Encourage & Edify Each Other in The Holy Spirit

 

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Therefore encourage and build one another up,

just as you are already doing.

    Ephesians 4:16 (AMP Bible)

 From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love. 

    What causes the church, the body of Christ, to work properly? The Love of God must be present in each one of us. And this is only possible when each one of us has God's Holy Spirit thriving within our hearts and reflecting the Love of God--Jesus Christ--in our lives. 

    When we listen to The Spirit, we learn what is True and what is evil; what is Righteous and Holy, and what is unrighteous and unholy. We begin to discern what it is that God is revealing to us, when we read and study our Bibles every day. We learn to recognize God's Voice--The Holy Spirit of God--and we are filled with gratitude that God has given His Spirit to us. 

    When Isaiah speaks of Jesus in Isaiah 11, he declares six aspects of The Holy Spirit of God that will rest on The Branch (Jesus Christ): The Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding; The Spirit of Counsel and Strength; The Spirit of Knowledge and Fear of The Lord. 

    Wisdom imparts wisdom to us. Knowledge of The Holy Word of God comes from Him. We can memorize chapter and verse, but it is The Spirit of God that writes The Word of God on our hearts. 

    Understanding The Word of God is given us when we receive The Holy Spirit and allow Him to reveal to us what God wants us to know. Moment by moment, day to day; gradually, for we are not able in and of ourselves to know and understand 'all that God has prepared for us' [1 Corinthians 2:9]. 

    As our Counsel, He is also our Adviser and Advocate. "Walk The Way of Holiness" [Isaiah 35:8]; "Speak The Word that I give you in season" [Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Philippians 1:14; 2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Peter 3:15]. It is He Who defends us when we are come against in our trials. And when we listen to Him, as one who listens to his lawyer (defender/counsel), we will always come out ahead, even if we have to suffer first for the sake of the gospel we proclaim. 

    He is our Spirit of Strength. The joy we have in our Savior and His salvation is only possible when we have The Spirit of God in us, calling us to Rejoice! in The Lord. Therefore, we can truly say, "The JOY of The LORD is My Strength!", just as Nehemiah declared to the Israelites after Ezra had finished reading The Law to them. A reading which took from daybreak until midday. And though The Word of God caused broken hearts and weeping, the day was holy to The Lord: celebration was called for. 

    The Spirit of Strength empowers the bearer to preach the gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ to people who need to hear it. We do not preach to the stars, nor to forests and babbling brooks. Those things have no need of a Savior. We speak The Name of Jesus in The Love of God, with compassion, integrity and honor. 

    We speak Jesus with boldness, humility, and perseverance. We speak Grace of God with patience and faith, believing that God will have His Way in each soul with whom we share our faith in Christ and why we believe what we believe. 

    The Spirit of Knowledge draws us to The Word and imparts knowledge beyond our ken, then breaks it down and makes it possible for us to know and understand what our God wants us to know. Do you know that you know that you know that Jesus is your personal Lord and Savior? Beyond a shadow of a doubt? Are you born again through the blood of The Lamb into the family of God? 

    The Spirit of The Fear of The Lord trains the body of Christ to have a reverent attitude towards its Creator: our heavenly Father: GOD--The I AM THAT I AM. 

    When we read Psalm 19:9, we see that The Fear of The Lord is Pure. In Psalm 111:10 The Fear of The Lord is The Beginning of Wisdom. In Proverbs 1:7 The Fear of The Lord is The Beginning of Knowledge. In 2 Chronicles 17:10 The Fear of The Lord brings terror to Israel's enemies. In Proverbs 10:27 The Fear of The Lord prolongs life. 

    In Psalm 25:12 The one who fears The Lord is teachable. In Psalm 128:1 The one who fears The Lord and walks in His Ways is blessed. In Psalm 34:11 The Fear of The Lord can be taught to those who delight in life. 

    This is how we edify--build up--one another. This Spirit of God Who teaches us in The Ways of The Lord God speaks to our hearts and joins us together as the body of Christ. He is our Wisdom, our Teacher, our Friend. And He is preparing us, at the beginning of our walk, all through our walk, and into the end of our walk with Christ, for a greater glory than we could every imagine. 

    ENCOUNTER - Here Be Lions

Prayer Cards - In Every Circumstance

 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in every circumstance for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

    What an amazing concept! When we are in CHRIST JESUS, every circumstance we find ourselves in is ORDAINED by GOD! Therefore, we must give thanks. 

