The three power gifts of the Holy Spirit include the Gift of Faith, The Gift of Healing, and the Gift of Working of Miracles. As we noted in the last lesson, the Gift of Faith is given to enable us to have the absolute trust necessary to accomplish those things that are beyond the ordinary. With simple faith we receive salvation. With simple faith we walk in the day-to-day instructions of the Word. With simple faith we give thanks for our food, attend church and participate in Sunday School and worship services. But then, there are those things like healing and working of miracles that go beyond our normal, everyday activities in the Kingdom. When we are called to exercise these gifts to help the Body of Christ, then the Holy Spirit pours out the Gift of Faith to enable us to act in the role of healer or miracle worker.

Remember, when we receive a Gift, it is to operate for the benefit of others (1Cor. 12:25-26). The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for the betterment of the Body of Christ: for encouragement, exhortation, and comfort, and to help others outside the Body see the Truth of the Living God. And so it is with the Gift of Healing and the Gift of Working Miracles. I’ve lumped them both together because both of them involve God stepping on and changing the normal order of our physical universe. Healing that could take months occurs in an instant, miracles beyond comprehension occur, lives are eternally changed.

There is a very good story that Paul tells in the last part of Acts that illustrates all three Power Gifts in operation. He is on his way to Rome, under the care of a Centurion, charged with caring for Paul and guarding him against harm. As they travel from port to port on their way to Rome, they end up in a place called Fair Haven, of all names. Then, as Luke writes, Acts 27:9 But as [the season was well advanced, for] much time had been lost and navigation was already dangerous, for the time for the Fast [the Day of Atonement, about the beginning of October] had already gone by, Paul warned and advised them,

Acts 27:10 Saying, Sirs, I perceive [after careful observation] that this voyage will be attended with disaster and much heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but of our lives also. Acts 27:11 However, the centurion paid greater attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. Acts 27:12 And as the harbor was not well situated and so unsuitable to winter in, the majority favored the plan of putting to sea again from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenice, a harbor of Crete facing southwest and northwest, and winter there.

Big mistake, as the Centurion and the other 275 people on board were to discover. They put to sea on a pleasant south wind, but then a powerful nor’easter came roaring in and drove them helplessly before it. A ship with 276 people aboard, in addition to a sizable cargo, is not a small ship. And evidently the storm was not a small storm. They pulled down the sails and ran ropes around the boat to help hold it together. They tied the rudder because it was too difficult for a man to hold. And they ran before the storm. Not for a day or two, but for a couple of weeks, as in 14 days.

The storm was so violent that even the seafarers were in awe of its violence. They couldn’t navigate because they couldn’t see the sun or the moon. Everyone just struggled to stay alive and not get washed overboard. As they went along, they tossed out the cargo, then all the ship’s furniture and any excess fittings that they could find. Paul has been praying and as the narrative then notes, Acts 27:21 Then as they had eaten nothing for a long time, Paul came forward into their midst and said, Men, you should have listened to me, and should not have put to sea from Crete and brought on this disaster and harm and misery and loss. Acts 27:22 But [even] now I beg you to be in good spirits and take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you but only of the ship. Acts 27:23 For this [very] night there stood by my side an angel of the God to Whom I belong and Whom I serve and worship, Acts 27:24 And he said, Do not be frightened, Paul! It is necessary for you to stand before Caesar; and behold, God has given you all those who are sailing with you. Acts 27:25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith (complete confidence) in God that it will be exactly as it was told me; Acts 27:26 But we shall have to be stranded on some island.

Now, let me ask you. If you had been on that ship would you have believed Paul? Remember these were not Christians, well indoctrinated and imbued in the Word. These were pagans. Why should they believe Paul? But they did. They could only have believed him if they completely trusted him and his God. This is most certainly a Gift of Faith operating so powerfully in Paul that his absolute confidence in the Lord reached out to touch the lives of those on the ship.

The sailors dropped a sounding line and sure enough, they were drawing near to land. Some of them tried to slip off the ship on a small boat they had on board. Paul recognized that they are trying to get off the ship and escape, just in case the ship hit the rocks. But Paul knew what they are up to (the Gift of Knowledge). Acts 27:30 And as the sailors were trying to escape [secretly] from the ship and were lowering the small boat into the sea, pretending that they were going to lay out anchors from the bow, Acts 27:31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot be saved. Acts 27:32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes that held the small boat, and let it fall and drift away.

Again, why would the Roman Centurion and his men believe Paul? They had no real reason to do so, other than the fact that Paul was speaking for the Lord; and his words carried the weight of eternity. So, Paul urged them to eat. He prays and gives them bread, and they all eat and feel encouraged.  There was still a portion of the cargo—wheat—on board, and they tossed it over. The ship then went aground on a sand bar off shore, and the violent sea began to break it up. The Roman soldiers decided to kill the prisoners on board, least they escape. But the Centurion, in charge of Paul’s protection, stopped them. Everyone went overboard, clinging to boards and other flotsam as they made their way to shore.

Then, Luke writes Paul as telling, Acts 28:1 AFTER WE were safe on the island, we knew and recognized that it was called Malta. Acts 28:2 And the natives showed us unusual and remarkable kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed and received us all, since it had begun to rain and was cold. Acts 28:3 Now Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and he was laying them on the fire when a viper crawled out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. Acts 28:4 When the natives saw the little animal hanging from his hand, they said to one another, Doubtless this man is a murderer, for though he has been saved from the sea, Justice [the goddess of avenging] has not permitted that he should live. Acts 28:5 Then [Paul simply] shook off the small creature into the fire and suffered no evil effects. Acts 28:6 However, they were waiting, expecting him to swell up or suddenly drop dead; but when they had watched him a long time and saw nothing fatal or harmful come to him, they changed their minds and kept saying over and over that he was a god. Acts 28:7 In the vicinity of that place there were estates belonging to the head man of the island, named Publius, who accepted and welcomed and entertained us with hearty hospitality for three days. Acts 28:8 And it happened that the father of Publius was sick in bed with recurring attacks of fever and dysentery; and Paul went to see him, and after praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him. Acts 28:9 After this had occurred, the other people on the island who had diseases also kept coming and were cured.

