The Lord’s Search – Part 2

 “My eyes have searched to and fro over the earth to find a people who will worship Me and return to My ways.  The fullness of time is coming, and judgment is about to be poured out upon the earth.  Great groaning and deep distress will be heard, for I have shown you that I require judgment.  My standard of righteousness has been declared since the beginning of time, and all men are without excuse.  My heart longs to extend mercy, but justice cries out in the streets.” (The Secret Place, Dale Fife, p. 195).

As I meditated on the prophetic word which I wrote about in my last article, I was reminded of the vision God gave Dr. Dale Fife about the restoration of the Church in the last days.  It is described in his book, The Secret Place.  The quote above is like the Lord’s Search described in Ezekiel chapter twenty-two, verse 30: “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”  As I stated in my last article, the “man” that the Lord is searching for is not an individual intercessor, but a unified Church fulfilling her purpose as a house of prayer for all nations (Isa. 56:7).  The Church of today is divided; this is not what the Lord desires. 

As a young man, after coming to the knowledge of salvation, I was deeply disturbed by the divided state of the Church.  What I saw was not at all the Church from the Book of Acts, which moved in power and unity.  I understood that a large reason for their success was the ministry of the apostles. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42).  It became my earnest prayer that God would restore to the Church the ministry of the apostles and prophets as described in Ephesians chapter four.  During this season, I remember being with a group of believers in prayer when someone, who was not aware of my burden, prophesied that God would once again restore the ministry of the apostles and prophets.  I rejoiced in hope that God would restore the Church.

 In the eighties we began to hear about the restoration of the prophets and in the nineties, the apostles.  Even if some who call themselves apostles or prophets are false, we must still recognize that God is appointing those that are true.  The restoration of these ministries is crucial for the Church to “come to the unity of the faith and of knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).

In the past, when ministers carried the anointing of apostles, they were confined to their denomination or movement.  In the last days, it will be different.  God hates the divisions that men have allowed in His Church, and He will not stand for it much longer.  We must not justify these divisions by calling them “tribes”.   The time is near for His return.  He is returning for a “glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing” (Eph. 5:27).  In the prophetic vision, Dr. Fife was shown a disturbing picture of the Church in its divided state, then he heard the Lord say, “No more!  Enough!  I can’t take any more.  I can’t behold any more of this in My church.  I have drawn the line.  Here is where it ends” (The Secret Place, p. 174).  Then Dr. Fife saw a company of apostles and prophets approaching from a distance.  The Lord again spoke, “I have released the apostles of My right hand and the prophets of My left hand to the work for which I have called them.  In the days to come, the things that have divided My body will be rooted up and torn down.  My Spirit will demolish all that separates and all that seeks to honor one above another, for all are made by My design, and all must be honored.  This is the word of the Lord.  It shall be done.  The structures that are man-made will be shaken and will fall.  My true bride, My holy bride, will come forth in all her glory.” (The Secret Place, p. 180).  God says, “It shall be done!”.  The choice is ours to hear the voice of the Spirit and obey.

The question remains, then, can judgment be averted if the Church takes her place as a house of prayer for all nations?  Scripture is clear that the world will grow more evil in the last days.  Judgment will come to this earth, but it can be averted in areas where God’s people repent and pray.  God will be merciful to those who humble themselves and pray, and seek God’s face, and turn from their sins (2Chron. 7:14).  Dr. Fife goes on to write, “As Jesus spoke, I observed, through the glass floor, places on the earth where smoke was rising up from the land.  These clouds of smoke appeared to be a special kind of signal or message; they billowed forth like a great cry rising up from the inhabitants.  This smoke did not signify destruction or judgment.  Instead, these were the cities and places where repentance and intercession had been offered on behalf of the land.  Some of these cities were actually glowing in the night darkness because the prayers of the saints were continuously being offered up to the Lord.” (The Secret Place, p. 196). 

The unity that God desires is achievable.  It is spiritual in nature.  It exists in God, and we can experience it if we abide in Him.  If that was not so, Jesus would not have prayed for it (Jn. 17:20,21).  We can endeavour “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3).  As we do this, we will “come to the unity of the faith and of knowledge of the Son of God”.  We are a family and God expects us to love one another. 

“Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord and he will turn the hearts of fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” (Mal. 4:5,6)

The Lord’s Search

 “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” (Ezek. 22:30)

Recently, a prophet of God shared a vision where the Lord was walking over the continent of Africa, looking for a man who would intercede to avert judgment, but He found none.  Then the vision was repeated for the United States of America.  The prophet was perplexed by this vision because he personally knew of genuine intercessors in these nations.  When he asked the Lord why He could not find at least one intercessor, he was told that the Lord does not look at things the way man does.  Our first impression of what this means is that the Lord looks at the heart rather than outward appearance.  In this article, I want to suggest another interpretation.

