Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?

This is a question that Jesus asked his followers, the Church at the time, and followed it up with the parable of ‘The Wise and foolish Builders.’

This is also a question that Jesus asks each generation of His Church, including you and I, today! This question provokes me to examine myself, as a believer of over thirty years, every time I read it and every time the Lord brings it to mind, which is very regularly! Am I doing what He (The Word) tells me in all areas of my life? 

Sadly, I very often fall short, but praise God there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and I am availed, by this self-examination, the opportunity to repent and confess my sin before Him and move on and be more and more conformed to His image as I work out my salvation with fear and trembling as Paul instructs, under the power of the Holy Spirit!

Philippians 2:12 (AMP)

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].

Now, getting back to what Jesus is telling us further in the parable of the ‘Wise and Foolish Builders’ from Luke 6:47-49, let’s examine what wise and foolish is to us as born-again Christians – His Church!

Luke 6:47-49 (NIV)

47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

In the above verses, the Lord describes two types of people!

The one type, the wise ones, hear His words and puts them into practice. The other type, the foolish ones, hear his words but do not put them into practice. Today we are able to both hear and read His word – bearing in mind that Jesus is the Word – the Bible.

John 1:14 (NIV)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

When we put the Word into practice and act upon it to change our lives in accordance with His will, God considers us to be wise and tells us that the foundation of the Word (Jesus) is the only foundation that we can build on as Christians and in this way, we will never be shaken no matter what comes against us – Jesus is our sure foundation, the cornerstone upon which everything holds firm.

Isaiah 54:17 (AMP)

“No weapon that is formed against you will succeed;

And every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn.

This [peace, righteousness, security, and triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And this is their vindication from Me,” says the Lord.

Ephesians 2:19-22 (AMP)

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens [outsiders without rights of citizenship], but you are fellow citizens with the saints (God’s people), and are [members] of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the [chief] Cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure is joined together, and it continues [to increase] growing into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, set apart, and sacred to the presence of the Lord]. 22 In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

When we don’t put the Word into practice and don’t act upon it, God considers us to be foolish, we have no spiritual foundation on which to stand and hold firm and we will be washed away by what the world throws at us through the evil one! Our hearts will become hardened and anaesthetised to sin. This the Bible refers to this as falling away!

Hebrews 6:4-8 (AMP)

4 For [it is impossible to restore to repentance] those who have once been enlightened [spiritually] and who have tasted and consciously experienced the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted and consciously experienced the good word of God and the powers of the age (world) to come, 6 and then have fallen away—it is impossible to bring them back again to repentance, since they again nail the Son of God on the cross [for as far as they are concerned, they are treating the death of Christ as if they were not saved by it], and are holding Him up again to public disgrace. 7 For soil that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces crops useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it persistently produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

The Bible encourages us to not just be readers of the Word but doers of the Word as well – faith without action is no faith at all.

Luke 11:28 (NIV)

He (Jesus) replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

John 13:17 (AMP)

If you know these things, you are blessed [happy and favored by God] if you put them into practice [and faithfully do them].

James 1:22 (NIV)

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

James 2:26 (AMP)

For just as the [human] body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works [of obedience] is also dead.

The Bible tells us to be imitators of Christ yet if we do not obey the Word and put it into practice we will never be conformed to Christ’s image – we will never be able to imitate Him !

Romans 8:29 (NIV)

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

If we are to be imitators of Christ and be conformed to His image, then we need to be serious about obeying God’s Word and practicing God’s Word in our everyday lives. If we fail to put God’s word into practice, then we are at great risk of falling away.

We should be working out our salvation with fear and trembling. Working out our salvation doesn’t only mean repenting of our sin and accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and saviour, it also means being doers of the Word and being obedient to it in every way and in this way allowing ourselves to be more and more conformed to His image!

Sadly, I walk among many people who consider themselves to be mature Christians but still swear as part of their everyday speech – this is contrary to God’s Word. They still get drunk and go out and party as the world does – this is contrary to God’s Word. They still hold unbelief and unforgiveness in their hearts – this is contrary to God’s Word. My brothers and sisters this should not be – friendship with the world is enmity with God.

James 3:9-10 (NIV)

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

James 4:4 (AMP)

You adulteresses [disloyal sinners—flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Colossians 3:6-10 (NIV)

7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Ephesians 5:18-19 (NIV)

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,

Let us daily renew our minds through the washing of the Word!