In this passage, we see both the Gift of Healing and the Gift of Miracles in operation. Paul goes about the process of healing everyone who comes to him. Note that these were all nonbelievers. The Gift of Healing was given to Paul as a sign and wonder so the people of Malta would clearly understand that God is truly God. Paul did not take credit for the healings. It was made clear that God is the Healer, simply using Paul as His tool in this instance. And then, there’s that viper. Paul simply shakes it off into the fire. Certainly it was a miracle that he didn’t die.

So here, in this passage, we see the Gift of Faith, the Gift of Healings, the Gift of Working Miracles, and the Gift of a Word of Knowledge all operating in Paul. But again, note, they were not just for Paul. They operated through Paul, certainly, but their use was to help others, and thereby bring honor and glory to God through Christ Jesus. Jesus told us that it was good that He would leave because He would then sent us His Holy Spirit (John 16:7). When He sent us His Spirit, it enabled us to carry out his statement in John 14:12, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father (and will then send us His Spirit—GB).

We can do the things that Jesus did because of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, given as the Spirit wills to enable us to do all that God has for us to do. But, we have to be receptive and then act, guided by the Spirit’s direction and power. To do this, we have to stay in touch with God on more than an occasional basis. We have to be in touch in all we do, ever ready to operate in the Gifts so that others will be blessed by God using us to help them.

While the Gifts are given to help others, in a sense, when God provides healing and miracles for us personally, they are also gifts that help the Body and others outside the Body. They help others because our lives then become a living testimony to the Agape that God has for His Creation. When Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William G. “Jerry” Boykin was fighting in Granada, he was shot in the left side and left arm. His bicep was destroyed, his upper hunerus was shattered into a thousand pieces, and his radial nerve was severely damaged. Jerry is a Christian, and on his long flights back home, he prayed continuously, asking God to heal his arm. In his words, “At some point during those hours in the air, my anxiety melted away, replaced by an absolute assurance that He would.” See Phil. 4:6-7, Col 3:15. When he told his doctors to do what they could, but not to worry because God was going to heal his arm, they told him it was good that he had such a positive attitude; but their skepticism was palpable.

They held out little hope for an arm so badly damaged, but within a couple of weeks, he was wiggling three fingers, then a week later wiggling all his fingers, then making a fist. Still the doctors held out little hope that the bones in his arm would knit, simply because there was so much open space between the bone fragments. But sure enough, another week went by and that too healed. Tests indicated that the nerve to his arm was not operating, but there he was, grasping things with a fully functional left arm, that was healing and returning to normal no matter what the medical community told him. To exercise his bicep, he would grab a stick with his left hand, then use his good right arm to lift his damaged left arm and give it a workout. Sure enough, his muscle strength returned, even to the point of allowing him to do pushups.  As a young man he had played guitar in a trio; after the injury his left arm ended up a couple of inches shorter than his right arm, but he has such good motor control in his healed left arm that he is back playing bluegrass.

This event, detailed in his book, Never Surrender (Faith Words, NY.), is a testimony to all who read it, Christian and non-believer alike, of God’s healing powers and His willingness to help His children. In this way, it is an encouragement and a celebration in the joy of the Lord to others in the Body and a call to non-believers to accept the Gospel. Since there are no alarm bells that go off when the Holy Spirit gives us a Gift, and since there is no way of knowing God’s mind in such events, all we need to do is ever be ready to live out the Truth of God’s Word and allow Him to operate in us as He wills. Pray that God will use you mightily, allowing you to operate in the Gifts to be a sign and wonder for Him, and help the Body become stronger and more able to teach, preach, and heal after the manner of our brother, Christ the Risen Lord.

When we are “in Christ,” we may be given any one of nine different spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit, as He wills. These gifts are for the development of the Body, not for our own personal use. That is, they are given for the development and enrichment of others, sometimes for an individual, but usually for the enlightenment and aid of many others. These gifts are clearly spelled out in 1Cor. 12, and we will take a look at them in detail in this and the next several lessons.

Now about the spiritual gifts (the special endowments of supernatural energy), brethren, I do not want you to be misinformed. You know that when you were heathen, you were led off after idols that could not speak [habitually] as impulse directed and whenever the occasion might arise. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking under the power and influence of the [Holy] Spirit of God can [ever] say, Jesus be cursed! And no one can [really] say, Jesus is [my] Lord, except by and under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. Now there are distinctive varieties and distributions of endowments (gifts, extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians, due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit) and they vary, but the [Holy] Spirit remains the same. And there are distinctive varieties of service and ministration, but it is the same Lord [Who is served]. And there are distinctive varieties of operation [of working to accomplish things], but it is the same God Who inspires and energizes them all in all. But to each one is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit [the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit] for good and profit. To one is given in and through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] a message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same [Holy] Spirit; To another [wonder-working] faith by the same [Holy] Spirit, to another the extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit; To another the working of miracles, to another prophetic insight (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose); to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, to another the ability to interpret [such] tongues. All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses (1Cor. 12:1-11).

Before Paul lists the nine gifts, he describes the three grouping to which they belong. First are the gifts of power. These are (1) for extraordinary faith, (2) for healing, (3) for working of miracles. The second category is that of service and ministration, gifts that inspire, which includes, (4) prophecy, (5) speaking in tongues, (6) interpreting tongues. Then there are the gifts of operation (working to reveal things). These are (7) a word of knowledge, (8) a message of wisdom, (9) discerning of spirits.

Please let me repeat again that these gifts are given by the Holy Spirit as He wills. Of course everyone would like to operate in all the gifts all the time, but these are not roles that we assume. These are gifts given by the Holy Spirit at a specific time for a specific purpose Note also that they are given as needed. The gifts may be given permanently, but are usually given for a particular circumstance that is to be covered by the gift. For example, the gift of tongues is different than the simple speaking in tongues that is given to every believer who is baptized in the Holy Spirit. The gift of tongues is to be used in congregation (assembly), and is given for a specific revelation from God for that assembly at the time the gift is exercised. If there is no one to interpret then the speaker is to sit down and remain quiet while the assembly continues to worship (1Cor. 14:28).