I was troubled by the words of the prophet, not only because he prophesied about coming judgment, but because it seemed as if even our prayers would not help.  If the Lord does not recognize the prayers of the intercessors, then what hope is there for us?  How can judgment be averted if our prayers have no effect?  As I pondered this, the Lord began to show me what He is looking for.  This was encouraging because I could see that our prayers indeed have power with God (Jas. 5:16), but we must see things the way He does.

As the verse above says, He is looking for “a man”.  In the natural this would be a faithful believer, but from a spiritual perspective, this is a body of believers, the Church.  Believers are individually responsible to God for the quality of their works, but they are interdependent when it comes to function.  We are all members of one Body and God expects us to function as one.  We have a combined purpose to be the temple of God, a house of prayer for all nations (Isa. 56:7; Matt. 21:13).  He is not just looking for intercessors, He is looking for a unified Church fulling its function as a house of prayer.   The early Church was a praying people, and their corporate prayer was as one voice.  “So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord… And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.  Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul…” (Acts 4:24, 31,32).

The Lord is looking for prayer and unity, but that is not all, He is also looking for holiness.  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…  but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (1Pe. 2:9,15,16).  We see this in the Lord’s search for a man “who would make a wall, and stand in the gap”.  We understand that intercession is represented by standing in the gap, but what does it mean to “make a wall”?  The walls of the city are for protection.  The opening in a wall is the location where the enemy will attack.  As the wall is rebuilt, someone must stand watch.  In a spiritual sense, the wall represents the ways of the people.  We find this expressed by the prophet Isaiah: “Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.” (Isai. 58:12).  Intercession is required, but so is repentance, which must be followed by obedience.  I have written more about this in my article entitled “Repairers of the Breach”.  Even as I write this, I notice how we think differently than God.  We see those who work to repair the wall as “Repairers” (plural), but the Lord sees them a one.  He calls them “the Repairer” and “the Restorer”.

Why is one intercessor not enough?  Why do we need a body of repairers and watchers?  Firstly, the one who rebuilds is working, while another is watching.  Secondly, when a wall is broken down, there is more than one opening so the work of building and watching must be carried out simultaneously in many locations.   Furthermore, it must be carried out in unity so that if the enemy attacks while the work is progressing, the alarm can be sounded, and all can gather where the enemy is attacking.  We have a good example of this in the book of Nehemiah when the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt.

When judgment is declared on a nation, it is because of its sins.  Believers are the salt that can preserve a nation from moral decay.  But what if those believers become involved in the same sins rather than being intercessors and righteous messengers of truth?  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” (Matt. 5:13).  Judgment will not be averted if the Church is backslidden.  There remains only one hope: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and heal their land.” (2Chron. 7:14). 

When Nehemiah heard about the conditions of Jerusalem and the people who had returned from captivity, he began to fast and pray in faith and repentance (Neh. 1:1-11).  His prayer was for God’s favor so they could rebuild the walls of the city and be delivered from their enemies.  The way they carried out the work is a good example of restoration.  First, he assessed the condition of the walls, then he motivated and directed the people in the work of rebuilding the walls.  Throughout the work, their enemies looked for ways to stop them, but Nehemiah set half of them to watch with their weapons in hand while the others worked with their weapons at their sides.  When necessary, they would stop the work and all stand in the gap with their weapons in hand.  (Neh. 4:12-16).

We are at a critical time in the history of our world.  Multitudes are in the valley of decision before the return of the Lord (Joel 3:14). 

“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘though your sins are like scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.  If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword’; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”  (Isa. 1:18-20)

Are You Ready for the Last Days Outpouring?

 “‘Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me.  And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight.  Behold He is coming’, says the Lord of hosts.” (Mal. 3:1)

Are you ready for the coming of the Lord “to” His temple?  As we read the book of Malachi, we realize that the Lord is talking about coming “to” His people, before the “great and dreadful day of the Lord” (Mal. 4:5).  The coming of the Lord “to” His temple is a great outpouring of the Spirit of God.  You can read more about this outpouring in my “End-time Vision” articles on this website.  We often pray for a great end-time revival, but are we ready for it?  When God’s presence is manifested, great miracles occur but also judgment.  We only need to read the account of the first great outpouring to understand this (Acts 5:1-16).

Being ready for this last day event is so important that God is sending His messenger to prepare the way.  We must recognize the messenger and receive his message to be ready for the Lord’s coming.  This promise in Malachi is both for the nation of Israel and for the Church.  In speaking to the Church, the messenger is a group of ministers with the same end-time message.  In speaking to Israel, he could be one of the two witnesses of Revelations Chapter 11.  We know from the Gospels that John the Baptist was this messenger, but Jesus also said that Elijah will come again (Matt. 17:10-13).  The end-time message is similar that of John the Baptist, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matt. 3:2).  The Church needs to hear this message because repentance is one of the conditions for revival: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2Chron. 7:14).  Let us look more closely at the promise of His coming.

“But who can endure the day of His coming?  And who can stand when He appears?  For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap.  He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.  Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old, as in the former years.” (Mal. 3:2-4).

