Praying in the Spirit and the Sovereignty of God

December 2, 2017

Introduction and Review

Several weeks ago, I preached to you all a message on Praying in the Holy Ghost. And the text we covered was Romans 8:26,27:

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

And there were two ways we were gonna look at this. Let me just read to you my introduction from that message:

This verse brings to our attention the New Testament principle of praying in the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit. The bible teaches us and encourages us to pray in the Spirit. Ephesians 6:18, Paul says, Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; In the letter to Jude, chapter 1, verse 20 it says, But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

And of course this brings to us many questions: Are we praying in the Holy Ghost? What is praying in the Holy Ghost? Is this something that we are practicing? Now answering this is not necessarily easy in certain respects. Now I’ve come to this: There’s two ways to answer these questions. There’s two ways to look upon this matter of praying in the Spirit. Both ways are beneficial to study. I’ll preach on one today and the other another time. Both ways may very well be right.

Preacher Allen would always say that there are always two train tracks traveling side by side. One track is the Sovereignty of God and the other is the Free Will of Man. If you ever wake up in the morning and only see one track, go back to sleep. There’s something wrong.

And what we did was go down the track of the Free Will of Man. At least we tried to. I tried to shed some light on our part of this praying in the Spirit. I tried to present this as something that we should strive for. Something that you can’t just sit on your haunch and expect the windows of heaven to open to you. Something to strive for. Something to learn about. I had said: On this side, there’s a free market to this matter of prayer. The benefits of our prayer life is directly proportional to how hard we work at it. James said (James 5;16) The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. And I brought you three points:

#1 The Holy Spirit Knows Why to Pray

We need help. In this current state, in our infirmities, in our weaknesses, we are in desperate need of help. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities… That’s our motive for praying in the Spirit. It is to this end that the Father has sent him to us. He said I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. (John 14:18) We need help in this world. We need a Comforter.

#2 The Holy Spirit Knows What to Pray

And we talked about the teaching ministry of the Holy Ghost. And that the Holy Ghost will teach us to pray as Jesus taught his disciples to pray. (John 14:26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. And the text read for we know not what we should pray for as we ought. So we looked at the Lord’s prayer. This is the matter in which we should pray. I tried to demonstrate to you through the scriptures that the Holy Spirit is very much concerned about every aspect of the Lord’s prayer: the Father, the kingdom, the will of God, our daily bread, forgiveness of our sins and other’s, and protection (deliverance from evil).

#3 The Holy Spirit Knows How to Pray

…but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. There is an intensity to the intercession of the Holy Ghost. God is groaning for us. There’s a fervency and an effort made on our behalf before the throne of God. And this is the manner in which we should pray.

So all these things: the Spirit knows why to pray, what to pray, and how to pray. I brought all this to us (the motive of prayer, the matter of prayer, and the manner of prayer) that we might yearn and strive to pray under these constructs, that we might endeavor to pray in the Holy Ghost. We have a free will. And it should be our will to pray in the Holy Ghost.

The Sovereignty of God

However, I said there are two ways to look upon this matter of praying in the Spirit. And I said we’d cover one that day and cover the other another day. Well I believe that day has come upon us. We went on to Romans 8:28 and 29. But I feel that it would be good to go back and look at this again from that other perspective.

There’s two tracks. There’s the free will of man on one side and the sovereignty of God on the other. You need both tracks. You can’t go anywhere on one track. So I want to look at this text again through the perspective of the Sovereignty of God.

You say, Preacher, you keep saying that, the sovereignty of God. What is sovereignty? Well, you’ll find out when somebody encroaches on your sovereignty.  I believe that the word sovereign comes from two words super and reign. Super means above. Reign means to rule. So in a sense, it means the super ruler; or can I say this: the ruler above rulers. (Revelation 19:6) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. There’s you a biblical definition for sovereign: King of kings and Lord of lords.

#1 The Holiness of God

In this first section, Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, To declare our infirmities, is to declare the goodness and holiness of God. To admit that we are sick is to declare that God is pure and clean. (Romans 7:16) I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d truly gain an understanding of this verse or use it effectively, but I know no other verse that demonstrates this truth so well. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. If we admit, or if we ascribe our infirmities to ourselves, then we ascribe holiness and purity and goodness to God. (Mark 2:17) They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

In this first section, I see the holiness of God, the righteousness, the purity and goodness of God. God is not like us, infirm, sickly, and plagued. (Romans 3:4) …yea, let God be true, but every man a liar… I see the holiness of God. So when we enter into prayer, praying in the Holy Ghost, we are entering in the holy of holies, the very presence a holy God. (Hebrews 10:19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

The bible says (1 Corinthians 3:16,17) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Do you see that the temple is made holy by reason of him who has dwelt in it? God told Moses (Exodus 3:5) …put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Can I say this: God’s presence makes right that which is wrong. God’s presence heals that which is infirm. God’s presence makes clean that which is dirty. God’s presence makes pure that which is impure. I remember Brother Lester Roloff once said that death and sickness and sin could not stand before Jesus. Everywhere he went, where sin was it fled. Where sickness was it fled. Where death was it fled. It all fled from the face of Jesus. The blind were made to see. The lame were made to walk. The lepers were cleansed. And the dead were raised up. Things changed when Jesus passed by. God said (Isaiah 1:18) Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Remember that woman with the issue of blood. (Matthew 9:21) For she said within herself, If I may but touch (the hem of) his garment, I shall be whole. Brother and sisters, we got more than just the hem of his garment. Can I say this: We are the garment! We are his temple. He lives in us. He walk in us. He dwells in us. Paul said, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. The temple is made holy by reason and merit of him who dwells in it. The Spirit helpeth our infirmities.

(1 Corinthians 6:19) …know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God… I think one key things to understanding in this praying in the Holy Ghost is just that: He’s the HOLY Ghost! And He is the Spirit of a HOLY God! Praise the Lord for His holiness! Praise the Lord for his cleansing power! Sin cannot stand before his presence. Impurities and stains are washed away. Dirt is swept away. The dross is burned away. Thank God that the HOLY Ghost makes the temple holy.

And another key thing in understanding this things about praying in the Holy Ghost is the Holy Ghost praying in you. Praying in the Holy Ghost is the Holy Ghost praying in you. But you see, I’m preaching about the the Sovereignty of God and the holiness of God. This doesn’t have anything to do with my free will. This is just so. If you are saved, it’s just so. In this first section we see the holiness of God.

#2 The Knowledge of God

When we look at this next verse part of the verse, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, there’s a little word there: know. We know not. And our lack of knowledge brings to mind the knowledge of God. God knows everything! God is omniscient. That word omniscient means all knowing. God knows everything!

God knows everything! God knows what you’re going through. God knows your weaknesses. God know how all this is gonna pan out. God knows the beginning from the end. There’s all kinds of things I suppose we can say about this, but let me share something that I understand.

At the shop, there’s a saying that I have that I’ve been using for years and I just realized just how true this is. Here it is: Knowledge is responsibility. At the shop, the best way to get out of having responsibility in a matter, is to not have any knowledge of it. There’s a lot of times that my Dad is giving me information about a job that isn’t mine. It’s my brother’s job. So I’m like no, no, no! I don’t need to know this. I’m not responsible for this job. I gained the knowledge of how to troubleshoot and fix those waterjet machines we have. Guess who’s responsible for fixing them? Knowledge is responsibility. Sometimes my brother is giving me information about a job or something, and it’s alot of information, I’ll just interrupt and say, “Do I need to know this?” Am I going to be responsible for this information? Because if I’m not, I really don’t want it.

But God knows everything! Therefore, he is responsible for everything. And if he’s responsible, then He will see it through. Sometimes, we just have to learn, to take our hands off a situation and let God handle it. He knows what’s going on anyhow. If he knows, then he’s responsible. Knowledge is responsibility. If He has all knowledge, then he has all responsibility. When you give someone responsibilities, what does that mean? It means you trust them. It means you trust them to see it through. It means you have confidence in them and trust them to take care of that task or that job or that situation, amen? (Proverbs 3:5,6) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

He’s got all the knowledge and all the understanding. That means we can put all our trust and confidence in him. And God is not like man. God is faithful. God is not going to shirk the responsibility that is laid upon Him by his knowledge. This is an attribute of His sovereignty. Have you ever heard the #1 rule of leadership? It’s always your fault. Why? Because the leader is who is responsible or who is held responsible. Leadership (sovereignty) is responsibility. Well Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord or Lords. Amen? We ought to sing as that old song Living by Faith. 

The Lord I know ruleth o’er everything, and all of my worry is vain…

For we know not what we should pray for… That means, in a sense, we’re not responsible. If knowledge is responsibility, and you don’t have the knowledge, then that means that you don’t have the responsibility. I’m not responsible for the outcome when God is in control. All I have to do is obey. If things aren’t working out, then that’s God’s problem. But when he does work it out, then he get’s the glory. Amen? Amen brother Rick.

#3 The Prayers of God

So we see the holiness of God and the knowledge of God. In this next section …but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered we see these words maketh intercession. In the following we verse, (27) we have it used again because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. So I just cannot get this thought out of my head when I see this maketh intercession. And that is that God the Holy Spirit prays. I guess for sometime now, I never thought of the Holy Ghost on his knees as Jesus was on his knees praying for me to God the Father. But it says it. Maketh intercession. That means he’s interceding for me. That means he’s intervening on my behalf. He’s pleading my case. He’s advocating for me. He’s my representative before God down here. And Jesus is my representative up there. So I’ve got alot working for me. The Holy Spirit and Jesus are just as much God as God is God. So when we look at these parts of the text, we see the Prayers of God. I see a few things in the prayers of God.

The People of God

He makes intercession for us and he makes intercession for the saints. Us and the saints? These are the people of God. (Psalm 100:3) Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. We may not be perfect. We may need help and intercession, but that does not take away from the fact that we are his people. We are his church! (Matthew 16:18) … I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I thank God that I am one of his people. I thank God that I am in the church.

(Revelation 21:3) …and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. We don’t have to wait until Revelation Chapter 21 to be his people. If we are not his people now, we will have no part in Revelation 21. He’s praying and interceding for HIS people. We are the people of God. There has always been a people of God. (Genesis 4:26) And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD. That’s us. We are God’s people. (Romans 10:14) Whoseoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

And the fact that God has a people makes exalts His sovereignty. Amen? Kings have kingdoms. Kingdoms have subjects; people. Amen? The kingdom of God is not of the people, by the people, and for the people. No. The kingdom of God is of God, and by God, and for God. He is the King and we are his people. And if you have a problem with that, you better check up. He intercedes for us; for the saints of God. Some people got it all backwards. They think the saints are interceding for them. No. The Holy Ghost intercedes for the saints; the holy band.

I’m glad I’m in that holy band. I’m glad I’m in the church. I am a part of the body of Christ. I’m one of them. I’m one of His People. I’m not my own. I’ve been bough with a price. (1 Peter 1:18,19) Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (23) Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. I’ve been born into his family. There’s that sovereignty again. Birth is a miracle. Once you’re born into a family. There’s nothing you can do to get out of it. My children are my children no matter what they do. I’m a child of God and there’s nothing I can do or not do that is going to change that. It’s just so because God said it’s so.

The Passion of God

We see the people of God. We also see the passion of God. but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And I covered alot this when we preached about prayers last time: The Holy Spirit knows How to pray. With groaning which cannot be uttered. Let me repeat a few things from that:

God the Holy Spirit groans like God the Son. If you want to get a picture of what that looks like, take a little visit to the garden of Gethsename. (Luke 22:44) And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. That’s Jesus Christ praying, amen? Like the old songwrite wrote, “Not a tear for his own grief, but sweat drops of blood for mine.”

Jesus loved the family of Lazarus; Mary and Martha. When Jesus showed up to the town in which they lived after Lazarus had died, the bible says (John 11:32,33) Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, God is concerned with the affairs and hearts of the those he loves. The bible says that he groaned and was troubled at the weeping of Mary. He hurts when we hurt. Those who saw said, Behold how he loved him! He mourned with those that mourned. He groaned in the spirit, in the depths of his person, he groaned.

And when we preached this last time, I used these verses and truths to encourage us to want to pray like Jesus and the Holy Spirit; to pray earnestly; to reach down and pray from within. We were preaching on the manner of prayer. But what I want us to step back and see is that God has a passion for his people. God has a passion for his people. He loves his people. He cares for them. He’s concerned for them. You don’t groan for someone you don’t love.

