During a night of power failure, Jack diligently carried out his assignment. On this warm evening Jack encountered a sudden power failure. He had his daily main meal without hurry after a day of fasting (taking water only). The day was event less and he was feeling a bit disappointed. It was a windless evening. The garden was very still and stifling.
After dinner, he had a shower and changed into comfortable sports wear. Then he was led to go into the garden. He realized that there was nothing to do but to pray and intercede. He walked about and started praying in the Spirit. The sky looked still and nothing seemed to happen. He continued to pray and sing in tongues.
Then he was led to sing about the Holy Spirit wind. True enough the trees in his garden started to move their branches. He could feel the breeze moving quietly around him. He continued to praise God and give thanks for the Holy Spirit wind. He noted that only the trees in his garden moved. The ones outside remained still. He felt elated and burst into the powerful classic hymn “How Great Thou are!” (Two weeks ago he witnessed a demonized man fled as if in trance when he merely heard the chorus of this hymn!)
Interestingly the wind came to where he stood and surrounded his whole being. As he walked the wind continued to move forward toward the same direction. He decided to walk round his garden and the wind moved ahead as if to lead his steps. So he interceded following the steps of the Holy Spirit.
He did not know the object of his intercession so he decided to pray in understanding. “O Lord, pour Your Spirit over this land, this…” When he came to the name of the land, instead of saying the nation he had in mind, he suddenly cried, “Jerusalem”.
He obeyed and spent the whole time interceding for Jerusalem (partly from Isaiah 32:15-19; 58:6-12, and recalling from Nehemiah), that the Holy Spirit would pour on that land and cause a transformation in line with the heart of God, rebuilding the walls and gates for the City of God.
After that, he watered the garden as a symbolic act of the living water that would flood Jerusalem and fill those who hunger and thirst.
He knew when he had completed his task. The intercession in the Spirit stopped. But he was enjoying the garden walk with the presence of God so much that he wanted to walk another round. So he told God that he really appreciated and felt very honored. He requested that he be allowed another round in the garden just to be with God and not busily interceding. Then he walked by faith. When he finally stopped he lifted up his hands and waved. To his amazement, he saw his two red sealing wax palm trees waving (while all the other trees remained still). There was a gap of clear blue heaven between the two trees.
He believed it was God waving to him and saying goodbye after the evening walk. He waved back with a big grin and the trees stopped after that.
He went back to his house and read this line from Isaiah 2:5, “O, house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
The power immediately came on and the house was flooded with light!
May 4, 2010
May 3, 2010
chapter eighty-nine: when a watchman dreamed end time horror movies
It is not often that Jack remembers what he dreams. He dreams a lot and he knows he is dreaming. Often he tells himself that he must remember this dream because it is very interesting and may be meaningful, but when he gets up he forgets everything about the dream! He was often consoled that that meant that dream was not that important or the Holy Spirit would make him recall it vividly.
Recently he dreamed of another end time dream. It was so sad and horrible. He woke in cold sweat and rushed downstairs to his prayer table as he could sense the urgency in his spirit to intercede for lost souls. In fact, lately he had not been thinking of end time but the dream suddenly appeared.It was like any ordinary outing he went with his wife. They were in an ordinary tourist camp. The people were ordinary people like them and the camp was an average site with no particular attractions. People (all strangers to Jack) went there just for a break from their daily routine. One middle age man (in his fifties?) was not feeling well and was taken to a ‘sick bay’. Then Jack decided to go and see how he was.
He went to where the man was confined and found that it was a secluded cement building like a slaughter house. He peeped inside and found a lot of cement tables on which men were being bound and tortured. That tourist man was there on one of the tables. He was being tortured and crying out in despair. The torturers were like slaughter men and were watching their victims without expressions, like they were just doing their routine job.
The poor tourist repeatedly screamed out these words, “Why has this happened to me? How come I ended up this way? How can this be?” It seemed he could not believe that he, an innocent man, could ever end up in a torture chamber. He could not find in his heart that he ever deserved such cruel fate. He was crying out at the injustice.
Jack knew then he was in the enemy camp and could be in danger too so he quickly found his wife and the two escaped through an open window.
Then he woke.
