Beware of Dogs!
“Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, today if ye will hear his voice. Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, they do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest.” – Hebrews 3:7-11 (KJV)
Entering the Rest of God takes more than going to church or being born again. It clarifies what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, that a man, though born again cannot enter into the Kingdom as that is an exclusive reserve for those born of water and the Spirit.
“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” – John 3:5-6 (KJV)
In our text, the Apostle Paul sounds a note of warning about how thin a line there is between entering and missing the rest of God. He started by reminding us how God swore (a serious thing when God swears!) that all that came out of Egypt will not enter His rest, save Caleb and Joshua. And this was because “they have not known my ways.” – Hebrews 3:10 (KJV), they hardened their hearts to the ways of God, which Isaiah tells us is higher than the ways of Man. (Isaiah 55)
Paul admonishes, and very strongly too, that we should not be like the wilderness church; that if we hear His voice, we should not harden our hearts. There is a thin line here, and this is because we love God and no one knowingly wants to harden his heart against God! Like Paul who loves to do the will of God according to the inner man, but found himself doing what he did not want to do. (Rom 7), something else other than us is at work to prevent us from entering God’s rest!
This thing may allow us “hear the word” but not the “Voice”, “the letter” and not “the Spirit.” We are not only to hear the word – the letter, but the Voice – the Spirit; for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. In Acts 13:27, the Bible tells how the children of God read the Law, the Scripture every Sabbath day, yet could not hear the “voice” of the prophets, the actual message they passed across!
“For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.” – Acts 13:27 (KJV)
That was exactly what happened to the wilderness church; that made them “err in their hearts” and not know the ways of the Lord. Unfortunately, it is happening to the Church of today!
Why did they miss it? The dogs!
“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” – Philippians 3:2-3 (KJV)
… to be continued.
Incomparable is in the long and short, something that has no equal; something that no other thing should be put side by side for comparison in size, volume and especially, quality.
These things that are incomparable are always prime or principal, they are the most important things, and directly or indirectly, used to categorize people into classes. One such thing is wisdom.
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” – Proverbs 4:7 (KJV)
Wisdom is the application of knowledge. We all go to school to acquire knowledge but how we use that knowledge determines whether we are wise or not. Every kind of training is aimed at impartation of knowledge; even domestic things as learning to cook, learning to sweep the floor, learning to wash, are all to impart knowledge. The man who goes to the gym for fitness goes to acquire knowledge, the man who goes to a driving school, has gone to get knowledge. Every school in life is about knowledge. But the difference between people who acquired the same knowledge is in how they used the knowledge acquired. This is responsible for success or failure in life.
There are two kinds of wisdom: Godly wisdom and devilish wisdom.
Godly wisdom is from above; from God.
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” – James 3:17 (KJV)
This wisdom bears the fruits called “purity”, “peace”, “gentleness”, “mercy”, “fairness”, and all other fruits that are good.
Devilish wisdom is as you guessed, from satan.
“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.” – James 3:14-15 (KJV)
This wisdom bears evil fruits: “envy”, “strife”, and every fruit associated with these; all bad.
Both kinds of wisdom are produced by knowledge. Wisdom feeds from knowledge. Engineers are what they are because of the knowledge they got at school. Doctors can administer treatment because of the knowledge they got. Lawyers can debate in court by virtue of the knowledge they acquired. A wrestler can throw people around because he acquired the knowledge. Wisdom is fed by knowledge! Where there is no knowledge, no wisdom can be found! It is the knowledge acquired that makes a profession different from others; in other words, a profession is peculiar and different from others because of the information or knowledge from which it emerged.
The two kinds of wisdom differ from each other because of the knowledge they acquired; what they received and stored in them determines what they produce, what they bring out!
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” – Luke 6:45 (KJV)
The wisdom you display is produced by the knowledge you have. The character you display tells the wisdom you carry; evil wisdom.
“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” – James 3:14-16 (KJV)
Or, Godly wisdom.
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” – James 3:17-18 (KJV)
I remember reading a story about a man that came home and saw three different foams. He picked the first and squeezed; powder came out from it. He squeezed the second; water came from it. When he squeezed the third, oil came out of it. When squeezed, each gave out the different things it was filled with. When the pressures of life squeeze you, what wisdom you display is determined by the knowledge you are filled with.
