Fight the Good Fight (Part III)

Leave a Comment / Fight, Kingdom of God, Purpose / By

Are you laying hold of all that Jesus laid hold of you!? Apostle Paul shows us how to do it. He is a good model of someone who continually fought the good fight! His life is a testimony of longevity and success in fighting the good fight of faith!

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

Although Paul had accomplished much in his ministry, he knew that he needed to continue to press on and lay hold of God! The above scriptures give us insight on how he persevered and continued to advance in God’s purpose!

Paul did not think that he had attained everything or had arrived spiritually. He did not see himself as a completely perfected believer. Instead, he saw himself as one who was still on his way to perfection. This reminds me of what Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 13.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 1 Corinthians 13:9-12

Paul likened his walk to a child and saw himself putting childish things away as he matured. Even though he had put childish ways aside, he still only saw in the mirror dimly. He did not assume that he saw everything clearly. Paul had a correct evaluation of his maturity in the Lord. He did not confuse his success in ministry with perfection in the faith. He also was not deceived with the fact that just because the Lord had given him revelation and insight in the spiritual realm, that it meant that he knew all there was about the Kingdom of God! This humility and correct evaluation of his walk allowed him to remain dependent on the Lord and keep pressing on!

Similarly, we may have impressive ministry in preaching, prophecy, or writing, but none of those should make us think that we have arrived! The Lord graciously gives us insight, revelation, and understanding, but what He shows us, is minute in comparison to the magnificence of God and His total plan for the humanity. Recognizing our dependence on the Lord will cause us to continue to press on and not get complacent or lazy.

In the above passage in Philippians, Paul continued by stating that as he pressed on, he forgot what was behind him! He did not look back! Paul’s past was a mixture of worldly success and failure since he had persecuted the church. If Paul had looked back at his life, he could have been trapped by the guilt and shame of the past and what he did to the innocent believers such as Stephen. On the other hand, he may have missed the prestige and the status he used to have among his counterparts. Looking back would not have produced any good fruit, and it would have only trapped him in the past and derailed him from pressing on and moving forward in God’s purpose.

The only benefit of looking back is when we remind ourselves of God’s loving kindness and His deliverance in our lives. Otherwise, the past can trap us. Some people stay stuck in  “the good old days”, which causes them to want to be focused on the past. Others may be burdened by the pain of the past. Neither of those memories produce any good fruit.

Instead of looking at the past, we need to focus on the fact that God’s mercies are new every morning. Everyday is a fresh new day with new possibilities and new mercies. God is always at work, and He has new opportunities, new encounters, and new revelation. The Lord is never done with His work on the earth, and He chooses to use us in partnering with Him in bringing His Kingdom and His will on the earth. That requires all of us to press on and to lay hold of what Jesus laid hold of us! This is fighting the good fight of faith!

How do you perceive your spiritual maturity? Do you find yourself leaning on your laurels from past accomplishments? Are there things from the past that causes you not to press into the Kingdom of God?Do you continue to press on towards God, so you can lay hold of what Jesus laid hold of you?

 

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Fight the Good Fight (Part II)

Leave a Comment / Courage, Faith, Hope, Love, Patience / By

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. Matthew 11:12 

How do we fight the good fight of faith!? Jesus told us that it would not be easy and that it would require us to exert a force in the direction of God’s Kingdom. To possess God’s promises for us, we not only need to believe them, but we also need to act on them and live them out!

In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught his disciples to pray that they would not be led in temptation but to be delivered from evil. If we are going to take possession of what God has already bought for us through the precious blood of Jesus, we need to remain alert to the enemy’s devices. If we fall into temptations or offenses, we open the door to the enemy, and we lose the territory that belongs to us. The enemy is after derailing God’s people by causing shame, guilt, and accusation.

Joseph had dreams about God’s purpose in his life, but for many years everything looked opposite of what he had seen in his dreams. He could have grown bitter, resentful, and disobedient to those who ruled over him. To the contrary, Joseph fought the good fight of faith by remaining diligent, pure, obedient, and free from offense. This prevented him from not being baited by the enemy nor to be derailed from God’s purpose in his life. 

