AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Friday – May 28, 2021, Sivan 17, 5781
GIFTS – PART EIGHTY-ONE
ARMOR OF GOD – PART TWENTY-THREE
Greetings dear and precious children, sons, of the only Living God and welcome back to this Bible Study of “Gifts” currently focused on the Armor of God. Please take a moment and share these teachings as widely as possible to expand the reach of this Ministry. It also gives you an opportunity to participate with us in the dissemination of the good news (gospel). As you know very well the Holy Spirit has not led me to dive directly into a discussion of the Armor itself but to take time and look at the foundation on which the effective use of the Armor depends. Many know about the Armor of God but seemingly few use it effectively. The Holy Spirit has given us much instruction to this point and it is vital that we pay attention. We must never be so prideful as to think we can pick up the Armor of God and be proficient with no study or teaching.
Two weeks ago, I reviewed at length the underpinnings for the efficient and effective use of the Armor of God revealed to us up to this point. It would be well worth going back and looking at that discussion. In this microwave world, generation, we tend to have the attitude we don’t need to read the instructions and we can learn on the job, just wing it so to speak. In spiritual things that attitude makes us wide open for the thief, the devil, to beat our brains out, even kill us. I don’t know about you but I’ve had it with the devils getting in their licks. I want to walk like Jesus. He faced significant challenges but walked victoriously untouched by any of them. Now, don’t give me the “but that was Jesus” line. He said the things, works that He did we were to do also.
John 14:12 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Do we believe this verse, do we believe on Him?
1 John 2:5-6 (KJV)
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Are we keeping His Word or just a few selected passages that don’t stress our flesh to awful much? Are we perfecting or bringing our love (agape) walk to maturity or perfection like unto our Lord? Yes, we can do it, He said so. We can walk as He, the Master, walked if we want too. If we are not walking just like Him, just as we see in Scripture, we have made the decision in one way or another not to walk as He (Jesus) walked. Now, let’s turn our attention to the Book of Ephesians. The following passage is our primary Bible text for today, please read it aloud, yes, out loud, and read it and listen to it to understand.
Ephesians 5:17-20 (KJV)
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Please notice that like most of the Bible the verses of our primary text are all commands. They are not like give it the old college try or any other such nonsense, but do it. We are well able in Christ Jesus with the enablement of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 17:20 (KJV)
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Notice that the Master says that if we will believe, have faith which takes development “nothing shall be impossible unto you”. Do we believe it or not? Maybe we don’t believe it which explains why it is not a reality in our lives. I will end this weeks teaching with a very brief examination of the phrase “be filled with the Spirit” found at the end of verse eighteen. There is some confusion between denominations and peoples about what this means. Some argue that when one is saved, they got all the Holy Spirit they are ever going to have. At salvation the Holy Spirit not only quickens or makes alive our spirit man but dwells in us in fellowship with our spirit man. The Holy Spirit communicates with us through our spirit man to our soul or mind. When Pentecostals talk about being filled with the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, they are not saying they get a different Holy Spirit or even that they get more of the Holy Spirit already in residence. What happens is there is a yielding to the Holy Spirit, a giving of permission or authorizing the Holy Spirit a greater place in our lives. It is then that gifts of the Holy Spirit are imparted as the Apostle Paul discusses in 1 Corinthians chapters twelve and fourteen. We also get what is commonly called our prayer language that enables us to pray the perfect will of God when we know not how to pray.
Lord willing, I will pick up right here next week with this exciting study.
2 Chronicles 20:20 b (KJV)
20 … Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Until our next publication, as your Bible Teacher and a Prophetic Voice in your life I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus’ name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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