During the Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled My Progress is evident to all (3)/ Her main scriptures were taken from the Book of 1 Timothy 4:12-16 and Mark 5:25-34

MAY YOUR PROGRESS BE EVIDENT TO ALL

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim 4:12-16)

Prophetic word: We declare that in Christ, we have entered our Promised Land and our progress is evident to all!

Here we see that spiritual maturity manifests as ‘progress’ that can be seen by others. Progress is defined as a slow forward movement towards a goal, to an improved condition in life, on the path to perfection; it also means to increase knowledge, to develop your skills and gifts so that you can apply them better. It means to advance in life, closer to the place where your dreams are fulfilled. The opposite of progress means to go back, to become worse, to sink, to lose benefits, or to waste away. May we pay the price for godly success! In the world, the general progress in life is seen mostly thru material gains. You feel that you make progress when you graduate from school, marry, buy a house, and have children. But in the spiritual realm, the progress is measured by greater faith and more authority. It is heard in your voice and seen in your behavior. It is also called fruitfulness, increase or profit. It affects all who see and hear you. A leader in the home or in the church is expected to make progress. The faster the progress, the more God will use you to mentor others. No leader should remain satisfied to stay stationary, comfortable to be in a place of no growth. In that case, the leader loses the respect of his followers. By leader I mean, all believers, husbands, wives, parents, pastors, teachers and all who have a platform to influence others. Progress or lack of it cannot be hidden for long. It will soon be manifested. Honor or dishonor will be the result. Let us be faithful in the secret place. God will reward us openly!

GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!

“Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things, you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 1:1-11). “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (2 Pet 3:17, 18)

BONDSERVANT AND APOSTLE

Apostle Peter was a fisherman. He was not an educated man. When you read His letters you appreciate the Grace of God upon his life. He wrote with deep revelation and passion of intimately knowing the Lord Jesus Christ. He does not teach men how to go to the river and catch fish. He speaks as a true man of God, and a teacher of God’s Word telling men about eternal things that will benefit their spirits and not just their bodies. This is always the effect of God’s grace upon a believer. His desire is to encourage the brethren in the early church and to warn them against spiritual dangers, especially the false teachers. Time has no effect upon these words. Two thousand years later, we can still learn so much from him. He introduces himself as ‘a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ’. He is a servant first before he is an apostle. The word ‘bondservant’ means a slave. The word Apostle describes Peter’s calling to ministry. In Greek, the word ‘apostle’ means ‘the sent one’. An apostle is a personal representative of Jesus, chosen by Him to do a special work for Him. Like Apostle Paul, Peter imitates his Lord who came as Servant/King. This is the pattern of leadership that God blesses. Serving God always leads to progress in life! There is no exception to that!

Lesson: God’s promotion comes when you humble yourself before God and you serve The Lord Jesus, the Living Word. Jesus said: “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor” (Jn 12:26).

PRECIOUS FAITH

Apostle Peter writes this letter to those ‘who have obtained like Precious Faith with us by the Righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ’. This is the definition of the Gospel and the foundation of the Christian life. Christianity always starts with faith in the Gospel. The sinner must believe that he is a sinner and that Jesus died as his substitute. The perfect righteousness of Christ is now imputed to him. This precious faith means to have total confident trust in Jesus and to be faithful to Him. This faith is living, active, and wonderworking. Therefore, it is precious. In Greek, the word ‘precious’ means to be privileged and honored to believe. Something called precious has great value; it is very expensive because it is rare, hard to find; it is loved because of the sacrifice needed to obtain it. Because it is so special, a precious gift is never wasted or used carelessly. This faith is ‘obtained’ or received. It is the Gift of King Grace. Many people hear the Gospel. But not all believe with this type of faith. The Grace of God works in the elect and they believe unto salvation. Others hear the Gospel but do not mix the word with faith. These become religious unbelievers. They claim to be saved, attend church, but they are not born again. Why is the Christian faith so precious? One reason is that living faith is found in Christ alone, the Master of the universe. There is no saving faith in any other religion. Christ alone is sovereign over this faith. He distributes it as He pleases, by His grace alone. We are justified by faith in Christ crucified and resurrected. We are sanctified thru faith in Christ, in the written word of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are glorified and receive miracles by faith too. We make spiritual progress also by faith. God is not a respecter of people but He rewards faith in those who believe in His Son, who seek to know Him better. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6). Faith is obtained as a seed. We need to water it with the Word and prayer, and it will grow!

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS POWER. IT MANIFESTS AS MULTIPLICATION OF GRACE, PEACE, TESTIMONIES, AND SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

“Grace and peace [that special sense of spiritual well-being] be multiplied to you in the [true, intimate] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Pet 1:2, 3; AMP).  

“The word ‘grace’ means the unmerited favor of God because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. The word ‘peace’ is more than the absence of war. It means the unity of the Spirit that produces progress and prosperity in life. Grace and Peace can be multiplied, increased, and made more fruitful. This increase of grace and peace comes with a better, more intimate understanding of God the Father and God the Son. Jesus describes this spiritual knowledge as ‘eternal life’. “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). This knowledge is not just an intellectual ‘head knowledge’, gathering some facts about God. It means to draw closer to God and learn who He is by worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth. This knowledge increases thru the study and meditation upon His Word and prayer. The false teachers Peter is warning about, they teach a wrong knowledge of God. They are a hindrance to knowing God in a real and deeper way. The spirit of religion has always been the primary obstacle against knowing God thru the revelation of His Word. You become saved thru the free gift of faith in Christ. But to mature as a believer and make spiritual progress, there is a price to pay. Humility and faithfulness are basic attitudes. God gives grace only to the humble. Pride and rebellion are serious hindrances in the path of spiritual progress.

At the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit plants the seed of life in your spirit. That seed is filled with the power of eternal life.  Only God can do that. No man can save another man. Salvation is God’s work. This first deposit will always be there, in your spirit. In it you have everything you need to become like Jesus. Nothing is missing. After that, you need to take responsibility for making the seed grow, until it produces fruits. That is your work. God will help you by His Spirit but He will not force you to grow. You grow and make progress exactly how much you desire it.

The believer is commanded to start ‘adding’ to the basic faith. In Greek, the word ‘add’ means to contribute, to furnish. God builds the house, but you must furnish it. Progress is made when God and you work together for His glory and for your own good! As you can see, there is a price to pay. Spiritual maturity is not easy and not cheap. That is why different believers are at different levels in their spiritual journey. See that the multiplication of peace, grace (favor with God and man) and the manifestation of a godly testimony, these all depend on your deeper knowledge of one Person, Jesus Christ, our Lord. God’s Word must be manifested in your life as godly character, and ministry done in love!

WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING

“So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. Do everything without murmuring or questioning [the providence of God], so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out clearly] in the world [of darkness], holding out and offering to everyone the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to rejoice greatly because I did not run [my race] in vain nor labor without result” (Phil 2:12-16; AMP). “Therefore, my beloved… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Phil 2:12, 13; NKJ).    

To achieve spiritual progress, God does some things, and we do other things. The harmony between these two works will manifest as spiritual progress. This progress is like a light shining in the darkness of this world. You cannot hide progress. Salvation is not gained by religious works. Salvation is by grace, thru faith in Christ alone. But after you are saved, you must work out (not for) your salvation with fear and trembling. Be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. He is your guide into truth and into the manifesting of God’s destiny for you. The Holy Spirit is grieved by doubt, pride, rebellion, and murmuring. You must fear God the Holy Spirit. You tremble in His presence, being careful not to grieve Him. The power of God deposited in you ‘works in you’, in your mind and will, so that you make all decisions based on His Word. A stable Spirit-led will is a great achievement in the road to spiritual progress. Once you arrive at the place when you honestly long to please God in all your decisions and actions, then you are a mature Christian. The process of sanctification continues unto you arrive to heaven. Spiritual maturity is greatly rewarded by God. Christ has finished His work for you on the Cross. He said: “It is finished” (Jn 19:30). Having faith in the complete work of Calvary, not waiting for any other addition to that, you now apply this work to your personal life. God has begun the work. You must now furnish it! It sounds simple on paper, but few believers mature spiritually to the place of truly pleasing God in their ministries.

Apostle Paul was writing to the believers at Philippi. They knew that he was arrested, and he was on a death row in prison. They were worried for his life and for the progress of the Gospel. Paul writes this letter to encourage them. He directs them to Jesus, not to himself, to themselves, or their circumstances. He is not just appealing to their emotions. He directs their minds to Jesus. He tells them that the Gospel cannot be stopped because it is God’s work. Paul wants them to remove their attention from himself. He is their pastor and mentor but not their savior. The Gospel he brought to them is not a human idea. It is God’s word that will work in his presence or in his absence.

Lesson: thank God for pastors and Bible teachers in the church. They are God’s gift to the Body of Christ. But we should guard ourselves from being too close or overdependent on people. God used a man to preach, and you believed the Word. But it is God’s Word and not man’s word. We submit, honor, and respect all human authority in the church. But know that salvation does not depend on man. We should learn to keep a holy healthy distance between us and men. That applies also to the husband and his wife. They help one another in the journey of life, but none can save the soul of the other. That work belongs to Jesus alone! Each should depend on God for his/her spiritual progress! Selah!

Many Christians have been confused about this scripture. What does it mean ‘to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling’? First we must make it clear that it does not mean to do good religious works so that God will reward you with heaven. Many people have been deceived to believe this false doctrine. Salvation is a gift of grace. It comes by faith in Christ Crucified and Resurrected. It is not a reward. According to the Bible, salvation has three parts: justification, sanctification and glorification. Justification is the act of God. It is God in His position as Judge of all men who proclaims that the sinner who believes in Jesus is set free from the condemnation and guilt of sin. Because God is Holy and He hates sin, Justification is possible only because Jesus died as the substitute for the sinner. Justification is received by faith. It is an one act in time. It cannot be repeated and cannot be lost. Salvation received is eternal. Justification declares that God has forgiven the repentant sinner and has adopted him as His child. Sanctification is different. It is the lifelong process by which the salvation received once, is made manifest in the Christian’s character and behavior. Glorification is the final stage when the Christian goes to heaven. One day his body will be resurrected and glorified. In other words, we have been saved (justified); we are being saved (sanctification); and we shall be saved (glorified in heaven).

In the scripture above, Paul is writing about sanctification and not about justification. God does His work, and we do ours. We are co-workers with Him. We work out our salvation that we have received when we first believed. God starts the work of salvation in your spirit. He then helps you thru faith in His Word and thru the power of the Holy Spirit to make this salvation real and visible. That is manifested progress in life. Paul said: “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6). In other words, because God has started His work in you, you now continue to work it out with the help of the Holy Spirit.  Before you got justified by faith in God, you were dead in trespassing and sins. A sinner is a dead man. He cannot work any spiritual work. You have seen that you were totally helpless in the matter of salvation. You need God to save you, or you perish. When you surrendered your life to Christ, His grace manifested to you. This is how you become saved! Now that you are made alive in Christ, you must use all your strength to work out your salvation. To become strong, to become a champion, you must pay the price and work out what God has planted in you. Like in the natural, spiritual muscle will be seen in you if you exercise in the spiritual Gym. Spiritual strength manifests as higher fruitful faith and greater authority.