    Even in the hardest of circumstances: grief at a loved one's passing, the hurtfulness in a divorce or separation, abandonment of a child by its parent(s), a child who leaves the nest before he's ready. An accident that leaves a body impaired, loss of employment, a miscarriage, a shocking medical diagnosis, traumatic events that have a lasting impact on the body, the mind and the spirit, are impossible to get through without the knowledge that we serve a faithful God who takes care of His people. 

    This is hard to do, but not impossible. Thank God and let Him do the rest.  Let your tears flow, let your faith grow.

God is Restorer of The Breach. 

God is Healer of The Broken. 

God is Comforter of The Grieving.

God is Holy and His Word is Holy. 

God is Sustainer and Sustenance. 

God will get you through whatever it is you are going through. You are not stuck in any situation or circumstance. Life flows. 

Prepositional Faith - Peace Through Christ

 

ACTS 10:36

He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid. 

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Now The Lord of Peace Himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. 

    Without Christ there is no peace....of any kind whatsoever. There is the illusion of peace, or the delusion of peace. We live in a world that strives for freedoms, but at another's cost. This world imitates but does not deliver on true peace, for only Christ Jesus can give a person real lasting peace: peace of mind, peace in our hearts. 

    Inner peace does not come from within ourselves, nor does it exist outside of God's Word. "Peace, Peace, Wonderful Peace," as the hymnist wrote, comes down from The Father above. 

    In The Word, as listed above, we read that not only is Jesus Peace, but He shares His peace with those who believe that He is God's only begotten Son, sent here by His Father to be our Redeemer: He would take the punishment intended for the sinners who disobeyed God's Word upon Himself. Why? Because of God's great love for the people who inhabit this world we live in. 

    It's Amazing Grace, isn't it? It's almost too wonderful for words, yet many a song has been written praising God for His lovingkindness towards us. Too many to number, for that would actually be impossible. Not all songs written for God were recorded through the ages. But God knows. 

    All those reckless thoughts that attack a person's mental stability through what we see and hear and feel have to go through the blood of Jesus Christ, when we come to the cross and believe that this Man is, indeed, the Promised Redeemer from God. And when we come out on the other side, our thinking has changed. For the blood has washed our hearts and our minds clean. Now we have Peace, the Peace Christ promised to give the people who believe Him and follow Him wherever He leads. We have His Peace within us now. 

    God is amazing. Only God can take The Words that He speaks and wrap them in flesh and bone and place It in a young girl's womb via the power of His Holy Spirit. Nobody in all of history has ever done that, nor will anyone ever be able to do so. This is an awesome feat! This is a God I can trust with my life and my soul, with my heart and my mind! This is peace. 

    Peace flows through me like a river meanders through the mountains. It covers every obstacle in my way, sometimes rushing down like a waterfall; at other times this peace narrows into streams which feed the ecosystems of life. And I am content. With Christ as my Shepherd, leading this sheep of His, what have I to fear? Nothing. I have Peace Like A River because Jesus is my Peace. 

    

 

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

 

Romans 7:25

2 Corinthians 9:15

Romans 6:17

1 Corinthians 15:57

Ezra 3:11

Revelation 4:9

Revelation 7:12

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Colossians 4:2,3

Psalm 139:14

Psalm 57:9

Psalm 108:3

Psalm 145:10

1 Chronicles 16:8

1 Chronicles 16:34

Psalm 105:1

Psalm 107:1

Psalm 118:1

Psalm 136

Psalm 100:4

These are the verses I came up with to fill my board. What verses have you found in addition to these?

GIVE THANKS

Thanks Be To God Continually - - For They Who Received The Word

 

1 Thessalonians 2:13

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in Truth, the Word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 89

Without Ceasing: incessantly, constantly, without remission, without any unnecessary interval

This phrase 'without ceasing' is used four times only  in the New Testament. 

1. Romans 1:9 
2. 1 Thessalonians 1:3
3. 2 Thessalonians 2:13
4. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

GOD'S HOUSES OF PRAYER

We, the born again believers, are God's houses of prayer. Isaiah 56:7 "I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.”

How is it possible for the God of Israel's house of prayer to be for all nations? Here the prophet speaks of the Word being given to not only Israel, but to all Gentiles (foreigners (Isaiah 56:6) everywhere who believe and receive the Word of God, who minister before the Lord and love His Name. 

Even before the disciples of Christ were scattered across Asia due to persecution, many foreigners believed The Word of God. Take Ruth, for example. She was a Moabite who married an Israelite. She believed in the God of Israel. Ruth would rather turn her back on the gods of Moab and turn her face to the God of Israel. 

