In this chapter, we will discuss the first part of the process of reclamation. In this chapter, we will discover why we can expect God to help us and discuss steps to Reclamation. These steps are found in 2nd Chronicles 7: 12-14; ‘And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’
ITEM 1
Why will God help us?
2nd Kings 6:15-17 And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! How shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee; open his eyes that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
A child of God
The natural reaction of most of parents is to come running when their child is in trouble. Most parents are very protective of their children even if the child does not always act right. God is just as protective as our natural parents. When it comes to the safety of His children, the Scriptures reveal that He will go to extreme lengths to protect what is His. What Elisha said to his servant in 2nd Kings 6:16, ‘Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.’ is also spoken to every child of God. Fear not, this includes problems, sins, worries, temptations, enemies, or even Lucifer and all his demons; for they that are with us, to protect us from all our fears, are more than they that are against us, to destroy us.
The eyes of our natural body see danger and worry in everything. Yet, God will open the eyes of our spiritual body, that we may see His protecting hand. The better understanding that we have of the sovereignty and power of God, the less we will fear our troubles, worries and problems. Lucifer, the god of this world, blinds our eyes to the truth; but when God opens our eyes, we will see ourselves in the midst of our enemies, captives of Lucifer, and in danger of hell. Let us not be overcome by evil, but let us overcome evil with God.
When circumstances turn against us and we find our backs up against the wall of temptation, we have the promise of God that He will come to our rescue Lucifer will try to convince us that the problems are to big for even God to handle. However, God will come to our rescue no matter what the problem may be. Jesus said that He would never leave us or forsake us. This is a promise that we can trust in. Jesus is always more powerful than any temptation to sin that we may face.
Lucifer tries to convince us that God will not help us because we are sinners. However the Word of God says in 1st John 1:9, ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ When we confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness, this allows us to enter into a fellowship with God. God allowed His only Son to die just so we could be reclaimed back into His kingdom. When we confess our sin, we are agreeing with God that what we did was wrong and that we are His unrepented children in need of saving. When Lucifer tries to convince us that God will not help us, we need to remember that we are a part of a promise that God has to deliver.
A promise that God has to deliver
In chapter 13:16 of the book of Genesis, God tells Abraham that He will multiply his seed to the point where his descendants would be uncountable. Again, in the Word of God, God says that He will create a new nation of people that will be called His. God also says that He will choose these people even though they were not His people. We are these people. We will discuss in detail how God will do this in chapter four, Reclamation II.
God has already revealed a plan to deliver us in the Scriptures. The Word of God says in Joel 2:28 that in the last days God will pour out His Spirit upon all people. God is pouring out His Spirit today. God is looking for those in sin that wants His help. Regardless of what mess we have let Lucifer talk us into, God has a plan to deliver us from the grasps of Lucifer.
A plan to deliver
The bible is God’s road map for our salvation. In it, we will discover God in living color. He has detailed His work of salvation for us to read and understand. The instrument for our salvation has already been set in place. The instrument for our salvation is Jesus, the Christ. The Word of God says in Acts 4:12 that ‘neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’ Jesus is that name.
When we accept Jesus as our savior, we are reclaimed by God and adopted back into the Kingdom of God. Once we are reclassified as children of God, there is nothing that He will not do for us. This means that God will come to our aid when we are in trouble. Jesus said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. This is a promise that we can believe. When God reclaims us, we can boldly defy all the powers and threats of Lucifer. Since God is for us, we can rest assured that He will deliver us.
The Delivery
One of the hardest substances to get free from is quicksand. The harder that you struggle to free yourself, the deeper that you sink. It is just as hard for us to free ourselves from the control of sin. This is the reason that we need the help of God to get us out of sin. Our natural desire is to sin. All men are born into this world as sinners. Because we are born sinners, we are in need of salvation. The Word of God says that the wages of sin is death. Therefore every man, woman, or child is in need of delivery from the penalty of their sin.
No matter how we try to excuse our sinful actions, all sin is the same in the sight of God. With God, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and God will send us to hell. However, there is a way out. Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross once and for all. Because of His sacrifice, we have been set free from the grips of sin and we can escape the just penalty for our wrong doings. The Word of God states in John 3:16 that, ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.’
This precious gift of God will not only deliver us from our sins, He will also free us from the grips of any addiction that hold us bound to Lucifer. Through our belief in the living Word of God, Jesus will set us free. The Word of God clearly states in Romans 8:32 that God will help us. He has already given us everything He has, then what else will He not do for us to deliver us from our sins.