The first thing we see here is that sanctification, is an active work. It takes spiritual and mental energy to study God’s Word, to pray, to behave like a Christian. Many Christians relax after they became born again. They think that as they were justified by faith, so they will automatically mature by faith. Sanctification is by faith in God but it is not a passive faith. You cannot be lazy or careless with your testimony and expect to see changes in your life and circumstances. It is hard work to see progress in life! What is that internal process? The sinner hates God and the things of God. He hates the Bible. “The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be“ (Rom 8:7). Once God’s grace manifests and the sinner is declared justified, something happens. The dead man becomes alive. The first thing he does, like a newborn baby, he now hungers after God’s Word. He wants to know God and His Word. This change is deep. No man can produce this change. This is what it means to be born the second time, or to be born again. The baby Christian desires to grow. He starts to pay the price for that growth. He starts to make progress. Have you asked yourself, why do you like to read the Bible? Don’t you know that this is a miracle? There was a time the Bible made no sense to you and you saw it as foolishness. Now things have changed. You now work out what was worked into you by God. You want to manifest this internal change so that others may see Christ in you. God has initiated a work in you. Let this work manifest thru you! God still works in you. He affects your desires and will. He gives you power to love God’s Word and to see its practical application in your life. All godly desires to read the Bible, to pray, to fast, to attend church services, to serve God in anyway at all, are given by God. This is a proof that you are God’s child. God does not give these holy desires to unbelievers. Some unbelievers are religious and attend church. They may read the Bible and pray. But they always use their own strength to do so. They force themselves ‘to make heaven’. They do not feel God’s power working inside them to change them. Eventually, they get tired of pretending. These religious unbelievers are not saved. They are fake Christians. They are many in the churches. But the true child of God never gets tired to read the Bible, pray and attend church. The power of God pushes him on even when he is tired. Praise the Lord!

These are other translations of the same scripture: “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear… So, work with fear and trembling to discover what it really means to be saved… Keep on working with fear and trembling to complete your salvation (Phil 2:12; NLT: CEV; GNT)”. To work out your salvation it means to continue what God has started in your spirit. Practically, what do I do? First, you must desire to be like Jesus! You must imitate Christ who submitted His will to God the Father, even unto death. You must reject every form of independent rebellious type of thinking. You must have the mind of Christ! The command to work out your salvation comes immediately after Paul describes the life, death, and exaltation of Christ (Phil 2:5-11). Secondly, desire to hate sin! You must love Jesus and stop loving the world. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 Jn 2:15-17). All unbelievers love the world which is the system of men who live like there is no God. The devil is the prince of this world. By the power of the Holy Spirit, you must kill your desire to love the world. God has to be acknowledged in every decision you make. The world must fade away from your heart as you move on towards the glory of heaven. It is only the true believers who are able to die to the world. This is a proof that they abide in Christ forever! This process is done with fear and trembling. I do not fear that I lose my salvation. But I fear God enough to abandon sin. “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). God’s wisdom, knowledge and understanding increase as I die to sin, and to the world. A true Christian is a mysterious contradiction. He is filled with joy, and he is also a sober man. That is why he fears not to offend God in his Christian race. This is the royal way of the Cross, the only way of true spiritual progress that will be manifested to all!

SINS THAT HINDER PROGRESS: MURMURING, QUESTIONING, DOUBT AND UNBELIEF  

Some unrepentant sins block the way to progress. Murmuring or complaining is a private, almost quiet expression of discontent. You are not happy with the way God leads you. This lack of contentment is a silent ungratefulness and rebellion. Your will is not submitted to God’s greater will. The second sin that hinders spiritual progress is ‘questioning’ God’s providence. In Greek the word means to think, to analyze, to reason and to debate with God in your mind. This questioning is related to doubt, to having a double restless mind. God warns us that He will not answer a prayer of doubt. You must trust God even when you do not understand His leading. See doubt as a temptation to sin and backslide.  “Let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (Jam 1:6-8). If you do not see visible manifestations of your prayers, it may be that there is an interference of sin, especially, murmuring, questionings, and doubt about God’s providence. Both murmuring and questioning are sins against God and not against man. These sins manifested in the people of God in the wilderness. They resisted God’s will and moved along grudgingly. It makes man to be ‘stiff necked, resisting the Holy Spirit’ (Ac 7:51). To be stiff necked it means to be stubborn, difficult to be led. In their minds, hearts and wills, these people always oppose the Holy Spirit. They always see God as the enemy of their progress. They are ignorant that their sins are the hindrance to progress, and not God! Selah!

WARNING AGAINST UNBELIEF

“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So, I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest” (Heb 4:1-3)        

The people who hear the Gospel but remain in unbelief are described as ‘falling short’ of God’s promise to enter the Promised Land, or unto salvation. The words ‘falling short’ mean to fail to experience the promise, missing a wonderful opportunity, or coming too late for the reward. This is a warning against taking God’s Word, His promises, His Grace, and His glory for granted. To take for granted it means that you use something carelessly, without showing appreciation for it. For example, you call the name of Jesus, pray, read the Bible, and go to church with an ungrateful, bitter heart. The Word of God has not opened or changed your heart. The sin of unbelief is still reigning inside. The seed of faith cannot enter into such a heart. We are told that the Word ‘did not profit them’ because they did not ‘mix’ the word with faith. The word ‘profit’ means to help, to add to value, to be useful for something good. The word ‘mix’ means to unite with another, to assimilate or co-mingle. A religious unbeliever has no profit from hearing the Word of God. He stays in the same spot of unbelief. God’s Word cannot help him to do something good with his life. He makes no progress, and his heart is not changed. He heard the Word but refused to mix it with faith. Knowing that many people go to church and hear God’s Word for nothing, makes us to appreciate God’s grace and the gift of this precious living faith!

THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD (Mark 5:25-34; Lk 8:43-48)

This woman has suffered for 12 years from bleeding from her private parts. This was more than a sickness. Mark calls it ‘an affliction or a plague’ (Mk 5:34). In Greek the word means to be flogged repeatedly. She spent all her money and strength on doctors who failed to cure her. This bleeding made her ceremonially unclean. Like a leper, she had to stay away from human society. She could not marry, have children, go to the temple, or attend the synagogue. We are told that ‘she heard about Jesus’ (Mk 5:27). This is how faith starts. “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). She was told how kind Jesus is and the fact that He has the power to do miracles. Jesus was going to the house of Jairus, to heal his dying daughter when this woman came to touch the hem of His garment. Her healing is called ‘a parenthesis miracle’. Her healing was instant. Only two people knew that the miracle happened: Jesus, who felt power leaving Him and the woman who felt the power entering her. The transfer of power connected the Savior and the sinner in a special way. She was a cursed woman. She now became ‘a daughter’ of Jesus. She was healed in her body, and she received salvation and peace in her soul.

This is God’s Law: “If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean… Whoever touches those things shall be unclean; he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening” (Lev 15:25, 27).

The woman knew God’s Law, that if she touches a man that man will be unclean that day. She needed faith that by touching Jesus, she will be healed. She was taking a great risk by walking in public, in the crowd. For her to arrive at Jesus she has to push her way, touch many men who were around Him. They could stone her to death for spreading ‘the plague’. This gives us a glimpse of how Jesus sees the Law. He was born under the Law. He obeyed the Law. But the Law could not convict Him of sin. After she touched Him, she wanted to hide so that Jesus will not know that He is ‘unclean’ by touching her. If Jesus is unclean, He cannot enter the house of Jairus to perform the miracle of healing on his daughter. This is to show us the power of sin, which spreads like a virus and becomes a plague.

It is possible that this woman was once wealthy and had many friends. Then she got sick. She “suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse” (Mk 5:26). Like with the prodigal son, once the money is gone, all her friends are gone. She is now a hopeless case: sick with an incurable disease, poor, lonely and rejected by men. Who can help such a one?

In her despair, with her last drop of strength, she decided to take the risk of being stoned to death. She encouraged herself. She thought in her mind and kept talking to herself that if she can only touch the garments of Jesus, she will be healed. “For she kept saying, If only I touch His garments, I will be healed” (Mk 5:28; Berean Standard Bible). She did not say just once. She kept saying to herself again and again. This is true persistent faith. The word ‘touch’ means to lay hold of someone, to attach herself to Jesus. She had only a second to do that. This is God’s Precious Promise: “He sent forth His word to heal them and snatched them from the grave” (Ps 107:20; NAB).  

Lesson: How can you touch the Word and be healed? How can your faith become a testimony? The answer is this: You must touch Jesus, who is the Living Word by touching the written Word of God! But how? Draw closer to God and to His Word! “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (Jam 4:8). Repent of doubt and of any hidden sin! How do I draw closer to God? I desire to have a relationship with God. I do it by chasing Him and by submitting to Him! “But as for me, the nearness of God is my good“(Ps 73:28; NASB). This is a spiritual law: if you need God’s help, you need to seek God, to draw closer to Him. “The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you” (2Chr 15:2). Any effort to study the Bible and pray will be rewarded by God!

This woman’s faith was desperate, free of doubt and fear of rejection. She believed two main things: That Jesus is God and has all power. ‘Power belongs to God’ (Ps 62:11). She also believed that Jesus could change her body. “Jesus will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under his control” (Phil 3:21; NLT). She acted and received her miracle even before Jesus spoke a word to her. In a way, she ‘stole’ the miracle from Jesus’ hand. She was disappointed by many physicians. But she now believed that the Great Physician will not disappoint her. Encouraged by no man, she stepped in faith and touched the garment of Jesus. Just the way you touch live wire, power left Jesus and entered her. Her faith was amazing! At the same time, her faith was not balanced. She thought that the power of Jesus flows thru His garment. She did not know that Jesus Himself is the Healer. Many people believe that if they touch the pastor’s handkerchief or are sprinkled with olive oil by a man of God, they will be healed. This woman behaved like that. But Jesus did not rebuke her. He encouraged her faith. By calling her ‘daughter’, He repositioned her faith to His Person. Lesson: many people mock the Christians who believe in secondhand touch of faith. Weak unbalanced faith in miracles is better than unbelief!

In Jesus alone you see this wonderful combination: Power and Pity! He was the most accessible Teacher and Doctor. No ‘middlemen’ to see Jesus! He was rejected by Jews. He preached and did miracles on the streets. See how Gentle the Savior is by calling the woman to come to the open. He did not want the woman to receive the miracle ‘by stealing’. That could have left a shadow on her healing testimony. He commended her faith. He healed her body and saved her soul. From now on, there is no need for her to hide from God or man. Jesus felt ‘virtue’ leaving Him. The word describes God’s power to produce miracles. Her great need and His greater Grace met, and the healing occurred. Lesson: Many people come close to Jesus but do not touch Him with faith! They see worship and miracles as religious entertainment. Faith does not produce the healing. Faith is the hand that takes hold of Jesus who saves or heals you. This healing was immediate and complete. It was also provided freely. How many so-called healers exploit sick people and waste their time and money? But Jesus never did that. Jesus is the Savior and the Lord! He died to save sinners. Salvation is the same! It is by grace and thru faith in Jesus Christ! Worship the Lord!  

MY PROGRESS IS EVIDENT TO ALL (2)/ IT IS WRITTEN AND FOREVER REMAINS WRITTEN

During the Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled My Progress is evident to all/ It is written and forever remains written. Her main scriptures were taken from the Book of 1 Timothy 4:12-16 and Matthew 4: 1-11. She said that spiritual progress comes from successfully enduring temptations. Selah!

MAY YOUR PROGRESS BE EVIDENT TO ALL

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim 4:12-16)

Prophetic word: We declare that in Christ, we have entered our Promised Land and we our progress is evident to all!

Here we see that spiritual maturity manifests as ‘progress’ that can be seen by others. Progress is defined as a slow forward movement towards a goal, to an improved condition in life, on the path to perfection; it also means to increase knowledge, to develop your skills and gifts so that you can apply them better. It means to advance in life, closer to the place where your dreams are fulfilled. For example, a student makes progress when after taking a B, he now has an A. Later, he finishes his school, and he also becomes a teacher. This is all progress in life. The opposite of progress means to go back, to become worse, to sink, to lose benefits, or to waste away. May we pay the price for godly success!

In the world, the general progress in life is seen mostly thru material gains. You feel that you make progress when you graduate from school, marry, buy a house, and have children. But in the spiritual realm, the progress is measured by greater faith and more authority. It is heard in your voice and seen in your behavior. It is also called fruitfulness, increase or profit. It affects all who see and hear you. A leader in the home or in the church is expected to make progress. The faster the progress, the more God will use you to mentor others. No leader should remain satisfied to stay stationary, comfortable to be in a place of no growth. In that case, the leader loses the respect of his followers. By leader I mean, all believers, husbands, wives, parents, pastors, teachers and all who have a platform to influence others. Progress or lack of it cannot be hidden for long. It will soon be manifested. Honor or dishonor will be the result. Let us be faithful in the secret place. God will reward us openly!