Romans 12:2-3

And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

Dear brothers and sister in Christ, I implore you to receive the abundant life that God has promised you in Christ Jesus. Read and study the Bible and put its teachings into practice in your life and be continually filled with the knowledge and presence of Jesus and be energised and empowered by His Holy Spirit! Do not become a friend of the world, it will have a disastrous outcome for you – do not become a lukewarm Christian, for a lukewarm Christian is no Christian at all!

Revelation 3:16 (AMP)

So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust].

In order for us as born again Christians to call Jesus Lord, we must do what he says!

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit this day and everyday and help me to be a doer of the word and not just a reader. Help me, Lord, to separate myself from the love of worldly things in every way. I recognise Lord Jesus, that apart from you I can do nothing. Change me Lord to be like you, do not let mw become lukewarm and fall away! Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no excuse for you not reading and studying the Bible for yourself. My words are fallible - the Bible is not!

Last update: 24 March 2024.

R

Where do we go when we die?

An intriguing question indeed! Where exactly do we go when we die?

Where do saved, born-again Christians go and where do the lost, unsaved people go when they die?

Let’s examine together what the Bible says!

Right, now there are three parts to this question that we need to look at because God created us in three parts, body, soul and spirit. For more information on how we were created, please read my blog published on 9 May 2021. https://rayskilton.blogspot.com/2021/05/how-did-god-create-us-spirit-soul-and.html

What happens to man’s spirit?

Our spirit returns to God, the Father of spirits, who gave it to us. The Bible doesn’t say anything more about man’s spirit after death other than this.

Ecclesiastes 12:7b (NIV)

and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

There are some schools of thought that believe that the human spirit and the soul are one and the same thing but in my opinion I don't see how this is possible. In Gen 2:7 we are told that God breathed life into man and he became a living soul. The Hebrew words for 'breath of God or Spirit of God' and 'living soul' are two completely different words. Please read the explanation below in the section 'What happens to our soul?'

Also the unsaved human soul does not go to heaven on Judgement Day but to Hell.

When we are born, God places of His Spirit in us which is what gives us life. God's spirit within us is our connection to Him but as God gives us freewill to chose salvation through Jesus or not, it is only the saved person who's spirit is energised and becomes born again and is able to have relationship with God through Jesus or Saviour - we become new creations. 

The unsaved person's spirit is not energised by the process of salvation and remains dormant, but the soul becomes more and more corrupt as it continues to deny Christ and live a life of sin. It is the soul that is corrupt not the spirit as the spirit is incorruptible as it belongs to God and returns to Him when we die. God does not consign the human spirit to Hell as it is part of him and is not sinful only the corrupt soul and the body that houses it is consigned to Hell!

Matthew 10:28 (NIV)

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

What happens to the body?

Well, our bodies are perishable, so they decay and return to the ground from which they were made once we are buried or cremated.

Genesis 2:7a (AMP)

then the Lord God formed [that is, created the body of] man from the dust of the ground,

Ecclesiastes 12:7a (AMP)

then the dust [out of which God made man’s body] will return to the earth as it was,

It is only our resurrected bodies that will be imperishable.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (NIV)

42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

Everyone will answer to God on Judgement Day! Those who are born-again will receive eternal life in heaven. Those who are not (those who deny Christ) will go to eternal death (eternal separation from God) in Hell! If you deny Christ – be afraid, be very afraid!

Matthew 10:28 (NIV)

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

From the scripture above we can safely say that it is both an unsaved person’s resurrected body and soul that will be consigned to Hell. The human spirit will return to God as mentioned in Ecc 12:7b. The Bible doesn’t say anything further about our spirit after it goes back to God!

On Judgement Day everyone will answer to God for what they have done in their life, whether good or bad. Nobody will escape this judgement, both the dead who will be resurrected and those that are still alive will be judged!

Romans 14:10-12 (AMP)

10 But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you again, why do you look down on your [believing] brother or regard him with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God [who alone is judge]. 11 For it is written [in Scripture],

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,

And every tongue shall give praise to God.”

12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

So, when we die our bodies return to the earth, but on judgement day we will receive a resurrected body, by God through the power of the Holy Spirit and stand before God to give an account of ourselves. The believer (those who have received Jesus as Lord and Saviour and believe in Him) will go to Heaven, the unbeliever (those who deny Jesus and do not believe in Him) will go to Hell.

What happens to our Soul?