Your quality as a person is determined by the knowledge stored or retained in you.
“For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” – Luke 6:44-45 (KJV)
“A good man”: how people see you, whether wise or foolish, is based on your actions.
“Good treasure of his heart”: your heart is like a treasure chest, a place where valuables are kept, a store of goods. No one can see what things or knowledge you have stored in your heart but you.
“From here he brings out…”: you act out what is stored in your heart. It is this/these thing or things you bring out through your actions or character that people see and categorize you as wise or foolish. We are all driven by what we have stored in our hearts.
“And he said, that which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” – Mark 7:20-23 (KJV)
It is like a sober man who takes alcohol and retains it for short while; that short while, he acts abnormal, because of the alcohol he retained.
We are not concerned now with the store –the heart. When God created Man, his heart was pure, he acted in ways that never made him “ashamed.” Now we are concerned with the treasures and how they got there.
What are these treasures?
…to be continued.
I remember watching a fight, or should I say, an entertainment where ten wrestlers were in the ring slugging it out for the belt and prize-money. After a gradual elimination, two of the wrestlers were left. Now, it was no more elimination but an outright win; either by pin-fall or submission, a winner must emerge!
They fought till they had no more strength to fight, having put in their best, endured the brutality and countering the move of the other to the admiration of the crowd.
Wanting to be creative, one gave a head-butt to the other; something he had never done before. Both men went down as the referee counted.
Something inside the opponent who was given the head-butt refused to stay down on the canvass. He was hearing a voice in his head asking him to stand! But his head pounded painfully and his body felt too heavy for him to lift! Yet, the voice kept urging him to stand!
Faintly, as if from a distance, he started hearing the referee. Gradually he realized where he was and still weak to stand, his eyes blinked open. The arena was dancing around, it seemed, as he turned sideways to see his opponent, also on the floor of the ring.
He felt like staying on the floor like his opponent, but remembering the belt and the prize-money, a surge of adrenaline flowed through him and a new wave of strength came.
His body complained in pain, asking him to remain down. No, he must not hearken to that voice! The prize money, the belt! Straining, he staggered to his feet just as the referee stopped counting. He won the fight.
Ideally, one would say he won the fight in the ring. No! He won the fight in the field of preparation. Prepare in the closet, the Father would reward you in the open.
In the ring, they were equally matched. The other was even more creative, employing a head-butt that he had never done before, daring to knock himself into a coma; both were prepared to win.
However, the difference was in the type of preparation each had. They both prepared body and mind. The creative man prepared more on the body and strength, while the last man standing prepared more on the mind!
“So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.” – 2 Chronicles 27:6 (KJV)
Ordinarily, we would say Jotham became great because he prepared himself. But no! He did not become great just because he prepared himself. How did he prepare himself? With what did he prepare himself and in what kind of preparation did he have?
Did Jotham become great because he prepared himself in the kitchen? Was it as a driver? Or was it as a gossip? No!
There was a type or kind of preparation he had: “before the Lord his God.”
This was a preparation of the mind and heart, which reflects through the body.
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” – 3 John 1:2 (KJV)
Not everyone that prepares become great. Not everyone that goes to school become great in life. Some did not go to school, yet they attained greatness; they stand because they prepared their mind, they worked on their mind!
True greatness is the product of a prepared heart and mind.
You are a product of your mind!
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” – Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)
If you think failure, you fail! If you think success, you succeed.
What you programme in your mind is what it will give back to you. Just as a negative destructive thought can destroy the individual, a positive thought can build him.
Encourage and entertain only good and positive thought.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” – Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
Eliminate; uproot from your mind every negative thought as they can only lead to failure and frustration.
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” – 2 Corinthians 10:4 (KJV)
The last man standing is not necessarily the strongest, but one that heard a voice in his spirit urging him to stand. Faith hears the voice of the Spirit, for faith comes by hearing.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Romans 10:17 (KJV)
The last man standing is one whose mind hears the word of God for it takes a hearing to stand. What you hear in the darkest moment of your life will determine whether you will stand or not. Elijah stood in the harsh, hostile apostate Israel because he heard the word of God. What are you hearing?
5 THINGS YOU NEED TO HEAR BEFORE STANDING.
(1) Hear that you possess the ability to achieve your set objective in life. Why? God said so!