THE PROGRESS OF JOY AND FAITH IN THE GOSPEL  

The same word ‘progress’ appears two more times in the Book of Philippians. “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil 1:12-14).  He also said: “I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith” (Phil 1:23-25). The word ‘furtherance’ is the same as the word profit or progress. Paul says that his imprisonment has advanced and spread the Gospel to the most unlikely people These are the military officers who guard him in prison, in Rome. Paul rejoices in the spread of the Gospel! He also says that he doesn’t know what to choose; to die and go to heaven or the stay and help them. He says that by staying on earth he will help them to mature as believers, witnessing to the progress of their spiritual life with joy and faith. Lesson: Let us be busy working for the furtherance of the Gospel, for the progress of joy and faith among the brethren!

In his letter to the Philippians Apostle Paul encourages them to stay strong and to rejoice. He is in a prison in Rome, on the death row. But he is not worried. He trusts God for his life and for his death. This is a personal letter from a mentor to his students. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit uses these old words to encourage us today. The believers in Philippi were worried because with Paul in prison, they assumed that the Gospel is blocked from spreading. Paul tells them that nothing can stop the Gospel, which is ‘the power of God unto salvation’ (Rom 1:16). The Gospel is like the crowbar used to lift heavy objects; it is like the handle that the pilot uses to drive the ship. In Greek, the word ‘power’ is ‘dunamis’ from which the word dynamite comes. The Gospel has the power to explode and scatter to pieces every sinful imagination and opposition.  Paul said that the military guards assigned to him are now getting converted. Generally, these soldiers are rough men. They are used to kill people. But Paul preached to them and little by little, they believed in Jesus. Study Paul the way he sees God in all circumstances of life. Because He is sure that God is with him even in prison, he does not complain about his life. He does not indulge in self-pity. He is not angry or bitter against God because the preaching of the Gospel landed him in prison. He rejoices in the opportunity to continue serving God. The presence of God with Him is enough to give Paul all the encouragement he needs. These are clear marks of spiritual maturity and progress in the faith. Paul always feels God in his heart and sees Him in his circumstances. This vision is his strength! Like Moses, Paul “endured [steadfastly], as seeing Him who is unseen” (Heb 11:27, AMP). Be careful, once you doubt the love of God towards you, you will backslide. You must trust God even when things are hard, when you do not understand His ways with you.

Two thousand years have passed. Things are different now. But man has not changed. He still battles with anxieties. Life is still difficult. Things have changed but in the Spirit realm, all things are the same. There are still champions and losers. The experience of success and victory over sin and death during the time of the early church, is still available for us now. The same joy we experience now. Paul challenges the believers to live a life fully dedicated to God, to preach the Gospel and endure persecution if it comes their way. This challenge is the same for us today. God gives us strength to evangelize the world. We do so by preaching the Gospel and by living godly lives that shine like stars in the darkness. We must be faithful to God in doctrine and behavior. Then God will use us to save, lead, and mentor others. Any man or woman who is Spirit filled and lives a victorious life is a light to the world. This triumphant life is very attractive. People will come closer to study you. Your testimony is a platform to bring many to Christ. In the early church, the Christians made converts just by being themselves, by being Christians. Their obvious love for Jesus and for one another was magnetic. People became saved by desiring to be like them.

How does Paul encourage the believers? He always directs them to God’s Word. This is a spiritual law: It is by knowing the true doctrine, the spiritual principles of the Bible that you receive encouragement. Paul does not appeal directly to their emptions. That is what entertainment does. It is of the flesh, and it profits nothing. Paul appeals to their spirits and to their minds. They must know and believe God’s law before they receive peace, joy, strength, and wisdom. The reason why so many Christians today live in defeat, are always worried and sad, it is because they do not study the doctrines of the Bible. They read the Bible trying to find some few verses they like, to encourage themselves. They want the blessings without fulfilling the conditions. It does not work that way. That is why Bible studies are so important. It is important to note that the Bible has no hope, no encouragement for the world. The first action an unbeliever must do is to repent of sin and surrender his life to Christ. The Bible reveals the God has a special loving gracious interest toward His children. The promises of God can be fulfilled only in the lives of believers. May we appreciate God and His Word more! May our faith increase until the promises are fulfilled! To the glory of God!          

ENDURING TEMPTATIONS LEADS TO EVIDENT PROGRESS

What is temptation? In both Hebrew and Greek, temptation means enticement to commit sin. Enticement is the act of persuading someone to do something or go somewhere, by offering him something he likes. It means to arouse hope and desire for pleasure with the intent to deceive. It means to seduce someone with pleasure to leave the right path of truth and to go into the path of sin, danger, destruction, and death. Practically, temptation manifests as a strong desire to do or to have something that you know it is sinful.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren” (James 1:12-16)

God never tempts men to sin!!! God Himself cannot be tempted by the devil. The devil tempted Jesus as a Man, not as God. The devil tempts and God tests. Practically, temptation and testing may feel the same, but there is a difference in motives. Temptation comes that you may sin and become like the devil. Testing comes that you may mature and become like Jesus! God tests His children to purify their faith. He sometimes allows Satan to do the testing. Satan is called ‘The Great Tempter’. His desire is that they disobey God! Temptation is generally external. But the devil weakens man thru internal lust, so that he cooperates with the external temptation. The devil shows the Christian opportunities to commit sin. Temptation is not sin. Choosing the devil’s option during temptation, that is sin. To commit sin the will is involved. The Original sin happened when Adam and Eve believed the lies of the devil and disobeyed God. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus found the disciples tired from sorrow and sleeping.  He said: “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:40, 41). The devil takes advantage of the weakness of the flesh to tempt believers. He opens the door of backsliding. If you enter thru that door, you have sinned. If you turn away from it, you have endured the temptation successfully and made progress!

“Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing…. “Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor’s] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (Jam 1:2-4; 12; AMP). Temptation must be ‘endured’ successfully. In Greek, the word ‘endure’ means to stay under pressure, to remain steadfast and persevere in your faith during the oppressive pain. It means to totally reject devil’s option of backsliding. Temptation is painful. It is like passing thru fire when the fleshly chaff is burnt, and the gold of faith is purified. Successfully enduring temptation is the royal scar of the mature believers. They receive the crown of life. The very opportunity you have to endure temptation should be counted as joy, trusting God for the successful examination. The only other place the crown of life is promised is in the Book of Revelation. Even there, it is connected with successfully enduring temptation. “Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. Be aware that the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested [in your faith], and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful to the point of death [if you must die for your faith], and I will give you the crown [consisting] of life. He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God] will not be hurt by the second death (the lake of fire)” (Rev 2:10, 11; AMP). Halleluiah!

OLD TESTAMENT TEMPTATIONS

When Abraham was old, God tested him (Genesis 22). This was not a temptation, but a true test of faith given by God. In this story God tells Abraham that he should offer his beloved and only son of promise, Isaac, as a burnt offering. Because he loved Isaac so much, Abraham was tempted to disobey God. But his faith in God was stronger. Abraham obeyed God believing that God has the power to raise Isaac from the dead (Heb 11:19). With the knife in his hand, God stops Abraham from killing his son. God provides a ram to be offered as a substitution sacrifice. Abraham’s faith proved to be genuine. That is why he is called ‘the father of faith’ for both Jews and Gentiles. After passing the test of faith, God promised: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (Gen 22:16-18). God reveals Himself as Jehovah Jireh, God the provider. He promises supernatural fruitfulness, protection, and blessings. Lesson: to be mature, faith must pass thru the fire of affliction. God blesses mature proven faith with great spiritual progress and natural prosperity. This manifests as fruitfulness, victory against the enemies and an overflow of blessings to the descendants.

Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife to commit adultery. He refused saying: said: “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her” (Gen 39:8-10). Joseph saw adultery not as pleasure, but as betrayal against his master who trusted him. He sees it as ‘great wickedness and sin against God’. What was his secret for enduring temptation? Joseph feared God. He took God seriously. He saw himself accountable to God. That is why he was strong and courageous to reject the devil. Old man Job said: “The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). For standing for God, Joseph was punished with imprisonment. In His time, God vindicated him. He became the prime minister of Egypt. Potiphar became his subordinate. Praise the Lord!

King David was tempted by Satan to number his soldiers. He wanted to put his trust and boast about his great army. This act of pride made God angry, and a plague came over Israel. David fell into this temptation. He repented but many died in that plague (1 Chron 21). Selah!

Daniel’s friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s image (Daniel 3). The king said that if they worship the idol they will not be killed. Face to face with death, they refused to bow to the man-made idol. They claimed that Jehovah alone is God. For this defiance they were thrown in the furnace. The Fourth Man, our Lord Jesus Christ, was with them in the fire and saved them. Daniel also chose to be faithful to Jehovah God. He continued to pray even after the edict against prayer was given by King Darius. He was thrown into the lions’ den. But God protected him. His enemies who wanted him dead were killed by the same lions (Daniel 6). Lesson: these brethren successfully endured temptation and were all rewarded with promotion and wealth. They are our examples to follow! Praise the Lord!

THE TEMPTATIONS OF JESUS

“Then Jesus was led by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After He had gone without food for forty days and forty nights, He became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But Jesus replied, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took Him into the holy city [Jerusalem] and placed Him on the pinnacle (highest point) of the temple. And he said [mockingly] to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You [to serve, care for, protect and watch over You]’; and ‘They will lift you up on their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall not test the Lord your God.’” Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory [splendor, magnificence, and excellence] of them; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Then the devil left Him; and angels came and ministered to Him [bringing Him food and serving Him]” (Matt 4:1-11; AMP).

Jesus’ temptations are unique to Jesus. But we can learn goldy principles from them. First, we see that Jesus took these temptations seriously. He prepared Himself for the temptation. He went there filled with the Holy Spirit. He came out in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 4:14) ready to start His public ministry. Immediately after His baptism in the River Jordan, The Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness. Between Jordan and Jerusalem, there is the hot and dry Judea Desert. This is where the devil tempted Jesus. For forty days Jesus ate nothing. He became hungry. This proves that He was not only God, but also Man. The devil tempted Him with three questions. Jesus answered with God’s written Word!

To understand this temptation, we must remind ourselves of God’s  purpose for His Son. Jesus said that He came ‘to seek and to save that which was lost’ (Lk 19:10). Immediately after His baptism in the River Jordan, Jesus is ready to enter into His public ministry to call people to repentance, so that they enter the Kingdom of God (Matt 4:17). God’s plan for His Son was to preach about God’s Kingdom. He will also do miracles, acts of kindness towards the sick and the suffering and but not for Himself. After three years, Jesus dies on the Cross, on behalf of sinners, as their Substitute. This was God’s will for Him, to walk the painful royal way of the Cross that led to the salvation of many. The Savior must pay for their salvation with His blood. Jesus was obedient to God and His plan for Him even unto death. God the Father resurrects His Son from the grave. Jesus ascends to heaven as God-Man. He is crowned with many crowns, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. His eternal glory is displayed for all to see. All men must bow to Him. He alone is worthy of all worship (Phil 2:5-11). The devil suspects that God’s plan is to make His Son eternally famous. He was jealous. He wants to destroy it. Thru the temptation the devil offers Jesus an alternative way to become famous. Not the plan of the Father which includes Death and resurrection. The devil’s way avoids the Cross. But Jesus rejects the painless plan of the devil. He remains steadfast in His faith trusting God the Father. That is how He became our Savior and Lord! Glory!

1-The First Temptation (to become a Materialistic Savior)

“After He had gone without food for forty days and forty nights, He became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But Jesus replied, “It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God” (Matt 4:2-4).

