Hidden Treasure – A Deeper Understanding

These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give… I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Matt. 10:5-8; 16:19

Passages such as these introduce us to the majesty and awe of the New Covenant dispensation. They are promises that must be believed and realized before the great and wonderful return of Jesus to this world. There are not too many sermons preached on these subjects, because they are considered too far reaching, too futuristic, too tenuous and even too dangerous to be spoken of. Instead, they are areas of absolute reality, as real as the air that we breathe. They are both a promise and a privilege.

Spiritual warfare is a subject that we need to apply ourselves to in much earnestness. It is a pathway of service and self-discovery. Before we embark on the journey we need to establish some guidelines, some criteria. Reason and motivation is everything. Below is a ‘fact sheet’, a list of spiritual criteria that are fundamental that we need to constantly reaffirm in our minds. These facts are protection. They are armament. We are reminded of Paul’s statement in Eph. 6

Finally , be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, AND HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit……vs.10-18

We read a passage like that and we tend to interpret it in terms of learning and doing. i.e. If we believe the right things and do the right things we will be fully clothed and safe. By reading it thus we are aligning ourselves with old covenant principles. We need to read it in the light of righteousness by faith, on the subject of surrender as taught by the burnt offering, on the role of Melchizedek i.e. the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Unless we read and understand this passage in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ it will become just another meaningless ritual and striving.

The TRUTH is a Person. I am the way, and the truth, and the life.. Jn.14:6

RIGHTEOUSNESS is of God. …be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. Phil.3:9

To have our feet shod with the PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, we need to remember what Jesus said. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you, not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful….for apart from Me you can do nothing. Jn.14:27; 15:5

Peace, like all of the armor mentioned here, is a gift, there is nothing we can do to earn it. We will constantly remind ourselves of the fact that, our only recommendation to God is our great need.

The following are facts that we need to constantly reaffirm in out minds.

God’s love for and interest in the human family and indeed us as individuals is greater than we can ever comprehend. (John 3:16; 1 Jn.4:9,10; Eph.2:4-8; Col.1:26,27) How often our relationship with God is clouded because of our preoccupation with ourselves and our own shortcomings or the shortcomings of others. Our righteousness is in Jesus Christ alone. By faith we grasp this promise. We will need every day to constantly remind ourselves of the truth of Righteousness by Faith. From the moment of our waking every morning our human nature will want to follow the miasma of legalism. The Christian life never comes naturally.

The pure gospel of Jesus leads us to look upon the world and our fellow man as God sees them – with love, pity and compassion. A theology which centres around the law keeps us narrow and self-centred in our view of the world and those around us. The law makes us more likely to be critical of ourselves and those around us. The New Testament recognizes this, for the code (of the Law) kills, but the (Holy) Spirit makes alive. 2 Cor.3:6 Amplified Bible

Embracing the good news of righteousness which is by faith is food for the soul. It’s our manna from heaven. This is what keeps us healthy: mentally and physically as well as spiritually. We are not then afraid to call ourselves ‘righteous’ because our righteousness, our wholeness, is not in ourselves it is in Jesus. But this will be a very private thing between us and our Savior. This is not presumption – it is our faith. What then, the purpose of the law? Now we recognize and know that the Law is good, if any one uses it lawfully – for the purpose for which it was designed; Knowing and understanding this: that the law is not enacted for the righteous – the upright and just, who are in right standing with God; but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinful, for the irreverent and profane, for those who strike and beat and (even) murder fathers and strike and beat and (even) murder mothers; for manslayers, (For) impure and immoral persons, those who abuse themselves with men, kidnappers, liars, perjurers and whatever else is opposed to wholesome teaching and sound doctrine, As laid down by the glorious Gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. 1 Tim. 1:8-11 Amplified Bible

This is not a human statement otherwise it would be presumptive and judgmental. This is Holy Scripture – the Word of God. Our righteousness is not in the fact that we are not doing these things. Our righteousness is in the fact that we have Jesus. We can then have love and pity and not condescension.

We, in ourselves, don’t know how to pray or what to pray for. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives we will pray remiss. We will pray for the safety and prosperity of ourselves and those around us. How often we are insular in our prayers. Only God knows us intimately. Only God knows what is best for us. Are we prepared to surrender to His will? In His model prayer Jesus taught us to first give thanks to God. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. We are to pray for the overall prosperity of His work. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. We are to ask for only those things which are basic to life. Give us this day our daily bread. We are to show a willingness to follow the footsteps of the Master in self-denial and commitment to our fellow man. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matt.6:9-12 The Lord’s prayer, isn’t it a prayer of worship and simply surrender to His will?

And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God…. in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. Rom.8:26,27,37

When Jesus breathed onto His disciples and said, Receive the Holy Spirit (Jn.20:22) He established a principle which has been the spiritual birthright of all Christians since that time. Jesus has given believers ‘authority’ over all unseen powers. There is to be no intermediary between us and God, except Jesus. We are to God, A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. 1 Pet.2:9 We are not to pray for those people or situations, other than, that which He directs us to because He will individually lay upon us, a burden, for those whom He chooses. (Rom.8:26; Matt.6:25)

The Word is power. Faith is power. Neither are inherent in us. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. Jn.15:5

We are not to strive for holiness. Holiness is a gift, from God, and cannot be achieved through human effort, physical, spiritual or mental. When the Scripture says to, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, it then goes on to say, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Phil.2:12,13 We cannot keep ourselves in a constant state of holiness. As counseled by the wise man, Do not be excessively righteous, and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? Eccl.7:16 Trying to keep ourselves in a constant state of holiness is nothing more than works. As great and wonderful as music is, we should not try to keep ourselves in a spiritually high state by listening to music. We should depend more on our quietness before God. The Holy Spirit works in quietness. In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. Isa.30:15

Our role is to believe and to surrender. Jesus spoke of having the faith of little children. In the light of all of the above facts, we are not to doubt or fear. We are to realize that God alone can bring us in His chosen times to where He wants us to be. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Ps.27:14 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isa.40:31

Serving God, can be working, sleeping, enjoying ourselves, just simply breathing……there is so much more to Christian living than simply ‘going to church’. In the marvelous little volume ‘The Practice Of The Presence Of God’, by Brother Lawrence, it says, it was a great delusion to think that the times of prayer ought to differ from other times …… his prayer was nothing else but a sense of the presence of God.