“And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” – Genesis 11:6 (KJV)
(2) Hear that the thought you hold in your mind will attract its kind, and reproduce its kind. Like the soil, the mind will multiply to you what you sow.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” – Galatians 6:7 (KJV)
(3) Hear that the dominating thought in your mind will manifest physically.
“Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.” – Matthew 10:26 (KJV)
(4) Hear that you must not stop striving for excellence, even after you have achieved.
“And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands. And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them. And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.” – 2 Kings 13:15-19 (KJV)
(5) Hear that your success or achievement remains good when you remain connected and standing on the truth of the word of God. The devil is out to destroy, but the Word upholds and saves when trials come.
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” – James 1:21 (KJV)
This is a continuation from SITTING WITH THE LORD https://jimout2002a.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/sitting-with-the-lord
BUT THERE IS A CONDITION!
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne.” – Rev. 3:21a
This makes it clear that not everyone can come to His throne or share in the power of His throne!
Only to him, that overcomes. Overcomes what?
There is a power, a force that resists us, desiring to bring us under its control. This brings us back to Psalm 1.
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” – Psalms 1:1 (KJV)
There is a combination of:
(1) “….the counsel of the ungodly.”
(2) “….the way of sinners.”
(3) “….the seat of the scornful.”
These things, I call them “the joint forces of this world”; desire to kill us – the sons of God. They tried against Jesus whom they crucified. But He overcame them:
“And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” – Col 2:15 (KJV)
And was raised by the Father,
“….according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” – Eph 1:19-20 (KJV)
This is Resurrection Life! In Christ, we all have resurrection life.
“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” – Eph 2:6 (KJV)
This is like the children of Israel whom God raised up out of Egypt. It was as though Egypt had buried them: no hope no life until with the mighty arm of God brought them out. Now they had life, but not all had power! It takes more than resurrection life to exercise dominion or rule with Christ from His throne!
Being born-again only lets you into another life; operating the power in this life is yet another thing!
How did He overcome, because Resurrection life is from the Father? Resurrection Life is the power of God at work, what did Jesus do?
“…..even as I also overcame.” – Rev 3:21 (KJV)
He did something! He was involved in this victory! What did He do? Especially as He was raised from the dead by the Father.
“Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” – Eph 1:20 (KJV)
“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” – Psalms 110:1 (KJV)
By Sovereign ordination, we can say Jesus was given resurrection by the Father Who made Him sit.
(1) How did He overcome?
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” -Rev 12:11 (KJV)
He overcame by agreeing totally with the Father’s plan for Him to die for mankind!
He agreed to the full thought and plan of God for Him.
“Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.” – Psalms 40:6-9 (KJV)
“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” – Heb 10:7 (KJV)
He went all the way with the Father; not part.
“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.” – Phil 2:6-9 (KJV)
He was not forced but did this Himself, willingly.
“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” – John 10:17-18 (KJV)
Caleb followed God fully. Shedrack, Meshach, and Abednego; with Daniel, followed God fully. What do we say about Paul who was ready to die just to fulfil God’s plan for him?
Going the full length of God’s plan will put us through the fire and through the den of Lions! That is the entry to ruling with Him on His Throne. Think about it, was it just those four Hebrew children that were in Babylon at that time? No! These did not shrink from the command of God, even when threatened with fire and the lions! We must not shrink or pull back as God takes no pleasure in them that drawback or compromise!
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” – Heb 10:38 (KJV)
“He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” – Matt 10:39 (KJV)
The greatest temptation and challenge for us as Christians is the desire to save our lives.
(2) Where did He overcome?
The place where He fought the battle and won the victory was in the Garden of Gethsemane on Mount Olives.
“And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives…..and they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.” – Mark 14:26, 32 (KJV)
(3) When did He overcome?
On the Cross? No! He overcame for mankind on the Cross. But for Himself, He overcame before the Cross! That was what gave us the Cross. If He didn’t overcome, He wouldn’t have gone on the Cross! Not just the prayer at Gethsemane but at the time of self-denial when He said “not my will but your will be done” after the agony of a Soul filled with sorrow to the point of death! It is possible to pray all that prayer yet not submit to the will of the Father; certainly, mankind would still have been doomed. But despite what sorrow He began to feel, He still denied Himself, putting His will aside and resting on the will of the Father. This was when He overcame!
“Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” – Luke 22:42 (KJV)
The time of submission to the Father is always the time of victory.
(4) What did He overcome?
He overcame the self-nature! The Adamic nature was not in Him, however, there is a gravitational pull on the soul of man not to do the will of God (bearing in mind Jesus was hundred percent Man and hundred percent God). He was not spared this battle, which is the reason for the agonizing sorrow of His Soul!
“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” – Luke 22:44 (KJV)
The Mind, located in the Soul, is the battlefield. Paul recorded this battle in Romans 7.
“I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” – Romans 7:21-24 (KJV)
Jesus overcame this gravitational pull, and we are expected to overcome it!
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” – Luke 9:23-24 (KJV)
You have to overcome this pull before you can even pick your cross!
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” – Romans 8:12-13 (KJV)
Note!!!
This very victory; there are seven of them of which this is the seventh; this victory does not come through groups or by associations! You win this victory when you are alone!
“And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.” – Mark 14:35 (KJV)
“And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying……” – Matt 26:39 (KJV)
Jacob overcame, “prevailed” when he was alone.
“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.” – Gen 32:24 (KJV)
Abraham did not receive the inheritance until Lot was separated from him.
“And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward.” – Gen 13:14 (KJV)
Elijah shunned Obadiah’s suggestion of other prophets. He did not ask to see any or try to have a “prayer partner”.
“Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’S prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?…… ….then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.” – 1 Kings 18:13-14, 22 (KJV)
Jesus had to teach Peter this aspect of leadership.
“Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” – John 21:21-22 (KJV)
True leaders are, in a strange way, alone. They can work with people, yet they know that victory does not come when actions and decisions are based on general opinion. Learn to be alone sometimes, like Jesus. If you cannot pull yourself once in a while out of the crowd, you cannot have access to the Throne or rule with the Lord. Learn to walk alone, with the Lord!
There is this little write up that God has used, again and again, to encourage and strengthen me. I pray as I share it that it would also be a channel of encouragement and strength to as many that may read it. Look out for “THE GREAT SECRET.”
I was in a discussion recently with two men of God. We talked over a range of issues, from National security to the dwindling faithfulness of believers. In the course of our discussion, mention was made of a man of God, who pastors a well-run church; efficient staff, – paid of course. Sometimes I wonder if some of these Christians would be so efficient, em… faithful if not for the “secularism” or payment of salary. Just a thought.
Back to the main matter.
One of the pastors in our discussion said, “he has an excellent spirit!” I shot him a glance. Why?
Because of the phrase, “spirit of excellence”, or “excellent spirit.”
How do we interpret this? What message, and consequently, what spirit are we passing on to those God sent to us both to mentor and to disciple?
I still stand on my belief that the state of the Church today is traceable to the Pastors and Teachers of the Word.
What irked me in the discussion was the use and application of that phrase as concerning the pastor in question, who was known to the three of us.
True, when you enter their church hall, you will marvel at the beauty and neatness; the efficiency and corporate dressing of the church workers.
However, he has a bad reputation on his street and neighbourhood! Known as a brawler and wife – beater, I do not think that phrase should be applied to him.
I am not in any way judging the Man of God, neither do I advocate for him to be judged. He is not the issue before us. Nevertheless, I believe as servants of God, we owe it to the Lord and to the brethren, to correct interpretations we know to be wrong, else we will hear the Lord say to us:
“But I have this against you, that you let the woman Jezebel say she is a prophet and give false teaching, making my servants go after the desires of the flesh and take food offered to false gods.” – Revelation 2:20 (BBE) Emphasis added.
“But I have this against you: You let that woman Jezebel do what she wants. She says that she is a prophet, but she is leading my people away with her teaching.” – Revelation 2:20a (ERV) Emphasis added.
Certain things should not be tolerated. Again, if we do not correct these things the degeneration will not be arrested, but rather encouraged. We are the ones to withstand and resist this pollution and twisting of scripture.
So, it is not the man that we have before us, but an issue, a phrase that can be found in the book of Daniel, chapter five and verse twelve.
“Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.” – Daniel 5:12 (KJV)
This was something said to show that something more than human, a thing beyond the natural, was in Daniel. And what was this thing?
“There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him.” – Daniel 5:11a (KJV) Emphasis added.