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:11-12

Paul gives another glimpse of how to fight the good fight of faith. He describes that we are to live with godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. These qualities allow a believer to lay hold of the Kingdom of God and bring it to earth. Furthermore, others get to see, taste, and experience the Kingdom of God through those who live their lives this way.

Today, as we remember the work and the ministry of Dr. Martin Luther King, we see a man of God who fought the good fight of faith in pursuit of truth, dignity, and justice! He exerted force and brought violence against the kingdom of darkness, hatred, and racism, but he fought this battle with faith, love, courage, and patience. While taking action, his hope was ultimately in the Lord his redeemer, which brings us to the next point in Paul’s exhortation.

Paul also stresses to lay hold on eternal life! This is an important aspect of fighting the good fight of faith. Jesus bought eternal life for every person who confesses their sin and recognizes Jesus’ work on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins. Jesus did not just die, so we can have a good life on this earth, but He died to give us the hope and expectation of an eternal life with our savior and Lord. If people live their lives as if this life is all there is, then they will live their lives with frustration, anger, compulsion, and restlessness. It is the hope of eternal life that allows God’s children to live with contentment, peace, and joy in this unstable world!

We live in a world where the enemy wants to draw every person, including the believers, into the bait of hatred, division, and animosity. As God’s people, we are called to do it differently! How do you fight the good fight of faith? Do you recognize the enemy’s schemes in derailing you from God’s purpose!? Are you ruled by God’s character in your life even when things don’t go your way? Do you have the hope of eternal life?

 

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Fight the Good Fight (Part I)

Leave a Comment / Faith, Fight, Hope, Offense / By

This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; 1Timothy 1:18-19a (KJV)

Mightest (According to Strong’s Dictionary): to make a military expedition, to lead soldiers to war or to battle, (spoken of a commander).

Paul told Timothy that he should wage a mightest war with the prophecies spoken over him. Paul saw Timothy not only as a spiritual son but also as a fellow soldier in the army of God! Paul’s instruction to Timothy shows clearly that some of the prophesies were not going to be fulfilled unless Timothy was willing to fight the spiritual fight!

When the Lord speaks to His people, it is generally two-fold. He speaks about the person or people’s lives, but it is also about His Kingdom purpose in their lives. Similarly, the prophesies over Timothy would not only have been about his personal life, but they also would have been about God’s purpose in his life,  his role in the Kingdom of God, and how the Lord saw Him in the spirit. As Timothy fought for the fulfillment of those prophesies, he was also fighting for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth!

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. Matthew 11:12 

Jesus told his disciples that they needed to possess God’s Kingdom by fighting in the spirit. This is not a carnal fight, and we cannot fight it with our natural strength! Our authority to fight the battle in the spirit realm is because we know we are God’s children, redeemed, and bought with the precious blood of the lamb. We belong to the Kingdom of God, and we have been authorized by God to fight the good fight. This fight is about standing secure and settled in our identity in Christ!

When we fight, we are fighting with faith and hope in the unchanging character of God. Jesus won the victory over every form of darkness, evil, sin, and principalities. Therefore, we fight the good fight by declaring that we want God’s kingdom to come and God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven!

Are you aware that you will have to fight the good fight to see God’s purpose fulfilled? How do you engage in this fight?

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.

 

 

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Write the Vision (Part IV)

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Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:1-4

The Lord reminded Habakkuk of three truths that are important for us to remember as we go through the process of seeing God’s vision being fulfilled:

But at the end it [the vision] will speak, and it will not lie

The word “speak” in its original Hebrews means: to blow,  to breathe, to inflame, and to excite (From Strong’s Concordance). God’s vision brings about fresh breath of air, and it inspires its hearers. It blows air into the embers, and it inflames our faith afresh. The good news is that when the vision comes from the Lord, it speaks truth and does not lie! It excites us but with the purpose to move us forward into God’s purpose. The vision has substance and is weighty. It is not wishful thinking nor does it puff us up! When Joesph had the dreams about his future, they did not puff him up. They were substantive and purposeful in his life as he went through many struggles before he saw their fulfillment. 

Wait for the vision

The Lord reminded Habakkuk that there would be a delay in bringing forth the vision! Things are not going to happen in our timeframe. We may have an opinion as to when is a good time, but the Lord sees all things and knows the appointed time for it. In Hebrew, the above word “wait” is about longing for it and to “tie a knot” (From Strong’s Concordance). The Lord calls for our faith to be anchored in Him for bringing forth the vision. God is trustworthy, and He will bring it into fruition!