Our bodies return to the earth from whence they came but our souls, which are imperishable and came into being when God breathed His spirit into us during the miracle of conception, go to a place the Bible calls Hades or Sheol.

Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

So, let’s now examine the verse above (Gen 2:7) where three distinct and separate things happened.

1. God formed our bodies from the earth!

2. He breathed His Spirit (Hebrew word ruach, meaning ‘Spirit or breath of God’) into us, it is His spirit that He places in each one of us that gives us life!

3. And we become a living being or soul.

The Hebrew word for a ‘living being’ is ‘nephesh’, pronounced ‘neh-fesh’ and its full Hebrew meaning is: a soul, a living being, a life, a self, a person, with desires, passions, appetites and emotions and capable of thinking (Strong’s 5315). From this we can see that the ‘soul’ and the ‘spirit’ are two separate entities although they are very closely aligned whilst in the body but only once a person is born-again.

Hebrews 4:12 (AMP)

For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.

It is a man’s spirit that becomes awakened, renewed, to a spiritual life in fellowship with God – the primary purpose for which man was created - when he accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of his life and becomes born-again, a new creation! It is then man’s responsibility to work out his salvation with fear and trembling and bring his soul into submission to the spirit which we can only be done by the power of the Holy Spirit – living life in the Spirit (read Romans 8).

Philippians 2:12-13 (AMP)

12 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]. 13 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.

As already mentioned, the souls of the dead go to a place called Sheol or Hades. Sheol is a Hebrew word meaning ‘the place of the dead’ or ‘place of departed souls’ and the word Hades is the Greek word for the same place.

Now, in Sheol or Hades there are two places, one for the souls of those who are saved and on for the souls of those who are not saved, the lost! Our souls remain there until judgement day when the dead are resurrected.

The souls of those who are saved will be in paradise (some Bible versions refer to this place as Abraham’s bosom) as Jesus said to the repentant thief on the cross next to Him.

Luke 23:43 (NIV)

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Greek word for paradise used in this scripture is ‘paradeisos’ (pron: par-ad-i-sos, Strong’s 3857) and its full meaning is: a park, a garden, a paradise.

The same root word is used in 2 Cor 12:4 and Rev 2:7.

2 Corinthians 12:3-4 (NIV)

3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.

Revelation 2:7 (AMP)

He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege] to eat [the fruit] from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’

We will learn many great and wondrous things in paradise!

The souls of those who are unsaved will await judgement in a far different setting than those who are saved. It is a place of torment, anguish and fire as told in Luke 16.

Luke 16:23-26 (NIV)

23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

John 15:1-8 (NIV)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

What Does God Hate?

 

So, dear readers, before we delve into our topic question, let's have a look at the question you are probably asking yourself right now: “How can a God who is love, hate?”

Well, here we go, this is what I think!

At first appearance it seems like a contradiction in terms that a God who is love can also hate. But that’s exactly what the Bible tells us:

1 John 4:8 (NIV)

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Psalm 5:5b (NIV)

You hate all who do wrong;

So, let’s look at things this way, if God is love than it stands to reason that He would hate anything that is contrary to His love. What is contrary to love? Anything or anyone that is evil and acts contrary to His Word! In this same vein God cannot love evil nor the perpetrators of evil as that would be contrary to His loving nature.

So, the statement, “God hates the sin but loves the sinner” is not Biblical. The only sinner that God loves is the repentant sinner who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. This is why mankind needs a Saviour – it’s all about Jesus! Jesus is the only name by which mankind can be saved! If God loves the unrepentant sinner, then Jesus died for nothing - there would be no need for a Saviour!

Acts 4:11-12 (NIV)

11 Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,

which has become the cornerstone.’

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

God therefore does not only hate sin but the unrepentant sinner as well.

Psalm 11:5-6 (NIV)

5 The Lord examines the righteous,

but the wicked, those who love violence,

he hates with a passion.

6 On the wicked he will rain

fiery coals and burning sulfur;

a scorching wind will be their lot.

Right, I think right now is a good time for us to look at: “For God so loved the world….”

John 3:16 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

When we examine the word ‘world’ in this verse from the original Greek word we see exactly what God is talking about.

The Greek word for world in the verse is ‘kosmos’ (Strong’s 2889) and it literally means ‘something that is ordered’. God created an orderly universe (He put the sun, moon stars and everything else in place) and an orderly world in which He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This world was in Godly order and man was in order in that he started off living in obedience to God and the Word He had spoken to them. This was the world that God so loved and the reason why He created it!