RECEIVING THE WORD OF GOD

That is a decision each one of us must make. Do we turn our backs on the gods we have created and turn our faces to God? Or do we turn our backs on God and continue to live amongst the gods we have created? Only you can make that decision for yourself. I've already made mine. I choose to believe the Truth of God's Word and receive it for myself. My name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life! 

Prayer for every believer all over the world should be in our hearts and on our lips. Even if we can't speak well, our lips still move. But our hearts are where God lives. We are to be thanking God at all times for everyone who receives the Word of God! Rejoicing that someone has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior! This is awesome news!

This is a joyous occasion. It is better than a birthday, greater than any holiday on any calendar. Someone new has believed the Word of God that was sent to them and received into their heart! This is exciting. Though we may not know these new believers, we are to constantly be thanking God for them. Even when we don't know the hour or day in which they believed. For someone is always receiving the Word of God, therefore Thanks should be given to God for this remarkable miracle of new life in Christ.

Dear God,

You are a holy God and You demand holiness from Your people. Make me holy. Make me clean. Make me pure. Fill me with Your righteousness.

Please forgive me of any and all unrighteousness that lingers within me today. Wash me clean of sin through Your power of Grace. Make Yourself at home in my heart, clearing the darkness and filling me with Your Light, that I may be found unblemished, unstained, when You call me home to live forever in Your presence. 

Father, thank You for every person who is receiving Your Word right now, at this moment. For we know that Your Word is still being preached to all the nations. And that when all the nations have heard Your Word, You will send Your Son to bring His bride home. Thank Your, Father, for growth in Your Word and for what it takes to cause the Word to grow in us, in me. 

Oh God, my heart is heavy but my spirit rejoices in Your Spirit. Deliver our children, their spouses, their children and their children's children for Your glory and Your kingdom. Fill them with Your Spirit that they may walk in power and glorify Your Name. Whatever it takes. 

In Jesus' Glorious Name, I pray,

Amen

God's Will Is To Give Him Thanks

 

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

The born again believer does not thank the universe (the stars, the sun, the moon, the planets, etc) for the good things (blessings) that happen to them. We thank God for His many blessings on us.

The born again believer does not thank nature for its sacrifice when we hunt and fish. We thank God for His provision for us.

The born again believer does not thank idols and imitation gods. We thank the Living God Who created us and has called us out of the darkness of this world into His marvelous Light. 

The born again believer is born again by the mercies and lovingkindness of God through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. We are the born again because we believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord, that He became sin and died on the cross in our place; that He fought hell and death, overcoming both and walked out of the grave in newness of life. 

Therefore, we give God thanks for His unmerited favor upon us. This favor can be yours, too, when you believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord. 

GIVE THANKS

In Everything

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

In Every Season of Life

 

Psalm 136

Because His Mercy Endures For Ever

All The Time

Psalm 34:1

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.

Ephesians 5:20

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

GOD'S WILL IN CHRIST JESUS 

Salvation

John 3:16-18

 (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

(17) For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

I am asked often, What is God's will for my life? God's will cannot be identified singularly: it is a blueprint and a blueprint has several aspects to it. Giving God thanks is just one aspect. And even then thanks must be given through Jesus Christ, for there is no other way to reach God. 

To Have Faith

To reach God through Jesus Christ, we must first BE in Jesus Christ and He must be IN us. By faith. No matter how often we teach and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, if a person chooses not to believe in God or Jesus Christ, no words will sway him or her to faith. For "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1). 

The faith we have in God comes from God when we believe in His only begotten Son for our salvation. We receive a measure of faith from Him when we first believe, but it is up to us to exercise said faith that it might grow up in Christ. 

Romans 12:3

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. 

Let us give thanks to God in everything and for everything. Let us bless God when He blesses us by giving Him all the glory, all the praise. 

Thankful Heart

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Godly Wisdom

Proverbs 18:15 

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

In the KJV the word 'prudent' is used, which means, (according to Strong's No. 995): intelligent, discern, gain understanding of,  diligently consider, pay close attention, investigate. Plus a few more definitive words given, but we'll start with these in this study. 

Understanding what words mean is a one of the steps in being able to explain what the Bible tells us. The other is a saved and filled heart: saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and filled with God's Holy Spirit, who is described as the Spirit of God, or Wisdom personified. Godly Wisdom comes from God.