ITEM 2
Fighting a losing battle
Deuteronomy 11:26-28 ‘Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.’
Matthew 21:21-22; ‘Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you be able to do what has been done to the fig tree, but you will also say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You will receive whatever you ask for in prayer, if you believe.”
Galatians 3: 7-14; ‘You see, then, that those who have faith are Abraham’s real descendants. Because the Scripture saw ahead of time that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, it announced the gospel to Abraham beforehand when it said, “Through you all nations will be blessed.” Therefore, those who believe are blessed together with Abraham, the one who believed. Certainly all who depend on the works of the Law are under a curse. For it is written, “A curse on everyone who doesn’t obey everything that is written in the book of the Law!” Now it is obvious that the Law justifies no one in the sight of God, because “The just will live by faith.” But the Law has nothing to do with faith. Instead, “The person who keeps the commandments will have life in them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written, “A curse on everyone who is hung on a tree!” This happened in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.’
James 1: 5-7: ‘Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to everyone generously without a rebuke, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. Such a person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded person, unstable in all he undertakes.
A different type of fight
Many of Mike Tyson’s early fights lasted only a few minutes and some lasted even a couple of seconds. Tyson was known for his first round knockouts. It seemed as though his opponents never even had a chance of winning. We must realize that in this spiritual battle that we are in, we are much like many of Tyson’s opponents. We don’t even have a chance of winning. But Paul says that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
In this spiritual war, our enemies are not made of flesh and blood. More accurately, the Word of God tells us that they are principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. This means that our real enemies are not like us. Even though they were made by the same God as we were, they are still different because they are Lucifer and the fallen angels. This enemy exists in the spiritual world. They move and live on a totally different level than us. It is impossible for us to wage war against them by ourselves. If we do, we are fighting a fight that we have no chance of winning.
The reason that our constant fellowship with God is so important is because only God can fight and beat Lucifer. The Word of God tells us to seek God and resist Lucifer and he will flee. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, they forfeited all of our abilities to control and beat Lucifer. Because of sin, we are still helpless to fight against him. Furthermore, every time we try we get beat. When we try our best to do right and still do wrong, Lucifer has beaten us. When we listen to our natural instincts and go after our fleshly desires, Lucifer has beaten us. When Lucifer beats us and we give in to our natural desire for sin, we are placed under the curse of the law of God that says the soul that sinneth shall surely die.
Living under the curse.
The Word of God sums up all the arguments for our obedience in two words, blessing and curse. God asks us to choose which we would have. When we break the law of God, we are placed under the curse of the law of God. Yet, God once again sets before us a blessing and a curse. A blessing, if we obey the call of God for our repentance by faith in Christ; and an awful curse, if we neglect His offer of salvation. The decision is ours to make, but it is the type of decision that will be made for us if we decide not to choose.
If we are not fully living for God, depending on Him for our entire existence and obeying His every command, then we are outside the will and fellowship of God. If we are found outside of His will, then we are under the curse of the law. This law of God says very plainly that the soul that sinneth shall surely die and the wages of sin is death. Since the Word of God calls all men sinners, all men have placed under the curse of the law of God. In spite of that, God has provided a way to break the curse of the law of God.
Breaking the curse
It is an undeniable fact that most of us have had the doctrine of Jesus, the Christ preached to us and that we naturally understand that most of what we do is wrong. This does not, however, help us in our fight against Lucifer. Nevertheless, we are blessed through faith in the promises of God; and this is the only way that we can break free from the curse of the law of God. Through faith in God, the Word of God, and the Spirit Of God, we can break free from our addictions and reclaim our positions as children of God.
The curse of the law of God is against all sinners, therefore against all men; for all have sinned, and are guilty before God: and since we are breakers of the law of God, we are under the curse of the law of God. Therefore, we cannot hope to be saved by it because anyone who is guilty of breaking the least of the laws of God is guilty of breaking them all. Faith is the only way we can be freed from the penalty of our sins and the wrath of God. Faith is the only way that we can be restore to our position as children of God and a life in the favor of God.
Even though salvation is not expected from the law of God, there is a way open to escape the curse of the law of God, and regain the favor of God. This can be done through faith in Jesus, the Christ. Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law. By being made a sin offering for us, he was made a curse for us under the punishment of the law of God. The death of the Son of God should warn us to stop sinning. God will not spare us if we remain in sin since he did not spared His own Son.