Surrender is taught often in the New Testament. It is taught in ‘type’, in all its different aspects in the Old Testament sanctuary service. The form and ritual of the Old Testament has become the ever present, living reality of the New Testament era. Surrender is not unique to the Christian. Through the mysterious ministry of Melchizedek it has always been taught to anyone who has a receptive heart. I have other sheep which are not of this fold, said Jesus. Jn.10:16 And Paul says, For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. Rom.2:14-16

The righteousness of Jesus Christ, the perfect life of Jesus, bestowed as a gift upon the faithful, will be the one and only title to the kingdom of God. Even those who do not know about Jesus are in God’s kingdom of grace through that one everlasting truth. This being the case, it is also true that it is presumptuous of us to think that all of God’s people must accept the gospel just as we see it. It is true that the Bible speaks of, ‘one Lord, one faith and one baptism’ but we do not have the right to determine the timing of that fact in the lives of individuals. Our role is to live a surrendered life in our knowledge of the plan of salvation and to be ready to give a testimony of our faith to any who may ask.

Although an intellectual assent to truth may seem paramount in our minds, if we are totally honest with ourselves and God, we will realize that it’s not what we profess or believe but what we are that determine our eternal standing with God. Profession counts for nothing in the final judgement. The psalmist says, How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble. The Lord will protect him, and keep him alive, And he shall be called blessed upon the earth. Ps.41:1,2 Jesus said in His sermon on the mount, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted, Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matt.5:3-9 The emphasis here is on what a person is, not on what they professes to be or what they believe. Read the whole of Psalm 37. We quote here in part, Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the Lord’ And He will give you the desires of your heart……Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him’ We could say that the righteousness of Christ is bestowed on those who are hungry for righteousness, who are receptive to the Holy Spirit, whose hearts and minds have been softened by the Presence of God within. The thief on the cross who simply had a yearning to be with Jesus shall have an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of God.

We are to realize that the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus is the truth that underpins and makes possible all of the above. God is all powerful, all knowing, ever present. He has instituted His plan of salvation. His price has been paid. Everything that needed to be done, has been done. God can evangelize this world today. His Second Coming could be tomorrow. The suffering of this world could be finished now. His redeemed could be resurrected now. Why then, is this world, with all its drama and suffering allowed to continue? When we look upon this world we see the immense suffering. When God looks upon the world, yes, He sees the same, but in infinite more detail than we could ever bear. As individuals we cannot possibly take on the burdens of the world. We live in an age of instant communications where we are instantly confronted with the tragedy and the cruelty of this world. Our hearts go out to those who are suffering, but unless God lays a burden upon us we have to insulate ourselves from the vastness of this worlds suffering, otherwise it is too much for us to bear. Jesus was confronted with tragedy – as a human being He knew what it was to weep. He told us there would be tragedies in this world. He also told us not to be overcome by worry. He told us to cast all of our cares upon Him.

Nothing in this world escapes His notice. A little animal falls to the ground, He knows. He knows us so intimately that even the hairs of our head are numbered. God is very much aware of all the suffering in this world.

Here we are presented with a conundrum. On one hand He insulates us from the realities of the world, on the other hand He says, Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Phil.2:5 Is He telling us here that we can have the qualities of God, even His love, His intercessorial power, not for the whole world and every individual as is His role, but in the sphere of our influence, our families, our friends, those for whom He lays a burden upon us. If this were not the case, why would Scripture call us a “royal priesthood”?

But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”………He said to them, “My cup you shall drink….” Matt.20:22,23 He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Cor.12:9 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; John 14:16; With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints Eph.6:18 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. Rom.8:14-17

How can God allow the sufferings of this world to go on? The answer is something we find within ourselves that has been planted there by God Himself. We were originally made in the image of God. Something of this image still remains. How do we know this? Only man can see beauty. Generally speaking it is only man who can look up and appreciate the majesty and immensity of the heavens. Animals cannot do this. They are only concerned with their immediate vicinity and their own survival. A lion feels no remorse or pity when it kills its prey. A human being, if the image of God has not been too marred, will feel empathy, sympathy, pity and a willingness to eliminate suffering in a way that the animal population cannot do. This dedication to eliminate suffering applies to our fellow human beings and to all of creation. Yes, animals can sometimes manifest great care and compassion to their own and even across species. This is simply a faint reflection of the perfection of God’s original creation where all was ‘very good’. Human beings, on the other hand, who are capable of the greatest evil, are also capable of the most magnificent self sacrifice and compassion and toil for the good of the world. Didn’t Jesus Himself say, Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. Jn.15:13 And this is due to the presence of God still on this earth. Love is of God. All acts of self-sacrifice and compassion are the result of the Spirit of God within the human psyche. When a ‘good’ person looks out on the world in which they live they feel love and a willingness to work for good. When God looks upon this world, He feels divine love for all of His creation. This must be so total and so great that it outweighs His dismay at the way His original work has been marred and the suffering that it continues to cause. We need to think of God, not as a God of vengeance waiting to pour out His judgement on a faithless world but as a loving God bringing His creation up to a time in history when His love and Self Denial will be evident as never before. This love is primarily for the human race who were made in His image. God has enveloped this earth with a matrix of truth and grace that is as real as the air we breathe.

It is a fact that God is more interested in our holiness than our happiness. The kind of Christianity that uses fame and success as its draw card overlooks the fact that the Champion of our faith became …despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hid their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Isa.53:3 This is often the paradox of Christianity. The apostle Paul, while knowing by experience the love, the joy, the peace of the Christian life also yearned to be at home with his Saviour. (Phil.1:23)

Why where we made in God’s image? So He could communicate with us and share with us His joy and His aspirations. The image of God will be reflected in His people. We are to see Him as a God who loves His creation and is not willing that any should perish. He sees not just the present but the joy and peace of eternity. Unlike us, He is the God of the eternal present. He is the great “I Am”. He sees and experiences now the eternal joy of the saints. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever. Heb.13:8 God is the God of the living and the dead. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Rom.14:9

How does He share these things with His creation, with us, His people, now?

At the altar of self-sacrifice, which is the appointed place of meeting between the soul and God, we receive from the hand of God the celestial torch which searches the heart and reveals the need of an abiding Christ. This quote is in one of our previous articles. We begin to see the harmony between different facets of Scripture; the vital role of surrender as it has been eloquently portrayed in the Old Testament Burnt Offering; the role of the Holy Spirit and how He reaches from the fathomless past to the radiant future;

the Sabbath and its progression from rigid form to the beauty of true spiritual experience, a spiritual significance that binds together the elements of pure revival – the true rest of Christ; how these themes are joined and interdependent but never realized; hidden in a miasma of fundamentals that misses the whole point of their Providential discovery. These beautiful truths have been buried under a mountain of man made wisdom. There, lying dormant, unrecognized, quietly hidden under a mass of doctrine lie the ‘keys of the kingdom’.

