where peace lies, and then to live within that place. Peace is no further away than a prayer of faith and a confession of the Lordship Christ has over your life.
We know that peace is a servant given over to man to help him establish himself in the Son, therefore we should seek a life in Christ Jesus first and foremost. John 14:27, “Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let your heart not be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. A life in Jesus enables Him to not only leave us peace but also we receive His, it is perfect. However if we have no understanding of what exactly peace is, we will have no way to live within it, so let’s examine peace to know exactly what Jesus gave us.
The word peace comes from several different words in the Bible. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, which means; to be safe, well, happy, to have health, prosperity, and to farewell. Therefore we may conclude that in Old Testament days God’s desire was that His people live lives which were a blessing, consisting of safety, deliverance, health and prosperity. Psalm 29:11, “The Lord will give strength unto His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace”. Has God changed His desire? Let see what the Greek words say.
The Greek words for peace are; phimoo (fee-mo-o) which means to muzzle, Mark 1:25, “And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him”. In modern day English Jesus would have said; “Shut-up, and come out”, in other words put a muzzle on your mouth. So then the first thing we see that peace is, an ability to stand against what is wrong without fear of reprisal, trepidation or apprehension.
Another Greek word is; Siapao (see-o-pah-o) which means a involuntary stillness, a hush.
Mark 4:39, He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm”. So we may expect to have calmness in the midst of tribulation while we walk in peace, which flows from God. And yet these two meaning are not the ones we desire to place our attention upon, there is one more word we must look at for the clearest understanding.
The word used in conveying what Jesus meant in transferring His peace to us is; Eirene (i-ray-nay) which means; A) a harmonious relationship, B) friendliness, C) freedom from molestation, D) to have rest and contentment, E) to be prosperous. So then, when Jesus said that His peace He was leaving us, He was leaving us all these attributes. To live in less is to live outside of the goodness of God Himself.
As we have stated, to have peace we must live in Christ Jesus. His actual words are we must abide in Him, by which He means we dwell or have our residence in Him. Turn to John 15:4-7, Amplified version, “Dwell in Me and I will dwell in you.-Live in Me and I will live in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me-cut off from the vital union with me-you can do nothing. If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out as a [broken-off] branch and withers. Such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire and are burned. If you live in Me-abide vitally united to Me-and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you”. Therefore peace is going to be formed into that harmonious relationship by living in Him, (this is a command not just a good idea), our lives become ever charged with Him as we take up our residence within Him.
So to understand peace as our residence or home, we must have first hand knowledge of our place of residence, first hand knowledge of Jesus Christ, what is it we have “In Him”.
Romans 3:24, In Him we have redemption.
Romans 8:1, In Him there is no condemnation.
Romans 8:2, In Him is freedom from sin and death.
Romans 8:39, In Him is love perfected.
Romans 12:5, In Him is oneness.
1 Corinthians 1:2, In Him is sanctification.
1 Corinthians 1:30, In Him is wisdom, righteousness and sanctification.
2 Corinthians 2:14, In Him is triumph over the enemy.
2 Corinthians 5;17, In Him old things die away.
Ephesians 1:3, In Him are all spiritual blessings.
Ephesians 2:6, In Him we are seated in heavenly places.
1 Thessalonians 5:18, In Him is Gods will for you.
To abide outside of Christ is to chose confusion over peace, foolishness over wisdom, poverty over prosperity, sickness over health and death over life.
Psalms 37:11, Amplified version, “But the meek [in the end] shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in an abundance of peace”. The “meek” refer to those who have a good or positive attitude toward the things of God, and perform from within that attitude without disputing or resisting. They have developed this peacefulness through continually spending their time in the presence of the Lord.
Walking in an abundance peace means that we will never be found lacking in any area of life. Just think, you never have to be concerned over any circumstance that may arise in your life again. The power of the peace of God will see to it that you walk in that harmonious relationship ever free from the molestation of the devil. Never again having anxiety, but having rest and contentment as you know that your walk with God is the assurance of His peace leading you into a prosperous life, prosperous in every area, mentally, physically, spiritually and financially.
As we saw in the previous chapter, freedom from sin equals righteousness by faith, equals works of faith, equals revelation of God, however we may add now to this equation. Peace along side of righteousness causes the revelation of God to settled forever within ones heart. Therefore we press forward knowing that the outcome will be that of victory within Jesus Christ. For when righteousness embraces peace we become enraptured in the final victorious result, life everlasting. Psalms 85:10, “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other”. Mercy forgives man from all sin and disobedience, giving man the ability to accept the truth. Truth is sent forth to man so that he might know the will of God. Righteousness demands obedience to the truth, granting the resulting peace with God so that He is able to kiss (embrace) those who have been made righteous because of their obedience to His Word.
The quickest way for one to lose his peace is for that one to enter into a life of compromise. Never allow anything to cheat you into a place of compromise and strife, thus stealing from you a life of great peace. Fight the fight to win, run the race to win, leave Satan knowing he is the one who finishes last, not you.
1 Corinthians 9:24-26; “Know ye not that they which run in race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air”.
We are to run the race to win.
There are no second best’s.
You must prepare to run.