In 2nd Chronicles, God answers King Solomon’s prayer by giving him the steps in which we can be restored to the favor of God. Through doing the things that God asks of us, we cannot only reclaim our position as children of God; we can also reclaim our power to fight Lucifer.
Fighting Lucifer
Once again, let us remember that it is naturally impossible for us to fight against Lucifer. This is because Lucifer is an angel of God and only God can fight him. But if we follow and do what the Word of God tells us to do, we can enlist the help and all the power of God to fight the good fight of faith. In order to enlist the help of God, we need to have faith that God can and will do everything that we ask of Him. The Word of God says that God will do abundantly more than we can ever ask or think. God will help us in our constant struggle against Lucifer if we just ask.
When we ask of God, we cannot doubt that He will help us. This is how Lucifer beats many of us. Lucifer will introduce doubt into our thought process to get us to underestimate what God is willing to do for us. Lucifer will question and misquote the Scriptures in order to confuse us. This is the main reason that we need to know the Word of God for ourselves. We also need to understand that the Word of God is written so plainly that a fool cannot error in doing it. What this means is that God don’t need anyone’s help to interpret what He says in the Word of God. What God says is exactly what God means. If God says we should not do something, then He means that we should not do it. If God promised in His word that He would do something, then we can believe that He will do exactly what He said that He would do.
However getting God to help us involves more than knowing what the Word of God says. Lucifer knows the Word of God and he is still going to hell. If we want to get God’s help, then we need to have a firm and persistent faith or belief that if God be for us, then who can be against us. We have to believe that we can do all things through Christ who strengthen us. And we must be ready to do the Will of God no matter the cost. If we are ready to be obedient to God and completely trust in Him, then we ready to submit to God.
ITEM 3
Submitting to God
Psalms 37:23-29, ‘ The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delights in His way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, or his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore For the LORD loves judgment, and forsakes not His saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.’
Matthew 6:32-34 Your heavenly Father knows 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. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
What is submission?
As children of God, we live in complete dependence upon the promise of the Word of God that God will be for us. The Word of God is our sword, and faith in that word is our shield to fend off the attacks of Lucifer. God has many ways of providing for his people, and they can at all times be depended upon. In order for us to be able or qualified to use any of the weapons that God has provided for our defense, we must be willing to submit to the Will of God. We must be willing to submit our mind, body and soul to doing His will.
Submission is obedience to and compliance with the Will of God. The Word of God says that obedience is better than sacrifice. When we come to God, we must remember that He is Lord of the heavens and earth. This means that we must come to Him with respect as the sovereign Lord. Yet, we must also have confidence in His capability to defend us from evil and supply us with all of our needs.
The Word of God declares that God has given to Jesus all power, authority, and judgment. Jesus invites us that labor and are heavy-laden, to come to him. Each of us must pay attention to the call of Jesus because our lives are filled with the useless pursuits of material goods, recognition, and enjoyment. We are heavy-laden with guilt and sin. Nevertheless, Christ invites us to come to Him for help. Whosoever will let him come.
But when we come to Him, we must submit to His authority. We must be obedient to Him in all things. He will help us even if we are imperfect. Submission is self-denial. God told Solomon in 2nd Chronicles that if we would humble ourselves. Humble is a state of thinking. It simply means not to think to highly of oneself. This was the reason that Lucifer got thrown out of heaven. He thought that he was more than he actually was. When we think to highly of ourselves, we tend to miss the mark of God. When we think to highly of ourselves, we become filled with self-pride, and this is the type of pride that the Word of God says comes before a fall.
This is the type of pride that traps so many of us in our sins and addictions. Even though we know that we are stuck on stupid and left standing on Crack Street, our pride will not let us come to someone for help. Even though we know that we have offended someone, it is this type of pride that convinces us that we did nothing wrong. We know that we have messed up, but our pride will not let us admit it.
Why should we submit?
Our submission to the Will of God is important because it permits us to see ourselves as God sees us. In our own eyes, we are always right, even if that is not the case. When caught red handed in the wrong, we can come up with various reasons why we were right for doing the wrong thing. On the other hand, when we look at ourselves according to the Laws of God, we will see that many of our actions are more than just mere sins. We shall see them as atrocities toward God.