Proverbs 8:27-29 (NIV)

27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,

when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,

28 when he established the clouds above

and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,

29 when he gave the sea its boundary

so the waters would not overstep his command,

and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

Now here’s where the ‘but’ comes in, man, because He was disobedient to God, fell into sin and the world and mankind fell into disorder and the world and mankind has been deteriorating ever since. This is the consequence of our sin. This is not the world that God so loved, but He does want His order back again! This is why He gave up His one and only son so that man can receive salvation through Jesus and come back into God’s order!

God has a new heaven and a new earth ready for His children where there will be no sin – Godly order is going to be restored and this order is going to have a place called Hell where the devil and the wicked will reside in torment forever!

Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 20:10 (NIV)

And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Matthew 25:41 & 46 (NIV)

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 (NIV)

8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.

God hates sin because it opposes His very nature and sin is the work of the devil and unrepentant man in corroboration.

John 8:44 (NIV)

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

God describes sin as wounds and bruises,

Isaiah 1:5-6 (NIV)

5 Why should you be beaten anymore?

Why do you persist in rebellion?

Your whole head is injured,

your whole heart afflicted.

6 From the sole of your foot to the top of your head

there is no soundness—

only wounds and welts

and open sores,

not cleansed or bandaged

or soothed with olive oil.

as a burden,

Psalm 38:4 (NIV)

My guilt has overwhelmed me

like a burden too heavy to bear.

as something that corrupts and defiles,

Titus 1:15 (NIV)

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

a heavy debt around one’s neck,

Matthew 6:12-15 (NIV)

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

a stain on our lives,

Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”

says the Lord.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson,

they shall be like wool.

and as darkness.

1 John 1:6 (NIV)

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.

GOD HATES ALL SIN!

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV)

16 There are six things the Lord hates,

seven that are detestable to him:

17 haughty eyes,

a lying tongue,

hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,

feet that are quick to rush into evil,

19 a false witness who pours out lies

and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

You cannot call yourself a born-again Christian and carry on willfully sinning.

James 4:4 (AMP)

You adulteresses [disloyal sinners—flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Romans 6:1-4 (AMP)

What shall we say [to all this]? Should we continue in sin and practice sin as a habit so that [God’s gift of] grace may increase and overflow? 2 Certainly not! How can we, the very ones who died to sin, continue to live in it any longer? 3 Or are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 We have therefore been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory and power of the Father, we too might walk habitually in newness of life [abandoning our old ways].

Dear readers, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us habitually walk in the newness we have in Christ Jesus who died for us, and not live in our old ways – the ways of the world!

Always have the following words from the Apostle Paul close to you and remind yourself of them as often as you can!

Philippians 2:12 (AMP)

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven
I ask today in the name of Jesus that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me walk in the ways of Jesus. Help me to shed my old ways and abandon the ways of the world, keep me Lord from sinning against you. Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

God’s Promises to the Victorious Believer from the Book of Revelation

In the second and third chapters of the last book of the Bible, the Revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him and was brought to the Apostle John by the Lord’s angel, God gives seven promises to the victorious believer.

Let us bear in mind that this book is a prophecy of what is still to come, it is a prophecy for the end times Church that has remained true and faithful to Jesus and comes with His divine blessing!

Revelation 1:1-3 (AMP)

This is the revelation of Jesus Christ [His unveiling of the divine mysteries], which God [the Father] gave to Him to show to His bond-servants (believers) the things which must soon take place [in their entirety]; and He sent and communicated it by His angel (divine messenger) to His bond-servant John, 2 who testified and gave supporting evidence to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to everything that he saw [in his visions]. 3Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and who keep the things which are written in it [heeding them and taking them to heart]; for the time [of fulfillment] is near.

Dear readers, let’s examine these promises together and let us hear what the Holy Spirit has to say to us today, always bearing in mind that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! His Word is always relevant no matter what time the Church is living in – what was written thousands of years ago still applies today!

Lord, I pray that you open the ears and eyes of our hearts to hear what your Holy Spirit has to say to us today. Amen.

Ok, let’s go with promise number one.

1. The right to eat from the tree of life - eternal life

Rev 2:7

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

In verse 1 – 7 in Revelation 2, Jesus is addressing the Church in Ephesus.

In verses 1 – 3 He commends them for the hard work they have been doing and how they have persevered and endured hardship for His name and have not grown weary.

