THE ANTECEDENTS OF TRUE REVIVAL (Part 1)

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“Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.” (Hosea 10:12 NKJV)

 

Only carnal, immature, or undiscerning believers will not admit that today’s church desperately needs true spiritual awakening or revival. It is disheartening that the church, which is supposed to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth, is now stumbling in darkness and riddled with corruption.

Rather than invading, permeating, and influencing the world with Christ’s values and virtues, sadly, the world is now invading, permeating, and influencing the church with its values, vices, and lies. Rather than making disciples of all the nations for Christ, many believers today have become followers of unregenerate and ungodly celebrities.

The spiritual state of the church today is similar to the state of the church in Sardis, which the Lord rebuked in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 3:1-3 – NKJV

 1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

 2 “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

 3 “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

We certainly need true revival, and we need it fast. However, revival does not just happen. History has proved this to be true. In the Bible and our modern days, some occurrences, events, circumstances, situations, or realizations always precede true and lasting spiritual awakenings or revivals. These are called “the antecedents of revival.”

It is a sheer delusion to expect revival without any antecedents. Some things must happen, and preparations must be made before revival can occur in our lives, churches, streets, schools, communities, and nations.

Breaking up the fallow ground of our hearts always precedes revival!

Hosea 10:12 – NKJV

12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

If we don’t seek God with all our hearts, we should not expect Him to reveal Himself to us or send us rains of righteousness (true revivals).

In response to our passionate cry for revival, the Lord will always raise crucial issues or matters that must be adequately understood, attended to, or dealt with before we can experience the revival we seek.

In response to the passionate cry of Martha and Mary for the Lord’s presence at Bethany to heal their ailing brother, Lazarus, on His way to Bethany, the Lord Jesus began to raise some critical issues with His disciples concerning Lazarus’ present condition and His intention to revive or raise Lazarus from the dead.

It is wisdom for those of us praying and seeking for true revival of the Church today to pay close attention to the critical issues our Lord Jesus raised with His disciples on His way to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead, for they are the same issues the Lord is raising with us today. He is waiting for us to promptly and positively attend to them.

These are the “antecedents of revival,” if we ignore or miss them, true revival may tarry or never burst forth in our days.

First, the Lord would have us identify or know the cause of our spiritual stumbling and sickness.

We must remember from where or what we have fallen and repent before we can expect a mighty outburst of revival in the Church (Rev. 2:5).

On His way to revive Lazarus, the Lord said to His disciples, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the light of this world. “But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” (John 11:9-10 NKJV).

Our continual disregard, neglect, or refusal to walk in the light of God’s Word has dimmed our light, thereby resulting in our spiritual stumbling and sickness (1 John 2:9-11).

Our revolt against Christ’s words, teaching, or doctrine has made the church spiritually and morally weak, feeble, fearful, sick, or invalid.

We are under a strong delusion to believe false teachings because we have rejected the truths of God’s Word and counted as a strange thing the teaching of Christ taught by the early apostles of Christ and passed down in the Church (2 Thessalonians. 2:10-11, Hos. 8:12).

We should not expect revival until we acknowledge, admit, or recognize our disobedience to God’s Word and genuinely repent. Today, the church must heed Jesus’ admonition or warning to the Sardis church.

Revelation 2:5 – NKJV

5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place–unless you repent.

Second, the Lord would have us know and understand that His love for us has not diminished.

On His way to Bethany to revive Lazarus, the Lord Jesus reiterated His love for Lazarus and revealed His intention and commitment to revive him from the dead. The Lord Jesus told His disciples, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” (John 11:11 NKJV).

Although Lazarus was now dead and buried, decomposing and stinking in the cave, Jesus still loved him and called him “friend.” Jesus didn’t love Lazarus less in death than He loved him while he was full of life and vigor. What an agape love!

Christ’s love for His Church is steadfast and unwavering; it never diminishes or fluctuates. The Lord always loves His own to the end regardless of their spiritual and moral state or condition (John 13:1).

The Lord demonstrated His love towards us when we were yet sinners and His enemies by offering Himself on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. How much more now that His blood has justified us?

Paul aptly presents this truth in his epistle.

Romans 5:8-10 – NKJV

 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Despite the church’s ongoing terrible spiritual and moral decline, the Lord loves His church dearly. Though the church might have stumbled and become spiritually sick, weak, and wearied, she is still Christ’s beloved and chosen bride.

The ongoing corruption or degeneration in the church has not affected or diminished God’s love for His people. God’s love towards His church is unconditional, perfect, infinite, constant, and eternal (Isa. 54:8, Jeremiah. 31:3).

Nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Apostle Paul testifies to this truth.

Romans 8:38-39 – NKJV

 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Although many lust-driven and gain-driven hirelings have abused, bruised, fleeced, exploited, and wounded the Lord’s sheep, the Good Shepherd still loves His sheep dearly. He is coming to deliver His sheep from the caves where they have kept her, and He will bind her wounds, revive, restore, and heal her (Ezekiel. 34:10-13).

Beloved, God’s love for you has not diminished even though you may have backslidden and become spiritually wearied, exhausted, or sick. God’s love for you is infinite, unconditional, perfect, constant, steadfast, and unwavering; it will never fail or cease.

The Lord says to you today, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you.” (Jeremiah. 31:3 NKJV).

Like the prodigal son, repent and arise today to run into your ever-loving Heavenly Father’s waiting hands and warm embrace.

It is crucial for everyone praying and laboring for the church’s true revival or spiritual awakening to know the depth of God’s love for His church.

Friend, let us be encouraged that the Lord will not forsake His church in her present terrible spiritual and moral condition. The Lord will not fail to revive, restore, and rapture His church from this evil world.

Discover more antecedents of revival in the second part of this piece!

 

Prayer:

My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me with everlasting love despite my unfaithfulness. Dear Holy Spirit, teach and help me to receive, appreciate, and respond positively to God’s love, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our mandate is to preserve the faith of the Apostolic Generation.

Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.

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THE ANTECEDENTS OF TRUE REVIVAL (Part 2)

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“Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:1 NKJV)

 

History has taught us that true revivals don’t just happen arbitrarily or randomly. No generation in the past has ever experienced a mighty move of God by chance.

If any generation desires to see the manifestation of God’s overwhelming presence, it must prepare the way for God. God is not an intruder or a gatecrasher who will force His way into our affairs when not invited or wanted.

Our responsibility is to prepare the way before the Lord and seek Him with all our hearts, and when we do this, the Lord will not fail to reveal His incredible presence and power in His temple, the church.

Jeremiah 29:13 – NKJV

13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

If we fail to prepare the way before God and seek God wholeheartedly, we may not experience true revival in our generation.

In the first part of this piece, we began to examine the antecedents of true revival: the essential things we need to know or do before we can expect true revival to break forth in our generation.

We are examining some vital issues that our Lord Jesus Christ raised with His disciples on His way to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead.

First, the Lord would have us know why today’s church is spiritually sick and weak.

It is a must for us to know from where we have fallen. Jesus said, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works…” (Rev. 2:5 NKJV).

We must acknowledge that our refusal to continue steadfastly in the teaching of Christ has debilitated us spiritually.

Second, the Lord would also want us to be assured of His unwavering and everlasting love for His Church, notwithstanding her unfaithfulness and backsliding.

Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus (Romans. 8:38-39).

On His way to Bethany, Jesus reiterated His love for Lazarus, saying to His disciples, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” (John 11:11 NKJV).

Despite her disheartening condition, the Lord cannot employ anyone who does not love the church for her revival and restoration.

Let us further examine some important antecedents of revival.

Third, the Lord would have us see accurately, know, and understand the church’s exact spiritual and moral condition.

While the Lord Jesus drew near Bethany to revive Lazarus, He began to help His disciples see and understand Lazarus’s present condition, for they had thought that Lazarus was sleeping.

John 11:11-14 – NKJV

 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”

 12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.”

 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

 14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.

Like the undiscerning disciples of Christ on their way to Bethany, many believers today are completely ignorant of today’s church’s spiritual and moral state. Such ones need to cry to the Lord to anoint their eyes with eye salve so they can see as the Lord sees (Rev. 3:18).

Like the Laodicea church, the church today is boasting, saying, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ –and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Rev. 3:17 NKJV).

We are certainly not yet ready for true spiritual awakening or revival if we continue to take pride in our large congregations, which are primarily spiritually immature, carnal, or sensual, or in our gigantic cathedrals and imposing edifices void of God’s presence, or in our material prosperity at the expense of our spiritual maturity.

Today, many believers are at ease in Zion because they are undiscerning and oblivious to her corruption and ruins. You cannot see today’s church as the Lord sees her, and your heart will not be burdened to passionately and continuously cry out to the Lord to purge His church and revive her again.

Like Ezekiel, your eyes must be opened to see beyond today’s church’s superficial growth and prosperity before you can be one of God’s revival partners in this generation (Ezekiel. 8:5-12).