At first, Abraham believed God when he heard God’s vision, but then through years of waiting, his wife convinced him that they must do something to make it happen! So Abraham had Ishmael with his Egyptian maidservant! They found out, the hard way, that God’s vision will be done in God’s timing and in God’s way. In spite of their impatience and mess up, the Lord was merciful and allowed them to have the promised child, Isaac, through Sarah !

The just shall live by his faith

The delay may cause believers to doubt the Lord’s vision and His promises, but the Lord expects His children to remain steadfast. He is faithful, and He will accomplish what He has spoken. Those who are in a right-standing with the Lord will continue to live by faith. They will continue to believe God. While we cannot make a vision happen in our timeframe, we can cause God’s vision to be delayed due to our grumbling or disobedience.

While in the wilderness, the Israelites had God’s vision. However, when things took too long and the heat and dryness of the wilderness caused weariness in their bodies and spirits, they lost the vision for the Promised Land. That generation died in the wilderness and it was the next generation that saw the fulfillment of God’s vision!

Most of us have experienced delays in the vision that God has given us. With the above scriptures, the Lord is encouraging all of us about the reliability of His word. As we wait for the fulfillment of the vision, let’s consider the following:

1. Was the vision from the Lord!? If you’re not sure, talk to a spiritually mature believer. Share the vision and ask them to prayerfully evaluate God’s vision with you.

2. If you believe it was God’s vision, be sure to write it down.

3. Deal with any unbelief in your heart by asking the Lord for forgiveness and renew your mind with His truth.

4. If you have experienced some disappointments, surrender them to the Lord and allow Him to refresh your vision.

5. Enjoy your relationship with the Lord and stay in faith.

6. Be obedient to what He asks you to do and continue to pray over God’s vision for you.

 

 

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Write the Vision (Part III)

Leave a Comment / God's Timing, Vision / By

Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:1-4

In the above passage, the Lord told Habakkuk that the vision is for an appointed time. That meant that even though the Lord was giving him a vision, it did not mean that he were going to see its fruition right away. The different aspects of God’s purpose have to all come together before the fulfillment of the vision is seen. Also God’s vision is connected to God’s timing and the season in which it is to be fulfilled. The below passage is a good example of this. 

And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joel 2: 28-29

In the above passage, Joel prophesied about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and that God was going to pour out His spirit upon His people. Joel wrote this vision down in a period between (835-796 B.C.) He didn’t know when that was supposed to happen. It took about 800 years prior to the fulfillment of those prophesies! Joel and others could not have done anything to make this prophecy happen in their lifetime. They didn’t even know what it meant for the spirit of God to be poured out upon the people.

In Acts (1:4-8), when Jesus told His disciples to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem, the disciples were still thinking about the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel! They had no idea what Jesus meant to be empowered by the Holy Spirit! It wasn’t until they received the promised baptism of the Holy Spirit that their eyes were opened to that reality. They also recognized that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophesies from 800 years prior and what God had intended from them from long ago!

The truth is that we cannot manufacture the fulfillment of God’s vision. The Lord has an appointed time and He knows the right season! God’s vision had to come into fruition in parts. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was only needed after Jesus came to earth and accomplished God’s mission. Subsequently, the disciples needed the empowerment and the revelation of the Holy Spirit to become His witnesses in all the earth and proclaim the Good News of salvation! Hallelujah!

The Lord provides a vision for His people, so we can continue to look to Him and not get derailed. The vision allows us to perceive a preferred future where God does His work on the earth and sets things right. Sometimes the vision is for an individual person, but many times it is for His people. This allows them, in one accord, to push forward into God’s purposes and not grow weary.

I wonder how many people over the 800 years prayed about fulfillment of the Joel’s prophecy and God’s vision for His people!? Those individuals had no idea how the fulfillment of this vision was going to look like and whether they would see it in their lifetime!

We still have many other prophesies and visions that God wants to fulfill, and they will come at the appointed time. While we cannot make them happen, we can pray that God’s Kingdom would come and His will and His vision is done on earth as it is in heaven! Pray with your brothers and sisters in Christ for the shared vision that God has given you through His word or through a prophetic word to the body and stand together in faith for the fulfillment of God’s vision on the earth!