Reading the daily news has become like watching end time horror movies. People everywhere in the world were being slaughtered en mass. Human lives have become cheap and fragile like those of flies. He has become so used to them that his heart feels numb. It seems like the heart has learned to grow layers of onion skins to shield itself from hurt.
However, the dream was a wake up call. He knew that even the innocent was not spared. He remembered a warning by someone, “Have not the little ones in our family been attacked enough?” (So how can Jack continue to choose to be a bystander?)
There is really no option for any Christian. Every committed follower of Christ has one mission, that is, to do the work that Christ Jesus had done on earth and even greater works than His. It was a command from the Lord Himself.
What is the watchman’s mission? To keep watch, to look out, peer into the distance, to scope something out, to see approaching danger and warn those endangered.
So the watchman has decided to obey the wake-up call. He will continue to keep watch and warn. Sometimes he does wonder whether anyone ever listens to all these cries. But his job is to see and tells. He is just a watchman looking from the tower in the city wall.
April 30, 2010
chapter eighty-eight: the Holy Spirit said. “Take up the sword of the Spirit!”
The watchman Jack cannot sleep like a log. He was troubled. His body was under attack and he was fed up. He questioned, “How can the enemy be so seemingly ‘powerful’? Why was he under attack often when he went to one particular geographical location?” He even told God he was fed up. Indeed, when he went to his father-in-law’s house recently he was again attacked with the old back-ache symptoms.Given a choice he would never want to go there or anywhere near any unbeliever’s living quarters in view of the spiritual defilement and idolatry stronghold. He is a peaceful man who has enjoyed many generations of simple peaceful Christian living. However, there are things in life that are called ‘obligations’. Jack knew he had no option as far as this assignment was concerned.
He suffered the whole day even after the long drive back to his own home. He tried to rest in bed but the aches continued. He claimed divine healing to no apparent result. So he finally got up and told God he was fed up. Then he decided to read God’s words regardless of the physical symptoms. He was drawn to read all the verses about end time and spiritual warfare and victory for no particular reasons. After reading he reminded himself he was giving the enemy too much attention. So he resolved not to make the same mistake. He took a warm shower and a ginger drink which he had never taken, though a favorite of his wife’s. He did not know why he took it except that he heard his spirit ask him to do so. (Without the Holy Spirit, you can take as much such stuff as possible and nothing would happen!)
After that, despite the unchanged physical symptoms, he went to church to worship God. He worshiped and praised God as usual. He knelt down and bent his back as usual. He did not pray for any healing as it was not on his mind at all. He made up his mind to give God the full attention and glory. When the sermon started he was relieved that someone else did the translation instead of him. When the speaker spoke he was not surprised that she spoke about end time and what manners of persons we ought to be in holy conduct and godliness (2 Peter 3:11). The Holy Spirit indeed prompted him to read these verses that same afternoon when he was determined to listen to the Holy Spirit.
During the sermon he had to leave as he was asked to take his relatives (whose three young infants were making too much noise) home. When he got up from his seat, he found that he was healed completely. The symptoms vanished without his notice. He went home a very convicted man. Yes, he learned a lesson of faith living in practice. How was he healed? He knew in theory but lacked patience in practice. But God was merciful and patient.
The lesson Jack learned is summarized as follows:
1. We live by faith and not by sight.
2. We trust God’s word which contains His will.
3. We proclaim God’s words (victory) and not ours.
4. Our role is to put on the whole armor of God and stand still.
5. God will take charge.Be still and know that He is God!!
6. We continue to worship and praise God for His faithfulness, grace and mercy regardless of the symptoms. Always give God the glory!!!
7. Never make the enemy prominent in our lives. He is merely a deceiver. Resist him and he will flee!
Here are some of the verses Jack had read and proclaimed during his struggle: (He prays that you will be blessed too!)
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Ephesians 6:10-18 The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
2 Peter 3:9-14
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
The Day of the Lord
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Be Steadfast
14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
Malachi 4:1-3 The Great Day of God
1 “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the LORD of hosts, “ That will leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the LORD of hosts.
Isaiah 58:6-8
6 “ Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Isaiah 32:15-18 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.
The Peace of God’s Reign
16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
18 My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,
Isaiah 10:27
27 It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.
Psalm 121 A Song of Ascents.
1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.