The first temptation is to doubt God’s love. The devil speaks with some truth. That is why temptation is painful and hard to endure! Making bread or eating bread is not a sin. As a Man, Jesus decided to obey only God and not to make decisions by Himself. The devil’s idea is that God does not love Jesus for letting Him suffer hunger. The devil wants Jesus to blame His Father for suffering. He wants to separate God the Father from God the Son. He wanted to cause rebellion and division in the Trinity. That could have caused the universe to disintegrate. The temptation is bigger than we imagine! Lesson: you don’t live because you eat. You live because God sustains you. Once God decides that it is time to die, no food can keep you alive. At the hour of death, you see that food has no power to give life.

After forty days of fasting, Jesus’ body is weak. That is when the devil attacks. He suggests that He should make bread to feed Himself and many others. He suggests that Jesus should become a Bread-making Savior. That will attract all the hungry people to follow Him. The devil says “If You are the Son of God…” The word ‘if’ reveals an attack of doubt upon the identity of Jesus. The Father has just publicly declared that Jesus is His Beloved Son (Matt 3:17). To doubt the voice of the Father will make Jesus a spiritual ‘orphan’. That is sin. Lesson: The devil attacks when you are weak. He attacks with doubts to block your prayers (Jam 1:6-8). The same word ‘if’ in Greek can also be translated as ‘since’. In that case, the devil says: ‘Since (or because) You are the Son of God… use your office and anointing to supply men what they need’. This attack is not with doubt, but to use His power for selfish purposes. Jesus rejects the devil’s option by saying: “It is written and forever remains written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone”. He quotes from the Book of Deuteronomy. “God humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (Deut 8:3).

The devil tempts Jesus to make bread that feeds the flesh. But this bread can never satisfy man’s spiritual needs. Man needs The Word of God which is eternal life! Lesson: The flesh is needy, and manifests thru works of darkness. We are commanded to die to the flesh, to make no provision to feed it. “The night is far spent; the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Rom 13:12-14). In Greek the word ‘provision’ means to think in advance how to supply the desires of the flesh. The mind of the Christian is to be inclined towards spiritual things, not things of the flesh. The flesh is like a spoiled child who craves entertainment. Lesson: A little lust, or a little self-pity, spoils much spiritual gain. We need to discipline our minds thru the study of God’s Word, and prayer. The devil reminds you of the desires of the flesh, to attend to them. Keep your eyes on Jesus who rejected that approach. The flesh is never satisfied. Jesus said: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (Jn 6:63). The Word of God and Its promises are not made for the flesh. If Jesus fell to this temptation, He could have become a materialistic Savior. He will feed man with bread and cake. But man in sin still has to get old, die and go to hell. Lesson: The Word of God is Spirit and life. It is designed to feed and strengthen your human spirit and weaken your flesh. You see that the devil’s temptation will only temporarily improve your life. He wants you to ignore death. The so-called ‘Prosperity Gospel’ is dangerous because it uses God’s Word to feed the flesh. Be careful!

2-The Second Temptation (to become a Religious miracle worker Savior)

“Then the devil took Him into the holy city [Jerusalem] and placed Him on the pinnacle (highest point) of the temple. And he said [mockingly] to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You [to serve, care for, protect and watch over You]’; and ‘They will lift you up on their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall not test the Lord your God” (Matt 4:5-7)

The devil led Jesus possibly in a vision to stand on the highest point of the temple in Jerusalem. He suggested that in the presence of all the gathered worshippers Jesus should jump from there. The devil assured Jesus that according to God’s Word, God will guard Jesus and He will fall down unharmed. This miracle of salvation from death will amaze all the worshippers and they will follow Jesus. Here Satan tempts Jesus with pride and religious fame. Men will see Jesus as a miracle wonder Man. They will follow Him because they see the miracles and not because they trust His Word. The devil mis-quotes scripture from Psalm 91. He did not quote from the Book of Deuteronomy like Jesus, which is God’s law. He quotes from the ‘softer’ Psalms. In this psalm God promises to protect His obedient and faithful children, those who dwell under His wings. God did not promise to protect anyone who takes Him for granted. The devil tempts Jesus to claim the blessings of obedience even when He disobeys. Jesus calls that approach ‘tempting God’. Jesus again quotes from the Book of Deuteronomy saying: “You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah” (Deut 6:16). To tempt God, it means that you take His grace and kindness for granted. It means to use the promises of God against Him. Lesson: the backsliders try to manipulate God to bless them in their rebellion. But God cannot be deceived!

2-The Third Temptation (to become a Political Savior)

“Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory [splendor, magnificence, and excellence] of them; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Then the devil left Him; and angels came and ministered to Him [bringing Him food and serving Him]” (Matt 4:8-11; AMP)

This time, the devil offers Jesus the whole world, with its fame, amid all its visible glory and beauty. But this gift is not free. There is a price to pay. Jesus must submit, bow down and worship Satan, the giver. Satan always lusted after worship. He wanted to be ‘like God’ (Isaiah 14:14). If Jesus receives this offer, He will become a political Savior. All men will ‘vote’ for Him and worship Him. For Jesus to become honored by men He has to compromise with Satan. This political fame seems cheap. Jesus does not have to suffer rejection from men. He does not have to die on the Cross. But Jesus refuses the offer. He sternly rejects Satan to go away! The word means to depart and die, to withdraw and disappear. Then Jesus quotes again from the Book of Deuteronomy that says: “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him and shall take oaths in His name. You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you (for the Lord your God is a jealous God among you), lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth” (Deut 6:13-15). Jesus says that God loves Him and is jealous over Him. To serve idols is to insult God. Jesus rejects political success because it is based on idolatry. Selah!  

The third temptation was also designed so that Jesus will doubt God’s plan for Him. God the Father has already promised the nations to Him. He said: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps 2:7, 8). In the hot desert, hungry and weak, it seems that the devil’s offer is faster than to wait for God to fulfill His own Word. Satan says that the kingdoms have been given to him. This is only a half-truth. He only rules the evil in the nations. His power is limited by God. Why? Because “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein” (Ps 24:1). Lesson: be patient and wait on God and His promises! Halleluiah!  

Finally, the temptation was over! Jesus did not sin! The angels can come to help and feed Jesus. Once He passed the test, Jesus went to Galilee in the power of the Spirit of God. Immediately, He became famous by preaching the Word with authority and driving the demons away (Matt 7:29)! The devil could not take any credit for that fame. This is how He started His public ministry that eventually led to the Cross!

LESSONS FOR US/ HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY ENDURE TEMPTATIONS AND EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

Lesson: Temptation is not sin. Falling in the midst of temptation is sin. Fast and pray! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!

Preach the Word! Jesus used the sword of the Spirit, the eternal written Word of God, to defeat Satan! We must do the same! The victory of Jesus over Satan in the wilderness greatly encourages us. His victory here was a sample of what will happen at the Cross. We now know that Jesus is stronger than Satan. Our faith in Jesus and the Word of God must increase!

Lesson: be careful with the people you call friends. You can be kind to all but do not trust all. The devil uses ‘friends’ to temp you to sin. “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Cor 15:33). For example, there is a Christian woman. The devil comes as a rich unbeliever who wants to marry her. He seems generous and kind. He gives her gifts so that she will marry him. She forgets that after the wedding, she has to submit to her unbelieving husband. He will then take back all the gifts he gave to her. Lesson: The devil gives gifts to tempt believers to sin. Not all gifts should be received. Pray before you receive a gift. Remember how the Gibeonites deceived Joshua and the leaders of Israel (Joshua 9). They are a symbol of Satan. Only God’s gifts can truly bless the receiver. “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it” (PV 10:22). Lesson: reject the sorrow filled prosperity of the devil!

Lesson: salvation is personal. Spiritual progress is personal. Please note that Jesus goes alone to the wilderness to meet the devil. He depends on God alone. There were no disciples or pastors to pray for Him at the hour of temptation. Why did Jesus go alone? It was to identify with sinful man, to become their High Priest and Savior. Jesus lived alone and died alone. He understands every man. “Therefore, it was essential that He had to be made like His brothers (mankind) in every respect, so that He might [by experience] become a merciful and faithful High Priest in things related to God, to make atonement (propitiation) for the people’s sins [thereby wiping away the sin, satisfying divine justice, and providing a way of reconciliation between God and mankind]” (Heb 2:17; AMP). In many countries, the Christians cannot attend churches. The Christians often feel lonely even when they go to church. We trust Jesus who was walked the road of life and death alone. That is why He alone deserves all glory for our salvation! It is also a sign that Jesus is the only Savior. He alone conquered sin, death, and the devil. No man helped Him. No man can share in His glory. Just before His death, Jesus told the disciples: “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:32-33). The peace of Christ is a proof of His overcoming the world and Satan, the prince of the world. After the war, there must be peace. For the mature Christian, the peace of Jesus is his companion daily. It is the proof that he has endured the temptation and has won the battle.

Lesson: After his defeat in the wilderness, the devil left Jesus until an opportune time. He used Peter to temp Jesus not to go to the Cross. Immediately Jesus revealed to His disciples that He has to die and resurrect, Peter ‘rebuked’ Him saying: “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (Matt 16:22-23). Satan will always put the things of men before the things of God. Do not forget! Christianity is Christ. He must always be at the center of our hearts and doctrines. The Bible starts and ends with God! The devil wants to put man in the place of God! Lastly, the devil tempted Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to do His will and not God’s will which included the Cross. Jesus defeated the devil each time. By His death on the Cross Jesus defeated the devil eternally. He opened the door of salvation for all those who believe!

Lesson: Jesus obeyed God unto death! We must do the same! Disobedience to God’s Word is never an option! Trust God to turn your pain into praise! “In the days of His earthly life, Jesus offered up both [specific] petitions and [urgent] supplications [for that which He needed] with fervent crying and tears to the One who was [always] able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission toward God [His sinlessness and His unfailing determination to do the Father’s will]. Although He was a Son [who had never been disobedient to the Father], He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered. And having been made perfect [uniquely equipped and prepared as Savior and retaining His integrity amid opposition], He became the source of eternal salvation [an eternal inheritance] to all those who obey Him, being designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 5:7-10; AMP). This is the mystery of the Cross. Jesus always obeyed God the Father. But on earth, He had to learn to obey God as a Man. The lesson of obedience was found in the fire of suffering. The place of temptation was His classroom. On the Cross, with His Blood shed. He graduated from the lesson of obedience unto death. As a Man He became perfect. That is why God the Father exalted Him above all others in the universe (Philippians 2). As a God He did not need to learn obedience. But as a Man, He needed to do that. He is our Savior, Mentor and Lord! Hallelujah!   

Lesson: God loves you! God promised genuine godly fame as a reward for obedience (Deut 28:9-14). The devil wants you to forget that. He deceives you saying that God is a harsh master who does not want you to enjoy your life. That is a lie! The devil offers fame and prosperity without the cross, without obedience to God. That fame destroys.

Lesson: Never forget that the devil is God’s enemy and your enemy. Jesus died for sinners. The devil cannot be redeemed. The revelation of Jesus is power for ministry. “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1Jn 3:8)

Lesson: Jesus passed thru temptations to understand you and me. He is now our High Priest in heaven. He hears your prayers. He understands your pains. “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin” (Heb 4:15, AMP)

Lesson: Jesus was strong during the temptation because He was without sin. All the temptations were extremal to Him. His heart was pure totally dedicated to God. He said just before the Cross: “I will not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of the world (Satan) is coming. And he has no claim on Me [no power over Me nor anything that he can use against Me]” (Jn 14:30, AMP). We are born sinners. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be free from the lusts of the body and mind! We should desire purity of spirit and body! That purity is strength!

Lesson: God is faithful to help you during temptation! “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor 10:12, 13). God reveals the way of escape only to the humble!

Lesson: Jesus told Peter: “And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Lk 22:31, 32). Once you have successfully passed the testing of temptation, use your wisdom and experience to help others gain the victory!

Lesson: Temptation is seasonal. It has a beginning and an end. When the devil finished tempting Jesus, the angels could come to serve Him!

Lesson: Most of the times temptations come from people close to us, thru your spouse, family and friends. You must learn to separate the human agent from the demon behind him/her.