The Laws of God reveal the sinful side of man. They permit us to become aware of our sins, and think humbly of ourselves. The battle for our recovery from our assorted dependencies and failings is a spiritual conflict with spiritual opponents, and with spiritual intentions. The weapons of our warfare are very powerful and convincing. These weapons will be discussed in detail in Chapter 6 Rearmament. However, we cannot use these weapons for our defense if we have not cleared ourselves with God. In order to clear ourselves with God, we must approach the throne of God. In order to approach the throne of God, we must first submit to the Will and Word of God.
How do we submit?
In order for us to submit to God, it is essential for us to repent of those things that are outside the Will of God. We must recognize that we are His unrepented children. We must acknowledge that we deserve to be dealt with according to the Word of God. We must submit to God’s justice, and have faith in His mercy. True repentance is not only for sin, but also from sin. As rebellious children of God, we bring grief to God. Yet, God will grant us mercy if we confess our sins and ask for His forgiveness. If we throw ourselves on the mercy of God, humble ourselves, seek delivery from the powers of Lucifer, separate ourselves from sin, and wait on the Lord’s timing, we will, without doubt, receive the mercy of God.
When do we submit?
For the child of God submitting to the Will of God is an everyday occurrence. We are to submit to the Will of God for our lives in all things. Matthew 6:32-34 states, ‘Your heavenly Father knows 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. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.’
The Word of God tells us we should not worry about the thing of this life. Rather we are to leave these things for God to handle. God can feed the animals and make the sunrise and set and God can take care of us. Nevertheless, there are some things that we must take care of ourselves. We must work out our soul salvation and we must work to earn a living. Yet, even theses things must be submitted to the Will of God. We are to take no consideration for our lives. God will take care of us; we are in His hands, and they are good hands to be in.
God has promised to provide us with food and clothing therefore we can expect Him to do it. David wrote in Psalms 37:23-29, ‘ The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delights in His way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore For the LORD loves judgment, and forsakes not His saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.’
God has given us life, and has given us a body. What else can He not do for us since He did that? We can trust in God and leave it to God to provide for us, forgive our sins and help fight our spiritual battles. But, we must reconcile ourselves to God; therefore, we must submit to Him. Seek first the kingdom of God; this is the way to be well provided for. We can be strengthened and armed against the temptations of Lucifer by prayer and fellowship with God.
ITEM 4
Communicate with God
Deuteronomy 5: 1-4 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire.
1st Kings 19:11-13 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
Proverbs 1:7-9 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Matthew 6: 9-13 “Therefore, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come. May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And never bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ Amen.
James 5: 14-18 Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit
Prayer is the key that unlocks the lock
God said to King Solomon, ‘ If My people who are called by My name would humble themselves and pray…’ Prayer is the way that we obtain what we need from God. Sin has placed us outside of the fellowship of God; by prayer, we can reunite ourselves to God. Whatever we pray for, according to the promises of God, shall be given to us. Everyone that asks receives and is welcomed to approach the throne of God, if we come in faith. When we are under the power of Lucifer, and led captive by sin, we are blinded to the things and ways of God. Lucifer blinds our eyes to the power of God, and seals up our lips from prayer. However, we must remember that it is good for us to pray to God. Christ will have mercy on all that ask. But we must be earnest in prayer. We must be humble in prayer. We must have faith in prayer. And we must continually be in prayer.
Jesus said that when we ask God for anything in His name that, too, the Father shall do. Paul says that the child of God should always pray. When we pray to God, it gives us insight and understanding of God’s will for our lives. Prayer connects us to a large amount of spiritual power and makes this power available to us. We are to use this power for the advancement of the Kingdom of God, and to fight off the attacks of Lucifer.
The Word of God states that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer is a constant talk with God. The more we talk with Him, the more He will talk to us. Our prayers must be made with a purpose in mind and that purpose must be within the Will of God. We must depend upon the grace of God to get our prayers answered. However, it is not enough to say a prayer, but we must be specific when we pray. Our thoughts must be fixed upon what we want, and our desires must be within the will of God. The power of prayer encourages the children of God in their battle to be freed from Lucifer.
The power of prayer
. Although God is all-powerful and very perceptive, He has chosen to help us and to communicate with us through our prayers. Our most powerful resource, as children of God, is prayer and the results of our prayers are more powerful than we can ever imagine. When all else has felled, we use prayer as a last resort. However, this is the wrong way to look at prayer. Prayer should always come first because God’s power and understanding of things are always better than ours. How prayer works is a complete mystery to us. But we do know that prayer works. Our sincere prayers have powerful results.