April 7, 2010
chapter eighty-seven: the Holy Spirit reveals more to make sure watchman gets His message
Jack found that the Holy Spirit does not give up in answering his prayers. Many months ago Jack had a dream which he still remembered vividly. In the dream he was a person who pushed a cart and rested on the pathway outside a shop. A younger person came and asked for a space to rest. So Jack gave him a space. Then Jack went into the shop to buy a piece of soap (presumably for that young man). The shopkeeper sold him a bar of light brown soap wrapped in plain re-cycled paper, telling him that this was the best soap, called "precious jar/bottle", at a very cheap price of 60 cents. He said that the soap could clean anything and everything. When Jack went out of the shop he found that his heavily cluttered cart was clean, empty and light. In fact, it looked new! The young man had gone too. He woke and was reminded of a verse from II Corinthians 4:7 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." But he could not really understand what this meant to him. Recently after a class he was led to read II Corinthians 3:5 "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God". At that time he did not realize the connection between the two verses.
On another subject, he consulted his intercessor mentor about having over months observed that a particular church leader conducted the Holy Communion regularly but never mentioned the Lord Jesus' body and blood, and when alerted, neither the leader himself nor the pastor bothered to take corrective measures. Eventually the pastor too forgot to mention the blood and the body of Christ himself when conducting the Holy Communion, not just once but repeatedly until Jack escaped from that big church! After being advised by his spiritual mentor, Jack read some articles about the subject. The more he read, the more he saw the similarities between the leaders concerned and the descriptions. His earlier vision about the church new multimillion dollar construction too revealed bad news. In fact, a year ago he received a warning for that church when he first started interceding for them. It was a passage from Isaiah 30:1-5. The intercessor mentor told him to intercede for that former church since the Lord has made him see the visions and observe the irregularities. There is urgency since some members already suffered tragic consequences as a result of the leaders' unbelief of the full redemptive benefits of spirit and body, thus denying the power and protection of the cross.
After making a fresh resolution, this morning he woke at 5am and asked the Lord what to pray and how to pray as he had tried many months previously until he ran out of words for them.The Holy Spirit guided him to read II Corinthians 3-4. Jack was elated to discover that God answered his two prayers with the same set of Bible verses. He wanted to know how to pray and intercede for the Jezebels in the former church.
The II Corinthians chapters 3-4 verses reveal that the people are blinded because of unbelief. They cannot not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. The battlefield is in their minds which are blinded. That is why they do not preach Christ Jesus the Lord, but preach men and men teachings. They seek glory from one another instead of God's glory. They do not know the Christ who is their hope of glory!
He thus noted the following prayers points:
- Pray that the church pastor and leaders be convicted, repent and be filled by the Spirit of the living God. Pray for humility for them. 2 Cor. 3:5 " Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God".
- Pray that God shines His light into their hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4:6 "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
- Pray that they turn to the Lord, so that the veil on their hearts can be removed and be set free accordingly from their bondage. 2 Cor. 3:16-17 "Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
- Pray that they will see Christ and behold His glory and be transformed by the renewing of their minds. 2 Cor.3:18 "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
- Jack found the following summary given by the Apostle Paul indeed appropriate for this problem solving: 2 Cor. 10:3-5 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ".
The gospel is indeed the gospel of the glory of Christ!
Here are some relevant verses for meditation on "Christ in us, our hope of glory" truth. May our hearts be filled with joy!
Psalm 16:9
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
Romans 5:2
through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Ephesians 1:18
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Colossians 1:27
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
March 17, 2010
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX: WATCHMAN NIGHT DISCOURSE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
Last night Jack spent the bulk of the night in discourse with the Holy Spirit. It was quite a lengthy and serious dream. He was discussing the Bible with the Holy Spirit (in the form of someone whom he does not know). By the time the dream was almost over, he was repeatedly reminded of one verse, John 14:14. Therefore, he got up and read his Bible.
“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14) This verse is linked to the following verses:
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14, 15) Then he decided read the whole chapter five. He found further revelation as follows, which clarified what he has been meditating.
Although this is a great promise of God answering prayers, there are conditions: Christians need to go through Jesus’ name. Christians need to know God’s will and ask accordingly.