The three power gifts are intended to display God’s supernatural intervention in the lives of humans. The first one, the gift of extraordinary faith, is given so that an individual or group of individuals may stand strong is their absolute trust in God. Jesus showed this on a number of instances, but probably the best example is when He faced death on the cross. It’s one thing, as a human, to know that eventually you will the Sacrificial Lamb, given as a sin offering for all of humanity. It is quite another to know that it you will be flogged and butchered on the cross tomorrow. When Jesus was praying in the Garden on the eve of His crucifixion, He asked God to give Him another way out, if possible, but then He bends His will to that of the Father—and that will was for Jesus to go to the cross (Matt. 26:42).

As a person, Jesus did not want to die on the cross. And as human, he had never died and been brought back to life. He had to trust God fully, and I do mean fully, if He was going to allow Himself to be arrested, flogged,  and hung on the cross. So, His prayer in the Garden was answered with a gift of extraordinary faith that allowed Him to give Himself completely with the full confidence that God would do all that God said He would do.

Furthermore, because we are in Christ, He becomes the source of our faith, strengthening and encouraging our trust in God. Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1-2). Since Jesus lived a life completely in faith of the father, He is able to support us in every endeavor we are called to do, encouraging our faith, and through the Holy Spirit, fortifying it when necessary (Heb. 4:15).

Remember faith is absolute trust in God. It is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). When we are in a situation that calls for us to step beyond our personal outer limits of faith, the Holy Spirit comes to our aid with the Gift of Faith. This gift works in conjunction with the other gifts to enable us to accomplish God’s will. For example, by the Gift of Faith we receive the necessary trust to use the Gift of Healing or Gift of working Miracles.  By the Gift of Faith we are empowered to stand in congregation and prophecy, or give a message in tongues, or interpret that message, and so on.

Tell God that you are open to any and all of the gifts so that you may bring honor and glory to Him, as he deems timely and fit. Let Him know that you are a willing vessel, ready to convey His love and grace to others (2Tim. 2:20). Remember, Jesus is both the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2), and when we are in Christ, we are able to function fully in the Gift of Extraordinary Faith whenever we are blessed with it by the Spirit.

Last Sunday, we had a few moments to discuss the topic of predestination, based on the fist portion of Ephesians. Paul, an apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah), by the divine will (the purpose and the choice of God) to the saints (the consecrated, set-apart ones) at Ephesus who are also faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus: May grace (God’s unmerited favor) and spiritual peace [which means peace with God and harmony, unity, and undisturbedness] be yours from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm! Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love. For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]– [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor, Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence), Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in Him, [He planned] for the maturity of the times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth. In Him we also were made [God’s] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, Who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will, So that we who first hoped in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him have been destined and appointed to] live for the praise of His glory! (Eph. 1:1-12).

At first glance, and without considering the broad over-view of the Scriptures, it might seem as if God has predestined every person’s life, and whether that life will be lived for God or lived for the Evil One. But that is not the Truth, and it is not the intent of this passage.

First, it is extremely clear from Scriptures that God wants every person to be saved, not just a select few that He hand-picked before the beginning of time (1Tim. 2:4). Not only that but He has made a promise to us that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord [invoking Him as Lord] will be saved (Rom. 10:13). It is in this passage from Romans that we find the clue to understanding the concept of predestination as it applies to God’s relationship to humanity. Notice that Rom. 10:13 is just another version of Deut. 30:19: I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live. The choice belongs totally to us. It is the dreaded “R” word lifting its head to stare us directly in the eye—it is our “Responsibility.”

We have a nifty way of distorting God’s Word to fit our personal desires. We want to blame God for all the bad things, for our own personal failings, for the fact that we don’t have all the money and material things that we want, and so on, by saying that He “predestined” us to be the way we are. Well guess what? He did predestine us, but not to be ineffectual lazy, blaming bums. He predestined us to be His children–IF we want to be. Furthermore, He predestined a life for each of us, rich in His continual blessings, imbedded fully in His love, and walking daily hand in hand with Him—IF we choose it.

But the choosing is not predestined. That is, God did not predestine some to choose to be His children, and the rest to choose to go to hell. What type of God would that be? Certain not the Lord God Almighty who gave His only begotten son to be butchered on a cross so that all who call upon His name will be saved. No, God is Agape, not some confused being with a multiple personality, who one day beats us and the next day loves us. NO. God is Agape and never varies. He does not tempt us with evil because He has no evil. All good things come from God and from no one else! (James 1:13-17).

What some humans don’t like about this association with God is the fact that it is our responsibility to choose and no one else’s. It is so much easier to blame someone else for our shortcomings than to admit that we missed the mark. It is much easier to say that God has predestined all the things that happen in our lives rather than to admit that we made bad choices and didn’t listen to Him. God will not be involved in our decisions unless we ask Him to be involved.

There are several verses that we have discussed in past lessons that directly address this ability to involve God in our decisions. Prov. 16:3 Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed. Psa. 37:4-5 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. James 1:5-6 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind.

Notice in every instance, it is our responsibility to involve God. So, let me say it one more time, God will not be involved in our decisions unless we ask Him to be involved. He does have a plan for each and every human. A plan that He has, in fact, predestined for each of us. It is a plan to bless us beyond all measure, beyond even our wildest expectations (1Cor. 2:9-16). BUT, and boy is this a big “but,” that plan is only put into effect by our willing, day-by-day cooperation and participation. And, that plan starts with our being “in Christ.” We cannot be involved with God in any other way.

There has only been one “perfect” person—our Messiah and Lord, Christ Jesus. Read carefully—even several times—what He had to say about bending His will to the plan (predestined) that God had for Him. He said, I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord—but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me (John 5:30—bold my editing, GB).