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If it’s in the crucible of suffering that God can accomplish closeness with His people then we are to accept with quiet humility His will and His plan. We will never understand in this life the workings of God. Even in the next life we will spend eternity discovering new vistas of the character of God. Like Job we are to accept now the will of God and know that all is for a purpose. Never feel that, it is all too much. When we look inward at our own experiences or when we look outward at the experiences of this world we can be reassured that God’s hand is over all. If we have established any ‘facts’ in the above discussion, let it be this. The love of God is absolute. It is the one unchangeable truth in this world. God’s perfection is ours’ through faith. Righteousness by Faith is a subject that has been much addressed within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And rightfully so, because it’s a subject that has everything to do with the ‘finishing of the work’ and the second coming of Jesus. In this age of technology it’s interesting that if we use the internet to research the subject of righteousness by faith we will be confronted with Seventh-day Adventist websites. God had a reason in raising up this organization. There was to be a truth there for all the world to profit from. The New Testament truth of righteousness by faith was to be understood in the context of the Old Testament sanctuary service. This was to go deeper than a set of ‘fundamental beliefs’. This was to be a truth lived out through a people who were wholly dependant on Christ and Him alone.

What advantage is there then in being a Christian, or a Christian of a certain denomination? If, as we have discussed, the work of the Holy Spirit is paramount in working out in people what Jesus Christ has achieved for the human race, why then have spiritual exercises to spread the gospel, and a church fellowship to promote Christian growth? The first answer to that question – for education. So that people can be taught the mysteries of life. Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going? These are the questions that are paramount in the human psyche. The gospel of Jesus Christ has the answer to all of these questions. From the book of Genesis that tells us of our auspicious beginnings, to the book of Revelation that tells us of the glorious conclusion of our faith.

Why then go into all the world to preach the gospel, teaching all men and all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit? For one very good reason. Because believers then become co-workers with God and more specifically with the Holy Spirit. Are we not told that we are, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, that we should show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Pet.2:9 A priest sways the hand of God to do that which He cannot otherwise do. A priest administers mercy to the human race. Jesus administered mercy to the human race. He is now called High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father. Jn.14:12 These are the words of Jesus to His “chosen generation” His “royal priesthood”. Jesus cries before the Father, My blood, My blood. We cry before the Father, His blood, His blood. Do we begin to see the implications of these statements?

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Does not each and every person called by God to be His child have a talent that He can give to God? What shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these things must be done for the strengthening of the church. 1 Cor.14:26 NIV

This writer has felt compelled to write these things. Some, through circumstances, may have been taken out of the mainstream of the church. When one becomes aware of the working of the Holy Spirit in a way that is shaped and dictated, not by the ordinances of the organized body, but by His quiet and undeniable Presence within, then one must act according to what is revealed. God will finish His work in this world by speaking clearly and forcefully to the hearts and minds of His children. They will act in concert. The organized body of the church can sometimes be a constraint and actually stifle these workings. There are that many winds of doctrine blowing around in this world today it is beyond the reach of any individual to sift the wheat from the chaff. That is how it should be, because then we can depend on the Spirit alone. Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts. Zech.4:6

God has indeed bought us to this point in the worlds’ history. We may be overwhelmed with the sin and the suffering in the world and the utter complexity of thousands of voices standing up crying for attention. But God is not overwhelmed. He has not been caught off guard. He is in total control. He saw the unbelief and confusion of this world in what to us is the distant past. He is the God of the past, the present and the future. He lives in an eternal present. This is why Jesus took upon Himself the exclusive title of the Godhead. Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.” Jn.8:58 Note that “I Am” is present tense. God is eternally present. The past the present and the future are all different to us but alike to God.

How many books and movies have been made about time travel. The human psyche yearns to have access to the past and the future. Animals cannot and do not have this yearning. But human beings who were made in the image of God reflect a faint glimmer of that image by having this yearning for the seemingly unreachable. But God, our wonderful Creator, ranges through time as we understand it, in an instant. He is there eternally present in the past as well as in the future. Somewhere in that knowledge is the answer to the often repeated question, ‘If God is so powerful why does He allow so much suffering in this world?’ He sees the results of all that happens in this world. He sees the joy of the saints; the final results as if they were here now. That is why Scripture tells us that God is not the God of the dead but of the living. Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living for all live to Him. Lk.20:38 This passage of Scripture is so important, that it is written not only in the Old Testament but in 3 of the gospels. (Ex.3:6; Matt.22:32; Mk.12:27; Lk.20:38) Time to us is definable and has substance but there is coming a time when it is not such an imperative. Time shall be no longer. Rev.10:6

The incredible growth in knowledge is amazing to us but not to God. The instant communication we have in the world today is there for a purpose and all part of His master plan. Voices can be heard in the world today, on the internet, without a face or a personality. And this is not necessarily a bad thing. We don’t need to see humanity with its pride and its faults and failings. The Spirit will convict of what is truth and what is error without the fanfare of human intervention. In fact the human factor can often be a stumbling block when a message is presented. We see what we think are the faults and failings of the presenter which detracts from the message they are presenting. Or conversely, the human presenter can be so charming and convincing that we are led to accept error. This was apparent even in the apostle Paul’s’ day. So that people would not just be convicted by his looks or his eloquent personality God saw to it that his presentation was not all that appealing from a human perspective. And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. 1 Cor.2:1-5 Of the church in those days and probably of the church ever since, it is said, …there are quarrels among you….each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”…..are you not mere men? 1 Cor.1:11,12; 3:4 It’s natural for the human psyche to follow the way of personalities. We are no different today to the Christian’s in Paul’s day, except for one thing. We live in an era when God can more than ever, circumvent the human perspective – the era of world wide instant dissemination of information.

Not all issues can be told, explained or proved. Some things are “spiritually discerned” 1Cor.2:14 The apostle Paul is not with us today and that is probably a good thing. Some of us may not like him or his mannerisms and find ourselves prejudiced, against his writings. And that would be unfortunate because his writings bespeak of the deep movings of the Spirit of God. So we don’t have him today, we only have his writings. And they must be read, pondered and digested, privately. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. Rom.14:22

Thomas, who needed a demonstration, who needed ‘proof’, before he would believe, was told that those who did not have this ‘proof’ but who still believed were blessed indeed. (Jn.20:29) Our faith today should rest, not on facts and demonstration, but on a Spirit led experience. Not on people and presentations, but on the known Peace of God within.

No one can say today, I don’t like the gospel or the Scriptures because of this person or that person. All believers are personally accountable to God under the auspices of the Scripture alone. Jesus said, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matt.4:4

Peter says some things in Paul’s writings are hard to understand which some “wrest” to their own destruction. 2 Pet.3:16 We are not to ‘wrest’ as the manner of some is. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to interpret. There are some things in life that can’t be ‘proved’. They can only be experienced. Someone once said, Our faith must rest on evidence, not demonstration.