Your position must be right: verses 1-15
1. born of God
a. Believe that Jesus is the Christ.
b. Love God –keep His commandments
c. Love His children
2. walk by faith
a. overcome the world
3. Know who Jesus is.
a. Three witnesses in heaven: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit –they are one.
b. Three witnesses on earth: the Spirit, the water (word) and the blood -they agreed as one.
4. Believe who Jesus is.
5. Christians have eternal life in the Son of God.
6. Continue to believe in the Son of God.
Christians must live as an overcomer: verses 16-21
1. Pray and intercede for Christians who sin.
2. Know that all unrighteousness is sin.
3. How can one not sin? Born of God, keep himself. The wicked one cannot touch him!
4. Be separate from the world. The whole world is under the devil. Christians are under God’s rule.
5. You have eternal life.
6. Keep away from anything that will take God’s place in your hearts.
IN CHRIST DIAGRAM III: LIVE OVERCOMERS’ LIFE BY THE WILL OF GOD (I believe in the Son of God – eternal life – and overcome the world) Read 1 John chapter 5
There was another part of the dream. Jack will carry out the assignment separately in another exercise.
March 16, 2010
Chapter Eighty-five: watchman discovered more new wine in living the Holy Spirit way!
It has been an exciting time living in the Spirit. During the last week the watchman was kept busy reading and meditating on God’s word. He was preparing himself to share his revelation and findings in a book about God on healing through Jesus Christ. There was fresh insight as he read and meditated.
However, the best came after he has taught three sessions (two lessons and one-re-run). He discovered one crucial new wine verse, John 15:7 under the new light and drew a mental diagram of a Christian’s position under this verse:
Jesus commanded, “If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you!” (John 15:7) What a great and wonderful promise!
There are a number of key phrases which need meditation upon. For example, “you abide in Me” is a key phrase. What does it mean by abiding in Jesus? How can one (a physical grown man on earth) go and live in the invisible Jesus who is now sitting on the right hand of God in heaven? Assuming it is the spirit that does the abiding, how can one know one’s spirit is living in Jesus?
Another key phrase is “My words abide in you”. How can one make the words of God live in one? We cannot cut out the Bible and stuff the texts into our hearts! Assuming that we read the Bible fervently how do we know the words really sink into our hearts?
The watchman asked the Holy Spirit to illuminate his spiritual eyes and spiritual mind. He suddenly saw a picture of a Christian.
GOD SEES THIS AND ANSWERS PRAYERS.
“CHRIST OUTSIDE AND INSIDE. THE CHRISTIAN IS HIDDEN IN THE MIDDLE LAYER.”
The watchman felt pleased when he received this revelation. But he still puzzled over the issue of being in Christ. He read all the verses in Ephesians on “in Christ” and still felt unsatisfied in his spirit. Last night before he slept he prayed that the Holy Spirit would continue to intercede for him while he slept. Indeed the whole night he dreamed that someone came to discuss the Scripture with him. By the time he woke in the morning he remembered the chapter and the verse number (2:20) he was to read, but he could not remember which Book in the bible.
So he looked at a number of Paul’s Epistles, although his first prompting was to read the book of Galatians. But he deliberately did not until he could not find anything in the other.
When he gave up and turned to Galatians the answer and exactly what he looked for was there!
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Amazingly he again saw the picture. CHRIST OUTSIDE AND INSIDE AND THE CHRISTIAN IS HIDDEN IN THE MIDDLE LAYER.
There is one new ingredient to fulfilling this position. “BY FAITH”. The Christian hides in Christ Jesus by faith.
A Christian received Christ Jesus by faith into his heart.
A Christian believes in the word of God by faith.
A Christian abides in Christ by faith.
A Christian received the Holy Spirit by faith.
A Christian prays in the name of Jesus Christ by faith.
A Christian exercises the spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit y faith.
A Christian puts on the whole armor of God by faith.
A Christian lives by the Spirit by faith.
A Christian lives the more than conquerors supernatural life by faith.
Praise God! What a wonderful and resourceful teacher the Holy Spirit is!
March 12, 2010
Chapter Eighty-four: the Holy Spirit said, "Put new wine in new skin, watchman!"