There’s the key. Since all who make Christ Lord and Savior are “in Christ,” it would seem that the single goal of all of God’s children would be to not seek or consult our own will [to have no desire to do what is pleasing to ourselves, our own aim, our own purpose] but only to do the will and pleasure of the Father. When that happens we will indeed be living in the life that God has predestined for us—a life rich in all the blessings and adventures that only the God Who is Agape can make available to us.

And now comes the part that is really tough. Notice that God’s plan for Jesus is not what any of us would want. We want the big house and car, plenty of cash, and friends galore. That might be God’s plan for us, but then again, it might not be God’s plan for us. We have to want God’s plan for us, regardless of what that plan is. This is the way we are truly obedient children whose only desire is to please our Father and bring honor and glory to Him.

Spend time every day, talking to God about His plans for your life. Give Him your life, your work, your all. Ask Him to put His thoughts in you and guide your walk—every day. Stay in the Word and allow God to grow understanding and wisdom in you. As you do, you will be drawing ever closer to His perfect, predestined plan for your life.

Christians are always under the microscope. Even people that you think don’t know you are a Christian often do know, and are observing you closely to see if you are for real or merely another hypocrite. The “Sunday-only” Christians have been a problem for the Church since that first Pentecost. Paul, in his discussions with the various churches, was always reminding the early Christians that they were no longer of this world, and so, should not act like the people of the world. This is the reason for this discussion in 1Thes.

BRETHREN, we beg and admonish you in [virtue of our union with] the Lord Jesus, that [you follow the instructions which] you learned from us about how you ought to walk so as to please and gratify God, as indeed you are doing, [and] that you do so even more and more abundantly [attaining yet greater perfection in living this life]. For you know what charges and precepts we gave you [on the authority and by the inspiration of] the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, that you should be consecrated (separated and set apart for pure and holy living): that you should abstain and shrink from all sexual vice, That each one of you should know how to possess (control, manage) his own body in consecration (purity, separated from things profane) and honor, Not [to be used] in the passion of lust like the heathen, who are ignorant of the true God and have no knowledge of His will, That no man transgress and overreach his brother and defraud him in this matter or defraud his brother in business. For the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we have already warned you solemnly and told you plainly. For God has not called us to impurity but to consecration [to dedicate ourselves to the most thorough purity]. Therefore whoever disregards (sets aside and rejects this) disregards not man but God, Whose [very] Spirit [Whom] He gives to you is holy (chaste, pure). But concerning brotherly love [for all other Christians], you have no need to have anyone write you, for you yourselves have been [personally] taught by God to love one another. And indeed you already are [extending and displaying your love] to all the brethren throughout Macedonia. But we beseech and earnestly exhort you, brethren, that you excel [in this matter] more and more, To make it your ambition and definitely endeavor to live quietly and peacefully, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you, So that you may bear yourselves becomingly and be correct and honorable and command the respect of the outside world, being dependent on nobody [self-supporting] and having need of nothing (1Thes. 4:1-12).

Notice the very last part. After stating what not to do and what to do, Paul states that this is so that Christians will “command the respect of the outside world.” This does not mean that we are to be prideful, exactly the opposite. It is Christian respect for others and their concern for others, as well as their life of love, joy, peace, patience., goodness, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control, that others will notice and want to know how and why (Gal. 5:22-23). Like it or not we are God’s ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20), and we need to act as such. Our lives need to be signs and wonders for our loving Father.

This does not mean that we are to be doing miracles, raising the dead, converting water into wine (no matter what the brand of “spring water” we use), and so on. It does mean that we believe in miracles and accept them as God’s supernatural involvement in our lives. It does mean that when we operate in a way that falls outside the norm for the people of the world, things that help others, things that show God to others, things that show we live in the Truth, we will get the world’s attention. We will be showing the world what it means to live for God. Jesus said it like this, Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him and he [abides, lives, makes his home] in God (1John 4:15).

We have to “own” Jesus. This does not we literally own Him, it means that under no circumstance, are we to be afraid to be who God made us to be. We don’t “go along to get along.” We adhere to the Truth regardless of the lies that flow around us. We should never feel afraid or awkward about telling people of the world something such as, “Last night we had a really great prayer meeting, and we ask God to help you get through this tough time.” Many times, when people know they are being prayed for, they are more open to the Truth of Gospel. It can prepare their hearts to hear the Truth and react positively to it. If we are signs, then we ought to be signs with God’s Truth written on them.

As ambassadors, we have to remember that Jesus has provided the protection we need from the Evil One, so that we can thwart his plans for us. First, we see Jesus asking God not to take us out of the world, but to protect us from the Evil One (John 17:15). And then we hear Paul clearly telling us that God has, indeed, granted that request of our Brother, Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world (1John 4:4). This means that we do not have to bow our knee to the whims of the Evil One, as the people of the world have to do. Rather we get to tell him to take a hike, and he has to take a hike (James 4:7).

Thus, our lives should be lives of joy and peace in God. Lives that pray in all circumstances, giving thanks to God because of His help and care for us (1Thes. 5:18). Lives that rely on Him, and take no stock in contradictions that come from the philosophies of the world (Col. 2:8). Lives that we constantly renew in the Word (Rom. 12:2). Lives that are true signs for God.

The concept of the word really has two distinct meanings that are intimately tied together. First are the actual words of God, as we have them written down in the Bible, or as we speak those words—the rhema word. The second is the Word of God, that is the full nature of God—the Logos word. In the first example, we are told, I sought (inquired of) the Lord and required Him [of necessity and on the authority of His Word], and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears (Ps. 34:4). God’s Word is the source of our authority, our understanding, our wisdom, our worldview, our life.

So many times we have discussed the necessity of knowing the word. Not just reading it, but actually knowing it and living it. This is not just some idle exercise in memorization or mental gymnastics. It is our very life. Jesus put it like this, If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7).  Notice that Jesus said, “if my words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts.” We have to get the Word in, and we have to encourage it, nurture it, water it, give it sonlight, and exalt it to first position, because it has it’s own inherent power (Col. 1:6) to live in us. For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart (Heb. 4:12).