He’s demonstrated that on the cross. (Romans 5:8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He died for us, gave himself for us. We are the object of his passion. (Hebrew 12:2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. That joy is you and me and the people of God. He endured the cross for me. He endured the cross because he had a passion, a passion for sinners.

You don’t give yourself to something unless you are passionate about it. He gave himself. He gave everything he had. This reminds me of the greatest commandment: (Mark 12:30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. That’s what God did for us. He put all his heart, and all his soul, and all his mind, and all his strength into loving us. It took him seven days to set this world in motion. He’s spent already 6000 years building his church. He’s the lamb slain before the foundation of the world. We’re worth something to God. Jesus said (Matthew 16:26) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  You are worth more to God than this whole world.

Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting outside on the side of a ditch I had carved out. I was just sitting out there in the open. And all of a sudden there comes this man running down the street. Well he turns in toward me. So I get up. I figure he wants to talk to me. And he’s running. And I’m wondering what in the world is this guy up to. Well as he’s coming he’s asking me if I seen his silver pug. Apparently, that’s a dog. It’s a dog with that ugly smooshed face. He said it had run out and he was looking for it. He asks me if I see him, could I call him and let him know. And he held out his business card with his name and number on it. Well, as I took the card I look up at his face, and there were tears running down his face. He said “That dog is all I got. She means everything to me. She ran out and I can’t find her. I love that dog.” And I said okay I will. And I shook his hand and he ran off looking for that silver pug. That man had a passion for that dog.

You might not think that you’re much worth much more than a dog, but God has got a passion for you. You might be like that woman with the daughter who was sick. Jesus said to her (Matthew 15:26)  It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said to that (27,28) Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. Can I say this? God has a passion for us dogs. At first glance, Jesus seemed reluctant to answer the woman. But do you realize that in verse 21 Jesus came into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon and in verse 29 he went out of Tyre and Sidon and he never returned there again. And from verse 22 to verse 28 the only person that Jesus dealt with was that woman with the sick daughter.

(Song of Solomon 4:9) Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes… with one chain of thy neck. You think about that! Just one of thine eyes will ravish his heart. Just one little peak up to heaven and God is moved in the heart. We’re sitting here thinking that we’re not good enough. That we fail all the time. How can God ever love me? God doesn’t care about me. Oh but if we would just peek up to heaven, if we’d just look up to heaven, we’d touch the heart of God. He has a passion for his people. He intercedes, he prays with groanings which cannot be uttered. His groanings have given away his heart.

The Purpose of God

In the prayer of God, we see the people of god, the passion of God, but we also wee the purpose of God: because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. The purpose of God is the will of God. (Ephesian 5:17) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. The Holy Ghost’s purpose in prayer is that we might find, know, and do the will of God. And this thing about finding God’s perfect will, is getting bigger and bigger to me as this life in Christ presses forward.

Being in God’s perfect will is the greatest peace that this Christian life affords. Being out of God’s will is the greatest misery for the saint of God. I want to be in God’s perfect will. His will are his desires, his plans, his heart, his passion for his people. The Holy Ghost groans on our behalf to God the Father that we might be in his will.

Preacher Allen has always said “Get on the possom’s trail for God’s perfect will in your life, and don’t let anything stand in your way!” When I think of this, I think of a hound dog just sniffing around trying to catch the trail of that possum. He might go left. He might go right. He might circle a tree. He might circle a bush for a little while. Ah, but when he catch the scent gets on that trail, it’s Arooo! Arooo! Arooo! He’s got the trail. And he’s on the move.

God has a plan. (expound) ?

It’s not my will, but thy will be done. (expound) ?

When God’s will become important in your life, then you can sing that song:

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold. I’d rather be his than have riches untold. I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land. Yes I’d rather be led by his nail pierced hand.

Praying in the Holy Ghost is seeking the Sovereign will of God. If we had any part in determining that, then God would not be sovereign. He’s either in control or he’s not. Don’t ever give up in searching for God’s perfect will. Keep praying to that end. Keep asking. Keep seeking. And keep knocking. (Luke 11:10) For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (1 John 5:14,15) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Don’t think for one second that God doesn’t care. That’s all he does. (1 Peter 5:7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. The Holy Ghost is groaning and travailing for God’s people that we might find and do the will of God. God’s will in not some haphazard plan. He’s not making this up as we go along. It’s of old, it’s from everlasting. It’s conceived in the eternal mind of the everlasting God before the foundations of this world. God knows what he’s doing. I just want to be part of it.

Conclusion

There’s two tracks. Remember that there’s two tracks. The freewill of man and the sovereignty of God. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh weak. That spirit has a little s. That’s your spirit. Your spirit is willing, but that old flesh is weak. When things are looking weak on your side of track… When the wheels start coming off… And they will. (Rom 7:18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. Remember there’s a whole other side to this journey. Trust and lean on the holiness, the knowledge, and prayers of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Romans 8:28-29

November 5, 2017

(Romans 8:28,29) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

#1 And we know…

This is in direct opposition to Romans 8:26, where Paul says, for we know not. There’s things we don’t know, but there’s things we do know. So Paul just finished telling us that we don’t know what to pray for. We need help because of our infirmities of our flesh; the temptations and weaknesses. We have no power or knowledge of these things, we don’t know. We need help. And our lack of knowledge of God’s will. The Spirit of Christ knows the will of God and intercedes for us. He steps in where we fail. He’s an advocate. Like I said, we ought to know as Paul says, but we don’t know. There’s things we just don’t know.

But now he says and we know. There’s some things we can know. I was looking back at Romans 6 lately and that whole chapter is about things we can know.

God wants us to know some things. And there’s one more things that we can know. And that is that all things work together for good to them that love God. He said And we know! We might not know what we should pray for or know and understand the will of God, but we can know, rest assured, take it to the bank, set it in concrete, that whatever those things are, they work together for good to them that love God. We don’t have to wonder if any of the things that befall us are going to work to are harm, because the bible said all things work together for good.

This kinda makes me think of Hymenaeus and Alexander. (1 Timothy 1:18-20) 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; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. It doesn’t sound too good to be delivered unto Satan, does it? It doesn’t sound good to have made shipwreck. And I know that there’s much controversy and lack of knowledge concerning this thing about being delivered unto Satan. But if it will teach them not to blaspheme, I’d say that in the end, that’s good! All things work together for good.

No matter how bad or evil it may seem, it’s for your good. Now, I’m not saying that bad is good or evil is somehow good. But I am saying that God has a way of working good in us as he deals with the bad and the evil. Before we were under the law. (Romans 7:12-13) Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

But now, see? We’re under grace. And grace is also holy and just and good, Because it comes from God. So the question is, was that which is bad and evil made good unto me? God forbid. Can I say this: But grace, that it might appear grace, working good in me by that which is evil, that grace might become exceeding graceful. That’s what Paul is saying when he said, (Romans 5:20,21) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish. Think about those Israelites and the journey through the wilderness. They had alot of problems in the wilderness, they murmured, they provoked God, they doubted God, there were snakes, thirst, hunger, alot of things that on the outset, yes they seem bad. They’d cry Let’s go back to Egypt. There were plagues. The earth opened up and swallowed them up. They didn’t start real good. But it was all for their good.

At Kadesh-Barnea they refused to go into the land that God had given them to possess. So God said, (Numbers 14:29-30) Your carcases shall fall in the wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, Doubtless ye shall not come into the land. God condemned all of those to die in the wilderness. Sounds bad, doesn’t it?

But God also said. (Number 14:20) I have pardoned according to thy word: But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.” He said “My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.” God confirmed his promise he made with Abraham and once again established his covenant with Caleb and Joshua. He said, “… you little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.” So it was for the good of Israel. God was purging Israel and shaping it and molding it.

Remember the typology. All of Israel is a type of the Christian. Israel as a whole was purged, refined, and prepared. And he’s gonna do the same thing for you and for me and to all them that love God. We have to know this. So when we bow our heads in prayer, we may not know what’s going on or what God is doing, but we can know that it will be for our good.

#2 All things…

We must be careful not to just pull this verse out of it’s context. People quote this verse all the time and they may or may not have a working understanding of what really Paul is trying to accomplish in this passage. So I find it important to once again bring to our rememberance what exactly is going on in Chapter 8 and Chapter 7. Now when Paul says all things does he mean all things in general, or is he talking about all things in Chapter 7 & 8? What things do Paul refer?

I want us to remember that the climactic problem in Chapter 7 is there is (23) another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. And climactic cry of desperation in this state is (24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? And it’s to this truth and question the the things refer.

One thing I believe that we know from Chapter 8, is that the deliverance of the body of this death is one thing to which Paul declared that (8:27) we with patience wait for it. He said (8:21-23) The creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. So in light of Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good to them that love God we are to understand this hoping for that we see not and the waiting that God has subjected us to, is in God’s purpose designed as such to work good to us. We are to understand that this state of waiting and hoping is for our good. It’s for our good and for the good of others that love God.

I believe that may be why Paul can praise God in the wretched state that he finds himself. He cries (7:24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? But then the next verse, he says (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, and with the flesh the law of sin. He says I’m in a pretty wretched state. My mind wants to serve the law of God. My flesh want to serve the law of sin. But I want to thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord, that this is the state that God has put me in. This is the state that God has subjected me in. Because in this state, God hath said to me… (2 Corinthians 12:9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. In this state, Paul can say Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

It is those weakness and those infirmities that God has purposed to work for good to us. All our problems, all our weaknesses, all our troubles and trials? Amen? He said all things. All things work together for good. Well, in Romans 7 & 8, Paul isn’t talking about the good things. He said, (7:18) I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. No, he’s talking about those evil things; the temptations, the trials, the troubles, the sufferings of this present time. He said (7:21) that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

No, he’s not talking about the good things. He’s talking about the evil things, the weaknesses, the infirmities, the temptations, the sufferings. All those things work together for good… Besides, if it was good, why would he even say it? If they were already good, why would they work for good? That wouldn’t make any sense. No, he speaks of the evil things, the undesirable things…

#3 Work together for good…

But even all those things, work together for good to them that love God.  Even all those things that the power of Christ may rest upon me. So it’s not that evil somehow becomes good. It’s that there is no power in us, but that there is power in the overcoming, persevering, victorious love of God. We can try, but in the end, that Christ may receive all the glory and honor. It’s him that worketh good in us.

That’s why we can thank God; thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul said, (2 Corinthians 12:10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. Is there ever a reason to not be thankful to God. Is there ever a reason to not be grateful. I can thank God “for all the good things he’s done for me. I know I’m unworthy of them all…” But I can thank Him, even through the evil things, even through the hard times, and the weak times. Because I know it’s for my good.

So in that context, we read also Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. I want us to see that Romans 8;28 is to be read and understood with Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. My brethren, God’s purpose in Romans 8:28 is that we might be conformed to the image of his Son in Romans 8:29. So why is it that all things work good? Why do these things that befall us work good to us? Because it’s in God’s purpose that they might work in us to conform us to the image of his Son. It’s not just to teach a lesson. It’s not just to humble us. It’s not just teach us patience. But it’s of God’s good design and purpose, that we might be conformed to the image of his Son.

Did Paul not say (8:16,17)The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Is so be… that we may be… That we may be means that God has a plan and that God has a purpose. And it’s a good plan. But that if so be part means that God has some prerequisites. We may have to suffer some, but it’s for our good; that we may be conformed to the image of his Son. (Romans 8:18) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

“It’s not how you start, but it’s how you finish.” And God wants us to finish good. (Romans 8:28,29) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Do you love God? Whatever is you’re going through. If you love God, trust in him that it will all work together for good. I know that’s easier said than done sometimes. But God knows what he’s doing. God is working on us in ways we could never do ourselves. We are truly His workmanship.

#4 He also did predestinate…

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

The conformation of His saints to the image of His dear Son we are to understand that he predestinated this. So, some of us concern ourselves with controversial doctrines such Calvanism and predestination. And I know little of these things, but I can tell you that concerning Romans 8:29, predestination has absolutely nothing to do with choosing who and who is not saved or God choosing who will or will not be saved. In Romans 8:29 predestination has nothing to do with a sinner; or a sinner getting saved. But this is in regards to God’s saints. Only saints are predestined, not sinners. So you’re gonna have to get in the boat first, before you concern yourself with predetermined destination. You’re gonna have to be saved first, then you can get on that predestined path.