The training by the Holy Spirit has been intensive and increasingly more. Jack was woken this morning with this instruction, "Put new wine in new skin!" He obeyed and got up. As he was preparing himself for the quiet time. a number of thoughts went through his mind (heart rather). It was all about Jesus. Interestingly, it linked what he has been learning from various sources together and gave him the big picture!
He rushed downstairs and opened his Bible and started reading the Gospel according to John Chapter One. There it is, the new wine!
He recalled the most recent lesson on Genesis 1:1-10 which confirmed what he has previously read . The teacher taught that there was an interval between Gen.1:1 and 1:2. The earth described in 1:2 appeared to have gone through destruction. The destruction tied to Revelation 12 which recorded the war in heaven wherein the dragon (the devil) was defeated and cast out together with one-third of the angels who joined in the rebellion against God. They were cast to the earth. The teacher taught that the earth was a prison for the devil and his gang.
However, God restored the earth in Gen.1:3 onward. He also created human beings based on His own image. He breathed into them the breath of life. He gave the human authority and dominion over the earth but the human gave the dominion in turn to the devil (when Adam and Eve decided to obey the lies of the devil and rebel against God). God knew this would happen so He had prepared in the beginning for His own Son, Jesus to come to earth and redeem the human.
John One
In John 1:1-18, this truth was clearly proclaimed. Jesus was in the beginning of creation. He was the Word (God) and all things were made through Him. "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." (Heb.11:3) The world on earth was made through Him. The human were His own as they were created in His image. But they did not know Him or receive Him.
The devil (thief) came to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus came to give life and life more abundantly. (John 10:10) The followings are very important truths to set human free from the bondages of the devil (evil, darkness, sin, disease and death).
John 1:12, "Yet to all who received Him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God" (NIV) John 1:13, The children of God, "who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (NKJV) John 1:17-18, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only (the only begotten Son), who is at the Father's side, has made Him known." (NIV)
The Name of God
From Jesus, something transformed in all those who received Him (as the Son of God), and believed in His name. What does it mean by believing in His name? Jack pondered. Recently the Holy Spirit reminded him the power and majesty of Jesus' name. At the name of Jesus Christ, all knees shall bow and all tongues shall confess, that Jesus is Lord!
Do not take God's name in vain. Jesus is God. Do not take Jesus' name in vain. In Acts 3:6, Peter demonstrated the mighty power of the name of Jesus Christ, that instantly and completely healed a grown man lame from his mother's womb. Jesus promised the disciples that they could ask anything in His name and it shall be done for them. (John 14:13)
Believing in His name means believing He is God and He is all powerful and all His word are true.
Not born of human seed
Another truth is that the children of God were not born of human blood or human seed. When we received Christ Jesus into our lives and believed in His name, something happened in our lives. We have received His Spirit (the Holy Spirit 1 Cor.2:12). We have received the Spirit of son-ship. The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (Romans 8:15-16) We became a new creation (2 Cor.5:17).
God is all powerful and all knowing. He knows how weak humans are (all physical and totally helpless to fight in the spiritual realm). His redemption plan through His Son Jesus has to be perfect. Therefore, the giving of the new life through the Holy Spirit birth must be among the most important requirements for humans to be saved, delivered from the bondages of evil and live a victorious life (kingdom of God life) after that. Indeed, Jesus Himself warned that unless one is born again of the Spirit one cannot see or enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:3, 5) The Holy Spirit also declared through Apostle Paul that only those led by the Spirit are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14).
The Light, The Truth and free Unmerited Favor
Another powerful fact is that Jesus is light. Darkness cannot overcome light. Where the light of Jesus is, darkness flees!When God gave Jesus to us, He gave us light that overcomes darkness. (John 1:5)
Grace (God's free favor for us not based on our merits) and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) When Jesus described the devil, He called him the father of lies. On the other hand, Jesus is the Truth Himself. When God gave us Jesus, He gave us grace and truth. Both must be powerful weapons to overcome the devil in the enemy's camp.
Looking at the armor of God, we find that indeed Jesus forms the center part of the armor: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of Salvation, the Gospel of peace. The Holy Spirit makes up for the rest: the sword of the Spirit (the word of God) and praying in the Spirit. The only input from the believer is faith (which serves a shield to quench all fiery darts from the devil). Even faith is given by God and the faith race requires us to keep our focus on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith! (Heb.12:2)
How not to live a victorious life? (We really have no excuse) "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him (Jesus) who loved us." (Romans 8:37)
He rushed downstairs and opened his Bible and started reading the Gospel according to John Chapter One. There it is, the new wine!