 

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Write the Vision (Part II)

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Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:1-4

The Lord directed Habakkuk to write down the vision, and then He explained why this was important. The Lord stated that God’s vision brings clarity to our paths, so we can run with the vision set out for us.

If we are going to run according to God’s vision for us, we first have to ensure that His priorities are our priorities! Many people are seeking God’s purpose and vision for their individual lives, but they neglect how God builds the lives of His children! Our Pastor gave a prophetic message on New Year’s Eve about “building a healthy foundation.”  Having a healthy foundation is also important as it relates to the subject of vision! We cannot run towards God’s vision for our lives without properly securing a solid foundation!

For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’  Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’  But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil,  in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. Deuteronomy 30:11-15

The Lord spoke to Moses concerning His people, and He stated that His commands are not too mysterious to be understood. Sometimes people think unless they receive a special word from heaven, they have not heard God. In reality, God’s instructions are not difficult to comprehend nor do they require us to be a theologian to understand them.

For some, God’s commandments may sound like Cliche’ because we have heard them so many times. Hence, they don’t consider them as God’s vision for their lives. The truth is that if we are not serious about following God’s instructions for our lives, we are building on a faulty foundation and are not prepared to run with God’s vision! 

People run from event to event or podcast to podcast to find the latest word of the Lord, but God tells Habakkuk that His word is near us and is on our lips. That tells me that we may know the word of God and proclaim it, but we may not do it!

All of us need to be very cautious about not deceiving ourselves by thinking that if we know the word of God that we must be obedient to it. One of the key areas for a seasoned believer to be deceived is when they justify their disobedience. They use the words such as “You don’t understand”, “You can’t trust them”, “I have been walking with the Lord for years and I know the Bible!”, or “If you only knew what they have done to me…”. These are the words that justify one’s actions to remain in sin, offense, unforgiveness, or hardened heart. Some can also be deceived when they look for people who agree with them, and if they don’t find them they feel rejected and judged.

Some people seek God’s vision and purpose in their lives all the while the Lord is showing them that the foundation still needs more work! Praise God that the Lord is merciful and gracious, but that does not change the fact that His commands still need to be the priority for our lives. When we follow His basic instructions for Godly living and Godly relating to others, we are building a solid and healthy foundation that honors the Lord!

In the above passage, the Lord told Moses that He has set before the people life and good, death and evil. God provides a blueprint for living that is full of His life and His goodness. This is His first and foremost vision!  He tells us that the alternative also exists for those who do not want to build according to God’s instructions.

So what is God’s vision for your life!? Begin with the areas that the Lord wants to shore up in your life. Are there people that you need to forgive? Do you need to expel jealousy, envy, or hatred? Is temper an issue for you? Do you need to stop murmuring and complaining? Is gossip or exaggeration something you struggle with? Do you tend to be lazy or lack motivation? Do you need to learn to live on a budget?  Is the Lord impressing on you to be more generous with your time, talents, and treasures? Any area that the Lord is speaking to you, find scriptures regarding those areas and write them down in your journal or on 3X5 cards and meditate on them regularly. Allow the Lord to rebuild the broken places and build up your life on solid foundation as you run with His vision for your life!

 

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Write the Vision (Part I)

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Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:1-4

A vision is a prophetic word or picture that God speaks to His children in order for them to become aware of the work of God and to move forward in His purposes. The Bible is full of stories of God’s people receiving a prophetic word or vision from the Lord as they began their process.

For example, Moses tended his father-in-law’s sheep for four decades without, knowingly, being involved in anything spiritual. Moses didn’t have a vision for his life until God appeared to him in a burning bush in the desert when feeding the flock. When the Lord appeared to him, He told him that He had heard the cries of the Israelites enslaved in Egypt, and He wanted to rescue them by sending Moses to them. The Lord explained that He had a land flowing with milk and honey that He was going to take them into. It was already a difficult task for Moses, but without this vision, it would have been much more difficult for Moses to go before Pharaoh and ask for the children of Israel.