Because Jesus has made it possible for us to go directly to God, we can boldly approach the throne of God with complete confidence that God will hear us. Whenever a child of God is in trouble or tempted by Lucifer, we can pray to God for deliverance and He will deliver us. The Word of God in James 5 says that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much. As His unrepented children, our righteousness is like filthy rags to God. When we believe, rely upon, trust, and depend upon the Word of God as our road map and have faith in Jesus as our Savior, God will replace our unrighteousness with the righteousness of Jesus. We are, then, seen as righteous in His eyes and by His word. Because of this, our prayer will be heard. Remember, if God said it you can absolutely believe it.
The method of prayer
Jesus shows us the method of prayer. Not that we are to pray this prayer only or always; nevertheless, it is very good to use it. This prayer says much as well as little. There are six requests; the first three relate more specifically to God and His will, the last three to our own concerns, both secular and spiritual. This prayer teaches us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and that all other things shall be added. After we pray for the things that concern God’s glory, kingdom, and will, we should pray for the things we need in this present life.
Every word of the Lord’s prayer has a lesson in it. We ask for bread; that teaches us to constantly depend upon God to give it us. We pray that God would give us this day; which teaches us to renew our need of God. We are taught to hate and dread sin while we hope for mercy, and to rely on the divine intervention and grace of God to keep us from sin. And here is a promise, if we forgive; our heavenly Father will also forgive us. We must forgive, if we want to be forgiven. Those who desire to find mercy with God must show mercy to each other. Christ came into the world as the great mediator, not only to reconcile us to God, but also to reconcile us one to another.
Hearing the Voice of God
All children of God have entered into a covenant with Him through their belief in His Son, Jesus. Because of this covenant, we should listen for His voice and take heed to His advice. Hearing the voice of God consist of three things. The first is knowing the voice of God. Hollywood have convinced us that God has either a deep Barry White bass voice or a voice of an old man. Contrary to what the writers and others would have us to believe, the voice of God sounds like neither one. The voice of God is not so much heard as it is experienced. Before Elisha heard the voice of God, he encountered God. Before we hear the voice of God, we first encounter God. And when we hear His voice, it might not be an audible voice. His voice is a voice that speaks inside the calm and serenity of the hearts of His children.
Hearing also consist of learning. We are to search for and absorb information about God from the Word of God and other reliable sources and seek to get an understanding of this information by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. The child of God must be very cautious when accepting information about what the Lord has said in His word or concerning himself. The Word of God warns us that there are a lot of false prophets waiting to lead some one astray. Before we believe a word that someone says in the name of Jesus, we must evaluate it by the Word of God. If it is in the least way contrary to what the Word of God says we are not believe it or accept it.
Lastly, hearing consist of Wisdom. Wisdom is understanding and doing or putting into action what we have heard and learned. Our God is a purpose driven God. Everything that He does is done for a purpose. When He talks to us, He talks to us for a purpose. This purpose is to do His will. We must be doers of the word and not just hearers. Our soul salvation is dependant upon us doing the things that God has told us to do. Today, we have more information available to us about God than ever before. But wisdom is still in short supply. Wisdom means more than knowing a lot of information. It also means putting that information that we know to use. God shall supply our needs but it is up to us to take those needs that God has supplied and turn them into our wants and desires. When we have wisdom, we will do these things and be blessed by God for doing them.
ITEM 5
Seeking God
Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shall seek the LORD thy God, thou shall find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
1st Kings 3: 11-12 And God said unto him, ‘Because thou has asked this thing, and has not asked for thyself long life; neither has asked riches for thyself, nor has asked the life of thine enemies; but has asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
1st Kings 4: 29-30 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
Job 28:28 And unto man, he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Psalms 69:32 The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endures forever.
Proverbs 2:5-6 Then shall thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom: out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 3:5 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.
Proverb 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding
Proverbs 28:5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.
Matthew 3:1-2 In those days John the Baptist appeared. He kept preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!”
Matthew 4:16-17 The people living in darkness have seen a great light, and for those living in the land and shadow of death, a light has risen.” From then on, Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!”
John 6:26-29 Jesus replied to them, “Truly, truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves and were completely satisfied. Do not work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God: to believe in the one whom he has sent.”