Jesus said (Matthew 7:14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. The gate is where you enter in. That’s where you begin. But the way, the narrow way, must be walked. The gate is before all sinners, but you have to enter in the gate before the way presents itself.

You will not find salvation there, but salvation will place you there. And the Holy Bible speaks much about this path; this narrow way so to speak.

Before we were saved, in (Romans 7:5) We were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. And even now after you are saved, (Romans 7:23) there’s  another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is (still) in my members. But the there’s Romans 8:10 But if Christ be in you, there is another way, another path, another plan. And I want to say this: It is the path of the Holy Spirit.

God has a plan for us, that we might be conformed to the image of his Son, to which the Holy Ghost’s mind is bent toward. That is the aim and purpose of the Spirit of God. That is his what He is intent on accomplishing. All his methods will be designed to this purpose. What’s on the Spirit’s mind? And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit has got you on his mind; the saints of God. I can hear the Father asking the Holy Ghost as he communes with Him, “Holy Spirit! What’s on your mind?” He says “Why nothing more than the saints of God! (1 Corinthians 2:2) For I determined not to know any thing among (them) you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Listen to what I’m saying. Paul says this to the church; not the sinner. (Repeat) He pleads with God that we might walk that path and carry out that plan. And Paul knows that only by the aid and power of God’s Holy Spirit can this be accomplished. (Galatians 5:16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. But if we walk in the Spirit, we shall fulfil the desires and passion of God himself, the predestinated will of God.

#5 To be conformed to the image of his Son…

And what is the predestinated will of God? What is God’s purpose, his design? For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. I believe that God wants a people that are very much like his Son. Does that mean that he wants a bunch of little Jesus’s running around. No. Every child is different. I’ve got seven children and every single one of them is different from the other, but that doesn’t mean only one of them can love their Father or obey their father. No, all of them can do that, but still be themselves. All of them can take upon themselves the traits and manners of their father, but still be themselves. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

(Philippians 2:5-9) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

(Romans 12:2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God wants to change the way you think. If you change the way you think, you’ll change the way you act. It will change the trajectory of your life. A trajectory is “a path followed by… an object moving under the action of given forces…” It’s the course that you take, the route in which you go. Paul said (Philippians 3:13,14) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The target of our trajectory, the cause of our course, the end of this route is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our standard, our goal, is to be conformed to the image of his Son. And what do we know about His Son.

(Isaiah 53)

1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there isno beauty that we should desire him.

3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

That is our standard. Paul said, (Philippians 2:5-9) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 

(1 John 3:1) Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

(John 14:16,17) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

(Galatians 4:6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

(John 1:14-15) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

God did not travail with you and strive with you and birth you into his family so that you can go on and be who you want to be. (1 Corinthians 6:18,19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. We are God’s children. We ought to be able to say like Jesus said, I was about my father’s business. He said it’s not my will Father, but thy will be done.

And it’s God’s will that we be transformed and conformed to the image of his Son. And it you think that this happens the moment you get saved, then you are all you’ll ever be. No, sanctification takes a little time. Sonship is learned and earned. You may have the power and the standing and the right to be the Sons of God, but if we don’t want walk in the calling that God has called us to, we live beneath our privileges. God wants to change you.

Being a son (as opposed to just a child) carries with it a responsibility, a task, a purpose. You share in these things with the Father. Sonship is learned and earned. I remember when I first met the Lord Jesus Christ. And that’s what I did when I got saved. I met God. I remember the overwhelming, undeniable, sense of wrong that I was. I wasn’t just wrong about something. No I was wrong. Everything was wrong about me. Every ounce of my being was wrong. (Romans 5:6) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. I was the ungodly; a wretched sinner fully and duly deserving of hell. Jesus said (John 8:44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do…

God wants to change that. God wants to transform you, and conform in the image of His dear son. Transform means he wants to change your form. He doesn’t want to change you into Jesus Christ. No, he wants to change your form, by conforming you to the image of His son. And conform means he wants us to form us together with the image of His son. He still wants you, but he wants the image of His son in there too.

If you look up to someone, if you esteem someone highly, their ways, their person, then many times we want to be like them. You want to do what he does. You want to live like he does. You want to be like who he is. And I’m not talking about taking the place of Christ. But I’m talking about walking in the place that God that fore ordained that we should walk. You think about this: Jesus told his disciples (John 14:12) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

(Romans 8:28,29) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

 

 

Fear God. Preaching Bunyan’s Outline

October 1, 2017

Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Introduction

This word fear is a long forgotten word of the this modern church age that we live in. It’s not fear. It’s fun and fellowship. In this day and age of foolishness, the bible says (Psalm 111:10) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: In this day and age, where we turn to doctors and lawyers, to education and the government, the bible says, (Psalm 119:79) Let those that fear thee turn unto me… In this day and age of uncleaness, immorality, and defilement, the bible says (Psalm 19:9) The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever:

There’s little talk about the fear of the Lord. But the bible says, (Psalm 64:9) And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; And the bible says, (Psalm 33:8) Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. And of his people, the bible says, (Psalm 34:9) O fear the LORD, ye his saints: The bible says to (Psalm 2:11) Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. The Psalmist said (Psalm 5:7) In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

(Psalm 34:11) Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. I think that the fear of the Lord is something that we ought to learn about. In Ecclesiastes, the preacher of preachers said this, (Ecclesiastes 12:13) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Peter, in his epistle he said very plainly (1 Peter 2:17) Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. And even Jesus said (Matthew 10:28) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

The Psalmist said (Psalm 34:11) Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. I think the fear of the Lord is something we ought to learn about. The apostle Paul, he said to the Hebrews, (Hebrews 12:28) Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

He said, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. I think that the fear of the Lord through this modern age has been unlearned. I think it needs to be relearned. I think it will help us. I think that it will help us to learn a little bit about the object of fear; which is God

There’s two verses I want to bring to your attention. In Genesis, when Jacob finally leaves Laban with his wives and children and substance and goes back to his homeland, we know that Laban pursues Jacob and when he catches up with him, they have some words and some conflict about Laban’s idols, but Jacob says this (Genesis 31:42) Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty… And after they make a covenant and an altar or a heap of stones Jacob again says (Genesis 31:53) The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. That word fear. It means dread. It means the object of dread. And for God to the object of our dread and fear, he must needs be our fear and our dread. (Isaiah 8:13) Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

Let me say that again, let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And I want to say this, if God is our fear and our dread, then everything about God is fearful and dreadful. You say, “Preacher I think that’s taking things a little to serious!” I don’t think we take the things of God serious enough. (1 Corinthians 2:14,15) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. I think it grieves God for us to be so flippant about the things of God. The bible says, (Ephesians 4:30) And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. The bible says (Psalm 64:9) And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; All the works of God are fearful and dreadful. I want to give you three things that speak as to why God should be our fear and our dread.

 

His Presence is Dreadful and Fearful

God has a presence because he’s present. (Matthew 18:20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. In the book of Revelation, in his letter to the church of Ephesus, he is him (Revelaton 2:1) who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; and those candlesticks are the churches. (Rev 1:20) The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Yes God is present therefore he has a presence. (1 Cor 3:16,17) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Cor 6:19,20) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. God is present and his presence is dreadful and fearful, and not just his presence before the sinner, but before the saint as well.

In the book of Genesis, when God revealed himself to Jacob in a dream. Jacob saw that ladder going up into heaven, and those angels ascending and descending the ladder. There God established his covenant with Jacob. The LORD stood above that ladder and said (Genesis 28:13,14)  I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Those were some great words of promise from God, then he had some wonderful words of comfort. He said, (15) And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. But even in God’s presence, with promise and comfort came great fear. The bible says (16,17) And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

And then you look at the time that Jacob wrestled with God. A time of testing and trying. A time of blessing. A time of change. In God’s presence was there was a change in this man. His name from hence was called Israel. So present was God, that he touched the hollow of his thigh; and it was out of joint that time forward. Jacob wrestled with God and the bible says this: (Genesis 32:30) And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. Remember what the bible said of Moses and God? (Exodus 33:18-20) And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. So even in God’s goodness, and graciousness, and mercy, there is fear and dread in his presence.

Now, consider the angels. Remember the angel at the tomb of Jesus? The bible says (Matthew 28:3-5) His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. Now if the angel’s presence can cause so much fear and dread, how much more the presence of God himself. The bible talks about the holy angels. How much more the holiness of God.

An angel of the LORD appeared unto the parents of Samson. Manoah’s wife said (Judges 13:5) A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: They offered meat offering upon a rock to the Lord, and the bible says (Judges 13:19,20) the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. And the bible says (21,22) Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD. And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die… If the holy angel’s presence can cause so much fear and dread, how much more the presence of God himself.

We look at Daniel and his visions of things to come. After fasting three weeks, he was by the river Hiddekel and he saw a vision (Daniel 10:5-7) Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. And Daniel was there alone with this man (Some people say it was an angel, but it sure sounds like Jesus to me). But Daniel said (8) and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. And then the man spoke to Daniel and gave him the vision, the prophecy. And Daniel then said (15-17) And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb… O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

Remember when Zacharias, John the Baptist’s Father, was performing his duties as a priest before God when it was his turn in the order of things? He was burning incense in the temple of God. The bible says (Luke 1:11,12) And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. And Zacharias came out of the temple dumb, and couldn’t say a word. If the holy angel’s presence can cause so much fear and dread, how much more the presence of God himself.

When God touched the lips of the profit Isaiah the bible says, (Isaiah 6:5) Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. The holy presence of God makes him fearful and dreadful. When John was taken up to heaven in the Spirit, the bible says he heard a voice behind him. It was the voice of God. And when he turned around to see to whom this voice was coming from, the bible says, (Revelation 1:12-16)  I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.  And John wrote (17) And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. 

Job said (13:21,22) Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. And he also said (42:5,6)  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. The presence of God, the holiness of God reveals to us our unholiness. His goodness and mercy reveals to us our iniquity and need for mercy. (Hosea 3:5) Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

You think about these hurricanes of late, and the delicate balance between land and sea. It’s so rare that these things happen. Most of the time, a grand majority of the time, the raging storms of the sea never touch our land. The great oceans have little or nothing to do with here this dry ground, and it’s by the merciful hand of God (Jeremiah 5:22) Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

God also said through Jeremiah (33:8,9) And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

God’s presence, in holiness and judgement, in goodness and mercy, protection and provision, is fearful and dreadful.  (Isaiah 8:13) Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

 

His Name is Dreadful and Fearful

See Notes

His Worship and Service is Dreadful and Fearful

(Philippians 2:12,13) Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

See Notes

Outline and Understanding John Bunyan’s Treatise on the Fear of God, Chapter 2

September 28, 2017

The Rule of Fear, and Its Several Kinds

By this word fear, we are to understand the word of God, the rule and director of our fear.