In the above passage, as Habakuk stood and watched God, the Lord began to instruct him to write down the vision. Why is writing it down so important!? First, the written vision becomes a point of encounter with God. Second, it becomes a tool for us to remember what God has spoken. Whenever the Lord met the Patriarchs in the Bible, they built an altar in that place as a point of remembrance. Third, by the written vision, we can fight the enemy when he comes to bring doubt, discouragement, and derailment.

Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7

The Lord reveals His heart and His plan to His servants before He begins His work. The vision becomes a vague blueprint as to what the Lord intends to do. Generally, He does not give specific information such as the length of time or the obstacles ahead, but He provides us with enough information to keep us going in the direction that He has set out for us.

When Mary received the vision from the angel about having a baby, she did not have many details.  Basically, she knew that she was going to carry God’s son and that it required her stewardship of this child until such a time that God would reveal His plan for His life. Mary and Joseph had to overcome many obstacles. However, they continued to follow the Lord’s leading every step of the way, and the Lord was faithful to show them what they needed to do.

Has the Lord given you a prophetic word or a vision? If so, what have you done about it? Some may have given up on the vision after years of waiting.  The truth is that God’s vision does not always equate with activity, but it does equate with a process that may or may not appear spiritual.

Allow the Lord to bring to remembrance the words that He has spoken to you in the past some of which He may desire for you to focus on in this season. For others, the Lord may speak a new vision in your life. Incline your ear to Him and make sure you are in tune with His voice. When He speaks, write it down. Cooperating with the Holy Spirit allows us to have continued revelation of the work of God through the vision of God! Praise God for His vision for His children and His desire to walk with us on the journey!

 

 

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Reflect, Remember, and Resolve

Leave a Comment / Maturity, Resolve / By

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7

In David’s era, Kings evaluated their strength by the number of their chariots and horses. However, King David knew that chariots and horses were not the measure of his success or power. Many times God had delivered him when he owned none of those things, and he knew unless God protected him, his possessions had no power to deliver him nor to protect him! Therefore, King David’s trust was in the Lord and he remembered the Lord for His mighty power on his behalf!

In this day and age, most of us don’t have any chariots or horses, but people still put their trust in people or things. The chariots and the horses of our day could be high-paying jobs, impressive education, co-dependent relationships, connections to high places, nice retirement, or a beautiful house! While those worldly things are nice, they are not the answer to life or Godliness! They cannot protect or deliver one from evil. They cannot provide discernment in choosing between right and wrong nor can they bring health and wholeness to a person. Without the Lord we can do nothing! As Paul stated, in Him we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28 a). The Lord is the one who gives us strength in the body, soul, and spirit, and He is the one who leads us in the way we should go!

Similar to David, we also are to remember the Lord and His mighty work among us! At the close of 2019, it is good to reflect on this past year and remember God’s mercy and grace in our lives. How has the Lord directed, provided, and delivered you in this past year!?

In addition, evaluate this past year and determine if you had your version of chariots and horses that you trusted in. Was there anything that stole your focus from the Lord having the first place in your life!? Prayerfully, resolve what you could do better and improve upon in the new year. Is it having more regular quiet time with the Lord? Is it to make more time for loved ones? Does social media take too much of your time? Are there certain thought patterns that need to be broken off, so you can live in more joy and peace in life? Is it getting more exercise? Is it eating healthier? Is it saying “no” to distractions, so you can remain focused on your priorities?

Once you determine the areas that the Lord is leading you to improve upon, share your goals with a friend and develop a mutual accountability. Every couple of months, check in with each other and see how the other one is doing.

As we are about to begin a new decade, let us wean ourselves away from worldly chariots and horses and place our focus on more intimacy with the Lord! Have we significantly matured in the last ten years? What were the obstacles to growth? What needs to change in order for growth to occur? Those are all important questions to think about as we are heading into the new year!

 

 

 

The King of Kings Became a Child (Part III)

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Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,  saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:1-2

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Matthew 2:13-16

Jesus was born under the nose of the Pharisees and Sadducees, but they didn’t notice or recognize Him! On the other hand, the wise men as outsiders, from a far country, came a long way seeking to see the King of the Jews and worship Him! Sometimes, we think that if we had been raised in a Christian home, we would have had an advantage in knowing God early in life and having more knowledge of Him. Looking at the religious people of Jesus’ day, it is clear that they they had knowledge but no revelation! They were blinded to the reality of who Jesus was even when He walked among them. It was the illiterate and the uneducated who accepted Him more readily and believed who He was!