When the prophet asks, “who can endure the day of His coming?”, he is referring to the “fiery trials” which will come to test us (1Pe. 4:12).  By asking, “who can stand when He appears?” he is implying that some will not need this purifying work because they will already have clean hands and pure hearts (Ps. 24:3,4).  If the Lord must come as a refiner, it is because there are many who believe in Christ as Saviour but do not have clean hands and pure hearts.  They do not pursue holiness.  Instead, they accept their immaturity and trust in God’s mercy to forgive them for their sins.  They do not have a reverent fear of God.  They wrongly believe that God’s mercy means there are no consequences for their sins.  When David sinned with Bathsheba, he was forgiven for his sin, but he did not escape punishment. 

In the manifested presence of God, sin cannot exist without judgment.  Paul explained this in his instructions concerning the Lord’s supper (1Cor. 11:27-32).  We must be quick to repent for any known sins, trusting in the Lord’s sacrifice for forgiveness.  When it comes to judgment, however, there is a difference between willful sins and unintentional sins.  In the Old Testament, if the congregation sinned unintentionally, the priest could make atonement for them through the sin offering.  On the other hand, those who sinned intentionally would fall into judgment.  (Num. 15:22-31).  In the New Testament, willful sin is also punished.  “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries…For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay’, says the Lord.  And again ‘The Lord will judge His people.’” (Heb. 10:26,27,30).  “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1Pe. 4:17). 

The coming of the Lord to His temple will bring to completion the times of the Gentiles and result in the salvation of the nation of Israel as explained by Paul in Romans Chapter 11.  In the Old Testament, the sons of Levi were the priests and the Levites.  They were the tribe given to the Lord to offer sacrifices on behalf of the nation.  Unless they were themselves devoted to the Lord, the sacrifices would not be acceptable to the Lord.  The Church today is a royal priesthood that offers spiritual sacrifices to God (Heb. 13:15,16).  The sons of Levi represent the Church; Judah and Jerusalem represent the nation of Israel.  The Church must fulfill its purpose before the remaining nation of Israel can be saved.  This will happen because God’s plans will be accomplished.  The question remains, where will we be individually concerning the will of God?

Having clean hands and a pure heart does not come without effort.  “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;” (2Pe. 3:14).  In the days of Elijah, the Lord found seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal (1Ki. 19:18).  Will you be one of the faithful ones who will rejoice and stand at His coming?

The Second Coming

“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” (1Thess. 4:17)

When it comes to teachings on end-time events, there are some things we can easily discern from Scripture, and there are some things that will be revealed as events unfold.  Unbelievers will be deceived into accepting a false security before the Second Coming, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.” (1Thess. 5:4).  One of the events which is imperative for us to understand in these days is the relationship of the “rapture” of the Church and the Second Coming of Christ.  Will Christians go through the Great Tribulation, or will we be taken up to heaven before then?  Many of the people I am in fellowship with still believe that the rapture of the Church will occur before the Great Tribulation. 

I understand that there are many reasons why a pre-tribulation rapture makes sense, but unless an interpretation is entirely supported by Scripture, it should not be accepted.  To reconcile this view with Scripture, proponents of this doctrine separate the Second Coming into two parts.  In the first part, the Lord is said to come in the clouds to take the Church away but He is not made visible to the world.  Then the Lord again later with the Church at the end of the tribulation period.  The concept of a two-part Second Coming is difficult to explain with Scripture.  Firstly, when the Lord comes in the clouds, it is supposed to be a visible return.  The disciples were told this at the ascension of our Lord (Acts 1:11).  Even Jesus said, “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Lu. 21:27).

There is a passage in the New Testament that makes this even more clear.  In the second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul commends them for their faith and patience in persecutions and tribulations (2Thess. 1:4).  He then tells them, “it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2Thess. 1:6-8).  They are promised rest when the Lord returns visibly, not after a secret taking away.  It is clear from these verses that believers will be present on the earth when the Lord returns with vengeance on His enemies.  Paul is including himself in this promise of rest (vs. 7), so he is not referring to people who get converted after the rapture.

Another end-time doctrine places the rapture after the first half of the tribulation.  The main premise for this doctrine is the same as for the pre-tribulation doctrine, namely that Christians will be saved from the wrath of God (Rom. 5:9).  We know that Christians are not appointed to wrath (1Thess. 5:9), but it is not necessary to be removed from the earth to escape God’s judgments.  We see this in the promise Jesus made to the church in Philadelphia, “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” (Rev. 3:10).  The believers in Philadelphia did not get raptured before the persecutions that came upon believers in their time.  Also, the people of Israel were present in the land of Egypt when God sent His judgments.

I think the underlying reason for the popularity of the pre-tribulation doctrine is our unwillingness to suffer for Christ.  It is a weakness of the western church.  Persecutions were common to believers in the early church.  Paul encouraged them by “exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’” (Acts 14:22).  No-one likes to suffer, but it is a necessary part of the Christian walk.  “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then ‘heirs’ – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” (Rom. 8:16,17).  Paul rejoiced in his sufferings (Col. 1:24).  James tells us to count it all joy when we fall into various trials (Jas. 1:2).  Peter says, “But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.  For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps;” (1Pe. 2:20,21).