  1. FEAR is the word of God, the written word of God; for that also is, and ought to be, the rule and directory of our fear.
    • Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
    • For that which he calleth in this place the fear of the Lord, even in the same place he calleth the law, statutes, commandments, and judgements of God
    • Psalm 19-7-9 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
    • (My addition) John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
    • Psalm 34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
    • Deuteronomy 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
    • Isaiah 11:3,4 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
    • The word of God (object of our fear, rule of our fear) is given to us that we may read therein all the days of our life, and learn to fear the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:1-24; 10:12; 17:19
    • Trembling at the word of God, is taken notice of God, and counted laudable and praiseworthy

 

Outline and Understanding John Bunyan’s Treatise on the Fear of God, Chapter 1

September 14, 2017

Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

  1. Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
  2. 1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

I call it the highest duty, because it is, as I may call it, no only a duty in itself, but, as it were, the salt that seasons ever duty. For there is no duty performed by us, that can by any means be accepted of God, if it be not seasoned with godly fear. Wherefore the apostle says, (Hebrews 12:28) Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

 

  1. By this word fear, we are to understand God himself, who is the object of our fear.
    1. Divine Majesty goeth often under this very name himself
      1. Genesis 31:42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty…
      2. Genesis 31:53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. 
    2. God may be called the fear of his people
      1. Introductory Scriptures
        1. Nehemiah 1:5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
        2. Nehemiah 4:14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
        3. Nehemiah 9:32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
        4. Job 37:22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.
        5. Nahum 1:5,6 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
        6. Isaiah 8:13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him beyour dread.
      2. Thing that make God to be the fear of his people
        1. His presence is dreadful, and that not only his presence in common, but his special, yea, his most comfortable and joyous presence.
          1. Genesis 28:16-17 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
          2. Genesis 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
          3. How much more than angels?
            • Judges 13:22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
            • Matthew 28:3-5 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
            • Mark 16:5,6 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
            • Daniel 10:16,17 And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.
          4. Three thing in an eminent manner make his presence dreadful
            1. God’s own greatness and majesty
              • Revelation 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
              • Job 13:21,22 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.
            2. God’s revealing light of his presence
              • Daniel 10:16 …O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.
              • Daniel 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
              • Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
            3. God’s goodness and mercy
              • Hosea 3:5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
              • Jeremiah 5:22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
              • Job 42:5,6  I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
              • Jeremiah 33:8,9 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.
              • Objection: But would you not have us rejoice at sight and sense of the forgiveness of our sins?
                • Psalm 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
                • Ezekiel 16:63That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.
        2. The name of God is dreadful and fearful
          1. Deuteronomy 28:58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;
          2. Because by his name his nature is expressed
            • Psalm 111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
            • Exodus 34:5-7 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
          3. Psalm 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
          4. Not only to his church and among saints but even in the world and among heathen
            • Psalm 102:15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
            • Malachi 2:5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
            • Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun…
            • Malachi 1:14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
          5. Master is a name of fear
            • Malachi 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
          6. To fear the Lord, is a sign of a gracious heart
          7. Rewards for them that fear the Lord
            • Malachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
            • Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
          8. We ought always have a reverential awe of God upon our hearts at what time soever we think of, or hear his name; but most of all, when we ourselves do take his holy and fearful name into our mouths, especially in a religious manner, that is in preaching, praying, or holy conference.
            • 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
            • (To do otherwise is to profane the name of the Lord) Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
            • Leviticus 20:3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
        3. So are his worship and service
          1. Worship
            • Psalm 2:7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
          2. Service
            • Psalm 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
            • Hebrews 12:18 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
          3. Praise
            • Exodus 15:11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
            • Psalm 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
          4. (Therefore let us) 2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
          5. That which makes the worship of God so fearful a thing is
            1. All manner of service carries along with it according to whom the worship and service are done.
            2. His presence to behold his worshippers in their worshipping
              • Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
              • Revelation 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
              • Revelation 1:14-16 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
            3. God is jealous
              • Exodus 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
            4. The judgments that God hath executed upon men for their want of godly fear while they have been in worship and service.
              • Leviticus 10:1-3 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
              • 1 Samuel 4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
              • 1 Chronicles 13:9-10 And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.
              • Acts 5:10-11 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
          6. Conclusions, Next to God’s nature and name, his service, his instituted worship, is the most dreadful thing under heaven. His name is upon the ordinances, his eye is upon the worshippers, and his wrath and judgement upon those that worship not in fear.
            • 1 Corinthians 11:27-32 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
            • This rebukes 3 sorts of people
              1. Such as regard not the worship of God at all
                • Psalm 79:6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
                • Jeremiah 10:25 Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.
              2. Such as count it enough to present their body in the place where God is worshipped, not minding with what heart, or with what spirit, they come hither.
              3. Such that care not how, where, or after what manner they worship God
                • Isaiah 29:13-14 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
  2. By this word fear, we are to understand the word of God, the rule and director of our fear. (cont’d)

Praying in the Holy Ghost

August 10, 2017

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Introduction

This verse brings to our attention the New Testament principle of praying in the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit. The bible teaches us and encourages us to pray in the Spirit. Ephesians 6:18, Paul says, Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; In the letter to Jude, chapter 1, verse 20 it says, But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

And of course this brings to us many questions: Are we praying in the Holy Ghost? What is praying in the Holy Ghost? Is this something that we are practicing? Now answering this is not easy in certain respects. Now I’ve come to this: There’s two ways to answer these questions. There’s two ways to look upon this matter of praying in the Spirit. Both ways are beneficial to study. I’ll preach on one today and the other another time. Both ways may very well be right.

Preacher Allen would always say that there are always two train tracks traveling side by side. One track is the Sovereignty of God and the other is the Free Will of Man. If you ever wake up in the morning and only see one track, go back to sleep. There’s something wrong.

The Sovereignty of God

The first way, which we’ll save for later, will see praying in the Spirit as something that all Christians do, and can do without effort, really. The Holy Ghost prays all the time for you and that the key to praying in the Spirit lies in simply being in the Spirit. Paul says very clearly and emphatically (Romans 8:9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. If you are saved, born from above, then the Spirit of God dwells in you. You are in the Spirit. If the Spirit of God be in you, then you are in the Spirit. So in regards to praying in the Spirit, we are half way there. Did you get that? If you want to pray in the Holy Ghost, and you’re saved, you’re half way there. So what’s the other half? If you’re in the Spirit, then just pray. Pray. Just Pray. Pray always. Pray. Pray. Pray.

And this takes the burden of whether or not we are praying in the Spirit off of us and really encourages us to just pray. We don’t have a choice of the matter as far as praying in the Spirit. It’s just so. So you see how this exalts the sovereignty of God. And it strengthens our faith in God. And it encourages us to pray. So if you look at it this way, the second I bow my head in prayer, if I’m saved, I’m praying in the Holy Ghost. If I could be so bold as to say this: Even if you don’t pray, the Holy Ghost is making intercession for you and praying for you. When you look at this way, honestly, I’m not sure how a saint of God that is in the Spirit can not pray in the Spirit.

Are you in the Spirit of not? Paul said (Romans 8:9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. In this way of looking at things it is incumbent on us to do our part of the praying in the Spirit which is to pray, pray, pray. I see many benefits to looking at it like this.

The Free Will of Man

Now the other way at looking at this is where we’re going to preach today. On the other side of the spectrum from the sovereignty of God is the free will of man. And in this respect, we have much to do about praying in the the Spirit. In other words, praying in the Spirit is not something that every saved person does without a choice in the matter. Praying in the Spirit is something we should strive for and work towards and believe is possible and beneficial. On this side, there’s a free market to this matter of prayer. The benefits of our prayer life is directly proportional to how hard we work at it. James said (James 5;16) The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

This way I feel compelled to say that we pray in the Spirit, as much as we are filled with the Spirit. As much as we are walking after the Spirit will determine whether or not we are praying in the Spirit. So here we are again at Ephesians 5;18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; In order for us to pray in the Spirit; pray in the Holy Ghost, it’s incumbent upon us to be filled with the Spirit, to be surrendered to God’s will, to be as much as lies possible with us submitted to our Lord, sensitive to the leading of the Holy Ghost.

So I want to look at this verse from this point of view. In this point of view I believe we have much to learn about prayer from the Holy Ghost. It’s not our prayers but his prayers that are most important. (John 16:3) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak… I want to hear what the Spirit of God has to say on this matter of prayer. Seven times in God’s final letter to man, he says, (Revelation 2:7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. I think that this verse, Romans 8:26, is an example and admonishment to us on prayer. The bible says he will teach us all things, and I think one thing we can learn from the Holy Ghost is about prayer.

I believe that praying in the Holy Ghost is when we enter into the prayers of the Holy Ghost. I don’t know about you, but I’ve struggled years with my prayer life. I’m not the prayer warrior that I wish that I could be. But I know this, I don’t have to struggle when the Holy Ghost shows up. I may not be a prayer warrior, but the Holy Ghost is a battle hardened prayer general that knows how to get a prayer through. I’m not sure if I’ll ever know truly how to get a prayer through. But I know that the Holy Ghost knows how. Maybe you don’t even get a chance to pray. Maybe you don’t even know what to pray for. Thank God we’ve got someone that does. The Holy Ghost knows how to get a prayer through. The Holy Ghost prays. And in this verse, Romans 8:26, I see three things about the Holy Ghost and prayer.

#1 The Holy Spirit Knows Why to Pray

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities…

In this first part of the verse, we see the why of the Spirit’s intercessions; the why of the Spirit’s prayers. And that undoubtedly, without debate, but to help our infirmities. The Holy Ghost prays to God, intercedes for us, calls out to God, for this one reason: to help us, and more specifically with our infirmities.

1) We need help.

The first thing I want us to see in all this, and in why the Spirit prays for us, is what goes without saying and is without question: We need help. I need help and you need help. Jesus said, (Matthew 26:41) the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Paul said, (Romans 7:18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. It doesn’t matter, how much you want to do good, how much you want to do right, how much you want to do the will of God; without the Spirit of God, and especially the interceding prayer of the Holy Ghost, I want to say good luck!

Let’s see how that works out. Go on up to heaven, and stand before Almighty God and tell him, “I did it on my own, Lord! I did it all by myself! I didn’t need any help!” Let’s see how that turns out. He’ll turn you out like he does with that crowd in Matthew 7. Didn’t we prophecy in your name? Didn’t we cast out devils in your name? Didn’t we do many wonderful works in your name? Jesus will say unto them, (Matthew 7:23) I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. That’s right. The bible says (Matthew 7:21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. How are you going to do will of God without the help God?

No, the bible says no good thing. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing… O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me? Who is going to help me? Who is going to help me in this condition? You know what this verse tells us? It tells us it’s okay to cry Mayday! That’s what Paul is saying when he says, O wretched man… He’s saying, and it’s what we all should be saying, Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! That’s the international distress signal that boats and airplanes put out when they’re in trouble and they need help! Mayday! Help! We need help.

This reminds me of that song, “It’s a battlefield, brother; not a recreation room; a fight and not a game.” We’re gonna need help. If you go out into the battlefield, it’s not going to be long before you find yourself in trouble. Oh yes, but (Psalm 34:17) The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The righteous cry. Do you know what I see when I see those the three words, the righteous cry? That right there, the righteous cry, is praying in the Holy Ghost, praying in the Spirit. The righteous cry? Why? Because the righteous need help.

2) We need help because of infirmities.

The second thing I want us to see in all this, and in why the Spirit prays for us, is why we need help. Paul says Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. Our infirmities is to what Paul refers. Our infirmities is what God has enlisted his Holy Spirit to help. Our infirmities. Jesus said, (Mark 2:17) They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick…

In the Gospel of Luke, the bible says (Luke 13:11,12) And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. I believe that Paul is mainly speaking of spiritual infirmities, spiritual weaknesses, problems that are of an internal nature. The next verse says And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit… We’ve got weaknesses in the heart, infirmities in the heart., maladies of the heart, diseases of the heart. Oh but (Psalm 103:2-3) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; He said ALL thy diseases. And all means all of them; physical and spiritual.

(Psalm 91,2,3,5,6) I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence… Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness…

Pestilence? You know what that is? It’s defined as a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating. And that word virulent means poisonous, toxic, venomous, noxious, deadly, lethal, fatal, dangerous, harmful, injurious, destructive… When Paul says in Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. It’s like a poison that runs through my viens. I think about that old serpent, the devil, and the venomous bite he gate Adam and Eve. It wasn’t a physical bite with a physical venom, but it was a toxic, venomous, deadly, spiritual blow to the all of man. Paul said, (7:23) I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

And it is to this, our infirmities, that the Spirit of God runs to help us. Now will the Spirit help us with our football game, or our track meet, or our TAKS test. Well, that’s between you and God. But I can tell you with surety that the sweet Holy Spirit of God is here to help us with our infirmities; and to heal us in our weakness and our failures. Jesus said (Luke 4:18) The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted… And that great scriptures (Malachi 4:2) But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings…

That’s why Paul said (2 Corinthians 2:9,10) My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. So the Holy Spirit know why to pray, because we need help in our infirmities.

3) It’s the Spirit of Almighty God that gives us help.

And this bring me to the third thing regarding the why the Holy Spirit prays. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities… To answer Paul questions (Romans 7:24) O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me? Lord, who is going to help me? Take away the extra words, and what’s left: The Spirit helpeth. It’s the Spirit of Almighty God that helps us; God the Holy Spirit. He’s just as much God as God is God. Why does the Holy Spirit pray for us? Because he’s God, and that’s who God is and that is what God does. He helps us in our infirmities.