Acts 17:28-31 For we live, move, and exist because of Him, as some of your own poets have said: ‘For we are His children, too.’ So, if we are God’s children, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold, silver, or stone, or is an image carved by human imagination and skill. Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent, for he has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice through a man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.
Romans 12:2 Stop being conformed to this world, but continue to be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what is God’s will—what is proper, pleasing, and perfect.
Ephesians 6:5-8 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling. Do this with sincerity, as when you obey Christ. Do not do this only while being watched in order to please them. Obey like slaves of Christ who do God’s will from the heart. Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people. You know that everyone will receive a reward from the Lord for whatever good he has done, whether he is a slave or free.
Hebrews 11:6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him.
James 1:19-25 You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. For human anger does not produce God’s righteousness. So, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls. Keep on being doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror. For he studies himself carefully and then goes off and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the one who looks at the perfect law of freedom and remains committed to it, thus proving that he is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of what it requires, will be blessed in what he does.
Looking for God
God to Solomon in 2nd Chronicles that if His people that were called by His name would humble themselves and pray and seek His face. God graciously offers to pardon us and give us peace and happiness if we seek Him. But there is a day coming when He will not be found. At death and judgment, the door will be shut to us if we have not wanted to find God in this life. To seek God, there must not be only a change from the way we do things, but also a change of our minds. We must correct our judgments about people and things. It is not enough for us to stop practicing evil; rather, we must also struggle against evil thoughts. To repent is to return to God. If we do so, God will gladly pardon our sins. We forgive, but we cannot forget; but when God forgives sin, he remembers it no more.
The sacred truths of the Word of God produce a spiritual change in the heart and mind of men. The Word of God shall not return to God without producing the desired effects. When we read the Word of God, we shall find what great things God has done and will do for us. The Word of God makes great changes in us. It delivers us from the wrath of God. The Word of God brings peace to the heart and mind of the repented child of God. The Word of God changes us from being wicked, controversial, selfish, and carnal. It makes us long-suffering, humble, compassionate, and peaceful. There are many way to get various information about God, but the Word of God still remains the best source of information for the child of God. Only the Word of God can reveal to us the Will of God for our lives.
Looking For the Will of God
As children of God, we should desire to know what the Will of God is, and make an effort to do it since a change has taken place in our lives and behaviors. We are to conduct ourselves justly and honestly in everything we do. The Spirit of God has placed the love of God in our hearts and He will help us to control our actions. Our actions are good when the Will of God controls them and the glory of God is the result of them. The main concern of a child of God must be to please God. The Word of God clearly states in Hebrews 11:6 that it is impossible to please God without faith and that He is a rewarder of those that seek Him.
We are to make every effort to control our desires. We are told to strive for the prize of the higher calling of God through Jesus Christ; nevertheless, we cannot expect the prize unless we obey the laws. We are to do good to everyone, so that God will be praised. We are told to conduct ourselves in the right manner so that the good that we do may not be spoken evil of. We must do the will of God, before we receive the promises of God. If we want to receive help from God, we must seek Him; God is a great rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.
We must persistently pray for God to give us understanding and wisdom to do the Will of God. Once again, we must do the Will of God, before we receive the promises of God. Everything that we do or plan on doing should be within the Will of God. As children of God, if we do not do the things that we know that God wants us to do, God will send us to hell. The true child of God allows the Will of God to control their lives and actions. The Will of God corrects the mind, decisions, affections, and conversation of the child of God. We are required, not only to keep from wickedness, but also from things that lead to sin. God will look down on us with kindness when we sincerely seek Him.
Understanding the Will of God
The Word Of God says in James 1:5 that if we want wisdom we are to ask God for it and he will give it to us. Wisdom is more than knowing something; rather it is also understanding how to use the information that we have. Wisdom is the capability to determine what is best and the moral fiber to act upon that understanding. As children of God, we should not ask God to do the things that His will calls for us to do, rather we should ask Him for the understanding of His will and His help to help us do His will.
God will give us understanding of His will if we ask Him for it. We often try to find wisdom without going to the Word of God, but this is a big mistake for the child of God. There is nowhere on earth where we can find the true meaning and purpose to our lives other than in the Word of God. God is the source of all wisdom and the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. To be able to have life and have it more abundantly, we must know, trust, and understand the Will of God for our lives.