Furthermore, the rhema Word of God is power unto us in our stand against the Evil One. In addition to taking on the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Belt of Truth, having our feet shod in the ready Gospel of Peace, and in one hand the Shield of Faith which quenches all the fiery darts of the Wicked One, we are to take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17). Notice that it is the Sword that the Spirit wields that we get to use. That Sword is the rhema Word of God. We say it, and it does the work that God intends it to do for us. Remember, God’s word does not go out and return void, but accomplishes the work for which it was sent (Isa. 55:11). Having God’s words on our lips is always a deterrent to the Evil One.

For example, suppose you need to drive out one of the traits of the Evil One—let’s say anger—from your life. We need first, to realize that though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) (2Cor, 10:3-5). We are refuting the arguments of Satan and his prideful stance before God. To that we use God’s own words. This is in fact, one of the reasons that He caused the Bible to be written. We have His words to use in defeating the Devil.

One might say, for example, “In the name of Jesus, I rebuke this anger, even as Michael rebuked Satan in Jude 9, and I cast it away from me. I replace this anger with the gifts of the Spirit as discussed in Gal. 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, and self control. In Jesus name and according to the promise in 1John 5:14-15, it is so.”

So, a take this commandment seriously:  Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts (Col 3:16).

How important does God think His Word is? Remember, the scribes copying God’s name left out the vowels in reverence for God. But here’s what God has to say about this. I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name! (Ps. 138:2). God has elevated His Word above His name. The Hebrew word for “word,” imbrah, used in this verse meant the Scriptures. God has set His Scriptures above even His name. This has two meanings. (1) He wants us to give greater regard to what He has told us rather than to His name. If the scribes gave such reverence to His name that they wouldn’t copy the vowels of His name, then what should they have been doing with the Word? We must, yes must, get His Word in is and give it FIRST place in our lives. (2) Putting one’s words above one’s name is making a contract. First comes the covenant and then the names sealing it. In fact the Hebrew word imbrah has the suggestion of covenant. God’s Word is His covenant and He will never break it. We can always rely on God to keep His written Word. We need to have absolute trust in this fact.

The Logos of God is not His spoken words, nor His written words. Rather, it is Him. Scribes in the Old Testament times would not write the vowels in God’s name—consonant’s only, please. This they did, because spelling out His entire name was viewed as being irreverent. His name is Who He is. Isaac was “laughter,” Jacob “the supplanter” became Israel—“one who wrestles with God”, and Jesus is “One who Saves.” Although this dimension of naming has been abandoned in the modern world, it was as real as real in the time of the writing of the Old and New Testaments. And it was clearly understood.

When John penned, In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being. In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it] (John 1:1-5), what he was saying is that Jesus Christ is the same as God, and has always been so. He was saying that the very essence of God came and dwelt among us in order to show Himself to us in all the fullness of His love, grace, mercy, care, and all other dimensions (see John 21:25) . In the truest sense, the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth (John 1:14).

This is the Logos Word that lives in us when we become God’s children (John 15:4, James 4:5). Once that happens, it is then our responsibility to learn the rhema word by which the Logos Word in us can help us operate in our lives. God’s goal is not to subjugate us, but rather to strengthen, guide, counsel, help, teach, anoint, and purpose out lives. Not to be slaves, but to become fully mature children who can share all that He has with Him and tell others of His infinite love for us. It should be the goal of every child of the One, True, and Living God to become everything and do everything that He has planned for us.

A prophet is one who knows the mind of God and proclaims it to others; sometimes to foretell the future, sometimes to simply proclaim God’s desires and intentions for the Body of Christ and for humanity in the present time. In one of the most profound passages in the Bible, God proclaims through Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians of His intent that all His children should know His mind, for He has literally given it to them.

None of the rulers of this age or world perceived and recognized and understood this, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]. Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny]. For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God.  And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart (1Coir. 2:8-16).

There is much in this passage, but we want to look carefully at it from the standpoint of God’s intent for His children as prophets. We shall start at the end, because it is what He has told us in verse 16 that makes sense of the rest of the verses. We have been given the mind of Christ! Not His physical brain, but we have been given the ability to think and make decisions the way God does. “Incredible” is too weak a word to describe what God has done for us. In fact, no human words can really describe His grace toward us. But before any of the rest of the passage really makes any sense, we need to get into our hearts the full implications of verse 16. We have the mind of Christ.

Exactly what does that mean? It means exactly what it says. It is not a mystical statement full of bizarre implications. It is very straightforward, and we need to grasp all the fullness of its meaning. We can think like Christ thinks. But, as we have noted many times before, Christ does not think with the things of the world. He was very emphatic about this when He told the disciples, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way [in His turn] (John 5:`19). I am able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of My own accord—but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide as I am bidden to decide. As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and My judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own will [I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me. (John 5:30).

The implications for us are very clear: The mind of Christ in us will not think with the trash of the world that we have accumulated in our brains. His mind is pure before God, and will only think with the thoughts of God. Thus it is that Bible study becomes more than an exercise in reading comprehension. It becomes life itself. As we read, study, meditate, memorize, and teach the Word of the only One and True Living God, we are preparing ourselves to experience the mind of Christ operating within us.

Now note that the Holy Spirit even plumbs the deepest things of God and reveals them to us. Mostly this occurs in our work with the Word. Without a strong fundamental understanding of who we are in Christ, and without our willingness to operate by faith in this understanding, the Holy Spirit can do little with us. Please understand that God will always use us to our capacity as He needs. When that capacity is tiny, then we operate in a tiny circle within the much larger realm that God has for us. As our knowledge of, and understanding of, the Word increases, our circle increases. So, as we read the Word, the Holy Spirit is right there to encourage our comprehension and reveal the heart of God to us.