(Hebrews 2:18) For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. God has not left us alone to wallow in our infirmities, but has given his Spirit to help us in our infirmities. The Holy Spirit prays for us because (and I mean no disrespect by this) that’s his job. That is what he was sent from the Father to do. Thus the Holy Spirit must be able to help us. The bible says He is able to succour them that are tempted.

The bible says (1 Cor 10:13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. That way is the Holy Ghost. God is able, therefore ye may be able… 

(1 Cor 6:19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God… The Holy Ghost has showed up to the temple, the house of God. And Jesus said that his house would be a house of prayer. So what’s the Holy Ghost doing in his house? He’s already praying. You don’t have to call 911. You don’t have to wait. You don’t even have to post it on Facebook, “Everybody pray!” The bible says, (Psalm 46:1) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. The Holy Ghost is present and accounted for. Why? Because somebody needs help. And that somebody is you. That somebody is me.

You talk about the 1st responders. The Holy Ghost is our first responder. The Holy Ghost is first on the scene. And I don’t have to call 911 and wait 20 minutes. He’s already there. In fact, he’s there before I get there, amen? It’s the Spirit of Almighty God that gives us help. (Psalm 121:1-3) I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Our God never sleeps. The Holy Spirit is from heaven. He’s from above. He comes from the Father. Up there (Revelation 21:23) …the city (has)… no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it… the glory of God (does)… lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Our God never sleeps. In the garden of Gethsemane, everybody was falling asleep, but my Lord Jesus Christ prayed on. And the Spirit of Christ is not any different.

Conclude Remarks: The Holy Spirit Knows Why to Pray

I’m glad that I don’t have to deal with my infirmities on my own.  I’m glad that when I bow my head in prayer, the Spirit of God Almighty bows his head with me and prays with me, and for me, and for my infirmities. He know why to pray.

#2 The Holy Spirit Knows What to Pray

For we know not what we should pray for as we ought…

I find this very helpful to know that Paul said, we know not what we should pray for. I struggle in my prayer life, and it gives me comfort knowing that I’m not alone. I’m not the only one having this problem. He didn’t say you know not what you should pray for as you ought. No, he said we know not what we should pray for as we ought. He said we ought to know, but we don’t.

When the disciples asked Jesus, Lord, teach us to pray, Jesus gave them what some of us call the model prayer. Some people call it the Lord’s prayer, but some call it the model prayer. And we know that the Holy Ghost is only going to speak and teach what Jesus spoke and teach. Now these are two very important verses concerning the Spirit of God

(John 14:26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

(John 16:13-14) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

So in this day, in this present hour, it’s the Holy Ghost that’s going to teach us what to pray. Now Jesus already showed us how to pray in the model prayer (Luke 11:2-4) And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

The Holy Ghost only going to teach what Jesus taught. He knows what Jesus knows. Now the Holy Ghost knows what to pray, amen? We don’t know what to pray, that’s why we need the Holy Ghost praying for us. There’s nothing to be ashamed about. The disciples didn’t know how to pray, amen? John, Peter, James… They didn’t know how to pray. That’s why they said, Lord, teach us to pray. The Holy Ghost knows what to pray. (John 14:26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. The Holy Ghost is going to teach what Jesus taught.

1) The Spirit teaches us to pray to the Father

Jesus said When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be they name. The Holy Spirit know that we’re praying to the Father. Paul said, (Romans 8:15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Holy Spirit knows the Father because he comes from the Father.

Just like there was an intimate relationship between Jesus, the Son, and the Father. There is also a relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Father. And I’m not gonna get into that right now, but suffice it to say that the Holy Spirit Spirit intimately and directly prays to the Father and teaches us to pray to the Father. (Galatians 4:6) And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son… Did you catch that. The Spirit of his Son is crying, Abba, Father.

2) The Spirit teaches us to pray for the kingdom to come

Jesus said When ye pray, say… Thy kingdom come. The Spirit of God is concerned about the kingdom and is very much involved in workings of God’s kingdom. (Matthew 12:28) But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. John the Baptist, who was filled from his mother’s womb with the Holy Spirit, and what his message? (Matthew 3:1,2) In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

We look at Jesus, after the Holy Ghost was descended upon him, and he was filled with the Holy Ghost, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness and there he fought that great battle with the devil. The bible says (Luke 4:4) And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee… Jesus began his ministry there and the bible says (Matthew 4:17) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The Spirit of God is concerned about the kingdom and prays that the kingdom would come.

Yes, the Spirit knows about the kingdom of God. So much is he concerned and involved with the Kingdom, that nobody shall enter the kingdom of God but by his hand. For the bible says (John 3:5) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Say amen right there. Sometimes I wonder about Genesis 3:24 after Adam and Eve sinned and were drove out from the garden of Eden. Is says, He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. It doesn’t say that the Cherubims were turning that sword. The bible says he just put a flaming sword which turned every way. And doesn’t the bible say that the Holy Spirit has a sword? (Ephesians 6:7) Take… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

I just wonder about that. Listen, nobody shall enter the kingdom of God but by the hand of the Spirit of God. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

3) The Spirit teaches us to pray for God’s will to be done

Jesus said When ye pray, say… Thy will be done. (1 John 5:14,15) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. This is probably the single most important qualification to our prayers being answered. Are we praying according to his will. Do we know God’s will. I think maybe we tell ourselves when our prayers don’t get answered that God said no or God said later or God has something better. It’s possible that we deflecting from the truth that we just don’t now God’s will. And that we are not praying according to his will. We’re praying according to our will. We are asking for our will be done, and not God’s will be done. We may want good things and honorable things, but we must not put our will above God’s will.

When we pray in the Spirit we are praying according to God’s will because the Spirit of God knows and does and prays according to the will of God without fail, everytime. (Romans 8:27) And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Preacher Allen always said Get on the possom’s trail for God’s perfect will for your life and don’t settle for anything less. (Ephesians 5:17) Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And as Brother Fain Jordan used to say, the key to understanding what the will of the Lord is, is the very next verse. (Ephesians 5:18) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.

The Spirit of God teaches us to pray for God’s will to be done. I don’t know about you, but I sure like to see my prayers answered. It seems to me that the only prayers that get answered directly are those that prayed in accordance to the will of God. It’s incumbent upon me to know the will of God.

4) The Spirit teaches us to pray for our daily bread

Jesus said When ye pray, say… Give us day by day our daily bread. I’m not so sure that Jesus is talking about physical bread. If he was, that would be the only physical thing that Jesus put on the list. All the other things are spiritual. I think it might also be contradictory considering Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

If we’re not so much as to think about attaining bread, then why pray for it? We ought to thank him for it. But Jesus said, seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. I believe our daily bread is spiritual food and spiritual nourishment.

(Revelation 2:17) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna… Manna? That brings our minds all the way in the wilderness with the wandering Israelites. God said to the people of God (Deuteronomy 8:3) And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

When Jesus was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness and had that contest with the devil. The devil said to Jesus (Luke 4:3,4) If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And Job said (Job 23:12) Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

We need the Word of God. And it’s much much more than just words on a printed page. (John 1:1) n the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Our spiritual food, our manna from above is much much more than just a book. (Revelation 19:13) And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Oh, how we need spiritual food, how we need manna from above. Jesus said, (John 6:33-35) For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us THIS BREAD. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; When you pray, Jesus said ask for bread!

(1 Corinthians 10:1-4) Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

(Revelation 2:17) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna… The Spirit teaches us to pray for our daily spiritual bread. (John 3:6) That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. That which is spiritual must be procured spiritually, amen? (Jeremiah 15:16) Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. The Spirit teaches us to pray for our daily spiritual bread.

5) The Spirit teaches us to pray our forgiveness

Jesus said When ye pray, say… Forgive us our sins. The Spirit of God knows about forgiveness. He knows our need for forgiveness. He know that we sin and that we fail God. (Romans 8:26) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities… the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us… That intercession is priestly intercession, intercession for sin. (Romans 8:2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:26) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities… the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us… The Holy spirit knows about forgiveness. He knows about the imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:10) And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

David said after he committed that horrible horrible crime against Bathsheba and Uriah (Psalm 51:7-12) Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. He is the Spirit of God Almighty, merciful and tender, faithful and just to forgive us our sins. David said (Psalm 51:13) Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. The Holy Spirit knows about forgiveness.

The Holy Spirit teaches us to pray for our forgiveness. (Romans 8:11) He’s the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead that dwelleth in you. (Hebrews 9:13,14) For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Jesus said When ye pray, say… forgive us our sins. The Holy Spirit teaches us to pray for our forgiveness.

6) The Spirit teaches us to pray for us to forgive.

Jesus said When ye pray, say… We also forgive every one that is indebted to us. The Spirit of God teaches us to pray for us to forgive others. (1 Corinthians 2:12,13) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth… God has freely given us mercy and forgiveness and the Holy Ghost teaches us these things that are freely given. But Jesus takes it one step further. Jesus told his disiciples (Matthew 10:8) Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

(Phillippians 2:1-8) If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. If God, was merciful to us and forgave us our sins. God wants us through the Holy Spirit to do the same, to do likewise, to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. (Phillippians 2:5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

(Ezekiel 36:26,27) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. We out not to have a heart of stone, but tender hearts, merciful hearts. Praying in the Spirit? Being filled with the Spirit for the service of God? There will be long-suffering, gentleness, goodness. If you’re always putting people down, judging their every move, looking down you nose, quick to fight, nothing good to say? That’s not the Spirit of God. That’s the spirit of the devil, the accuser of the brethren.

(2 Corinthians 3:3) Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. When God forgives you, god will change you. You will never be the same. When the Spirit of the living God, takes to writing something in your heart, it cannot so easily be denied. There will be ramifications. There will be consequences and not in a negative way. (Phillipians 1:6) Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Freely ye have received. Freely give.

(1 Peter 1:22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: The Spirit of God teaches us to pray that we would forgive, pray that we would be forgiving one toward another, to love on another. The Holy Ghost knows what to pray.

7) The Spirit teaches us to pray for our protection

Jesus said When ye pray, say… Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. And truly we have already covered this when we spoke about why the Spirit prays: to help us in our infirmities, to help us in our weaknesses. We battle the flesh, the devil and his devils, and the world. The’re all against us. They’re all enemies. Principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places. They’re all against us. And all of them, like Romans 7:8,11 are taking occasion by the commandment are trying to drag us down and bring us under the bondage of the sin which is in our members. But thank God for the Holy Spirit of God. (Romans 8:2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

There is victory in the Holy Ghost (Romans 8:13) If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. I found this verse the other day that gave me some joy. (Isaiah 59:19) So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

He’ll lift up a standard, Amen? That means he’s come to fight. That means he’ll fight our battles. He’ll wage our wars. When the enemy comes from every side. And we don’t know what to do. And we don’t know what to pray for. When we’re crippled and paralyzed by our infirmities, our weakness against the enemies of this world. When we need help, the Spirit of God lifts up the flag. He lifts up the standard. Amen. We are no alone in this thing. (John 14:18) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 

Jesus said When ye pray, say… Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. The Holy Ghost teaches us to pray for our protection.

Conclude Remarks: The Holy Spirit Knows What to Pray

(Luke 11:2-4) And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

(John 14:26) …the Holy Ghost… shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 16:13-14) …the Spirit of truth… will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: The Holy Ghost will teach us what Jesus taught the disciples.The Holy Spirit know what to pray. That’s why we need to be filled with the Holy Ghost. Because we don’t know. He knows. That’s why we need to pray in the Holy Ghost. Praying always with all prayer and supplication IN THE SPIRIT… He knows what to pray.

#3 The Holy Spirit Knows How to Pray

But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

How does the Spirit pray? The bible says with groanings. The Holy Ghost makes intercession for us with groanings. Let me ask you this: Have you ever groaned in prayer for someone like the Holy Ghost groans for you. Paul said, …but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves… The Holy Spirit groans in prayer. That word groanings, stenagmos, comes from the word to groan, stenazó, which comes from the word stenos, which means small, narrow, contricted, constrained. That’s the word that Jesus uses when he says that way is narrow and gate is strait. The way that leadeth to life is stenos. So when we see this word groanings or stenagmos these are expressions of pressure, sighs of an intense pressure, expressions of anguish, pain, and travail. The Holy Ghost groans for us. You don’t groan and moan and experience anguish over someone unless you love them, unless you care for them, unless there’s something that you want for them that it consumes you. And when you pour your heart to God about it, it comes out in groans. The Holy Ghost groans for us.