Very often, the fear of something is worse than the thing itself.  When we suffer patiently for Christ, we obtain His help to go through it.  “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1Pe. 4:14).  We can rejoice in our suffering, not because of the suffering, but because of the reward it will bring.  We are to look to Jesus as our example, “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:2).  It is not selfish to desire a reward from God, “for He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).  Our reward is to be glorified with Him (Rom. 8:17).  This means we will be with Him where He is.  Our reward is closeness with God.

There is a season of storms coming and we must prepare for it.  That season will pass and will give way to a new age, full of the glory of God.  We must strive to maintain an eternal perspective.  “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2Cor. 4:17,18). 

Let us not set our hope on escaping tribulations.  Instead, let us hope for salvation and believe in the grace of God to help us in the difficult times.

A Communion Meditation

 “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who may stand in His Holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully.  He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” (Ps. 24:3-5)

The Lord’s Supper was given to us as a special way to come before Him.  Too often in our churches it is approached as a religious exercise.  When Jesus established the Lord’s Supper, He was not thinking of a religious exercise but an act of faith.  Yes, we remember the Lord’s death, but it is more than that.  Because of the His sacrifice, we can approach God’s throne of mercy and grace.  We can receive blessings from the Lord.  As we meditate on the meaning of Communion, we can obtain a greater understanding of how it can be a means of grace for us.

Participating in the Communion Service pleases God, but we must do so in a worthy manner.  Paul told the Corinthians that the way they were taking Communion was hurting them rather than blessing them (1Cor. 11:17).  To approach the communion table in an unworthy manner brings judgment, not blessings.  “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” (1Cor. 11:29).  It is important that we recognize this as we begin to see an increase of the Glory of God in our gatherings.

There are all kinds of explanations as to what it means to take the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner.  One teaching centers on the fact that healing is provided in the atoning sacrifice of Christ.  The principle taught is that if we do not believe that we were physically healed by the stripes of Jesus (1Pe. 2:24), then we are not “discerning the body of the Lord” and thus are falling sick and dying.  That physical healing is provided in the atonement is one of the blessings available to those who “ascend the Hill of the Lord and stand in His holy place”.  Believing in divine healing, however, is not what it means to discern the Lord’s body or to partake in a worthy manner.  We need not go too far in our search to understand what Paul meant by “discerning the Lord’s body”.  He explains it in the next chapter of his epistle.  “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” (1Cor. 12:13).  If we try to live independently rather than as members of Christ, we are not properly discerning His body.  To come before the Lord in a selfish manner will bring judgment upon ourselves.  Sin is what brings judgment.  To eat in an unworthy manner is to approach the Lord with unrepented sin in our hearts.

A great outpouring of God’s Spirit has been promised for the end times.  As evil increases on the earth, the manifested presence of God (His glory) will also increase.  God is not present in religious exercises.  There is no blessing nor judgment in it.  But, if we approach His presence in faith, we must do so with “clean hands and a pure heart”.  The gifts of the Spirit were in great manifestation among the Corinthians when Paul wrote his epistle (1Cor. 1:4-7), but these believers were still carnal (1Cor. 3:1-3).  For this reason, Paul explained the need to approach the Lord in a worthy manner.  In the book of Acts, we read about the death of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11).  Their sin was not any greater than many of our sins today, but it was judged immediately because the Spirit of God was manifestly present among them.  If we desire to approach the throne of God, we must do so in the reverential fear of God.  We must not depend on the kindness of God to overlook our sin because it is His goodness that leads us to repentance” (Rom. 2:3,4). 

Having a reverential fear of God requires that we search our heart before partaking of Communion and that we allow others to do the same. (1Cor. 11:33).  When I first came to the Lord, I was afraid of participating in Communion, but I also wanted to get closer to Him.  Because of this desire to know Him, I would press in, repenting of any known sins, and trusting in His precious blood to cover any unknown sins.  “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb. 10:19-22). 

Now the fear of the Lord is only the beginning of wisdom; we must move on to spiritual understanding (Prov. 9:10).  The benefits of participating in the Lord’s Supper come through our surrender.  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1).  If we correctly discern the Lord’s body, we recognize that we are no longer our own.  “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1Cor. 6:19,20).  We are new creations, members of the Body of Christ. 

When we “proclaim the Lord’s death”, we are confessing our death and resurrection with Christ.  “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1Cor. 11:26).  Communion is a time to remember what He has done for us through His sacrifice as we make a declaration by faith that we died with Him.  Part of this declaration is a meditation on what it means to be “in” Christ.  If we died with Him, we no longer die; we have life eternal.  The Scripture says that those who pass away before the return of the Lord are asleep (1Thess. 4:13).  We need to see ourselves as new creations in Christ, individually members of one Body, not independent believers.  Even when we see ourselves as the temple of the Holy Spirit, we should think of the entire Body as His temple and ourselves as living stones making up the entire building. (1Pe. 2:4,5). 