This day and age has not caught God unawares. The old traditional ways of coming together, and planning and working will not finish God’s work. Humanity is absolutely essential in this vast plan but not in a way that we have been traditionally taught. Those most useful to God will be those who have learnt the art and the joy of surrender. When the Holy Spirit fills the inner emptiness of a surrendered soul, that soul will see through new eyes. Like Elisha of old they will see wonderful things through the eyes of faith. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17

Only surrendered humanity can see by faith what God has in store. Even the most powerful angel cannot step into our shoes and experience the priestly role of not only Jesus, but also His people. Words fail to express the wonder and magnitude of this work. But individuals will treasure these things up in their hearts and walk humbly and quietly with God and move only as He says to. It is hard sometimes to be quiet but it is as much part of Gods work as the preacher talking to thousands. We need to begin measuring things by the internal workings of the Spirit. In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: Isa.30:15 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… 1 Kings 19:11-13

Scripture is timeless and powerful. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them…. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace….. And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father…. Having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Eph.3:4-10,13-15,17,18,20-22

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father. Jn.14:12

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Matt.16:19

….go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give. Matt.10:6-8

In these promises do we see some idealistic, futuristic concept or is it talking about the privilege of every believer now? Every believer is called upon to intercede for others. We are told in Scripture to pray without ceasing. Does that mean for ourselves or for others? God’s work in this world moves forward through the intercession of the saints. These prayers are described in the book of Revelation as, golden bowls full of incense, such is their beauty and fragrance to God. (Rev.5:8) And another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Rev.8:3-5 If there is any doubt in our minds as to the power of our prayers and the effect of them in heaven and earth, this passage should dispel those doubts. There are here depicted events that happen on this earth which are the direct result of the prayers of the saints. Anything that’s described as “peals of thunder” and “sounds and flashes of lightning” is not to be taken lightly. Perhaps we underestimate the reality, the efficacy, the power of prayer.

In a society where we were bought up to believe in Santa Claus we can think of prayer as some sort of wish list to a patronizing Father Figure who hears us in a condescending way and if we are good and sincere enough He may even hear our requests. Scripture paints a very different picture. Prayer is portrayed as an integral part of God’s plan to save millions of human beings. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected….. for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. 1 Tim.4:4,5

From the above quoted verses in the book of Revelation we can gather that many of the historical events that happen in this world come about as a direct result of the prayers of the saints. God has ordained things that we have a role, through our prayers, in the finishing of His work upon this world. He does things in this world which could not otherwise have been done but for the prayers of His people. The psalmist says that our tears – are these not prayers – are stored in a bottle. Thou hast taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Thy bottle; Are they not in Thy book? Ps.56:8 This is Gods way of telling us that our deepest heart felt experiences are not only seen but remembered by Him. In God’s eyes our prayers today ring throughout eternity, even though to us we sometimes feel as if we stand alone. They give God the permission, the legal right to do His will – He has always been fully cognizant of every breath, every prayer breathed from the surrendered soul. And those prayers will be powerful and effectual throughout eternity. The terrible disasters we see in the world today shock and horrify us. We need to see these things as a call to prayer. Pray in the Spirit for the suffering. Pray that God will alleviate their pain.

God’s love and desire for our loved ones is stronger than ours. Our role is to surrender our souls on their behalf. We are a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood” who stand on behalf of those around us. We apply the blood of the Offering for those we love. God does exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us. Eph.3:20 Remember the meaning of Lev.1:4 referring to the burnt offering quoted in the Amplified Bible. To render the self-sacrifice perfect, it was necessary that the offerer should spiritually die, and that through the mediator of his salvation he should put his soul into a living fellowship with the Lord by sinking it as it were into the death of the sacrifice that had died for him, and should also bring his bodily members within the operations of the gracious Spirit of God, that thus he might be renewed and sanctified (separated for holy use) both body and soul and enter into union with God.

This principle of standing ‘on behalf of’ others is enunciated in the New Testament. Paul describes it in 1 Cor.7:13,14. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, let her not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. Is it actually saying here that another party can actually be made holy and even be sanctified through the intercession of another? Doesn’t this point to the vicarious role of a “chosen generation a royal priesthood” actually applying the blood of their Saviour on behalf of another? Remember love we are told “covers a multitude of sins.” 1Pet.4:8  Although God will never override the free will of a person, such intercession will create a climate where God can work in a most powerful way, in a way that He could not have worked were it not for the role of the intercessor. A well known Christian author once wrote,  “It is a part of God’s plan to grant us, in answer to the prayer of faith, that which He would not bestow did we not thus ask.” The Great Controversy p.525

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God, who sees the end from the beginning can see the result, the eternal rewards, the eternal joy, and those things we count a stumbling block or a curse can be used by God to bring about our eternal joy. “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God”. Acts 14:22 And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 2 Tim.3:12For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you , leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. 1 Pet.2:20,21  My brethren count it all joy when you fall into different temptations. James 1:2

Why, some ask, should we dwell on and discuss such negative issues. Aren’t we encouraging the enemy and frightening or discouraging God’s people to discuss these things. We need to be aware of the enemy and his devices. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

Suffering is ever the lot of the children of God. It is God’s perfecting process. Why do we need it? Because it drives us to despair. It’s the nature of man to be self-possessed – full of ourselves. Suffering destroys the self possession and leads us to God possession. Bro. Lawrence says in his book ‘The Practice Of The Presence Of God’, I do not pray that you may be delivered from your pains, but I pray God earnestly that He would give you strength and patience to bear them as long as He pleases. Comfort yourself with Him who holds you fastened to the cross. He will loose you when He thinks fit. Happy those who suffer with Him. Accustom yourself to suffer in that manner, and seek from Him the strength to endure as much, and as long, as He shall judge to be necessary for you. The men of the world do not comprehend these truths, nor is it to be wondered at, since they suffer like what they are, and not like Christians. They observe sickness as a pain to nature, and not as a favor from God; and seeing it only in that light, they find nothing in it but grief and distress. But those who consider sickness as coming from the hand of God, as the effect of His mercy, and the means which He employs for their salvation – such commonly find in it great sweetness and sensible consolation. I wish you could convince yourself that God is often (in some sense) nearer to us, and more effectually present with, in sickness than in health…. p.44. This, that is spoken of here, by a man who lived hundreds of years ago, is a clear scriptural principle. To quote Job: Whether for correction, or for His world, or for loving-kindness, He causes it to happen….Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, and with unceasing complaint in his bones. If there is an angel as a mediator for him, One out of a thousand, To remind a man what is right for him, then let him be gracious to him, and say, Deliver him….That he may see His face with joy… Job.37:13, 33:19,23,24,26

But, though He causes grief, yet will He be moved to compassion according to the multitude of His loving kindnesses and tender mercies…… Is it not out of the mouth of the Most High that evil and good both proceed – adversity and prosperity, physical evil or misfortune and physical good or happiness? Lam.3:32,38

Suffering has different effects on different types of people. Note the two thieves on the cross. Both had extreme suffering – one had despair of self, one had rising up of self. Righteousness by faith is an act of God. “Righteousness by faith is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust and doing for him that which he cannot do for himself”. If God allows suffering to come upon those who will be heirs of His eternal kingdom, we can be assured that it’s for a reason.

