Welcome, beloved friends and family in Christ. We gather here today, not as strangers or acquaintances, but as a community, bound by the love and grace of our Savior. A community that knows the joy of His love, the strength of His grace, and the power of His word. We are here to grow together, to lean on each other, and to experience the richness of His teachings.
Our focus today is a passage that, in its simplicity, carries a profound message. A message that speaks directly to the heart of every believer. It is found in the book of Matthew, chapter 11, verses 28 to 30. It reads as follows:
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
How beautiful and comforting are these words? Our Lord, inviting us to lay down our burdens and find rest in Him. He is not a distant deity, but a loving Savior who invites us into a relationship of learning, growth, and rest.
Here is something that I am going to discuss today, Deterrence of Satanic Snares, and it reminds us that we live in a world that is often contrary to the ways of God. But fear not, for our Savior has overcome the world! In knowing this, we should have an understanding that heeding the call of God is in our best interest.
We will also talk about Dwelling in Divine Consistency. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In a world that is constantly changing, we can find comfort and stability in the unchanging nature of God.
Now, with hearts open and minds ready, let us delve into the richness of God's word.
Discerning Divine Influence
Amid our busy lives, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, the noise and the chaos. We often find ourselves overwhelmed, burdened by the weight of our responsibilities, our worries, our fears. But amidst all this, there is a gentle whisper, a divine voice that calls out to us. This voice is not loud or demanding, but soft and inviting. It's the voice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, inviting us to come to Him, to lay down our burdens and find rest in His presence.
This divine influence is not something we can see with our physical eyes or touch with our hands. It's not something we can measure or quantify. But it's something we can experience, something we can feel deep within our hearts. It's a sense of peace, a sense of comfort, a sense of assurance that no matter what we're going through, we're not alone. God is with us, guiding us, leading us, comforting us.
But how do we discern this divine influence? How do we recognize the voice of God amidst the noise of the world? The answer lies in the words of Jesus Himself. He said, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." To discern the divine influence, we must first become familiar with the voice of our Shepherd. We must spend time in His presence, reading His word, praying, worshiping. The more time we spend with Him, the more familiar we become with His voice.
But discerning divine influence is not just about recognizing God's voice. It's also about responding to it. It's about acting on it, about following the guidance and direction that God provides. It's about trusting in His wisdom, His timing, His plan. It's about surrendering our will to His, about letting go of our plans and embracing His. It's about stepping out in faith, even when we can't see the whole picture, even when we don't understand why things are happening the way they are. Know that God rarely gives us the whole picture of things but leads us from point to point so that we don’t misunderstand what He wants of us.
Discerning divine influence is also about recognizing the ways in which God works in our lives. Sometimes, God speaks to us through the circumstances of our lives. Sometimes, He speaks to us through other people. Sometimes, He speaks to us through the quiet whisperings of our hearts. Most times He speaks to us through the Word. But no matter how He chooses to speak, His message is always the same: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." And He gives us rest when we stop worrying about the issues of tomorrow, and just deal with what is before us today…because God has tomorrow already mapped out, and just as He led you into today, He will lead you into tomorrow.
Discerning divine influence is about living in a state of constant awareness, of constant attentiveness to the presence of God in our lives. It's about cultivating a heart that is sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, a heart that is quick to respond to the voice of God. It's about living in a state of surrender, of submission to the will of God. It's about making the conscious choice, every day, to seek God's guidance, to follow His lead, to rest in His presence.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Discerning divine influence is not a one-time event, but a lifelong process. It's a journey of growth, of learning, of transformation. It's a journey that requires patience, perseverance, and faith. But it's a journey that is well worth the effort, for it leads us to a place of rest, of peace, of fulfillment in the presence of our Savior.
Deterrence of Satanic Snares
Most times we see our lives as being amid a spiritual battlefield. The enemy is cunning, his tactics are deceitful, and his snares are set with the intent to ensnare us. But we are not left defenseless. Our Lord has given us the tools and the wisdom to deter these satanic snares.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [b]wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:10-13
Consider the words of the Apostle Paul in these verses, as this is not a suggestion, but a command. We are to equip ourselves with the armor of God, which includes truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. Each piece of this armor serves a specific purpose and together, they provide a comprehensive defense against the enemy's attacks.
Truth, as represented by the belt, holds everything together. It is the foundation upon which all other virtues stand. Righteousness, depicted as the breastplate, protects our hearts from the enemy's accusations and charges. The shoes of peace enable us to stand firm and not be moved by the enemy's attacks. The shield of faith extinguishes the flaming arrows of the enemy. The helmet of salvation guards our minds from the enemy's lies and deceptions. And finally, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is our offensive weapon. It is the only piece of the armor that we use to fight back.