The only way that we can truly become wise and understand the Will of God for our lives is to pray and ask God to reveal it to us. Jesus said that if we ask the Father for anything in His name that too shall He do. Normally, we want to seek wisdom through our life’s experiences and education, but we need to acknowledge that God is the true resource of all wisdom. The Word of God makes us wise to the traps and snares that Lucifer has set for us. The Word of God also makes us wise to the things that God has provided for us to keep us on the path of righteousness. Wisdom comes from allowing what the Word of God teaches us to direct our lives.
Wisdom is the mind of God revealed to men. God is willing to reveal His thoughts to us. If we want to receive them, then we must be willing to listen to the words that He has said and is saying to us. But He will give it to only those that seek Him. This means that we must endeavor to find this wisdom. We must first understand that wisdom is found by trusting and respecting God. Next, we must understand that wisdom is revealed through the Word of God. Finally, we must understand that wisdom is doing the Will of God.
Doing the Will of God
God has guaranteed us that we shall have what we need, if we pray for it. The Word of God also says that if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness everything also will be added. The way that we get spiritual blessings is by asking God for them. The way that we get earthly blessings is first to do the Will of God. The Will of God has been revealed to us and is within our ability to achieve. The Will of God for His children is to fear God, and to depart from sin. The Word of God reveals the Will of God; and it is received by faith, through the Spirit of God.
Wisdom will not feed our pride or egos. Wisdom instructs and encourages us to fear God, repent from sin, and to have faith in God’s capacity to solves the problems of our lives. Wisdom fills our minds with knowledge and enters our hearts to keep us from corruptions and temptations. Wisdom will also protect us from those who will try to lead us in to sin. Wisdom keeps us from being caught in the trap of Lucifer. Wisdom will help us to humbly depend on God to help us.
Wisdom helps us to do the Will of God. If we try to do God’s will by our own strength, we will fail; but if we depend upon God to strengthen us, we will be able to do whatever God instructs us to do. If we only hear what the Word of God says and do not do what it says, then we are not true children of God. When we do what the Word of God says, we will be blessed in all of our ways. Every part of the Word of God is to be used by the child of God for their salvation, and to encourage us to walk and live according to the commands of God.
ITEM 6
Repent of your sins
1st John 2:15-17 ‘Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father’s love is not in him. For everything that is in the world—the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world and its desires are fading away, but the person who does God’s will remains forever.’
The doctrine of repentance
God said to Solomon in 2nd Chronicles that if His people that are called by His name would humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn or repent from their wick ways; then He would heal their land. Repentance means to turn away from that which is considered sinful to that which is considered righteous. According to the Word of God, anything that is not in total and absolute agreement with His word and will is sin. When we repent, we stop doing those things that are not in agreement with the Word of God. We stop rebelling against God and start to live the way His word tells us to.
As children of God, we are to turn away from our self-centered way of life. The Word of God refers to this way of life as going after fleshly desires. 1st John 2:15-17 tells us to ‘stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father’s love is not in him. For everything that is in the world—the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world and its desires are fading away, but the person who does God’s will remains forever.’ This is a promise as well as wise instructs to be listened to.
We incorrectly believe that the expression desires of the flesh mean material desires. This term more accurately means the desires of the sinful part of man. This is the part of man that is in agreement with the way that Lucifer thinks. Desires of the flesh is rooted in the heart of man and it encourages us to think to highly of ourselves. The desires of the flesh encourages us to become so preoccupied with ourselves that we forget about God. The desires of the flesh encourages us to obtain the joys of life regardless of the cost to others or ourselves. The desires of the flesh encourages us to make the toys of life our gods. The reason many of us are in the shape that we are in today is because we have been chasing after the joys and toys of this life. It is alright for us to have the joys and toys; however, if we are seeking the desires of the flesh, then we are not seeking God.
The call for repentance
The gospel is a call for us to repent. It is a call for us to change our minds, and to change our behavior. By repenting from our sins, we give glory to God whom we have offended. By having faith in His promise to forgive us, we give glory to Jesus, who came to save us from our sins. The purpose of God’s call for our repentance is to deliver us from the penalty of our sins. The results of our repentance are the remission of sins, spiritual cleansing and a renewed heart.
When we repent, we allow the Spirit of God to bring the Word of God into our heart. When we repent, we humble ourselves before God, and the Spirit of God brings us into obedience to the Word of God. When we repent, God moves everything that hinders us from doing His will. When we repent, we show it by the good that we do. There is no way of us to avoid the penalty for our sins except by repentance. The same Word of God that calls for us to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand, advises us to repent or else we shall die.