GODLY UNDERSTANDING

Daniel 1:17

As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

2 Chronicles 26:5 (referring to King Uzziah) 

And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

Godly Understanding comes from seeking God's Wisdom with fear, a reverence, of God. Fearing God is more advantageous to one's soul and life than fearing anything that people may do to us. It is not a fear of consequences, but a loving respectful fear. 

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

GODLY WISDOM IS GOD'S GIFT & INVALUABLE

Job 28:12-28

(12) But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

(13) Man knows not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

(14) The deep says, ‘It is not in me’; And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

(15) It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

(16) It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

(17) The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

(18) No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

(19) The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

(20) From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?

(21) Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

(22) Destruction (Hades) and death (those who have died without godly wisdom)  say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. (heard a rumor, a report of [it, wisdom])

(23) But God understands its way, and He knows its place.

(24) For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

(25)  When He gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure,

(26) when He made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder,

(27) then He saw it and declared it; He established it, and searched it out.

(28) And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Are we discerning Christians? Do we seek out, look for, the fear of the Lord that He may impart to us His Wisdom? Or are we too lazy, content to be barely saved, saved enough to attend church and/or become involved in church activities? 

Do we understand the times in which we live? If it came to choosing life in Christ or life without Christ, would we be able to choose Christ knowing that this choice means death? This is Wisdom: making an informed decision to follow Jesus Christ all the way to the cross, into the garden? 

John 8:28, 29 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me. He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”

• Jesus lives His life in the Love of God in service to His Father. 
• Jesus speaks to us what His Father speaks to Him.
• Jesus does what pleases God

ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE

Proverbs 15:31

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.

Ecclesiastes 7:5

It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

Proverbs 4:7

Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.

Proverbs 16:16

How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.

So just how do we acquire, get, this Godly Knowledge?

Isaiah 55:6

Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.

Psalm 119:105

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Job 23:11

My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.

Psalm 119:157

Though my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned from Your testimonies.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil in the Lord is not in vain. (KJV)

The ESV reads like this: So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Are you smiling yet? I am. I have joy inside me and it is overflowing to the outside of me. I am being poured into and the Spirit is pouring out of me. 

You Are My Joy

GODLY WISDOM

To acquire knowledge is to hear what the Lord God says to us in His Word through His Spirit. We must be willing to seek out God's face and submit to God's will, surrendering every aspect of our lives to His purpose. This is honoring God, this is blessing God. More than lip service or acts of kindness: it is a whole-hearted, God-fearing lifestyle. This is Godly Wisdom, too. 

 

Godly Wisdom is given to the heart of the born-again believer, not the brain. It is with the heart that we believe. It is in the heart that Jesus Christ, The WORD of God, takes up residence. It is from the heart that Wisdom speaks. It is the heart that makes the decisions, so the heart must be filled with The WORD in order to make wise decisions.

The heart of the born-again believer makes sound decisions, but the heart of the foolish makes unwise decisions.  God has given each of us the ability to choose. And He wants us to choose wisely, but we know that doesn't always happen. While we are in this world, we are tempted on every side to make wrong, unwise, decisions. But we don't have to stay in the consequences of those decisions, we can choose to make a decision to leave the unwise decision and seek out God's wisdom for our lives. 

Lord, help me. Help me to lead a life that is pleasing to You. Help me to hear Your voice more clearly. Help me to see You in every decision I make and follow through in the doing of that decision. Lord, be my strength as I follow You. Give me Your wisdom that I may make decisions based on Your Word. In Jesus' Name, I pray, Amen. 

 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Trust Your Commander

 1 Thessalonians 5:24

He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.

Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4103

Faithful: reliable, trustworthy, can be relied on

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 982

Trust: (you, we, I) put trust in; have confidence in, rely

A faithful people must be called by a faithful God, a God who can be trusted, a God who cannot lie, a God who leads the way.

GOD IS FAITHFUL 

Deuteronomy 7:9

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

1 Corinthians 1:9

God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

2 Timothy 2:13

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

TRUST IN GOD

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

Isaiah 50:10

Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.

God Doesn't Lie

Numbers 23:19

God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?

Hebrews 6:18

Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.

God Keeps His Promises

Genesis 17:7

And I will establish My covenant between  Me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto you, and to your seed after you.

Galatians 3:16

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, "and to seeds," meaning many, but "and to your seed," meaning One, who is Christ.

God Knows Where He Leads Us

Proverbs 3:6

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

John 14:6

Jesus says to him, "I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father, but by Me."