“But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,” – Daniel 4:8 (KJV) Emphasis added.
The key words here are “spirit of the gods …in”, which stands for something beyond the natural or Adamic man; something that is of God, something divine and not earthly. A similar statement, not exactly the phrase, but implied, can be found in Genesis 41:38 (KJV)
“And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?”
This “presence” was in Joseph and as with Daniel. It is not what we do but who we are!
This is not just organizational ability to which the phrase is applied to today; no! The fact that a person, a church, or a business is so efficiently organized does not mean this phrase applies to him or it.
Jesus would call such organizational institutions “whited sepulchre.”
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” – Matthew 23:27 (KJV)
They look good, and perhaps godly from outside, like the tree Jesus cursed for lacking fruit; having as it seems, all the trappings of Christianity: a high steeple, a long cross on top, a solid altar made of marble, a pulpit of glass and aluminum, state of the art sound system, formally-clad staff, a clean sweetly fragranced convenience with two wings – men and women, powerful air conditioning system. Wao; good and dandy! Who no like better thing!
But wait! What is the spirit behind it all?
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” – 1 John 4:1 (KJV)
What lies beneath all these beautiful “outer garments?” What would we see underneath the beautiful tombs? Rottenness? Dead men’s bones? Smelly-ungodly situations? The risen Christ? Whatever is found there is the real thing; the “substance!” Men do not go to graveyards to look at tombstones but to honour the ones the stones cover!
“Excellent Spirit” or “Spirit of excellence”, goes beyond the physical, it is the presence of God, seen in mortal man
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7 (KJV)
What is this treasure? It is the nature of God that we are called to share with Him.
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” – 2 Peter 1:4 (KJV) Emphasis added.
What is this nature?
“And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” – Exodus 34:6 (KJV)
No wonder it is called the fruit of the Spirit!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
Therefore, the spirit of excellence or excellent spirit does not talk about or refer to organizational ability, but to the presence of God in a person; Minister or Laity manifested through the fruit of the spirit! This is how we know them.
“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” – Matthew 7:20 (KJV)
The Life of God is not what we pray to receive as every one child of God has a deposit of God’s Spirit.
“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” – John 14:17-18 (KJV)
This deposit became possible from the day of Pentecost after Jesus shed his blood in death, resurrected and ascended to the Father.
However, the challenge is how to grow His presence in us. This takes a process well described in https://jimout2002a.wordpress.com/2018/07/23/fellowship-2
Furthermore, we need to:
- Enrol in School. What school, and where? Not the School that has a geographic location, but a School that is located wherever you are at! Life itself is a school. Wherever you are, the teacher, the Holy Spirit, is there! This is the School of sensitivity – the School of the Spirit! Enrolling in His School means submitting your all to Him, being ready to obey all He asks you to do.
“His mother saith unto the servants, whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” – John 2:5-11 (KJV)
Miracles are borne out of obedience!
- Get the book. Every school has its set of books or recommendation of books to acquire. Very serious students get their books and study them! It is disappointing when children are sent to school without books. Not only would they perform poorly, feel inferior when depending on others for books, they would not be able to confirm a sudden flash of illumination or understanding that come periodically to confirm what the teachers have taught; such a student might even fail!
In the School of the Spirit, there is one key book, The Holy Bible, which contain 66 books. The Teacher would not teach outside the syllabus; the Bible is the syllabus used in this School. However, having the Bible would not grow the student, he needs to study it!
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
Approval – growth – can only come after study! Peter adds his voice to this; he calls it desire!
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” – 1 Peter 2:2 (KJV)
Spiritual growth is a function of study: the study of the word of God. Unfortunately, many are so busy they do not study. They only swallow hook, line and sinker, whatever their pastor says. It should not be so; they are humans too and have weaknesses and limitations. The true Teacher, the Holy Spirit, comes when we are alone, and filled with desire for the knowledge of the Truth. Let us go to Him in study.
- Discipline. Every student must be enrolled for a specific subject or discipline. What course is to be studied to develop this Life of God in the believer? QUIETNESS!
This is the only means of minimizing us that He may increase. When we keep quiet, hear him, and carry out what He says, it would no longer be us living but He “working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.”
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” – Philippians 2:13 (KJV)
As simple as this may sound, it is one of the most difficult things to learn and do because of pride and ego! Hear what God says about this.