If you want to get a picture of what that looks like, let’s take a little visit to the garden of Gethsename. (Luke 22:44) And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. That’s Jesus Christ praying, amen? Like the old songwrite wrote, “Not a tear for his own grief, but sweat drops of blood for mine.” Romans 8:10 says, And if Christ be in you… If Christ be in you!

They brought unto Jesus one that was deaf and mute. The bible says (Mark 7:34,35) And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.The bible says that he signed. That’s the same greek work that Paul used when he said in Romans 8:23 We ourselves groan within oursleves… That’s the same word that Paul used when he said (2 Cor 5:1,2) For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan… If we want a picture of the Spirit of Christ praying for us, take a look at Christ as he prays for this deaf and mute man. He looks up to heaven and groans for him. And the Spirit of Christ groans for us.

Jesus loved the family of Lazarus; Mary and Martha. When Jesus showed up to the town in which they lived after Lazarus had died, the bible says (John 11:32,33) Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, God is concerned with the affairs and hearts of the those he loves. The bible says that he groaned and was troubled at the weeping of Mary. He hurts when we hurt. Those who saw said, Behold how he loved him! He mourned with those that mourned. He groaned in the spirit, in the depths of his person, he groaned. And if Christ be in you?  The Holy Spirit intercedes for us and prays for us with groaning which cannot be uttered.

If we were to pray in the Spirit, I believe that we would also groan. Groan for ourselves, our infirmities, groan for our loved ones, groan for the things of God. Groans come from within. Groans come from the bowels, the reins, the inner man. If we pray in the Spirit, along with the Holy Ghost, we’ll groan for God, groan for God in our life, groan for God in our children’s life, groan for God in the church. Jesus said to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all they soul, and with all thy might. If you’re giving it your all, you’re gonna groan, groan with the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost knows how to pray.

The bible says (Luke 11:1) And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray… Teach us to pray they asked him.  And the Lord Jesus said to his disciples (John 14:26) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. The Holy Ghost is our instructor in prayer and he doesn’t do anything different from the Lord Jesus Christ, for he is the Spirit of Christ. The Spirit prays as Christ prays. And if the Spirit of Christ be in you… (John 16:13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak… The Holy Ghost intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

God, the Spirit, groans for us in prayer. He know how to pray. I believe in this matter of praying in the Holy Ghost, if we are to pray in the Spirit, and tap into the heart of God, we’ll do some groaning within ourselves..

Conclusion

The Spirit of God is our instructor in prayer. He knows why, what, and how to pray. But more than that, he is our prayer. He knows all of prayer because that’s what he does. He is the Spirit of prayer and supplication. (Hebrews 4:16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We can come boldly only because of this great truth, Romans 8:26,27 (Quote) Bless the Lord, we can pray in the Spirit. When we pray, he prays. When I bow my head and cry unto God, He cries and groans to God with me. He is the power in prayer. (Jude 1:20) But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Oh that we might labor to enter into the prayers of the Holy Ghost. The benefit of our prayer life is directly proportional to how hard we work at it. (James 5:16) The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. With that I urge you to pray. Pray Pray Pray.

 

 

 

The Law of Good and Evil

August 8, 2017

Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

I believe that coming to terms with this law, may be essential to truly living a Spirit-filled life. I’ve heard Romans 7:24 quoted many times. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Then the next verse is read. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And the book is closed and that is supposed to be the answer to this grand question Who shall deliver me? And they all say, Amen! Glory to God! And everybody goes home. But we keep reading and we see the real conclusion of Romans Chapter 7. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Whoops. That doesn’t sound like deliverance to me. So then means this is just plain so. So then is the end of the matter. It’s a law. Romans Chapter 7 is Paul’s scientific analysis of his current state. And at the end of his research, he finds a law. Laws don’t change.

Never in Chapter 7 or Chapter 8 does Paul promise a deliverance from the body of this death in this life. Instead, what Paul demonstrates is that though we are not delivered from the body of this death, God does delivers us through it. He will deliver us through it to that glorious day, the redemption of our body (8:23). In that day, this man will at last be delivered from the body of this death; when my mortal body steps out of the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. (8:21)

There may be certain temptations that plague you and sins to which you wonder if you’ll ever have victory. The flesh is discouraging to our spirits and causes us to doubt if we’ll ever truly grasp or attain a Spirit-filled life. Consider the words of Paul (2 Corinthians 12:8,9) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. I want to encourage you, brethren. Ask and keep on asking. Seek and keep on seeking. Knock and keep on knocking. A lot of times, we look at Paul’s experience with this thorn in the flesh as if he was denied or disappointed. No. No. No. If you ever get a word from God that is so sure to where you would say He said unto me, O believe me, you won’t be disappointed. (Matthew 5:6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

All your life, you’ve served the flesh. You’ve been under the law, serving in the oldness of the letter and walking after the flesh. Don’t assume the second you got saved, you just spontaneously, instinctively knew how to serve in newness of spirit and to walk after the Spirit. If that was so, Paul would have had no need to write Romans, Chapter 6,7, and 8 or the letter to the Galatians for that matter. Take the a quick Romans 8 test:

  1. Do you walk after the Spirit?
  2. Do you mind the things of the Spirit?
  3. Are you spiritually minded?
  4. Would you say you have a spiritual mind?
  5. Does the Spirit of God dwell in you?
  6. Does the Spirit of Christ dwell in you?
  7. Do you through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body?
  8. Are you led by the Spirit of God?
  9. Is your spirit bearing witness with the Holy Spirit?
  10. Do you have the firstfruits of the Spirit?

My point is that if we’re honest, we’ll admit that we just are not near as spiritual as God wants us to be, nor is our understanding of the Holy Spirit as deep and thorough as it can be. (John 4:24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Don’t be content. But seek a higher spiritual plane than the one of flesh you so long have operated on. As that great song says,

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on Canaan’s tableland;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

The flesh is a briar patch that chokes out all fruitfulness. But the Spirit is the seed bed of all good works. Both are inside of you. I know that this is a bit of a stretch of an application, but it reminds me of Jesus’ parable about the wheat and the tares. (Matthew 13:24-30) When they found both wheat and tares growing together, the servants asked the householder if they should go and take up the wheat. But the householder said, Nay… Let both grow together until the harvest… Together they exist. Paul said, when I would do good, evil is present with me. But alas, the great day of the harvest is at hand. (Luke 21:28) Lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

War Is Brewing

August 7, 2017

Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Brother Joe Arthur preached tonight at the Faith Baptist Camp. He began his message with a vivid description of the shot heard around the world. And from Thessalonians Chapter 4 he began to preach on the shout that will be heard around the world. It was a wonderful message the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But when he was talking about those militia men lined up there by the Old North Bridge at Concord, Massachusetts my mind got to wandering upon the scriptures I’ve been studying recently. When Brother Joe started preaching about how those men stood up there to defend their land and their freedom, and I could see those patriots and those redcoats all lined up ready to go to war, I thought of Romans 7:23 where Paul also witnessed a war. He said I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind.

And I got to thinking why don’t we stand up and fight against the flesh? Why do we so easily and quickly succumb to the power of the flesh? I mean do we even try? Or we do lay down our arms and just get brought into captivity? Why don’t we fight? Paul said in Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Far as I can tell, It’s kill or be killed. Seems to me that if we have any chance of winning, we need the Holy Spirit. He said if ye through the Spirit. Oh how we need the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to be filled with the Spirit.

Maybe it’s not time to sing I Surrender All. But maybe it’s time to fight. Maybe it’s time to take up arms against this flesh. Maybe it’s time to turn the tables. Maybe it’s time to besiege the flesh. I wrote this the other day on the matter:

I saw this in the Bible the other day. It’s was toward the end of Deuteronomy before they were to enter into that promised land. My Scofield Bible entitles it The law of warfare. This is how the children of Israel were to conduct war against the people of the land. Hey! We’re at war with this flesh. Let’s not play games with it anymore. God told the children of Israel, When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. (Deuteronomy 20:10) We’re way past this point. The flesh will never make peace with the Spirit of God.

The Bible says regarding Ishmeal the child of the flesh and Isaac the child of promise, He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (Galatian 4:29) The Bible says The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other… (Galatians 5:17) In Genesis, from the beginning, the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh… (Genesis 6:3) The flesh is not going to just lay over. There is no peace in the flesh.

So then, Deuteronomy goes on to say, If it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it! (Deuteronomy 20:12) Thou shalt besiege it. That means to cut off all the roads. Nobody in. Nobody out. Blow up the bridges. Cut off the water supply. Bring down the power grid. Burn the crops. Slaughter the cattle. Cut off the food supply. Surround it with everything you got. Besiege it! Paul said, Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (Romans 13:14) Make not provision. That means don’t feed it. That means thou shalt besiege it.

The shot has already been fired, my friend. The war is on. Will you fight?

Preparing for Romans 8:26, Taking a Look Back

July 26, 2017

Romans 8:26,27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The first three words, Likewise the Spirit. That means in the same manner. In the same manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. So before we get into any of the text, I want to answer the question What manner? Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmites? Likewise means on the same wise. What wise? It means in the same manner. What manner? What wise? Likewise the Spirit gives us the indication that Romans 8:26 and 27 is the next on the list. The Spirit of God also helpeth our infirmities. That also tells us that Paul is adding to the list.

There’s two ways of looking at this: And honestly, I’m not sure which way is the right way. The question is what list? Paul is adding to what list? Is this a more primary list in Romans of all the ways that God helpeth our infirmities, or is Paul adding to a secondary list of all the different ways in which the Spirit helps us. Is the point that throughout Romans God helps with our infirmities and this is another manner in which God does this? Or is the point that the Spirit helps us with many things and in many ways, and this is but one of them?

Wise #1: Paul demonstrates throughout the letter to the Romans that God helps our infirmities

So if we look at it in the first light, where the point or the theme is that of our infirmities, then when Paul speakes of those infirmities, he’s reaching all the way back into other chapters here.

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested

Romans 3:24, 25 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood

Roman 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Romans 4:23,24 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:8 God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Romans 5:20,21 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Over and over Paul declares our infirmities, our sin, our depravity, but everytime, he answers with what Jesus has done or what God has made so. All throughout this book Paul is trying to help us understand what God has done for us. And then when we get into Chapter 7, he’s dealing with sin again and infirmities, but now he’s dealing with it in saved folk.

Romans 7:13 But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Romans 7:17,18 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

He’s laying down the groundwork for this next thing on the list of help which is the Holy Ghost. But in this groundwork, I found something that intrigued me. There was something that Paul said that caught my attention.

Romans 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man… What does that sound like? It sounds a lot like what David said, But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of wate, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Paul says I delight in the law of God after the inward man, David, just like you do. But David, you still committed adultery with Bathsheba. You still murdered Uriah. You still distrusted God and numbered Israel. David, your delight was in the law, yes, and you did prosper yes, but there was still sin. Paul said David, just like you, I delight in the law of God after the inward man, BUT I see another law warring in my members, warring against the law in my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Do you see the contradiction in this passage. His delight is in the law of the God, but instead of prosperity, he finds war and with war comes destruction and death. I don’t think people realize even after they’re saved how much they’re still living and serving the law. Paul said in Chapter 7:6 But we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Why would God preserve these letters for us if they weren’t pertinent? Most of Galatians is about the same thing.

Paul said David I delight in the law of God, but the law is not good enough. That’s why he said verse 3 of chapter 8, “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh…” He said, “The law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin…” If I was all spirit, we’d be alright. But I’m not. I’m flesh. And I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing. But what does dwell in there are infirmities. He said who shall deliver me from the body of this death… it’s the body of infirmities.

And honestly, I find no indication that we’re gonna be delivered from the body of this death in this life. Our new glorified bodies will be presented at glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Paul is still waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of his body. He’s still waiting along with us for the manifestation of the sons of God. When Paul says in verse 11, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you.” There’s no indication that this quickening of your mortal body happens in this life. He said shall quicken. He didn’t say quickens. He said shall quicken.