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“For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” 2 Cor.4:6 An inspired writer once wrote. The glory shining in the face of Jesus Christ is the glory of self-sacrificing love. If the light of God has shined into our hearts, and we are told here clearly that it has, then that glory is to sacrifice for others. Is that a reasonable assertion from the above quotes? But many will be thinking, that isn’t me; I am full of worldly thoughts and worldly desires; I’m not a Godly enough person; leave that to those who are called – the ministers, the evangelists, the teachers etc. These are the thoughts that go through our minds. But Paul goes on to say in the same passage, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. vs.7 Think of this statement and what it implies. It is righteousness by faith personified. We see nothing in ourselves of which to be proud. But this passage is calling us to be servants because of God’s grace and power. And this power is there in spite of and notwithstanding our weaknesses. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed’ we are perplexed, but not in despair’ Persecuted, but not forsaken’ cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. vs. 8-12 If there was one thing that God saw of value in Saul of Tarsus, it was his honesty. He was true to his convictions even when they were wrong. If we are seeing ourselves in a dark light, it shows that at least we are being honest with ourselves. God can work with honesty and transparency.

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We can’t always be specific in our prayers for we do not understand what is required for another’s spiritual well being. But in yearning and pleading for a persons well being, that prayer although not specific, will be used by God to work for that person in a way that only He knows is for the best. When the ‘burnt offering’ is for someone else it is indicative of a surrendered state of mind on behalf of the person we are praying for. That is the only way we can have peace with regard those issues in life that worry us. We are told clearly, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil.4:6,7

Spiritual warfare does not imply total control over the enemy of mankind. It means submitting to and learning by that which God allows. In the Old Testament we need look no further than Job to see this principle taught. In the New Testament we have the examples of Paul, of John the Baptist and even Jesus Himself to see this principle spelt out. The devil was allowed to cause immense suffering in the lives of these individuals.

Intercession can determine which effect suffering will have on a person. I have prayed for thee, said Jesus of Peter, that thy faith fail not. Lk.22:32And are not we called to follow the steps of the Master? Peter, in his vehement denial of his Friend and Saviour, was about to embark on a period of intense shame and suffering and it was the intercession, the care of his Friend that was to pull him through. We likewise are to follow in the footsteps of our Master. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Phil.2:5 Do we see the implications of this in our lives? Are we not told the work of God in this world will be finished, not by might nor by power but by My Spirit saith the Lord of hosts. Zech.4:6 Multitudes will be saved, not by word or power, but by the love, the intercession of their friends, their families, perhaps by the people of God in other countries praying in the Spirit on their behalf.Not only is it the privilege of the people of God to pray in Christ’s stead, it is their duty. Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor.5:17-21

So is there a conflict here? On the one hand Christians are given authority over all powers, and on the other hand they are to submit to that which they cannot control. The answer to this dilemma is to look away from the problem, from that which annoys or harasses, and look to God. “Have faith in God” is the benchmark we will always turn to. He then will guide us to either submit or to fight the good fight of faith. Either way can be the ‘right’ way to go. Jesus, in submitting to the suffering that was meted out to Him was the Victor and Satan was always aware of that. That submission, that suffering of our Lord and Saviour, has been the strength and inspiration of countless people over the ages. Alternatively, Jesus authority over the powers of darkness has inspired the church, the spiritual body of Christ, to press on and to conquer.

The legal rights of the enemy of all mankind will be claimed over every individual, over families, over community’s even whole nations. The only way these legal rights can be broken is through intercession. As believers we can claim the absolute victory that Christ has wrought for us and rest in that victory… by faith. But we are surrounded by people who do not have the same faith that we have been blessed with. Many struggle in their own strength. Many are content and do not even want help. As individual Christians who are surrounded with the vastness and complexity of the human race and its great need we can easily be overwhelmed. It is beyond our capabilities to take on the burdens of the human race. But what we can do is to take on the burden of that which the Holy Spirit lays upon us. As Christians we owe it to the suffering of this world to pray, to intercede on behalf of, and to reach out to those who need it most. We are not to look for results. We are simply to surrender, on behalf of those whom we love. That may be a family member, it may be a friend or acquaintance, it may be someone we have heard about through the media, it may be a leader or a politician. If the Lord has laid on you such a burden, it is an indication that you are to pray (in the Spirit) and intercede for that person in a way that perhaps no one else can. Never downplay the emotion that we sometimes feel in our hearts. Some may say it is not good to get too emotional, that we need to be guided by only those things that are provable and factual. The Bible tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness etc. Are not these emotions? It’s interesting to note that their were times when Jesus wept. The shortest and perhaps the most poignant verse in the Bible is, Jesus wept. Such a verse is full of encouragement and meaning. If we allow Him, the Holy Spirit, will take us on a journey of not only self-discovery but absolute intercessorial service for the world and its needs. Treat other people exactly as you would like to be treated by them – for this is the essence of true religion. Go in by the narrow gate. For the wide gate has a broad road which leads to disaster and there are many people going that way. The narrow gate and the hard road lead out into life and only a few are finding it. Matt.6 Phillips

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The life of a Christian can be summed up in many ways: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. 1 Pet.4:12-16

The whole sacrificial system is about suffering ‘in lieu of’ or, on behalf of. Isn’t that what Jesus did for us? The more suffering that Satan can throw upon this world…the more the grace (unmerited favour of God) of God comes to the fore. And this is not necessarily external suffering. If the devil cannot attack us from without, he will attack us from within. And it is for all of this that we are to count it ‘all joy’ that we are partakers of the suffering of Christ. By praying, interceding, ‘standing in the gap’ for someone – we expose ourselves to the spiritual violence, the harassment that is meant for that person. Have you considered that in praying for someone who is under great duress you are taking upon your shoulders that persons spiritual burden? If we see someone being bullied or attacked in the street and we step in to protect that person, is it not a fact that we stand a very real chance of being beaten and badly hurt ourselves? And yet because of our compassion for that person we are willing to take that risk. This is not unlike spiritual warfare. This was the pathway that Jesus trod.