“For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” – Isaiah 30:15 (KJV)
“Ye would not!” All because of pride; the self-spirit!
Quietness is a serious subject to study!
“And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (KJV)
The devil wants us to be noisy so that we would not hear the Teacher! We cannot hear the teacher if we are busy or noisy. When students come into class and are before their teacher they keep quiet to hear him, if not, he has all the power to discipline them for “noise-making.”
The Bible enjoins us to be quiet when we come into the presence of our teacher.
“Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.” – Isaiah 41:1 (KJV)
The classroom teacher loves quiet and attentive students. In the same way, the Holy Spirit values and treasures observant and quiet students of His. Silence, quietness is an attribute or character trait that is precious in the sight of God.
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” – 1 Peter 3:4 (KJV)
Peter not condemning the wearing of ornaments, counsel women to pay greater attention to beautifying the inner man, with two things that are precious and of great price in the sight of God: meekness and a quiet spirit! They are of great worth in the sight of God!
It is in quietness that we hear His voice. He would not compete with the noise of our environment or the clanging noise generated in our hearts. Let’s pull down every other voice, and quietly listen to what He shall say to us in response to the challenges of our everyday life, and the life of the Spirit shall be enthroned.
What are the features of this Life?
- Sight. In our text Jesus talks of people seeing but not seeing. Most see only with the natural eyes and are not able to see with the eye of the spirit, to “see as God sees”. The Eye of the spirit sees beyond the physical. Jesus did not follow the sighting of His eyes because He followed the Eye of the spirit. (Isaiah 11:3)
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8 (KJV)
Seeing God as Jesus taught here does not mean when one dies; but when one “sees well”, even while still alive, confirming what God said through Isaiah, “… but thine eyes shall see thy teachers.” – Isaiah 30:20 (KJV)
In Jeremiah I: 11-12, God asked the prophet what he saw and when he answered, God told him he had seen well.
The life of God in man can discern the mind of God in any situations; it passes judgment or makes opinion not based on natural events. He sees what others do not see.
Spiritual blindness can be treated when one goes to the Lord.
“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” – Revelation 3:18 (KJV)
- Sound
“Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive.” – Matthew 13:13-14 (KJV)
When Jesus quoted Isaiah, He was not speaking to people who were deaf or had no ears, no. He talked to people who had ears and could hear every word He spoke! Their auditory sense was alive, active and potent. They heard the sounds and syllables that He made, but beyond that they were lost; they could not perceive or understand what He meant!
Hearing is beyond hearing of sounds and syllables. What is the good in hearing someone speak to you when you cannot understand him, which is the essence of communication. Marriages fail, businesses fold up and relationships breakdown because someone heard but did not understand the other.
The Life that God imparts us in Christ has the power to understand not just our everyday conversations and affairs but can discern spiritual sounds and syllables! Like the silent whistles that only dogs can hear, spiritual sounds can only be heard by someone who has this life of God.
Till today, many hear preachings and teachings yet lack understanding.
“Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. “ – Ephesians 4:18 (KJV)
“They can’t understand because they are in the dark. They are excluded from the life that God approves of because of their ignorance and stubbornness.” – Ephesians 4:18 (GWT)
The Life of God in man has ears deep behind the natural ears; it hears only hear when we are able to peel off the surface sounds and syllables of daily activities.
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” – Isaiah 30:21 (KJV)
- Smell. The nose, with the olfactory sense, can smell emissions in its environment. Many people can smell things afar; their nostrils are sensitive. But if such people lack the spiritual life, the life of God, they can never perceive the mind of God!
“And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.” – 2 Kings 4:9 (KJV)
The Shunammite woman did not go sniffing the Prophet, rather she smelt the aroma, aura or presence of God on the Man of God; she perceived him.
This nose is deeper than the physical nose.
- Touch. The human system is wired with nerves that carry signals to the tactile sense making him able to feel, and sensitive to touch.
However, beyond the natural life is the massive spiritual ability to become suddenly “aware”, to have an intuition of something one may not be able to lay a hand on or explain initially.
“And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” – Mark 5:30-34 (KJV)
Jesus “immediately knew” something touched him apart from the physical contacts; even the woman knew something was done in her! How did she know, with no doctor to examine her for confirmation? It is the Life of God! No wonder Jesus said to her, “thy faith” has made you whole! The Life of faith is not possible without spiritual senses!