The nature of repentance
Repentance begins with us seeing ourselves as His unrepented children. This is a turning point in every sinner’s life. God opens our eyes to the truth of the Word of God, and convinces us that we are sinners. He encourages us leave Lucifer and the desires of the flesh alone and return to Him. God has already given us an unexpected token of His love by allowing Jesus to pay the price for our sins. When we accept this precious gift, God clothes us in the robe of Christ’s righteousness, adopts us into His family, and give us never ending peace of mind. The Word of God promises that God will give us peace if our minds are stayed on Him. Repentance allows us to focus fully on God, because we have done away with the cares and desires of the flesh.
True repentance
Repentance is God’s gift to us. We are not only given it by His grace, but His grace works it in us. God takes away our heart of stone, and gives us a heart of flesh that is willing to do His will. The best sacrifice that we can ever give to God is a broken or humble spirit. True repentance humbles us so that God can use us. True repentance glorifies God. True repentance frees us from the shame and penalty of sin and from the power and control of sin. When we truly repent, we turn from sin, and turn against it. Nevertheless, only God can bring us to true repentance. He does this by the Spirit of God working with the Word of God to awaken us to the reality of sin. True repentance brings a hatred of our sinful lives and thoughts. True repentance demands that our intentions be pure, and that we reject all the desires of the flesh.
Strife or contention against God or the Will of God is the beginning of evil. Sin is the human will in a state of contention against God. However, true repentance brings sorrow to our heart for our disagreement with the Will of God. True repentance makes our heart humble, regretful, and obedient to the Will of God. True repentance is connected with saving faith in Christ, and is important in His atonement for our sins. The benefits of true repentance are a changed heart, a changed life and changed actions, hatred of sin, faith in Christ, and deep humility before God. True repentance brings God and us together.
The proof of true repentance consists of returning to the practice of seeking God, watchfulness, a humble mind, and a continual dependence on God, Jesus, the Christ, and the presence of the Spirit of God to keep us from evil. The Word of God says that the joy of the Lord is our strength. There is joy in heaven when one of God’s children repents.
ITEM 7
Watch God do it
Jeremiah 14:19-21 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble! We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. Do not abhor us, for thy name’s sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember; break not thy covenant with us.
Jeremiah 30:10-13; 17-21 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither, I have scattered thee, yet I will not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. There is none to plead thy cause that thou maybe bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.
For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeks after. Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwelling places; and the city shall be built upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them…. and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD. And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
The healing touch of God
In 2nd Chronicles 7: 11-22, God has a conversation with young King Solomon. King Solomon had finish building the very first stationary Temple of God. This temple was exquisitely made and decorated with gold. King Solomon prayed a very sincere prayer to God to ask His blessings on their meager efforts. The wise King Solomon’s prayer was not a prayer of dedication. It was a prayer that dealt with the eventually of the nation of Israel falling into sin and their deliverance from sin and its curse. This is why King Solomon was wise. He knew Israel eventually would sin.
In His answer to King Solomon, God said, “I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attend unto the prayer that is made in this place.” God guarantee the nation of Israel that they would always have a chance to make things right with Him. God guarantee them that He would always listen to their prayers.
As children of God, we have this same guarantee that if we sin we will have a chance to get right with God. Nevertheless, along with this guarantee comes conditions. The conditions of God’s help to get us out of the mess that we have let Lucifer talk us into is plainly stated in the Word of God. The steps to Reclamation are, we, who are called children of God, must stop thinking to highly of ourselves, communicate with God, submit to and do His will, and repent of our sins, then and only then will God hear our cry for help and come to our rescue. We need to stop fooling ourselves. There is absolutely nothing that we can do to save ourselves. There is nothing that we can do to stop from sinning. We must face the fact that when we are in sin, we are down on the floor and out for the count. The reality of our present situation is that we are down and we cannot get up. But there is hope.
The hope is in the repentance from our sins, the assurance that God will forgive our sins, and the glorious spiritual transformation that lies ahead. God is a God that keeps His word. He said that if we would, then He would; and we can believe He will. God will do abundantly more than we can ever ask or think. The hope is in the promise that if God be for us who can be against us. The hope is in the fact that Jesus has paid the price to set us free and whom the Son set free is free indeed and forever. Once the healing hands of God touches our hearts and changes us into His new creations; all sins, habits, demons, quirks, and addictions that keeps us outside of the will of God has to let go of us.