Don’t get this mixed up with Ephesians 2. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins… Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

I read this verse, and something inside of me says, “Praise the Lord! I’m saved, I’m raised in Christ. I’m sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” But, we might as well face it, there’s absolutely nothing about this body and this flesh that sitting up in heavenly places. There ain’t nothing heavenly about this body. There’s nothing raised up about this body. My soul is saved! My spirit is renewed! But this old flesh. God gave me this thought the other day: Salvation is for the soul. Santification is for the Spirit. But the glorious resurrection is for the body. Paul said, “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. It’s called the glorious liberty of the children of God because the souls of the children of God are already in there. And, don’t quote me, but I think sanctification, being filled with the Holy Ghost, is about getting our spirits in the glorious liberty of the children of God. But the resurrection, the coming of our blessed hope, when the trump of God shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall rise, that is when our bodies get delivered into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

So Romans 8, Paul is trying to help us with this old body, this flesh, this sin in our members. And I really think that why he says we’re saved by hope. Romans 8:24,25 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. He’s getting us to wait for it, to patiently wait for the glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior, the redemption of these wretched bodies. He’s saying just wait and see… Just be patient. For the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us… He didn’t say don’t compare them. He just said they’re not worthy to be compared to the glory. He’s saying you ain’t seen nothing yet… And see, that helps us. He’s not saying to just go on sinning because of the flesh. He’s getting us to recognize the reality of the flesh, and take advantage of the help that God has given us until that blessed day until we won’t have to. It’s like when he told the Galatians (6:9) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

He’s saying don’t give up. Don’t give up. Don’t give up. Paul is saying I know there’s a war going on in your member, but don’t give up. The best is yet to come. The Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit of the unimaginable divine inheritance that awaits us. We are heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. That means we’re going to get everything Jesus gets. It means Jesus is going to share everything the Father gives him with us. Romans 8:29 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things. He saying store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. You see he’s trying to help us while we’re down here. He’s demonstrating to us and encouraging us to operate according to the facts, the future, and our faith.

That is what this book of Romans, especially these chapters 5,6,7, and 8, is about. Paul is trying to help us. And he’s giving us great truths regarding our salvation; the facts, the future, and our faith. This is the manner of God, a God that wants to help us. A God that extends to us a helping hand and encourage us. Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: Paul is demonstrating that God understand. That God know that Romans 7:10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. And God know Romans 7;11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. God knows (14) that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. God know this and God did something about it because he loves me and wants to help me. He sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.

So when we his this verse and see Likewise the Spirit, and we understand that to be in the same manner and ask What manner? The manner of God is to help us with our infirmities, therefore the manner of his Holy Spirit is the same; to help us with sin. God has yet again extended out a helping hand in the Holy Ghost.

 

Wise #2: Paul demonstrates throughout chapter 8 that the Holy Ghost helps with and in many things, our infirmities being one of them.

So let’s go back a little through Chapter 8 and and just see the actions of the Holy Ghost.

And I want to stop there and talk about this.

These past weeks I’ve been reading three different book about the Holy Spirit. I’m still seeking and trying to learn more about the Holy Ghost. I picked up these book at the camp. They used to belong to Brother Fain Jordan. It’s interesting how there’s slight nuances in everybody’s understanding of the Holy Ghost. No doubt mine is unique from others as others are unique from each other. One of these books had a chapter or a portion on this concept of the witness of the Spirit. And the author was expounding on three different verses that speak on this matter the bible. And he didn’t say anything really about this, but something dawned on me as I was reading this and it was regarding Romans 8:16: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  I realized that it’s possible that I misunderstood this verse all my Christian life.

I have always understood this verse to mean that God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, bears witness to my spirit, or testifies to my spirit that I’m a child of God; that He speaks to my Spirit, to my heart, and tells me that I’m his own, his child. Now I’m not saying that God doesn’t do that. Surely he does. But that is not what this verse is saying. The verse is saying distinctly that His Spirit bears witness with our spirit, not to our spirit. In other words, we are co-witnesses. We bear witness together. He’s saying that our spirit bears witness also. Our spirit agrees with the Holy Spirit. Our spirit confirms the voice of God. It’s not t-o, it’s t-o-o, which means also. It’s not t-o, it’s t-w-o. which means it’s both spirits bearing witness.

Now after that kind of dawned on me, I made a mental note to go look it up in the Greek, and make sure that I’m not misinterpreting or going down a wrong road in my thinking. So I look up the verse, and the expression is συμμαρτυρεῖ (symmartyrei) which comes from the word συμμαρτυρέω (summartureó) And expression means I bear witness together with. It’s a word that was made from two words, from sun and martureó. Matureo means to bear witness or testify, while sun means with or together with. So, at this point, now, I realized, “Wow, all these years I misunderstood this…”

Now, I always want to be careful. I don’t want to get carried away. Because I’ve known many preachers to preach this verse the way I’ve previously understood it. I’ve learned a few things in my years. One thing I learned in my studies is that etymology is insufficient to determine the meaning of words. In other words, just looking at the meaning of words and how they were derived is not enough to determine what a writer may have been conveying. Often times, usage will determine the meaning of the word. In other words, we have to understand how the writer is using the words to understand what he means. So what I like to do is see other examples of how this word is used to make sure I’m not nuts.

So, I’m gonna be like those Berean Christians in Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. So that’s what I did. It turns out that this word is really only used three times in your New Testament. And this isn’t the first time this has happened to me, but this same word is used in the by same author in the same book three times. So when this happens, you’ve got a pretty sure way to determine your understanding of the word or words because it was used all times at the same time, and in the same letter, and by the same person, so there’s little chance the meaning will very. If different people used it, it casts a doubt. If it’s used at different times, it casts a doubt. But the same person, same book. You can’t beat that.

Romans 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) Also bearing witness is that expression again, and sure enough it’s exactly what it means. Paul is saying that their heart testifies, and their conscience testifies. Both bear witness.

Romans 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, Paul is has got something to say in Romans, Chapter 9, but he’s making not that his conscience also has got the same thing to say. His conscience confirms what he’s about to say. Him and his conscience are on the same page.

And that is what we are to understand in Romans 8:16. My spirit and the Holy Spirit are on the same page. We are both testifying and bearing witness that I am a child of God. That’s Romans 8:16. Matthew 18:16 is it’s sister verse. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. It’s one thing to say that I’m a child of God, but it’s wonderful when two more people inside of me that are saying the same thing. My new spirit that God has quickened and made a alive and freed is saying that I’m a child of God, and the Holy Spirt is confirming that and testifying of that. Bless the Lord, every word may be established. That is what Paul is trying to do, to establish us in the faith. He’s trying to help us. The Holy Spirit is trying to help us.

And this was just a gold mine for me when I found it. Look I don’t like being wrong, but I’m glad I found out I was wrong about this verse. You ever heard that expression Knowledge is power. A right understanding of the scriptures can help us, but a misunderstanding of them can hinder us. And I can see how that misunderstanding this verse has hindered my faith and suppressed truth. This verse Romans 8:16 has been so integral in my life. I’ve heard it quoted many many many times and it has always been part of the framework of my understanding of the Holy Spirit, and thus God. And I had it wrong. Like I said, I’m not saying the the Holy Spirit doesn’t speak to us, to our hearts, to our spirits. Sure he does. But I’m gonna have to find another verse when I talk about that.

I can see how that misunderstanding has hindered my faith and suppressed truth; has suppressed my Spirit. In a sense, through the misunderstanding of this verse I’ve essentially been waiting on a word from the Holy Ghost; waiting for the Spirit to speak to my Spirit, when all along, it’s not waiting that my spirit should be doing but instead witnessing. I have a new spirit within me that is me that wants to cry Abba Father. Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Where by we cry, not he cries. We cry! Our spirit cries Abba Father. Our spirit bears witness together with the Holy Spirit that we are the children of God.

The Holy Spirit, listen, He’s cheering us on. He’s saying go go go. And my spirit is saying go go go. Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. We’re in this together. And I don’t know about you, but that helps me. I like this new understanding better. I tell you, when this broke out on me, I could feel such a weight lifted. My fellowship with God in prayer suddenly God real good. My yearning and craving for the bible got more acute. The morning after I got in my truck and cried from my driveway in Sinton all the way to McKenzie just praising God and thanking him. I tell you God is so good to me, and the sweet Holy Spirit is good to me.

Something Else

“I am not called upon to improve myself – to gradually improve the old nature; but I am to reckon that I have died to its power and authority; and I am to recognize that my real life now is that of the risen Christ, which is to be manifested in me. This is what Christian baptism rightly signifies. “We are buried with Him by baptism unto death.” In that act I confessed that I – the old, selfish, worldly, sinful man – came to an end in the death of Christ.” H. A. Ironside

When Paul says in Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another; even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. When he says this (Now this has taken me some time to nail this down in my mind), he is talking about two different ye’s. Notice (and this has bothered me for some time) how in Paul’s discussion regarding the law and marriage, it’s the husband that is either alive or dead, and it’s the woman that marries another. So when we get to verse 4, I’ve always wonder why Paul changed from the husband being dead in verse 2 and 3, to now saying ye are become dead to the law, ye being the woman figure. Well, the reason why is because he doesn’t. He hasn’t changed. We are to understand that the ye that is become dead to the law by the body of Christ is not the ye that should be married to another. I always thought it was, but it’s not.

I always kinda pictured a resurrection between the two ye’s, but for the most part the two ye’s were the same person. Now they are of the same person. But I believe in Paul’s thinking, no. What is resurrected is a new creature in Christ Jesus. Therefore, there is a distinction between the old man and the new man.

I know this might be a little difficult to swallow, but consider the glorious verse of Galatian 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: He that was crucified with Christ was not resurrected, but a new creature. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. New means new. And we’re not talking new to you. We’re not talking about getting someone’s hand me downs, something that is torn and battered and worn out with sin. No. New is what we are. Remember when we discussed life and death, how that life has nothing to do with death, and visa-versa, death has nothing to do with life. We cannot in our entirety be dead and alive at the same time. One man must be dead, and the other man must be alive.

Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed. Now the body of sin is destroyed, destroyed, destroyed. And the body of sin is not resurrected, but rather a new man in Christ Jesus is resurrected.

So that’s why I say that the I that was crucified with Christ cannot be the I that lives. No, like Ironside said, that I, or that ye, came to an end in the death of Christ. So the I that was crucified with Christ is dead and the one that lives is a new I. Like wise, going back to Romans 7:4, the ye that has become dead to the law by the body of Christ is the husband and the ye that should be married to another is the woman. Jesus said in John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Passing from death to life is not just simply a matter of state and standing, but a matter of existence. Don’t get me wrong, we have a new standing in Christ Jesus, but bless the Lord, the only reason we can boast a new standing is because we are new creatures.

Now maybe that might be difficult to understand. It’s taken me years to even just get an understanding of this, and this, I’m sure, is due to my stubbornness and disobedience. God does not ask that we understand this, but rather that we just believe it. Paul said in Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. He didn’t say to understand it, but to just reckon it. Account it. Believe it. Cash it. That’s the ABC’s of the Christian life right there.

 

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The Big Problem

So here’s the problem: Why are we still dealing with infirmities and sin, when we have so decisively and surely been crucified with Christ. If Christ condemned sin in the flesh, then why am I still dealing with it? Unbelief.

alatian 5: The Spirit is the seed bed of righteousness in the body; good deeds, works, the work of God in this body.

 

Preacher Allen Notes “What Time Is It”

July 20, 2017

Here’s a good source of many messages: http://www.bibchurch.net/sammy-allen.html

It’s a real joy… It’s a real joy to be here this evening. I know that you love the Lord, as hot as it is. I mean to come out here and sit under the tabernacle and sit outside.  I really believe you love the Lord.

Let me say this: The hundredth and eighteenth Psalm, verse 24, said, This is the day…this day. This is the day which the Lord hath made… Said we will rejoice and be glad in it. Now some folk they can’t enjoy summer… They just can’t enjoy summer think’n about winter. And then we got some folks they can’t enjoy winter think’n about how hot it’s gonna get in the summer. They can’t enjoy spring. But this is the day, this day, which the Lord hath made… Said we will rejoice. We will rejoice and be glad… Be glad in it. Now the bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing… In every thing give thanks. Now, it said in every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Now there’s three things, there’s at the least three things that God wants us to do this week… Brother Icker… If at least three things… Now Brother Icker used to preach at the Rocky Acres Bible Camp when I was just a babe, just a babe in Christ. And he was a real blessing. And that’s been… That’s been probably twenty-five years, probably at the least twenty-five years. But there’s at the least three things that God wants us to do this week if we live and it’s the Lord’s will, if Jesus don’t come… At least three things…

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word… Them Berean Christians… They received the word with all readiness of mind. And then they searched the scriptures. They searched the scriptures. They just ransacked this… That’s what word search… It’s ransack. They just… Listen. They searched the scriptures daily. Now not once a week, or twice a week, or three times a week… But they searched the scriptures daily whether or not those things were so. Now they searched scriptures daily.