- Taste. This is the sensation that results when taste buds from the tongue and throat carry information; it is distinguishing between two or more flavours. Spiritually, this means to participate in, to experience, to be a part of something divine.
“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 16:15-17 (KJV)
Peter did not know when he blurted his answer; nevertheless, it was of God. He partook in something divine; he tasted of the revelation knowledge of God, even before Pentecost.
Paul also partook in, tasted in something too wonderful to relate physically.
“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth. How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” – 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 (KJV)
These are experiences beyond the physical; they are things the natural sense cannot comprehend or understand because they are spiritual and belong to the Life of God.
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”- 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 (KJV)
…to be continued.
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” – John 6:63 (KJV)
Life is in knowing the Word of God. However, knowledge is not life itself. Life can only be accessed through the revelation of knowledge. If you like acquire all the knowledge, if there is no revelation of that knowledge, you do not have the life in the knowledge.
Getting the life in the Word of God takes study.
“Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” – Matthew 13:13-15 (KJV)
Jesus quotes Isaiah, showing the divide between natural life and spiritual life. Each life has its set of senses. The major features of life (spiritual and natural), are the senses. Here Jesus was not talking to dead people, but to people who are alive. However, they operate and live only by the natural senses.
“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” – 1 Kings 17:1 (KJV)
The two sets of senses are at play here. Elijah spoke from the consciousness of standing in the presence of God, he operated the spiritual senses. Ahab, on the other hand, operating the natural sense, could have looked around hoping to see God.
“But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 3:14 (KJV)
What the natural life has, the spiritual have also. However, many mind the natural life; they dwell on the natural life, either because of ignorance or unbelief. Jacob, while running from his brother came to a place where he saw a ladder reaching heaven; with angels ascending and descending, and said: “God is here and I knew it not.” The activities of his life then was centred on the natural senses.
“And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.” – Genesis 8:21 (KJV)
God declares that man’s thoughts and imagination (where the treasure of a man is….) dwell on the natural (evil). We are not to live or dwell in the natural. Our minds should be more on and revolve around the things of the Spirit, the things of God.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” – Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
God is not happy with the direction of man’s mind, hence Paul calls it death.
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” – Romans 8:6 (KJV)
He counsels:
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” – Colossians 3:1-2 (KJV)
…to be continued.
Every meeting must have a place of meeting. Meeting with the King is always held around the throne. Consequently, meeting with God, the King of Creation must be around His Throne.
“And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.” – Revelation 4:6 (KJV)
“In front of the throne was something like a sea of glass as clear as crystal. In the center of the throne and on each side of the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.” – ISV
A transparent and clear place is seen “before” – in front – of God’s Throne!
That is the place of meeting! A place we all, the redeemed or ransomed of the Lord shall eventually be after the rapture; worshipping our God when Jesus would have taken us to the Father as His harvest from the Earth! We, His ministers (flames of fire – Psalm 104:4) will stand on this pure place singing the song of victory, Hallelujah!
“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” – Revelation 15:2 (KJV)
“Mingled with fire”, the victorious children of God stand here after the rapture!
That is why Jesus said it is not a place on the earth, “neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem”, but in spirit! – John 4:21
It is a place no unclean thing can enter!
“And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there.” – Isaiah 35:8-9 (KJV)
Nothing evil, nothing polluted, nothing of darkness can go up there! That is why we need to deal with or clean up the “dross” in our lives. In the Psalms, it is called the hill of the Lord.
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” – Psalm 24:3-4 (KJV)
Only the pure-hearted, clean hands and simple souls, called “fools”, shall go up there; a people without guile in their mouth.
“And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” – Revelation 14:5 (KJV)
That is the true place of worship: the true place of meeting; the place we meet with the Father. Every true Child of God, irrespective of denomination, temporarily goes there, in spirit, during worship! Jesus asked for this and the Father obliged Him.
“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” – John 17:24 (KJV)
This is also how we are seated with Christ in heavenly places, though we are still on earth!
Beloved, how clean are your hands, your heart and how simple is your soul? These are the combination keys that unlock the place of meeting. Let us search ourselves and get rid of whatever pollutes and whatever makes offence if we really desire fellowship with the Father.
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” – James 1:21 (KJV)
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