As we experience the Lord’s Supper in a deeper way, we will want to participate more often.  It may even become part of our regular worship services instead of a monthly exercise.

Power of Thanksgiving

 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1Thess. 5:18) 

The Apostle Paul had a clear revelation of what we should do to please God.  This verse is not inclusive of all we need to do to, but it is interesting to note that Paul includes rejoicing and giving thanks with prayer.  There is power in prayer, and likewise there is power in rejoicing and giving thanks.  Joy and thanksgiving can be our responses to being blessed, but in obedience to God, we should rejoice and give thanks before experiencing the blessings.  Like praying “without ceasing”, they should be done “always”, and in “every situation”.

There is a common belief among Christians that if God is in control of everything, we should thank Him “for” everything.  Is that proper thinking?  Please do not misunderstand what I am saying here.  If we do not thank God, we do not honour Him, so it is better that we thank Him, even if it is without understanding.  Giving thanks “for” every circumstance is good, but there is better.

Paul’s way of praying for the churches was to always begin with thanksgiving.  To the Romans he says, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” (Rom. 1:8).  He goes on to explain the progression of degradation of societies, “because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Rom. 1:21).  To the Ephesians he says, “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers” (Eph. 1:15-16).  He understood the need to honour God, but he also understood the power of thanksgiving.

The problem with thanking God “for” everything is that sometimes what is coming to us is from the devil, not from God.  Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38b), and we should be doing the same in His name.  Now, God is able to make all things work together for our good, even if it comes from the enemy, but should we thank God for something the enemy is doing? (Rom. 8:28).  The answer is both yes and no.  We should thank God “in” the situation, but not “for” everything in it.  The principle I apply in circumstances is the same as for the food I receive with thanksgiving.  When I thank God for food, I honour Him as my provider, and I trust that He will remove from it any impurities.  Saying grace before a meal is not just a religious tradition, it is an act of faith.  The principle is that all things are sanctified (made clean) through the prayer of thanksgiving. (1Tim. 4:5). 

Not everything we read in the Scriptures aligns with our present understanding.  Sometimes we try to make it fit, rather than letting God change our thinking.  Take the troubles of Job, for example.  We know from the Biblical account that the devil brought those troubles upon Job, but God permitted them. In fact, He initiated the entire situation!  The traditional interpretation is that God did it to deal with sin in Job’s life, namely his pride.  If that is true, then God lied when He told Satan that Job was a blameless and upright man (Job. 1:8).  To counter this traditional teaching, the Word of Faith movement taught that Job opened the door to the devil through fear (Job 3:25).  Again, how can that be if God tells the devil, “you incited Me against him without cause.” (Job 2:3).   “Without cause” means without fault on Job’s part.  The simple truth is that God is sovereign.  If He chooses to allow the devil to bring trials upon His servants, it is for their ultimate good.  There is justice in the Kingdom of God.  If the devil causes us harm without cause, then he must repay it with a penalty (Ex. 22:7).  This was certainly the case for Job, but more important than that, the faith and patience of Job allowed God to demonstrate to the unseen powers that the devil is a liar and God is sovereign.  In the same way, when trials come to believers, it is so that “the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 3:10). 

There is also the experience of Joseph.  It is obvious that Joseph understood God had sent him to Egypt, even if it was through the evil actions of his brothers.  “But as for you, you meant it for evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” (Gen. 50:20).  Throughout the ordeal, God was in control.  When his brothers wanted to kill him, God arranged it so he would be sold into slavery instead.  Despite his circumstances, Joseph continued to serve God and gained favour with his masters.  He did not resign himself to suffering but looked to God for deliverance.  When in prison, he asked the butler to “remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.” (Gen. 40:14). 

What should be our response to trials?  We should continue to praise and thank God in every circumstance, trusting that He will deliver us from all our troubles.   We should not resign ourselves to destruction.  If we are tired, we should thank God for strength.  If we are struggling with illness, we should thank God for health.  If we are facing difficulties, we should thank God that He is working all things for our good.  We must be patient and full of hope.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” (1Pe. 5:8-10). 

Taking the Land

 “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Josh. 1:9) 

These words were spoken to Joshua as they were preparing to go in and take possession of the land God had promised to Abraham.  As his descendants, they were being given this land as an inheritance. (Gen. 13:14-17).  They were, however, going to have to fight to take over what God had promised.  Joshua, whose name means “Yahweh is Salvation”, is a type of Jesus Christ the Messiah.  The promises made to Abraham were not all fulfilled.  Before Moses died, he told the Israelites that God would raise up another Prophet from among them.  Christ is the heir to the promises, and His brothers are joint heirs with Him.  “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29). 