This happens on several levels. First, is the introductory level in which we begin to see the larger picture: Jesus is Messiah, His death and resurrection bought us a place in the Kingdom (if we will accept it), and when we do accept, we become an intimate part of the Body of Christ. Then comes a bit of refining, such as: our old spirit was crucified with Christ and our new spirit is a part of His Spirit; Christ died on the cross to free us from the curse so that we could receive all that God has for us, both in this physical world and in the spirit world; through Christ we are more than conquerors because greater is He Who is in us than he who is in the world; and so on. Then comes the level in which we begin to realize that there is a real working relationship with the King of kings, and we begin operating in it. This is where God wants us. Not just making an intellectual connection, but a true love connection in which He is the One Whom we seek with all our hearts and minds. His will becomes our will. His words become our words. At this point, we are the prophets that God intends us to be. This last phase is ongoing. It is ever expanding because one lifetime is not long enough to receive all that God has for us. This ever-developing relationship with the King of kings expands as fast as we will allow it to expand. In other words, we, not God, are the ones who control the depth of the relationship and the rate at which it develops. Make it your goal to never cease expanding your relationship with the Father.

Seek Him with all your heart, for He is life beyond measure, joy unbounded, giver of all good things, Father of Lights, and Truth untainted by the garbage of the world.  Haul out Proverbs 16:3, as noted before, every day, and put it to work in your life as a prophet of the Living God.

As kings (rulers), we have the right to bind the Evil One out of our lives and loose the fruits of the Spirit in us (Matt. 16:19, 18:18, Gal 5:22-23). We are in charge, not some outside force. In fact, not even God is in charge of our lives unless we want Him to be; the choice is always ours. This is why, every day, we need to turn our lives over to Him and ask that He put His thoughts in us and help us to be, do, think, and act as He would have us to do. So, Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will (Prov. 16:3),

As kings in our lives, we have God-given authority to rule. It is the authority of the one who holds all power and authority, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus told us in the most succinct and clear way possible when He said, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me (Matt.28:18). For He [the Father] has put all things in subjection under His [Christ’s] feet. But when it says, All things are put in subjection [under Him], it is evident that He [Himself] is excepted Who does the subjecting of all things to Him. However, when everything is subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also subject Himself to [the Father] Who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all [be everything to everyone, supreme, the indwelling and controlling factor of life] (1Cor. 15:27-28).

Jesus holds all power and authority (Eph. 1:22). This cannot be argued. Furthermore, He has made this available to us, as His Body (Eph. 1:23). This is so that we can rule in that power and authority. But in order to do so, we must certify our authority by designating its true source: Jesus. So, whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him (Col. 3:17). Note that we are to do everything in the name of Jesus. Obviously, this does not mean we are to do evil things in His name. And obviously it does not mean that we need to go to the grocery store in His name. We need to be level headed and realize that this verse applies to all that we do in the service of the King, and not try to distort it into some ritualistic behavior. That would be just as silly as not doing anything in Jesus’ Name.

We can be assured that when we are dealing with the Evil One, anything that we do without invoking Jesus name will have no effect upon him. Jesus defeated him, and it is only Jesus that he must listen to. So when we invoke the authority that we have been given, by invoking the name of Jesus, our King, Satan must likewise listen to us. There is no need to get all angry and talk loud. There is no reason to call Satan all sorts of names. All we need to do is rebuke him (Jude 9), and tell him to leave in the name of Jesus, and he will leave. So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

And when we go to the Father to talk to Him, ask for things, intercede for others, give praise and thanks, worship Him, or whatever we are doing, we are to say, “Amen” (so be it) in the name of Jesus, always! I know many say their prayers and then simply say “Amen.” But this is not scriptural. Jesus told us: I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]. Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete (John 16:23b-24). It doesn’t matter if the bulletin simply says “Amen”, or others just say “Amen”; you have every right and responsibility to say “In Jesus’ name, Amen.” Make the use of His name your byword in all that you do in association with the King.

When Jesus was crucified, His death put the New Covenant in place. This New Covenant was His Last Will and Testament (see John 17), and it went into effect with His death. But there’s something else that we need to realize, and that is very plainly, that Jesus came back from the dead to also be the mediator of His own Last Will and Testament (the New Testament). Yes, Jesus is the Mediator (Go-between, Agent) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks [of mercy], a better and nobler and more gracious message than the blood of Abel [which cried out for vengeance] (Heb.12:24). For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1`Tim. 2:5).

We operate as the Church (His Body) under the terms of the New Testament. Trying to introduce our own terms into the Covenant won’t work. The Covenant was made between Jesus and our Father, not between us and God. Now the promises (covenants, agreements) were decreed and made to Abraham and his Seed (his Offspring, his Heir). He [God] does not say, And to seeds (descendants, heirs), as if referring to many persons, but, And to your Seed (your Descendant, your Heir), obviously referring to one individual, Who is [none other than] Christ (the Messiah) (Gal. 3:6).

But Jesus is Wisdom personified, and He made special provision for us. His special provision was that all who will accept His free gift of salvation become His brothers and sisters and get what He got! And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory. (Rom. 8:17). Very simply, this means that the promises made to Jesus are likewise made to us when we become God’s children.  For as many as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes [answer] in Him [Christ]. For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God (2Cor. 1:20). Notice, notice, notice, that we are to say the “Amen” through Him—that is we say, “In Jesus’ Name, Amen,” or a similar phrase that invokes the name of Jesus, our King and giver of our authority.

The promises are ours when we implement them in the name of Jesus. Don’t neglect his extremely important component of your life in Christ. It is, in fact, an absolutely essential component. Do all you do in the Name of Christ.

It is very sad that many Christians think of themselves as “sinners” especially since God doesn’t consider them sinners, and clearly says in His Word that His children are “saints.” There is an enormous difference between sinners and saints, and the vast space, too large for humans to cross unaided, is bridged by just one person—Jesus Christ, our King of kings and Lord of lords. There [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1Tim. 2:5). This vast expanse between sinner and saint is not imagined; it is as real as the Lord God, Himself, and it was created by Him. He sets His children apart from the rest of humanity and sees them totally differently than he sees the rest of humanity.