He recalled the most recent lesson on Genesis 1:1-10 which confirmed what he has previously read . The teacher taught that there was an interval between Gen.1:1 and 1:2. The earth described in 1:2 appeared to have gone through destruction. The destruction tied to Revelation 12 which recorded the war in heaven wherein the dragon (the devil) was defeated and cast out together with one-third of the angels who joined in the rebellion against God. They were cast to the earth. The teacher taught that the earth was a prison for the devil and his gang.
However, God restored the earth in Gen.1:3 onward. He also created human beings based on His own image. He breathed into them the breath of life. He gave the human authority and dominion over the earth but the human gave the dominion in turn to the devil (when Adam and Eve decided to obey the lies of the devil and rebel against God). God knew this would happen so He had prepared in the beginning for His own Son, Jesus to come to earth and redeem the human.
John One
In John 1:1-18, this truth was clearly proclaimed. Jesus was in the beginning of creation. He was the Word (God) and all things were made through Him. "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." (Heb.11:3) The world on earth was made through Him. The human were His own as they were created in His image. But they did not know Him or receive Him.
The devil (thief) came to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus came to give life and life more abundantly. (John 10:10) The followings are very important truths to set human free from the bondages of the devil (evil, darkness, sin, disease and death).
John 1:12, "Yet to all who received Him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God" (NIV) John 1:13, The children of God, "who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (NKJV) John 1:17-18, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only (the only begotten Son), who is at the Father's side, has made Him known." (NIV)
The Name of God
From Jesus, something transformed in all those who received Him (as the Son of God), and believed in His name. What does it mean by believing in His name? Jack pondered. Recently the Holy Spirit reminded him the power and majesty of Jesus' name. At the name of Jesus Christ, all knees shall bow and all tongues shall confess, that Jesus is Lord!
Do not take God's name in vain. Jesus is God. Do not take Jesus' name in vain. In Acts 3:6, Peter demonstrated the mighty power of the name of Jesus Christ, that instantly and completely healed a grown man lame from his mother's womb. Jesus promised the disciples that they could ask anything in His name and it shall be done for them. (John 14:13)
Believing in His name means believing He is God and He is all powerful and all His word are true.
Not born of human seed
Another truth is that the children of God were not born of human blood or human seed. When we received Christ Jesus into our lives and believed in His name, something happened in our lives. We have received His Spirit (the Holy Spirit 1 Cor.2:12). We have received the Spirit of son-ship. The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (Romans 8:15-16) We became a new creation (2 Cor.5:17).
God is all powerful and all knowing. He knows how weak humans are (all physical and totally helpless to fight in the spiritual realm). His redemption plan through His Son Jesus has to be perfect. Therefore, the giving of the new life through the Holy Spirit birth must be among the most important requirements for humans to be saved, delivered from the bondages of evil and live a victorious life (kingdom of God life) after that. Indeed, Jesus Himself warned that unless one is born again of the Spirit one cannot see or enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:3, 5) The Holy Spirit also declared through Apostle Paul that only those led by the Spirit are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14).
The Light, The Truth and free Unmerited Favor
Another powerful fact is that Jesus is light. Darkness cannot overcome light. Where the light of Jesus is, darkness flees!When God gave Jesus to us, He gave us light that overcomes darkness. (John 1:5)
Grace (God's free favor for us not based on our merits) and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) When Jesus described the devil, He called him the father of lies. On the other hand, Jesus is the Truth Himself. When God gave us Jesus, He gave us grace and truth. Both must be powerful weapons to overcome the devil in the enemy's camp.
Looking at the armor of God, we find that indeed Jesus forms the center part of the armor: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of Salvation, the Gospel of peace. The Holy Spirit makes up for the rest: the sword of the Spirit (the word of God) and praying in the Spirit. The only input from the believer is faith (which serves a shield to quench all fiery darts from the devil). Even faith is given by God and the faith race requires us to keep our focus on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith! (Heb.12:2)
How not to live a victorious life? (We really have no excuse) "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him (Jesus) who loved us." (Romans 8:37)
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