“Embrace surrender”… That is absolutely what He is driving
home right now, and then the truth of the Gospel… God in us. We can of
ourselves do nothing, yet He can do everything through us. I have found that
church can be such a scary place because it is easy to get caught up in the
commandments of men, and the serving of God in the flesh rather than the
serving of God through the Spirit.
If we read the Bible and say “I am going to do that, or
this”, then we are in the flesh. All things done in the flesh are antichrist,
and we must fight to maintain them as the work is from within ourselves. The
things that are done in the Spirit are done in faith, through full surrender
unto the Father in Jesus’ name, and are done in peace. These God maintains.
It is the Gospel that says God will do it for us, for it is
impossible for us. Jesus tore the veil between us and the presence of the
Almighty, and the Holy Spirit has been poured out on us. We are to be empty
vessels useable to the Lord as we are living sacrifices in Jesus’ name. Chosen
vessels of mercy is what we are, according to the purpose of His own plan from
the foundation of the world.
We stand open before Him in complete humility, and He does
everything for us. I just feel the utmost urgency to speak the truth of the
Word that the Lord has given me. ALL things are His, and He is absolutely
sovereign. We are nothing, and He is everything.
I keep saying “In Jesus name”, because the Holy Spirit is
telling me that this is the missing part of knowledge His people need. In the verse in Matthew 4:19. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you
fishers of men.” I have heard a focus on the “fishers of men”, and the making of
disciples. This is the wrong focus. The focus should be the “follow me”,
because it is Him who will MAKE us fishers of men. If our focus is to be the
following him, then what does that look like?! How do we make that a reality?!
“Follow me”… It is when we are in
the Spirit of Christ, in Jesus’ name, that the Holy Spirit writes the Word on
our hearts and mind. If we read the Word and simply try to obey, we will find
that we cannot.
It is obvious that as we follow Jesus,
speaking the truth of God and the Gospel of the Kingdom, that not all will be
able to fully grasp or comprehend, but just as He did, so must we speak the same
regardless. What God chooses to do within a person with His Word is not our
business.
When we make war against the enemy, we make
war in our own hearts against the taint of Satan that is in our hearts. This is
where the Kingdom suffers violence, for the Kingdom of God
is within us. This is where we put on the armor and get to business.
And
from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers
violence, and the violent take it by force.
-
Matthew 11:12
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom
of God would come, He answered them
and said, “The
kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will
they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’
For
indeed, the kingdom
of God is within you.”
-
Luke 17:20-21
As we make war, taking the Kingdom by force
as we surrender to the love and grace of our God, we are sanctified and made
usable by the King. As we are consumed by the Kingdom, kept by the power of the
Spirit, God Himself moves through us as we walk in humility. This should be the
focus of every man. “Follow me”.
Let us put on our armor, take up our cross,
lay down our lives as living sacrifices before the Almighty God, and let Him
make disciples through us. Make war to crucify our flesh my brother. Let us
make our call and election sure!!
And
those who are Christ’s have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If
we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
-
Galations 5:24-25
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and
election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for
so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
-
2 Peter 1:10-11
Just as we cannot just muster up
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
or self-control, neither can we produce disciples or bare fruit. BOTH of these
are done by God Himself, and are FRUIT of the Spirit.
But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law.
-
Galations 5:22-23
“As
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither
can you, unless you abide in Me.”
-
John 15:4
The bearing of fruit is done by the Spirit,
and is the evidence of the Spirit. Jesus CHOSE us and He has appointed us to
bear fruit, and so we shall. Remember… HE WILL MAKE us fishers of men.
“You
did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and
bear fruit, and that your fruit
should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”
-
John 15:16
Those who do not bear fruit, which is the
evidence of not abiding in Christ, will be take away.
“I am
the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does
not bear fruit He takes away;
and
every branch that bears fruit
He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the
word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you.”
-
John 15:1-3
But knowing that God will finish
what HE has started in us, we are NOT those who fall back to perdition. We will
fight the good fight of faith, and not love our lives to the end.
… being confident of this very thing, that He
who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; …
-
Philippians 1:6
But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who
believe to the saving of the soul.
-
Hebrews 10:39
Now, awaken your soul my friends,
and remember who you are. Remember to whom you belong, and press in for all
that you are worth. We are in this together, and we are one in spirit with the
Lord Himself. All praise be to the Lord who has called us. Only ONE thing is
needed!! Let us give all we have for this one thing!!
“But
one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be
taken away from her.”
-
Luke 10:42
“Again,
the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one
pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
-
Matthew 13:45-46
I KNOW He will glorify His name in us, for
He is God of ALL.