The mystery of Christ has been revealed to the Church.  One aspect of this mystery is “that in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” (Eph. 1:10).  There is more to the promised inheritance than land.  The spiritual descendants of Abraham are to be a holy nation that blesses all nations.  “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen. 22:18).  Not only the nations but also all of creation is to be blessed by the heirs of promise.  “Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Rom. 8:21).  If the nation of Israel needed to take their inheritance by warfare, should it not be the same for us today?  Our battle is different than theirs was, but we are nonetheless involved.  “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12).  If we wrestle against them, it is to overcome them.  “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Rev. 3:21).  We must not shrink back from battle, “Now the just shall live by faith, but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” (Heb. 10:38). 

There is an order for the defeat of our enemies.  “For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him.  But now we do not yet see all things put under Him.  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels…” (Heb. 2:8,9).  These enemies have already been placed under our feet spiritually since we are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 1:20-23).   Regarding our souls, however, they “are being placed” under our feet as we overcome sin.  Regarding our bodies, they are also “being placed” under our feet as His grace gives us strength and as He heals our bodies.  The last enemy “will be placed” under our feet when we are resurrected (1Cor. 15:26).  “But each one in his own order; Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.  Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.  For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.” (1Cor. 15:23-25).

Even as there is an order for our path to complete victory, these enemies are put under in stages.  For example, death is put under the feet of the Church at His Second Coming, but is not thrown into to the lake of fire until the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:14).  During the thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth, there will still be people who live and die naturally, but the Church will rule with Christ in eternal resurrected bodies.  So death, which includes natural corruption (decay), continues until the end when all the dead are resurrected for the final judgment.  

Another enemy to be removed in stages is the devil.  At first, he was cast out of the Third Heaven, from before the throne of God (Ezek. 28:16).  When this occurred, he fell to the second heaven, which is between Earth and Heaven.  He became the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2).  When Jesus rose from the dead, He took back from the devil all that man had lost in the fall.  Since then, He has been assisting redeemed man to take back what was promised to Abraham’s descendants.  When the number of those to be redeemed is completed, the devil will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit for the thousand-year period (Rev. 20:2,3).  Before this occurs, the devil must be cast down from the second heaven to the earth (Isa. 14:12; Rev. 12:7-9).  This is the next phase of him being placed under our feet. 

When the devil is thrown down to the earth, he will no longer have power in the heavenlies to oppose the prayers of the saint, as we read about in Daniel Chapter 10.  Instead, he will try to rule the earth through the man of evil, the antichrist.  False miracles will be performed by the false prophet, “but the people who know their God, shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (Dan. 11:32b).  Without interference in the heavenly places, “greater works” than the ones performed by Jesus will be done by the disciples (Jn. 14:12).  It will be a time of great tribulation for the inhabitant of the earth.  (Rev. 12:12).  The followers of Jesus will suffer persecution, but the faithful will be victorious because “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Rev. 12:11).  Although the times will be difficult from a natural perspective, they will also be glorious.  In the series of articles on “End-Time Vision”, I shared concerning a vision given to Tommy Hicks in 1961.  This is an encouraging revelation given to the Church concerning the last days.  It is not a time to be feared, but a time to rise and be overcomers.  With faith and courage, we must overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:21).

“But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.  You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,’ says the Lord of hosts.” (Mal. 4:2,3).

Preparing for the Coming Days

 “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Lu. 18:8). 

What is the Lord looking for when He asks a question He already knows the answer to?  Is it not to emphasize its importance?  We must understand the days we are in and prepare for the days that are coming.  In post-secondary education, when students prepare for their careers, they obtain knowledge and develop skills that will ensure their success.  Jesus is the Master Teacher; He knows what knowledge and skills we need for the coming days.  We must listen to Him attentively today if we are to stand with Him in the coming days when greater trials come.  There is great tribulation coming “such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matt. 24:21).  Even if you believe that Christians will be taken away from the earth before that time, you must not rest all your hope on escaping tribulations.  Jesus told the disciples that a time of trials would come, even before the final Great Tribulation.  “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matt. 24:8).  Many prophets believe we entered that time in 2020 when the pandemic came upon the world.  That event is just one of many birth pangs.  The frequency and intensity of these events will continue to increase until the beginning of the Great Tribulation. 

The Apostle Paul also referred to a day where believers will be pressed to stand.  “Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Eph. 6:13).  Please note that he did not say “an” evil day, but “the” evil day.  It is a day that will come upon everyone corporately.  We will be able to stand in that day by taking up the spiritual armour and weapons the God provides.  We cannot wait until then to do this; we must do it today.  “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the day of trial in the wilderness.’” (Heb. 3:7,8).  We must learn to put on the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shoes of readiness, the shield of faith, the helmet of hope, the sword of the Spirit, and persevere in prayer. 

In this article I want to talk about only one part of the armour, faith.  As important as faith is, however, it is not more important than love.  Faith is what makes it possible for us to love effectively.  By faith we obtain grace to obey (Rom. 5:2).  By faith we live in Christ (Gal. 2:20).  By faith we overcome sin and the devil (1Jn. 5:4).  By faith we receive what God promises (Heb. 6:12).  It is essential that we learn to believe because we will need faith to receive God’s help in the difficult days ahead.