Lesson: In that wilderness, Jesus rehearsed what will happen at the cross. “For though He (Jesus) was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you” (2 Cor 13:4). That same power of strength found in weakness, by God’s Grace, is ours too! This is the secret of spiritual progress and victory over sin!

We conclude by saying, to experience spiritual progress you have to learn how to say ‘Yes, Sir!’ to King Grace and a categorical ‘No!’ to the devil. These are lessons you learn during temptations. You must humble yourself and submit to God to be able to successfully resist the devil until he flees from you! Then God will ‘lift you up’. Promotion and progress shall be manifest to all! God gives more grace. “Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (Jam 4:6-10). May the Word of God set us free from the bondages of the enemy! To worship God in Spirit and in Truth! Worship the Lord!

PRAYER REQUEST

I received a letter from a man who wrote on my blog. The subject was how Christians can be bewitched. The text was taken from the Book of Galatians. I do not know this man personally. I do not know where he lives. It does not matter. Please pray for him. He needs help. God will bless you as you intercede for others who need prayer in time of need.

“O, you foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified” (Gal 3:1)

“Hi Mam, first of all I would like to say thank you for the article you wrote regarding the bewitched subject it really gave me insight and knowledge on the subject. If I may say I am really facing disappointment, fear, icthy ears, depression and some of the things you mentioned on the list. I Google the subject as I thought someone I came in contact with might have tried to bewitch me. All of this stared when me and my aunt shared with this girl a house and during that my luck changed and my aunt started seeing things like dirt splashed on our bedroom’s door she would clean it and it always came back so she went home to do some research and she was told the girl we lived with was no good. So, we moved out and since then everything changed our life’s where disturbed we lived in constant fear, nothing is going well I don’t know what she did to us I even stopped going to school like nothing is going well for me.

I don’t know what to do I am home now and I see some splashes on the door I am just so scared to think that the dirt splashed on the doors might be her work even though I am far away from home how is this possible. I don’t understand how can I break through this please help me.

Kind regards

M…”

This is my answer to him:

“Dear M…

Thank you for your letter. I see that you need help. I cannot help you directly, but God can help you wherever you are, even right now. According to the Bible, Christians can be bewitched by evil people. These wicked men or women use occult power to place spells on the believers. You may not like to hear that, but it is the truth.

The first thing that you need is to be sure that you are saved, that you are a child of God. Just going to church is not enough. Even reading the Bible or praying is not enough. A spirit of religion is not enough. You need to be born again by the Spirit of God. That is a miracle only God can do. That should be your first duty; to be sure your soul is eternally saved.

Secondly, you need to deliver yourself from the evil spirit of fear. First of all, the devil attacks with fear, to weaken you, before he does other damage. Stand on the Word of God: “God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power love and sound mind” (2Tim 1:7). Anything God has not given to you, reject it immediately!

Lastly, pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will give you the power to live a victorious life as a Christian. He will give you wisdom. He will give you the courage to stand and fight back. You should not fear a witch. A witch is to fear you! I will pray for you! God loves you! Come back with a testimony to the glory of God!

Love in Christ alone

Malia”

During the Sunday service, Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled ‘My progress is evident to all’ (1).  Her verse was from the Book of 1 Timothy 4:12-16; and Luke 19:11-27. “The Almighty God says: “I will teach your children and make them successful” (Is 54:13; CEV).

We shall study Biblical principles of good success and godly prosperity. By faith we declare that we shall make progress in life, spiritually and naturally. By God’s Grace, we declare that we shall stayed anchored in the Word of God and we shall be led by the Holy Spirit. We reject all distractions, the wisdom of this world, and the false doctrines of religious spirits. Our desire is to give glory to God alone and to be transformed into the image of His Son, our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ! Amen!

BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS TO HAVE GOOD SUCCESS

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:7-9)

Joshua is a humble, faithful, and courageous man of God. He led the people of God into the Promised Land. He was a slave in Egypt, a servant to Moses for 40 years in the wilderness, and later he became the leader of the nation. God was with him as he conquered 31 kings and took over their domains. He divided the land to the tribes of Israel. The Book of Joshua is not just history. It is a prophetic book that applies to all believers to the end of time. By faith we shall identify with Joshua. God gives him two ‘positive’ and one ‘negative’ command. God commands him to be strong and courteous! He commands him to study and obey His Word. He commands him not to be afraid or dismayed! In other words, to excel like Joshua you must be strong, courageous, love God and the Bible. You must reject fear and all weakness of the spirit, soul, and body. The word ‘dismayed’ means to suddenly lose courage. You are responsible to keep the ‘courage tank’ filled always. The Word of God will give you wisdom and strength to experience godly prosperity and good success. Joshua is a type of Christ. The name Joshua in Hebrew is the same as Jesus in Greek. The success of his life points to the greater Joshua, our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ. The conquering of Canaan is a type of spiritual maturity that is possible in Christ alone. There is no true prosperity or success outside a relationship with Christ. We shall remind ourselves of the power of the Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected. Many Christians live in defeat. We shall rise above that. By God’s Grace we shall make progress and experience a greater level of godly success in life. At the end of his life, Joshua could declare that God has kept all His promises! That shall be our testimony! Glory of God!       

God has plans for us, including the works we should do. “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]” (Eph 2:10; AMP).

The word ‘workmanship’ means God’s design, God’s masterpiece. He created each one of us with a special pattern in mind. We must find not only our identity in Christ, but what is called ‘the good works’ God prepared in advance for us to do on earth. This is a proof that salvation is by grace and by faith. It is not by works. The works are the result of salvation and not the cause of it. In the Old Testament, God promised His people that one day they will have rest. In their case, it was to enter, conquer and settle in the Promised Land. But now, in Christ, rest starts in the spirit, and it manifests as peace, godly prosperity and progress in life. “For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His” (Heb 4:8-10). We too must die to the flesh and its works. We must walk and work in the power of the Holy Spirit. These are the works that remain and are rewarded by God! In the Book of Genesis, we see that God works and God rests. We must cooperate with Him; work with Him and rest with Him. “My dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]” (Phil 2:12; AMP). Entering God’s rest comes from entering the realm of doing God’s good works. It is not something you acquire but something you become. It is spiritual maturity. That is when you make fast progress. You exercise authority. You go boldly to God’s throne to receive mercy and grace. This life has minimal anxiety or fear, and it is full of peace. In other words, to enter God’s rest, is when a believer, finds God’s will for his life, aligns with God’s timing for events, lives at the place very God has planned for him, and uses God’s resources to accomplish the design, the purpose of God for His life. He is a mature believer and uses the authority of Christ to bring into subjection all things around him. This is the spiritual conquering of the Promised Land. Few attain to this maturity. But the lives of these few saints, give glory to God beyond imagination and they inspire us all! May we fulfill destiny and live to praise the Lord!

THE GOSPEL WORKS

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Rom 1:16). The Gospel is the story of Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected as described in the Bible. The Gospel is God’s idea and His free gift to men. It is the gift of King Grace! The Gospel is unique and supernatural. There is no story like it. No man could have invented such a love. The Gospel is the power of God to convict men of sin and to change their lives. The Holy Spirit gives the power to make the word of God effective in our hearts. The Gospel is the only method that changes the hearts of men. The wonderful thing about the Gospel, is the proven fact that it really works. This is not magic, ‘brainwashing’ or the product of an active imagination. No! Faith in the Gospel totally changes them who believe. The Word of God changes sinners into saints. Their lives are totally changed. Anytime you see a change of character and personality that gives glory to God, the Holy Spirit is at work. The believers become wise, strong, and joyful. They have peace in the midst of the storm. They stop complaining. They lose their fears. They see God in all situations. They apply the Word of God in their lives and see changes in their circumstances. They become champions and ‘more than’ conquerors. In this difficult world, they always rise above the tide of despair.

There is a vast difference between natural and spiritual strength. There are some people who naturally are able to endure hardship. These are naturally patient people. They do not complain but keep quiet during painful events. They use their natural strength to be strong in difficult times. But these natural strong people lack something. They lack joy! They cannot rejoice in trials. They cannot praise and sing in a prison cell like Paul and Silas. To be joyful in affliction is the special mark of the children of God.  Listen to Apostle Paul: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:1-5). He is in a prison in Rome, but he doesn’t complain. He has peace with God. He stands in the Grace of God. He prays to God always. He says that he ‘glories in tribulations.’ Why? Because God uses all situations to build up his godly character. Paul is not just enduring afflictions. He rejoices in them. He sees God in them. The Christian is not mad. He does not deceive himself. He knows that life is hard. But by the power of God’s Word is able to find God’s purpose in the pain and he rejoices in it. Only faith in the Gospel can produce this radical change in a man’s heart, manifested as powerful faith, joy, and hope. This mystery is called ‘salvation’!

The Gospel produces a lifestyle that is unique. The sinner becomes born again. Then, he starts the process of sanctification that lasts a lifetime. It is not just a religious feeling. Salvation is not just an addition to the former life. It is a deep change that starts in the human spirit and affects his soul and body. Soon, the changes in the believer are seen, heard, and felt by others. The Gospel affects not just a part of your life, but all of your life. Only faith in the Gospel can make you whole! The change in your person is much deeper than morality. It is spiritual, deep, and has permanent results. The Christian understands who God is, and who the devil is.  The Christian is the only person who truly knows himself. He sees life and death in relation with eternity. He knows that God works thru all things, even thru the difficult things. As a Man on earth, Jesus, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Heb 5:8). The Christian following Jesus allows suffering to be his teacher. He learns how to submit to God’s will and obey His Word thru painful trials that are permitted by His Father in heaven. He is not alone in his pains. By the power of the Holy Spirit, thru faith in God’s Word, by prayer, the Christian lives triumphantly. He moves from one level of victory to another. No unbeliever has this stable constantly supplied strength, wisdom, and peace to make profit from all situations of life. The world seeks for happiness. The Christian does not seek happiness. He seeks God and His Kingdom. As he makes spiritual investments by spreading God’s Word, he finds true joy in it. Prosperity is a byproduct of Christianity and not the purpose of it. The Gospel never changes. We change. To His glory and for our good. Christianity is spiritual and practical at the same time. It gives an answer to life and to death. It is a power that none can manipulate or destroy. It is God reaching man, changing sinners into saints. There is no love story greater than this!  Selah!

MAY YOUR PROGRESS BE EVIDENT TO ALL

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim 4:12-16)

We shall study how to become spiritual mature Christians, faithful workers in His vineyard. Salvation is free for us because Christ paid for it. But to make progress, to become a fruitful believer, there is a price to pay. The scripture above is part of Paul’s advice to his spiritual son in Christ, Timothy. When he wrote this letter, Paul was on the death row, awaiting execution, in a prison in Rome. Timothy was a younger man, a pastor of the first church in Ephesus that Paul founded. He was a young man, maybe in his twenties. He was a shy man, having inferiority complex about his age. He had a chronic sickness. He tended to be easily worried. The fact that his father in Christ and mentor was waiting to die, added to his anxiety. Spiritually and emotionally, Paul was much stronger. He writes these letters from prison without any fear of death. He was sure of heaven. To Paul, to live or to die, made no difference. All he wants is that Christ is glorified in him. He writes to Timothy to encourage him as a man of God, and pastor. He is telling him to be strong and do God’s work in his absence! We need to apply his word to our lives!

Here we see that spiritual maturity manifests as ‘progress’ that can be seen by others. Progress is defined as a slow forward movement towards a goal, to an improved condition in life, on the path to perfection; it also means to increase knowledge, to develop your skills and gifts so that you can apply them better. It means to advance in life, closer to the place where your dreams are fulfilled. For example, a student makes progress when after taking a B, he now has an A. Later, he finishes his school, and he also becomes a teacher. This is all progress in life. The opposite of progress means to go back, to become worse, to sink, to lose benefits, or to waste away. May we pay the price for godly success!