The armor of God is not something we put on once and forget about. It is something we must put on daily, consciously and deliberately. It is not a physical armor, but a spiritual one, meant to protect us from spiritual attacks.
The word "schemes" in Ephesians 6:11 is translated from the Greek word "methodia", which means craftiness, deceit, or trickery. It is used elsewhere in the New Testament in Ephesians 4:14, where Paul warns against being tossed back and forth by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. In both instances, the word is used to describe the deceptive tactics of the enemy.
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.
1 Peter 5:8-9
As we continue to equip ourselves with the armor of God, we must also be vigilant. The enemy is always on the prowl, looking for opportunities to attack. We must be alert, not just aware of his presence, but also be discerning his tactics.
Vigilance is not about living in fear but living in awareness. It is about being mindful of the enemy's tactics and taking proactive steps to guard against them. This includes being grounded in the word of God, being accountable to fellow believers, and always being prayerful.
Know that our strength comes from the Lord. We do not fight this battle in our own strength, but in the strength of the Lord. As Paul says in Ephesians 6:10, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." Our strength to deter the enemy's snares comes from our relationship with the Lord, our reliance on His word, and our reliance on His Spirit.
Dwelling in Divine Consistency
Dwelling in Divine Consistency, we find ourselves in the comforting embrace of an unchanging God, amid a world that is in constant flux, where change is the only constant, we find solace in the steadfastness of our Lord. This is the beauty of our God, the same yesterday, today, and forever. His promises never fail, His love never wanes, and His grace is ever sufficient.
This divine consistency is not merely a characteristic of God; it is a call to us, a beckoning to find our place in His unchanging love and grace. It is an invitation to realize that God wants us for Himself. He desires a relationship with us, a relationship that is not swayed by the changing tides of life but is anchored in His eternal love and faithfulness.
We need to understand that divine consistency is God’s constant and true love for us. God's love for us is not dependent on our actions, our merits, or our failures. It is a love that is steadfast, unchanging, and unconditional. This love is beautifully captured in the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:38-39:
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul declares, that once we are persuaded to have a relationship with Jesus, that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is a love that is not swayed by our shortcomings, nor is it diminished by our failures. It is a love that remains constant, even when we are faithless, for He remains faithful.
Divine consistency also relates to the reliability of God's promises. God's promises are not like the promises of men, which are often broken and unfulfilled. God's promises are sure and steadfast. They are anchors for our souls, providing us with hope and assurance during life's storms. As the writer of the book of Numbers affirms,
“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
Numbers 23:19
In the words of the respected Christian author, A.W. Tozer, "God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves." This quote beautifully encapsulates the reliability of God's promises. He is not bound by time or circumstance. His promises are not subject to change or cancellation. His plans are not altered by other people making changes or trying to place obstacles in your path. They are as sure as His character, as reliable as His word.
Divine consistency is also the abundance of God's grace. God's grace is not a finite resource that can be exhausted. It is an infinite wellspring, ever available and ever sufficient. It is a grace that is sufficient for all our needs, a grace that empowers us to overcome our weaknesses and to triumph over our trials. As the Apostle Paul affirms in 2 Corinthians 12:9,
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
This was Jesus’ answer to him when he complied about an infirmity that he was suffering.
Divine consistency is the immutability of God's character. God's character does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His goodness, His mercy, His justice, His holiness - these are not subject to change. They are the bedrock of our faith, the foundation upon which we build our lives.
In dwelling in divine consistency, we are called to align our lives with the unchanging nature of God. We are called to love as He loves, to keep our promises as He keeps His, to extend grace as He extends His, and to reflect His character in our lives. This is not a passive call, but an active one. It requires us to act, to make choices that align with God's unchanging nature, and in so doing we detach from the aligning of and pulling of the world.
So, let us strive to dwell in divine consistency. Let us strive to love unconditionally, to keep our promises faithfully, to extend grace generously, and to reflect God's character consistently. In doing so, we will not only find rest for our souls, but we will also bring glory to our unchanging God.
Conclusion
As we draw this time of fellowship and learning to a close, let's remember the invitation that our Savior extends to each one of us. " Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." What a promise! What a Savior! He doesn't promise us a life without trials or hardships, but He does promise to be with us, to give us rest, and to lighten our burdens.
In a world that can often feel chaotic and overwhelming, isn't it comforting to know that we serve a God who is consistent, who is gentle and humble in heart? A God who invites us to learn from Him, to grow in Him, and to find rest in Him.
So, as we go from here, let's remember to discern His divine influence in our lives, to deter the snares of the enemy, and to dwell in His divine consistency. Let's remember that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.