And while it is true that God loves all humans, and while it is true that Jesus died for all humans, it is equally true that salvation is a matter of choice on every human’s own part (Deut. 30:19, Josh. 24:15). Salvation doesn’t just mean we get to live eternally. It means that we have been incorporated fully into God’s family, 100 percent, totally, without leaving anything behind except our old human nature. God is not just an “It” out there in the ether that we bow to when we feel like it and ignore the rest of the time. Rather than saying we are saved, we should say we have been adopted and made fully functioning brothers and sisters of Jesus and children of God. And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory (Rom. 8:17).

When we are “saved, we get what Jesus got. Of course we don’t get to be the Firstborn from the dead, and we don’t get to be the Head of the Body. That title belongs to only One, Christ Jesus. [Now] He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation. He also is the Head of [His] body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place [stand first and be preeminent] (Col. 1:15, 18). But, we do get to be members of the Body, and we do get to work hand in hand with God to further the goals of His Kingdom here on earth (Matt. 28:19-20). In order to do that, God has made very specific power and authority available to us. Not weak, mindless power, but real God-given, God-backed power and authority.

This power and authority is first to use in our own lives to bring them in line with God’s Word. This is really a life-long process. If we don’t understand this, we will never grow to be all that God has for us to be. I don’t know about you, but for me, I want to be, have, do, all that God have prepared for me to be, have, and do. At times, I get impatient and want to go faster, but then, when I look back over the last couple of decades, I am astounded at all that God has done to help me become ever more functional as His child.

One of the things that He impressed upon me early on is the fact that not only was I made His child, but I was made to be a king. A real king, not a pretend king. A real ruler with real power and authority. Not THE King, that is Jesus (1Tim 6:15, Rev. 17:14, 19:16). Rather a king who rules a kingdom of one—me. No longer does sin own me (John 8:34). I have been bought out of slavery to sin and given control over my life to block sin and keep it away from me (1Cor. 6:20, 7:23).

Adam sold all humanity into the slavery of sin, Jesus paid the price to buy us out of that slavery and free us to become God’s children with real power and authority over sin and the Evil One. For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) (Rom. 8:17). God designed us to reign as kings (rulers) in this life.

We reign as kings under our King Jesus, drawing our power and authority from Him, calling upon His name (Col. 3:17), and operating in the power of His Spirit (Eph. 1:19-20). And if ever, even fleetingly, you ever wonder about the power and authority that Jesus really has, He told his disciples, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me (Matt 28:18b). Furthermore, He revealed the full depth of “all” power and authority to Paul, who then told the Corinthians,For He [the Father] has put all things in subjection under His [Christ’s] feet. But when it says, All things are put in subjection [under Him], it is evident that He [Himself] is excepted Who does the subjecting of all things to Him. However, when everything is subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also subject Himself to [the Father] Who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all [be everything to everyone, supreme, the indwelling and controlling factor of life] (1Cor. 15:27-28).

We most certainly are kings (queens, rulers), and as Christians we need to start thinking, speaking, and acting that way. Do not call yourself a sinner. Call yourself a saint that occasionally sins. And when we do sin, we only have to ask to be cleansed (1John 1:7-9). As kings we need to take on the regal bearings of one who is in command, and tell our bodies and minds to “get in line” (Rom. 12:1-2). As kings with true authority and the power to back up that authority, we need to tell Satan and his minions to “clear out.” As kings, we need to put into operation all the directives of our King of kings. Failure on our part should not be an option. Our only option should be to think, breath, eat, sleep, do, and be kings, ever searching to become all that we have been designed and gifted to be. Make it so.

Today is Easter, 2103, and as it happens, our discussion concerns the Blood of the Lamb. Last time we examined three tasks of the priests that we have been made to be: (1) offer our bodies as living sacrifices, (2) offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and (3) offer a sacrifice of time to dig deeply into God’s Word.

As priests, we also have the God-given responsibility to handle the Blood of of the Lamb. There are several aspects of this responsibility at we need to understand, and which we need to carry out as members of Christ’s Body, living in, for, with, and through Him. First of these is the right to Plead the Blood. This is a direct reference to being on trial and pleading innocent. Those in Christ are not in the world. And we are not in the world because we have been brought under the atoning Blood of the Lamb.  In one of the truly great passages of the Bible, Paul writes, For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. Therefore, remember that at one time you were Gentiles (heathens) in the flesh, called Uncircumcision by those who called themselves Circumcision, [itself a mere mark] in the flesh made by human hands. [Remember] that you were at that time separated (living apart) from Christ [excluded from all part in Him], utterly estranged and outlawed from the rights of Israel as a nation, and strangers with no share in the sacred compacts of the [Messianic] promise [with no knowledge of or right in God’s agreements, His covenants]. And you had no hope (no promise); you were in the world without God. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were [so] far away, through (by, in) the blood of Christ have been brought near. For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us, By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace (Eph. 2:10-15).

Notice that Jesus did all that He did through His great sacrifice on the  cross, when He shed His blood for us. It was necessary to shed His blood because there is no canceling of sin without the shedding of blood (Heb. 9:22). Furthermore, God could not put His New Covenant with us into place without the shedding of blood (Heb. 9:18). But, unlike the Old Covenant, which was sealed with the shedding of animal blood (Gen. 15:9-18; Heb. 9:19-20), the New Covenant was sealed with the innocent Blood of the Lamb (Heb. 9:12, 13:20-21). It is the sprinkling of this Blood on us by Jesus that purifies us and buys us out of the kingdom of darkness and puts us permanently into the Kingdom of Love and Light.

But even beyond this, the Blood of the Lamb ever cleanses us, flushing sin off us whenever we ask God to do so. John clearly pointed out that if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations]. If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts]. If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]. If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts] (1John 1:7-10).