Hebrews 11:16

Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

John 14:2

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

MUSTARD SEED FAITH

All we need is a tiny bit of faith, faith the size of a mustard seed, to believe and to follow God. And we need to act on that faith. 

Luke 17:6

And the Lord answered, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

Matthew 17:20

“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Mustard seed faith uproots trees and moves mountains. We just have to speak out our faith in God to see that He uproots the trees in our path, He moves the mountains that block our way. 

Mustard seed faith accomplishes in the spiritual realm what the heart believes and the faithful speak aloud. 

We pray for the impossible and God answers our prayers. We pray for the improbable to happen and God answers our prayers. We seek out God's Word to know our Leader better and see Him more clearly and hear His voice more softly. 

Mustard seed faith is strong faith. It may look tiny on the outside, but great things happen when we plant it in our spirits. It takes root. It grows. It buds, sprouts and rises above the dark places to spread its branches in the Sonlight, in the Day. Mustard seed faith multiplies a thousandfold. 

Matthew 13:31, 32

He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

Mustard seed faith sees souls saved, diseases shrivel up, bones healed, minds delivered and more. 

 

Faith, Trust, requires us to believe what we cannot see ahead of us. It is as if we walk blindfolded, but not blindly. For we know Whom we have believed and where He leads us we will follow. Faith requires us to be faithful to God. 

Let us place our trust in God that what He has promised He will do. Let us pray for His kingdom to increase. And let us answer the call He has placed on each of our lives to be saved, be filled and be of service in His kingdom. 

 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Sanctification & Wisdom

 1 Thessalonians 5:23

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 37

Sanctify:  to make holy, consecrate, sanctify; I make holy, treat as holy, set apart as holy, sanctify, hallow, purify

To be sanctified is to separate one's self from that which is unholy and cling to that which is holy. This begins to happen when we first believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is both a spiritual thing and a physical. 

     The physical separation from wickedness happens when we choose not to do the things we did before we got saved. The spiritual separation from a wicked lifestyle happens when the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us and on us, leading us to a consecrated, set apart lifestyle. The Holy Bible helps us do just that. 

     Every study of God's Word should be bringing us closer to God, not farther. We must submit what we want to learn from it to what God wants to teach us from it. He is the Author after all. 

     I was an alcoholic drunk. I had blackouts. There are nights I don't remember how I got home. There came a time when I didn't want to drink any more. But I couldn't stop completely on my own. I got married, had kids, and went back to church. The kids got saved and I got saved again. And this time I heard about and saw the Holy Spirit in action. 

     But the enemy of our souls attacked me when I wasn't ready for it. Separation of the family, divorce and moving to another city. I started drinking again even though I didn't want to, until a new friend reprimanded me for drinking, questioning the why of it. My physical separation from sin had been temporary. I knew I needed more. Then the new church I was attending had a week-long revival. That's what I needed. I was working now and the job kept me from the revival until the very last night. 

     That's the night I got baptized in the Holy Spirit and began to sing in tongues. It was a totally new experience for me, and a wonderful one, at that. It was as if I had exploded in song. That began my spiritual sanctification process. I no longer had the desire to drink. When I was around it, I got nauseous. I am no longer an alcoholic. I am delivered. 

I neither drink nor do drugs because the Holy Spirit of God has breathed on me and set me on fire to serve God with my body, my talents and my gifts. My choice. It is not that I can't live a life of wickedness now, it is that I choose not to. I have turned my back on sin and my face on God. For I have chosen to live a sanctified life: a life that is set apart for God. A life that chooses to honor God and be a good and faithful servant in His kingdom. 

     If you think my testimony sounds awful, you need to acquaint yourselves with *other Christians who have been delivered from the sin in their lives. Examine yourselves. For example, John Bunyan was an illiterate tinker, having dropped out of  school to learn his trade (he learned to read after he got married). He was a 'ringleader of vice and ungodliness' (in his own words) during his youth, before he got saved and became the author of Pilgrim's Progress, a book second only to the Bible in its publishing and distribution. 

GOD OF PEACE

1 Corinthians 14:33

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Romans 16:20

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

GOD SUSTAINS US THROUGH IT ALL 

1 Corinthians 1:8

He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Malachi 3:2

But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner's fire, like a launderer's soap.

1 Corinthians 3:12-14

If anyone builds on this foundation (Jesus Christ) using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.

CHRIST OUR WISDOM FROM GOD

1 Corinthians 1:30

It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.