But then in verse four He tells them that He holds just one thing against them, they have forsaken their first love!

From this it appears that they were no longer doing the things they used to do in love, but they were now doing things as a matter of habit and formality completely devoid of love.

In verse 5, Jesus tells them that because of this He considers them to have fallen and urges them to repent of this and to return to the way of love! If they don’t do this, the Lord says he will remove their lampstand from His presence! God is talking to born-again Christians who have let their love of Christ go cold and mechanical!

A very strong rebuke that the Church needs to take note of today. How many of us have lost that first love and are now doing things as a matter of rote and not in love?

In verse 6 the Lord applauds the Church in Ephesus for hating the works of the Nicolaitans which He does to! The Nicolaitans were a group or sect that were practicing sexual immorality and self-indulgence and were trying to woo the Church in Ephesus away from the true teachings of Christ by introducing false doctrines. These people are still around to this very day in the form of self-indulgent prosperity preachers, name it and claim it preachers, and those that want to bring worldly practices into today’s Church. We must hate these things just as Jesus does!

We can only be victorious in Christ Jesus and in His love. Jesus is the tree of life; He is the bread of life that feeds us.

Dear readers, let us examine ourselves and hear what the Hoy Spirit is saying to us, repent if you have lost your first love and return to Him in the power of the Holy Spirit and let’s do everything in love and work out our salvation with fear and trembling as Paul tells us to!

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.

Philippians 2:12-13

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose.

Promise number 2.

2. You will receive life as your crown

Rev 2:10-11

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

In chapter 2 from verses 8 – 11 the Lord is addressing the Church in Smyrna. This was a poor Church, and He tells them that He knows exactly where they are and the trials and persecutions that they will have to go through, but he urges them to remain faithful even to the point of death because when they emerge victorious through their faith in Him, they will receive the crown of life and physical death will have no sting!

These words are ours today as well. Remain faithful to Him who gives us eternal life. He gives us victory in the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the trials and temptations of life that the devil shoots our way. Put on the full armour of God to ward of His fiery arrows!

Promise number 3.

3. You will be renewed

Rev 2:17

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

In verses 12 – 17 the Lord is addressing the Church in Pergamum. Jesus commends the Church for standing true to His name and keeping the faith even in the midst of serious demonic activity against them and especially as one of their faithful ones was put to death because of his faith!

However, the Lord says He holds a few things against some of them! The first was that some of them were holding on to the teachings of Balaam, the false prophet in the Old Testament (Numbers 22) who tried to entice Israel into sin. There were some in the Church at Pergamum who were trying to entice others to sin especially sexual sin and idol worship, and the Church was doing nothing about it!

Secondly there were some of the Church who were following the ways of the Nicolaitans (mentioned earlier) and were trying to introduce false doctrines and self-indulgence into the Church.

The Lord urges them to repent of these evil things or He will come and fight against them!

These things are still happening in today’s Church, and they are being hidden from the congregation, but nothing can be hidden from God. God is calling His Church to repent from these evil ways in today’s Church.

Dear readers, hear what the Holy Spirit is saying today and fight against these things in your Church and renounce them! Have nothing to do with them but rather expose them.

Ephesians 5:11 (NIV)

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Promise number 4.

4. You will be given authority over nations

Rev 2:26-29

To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron sceptre and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father.28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

In verses 18 – 29 the Lord is addressing the Church in Thyatira. He commends them for their love, faith, service and perseverance.

However, He tells them he holds this against them, they tolerate the woman Jezebel, who like the Jezebel of the Old Testament and wife of King Ahab (1 Kings chapters 16 to 22), was leading some of them into sexual immorality and idol worship. He warns the Church that those who follow her ways will suffer intensely unless they repent of her ways. The Jezebel spirit is still very much active in today’s world and has even infiltrated today’s Church!

He urges those that are not following the ways of Jezebel to hold on to their faith in Him and He will give them authority to rule with Him! These things are still happening in today’s Church. Anything that we do or say that is contrary to the Word of God is sin! Renounce it and repent!

Church! Hear what the Holy Spirit is saying today and renounce and expose all sin amongst the congregation! No sin will enter the Kingdom of God!

Promise number 5.

5. You will be dressed in white (a symbol of righteousness) and be acknowledged before the Father

Rev 3:5, 6

The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

In Revelation 3 verses 1 – 6 the Lord is addressing the Church in Sardis. This Church was deceiving itself. The lord tells them that they have built up a false reputation of being alive, but He knows their deeds and considers them to be dead! They never finished what was started in them - they were not fulfilling their potential in Christ Jesus. Nothing can be hidden form God.