The principles of faith have been taught extensively in the last fifty years, so it is not my intention to cover all these in this article.  Instead, I want to remind you of the relationship side of faith.  In my walk with the Lord, I do not practice “independent” faith.  I am dependent on the Lord for every aspect of my life, including believing the promises.  There is a familiar passage of Scripture which emphasizes this: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledged Him, and He will direct your paths.” (Prov. 3:5,6).  Trust is faith in a person.  We know that faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), but let us not forget that the Word is a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:1).  What has helped me to believe God’s promises is not only knowing what He has promised, but also knowing the One who promised it.  “All things that pertain to life and godliness” come to us through His “exceedingly great and precious promises” but we obtain them through “the knowledge of Him Who called us” (2Pe. 1:3,4).

Independent faith will take God’s promises and try to believe them, regardless of the situation.  Trust, on the other hand, will pray about a situation to understand the mind of the Lord concerning it.  By praying about a situation, I do not mean doubting the promises, I mean involving the Lord in the act of believing.  The apostles were taught to heal the sick (Lu. 9:1-6) but later when a man brought his demonized son to them, they could not heal him (Lu. 9:37-42).  When they asked Jesus why they could not cast out the spirit, He said it was because of their unbelief.  He then added “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matt. 17:20-21).  We see the works of the enemy and we want to destroy them, but we do not always know the strongholds he has set up to keep people in bondage (2Cor. 10:3-5).  Praying first about the situation will give us discernment.  It also increases our faith because the Holy Spirit helps us.  He reminds us of what Jesus has said (Jn. 14:26).  He gives us assurance of God’s will through the inner witness (1Jn. 2:27).  He gives us power through the gifts of the Spirit (1Cor. 12:4-11).

Jesus Himself did not walk in independent faith.  He told the disciples that it was the Father in Him doing the works (Jn. 14:10).  He “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil” because God was with Him and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit (Act 10:38).  The first disciples “went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through accompanying sign.” (Mk. 16:20).  We can be no different.  Today is the day to increase in faith so we can be strong in the days to come.  “But the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” (Dan. 11:32).

Stumbling Stones

“Go through, go through the gates!  Prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway!  Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the people!” (Isa. 62:10)

John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the Lord’s first coming by removing the stones in the hearts of God’s people.  As it was for His first appearing, God’s people must be ready for His Second Coming.  Before the Day of the Lord, He is sending again His messenger to prepare His people (Mal. 4:5).  This messenger is a company of prophets with a similar message as John the Baptist.  “Behold I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me.  And the Lord whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple” (Mal. 3:1).  He is coming “to” His temple in a great end-time revival before He comes “for” His Church at His Second Coming.  “But who can endure the day of His coming?  And who can stand when He appears?  For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers soap.” (Mal. 3:2).  At His Second Coming, He will bring judgment to the world and deliverance to His people, but first judgment must begin with the house of God (1Pe. 4:17).  Before His Second Coming, the Bride must make herself ready (Rev. 19:7). 

In the first year of my salvation, I read the book Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill.  It left a lasting impression on my heart.  The author made it clear that God desires to send revival, but it is delayed because of sin and lack of prayer.  If we want revival, we must pursue God with all our hearts.  This end-time revival will come as the Lord has promised because there is a remnant of believers who have not bowed the knee to Baal (1Ki. 19:18).  We must be part of that remnant.

If we pursue God, where will we find Him?  “For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isa. 57:15).  When the Lord comes to His temple, He will bring refreshing to the contrite and humble.  What will He bring to the disobedient?  “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness.” (Mal. 3:3).  We must pursue holiness if we want to see God (Heb. 12:14).  It is not just an option; it is essential.  “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who may stand in His holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24:3,4). 

Stones are areas in our hearts that have been hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13).  We need not continually stumble in our walk with God.  “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2Pe. 1:10).  We must prepare for the return of the Lord by removing from our lives the trees that bear bad fruit and by receiving “with meekness the implanted word” which will bear good fruit in us (Jas. 1:21).  “And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees.  Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Lu. 3:9).  When we repent of our actions that are not pleasing to the Lord, it is like cutting off the branches.  That is good, but unless the tree is removed, similar branches will grow again.  We need to cut the entire tree down from the roots, or it will spring up new shoots.  These roots represent the causes of our behaviours.  Obtaining spiritual discernment is like exposing the roots of the tree so we can lay the axe to them.  Now if we get this far but do not have a good sharp axe, the task cannot be completed.  We have been provided with such a tool, the Word of God.  We wield the axe (the sword of the Spirit) with the strength of God by faith.