If we believe that nothing in Scripture is incidental then we would take note that Job’s problems began after He had offered burnt offerings for his wayward children. ‘Standing in the gap’, interceding and praying ‘on behalf of’ others are not small things. Were Job’s children saved? We don’t know. But we do know that God took his prayers seriously – because of His own love for Job’s children. Who knows but that his children who were killed will be saved through his prayers. There are those who are laid to rest to protect them from what is about to transpire, sometimes even of the consequences of their own actions. God’s love wasn’t a consequence of Job’s prayers, but His actions were. Satan’s hatred and viciousness is directed to anyone he can. So with spiritual ‘fighting’. If we have the love of God in our hearts we will gladly accept that burden, for it is a burden that has been lifted from someone else. For He knows the secrets of the heart. But for Thy sake we are killed all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. Ps.44:21-22 People will be saved for no other reason than that someone in this world has prayed for them. One such example of this is given in the book of Psalms. Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him, to turn away His wrath from destroying them. Ps.106:23 These intercessors have been prepared to ‘stand in the gap’ or ‘in the breach’ and plead or administer the blood of Jesus on someone else’s behalf. In case we read an Old Testament verse like that and think, oh, that was for a chosen person like Moses – a special situation. In case we think like that, God challenges us with this passage from the New Testament. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon the ends of the ages have come. 1 Cor.10:11 For those of a scientific bent of mind consider the significance of a well known principle of electrolysis. A lesser, ‘weaker’ metal is used to consolidate and preserve the stronger main metal of a structure. The practical benefits of a “sacrificial anode” are well known in industry and to yachtsman. The weaker metal is actually used and allows itself to be corroded away to preserve the main base metal of a structure. Christians are counseled to esteem others better than themselves. Phil.2:3 Texts such as these begin to have more meaning when we understand something of the spiritual battle that is raging all around us. We can be assured that, the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. 1 Cor.4:20 We are not left to battle alone. The righteous cry and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the broken hearted, And saves those who are crushed in Spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all. Ps.34:17-19

Understanding these things helps us to understand the plight of the believer and the situations that they sometimes find themselves in that have us asking, Why? Isn’t the burnt offering all about sinking our souls into the death of the sacrifice. Isn’t the sacrifice all about someone or something suffering in lieu of the perpetrator. In the Old Testament times it was about ‘something’, namely an animal, suffering in lieu of or on behalf of a person. The person was made in the image of God….an animal was not. In the new testament era it is about a Person, Jesus, suffering in lieu of, or on behalf of the world. He was a high priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. We likewise are called upon to be a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, that we may follow in His steps. That we may like him, throw ourselves on the altar, on behalf of , in place of, our fellow man. Christians have been doing this unwittingly for generations when they have had a burden and prayed for loved ones and acquaintances. And now perhaps, God is making it a little bit clearer as to what is actually happening here. The rationale, the mechanics behind this is being revealed, so that we may with confidence walk onto the battlefield, knowing what and why we are experiencing. It is not just for our own sins – these have been surrendered and purged by the precious blood of Jesus – It is now for others that we linger here in this world. This world then becomes our Gethsemane. When Jesus agonized in the garden, He was doing so on behalf of others, namely the world, He was throwing His body, His whole being into the gap between Satan and his host, and his victims. Four thousand years of animal suffering had cleared the way for the Son of God and His followers to step up and say, enough. And now His followers are being called to take the simple pathway of following in His steps. Not only has He called us to this work, He has enriched us with the promise, Greater works than these shall ye do. This is not some vacuous promise for some time in the future.

A priest is one who intercedes on behalf of others. If you are the only Christian in your family – you may be called to intercede on behalf of your family. God said to ancient Israel, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Ex.19:6 In the New Testament we are told, If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Gal.3:29 The role of a priest is to administer the grace of God i.e. claim the blood of Christ over someone they love. If grace is the unmerited favour of God then the role of a priest is to defend the indefensible. As said earlier, ‘a priest sways the hand of God to do that which He cannot otherwise do’. If there is one passage of Scripture that may well exemplify this fact, it may be Zechariah the third chapter. We quote here in part. Then the guiding angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at Joshua’s right hand to be his adversary and to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! Even the Lord Who now and habitually chooses Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this [returned captive Joshua] a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel of the Lord. And He spoke and said to those who stood before Him saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. Again He said to Joshua, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich apparel. Zech.3:1-4 If the “Angel” here is Christ, then we are reminded of the verse in Job that says, [God’s voice may be heard] if there is for the hearer a messenger or an angel, an interpreter, one among a thousand to show to man what is right for him [how to be upright and in right standing with God]; Job 33:23 Amplified There is more at stake here than simply convincing someone to believe a line of reasoning and a set of doctrines. There is an interplay here between God, the one being prayed for and the intercessor. We are talking here of a soul, even an ‘unworthy’ soul, being saved for God’s kingdom because of the love and intercession of a friend.

For by grace ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Eph.2:8 Love does not insist on its own way because love covers a multitude of sins. I Cor.13:5, 1 Pet. 4:8The love that God puts in our hearts is not a small thing.

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Religion is of the heart and not of the mind… Those who rely purely upon an intellectual faith i.e. of the mind, are in danger of losing their way. God has said to us, My son, give me thine heart. Prov.23:26 He didn’t say, ‘my son, give me your mental assent to correct doctrine and a proper belief system. God is more interested in people than ‘correct doctrine’. When Jesus told the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, He wasn’t giving a Bible study on what happens to man after they die, but He was certainly making the point that we are accountable for how we treat our fellow man in this life. One only has to read the New Testament and follow the life of the Master as He walked among men to see this. There will be people in heaven who know nothing of correct doctrine but who have allowed their hearts to be changed by the Comforter. These will say to their Lord, When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothed you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. Matt.25:38-40 Didn’t Jesus Himself say of a Roman soldier, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. Matt.8:10 The significant things in life aren’t what we believe or profess – they are what we learn with respect to other people: Letting go of those things that are ugly or hurtful to ourselves or others. A New Commandment Jesus said, That ye love one another. Jn.13:34 These are the significant things in God’s eyes with respect to whether or not He can allow us into His Kingdom: not whether we have a certain set of beliefs or belong to a certain organization.

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We have all heard the hymn, “I need Thee every hour”. For Christians living in these last times those words will be, I need Thee every minute or even every second. When the waves of spiritual onslaught become so severe that every breath becomes a prayer, we will learn what it means to thank God and to praise Him for making us part of His great plan of salvation. We will thank God for our weaknesses and even for those things that torment us as these things are telling us that the battle is real, that we are angering the enemy and that the spiritual lines that have been drawn are not only meaningful for us but for those whom we pray. We will learn through the school of spiritual experience what it means to bring, into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. The truth is that, although of course we lead normal human lives, the battle we are fighting is on the spiritual level. The very weapons we use are not those of human warfare but powerful in God’s warfare for the destruction of the enemy’s strongholds. Our battle is to bring down every deceptive fantasy and every imposing defence that men erect against the true knowledge of God. We even fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges the authority of Christ. 2 Cor.10:3-5. Remember, the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16. Scripture is often king of understatement and when it says “much” it means it in the greatest sense of the word. To quote the Amplified Bible here, The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available – dynamic in its working. (emphasis supplied) And the term “righteous man” here simply means those who have let go of self and are increasingly dependant on God’s love and His righteousness. And that includes every man, woman and child who names the name of Christ. Everyone has a part to play in God’s work. The sickly person confined to their room is just as important to God as the evangelist speaking to thousands. How can this be? The evangelist is totally dependant on the Holy Spirit to touch the hearts of the people he is speaking to. The person confined to their bed who has no contact with other people can play just as important a role in God’s work. Indeed, let the brother of humble circumstance glory in his high position; James 1:9. How? Through the work of the Holy Spirit. Through intercession. Intercession and spiritual warfare, although we can’t see it, is just as real as the things we can see. In fact it is more real. Occasionally God will open the eyes of His servants to see this.

Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear. The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever that we may observe all the words of the law. Deut.29:4,29

And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17

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We are not to go looking for oppression, this is silly and dangerous. But if we have the love of God in our hearts for someone or some situation (for all love is of God) then He may at His discretion lay a burden on us for that person. He will not lay a burden that’s too heavy for us to bear but will, with the burden, provide grace to bear it.

We are not living in an era where we are imprisoned or martyred for our faith – at least not yet in the western world – but the spiritual persecution is just as real none the less. Our eyes should be open to the spiritual darkness and spiritual oppression that’s all around us.

It’s been said of times of persecution, “the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church.” It took a time of great persecution like that to actually ‘establish’ the early church in the Roman Empire. People actually stood up and took notice of these Christians who were prepared to die for their belief. There was more happening here than people setting a heroic example at a human level. There have always been people who are prepared to die for their beliefs: be they political or religious and not always for the right. Roll back the curtain and look at events through spiritual eyes and you would see an enormous spiritual warfare happening. By dying for their faith they were actually freeing all the forces of Heaven to work powerfully for the unbelieving world. Their sacrifice gave God the legal right to advance into ‘enemy’ territory and claim previously unbelieving souls as His own. It was the martyr’s death of Stephen, witnessed by Saul, which gave the legal right to God to convict through His Holy Spirit the mind of Saul, who was ultimately broken as a man and became the humble and powerful apostle Paul. When under darkness and oppression, most times we will not be able to delineate why we feel that way. Unless God opens our spiritual eyes we are constrained by our humanity. Sometimes we will be like the psalmist; When my heart was embittered, And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before Thee. Nevertheless I am continually with Thee. Ps.73:21-23 Like Job we’re to accept our lot and praise God for the pain that He sometimes lays upon us. This is hard but it is the way of the cross, it is the way of peace.

The devil will claim every inch of legal territory he can to discourage, degrade, harass and annoy us. Even Paul the apostle was cursed with an ongoing presence in his life of a messenger of Satan. And that means a fallen angel, a demon. We know that God allowed that for a reason. (2 Cor.12:7) Paul, apparently, like so many of us, was prone to high mindedness and pride. His past life certainly gave the enemy access into his mind. He was guilty of hunting down and killing Christians. I’m sure the shadow of that hovered over him for the rest of his life. That was at least one legal foothold that Satan had in Paul’s life and we can be sure that the enemy of all mankind made the very most of it. After all, wasn’t Paul a chosen vessel, a recipient of God’s great love, to declare God’s grace not just to the Jewish nation but to the whole world? I die daily, he said (the burnt offering in action) nevertheless I live…. and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me. 1 Cor.15:31, Gal.2:20 Paul knew by personal experience the painful experience of dying every day to self. And as we learn from the burnt offering, that was the key to his closeness to God.

We are not talking of just human emotion being the issue here. No man will be convicted and saved through their human feelings. Our human emotions can be up and down. Paul realized this and describes it well in Romans the seventh chapter but he knew that the grace of God transcended his humanity. There is therefore, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Rom.8:1 And then by bringing every thought into the captivity of Jesus Christ we have not only our own salvation, but we become co-workers with God for the salvation of those around us. By entering into the true sabbath rest we become co-workers with God. …always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. 2Cor.4:10-12 God can take ‘ordinary’ people and use them.

He can take a killer of Christians such as Saul of Tarsus and turn him into one of the great ‘warriors’ of the New Testament. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. Acts.22:4

He can take a lowly herder of sheep, David, and turn him into a great king of Israel.

He can love one of the worst kings of Israel, someone guilty of heinous crimes and turn him into a saint. 2 Chron. 33:1-19

And not just a king of Israel, He can take a ‘heathen’ king and turn him into a servant of the Most High. Dan. 4:28-37

He is able to humble those who walk in pride. Dan. 4:37 From the rich and affluent to the poor and humble who sit in the dust waiting for their next meal. Can it be that this God whom we serve is that great, that magnificent, that magnanimous? Was it just old testament times that God performed His wonderful acts of grace, or are His miracles just as real today? If we wait quietly for God, He will reveal Himself to us in ways that will astound. Just as surely as the fact that we were born, were given the miracle of life, just as surely does God have a role for each of us to play in His work.

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What does it mean to surrender. A word in the English language that comes close to describing this experience is “sublimate”. This is a derivative of the word ‘sublime’, ‘of most exalted kind; awe-inspiring, arrogantly unruffled, become pure’ Sublimate means to ‘divert energy of (primitive impulse etc.) into socially more acceptable activity; sublime substance, refine, purify.’ Oxford Dictionary. We have all heard of the power of subliminal advertising. People have long realized the power of suggestion to the human mind. Thoughts which are hidden just under the surface can affect a persons’ life. So how does this apply to our role of surrendering to God? It means bringing every thought into captivity to Jesus Christ. We cannot change what we are by nature but we can bring every thought to Jesus. And this doesn’t mean just the ‘good’ thoughts. It means the ‘bad’ ones. It means the stressful times when our blood sugar is low and we can only seem capable of dark, hurtful thoughts. That is the very time when we can ‘rest’ in God and His promises. It’s for that very aspect of our nature that Jesus died. And we can thank Him, when all seems hopeless and depressing, that Jesus loves us and stands as our perfect righteousness. Prayer then becomes a ‘sublime’ act, an act where we roll our thoughts, our impulses into a oneness with God. Our energy, our ‘primitive impulses’ become God’s. They become peace and rest and praise. In fact as we grow in a simple childlike faith we will even come to cherish the hard and the heavy times. How can this be? Because those times show us that we are a threat to the enemy of all mankind. All Christians should want to be in that situation. We are not talking here of wanting to make martyrs of ourselves. Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself over wise… Eccl.7:16 We are to have faith in God, not ourselves. Paul said, “for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” Phil.4:11 God determines the times and the seasons. (Eccl.3:1-8) We bring joy to His heart when we praise Him in the good times and the bad. This is sweet surrender, a pleasing aroma to God. (Lev.1:9) Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort, or fall into various temptations. James 1:2

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The simple historical fact that this world with all its suffering has been allowed to go on for as long as it has, should tell us of the infinite love of God towards His creation. We are told, ‘where sin abounds grace does much more abound’. While men may question God and His methods, like Job they will one day live to praise Him for His mysterious but wonderful ways. When finally safe in God’s kingdom, those who have suffered the most, will count it as nothing when safe for evermore in the presence of their Saviour.