Now the bible said in John 5:39, Jesus said search the scriptures… Search the scriptures. For in them… See, in them ye think ye have eternal life. And they are they that testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that you might have life.  So they received the Word and that’s what God wants us to do this week. He wants us to receive the Word with all readiness of mind. And then he wants us to search the scriptures daily whether or not those things were so.

Now the second things that God wants us to do this week is Hebrews 2:1,2, and 3. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and (every) disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great (a) salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

And then number three… James 1:22, But be ye doers of the word… But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves.

Now why should be do these things? Well, Matthew 24:35, Jesus said Heaven and earth… What about that preachers? Jesus said Heaven and earth shall pass away… But, Heaven and earth shall pass away. Isaiah 65, This bothers the students, some of the good students. Isaiah 65:17, God said, For, behold, I create… See, [Genesis 1:1,2,3] In the beginning God created the heaven(s) and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness (covered the whole) was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved (or brooded) upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. God said, For, behold, I create new heavens… I wonder why he’s gonna do that.

Well, 2 Peter 3:10[11], But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved (and they will be dissolved), what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Then the bible says in Revelation, Chapter 20, verse 11, John said And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Revelation 21:1, John said And I saw a new heaven (a new heaven) and a new earth: (and) for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Now, you say, Brother Allen, why’d you quote all them scriptures? Well, Matthew 24:35 said Heaven and earth shall pass away, but (uh) my words (my word shall not, my word shall not) shall not pass away. Thank God for his word.

 

Revelation 21:1, John said …I saw a new heaven… a new heaven and a new earth: and …the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Now, you say, Brother Allen, why’d you quote all them scriptures? Well, Matthew 24:35 said Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word… my word… shall not… my word… shall not… shall not pass away.Thank God for his word.

Revelation 21:1, John said I saw a new heaven_ a new heaven and a new earth_ and the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Now, you say, Brother Allen, why’d you quote all them scriptures? Well, Matthew 24:35 said Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word_, my word_ shall not_, my word_ shall not_, shall not pass away. Thank God for his word.

Revelation 21:1, John said I saw a new heaven… a new heaven and a new earth… and the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Now, you say, Brother Allen, why’d you quote all them scriptures? Well, Matthew 24:35 said Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word… my word shall not… my word shall not… shall not pass away. Thank God for his word

Revelation 21:1, John said And I saw a new heaven (a new heaven) and a new earth: (and) for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Now, you say, Brother Allen, why’d you quote all them scriptures? Well, Matthew 24:35 said Heaven and earth shall pass away, but (uh) my words (my word shall not, my word shall not) shall not pass away. Thank God for his word.

 

Revelation 21:1–John said, “(And) I saw a new heaven”–a new heaven–“and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” Now, you say, Brother Allen, why’d you quote all them Scriptures? Well, Matthew 24:35 said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word(s)”–my word shall not, my word shall not–“shall not pass away.” Thank God for His word.

Revelation 21:1–John said, “And I saw a new heaven–,” a new heaven, “and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” Now, you say, Brother Allen, why’d you quote all them Scriptures? Well, Matthew 24:35 said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word(s)–,” my word shall not, my word shall not, “–shall not pass away.” Thank God for His word.

 

I want to preach just a few minutes this evening… I want to preach a few minutes this evening… If you got your bible… And you can just kindly foller me along… I don’t know how far we’ll get in the message, but we’ll try to go as far as the Holy Spirit wants us to go. And then we’ll stop there. Okay. I don’t want to quench the Holy Spirit. 1 Thess… Now the most sensitive person under this tabernacle… or outside here… And outside over here this evening… The most sensitive person… And we’ve probably got some sensitive folk in this congregation… But the most sensitive person is the Holy Spirit. Now He’s a person. He can be quenched. 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Quench not the Spirit. Now that word quench means sm… sm… Means smothered. Ephesians 4:30, said And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Now, we don’t want to quench Him. We don’t want to grieve Him. And He can be lied to. In Acts, chapter 5, Ananias and Saphira, they lied to the Holy Ghost. So we don’t want to quench Him this week. We don’t want to greive Him. We don’t want to lie to Him. We just want to be obedient. Amen? Because obedience is better than sacrifice. So God help us not to quench the Holy Spirit.

Now, look up here. Just look up here. Keep your eyes on me. Don’t let nothing get your attention. Just look this way. Outside, all… Just look this way. Now, if you got your bible… I’m preaching this evening on a message that God gave me when I was in Smithboro, Illinois in a bible conference. And I went to bed on Tuesday evening, could have been Wedenesday morning, could have been after midnight… And I went to bed with this thought, with this thought on my heart. So about daylight the next morning… Listen… The Holy Spirit began to put it together. I’m preaching this evening on What Time Is It? What time is it? What time is it?

Now, if you got your bible… Romans, chapter 13… We’ll start in verse 11. Paul said And that, knowing the time, (And that  knowing the time) that now it is high time (It’s high time to do what?) to (wake) awake out of sleep: for now is (your) our salvation (it’s) nearer than when (ye) we believed. (The night… in this grace dispensation… Hey folk, I’m not telling you students… I mean this place is filled with bible students… I mean) The night is far spent… In this grace dispensation, the night is far spent. You say, Brother Allen, do you really think that it’s almost midnight? Oh, it’s a lot later than that.

Now your first watch of the night is from… Listen… From six to nine. And then your second watch is from nine to twelve. And then your third watch is from twelve to three. And then your fourth watch is from three to six. And that’s the darkest hours of the night. And so we’re living in the darkest hours of this grace dispensation. Are you listening? I mean the night’s far spent. It’s almost like it was back in the antediluvian age. It’s not hardly as bad, but almost as bad. Genesis, Chapter 6, Verse 5… And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth… And as God looks down… Listen, the bible said, Proverbs 15:3, that The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. And it’s almost like it was back in the antediluvian age before the flood.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of (their) his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth… You know what the devil and his devils are doing? You know what… They’re trying to get our minds back like they were in the antediluvian age. Every imagination… This pornography, pornographic literature, cable television, HBO, HBO… The devil is trying to get our minds back like they were in the antediluvian age, before the flood. He don’t want you to have a pure mind. No. 2 Peter 3:1, This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds… Your pure minds… I can’t keep these fouls out here… James, chapter 1, Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when (it’s) it is finished, (it) bringeth forth death. I can’t keep these fouls out here from flying over my head… But as long as I’m coordinated as good as I am… And , listen… The fact is, ma’am, I’m not going to let ’em build a nest in my hair. I can’t keep some of these thoughts from going through my mind. But where you’re gonna get ‘in trouble is when you let ’em linger. And you begin to meditate upon ’em. Are you listening? I mean you’re gonna get in trouble.

The bible said in Colossians 3:1, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth (at) on the right hand of God. (said) Set your affection(s set your mind) on things above, (and) not on things (of this) on the earth. Because this world… Well, we’ve had so much heaven down here… But, uh… Listen… During my lifetime… Most of my lifetime… See, I wadn’t living… I wadn’t even born during the Depression. You know, about 1929… I… I’s just borned October fourth, Nineteen-hundred and thirty-seven. See, I wadn’t living during the Depression. But, Oh, Listen… We’d had so much heaven down here, you seldom ever see anybody excited about going to heaven. Are you listen’n? We’ve had so much heaven down here, that you don’t see too many folk that’s excited about going to heaven? Amen? And I praise God for all of these benefits. But I’m afraid some of them… Listen, I’m afraid some of these benefits, we hadn’t been thankful for. Amen? We’d just not been thankful.

So it’s back like it was… Almost back like it was back in the antediluvian age, before the flood. What time is it? Well… Matthew 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch… Now, I used to quote that and say it’s branches. No, it’s his, his is singular. And branch is singular. His branch is yet tender… Now, I know that Matthew 24 has nothing to do with the rapture of the church. I know it’s dealing with the Revelation. But when you see… When you see a lot of these things in Matthew 24 being partially fulfilled now, you need to lift up your eyes. Lift up your heads and look up.  Because our redemption… Our redemption draweth nigh. Look up. His branch is yet tender.

I heard Menachem Begin, when they had the camp David… You know, when they signed the Camp David Peace Accord… Egypt, a type of the flesh… Isreal, a type of a Spirit… You know that won’t… You know that won’t never work Are you… You know that. I appreciate all the effort and all labor and all the work and everything, but you know that won’t work. Amen? Well, well, you know that. That won’t never work. Are you listening? I heard Menachem Begin… Oh, I heard Prime Minister Begin’s speech, and he said the greatest day in his life was Nineteen-hundred and forty-eight, when Israel was declared a nation. He said that’s the greatest day in his life. Now he said the second greatest day in his life… There was President Sadat sit’n right there on the platform. He said the second greatest day in his life was that nineteen-seventy… sixty-seven… that Six Day War. Now Lazarus can speak in about se… eight different languages and Lazarus said that… Lazarus said that three million Jews whipped about a hundred and thirteen million Arabs and Egyptians. Think about that… Three million Jews… Was that Six Day War. And he said the third greatest day in his life was when they signed that Camp David Peace Accord. Are you listen’n?

His branch is yet tender, and (it’s put’n) putteth forth leaves, (and) ye know that summer… We’re nearing… The night’s far spent. We’re nearing the pretty weather. The night is far spent, (and) the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Because the night’s far spent. I mean the night’s far spent. This grace dispensation could end tonight. There’s not one verse nowhere in this bible that would have to be fulfilled. This may be the night. Before the S-U-N comes up over in the east in the morning, the S-O-N may come back tonight. If he… If he comes back tonight it will be the world’s greatest airlift. It’ll be successful space travel for borned-again, blood-washed, resurrected-from-death-unto-life, saints of God only! Amen! Yes. Amen.

His branch is… Hey boys and girls… Is yet tender. May the four… May the fourteenth, nineteen-hundred forty-eight… And here we are in August of 1983. It’s been a little over thirty-five years. Are you… Listen… His branch is yet tender, and (it’s put’n) putteth forth leaves, (and) ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. And we can very easily be living in that generation. This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were…

Well, what was they doing? And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of (the) his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him (in) at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for (he said) it repenteth me that I have made them.

But before this now, there was a man name Enoch. There was a man name Enoch. And for three… At… At the age of sixty-five… Listen, Methuselah was born. Ah. Methuselah was born when Enoch was sixty-five. And Enoch got saved because Enoch knew when Methuselah died, that the flood was coming, judgement was coming. It shall come to pass… And so, Enoch didn’t know when Methuselah was gonna die. So at the age of sixty-five, Enoch got in. He got saved. And for three-hundred years, without even a bible… For three-hundred years, God’s amazing, marvelous, glorious grace was sufficient. And Enoch walked with God for three-hundred years. Didn’t even have a bible. And for three-hundred years, the amazing, marvelous, wonderful, glorious grace of God was sufficient. For three-hundred years, Enoch walked with God for three-hundred years.

They had to be traveling… For you to walk with somebody, you’ve got to be traveling the same direction. Amos 3:3 said uh… I used to quote that, you know, How c… can two walk… No. Amos 3:3. I heard it quoted like that for years. But Amos 3:3 says can… Now, Can two walk together, except they be agreed? And the answer’s a little two-lettered word. Nnnno! Nnnno! Nnnno! No. Can one take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? N-O Nnnno! Nnnno! Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burned? Nnnno! N-O Nnnno! No. But for three-hundred years… What about that? You… Some Baptists, you can’t get ’em to walk with the Lord three weeks, much less three-hundred years. Uh, uh… Three weeks after a revival, it would take the FBI to find some of them. I don’t know whether the FBI could find them or not. Amen? It would take the FBI to find them three weeks after the meeting, amen? God help us. But for three-hundred years, (stop 19:04)

 

 

 

Menachem Begin