WISDOM OF GOD FROM GOD

     The Book of Proverbs in the Holy Bible is called The Book of Wisdom. It is filled with pearls of great truth and nuggets of riches which can only help a man or woman grow into the person God wants us to be. These, too, help sanctify us. We read that Wisdom has a voice and calls out to us to listen to what Wisdom has to say. Wisdom informs us of right living results and wrong living results, sometimes in the same verse. 

Proverbs is written by King Solomon son of King David of Israel way back in ancient times, yet the very wisdom imparted is still crucial today. Wisdom from God, is after all, what King Solomon asked God for when God asked him what he wanted after Solomon became King. 

1 Kings 3:1-15 tells us of Solomon's dream, in which God asks him what he wants and Solomon replies, "Discernment, an understanding heart that would know how to judge and rule over God's people." 

James 1:5

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

BEING HOLY IS A WAY OF LIFE

Holiness is a command from God to us. 1 Peter 1:15. 16 reiterates Leviticus 11:44, 19:2, 20:7, 26; Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Our conduct in this life should be impeccable. 1 Peter 1:17  "Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners."

     Sanctification requires a submissive heart which surrenders its rights to God's desires,  God's will. Wisdom directs our hearts to seek out God and inquire of His will for our lives. We cannot be fully functioning Spiritual Warriors unless we do both. Without a set apart lifestyle, we are hypocrites. Without godly wisdom we are ignorant wretches. 

     This is what we have been studying every day since the beginning of this year. I had thought the new study Being Born Again Is A Lifestyle would be January's study. Little did I know that I would still be studying such a message even now and perhaps into the end of this year or into the next. I am merely the pen, the conduit, which the Holy Spirit flows through, which God wields when He writes with me. 

     And subdivided from the main study have come separate studies within the mainframe study. Such as Arming The Spiritual Warrior, this month's study. I'm having fun both learning the Word and applying the Word to my life. Aren't you? 

Take My Life

*Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians by James Gilchrist Lawson (1911) 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- How To Walk Like A Warrior

 1 Thessalonians 5:22

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 568

Abstain: to hold back, keep off, to be away, be distant; to have one thing by separating from (letting go of) another

For a Christian to abstain from evil is to eschew evil in every form, whether by what we are seeing, what we are hearing, what we are saying or what we are doing. As has been said, the born again Christian may be the only Bible those around him or her see. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that we walk an upright life, which can only be accomplished if we obey God's Word daily. 

We must live a separated life, a sanctified life: our lifestyles must align with God's Word and we must choose to be obedient to Him. Every. Single. Day. It helps me to greet Him when I first begin to wake, even before my eyes are open. "Good Morning, Lord." "Welcome, Holy Spirit." Being aware of the fact that God is with us, with us at all times. My evening prayers usually end with me falling asleep before I say Amen. 

Walk Righteously

Isaiah 33:15

He that walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that despises the gain of oppressions, that shakes his hands from holding of bribes, that stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil.

Psalm 15:2-5

He who walks with integrity and practices righteousness, who speaks the truth from his heart, who has no slander on his tongue, who does no harm to his neighbor, who casts no scorn on his friend, who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath, who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Ephesians 15:2

(Paul writing to the church in Ephesus)

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. 

Walk The Way

Deuteronomy 5:33

You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.

Galatians 5:24, 25

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. 

2 Corinthians 5:7

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 Corinthians 4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Follow God Faithfully 

Every army has a Commander-In-Chief, even a spiritual army.

John 7:16, 18

“My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me.  If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own. He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood."

Psalm 25:9, 10

Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. 

Psalm 27:11

Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path, because of my oppressors.

Isaiah 30:21

And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: "This is the way. Walk in it."

Where He Leads Me

Psalm 23:3

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. 

Psalm 119:35

Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for there I find delight.

Psalm 61:2

From the ends of the earth I call out to You whenever my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 40:2

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

You know what that miry clay is? Sin. It attempts to cling to us even after God has delivered us from its clutches. It stains our garments and threatens to hold us back from what God is accomplishing in us. But God. 

He (God) brings us (they whom He has saved) up out of a horrible pit (death the result of sin) out of the miry clay (sin), and sets our feet upon a rock (the Chief Cornerstone), and establishes our goings (directs our path wherein we are to walk). 

Let us pray that you and I may continue to walk where God leads us. Let us listen for His voice that we may obey Him more faithfully. Let us walk, live the life that is pleasing to God, with respect to His Word and His Way, in joy and love. Let us choose to walk like warriors: heads up (with honor), looking forward (towards the unseen destinations), uprightly (with integrity and honor), shield in hand (by faith).