It is the Blood of the Lamb that bought us, cleanses us, and keeps us ever clean so that we may be righteous before the King of kings. We want to stay cleansed and walking in the innocence of the righteousness that God bestows upon us because The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working] (James 5:16b). That’s what we want to be: dynamic and capable of praying in the fullness of the authority and power that Jesus made available to us. As the Body of Christ, the very Temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 6:19), we are to be a House of Prayer (Matt. 21:13, Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46). Not a house of rare prayer, not a house of possible prayer, not a house of no prayer, not a house of feeble, self serving prayer, but a real House of Prayer in which the people pray in righteousness for all the needs of the Kingdom.

Furthermore, as priests in the Great Royal Priesthood (1Peter 2:19, Rev. 5:10) we have the responsibility to sprinkle the Blood of the Lamb on the doorposts of our lives to block the entrance of the Evil One who wants to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). This sprinkling was instituted by God on the first Passover, when every head of a family had to sprinkle the blood of a lamb on the door posts and lentil of the entrance doors of their homes (Heb. 11:28). We have the right, nay the responsibility, to keep the Blood of the Lamb fresh on the doorposts of our lives. Obviously, we can’t go get fresh blood from Jesus every day, but we can symbolically sprinkle His Blood on our cleansed bodies (cleansed by the Blood, too), and keep ourselves in the great, secret place of God (Ps. 91:1), inaccessible to the evil One.

You are a priest with direct access to the Great High Priest, capable and able to function in all the fullness that Jesus intended. Don’t neglect this extremely important aspect of your life. Be all that God intended you to be.

Jesus didn’t just come to give us a way to get out of the Kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of Love and Light.  We need to continually remember that Jesus’ intent on the cross was to buy back what we lost when Satan became our masters. That is, to make us  fully endowed children of God. Fully endowed with all that Adam lost when he bowed his knee to the Evil One, and believed him rather than trusting God. And what He bought back on that cross was completeness in spirit, soul, body, finances, and social life. Completeness means completeness, not partial completeness, not completeness in some areas and lacking greatly or totally in other areas. Completeness.

Being “in Christ” means that what Christ is, we are. Many find this hard to believe, and that is perhaps one of the biggest hangups in our Christian life. Satan is constantly prying at our belief, trying to wedge it our of position so that we only “half believe,” and therefore only half operate in the fullness that God has given us. How were the early Christians known as those that “turned the world upside down,” if in fact they only acted like everyone else? We need to very clearly understand who we are and what it means to be fully completed by God, Himself.

There’s a great passage in 1Peter that so clearly tells us that we have been made a royal priesthood for God. For thus it stands in Scripture: Behold, I am laying in Zion a chosen (honored), precious chief Cornerstone, and he who believes in Him [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] shall never be disappointed or put to shame. To you then who believe (who adhere to, trust in, and rely on Him) is the preciousness; but for those who disbelieve [it is true], The [very] Stone which the builders rejected has become the main Cornerstone, And, A Stone that will cause stumbling and a Rock that will give [men] offense; they stumble because they disobey and disbelieve [God’s] Word, as those [who reject Him] were destined (appointed) to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you were unpitied, but now you are pitied and have received mercy (1Peter 2:6-10).

The “you” are that the Royal Priesthood is the Body of Christ. All who believe are members of this Royal Priesthood. We were made to be priests by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. In the book of Revelation, we see this very clearly. Jesus Christ is the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead [first to be brought back to life] and the Prince (Ruler) of the kings of the earth. To Him Who ever loves us and has bonce [for all] loosed and freed us from our sins by His own blood, And formed us into a kingdom (a royal race), priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion throughout the ages and forever and ever. Amen (so be it). Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth shall gaze upon Him and beat their breasts and mourn and lament over Him. Even so [must it be]. Amen (so be it) (Rev. 1:5-7).

Notice that Jesus loosed us from sin and formed us into a royal race, priests to God the Father. So exactly what does that mean? Well, it means that we have direct, as in face-to-face direct, contact with our Father. There is no need for anyone to stand between us and God as our “go-between. This is perhaps the greatest aspect of the relationship that Jesus’ sacrifice established. No longer are we separated from God by our old sinful nature. No longer is there any need for a special group of priests that intercede for us, stepping between God and us to convey His blessing to us and to convey our sacrifices to him. Not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do. Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest Who has [already] ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith in Him]. For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it] (Heb. 4:13-16).

We are told in a most direct manner to be fearless, confident, and bold as we draw near to the Throne of our King. This is because we are not just His children (Rom. 8:17), we are priests in His Royal Priesthood under the Great High Priest, Jesus of Nazareth. We have the right, nay, we have the responsibility, to come directly into the Holy of Holies and offer God the best of the best that we have in honor of all that He has done for us. Our sacrifices are very specific.

First, we are to bring our bodies as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1). This means that we, not God, are responsible for keep our bodies in line, not allowing them to control us. And of course, in many places, the Word describes the sins of the body. As Christians, we are to do whatever is necessary to avoid them. If it means that we have to not go to certain movies with our friends, if it means that we are the designated driver, it means that we control our anger and not speak poorly of other, we don’t participate in gossip, tell dirty jokes, get involved in pornography, and so on. We do it regardless of the consequences to self. It might mean that are called Jesus Freaks, goody-two-shoes, arrow straight, party-poopers, and so on. It might mean that our social life draws in a bit. But if we are God’s true children, then we MUST be and act as such.

Another sacrifice that we are to offer is our praise and thanksgiving. We always give thanks and praise through Christ Jesus (Col. 3:17). Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name (Heb. 3:15). We are to do this in all circumstances, not for the circumstance, but in all circumstances (1Thes. 5:18). Giving praise and thanks is the way we have of putting ourselves in our proper position as recognizing God as God. True praise and thanksgiving can only come from true humility. And true humility is one of the cornerstones of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus gave thanks and praise to God in all He did, and our doing so lines us up with the perfection of Jesus’ ministry.

Another sacrifice that we MUST make is investing the time necessary to really do what God wants us to do in renewing our minds (Rom. 12:2). We renew them so that we reflect what it is that Jesus would think. Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] (Phil. 2:5). To do this we have to dive in and read, study, meditate, memorize, and live the Word. Seems we always get back to this same point, somehow. But, it is an essential point to becoming all that God has for us to be.