You must prepare to finish.
You must prepare to win.
Colossians 2:9-10, & 15, “For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power: And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it”.
There is no compromise with God toward Jesus.
There is no compromise in Jesus toward you.
There is no compromise in the attitude and actions that Jesus took against the devil. c/f Colossians 1:9-19.
If Satan wants a fight give it to him. Don’t settle for less than the best. Be single minded about the quality of life that you expect to live in Jesus Christ, then take His peace and go and achieve that life. Meet every challenge that the devil places before you with the Word that God has placed in you.
To live without compromise is to live by faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we live by faith not by sight”. Peace maintains faith, God is pleased by your placing faith in all that you do, His peace gives you the strength to do so continually.
Hebrews 10:35-39, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul”. To compromise is to cast away your confidence (your beliefs, trust, faith or reliance), (compromise means; discredit, endanger, jeopardize, risk, concede, or yield) what is that you are putting at risk “your faith“. Notice verse 38 says that if any man draws back that God’s soul is given displeasure. There can be no peace in the soul of the compromising person. It is such a person who will draw back, never, never, never compromise your stand of faith for anyone or anything.
Some may ask, Where does one carry His burdens so that they may retain their peace? To God of course, man was never equipped to worry, only since sin came along did Satan have the ability to place pressure upon man, it is one of his tools of destruction. God however desires us to be worry free, by taking all our concerns and yielding to Him and His way of handling all stress and worry. 1 Peter 5:7, Amplified version, “Casting the whole of your care-all anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all-on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully”. Peace of God can only come as one decides that there can be no compromise in His life. c/f Philippians 4:4-9.
Psalms 37:1-40. (PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE PASSAGE FROM YOUR BIBLE) Here is one of the greatest list of promises ever given to any man who will live within the Word of God. It is through the Word that you will ever be able operate the peace of God.
Before we examine the promises lets look very diligently at verses 3-8 which gives us the ways to peace. These are not rules that one must follow, but rather they are steps to the peaceful life.
Trust; lean on, rely on, and be confident in, take custody, have guardianship over. Become liable for your actions, in other words you become justly or legally responsible for your actions and the results that go along with them. You are officially obligated to that trust. You are in a covenant of trust, to break it would result in your down fall. You carried the trust, your responsible to it.
Delight; have enjoyment, happiness, joy, pleasure, and triumph in the Lord. In another word be glad (encouraging, cheering, inspiring, pleasing) in God.
Commit; The Amplified version says “roll and repose each care of your load on Him” Make your pledge and promises in Him, dedicate your ways, assign to Him your worries and frustrations, then lock them up with His Word and see your way come to pass.
According to Dake, David gives to us twenty five guarantees or promises of peace from God in Psalms 37:
1) (vs 3) You abide in a good land.
2) (vs 3) You shall never go without, you will always have the necessities of life.
3) (vs 4) God gives you the desires of your heart.
4) (vs 5) He brings His promises to pass.
5) (vs 6) He brings the righteous to light.
6) (vs 6) He brings judgement as noonday. No darkness.
7) (vs 9) The evil doer will be cut off, a promise of Satan’s defeat.
8) (vs 9) You receive the earth as an inheritance.
9) (vs 11) There is an abundance of peace.
10) (vs 17) You are upheld by God.
11) (vs 18) You recivce an eternal inheritance.
12) (vs 19) You are not ashamed in evil times, God protects.
13) (vs 19) You are satisfied in times of famine.
14) (vs 24) You are not brought to ruin (cast down) when you fall.
15) (vs 28) You are not forsaken by God.
16) (vs 28) You are preserved (maintained, perpetuated, sustained, and upheld) by God forever.
17) (vs 28) The seed of the wicked shall be cut off from harassing you.
18) (vs 31) All your decisions (steps) will be sound.
19) (vs 33) The Lord gets involved in defending you when the wicked attack.
20) (vs 33) The Lord will not condemn you.
21) (vs 37) The result will be peace.
22) (vs 39-40) Salvation will come.
23) (vs 39) Strength from God will be yours in a time of trouble.
24) (vs 40) Help from God whenever you require it.
25) (vs 40) Deliverance from Satan.
When we have so great assurances from God, is there little wonder that the peace of God can be settled forever in our hearts? There is nothing that can steal that peace away from us.
This peace was once and for all sealed in Christ Jesus when He gave His life and His blood for us. Sealed forever by the Holy Spirit of God. Ephesians 1:13, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise”.
1 Corinthians 11:24-30, as one studies the communion of Christ we find that it is representative and is the fulfilment our covenant in Him. This covenant of peace can be seen closer as you examine for yourself the following:
Psalms 119:165, Great peace to those who love the law (Word) of God.
Proverbs 16:7, When a mans ways please the Lord then he is at peace.
Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is the Prince of peace.
Isaiah 26:3-4, How to obtain prefect peace.
Isaiah 52:7, The ministry of peace.
Isaiah 53:4-5, The cost of our peace.
Isaiah 54:10, Peace is a everlasting covenant.
Isaiah 54:13, Great shall be the peace of your children.
So when all is done I am walking in the way, which still makes me a Jehovah’s Witness only a real one.