The wise men came to King Herod looking for the King of the Jews, but this became a point of intimidation for King Herod! He was so scared of this baby that he was willing to take the lives of many boys under the age of 2 to ensure that Jesus was eliminated. How can a baby be so intimidating!? Did he ever stop to ask what was the baby’s lineage that would qualify Him to be the King of the Jews!?

In John 10:10, Jesus stated that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. The enemy is threatened by those who worship the King of Kings and attempts to steal the seed of life! He tried to snuff out the life of Jesus before He had the opportunity to grow and fulfill the Father’s mission. He will try to do the same in the lives of people!

Thankfully, Mary and Joseph were warned in a dream about King Herod’s plans and fled to Egypt to ensure that Jesus would not be touched by his men. Similarly, God provides a way of escape from temptations and the trappings of the enemy. We need to remain in tune with Him and listen to His instructions. It would have been very inconvenient for Mary and Joseph to travel all the way to Egypt with a baby on a donkey, but it was necessary if they were going to protect the promised Child!

Sometimes we have to distance ourselves from certain people or situations to ensure that we are not affected by the behavior or lifestyle of others. We have to guard what the Lord has entrusted to us from those things that could endanger our faith or the call of God in our lives. It may feel lonely for a season. It may also cost us something, but if God has directed it, He will provide the grace to go through it until such a time that He opens new doors.

The Lord entrusted the King of Kings in the hands of Mary and Joseph. They carefully paid attention to God’s instructions every step of the way and protected God’s son for the call that He had on His life! Are you stewarding what God has placed in your life? Are you protective of the call of God? We are all carriers of His seed of life in us, and we’re called to steward it for His glory and purpose!

 

Image by Myriam Zilles from Pixabay

 

The King of Kings Became a Child (Part II)

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Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.  And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:30-35

The angel brought the good news of upcoming Jesus’ conception and His birth to Mary. Mary had no idea how this was going to happen since she had not been with any man. She only accepted and received the will of the Father. Interestingly, she did not even mention anything to the angel about her being engaged, and neither did she ask the angel to tell Joseph about this exchange. Mary’s pregnancy had the potential to alienate her from everyone and even put her life in danger. Her parents could have accused her of wrongdoing, and Joseph could have accused her of being with another man. In addition, her countrymen could have shunned her for claiming to carry God’s child. Furthermore, the religious people could have stoned her to death. There were many risks for Mary in accepting the call of God in her life. However, Mary trusted God’s plan and did not worry about all the “what ifs”!

The angel told her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and she would have a holy conception! Those statements were all future tense. Mary was informed about this beforehand, and she chose to humbly accept the call, believe the angel, and receive God’s plan for her life.  This assignment was a great privilege for Mary, but it was also a great responsibility and a costly one for her.

As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. Ecclesiastes 11:5

The only involvement that Mary had in Jesus’ conception was to accept the work of the Holy Spirit in her life. The King of Kings began to take on the human nature in her womb and grow in His stature and wholeness inside of her. Jesus was dependent on His mother to take care of Him while in the womb until such a time that He was ready to be born. The Holy one inside of her grew just like any other baby, but Mary knew hers was someone special who had come from on high!

Similarly, when we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit begins to dwell within us and brings life to our spirit man. Intellectually, we do the works of God and what happened inside of us, but we become born again and the new nature of God begins to grow in us. Mary knew she was a carrier of a Holy child. Do we know we are carriers of His holiness when we receive Him as our Savior and Lord!? Initially, we accept the change by faith. We know we have been touched by God but we don’t completely understand the extent and the ramifications of being born again! At the beginning, the transformation is not visible to others, and it looks like nothing has changed. However, over time when the new life grows inside of us and begins to take on the nature of God, our change will become more noticeable and profound!

The King of Kings who entered the world through Mary’s womb, desires to take His place in our hearts and in our lives. When we make Him the priority and give Him room to grow, we begin to see the magnificence of the gift entrusted to us by God! When we nurture the seed of life in us and recognize His holiness within us, we are compelled to live a sanctified life and to prepare a dwelling place for Him who is holy!

 

Image by Annalise Batista from Pixabay