When praying for others we are not to look for a verbal assent or an outward profession of the beliefs that we, the intercessor has. God works in quiet and mysterious ways. The mere softening of a hard heart or subtle change in attitude can be indicative of the inward working of the Spirit. This alone, not merely the outward profession can be a sure sign that a soul has passed from death to life. He who walks righteously, and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain, And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed, And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; He will dwell on the heights…..Isa.33:15,16

We need to be aware of the subtle and powerful influence of the Spirit of God so that we can work with God and not against Him. In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: Isa.30:15 In our personal prayers, the pleading of the blood of Jesus over an individual and the consequential working of the Holy Spirit in that persons life can save a soul for eternity. Brow beating a person with doctrine with the aim of getting them ‘into the church’ can be counter productive and actually work against that persons salvation while a quiet surrendering on behalf of someone can effect the seemingly impossible. After all, we are all sinners saved by grace – no one is any ‘better’ than another. God’s gift is for all.

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There will be souls in God’s kingdom for no other reason than that someone, has, at some point in time prayed for them. Love, we are told covers a multitude of sins. (1 Pet.4:8) God’s love manifests through His saints. Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus. Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, whatsoever ye shall loose in earth shall be loosed in Heaven. Phil.2:5; Matt.18:18 That is the way that God has ordained it. That is why the prayers of God’s people are described as golden bowls full of incense. (Rev.5:8) They are not just for a moment in time. They are for eternity. They will have eternal consequences.

Think about what Jesus achieved. As a member of the human family He was given the right to take the spiritual battle for the souls of men right up to the enemy’s gate. One of His first missions after His resurrection was to go and claim the souls of men who had been in chains. But though his body died, his spirit lived on, and it was in the spirit that he visited the spirits in prison, and preached to them – the spirits of those who, long before in the days of Noah, had refused to listen to God. 1 Pet.3:19,20 TLB

Putting aside whatever we may believe about the state of man in death. Let us be honest enough to say to ourselves – that is not the issue here. The issue surely is that Jesus had the right to do something then, that He, even as God had never been able to do before.

This passage could also simply be telling us that the constraints of time as we know it do not apply to the Holy Spirit. He, as God, ranges through time as an ever present reality. The second verse of the Bible tells us, the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Gen.1:2 His role has always been one of intense activity in the things of this world. This MELCHIZEDEK was king of the city of Salem, and also a priest of the Most High God. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against many kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him; then Abraham took a tenth of all he had won in the battle and gave it to Melchizedek. Melchizedek’s name means “Justice,” so he is the King of Justice; and he is also the King of Peace because of the name of his city, Salem, which means “Peace.” Melchizedek had no father or mother and there is no record of any of his ancestors. He was never born and he never died but his life is like that of the Son of God – a priest forever. See then how great this Melchizedek is… Heb.7:1-4 TLB

His role is one of intense activity in our lives. Remember what Jesus said: ….But the fact of the matter is that it is best for you that I go away, for if I don’t, the Comforter won’t come. If I do, he will – for I will send him to you.16:7 TLB The Spirit of God has always moved upon the “face of the waters” and has always moved upon the hearts of men. He has been able to do this because Jesus is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”. Jesus has always been a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. To us that was ratified at Calvary. To God that has always been the case – ever a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

It is said of Jesus, Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but instead You have made ready a body for Me [to offer]; Heb.10:5That means that Jesus experienced the human condition of time and suffering. He then knew what it meant to experience not just the love and the joy that we experience but also the pain and the suffering. Because the devil had attacked Him and thrown every weight of his armory against our Saviour and had not prevailed, Jesus then had the authority and the right to refute the devil. Jesus now has the power and the right to usurp the evil one and to claim the souls of men who have reached out to Him in their lives and because of that have experienced the wrath of the evil one and experienced untold suffering in their lives. This has left many people in total despair and dismay. They may have gone to their graves in this state. They are not then beyond the reclaiming power of God. Then I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the creeping locust, the stripping locust, and the gnawing locust, My great army which I sent among you. Joel 2:25

All power we are told is given to Jesus in heaven and in earth. And not only is His victory for us: we now are given the privilege of becoming co-workers with Him. “In His Steps” implies more than perhaps we have hitherto realized. O that there were one who might plead for a man with God. Job 16:21 God’s promises will be realized when His people take up the call and exercise faith on behalf of the lost. And the Lord said to Satan, The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! Even the Lord Who now and habitually chooses Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Zech.3:2

Always be ready to give a reason for your faith when people ask. N.B “when people ask” How often do people ask about our faith? Usually we want to tell them what we believe. What does God say? Your personal convictions…exercise as in God’s presence, keeping them to yourself – striving only to know the truth and obey His will. Blessed, happy, to be envied is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves – who does not convict himself by what he chooses to do. Rom.14:22

And then, when you pray, don’t be like the play-actors….But when you pray, go into your own room, shut your door and pray to your Father privately. Matt.6:2,6 Phillips

What did Jesus say to His disciples? He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised. Acts 1:4 Wait until the promise (of the Holy Spirit) comes and then go forth. How often we put the cart before the horse. Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord. Ps.27:14 God would have us wait, till we learn what He teaches us. The church would have us wait till the end of the week when we will go out door knocking.

God does not give all the answers to one person or one organization. But His purpose is to open our minds to be receptive and believing to His way and His dealings. It could be that these dealings are more expansive and comprehensive than we have ever dared to believe. God wants us to depend solely on Him, on His constant Presence. What is our role? Our role is firstly to believe. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16:31 And then we are to surrender. Give me your heart, my son. Prov.23:26 These are the 2 ongoing processes in the Christian life that are with us through our earthly pilgrimage.

And he touched my mouth… and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is forgiven.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isa.6:7,8

All have their role to play in God’s master plan. There is a role for the preacher, the teacher, the helpers but never underestimate the power of intercession: God’s love breathed into His people. There will be multitudes saved through no other reason than love and intercession. I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, who will never hold their peace day or night; you who (are His servants and by your prayers) put the Lord in remembrance (of His promises), keep not silent, And give Him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth. Isa.62:6,7 Amplified Bible. It is only prayer warriors who, “never hold their peace day or night”, who, “put the Lord in remembrance of His promises”, who “keep not silent, and give Him no rest”. This can only be said of prayer warriors; not preachers, not teachers, not helpers, although all of these can as well be intercessors. The main burden of God’s work falls on the shoulders of those who are receptive to His Holy Spirit and who answer the call. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isa.6:8 This is a personal call to each and every believer who is responsive to the call of the Holy Spirit. These are the intercessors.

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The following versions of the Bible have been used in this article: KJV, NAS, NIV, TLB, Phillips, Amplified.