In the world, the general progress in life is seen mostly thru material gains. You feel that you make progress when you graduate from school, marry, buy a house, and have children. But in the spiritual realm, the progress is measured by greater faith and more authority. It is heard in your voice and seen in your behavior. It is also called fruitfulness, increase or profit. It affects all who see and hear you. A leader in the home or in the church is expected to make progress. The faster the progress, the more God will use you to mentor others. No leader should remain satisfied to stay stationary, comfortable to be in a place of no growth. In that case, the leader loses the respect of his followers. By leader I mean, all believers, husbands, wives, parents, pastors, teachers and all who have a platform to influence others. Progress or lack of it cannot be hidden for long. It will soon be manifested. Honor or dishonor will be the result. Let us be faithful in the secret place. God will reward us openly!

The same word ‘progress’ appears two more times in the Book of Philippians. “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil 1:12-14).  He also said: “I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith” (Phil 1:23-25). The word ‘furtherance’ is the same as the word profit or progress. Paul says that his imprisonment has advanced and spread the Gospel to the most unlikely people, to the prison guards in Rome. He also says that he is not worried about selfish materialistic preachers. All he cares is that the Gospel should be preached and spread to the whole world. He rejoices in the spread of the Gospel. He also says that he doesn’t know what to choose. To die and go to heaven or the stay on earth and help the brethren. He says that by staying on earth he will help them to mature as believers, witnessing to the increase and progress of their spiritual life with joy and faith. May we be busy working for the furtherance of the Gospel, for the progress of joy and faith among the brethren!

THE PARABLE OF THE MINAS (Lk 19:11-27).

A parable is a simple story that has a deep spiritual meaning. When Jesus teaches with parables, He uses things that people are familiar with and draws their minds towards the mystery of His Kingdom. In this parable we see a nobleman who became king. He deals with three groups of people: his faithful servants, his fake servant, and his enemies. Each one of us belongs to a group. The Parable of the Minas (or Pounds) reveals Jesus as the King who gives opportunities to His servants, who rewards and who punishes. This parable was spoken at the time when Zacchaeus, the hated tax collector became saved and proved his salvation by his deeds of generosity. Jesus also spoke the parable to correct the error of His followers who thought that He will enter Jerusalem, defeat the Romans, and immediately become the new King of Israel. Once their Master becomes King, they will all benefit from that Great office. Lesson: the natural religious mind is always impatient and materialistic.

The ultimate King in the Roman Empire was Caesar. He ruled overall. Rome was wise allowing the local kings to rule over their people. Herod was not a Jew. He was a descendant of Esau. He was very ambitious. He went to Rome and negotiated with the Caesar to rule as king over Israel. Caesar confirmed his appointment. He came back to Israel and became King Herod the Great. The Jews hated him and his sons. After he died, his son Archelaus also went to Rome to ask for the confirmation to be king in place of his father. The Jews hated him even more and sent a delegation that Caesar should not make him king. But he was a smart politician. He succeeded in his ambition. He came back as king and killed all the people who rejected him. This is history and all the Jews knew about it. Jesus uses this popular story in the parable of the Minas.  

In this parable, Jesus is the Nobleman. The truth is that He is the most noble of all Men on earth. “You are fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured upon Your lips; Therefore, God has blessed You forever” (Ps 45:2). This nobleman has to go to a far country to meet a greater King to receive the confirmation for his crown. Indirectly, Jesus is telling them that He will go to heaven for His Father to give Him the Crown of King of kings. Later, the nobleman will return to rule over his subjects as their king. Here we see that Jesus will come back again. There is a delay between the first and the second coming of Christ! The nobleman calls ten of his servants. He gives each of them one Mina, or one Pound. He commands them: “Occupy till I come… Do business till I come” (Lk 19:13; KJ, NKJ). This word ‘occupy’ is found only here in the Bible. It means to do business, to gain in trading, to be busy, work and invest the money and make profit. In the olden days, ‘an occupier’ is a trader who makes profit. Each servant receives the same amount of money. One Mina is about three months wages. The amount is relatively small to start a business. The nobleman wants them to have faith that this small amount, like a seed, when combined with their diligent work, will multiply exceedingly. Little is much when God is inside. The master promises to come back. The servants were to do business with his money and live a life that honors their master in his absence. Each will give an account for their faith and labor. These faithful servants stand for the born-again believers. The nobleman was sure that he will receive the crown. He gave his servants the minas to test their faithfulness and zeal in his absence. In his new Kingdom he needs faithful people to occupy positions of authority. The lesson is that a good godly businessman will surely make progress and will be rewarded with promotion in life. Godly businessmen become godly leaders of men! That is evident progress!

There was another group of people. These are ‘his citizens’. They hate him and reject him as king. They even sent a delegation to the greater King who was to coronate the nobleman saying that they do not want this man to reign over them. These men represent the Jews who rejected Jesus as their Messiah and King. This parable is prophetic. Jesus is telling them thru the parable that Israel hates Him and wants Him dead. Few days after this conversation, Jesus was arrested. Pilate flogged Jesus and said to the Jews: “Behold your King!” But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away” (Jn 19:14-16).

The nobleman in the parable goes away. His servants are supposed to trade with the money each has received. They start their business at the same level. Each man’s faith and zeal will determine the profit. The nobleman receives his crown and becomes a king. He returns to his domain. This is a picture of the second coming of Christ. He first calls his servants to give an account of their business. The first one says: ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ See how humble this servant is. He does not take glory for the profit. He does not say ‘My labor, or my wisdom, has earned ten Minas’. He says: ‘Master, YOUR mina has earned ten minas.’ He confesses that the master’s minas made profit supernaturally. His master congratulates him by calling him ‘good servant’. He rewards his faithfulness, humility, and zeal by giving him a greater responsibility. He will have authority over ten cities. This is a very big reward compared with the capital. The second servant made five minas. He is not as zealous and faithful as the first one. He does not receive a personal greeting. But he is given authority over five cities. We are not told about the other seven servants, what they did with their master’s money.

Finally, ‘another’ servant comes. The word ‘another’ describes somebody of another kind, of a different spirit. He gives an excuse of why he did not trade with the master’s money given to him. He manifests a totally wrong attitude towards his master. He says: ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. For I feared you because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’ The word ‘austere’ means to be harsh, difficult, strict, rough, rigid, unpleasant, ugly, stingy, sour, and without hope. He described Jesus as a tyrant, an oppressor, a slave master, a covetous rich man who was lazy and idle, living from the sweat of others, without caring for them. He said that he feared his master because he is a thief. He blamed his master for his negligence. He takes no responsibility for his sin. This is the way sinners see Jesus. They see Him as totally lacking love and compassion. Clearly, this servant does not know his master. Jesus is the most gracious, merciful, loving, and generous King in the universe! He became a Man and lived among men so that He can die for them. “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Heb 2:17). The false servant hates his master, but selfishly, he takes advantage of his position of working for a nobleman. This man is clearly an unbeliever. No believer insults Christ like this. Jesus does not call anyone of His children ‘wicked’. Finally, the unfaithful servant loses his mina. He loses his opportunity to serve Christ. He becomes an eternal waste. Selah!

The King judges the ‘wicked servant’ by his own words. He rebukes him by saying that he should have paid the money in the bank who could have made a profit from it. Lesson: Jesus approved of the institution of banking. The King then takes the mina from him and gives it to the one who already had ten. The people around thought that this is not fair. The master says: ‘everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him’. Lesson: In the Kingdom of God Faithfulness and Holy Zeal are rewarded more than we can imagine. Un-faithfulness and carelessness are the sure way to lose all rewards. We are not told that the master killed this lazy servant. But we are told that he punished him by taken away any hopes he had of a future reward. He represents the religious unbeliever. This wicked servant committed a sin of omission. He did not do bad things. But he refused to do the right thing; he did not obey his master. The churches are full of people who pray, praise God, but don’t care about Jesus. “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (Jam 4:17). This sin of omission is as wicked as the sin of commission. How terrible it is for Christians to ignore God, to leave God out of their plans. To forget prayer or to ignore our conscience is sin. This sin of omission will be judged by Christ. The King of kings shall condemn those who ignored all opportunities to do good, to preach the Gospel, to encourage the weak or to help the needy. “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt 25:44-46). The religious unbelievers seem surprised that the king condemns them for their negligence to care for others. Lesson: None escapes the duty to preach God’s Word and show kindness to others.

The parable describes the second coming of Christ. His citizens hated Him. There is no reason why they hated Him. “They hated Him without a cause…” (Jn 15:25). All men are created by Christ. They are ‘His’ citizens. They belong to Him and He has the right to do anything to them. Even if you ignore Jesus, you live in His country. “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rev 11:15). When Jesus comes back, Jesus will make all things new. He will change the earth. Make lakes where there is none. He will create new flowers and change the animal kingdom. He will rule with peace and joy. Right now, He is in heaven, coronated, King of kings! When He comes, He will reign for ever and ever. Every knee will bow to Him! Everyone will be accountable to Him! Finally, the rebellious citizens are all killed by the King!

There is clearly a delay between the first and second coming of Christ. “If we suffer with Him, we reign with Him” (2 Tim 2:12). When Jesus comes back again, He will reward the faithful with much more than they imagined. Jesus says: “Hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations. ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels” (Rev 2:25-28). Jesus owns you! You don’t want Him to reign over you? He reigns anyway!  “We have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts” (1Thess 2:4).

For the believers, what is the danger during this delay, before the second coming of Christ? It is to become unfaithful and lazy with God’s work.

Jesus warned about being careless with His work in His absence. The good servant continues to do His work even without human supervision. But the unfaithful servant, in his master’s absence, becomes lazy and proud. He thinks he is not a servant anymore but a master. When their master comes back, both reward and punishment shall be given accordingly. “That servant who knew his master’s will and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more” (Lk 12:47, 48). Selah!

“Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality” (Col 3:22-25).

Paul advised the slaves to serve their human masters, like they serve Christ. He said that true respect for the master manifests when the slave work faithfully in the master’s absence. When the master sees the slave working, there may be some manipulation. The slave tries to please man, looking for his favor. That is the manifestation of hypocrisy. But if the slave works faithfully when the master is absent, he truly is a good servant who loves and honors his human master, for the sake of Christ.

What does the Mina represent? It represents God’s Word, the Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes (Rom 1:16). It has the power to change lives. Like a seed, the Word of God is living. Planted in good ground it multiplies exceedingly. The Gospel is not just theory. It is the most practical help given to man. How do we do business spreading His Gospel? By preaching the Word always, in season and outside season (2 Tim 4:2), by attending a local church and serving God there. We also do business for God by behaving as Christians in our families and offices. Godly behavior has mighty evangelistic power that makes God’s Word look beautiful. Paul says that the older women should “admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. 6 Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober minded, 7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, 8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. 9 Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things” (Titus 2:4-10).

FINALLY…

The parable of the Minas reminds us that Jesus is the sovereign King of kings! He will come back again and judge all men. None can escape. The unbelievers are judged at the Great White Throne and will be sent to the lake of fire (Rev 20:11-15). But the believers have their own special judgment. King Grace will judge all believers at the Bema Judgment Seat of Christ. In Greek the word ‘bema’ means judgment or tribunal. This is not a judgment deciding who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. All believers will surely go to heaven. Christ judges the believers for their works done in His name on earth and He rewards them for that. “Therefore, we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor 5:9,10). We must all ‘appear’ before the Bema Seat of Christ. The word appear means to be manifest as we truly are. There shall be no hiding there. The life on earth will determine the reward over there! May God help us!

According to the parable of the minas, waiting means working. Like Queen Esther, we move from enjoyment to responsibility! Also, all men are either faithful or unfaithful; either fruitful or barren; they are either alive or dead. We, the believers in Christ, are to become fruitful stewards of the Word of God. Moses sent twelve spies to the Promised Land. Only Joshua and Caleb were found to be spiritually fruitful and profitable to God and to the community. The other ten spies were useless and barren. They were judged by God. Success and progress in life is rooted in faithfulness to Christ! Spiritually and naturally, when we die, we are to leave greater blessings behind than the way we came at the beginning. May He find us worthy of His love! Worship the Lord!