Let me give you an example of how this works.  One of the weaknesses the Lord showed me was my tendency to pout when wounded.  People with my personality type tend to use pouting to control the behaviour of those who wound them.  When I realized what I was doing, I repented.  Growth is a process, so removing this tree of sin can take time.  The first thing I did to try to remove this behaviour was to apply God’s Word.  Love “does not take into account a wrong suffered” (1Cor. 1:5 NASV).  The next thing I did was to repent of “control”; this is the trunk of the tree.  It tries to produce branches of all shapes and sizes, so it must be discerned separately from the branch that is causing the present trouble.  Again, I must repent and replace the behaviour with obedience to His commands.  After a time, however, it will return.  If I want to remove this sinful pattern completely, I need to apply the axe to the roots.  What is the root of control?  It is selfishness, and that springs from “self-protection”, which is actually “pride of life”.  I cut at the root of the tree when I repent of pride and replace the behaviour with surrender to God.  I grow in this area of my life as I discern between good and evil, repent of the evil, and believe God’s word (Heb. 5:14).  I don’t claim to have “already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” (Phil. 3:12).

In this example, the root was the pride of life.  The Scriptures tell us there are three roots of sin.  The power of sin came into this world “when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise” (Gen. 3:6).  When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He overcame sin in these three areas.  John defined these as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1Jn. 2:16).

It is liberating to realize that every problem is rooted in sin because, in Christ, we have victory over the power of sin (Rom. 6:6-11).  With humility and faith, we can overcome.  “And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.” (1Jn. 5:4)

The Missing Step

 “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him…” (Col. 2:6).

The way to live in the kingdom of God is the same as the way we enter it.  We did this by responding to the preaching of the gospel with repentance and faith (Mark 1:14,15).  It is not enough to hear the truth; we must turn to it in obedience for any transformation to occur (1Pe. 1:22).  What is it that keeps us from experiencing greater fruitfulness?  There is an important step we must take, but sadly it is too often missing in our walk. This is the practice of spiritual discernment.

Before we can apply spiritual discernment, we must first purpose to walk in the Spirit by faith.  This is a deliberate choice we must make in daily surrender.  “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:24,25).  We live crucified to this world and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Gal. 2:20).  We must, as Jesus said, deny ourselves and follow Him (Lu. 9:23).  To walk effectively in the Spirit, we must listen to, and obey His promptings.  How we hear will determine our obedience.  “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Lu. 8:8b). 

In my desire to walk in surrender to the Lord, I may ask Him, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps. 139:23,24).  As I pray this, it is important to listen to what the Lord may tell me.  What if, instead of speaking directly to my spirit, He chooses to reveal what is in my heart through circumstances?  My ability to hear Him will depend on my ability to discern spiritually.  In my last article we discussed meditating on the word of God to obtain spiritual understanding.  Discerning spiritually is necessary for the application of this understanding since the proper application of knowledge is wisdom.  “Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.” (Jas. 3:1). 

The ability to distinguish between good and evil, is a mark of spiritual maturity. We develop this skill by practice.  “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Heb. 5:14). It takes effort, which we will only exert if we are convinced of its value.  The first thing we need to develop this habit is a sincere hatred of sin.  There are two statements concerning the fear of the Lord that tell me this is the starting point: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10a) and “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;” (Prov. 8:13a).  We must possess a deep conviction that sin produces death, “for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6).  Any sinful pattern in my life will result in destruction, and it will affect those around me.  If I love my neighbour, I will be diligent in practicing spiritual discernment.  God knows how critical it is for me to forsake evil, so He will discipline me if I am not obedient (Heb. 12:5-9). 

If the fear of the Lord is the first step, then obeying the commandment of love is the next one.  “Now the purpose (or goal) of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,” (1Tim. 1:5).  We will be effective in obeying this commandment if we walk by faith with pure motives.  We obtain a pure heart when we repent and believe on the Lord for salvation.  We maintain purity of heart with a good conscience. 

Maintaining a sensitive (good) conscience is the third step.  When we are forgiven for our sins, our conscience is cleansed (Heb. 9:14).  To have a “good” conscience, we must not allow our hearts to be hardened by sin (Heb. 3:13).  We must always be quick to respond in repentance to the convictions of the Holy Spirit.

Armed with these spiritual weapons, we must in humility examine the fruit of our words and actions.  “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” (Matt. 12:33).  Am I experiencing the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23)?  If what I am experiencing is contrary to these, then I apply myself to discern the source of the evil.  Pride will keep me from examining myself, so humility is essential.

Recognizing the type of fruit we are experiencing is the easy part.  Discerning the tree which is bearing this fruit is more difficult.  The Holy Spirit will help us with this as He brings to remembrance what we have meditated on in the word of God.  “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12).  As He uses the word of God, and His anointing as a witness (1Jn. 2:27), we discern His voice in our conscience.  Hearing correctly is important, but our response will determine our success.  We must cast down “arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2Cor. 10:5).  This is possible if we remain in an attitude of submission, refuse to be conformed to this world, and submit to the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:1,2).

Finally, having discerned what is in our hearts, we can overcome evil by faith.  We cannot blame the action of others for our sins; we must take responsibility for them and repent.  The good news is that we have died to the power of sin through the cross (Rom. 6:5-14).  Standing by faith in our freedom from sin’s power, we look to the life of Christ in us for the grace to obey.