He tells them to repent and wake up or He will come to them like a thief in the night!

He goes on to say that the few in Sardis who have not dirtied themselves will be dressed in white, a symbol of purity, for they are the ones considered as worthy.

In today’s world there are many Churches that deceived themselves that they are following God but are just paying lip service to the false doctrines and teachings of men. These Churches can be likened to the synagogue of Satan mentioned in these chapters!

These Churches need to repent and turn from their evil ways! There is only one gospel and that is Jesus Christ and Him, crucified.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (AMP)

And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming to you the testimony of God [concerning salvation through Christ], I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom [no lofty words of eloquence or of philosophy as a Greek orator might do]; 2 for I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection]. 3 I came to you in [a state of] weakness and fear and great trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom [using clever rhetoric], but [they were delivered] in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit [operating through me] and of [His] power [stirring the minds of the listeners and persuading them], 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom and rhetoric of men, but on the power of God.

Let the Church hear what the Holy Spirit is saying today!

Promise number 6.

6. You will live forever in the temple of God

Rev 3:12, 13

The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

In verses 7 – 13 of Revelation chapter 3, the Lord is addressing the Church in Philadelphia. He assures them that He knows their deeds and that even though they have had little strength they have kept the faith and not denied His name and that their door to Him will always be open!

The Lord also tells in them in verse 10 that because they have kept the faith and endured patiently, he will not make them go through the trials that He is about to bring on the inhabitants of the earth. As the book of Revelation is a prophecy of the end times, this would indicate that the true Church in the end times will not have to go through the tribulation!

The ones who remain steadfast in the faith will be recognised by the whole world as those whom Jesus loves, and He will write on us His new name when He returns! We will live with him forever in His temple – the new heaven and the new earth – the new Jerusalem!

It is interesting to note that He did not hold anything against this Church!

Promise number 7.

7. We will have the right to sit with Him on His throne

Rev 3:21, 22

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

In verses 14 – 22 the Lord is addressing the Church in Laodicea. It is interesting to note here that the Lord does not commend them at all. He goes straight in to calling them a “lukewarm” Church an as such He is about to spew them out! A harsh word indeed! God will not tolerate a lukewarm believer!

In verses 17 and 18 it has become obvious that they have become a Church of “I” specialists. They believe that everything they have achieved was done in their own strength. There was no recognition of God being their provider and saviour, it was all about them! They had become spiritually blind and enmeshed in worldly possessions and achievements.

The Lord urges them to repent of their ways and tells them that He is rebuking them because He loves them and doesn’t want them to perish!

Revelation 3:19-20 (NIV)

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Church do not let pride enter us and so that we become puffed up and self-centered! Let us serve the Lord in true humility, not trusting in our own strength but realising that apart from Jesus we can do nothing! Let us consider others more important than ourselves!

John 15:5 (NIV)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father
In the Name of Jesus, I pray that you would help me to hear what your Holy Spirit has to tell me this day and help me to walk before you forever in humility and faithfulness that I may bring glory to Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Hearing God's Voice

 

Does God want to speak to me?

Why does God want to speak to me?

How can I hear God’s voice?

How do I know when God has spoken to me?

What prevents me from hearing God’s voice?

Dear Reader

Have you ever asked yourself any, some, or all of the above questions? Well, I have and a number of times too!

I’ve been walking with the Lord for over thirty years now. I became born-again in May 1988 and over the years there have been times when I have been on fire for the Lord and times when I have been down in the dumps for various reasons and have let my flame burn down. There have been times when I have heard God’s voice and times when I have not!

But in all this, the ups and downs of life, there are two things that I now know with unwavering certainty, God loves me, and He has never left me nor forsaken me! 

In my times of doubt it was never God who left me, it was I who withdrew from Him. He never leaves us! I went through a period as a prodigal son! But because of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, God, in all things works for the good of those that love Him!

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Now why did I share that little testimony? Simply to highlight the fact that for a period I stopped hearing God’s voice, not because He didn’t want to speak to me but because I had withdrawn from our relationship and didn’t want to hear Him because the circumstances of life had sometimes overwhelmed me!

Alright, that’s enough of me, now let’s see what scripture says about the five questions I posed above!

Does God want to speak to me?

Yes, He most certainly does!