THE CROSS OVER MIRACLE (10)/ AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD

During the Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled The Cross-over Miracle (10). Her text was taken from the Book of Joshua chapters 23 and 24.

THE BOOK OF JOSHUA – REVIEW

The Book of Joshua reveals a great man of God, a leader of men, called Joshua. His name means ‘God Saves’. He is a type of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has the same name. In the Book of Genesis we find the birth of Israel. In the Book of Exodus, we find the redemption from slavery of Israel. In the Books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy we find God’s instruction thru Moses to Israel. In Joshua, we see the fulfillment of the redemption of Israel that started in Exodus. The book of Joshua is not just history, but it is a prophetic book that speaks to all believers to the end of time. The book can be divided into three sections: the conquest of Canaan (chapters 1–12), the distribution of the land among the Israelite tribes (chapters 13–22), and Joshua’s farewell address and death (chapters 23–24). The farewell address of Joshua sets forth the conditions for Jehovah’s maintenance of Israel in the land. Joshua tells them to obey and to serve the Lord with all their hearts. He also warns them that if they rebel against God and His Word, God will drive them away from this land. He said: “If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good” (Josh 24:20). His words were prophetic. God drove His people into exile to Babylon and later scatter them for almost 2000 years after the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans. According to the prophecy, God brought His scattered people back to the Promised Land. The nation was Israel was officially declared in 1948. Glory to God!

When Abram was 99 years old, God came and made an unconditional covenant with him. It was a covenant and a promise of grace, to be his God and the God of his many descendants. God also promised to give him the Land of Canaan where Abram was a visitor at that time. This is what God said to him: “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Gen 17:7,8). Between the death of Abraham and the birth of Joshua is about 400 years. Joshua was 40 years old when he came out from Egypt during the exodus. For the next 40 years he lives in the wilderness, a servant and assistant to Moses. Joshua is 80 years old when he crosses over Jordan to enter the Promised land. He leads Israel to conquer and posses the land for about ten years. Then the tribes separate to take over their respective landed properties. The tribes of Ruben, Gad, and half of Manasseh go back to their land on the eastern shore of Jordan. Between Joshua chapter 22 and 23, there is a period of 20 years. During this time Joshua quietly retires to the place he gave to his tribe, Ephraim. As an old man, Joshua calls all Israel once more to review their history and to them give them his final advice (chapters 23 and 24). Joshua dies at the age of 110. He was a great man of God, a wonderful military general and a leader of men. He was strong and courageous. He was an ‘ordinary’ man. He was the servant of Moses for 40 years. His calling to leadership ministry was not with fireworks. He was appointed by his master Moses who knew God and knew the qualities of Joshua more than all men. God confirmed his call to be the leader of Israel in the Promised Land. Joshua’s life and ministry is an encouragement to all believers. We see that God can use ‘an ordinary man’. We also see that God rewards humility and faithfulness. Selah!

The Book of Joshua starts with a burial and ends with three burials. Between death there is life! Moses dies at 120 and he is buried on the eastern side of Jordan. He sees the Promised Land, but he does not enter it. At the end of the Book of Joshua, we see three great men buried in the Promised Land. Their burial means that Israel is now the real owner of this Land. In the last two chapters of the Book of Joshua we have Joshua’s last words to the nation of Israel. Joshua is an old man now. He speaks words of wisdom to all people. Generally, people listen to old men’s words much more than when they were young. For example, before he dies, Jacob prophetically blesses his sons. Moses spoke his last words in the Book of Deuteronomy. Now, Joshua reviews the history of Israel, starting with their cross over miracle into the Promised Land. Clearly, Joshua is ready to die in peace, a happy and fulfilled man of God. To live and die well is the greatest achievement of men. This successful life and peaceful death are possible in Christ alone. Joshua is a wonderful example of a mature successful believer.

The Book of Joshua’s counterpart in the New Testament is the Book of Ephesians. As God promised to give Israel the Land, so we are promised to receive all blessings and inheritance in Christ. As Israel needed to fight to possess the land, we need to do spiritual warfare. Selah!

PASTOR JOSHUA’S LAST SERMON (Joshua 23 and 24)

In the last two chapters of the Book of Joshua, we have Joshua’s last sermon. He speaks like a pastor. Joshua reminds the people that God has given them rest in the Promised Land. They still have to fight some battles, but the worse is over. They should be happy and grateful to God for this rest and peace. Joshua takes no credit for the success. He is truly a humble man. He gives all the glory to God! (Josh 23:1-4). He gives the people hope and promises for the future (Josh 23:5). Finally, he warns them, not to rebel against God and His Word (Josh 23:12, 13; 24:20). Joshua commands God’s people to obey God! These commands are true for all believers who seek God and desire to experience godly success:  

1-Be very courageous! (Josh 23:6). Godly success and leadership need extreme courage! We define courage as suppressing fear in times of danger. But in Hebrew the words ‘be courageous’ means ‘be stubborn and strong to seize and to conquer someone’. It is a warfare word. It means to strongly hold and defend your position at all costs. To defeat your enemy, you need to hold on tightly to the Word of God!

2-Obey God’s Word! Do not look to the right or to the left. Don’t be distracted by unbelievers. Stay focused on God’s Word! (Josh 23:6).

3-Hate idolatry! Don’t mention the name of their gods! Do not admire, serve, or bow down to idols! Put away idols! (Josh 23:7; 24:14, 23)

4-Don’t marry unbelievers! Don’t make intimate friendship with unbelievers! (Josh 23:12, 13). Stay pure! Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit!

5-Cling to God! Hold fast to the Lord (Josh 23:8). The word ‘cling’ describes the intimacy in marriage. It is the same as Genesis 2:24.

6-Love God! (Josh 23:11). Be careful and jealous over your heart! Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength!

7-Fear the Lord! (Josh 24:14). You honor God. You fear the God because He punishes sin (remember what happen to Achan)!

8-Incline your heart to the Lord God (Josh 24:23). In Hebrew, the word ‘incline’ means to stretch out, to bend towards God to hear His whisper.

9-Serve God in sincerity and truth! (Josh 24:14, 24). Worship God in Spirit and in Truth! Reject hypocrisy! Serve God with all your family!

Joshua encourages them from looking at the past, how God was with them and led them to victory. He also warns them about the future.

Lesson: if you backslide, you will lose God’s power, protection, possessions, and peace! Remember Samson’s story!

JOSHUA IS A JUST LEADER OF MEN

“But the children of Joseph said, “The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel.” And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—saying, “You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one lot, but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong” (Josh 17:16-18).

Manasseh and Ephraim are the two sons of Joseph. Jacob adopted his two grandsons, and each became a separate tribe. That gave Joseph a double portion in the Land. After they conquered the land, Joshua sees the two tribes together as one unit, calling them ‘the house of Joseph’. Joshua himself is of the tribe of Ephraim. He gives them the land starting from Jericho towards East, towards Ai and Bethel. It was a desert land. It was not the most fertile land. When the men from Manasseh and Ephraim came to complain that the land he gave to them is not big enough, Joshua is not moved by emotions. He is not willing to engage all the armed men to help them fight. He tells them that they are strong enough to go and clear the forest, fight, and drive the Canaanites by themselves and enlarge their land. This is amazing. These days, men in position of authority give preferential treatment to their family members, personal friends, and their own tribal people. But Joshua is not manipulated by familiar spirits. Like God, he does not show favoritism. “There is no partiality with God” (Rom 2:11). This is a rare quality in men, especially the leaders. The more I study Joshua, the more I love him! He points us to the heavenly Joshua, our Lord Jesus Christ who alone gives rest and satisfaction to our souls. “For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His” (Heb 4:8-10).  

GOD IS FAITHFUL! NO PROMISE OF GOD HAS FAILED

“The Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass… I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed” (Josh 21:43-45; 23:14).

The war was over. It lasted about 7 years. Joshua defeated 31 Canaanite kings. For the next three years Joshua divides the land to each tribe. The tribes of Ruben, Gad, and half on Manasseh go back across Jordan to the land they wanted, and Moses gave to them. At the end of the war, they went home wealthy. Joshua blessed them saying: “Return with much riches to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.” So, the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they had obtained according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses” (Josh 22:8-9). Finally, at 90, Joshua retires from his position as the military leader of Israel.

 He settles in the land allotted to his tribe, Ephraim.  

Joshua reminds them how great God is and how great are the things He has done for them. All His promises have been fulfilled. God is faithful! This is the glorious testimony of God’s faithfulness to His covenant. It was God’s promise that His people will one day occupy this land. He was with them in Egypt, when they were slaves for more than 400 years. He brought them out from slavery thru His servant Moses. He was with them for 40 years in the wilderness. God gave them the law and the tabernacle to worship Him. He promised that one day they will possess a particular land ‘flowing with milk and honey’. God used Joshua to lead them into this land. He gave Joshua the mind of a military genius to lead the people in battle after battle. He then divided the land for each tribe. Joshua and the men could have failed but God sustained them. The invisible but Almighty God never left them. Their extraordinary success is God’s gift to them. It is true that the people did not conquer all the Promised Land during the time of Joshua. But they did the best with the time and resources they had at that time. They knew that God was with them, helping them to possess the land. They were all happy with the results. They spoke by faith that one day, they will conquer all the land. That prophesy is possible in Christ alone.

There are more than 8000 promises in the Bible. It is not enough to just read or memorize them. As Israel had to fight, defeat the Canaanites, and take over their land, we must have a mature faith to believe the promises. It is only by the Power of the Holy Spirit that we inherit and enjoy the promises of God. “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4, 5). As you inherit the promises, God’s divine nature of victory will manifest in you. The greatest promise is eternal life! Eternal salvation is by grace alone, thru faith alone, in Christ alone, by the Word of God alone and to the glory of God alone! Jesus has promised that He will always be with us! “Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Matt 28:18-20).  God has promised that the Holy Spirit will comfort us forever. “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (Jn 14:16).

Lesson: As Christians we tend to forget that God is the secret author of all victory and breakthrough. We worry that our strength is too small, and that we do not have enough money. We put too much trust in men, in pastors, in big churches and forget that God is the creator of them all. Faith in God, in His Son Jesus Christ, in His Word, is still the best weapon we have to fight and win the battles of life.

GOD IS FAITHFUL

Faithfulness means to be trustworthy. It means to be solid, stable, and un-changeable. The opposite of that is to be unstable, to doubt, to always change position and ideas. God is truth. God never changes. “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Mal 3:6). As a believer, you can trust God with your very life and destiny. He will never let you down. How do we learn to trust God? By knowing Him better. You can only know God thru His Son Jesus Christ. God revels Himself thru His Word. You need to study the Bible and pray. As you mature spiritually, you will trust God more. Faith grows with experience. Each answered prayer grows your faith to trust God more! Read the following true statements about God:

*GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES

God is faithful to all His promises. He alone is worthy to be trusted. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:23-25).

If you really believe that God is faithful then you too must be faithful to these things: you continue to say that Jesus is your Lord; you stir up others to love and good works; you do not forsake going to your local church; and you encourage others in their faith. God is Truth! The devil is a liar! GOD NEVER LIES! This is part of Him being faithful to His Word! “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19). Paul said: “God cannot lie!” (Titus 1:2). Believing that God is faithful to His Word, brings great comfort and encouragement to us, the believers. Since God’s word is always truth the Christian can place complete trust in His promises. “The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it” (1Thess 5:24).  

*GOD IS THE FAITHFUL CREATOR

God is the creator of everything that exists. God has a plan and a purpose for everything that He has created. God has a plan and a purpose for each person, especially for the believers. Sin has damaged the soul. By His grace, God redeems the sinner and brings him back to the original pattern, the way He created him to be. Sin separates us from God. In His faithfulness, in Christ, God will bring us back to His original purpose for our lives. This is a great mystery. Trials and suffering cannot damage us further. Our faithful Creator is sovereign. “Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator” (1 Pet 4:19). God has a plan for each person. He not only knows your future, but He designs your future. “I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure” (Is 46:9, 10). Many plans are in a man’s mind, But it is the LORD’S purpose for him that will stand (be carried out)” (PV 19:21; AMP).

*GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PEOPLE EVEN WHEN THEY ARE UNFAITHFUL  

Trusting that God is faithful is the holy ground of faith for miracles. “By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised” (Heb 11:11). God provides for our needs. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). God never abandons His children. Even when we are not faithful, God is faithful. He never forgets you! “For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath (Deut 4:31). God is sovereignly faithful! His faithfulness is not depended on our behavior. “If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown himself (2Tim2:13). Grace covers our unfaithfulness!

*GOD IS FAITHFUL TO FORGIVE OUR SINS

God sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins. In Christ, if we repent and confess our sins, God has promised to forgive us. Forgiveness comes with peace, joy, and great freedom to worship God. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1:9). All humble people who have repented of sins have found that God is faithful in forgiving them.

*JESUS IS OUR FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST

Jesus listens and answers our prayers. He understands our pains during temptations. Trust Him to intercede for you according to God’s will. All things will work together for good for the believer. “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Heb 2:17, 18). Jesus helps you always, especially when you suffer under temptations.

*GOD EXPECTS THE BELIEVER TO BE FAITHFUL TO HIM  

Finally, for you to appreciate God’s faithfulness, you need to be faithful to God’s Word. God Desires Faithfulness From His People. “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor 4:2).

SPIRITUAL WARFARE/ JOSHUA AND EPHESIANS

The Book of Ephesians is the counterpart in the New Testament of the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament. Joshua was a great military leader who excelled in the battles of the Lord. He led Israel into Canaan, conquered a big area and divided the Land to all the tribes. At the end of his life, he was not a bitter, frustrated old man. He was truly a fulfilled man of God. Even when he retired from leading the nation to war, he still remained their leader. As a godly husband and father, he first led his household to serve the Lord! His godly influence lasted even after his death. His memory is blessed. All the people who knew Joshua continued to serve God for as long as they lived. This is a wonderful testimony!

The Books of Joshua and Ephesians have at least three similar concepts in common: God has given His people an inheritance. It is His gift to them. In both books you see that the promised inheritance must be occupied by faith. There is warfare involved. Lastly, Joshua and his house pledged to serve God. Apostle Paul commands the husbands to love their wives and families and lead them to spiritual maturity. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph 1:3). To obey God’s Word and stand in faith you need to be strong and courageous!

God commanded Joshua: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). God commanded Joshua not to be afraid or dismayed. Fear is an unpleasant emotion connected with lack of hope. To fear it means that you are worried about the possible defeat or pain in the process. To be dismayed it means to lose courage by a sudden trouble. It means to be angry and disappointed at yourself especially in times of trial. God commands Joshua to be strong in his thinking and emotions and to be courageous in his will!

Paul gives us the same command: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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. Stand therefore…” (Eph 6:10-14)

As believers we do not fight against human beings, but against the demons who manipulate them. As soldiers of God, we are commanded ‘to stand’. Standing is defined as being in an upright position, supported on straight feet. Standing your ground is the position of the victorious landlord. It means to show courage, occupy, and maintain your place. Standing tall is the picture of a leader. It means to show courage, calmness, and strength, especially in times of trial. It also means to successfully accept or bear something that is unpleasant and difficult. In Greek, this word means to be established and confirmed. An iroko tree is a tree from the time the seed is planted until it is a giant. If you stand well at the beginning of the battle you will stand firm to the end. If the foundation is strong, the house will be strong!

This position of standing as a soldier for Christ is to defend your testimony against all attacks. The devil wants to weaken you with accusations, slander, deception, lies, and intimidation. Some days the attack is greater than some other times. In good days and in ‘evil days’, it is our responsibility to stand firm, to show courage and oppose all attacks. The devil cannot steal your salvation but he can damage your peace and joy. The devil cannot kill a believer, but he can hurt him. By preaching and teaching God’s Word, by serving in His house, we do God’s work. The devil tries to destroy God’s work and your testimony as God’s servant. Standing firm at your post encourages other believers to do the same!

HOW DO WE STAND?

WE STAND IN THE LORD

“Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved” (Phil 4:1).

There is no other ground or position in the universe by which a man can stand strong except in the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord!

BY FAITH WE STAND IN GRACE

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom 5:1, 2).

The Grace of God is the platform that strengthens our feet to stand. God’s unmerited favor to us released at the Cross encourages us to stand even during the devil’s attacks of slander and condemnation. We know that we are sinners saved by grace. We are saved by faith in Christ Crucified. His Blood shed on the Cross strengthens our hearts to stand and fight the good fight of faith. The courage to stand our ground in Christ builds our hope of glory, gives us a peace that passes all understanding and fills us with inexpressible glorious eternal joy.

BY FAITH WE STAND IN THE GOSPEL  

“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain” (1 Cor 15:1, 2).

Simply said, this is the Gospel: “Jesus died and rose again for me”. The power of salvation is manifested thru the Gospel, Christ Crucified, and resurrected. The false gospels give false hopes and cannot strengthen the heart. No man can save except Jesus Christ of Nazareth! I know that I am a sinner, and I am supposed to go to hell. I could not save myself. I needed a Savior. When I heard the Word of God, by God’s grace, saving faith was granted to me. I believed that I am a child of God. I believe that I am one with Christ. I died with Him, I was buried with Him, and rose with Him. This death and resurrection testimony of Christ is now imparted in my spirit. I died to sin, to the devil and to the world. I now live for the joy of serving Christ, my King. This revelation gives me strength to stand when all other things in my life shake and fall away. I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it it’s the power of God to save me to the uttermost! I did not believe in vain! My faith is fruitful!

STAND IN FAITH, WITH COURAGE, STRENGTH, AND LOVE

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love” (1 Cor 16:13, 14). “By faith you stand” (2Cor 1:24)

Faith comes by the hearing of God’s Word. Faith matures thru the process of sanctification, by the power of the Holy Spirit and practical application of God’s Word. The more you study and apply God’s Word, the greater the assurance of your identity in Christ becomes. Unbelief and doubt weaken your desire to stand for Jesus. Use the shield of faith to quench the arrows of the devil. Love God and love the fellowship of the brethren. Faithfully attend a living church. Serve God in any capacity. Your faith will grow. Your standing will be confirmed! 

STAND IN THE LIBERTY OF CHRIST

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith” (Gal 5:1-5). Jesus died so that we live. By His Blood He paid for our debt of sin. Therefore, we are not slaves of sin or of the devil, anymore. We are free to be who God made us to be. We are free to worship and serve God without any hindrance. Religion is a hindrance to this freedom. Trying to be justified by law, trusting your good works to go to heaven, that is a false hope that weakens your faith. You cannot stand before God based on your merit. It means that you have fallen from grace. By faith in Christ we stand free and strong in His victory we share. “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!”

WE STAND IN THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God” (Phil 1:27, 28). The unity of the Spirit is necessary for strength to stand.

WE STAND PERFECT AND COMPLETE IN ALL THE WILL OF GOD

“Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Col 4:12). It is God’s will that we die to self, take our cross daily, and follow our Commander, Jesus. We cannot even consider the idea of going back to sin. “Is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess 4:3). It is God’s will that we grow spiritually, thru faith in His Word and by the power of The Holy Spirit! Mature faith in God becomes fruitful assurance of salvation.

THE HARDSHIP OF SOLDIERS

Most countries have an army to defend their borders. To be a soldier is seen as a great honor. But it requires great sacrifices. To be a solider is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. The solider must endure constant hardship. The civilians do not understand these challenges. The soldier’s greatest reason to join the army is because of his love for his country. He wants to protect it and honor the name of his country.

A soldier is alert always. This watchfulness manifests in times of peace and especially in times of war. The civilians sleep well at night. A soldier does not sleep carelessly. He is ready to wake up and act immediately if there is a need. Soldiers spend long time separated from their family. They do not enjoy regular holidays like others because they still need to be at their duty. Even during vacation, a solider may be called back by his commander anytime. He cannot refuse his commander. Soldiers need to keep a healthy body and mind. They do rigorous physical training. The food, especially during war, is not the best. They work in difficult weather conditions. They cannot complain to others. They cannot run away from the army. They must be faithful to their commander until they retire.

Spiritually, Christ’ soldiers pass thru rigorous training too. They die to the flesh and live by the power of God. This is Paul’s word to Timothy: “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Tim 2:1-4).

By faith we stand in the Lord! We know that attacks will come but we cannot sit down for entertainment. We cannot even imagine that we should backslide. We reject fear, doubt, dismay, and self-pity! We watch and pray! We wait to hear the voice of our Commander. We encourage others to stand for Jesus! We are soldiers of Christ and not ‘religious civilians.’ Like Timothy, we must ‘endure hardship’ as good soldiers of Christ. For both believers and unbelievers, life is not easy. The unbelievers pass thru many trials, but the greatest pain is the fact that they do not have God to pray to. For the believers, the devil will attack to make us fall. In this life hardship comes in many ways. There are trials and temptations; there is sickness, sudden losses, divorce, or broken relationships. To endure means more than just exist or survive. It means more than just to keep quiet when you suffer. To endure successfully it means to stand firm in your faith from the beginning to the end of the trial. It means to refuse to backslide and continue to serve God despite the pain. To endure as a soldier for Christ it means to continue to submit and obey your Commander, Jesus Christ. You may be angry sometimes but you do not allow the anger to take root in your heart and become bitterness. You may be afraid sometimes, but you pray for courage and strength. You do not give the devil a foothold!  Many Christians are in bondage to a spirit of defeat. Many Christians will go to heaven barely saved; no rewards at all. This is a challenge to spiritual maturity!

To ‘entangle’ it means to be caught in a net, making difficult to escape. It means to be twisted together. Spiritually, is to be intimately involved with other things that are not your priority and therefore, your life becomes complicated and confused. The good soldier not only endures hardship, but he refuses to become ‘entangled’ in the worldly lifestyles of religious people. They make friends only with other soldiers who appreciate the army discipline. “Soldiers on duty don’t work at outside jobs. They try only to please their commanding officer” (2 Tim 2:4; CEV).

Apostle Paul suffered much persecution, yet he finished strong and confident to the end. But the greatest example of all is our Lord Jesus Christ! He knew that He will suffer much on the Cross. But the joy of obeying God the Father, the joy of His reward ahead, kept him strong to the end. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:1, 2). By His death on the Cross, our heavenly Jesus crossed over into heaven, our eternal Promised Land. By faith we sit with Him in the heavenly places. As Israel lived in houses they did not build, we too shall live in mansions that Jesus designed and built. He said to us: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn 14:1-3). What a Day that will be for our heavenly Cross over miracle! Halleluiah!

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!

For the past 40 years, Joshua led God’s people into the Promised Land to conquer and possess it. At the age of 110, Joshua dies, and he is buried in the land given to his tribe, Ephraim. Eleazer, the high priest, the son of Aaron, who crossed over with Joshua, dies too. He is buried in the land that belongs to his son Phineas. The priests and Levites were not supposed to have personal land. They had special towns called priestly towns. But Phineas bought a piece of land for himself. Here you see that the priests started to become corrupted by breaking the law. Joseph’s bones that were carried from Egypt were buried in the Promised Land also. They were buried in Shechem, in the plot of land Jacob bought for himself. For better or worse, the Promised Land is theirs! God is faithful to His promises! May we be found to be good and faithful servants! Let us end with Joshua’s greatest challenge and word of faith: “If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh 24:15).

Finally, this is the testimony of Israel of old: “We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, the deeds You did in their days, in days of old: You drove out the nations with Your hand, but them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out. For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them” (Ps 44:1-3). Worship the Lord!

STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD

1 Standing on the promises of Christ, my King,

Through eternal ages let his praises ring;

Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,

Standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing,

Standing on the promises of God, my Savior;

Standing, standing,

I’m standing on the promises of God.

2 Standing on the promises that cannot fail.

When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

By the living Word of God I shall prevail,

Standing on the promises of God.

(By Russel Kelso Carter, 1886)