We are His sheep; Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and He speaks to us so that we will know how to follow Him and be transformed and conformed to His image! A sheep knows the Shepherds voice and will not follow any other voice!

John 10:27 (NIV)

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

God is our Father, and He wants to have a relationship with us in Christ Jesus and you can’t have a relationship with someone if you don’t talk to them! God wants to speak to us, and He wants us to speak to Him. In fact, Jesus tells us that there are lots of things that He wants to tell us. He tells us things that we need to know when the time is right. God's timing is always perfect. Let's take time to wait upon the Lord!

Isaiah 40:31 (AMP)

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him]

Will gain new strength and renew their power;

They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun];

They will run and not become weary,

They will walk and not grow tired.

John 16:12 (NIV)

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.

Why does God want to speak to me?

God wants to speak to us so that He can tell us what is still to come.

John 16:13 (NIV)

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

God wants us to talk to him so that he can tell us great and marvelous things that we will have no hope of knowing unless He tells us.

Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

God wants to speak to us so that we can go the right way and not stray from the path that He has willed for our lives in Christ Jesus. No mater where we are or where we go, we can always talk to God!

Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Knowledge of the Bible and being obedient to its entire teachings is hearing God' voice!

How can I hear God’s voice?

By accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour - becoming born again!

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NIV)

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

By reading and studying the Word. Everything that Jesus is, is in the Word. Every thing that is in the Bible comes from the mouth of God! A Christian cannot live on physical food alone. To grow in faith and to grow to spiritual maturity, we need be nourished by the Word of God. Jesus is the bread of life!

Mt 4:4

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

All scripture is from God, written by men in the power of the Holy Spirit. Scripture teaches us the things of God that enable us to live in His will and to hear His voice.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

When we are obedient to and doers of the Word of God, then we are hearing God’s voice and putting it into practice and we are blessed.

Luke 11:28 (NIV)

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

James 1:22 (NIV)

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

We can hear God’s voice through a prophecy spoken over us but be careful to test that word to make sure it lines up with the Word of God and make sure that you witness with the prophecy in your spirit - there should be no inner turmoil running through your mind. God is a God of peace and order!

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 (NIV)

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.

2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP)

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

God can speak to us in a dream or a vision or a mental picture!

Matthew 1:20 (NIV)

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Joel 2:28 (NIV)

“And afterward,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your old men will dream dreams,

your young men will see visions.

How do I know when God has spoken to me?
From my personal experience, when you cultivate a lifestyle of prayer, study the Bible, obey its teachings, are serving others, asking God to continually fill you with the Holy Spirit, and you are doing everything in love and you make time to wait upon the Lord, then you will naturally hear God’s voice in your spirit. 

You will hear him through a scripture and/or through prophecy, a word of knowledge or in any one of the methods described in the preceding section. You will have an inner witness and a feeling of peace in your spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:1-3 (NIV)

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.

What prevents me from hearing from God?
Hearing from God depends entirely on the attitude an individual has towards a relationship with Jesus and being obedient to God’s Word! A Christian that never hears from God never reads their Bible!

If you are not cultivating a relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit and you are not reading and studying the Bible and being obedient to its teachings, then you are not likely to hear from God.

Unconfessed sin in your life and a broken or lukewarm or no relationship with Christ Jesus will also be a hindrance to you hearing God.

Isaiah 59:2 (NIV)

But your iniquities have separated

you from your God;

your sins have hidden his face from you,

so that he will not hear.

John 8:47 (NIV)

Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

James 5:16 (NIV)

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Lack of faith will prevent you from hearing from God. Faith in Jesus and everything that He tells us in the Bible will prevent us from hearing from God. Our Christian walk is entirely one of faith in Christ Jesus and obedience to His Word! 

Hebrews 11:6 (AMP)

But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.

Prayer – from Psalms:

Dear Heavenly Father:

Psalm 51:10-12
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 119:11-12
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, Lord;
teach me your decrees.

Amen!

All glory, honour and praise belongs to Jesus!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

Last updated: 22 October 2022

Jesus Destroys the Work of the Devil – So Can We, His Church!

 

1 John 3:8 (AMP)

The one who practices sin [separating himself from God, and offending Him by acts of disobedience, indifference, or rebellion] is of the devil [and takes his inner character and moral values from him, not God]; for the devil has sinned and violated God’s law from the beginning.

The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

So, dear readers, our next question is, what exactly are the works of the devil?

Well, the answer to this question is quite simple: to destroy anything and everything that God has created!

Let’s confirm this with scripture.

1 Peter 5:8 (AMP)

Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.

John 10:10 (NIV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 8:44 (NIV)

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The devil or Satan as he is often referred to, has always been the enemy of man since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden. He lied to Eve, and this led to both her and Adam falling into sin – they disobeyed God because they listened to the lie of Satan! Sin in all its forms is thus considered to be “the works of the devil.” And whoever sins follows the way of the devil!

Unredeemed man, because of sin, is separated from God, which is spiritual death, eternal separation from God. Man can only be redeemed from sin by accepting Jesus as his Lord and Saviour! So, the work of the devil is to destroy all of God’s creation, and in particular to destroy man who is described as being the “apple of God’s eye.” The devil hates man with a passion and will never let up trying to destroy him until he is finally bound in Hell along with all who follow his ways!

Zechariah 2:8 (NIV)

For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye—

So, that’s enough about Satan’s failed mission, let’s now move on to how Jesus has destroyed the work of Satan and how He empowers us, His Church, to do the same!

Let’s do this by examining the scriptures in an orderly fashion and by taking our victory stance in our Christian walk by following our saviour’s example!

We are often tempted to commit sin in the various life situations we find ourselves. How did Jesus overcome temptation? Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by the devil, this shows us that although he was God, he was also fully human and would face temptation just as we are, and his actions show us how we can overcome temptation!

Luke 4:1-12 (NIV)

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you

to guard you carefully;

11 they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

One of the many names that the devil has in the bible is the ‘tempter’, temptation is one of his favourite ways to lead man into sin! In the above verses, he tries this tactic with Jesus but to no avail. What I notice in the above verses is that Jesus shows us by practical example how temptation is resisted:

1. Be filled with the Holy Spirit and be led by Him alone – verse 1.

2. Fasting can bring us spiritual strength – verse 2

3. The devil will try and get you to doubt who you are in Christ Jesus, “…if you..” – verses 3 and 9. You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus.

4. Knowledge of the Bible is the “food” that feeds our spiritual growth – verse 4.

5. The devil will show you things that appeal to the flesh, not the spirit – verse 5.

6. The devil will appeal to your social vanity to get you to sin – verse 6.

7. The devil will tempt you to worship him by you worshiping worldly things – verse 7.

8. We must worship and serve God alone! – verse 8.

9. Don’t do anything just to test God. Keep your motives pure. – verses 9-12.

10. When you resist the devil, he will leave you but be on your guard because he will come back! – verse 13.

The lesson we can learn from this passage is: Know who you are in Christ Jesus, know the Bible, worship God only, be completely submissive to the Father’s will and resist the devil so that he will flee. This is the lifestyle that enables us, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to lead victorious lifestyles and be overcomers of the devil as Jesus is!

James 4:7 (NIV)

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Romans 8:37-39 (NIV)

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we are in Christ Jesus (born-again) we reside in God’s perfect love and perfect love drives out all fear. We no longer need to fear anything that we face, not even death! For death for those in Christ Jesus has lost its sting.

1 John 4:18 (AMP)

18 There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love].

1 Corinthians 15:54-58 (NIV)

54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[Isaiah 25:8]

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”[Hosea 13:14]

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

In Christ Jesus we have total victory over the works of the devil. The devil’s ultimate aim is to murder us by enticing us to deny Jesus and thus causing us to live our lives in sin without the hope of redemption that Jesus provides mankind. This is death – eternal separation from God in Hell!

But thanks be to God, Jesus overcame death on the cross at calvary. He took the sin of mankind upon himself – He died for me and you! But by the power of the Holy Spirit, God resurrected Jesus on the third day and because of this, those of us that are born again and have repented of our sin and have accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour are also able to partake in the resurrection and have victory over death and receive eternal life!

1 Corinthians 15:42-48 (NIV)

42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

Romans 6:5-7 (NIV)

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

And last but by no means least, Jesus has given us of his authority to also destroy the works of the devil, all we need to do is appropriate His authority and use it by faith in Him to resist the devil.

Luke 10:19 (NIV)

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

“Jesus has destroyed the works of the devil!”

Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven
In the Name of Jesus, I pray that you would protect me from the works of the devil and that you, by your Holy Spirit, would help me to overcome temptation as Jesus did and not offer myself up to sin in any way. Let me not continue to sin as Jesus has saved me from death and help me to exercise the authority I have in Jesus to overcome the devil! Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!