Lastly, having helped them understand the present state of Lazarus, the Lord Jesus now said to His disciples, “Nevertheless let us go to him.” (John 11:15 NKJV).

Until you also begin to see as the Lord sees, you cannot be His partner in revival. Although revival is primarily the Lord’s work, He seeks suitable men to partner with Him.

When they set out on their journey to Bethany, Jesus expressly declared His intention to raise Lazarus. Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” (John 11:11 NKJV).

The Spirit of the Lord quickens, revives, or gives life (John 6:63, 2 Cor. 3:6). However, the Lord always loves to work in us, with us, and through us. Although the Lord Jesus, the Resurrection, and the Life raised Lazarus from the dead by His voice, He had some works for His disciples to do.

What are these works or assignments?

First, the Lord asked His disciples to remove the huge stone that had been laid against the mouth of the cave before He called Lazarus to come forth (John 11:39).

Second, after calling Lazarus from the dead, the Lord said to His disciples, “Loose him, and let him go.” (John 11:44 NKJV).

Although the Lord alone can revive his church, He is seeking partners, instruments, or vessels that He can work with, work in, and work through to accomplish His work.

The Spirit of God is calling into a partnership for the revival of the believers whose eyes the Lord has opened, having anointed their eyes with eye salve so that they may accurately see the ongoing spiritual and moral corruption and degeneration in the church and thus be burdened to cry out to the Lord for the revival and healing of His church.

The Lord is also seeking concerned, compassionate, bold, and courageous believers who will remove every “stone” that wicked hirelings or spiritual undertakers in our generation have laid against “the caves” they had constructed to keep the sheep of God in perpetual bondage.

The Lord is recruiting men and women who will wield the sharp “sword of the Spirit” to cut and lose the grave clothes that greedy hirelings or spiritual undertakers have used to wrap and blind the minds, hands, and feet of God’s sheep in their caves.

Friend, would you be one of God’s revival partners in this generation?

Let the Lord know your response today!

 

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I want to be your partner in the revival of Your Church. Dear Holy Spirit, teach and strengthen me to play my God-assigned role in the revival or spiritual awakening of today’s ailing Church, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our mandate is to preserve the faith of the Apostolic Generation.

Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.

AWH, Blogs.

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THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST (Part 1)

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“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors–not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:12-13 NKJV)

 

While admonishing the Christians in Philippi to follow his example, Apostle Paul sternly warned them to separate themselves from the Judaizers or self-indulgent Christians who were not walking according to his teaching and the standards he had set. Paul rightly referred to them as “the enemies of the cross of Christ.”

Philippians 3:17-19 – NKJV

 17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame–who set their mind on earthly things.

Paul’s admonition to note and separate from the enemies of the cross of Christ is undoubtedly still very much relevant today. As it was in the days of Paul, there are still many enemies of the cross of Christ today. Unfortunately, some believers or ministers of God today are enemies of the cross of Christ either by their doctrine or lifestyle.

From our human perspective, those persecuting the followers of Christ because of their faith and commitment to Christ are the enemies of Christ. But from a divine perspective, they are not the real enemies of Christ. They are just ignorant religious zealots whose eyes Satan, the god of this world, has blinded (2 Cor. 4:4).

From Paul’s epistles, it is unmistakably clear that the real enemies of the cross of Christ are within the Church. Paul was not referring to the ignorant, unregenerate people outside the Church who were persecuting the saints as the enemies of the cross of Christ.

In his epistles, Paul gives us some characteristics of the people he refers to as the enemies of the cross of Christ. It is wisdom for us to understand these characteristics carefully so that we may identify and separate ourselves from these enemies of the cross of Christ within the Church today.

Paul describes the enemies of the cross of Christ as those “whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame–who set their mind on earthly things.” (Philip. 3:19 NKJV).

Let us sift through this description.

First, Paul describes the enemies of the cross of Christ as the professed believers or ministers “whose god is their belly.”

By this terminology, what does Paul mean by “their god is their belly?”

Paul meant they are either legalistic or indulging in sinful, fleshly desires.

The enemies of the cross of Christ are those in the Church who trust in themselves, in their self-righteousness, performance, or good works to earn or obtain God’s love, acceptance, favor, blessing, or salvation. They don’t believe or preach that salvation is only through grace and faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work of redemption (Ephesians. 2:8-9).

The cross of Christ speaks of the finished work of redemption through Christ’s substitutionary or sacrificial death for our sins. The cross speaks of everything Christ provided for us through His death. It speaks of the grace by which everything was provided.

God is entirely and eternally pleased and satisfied with Christ’s atoning sacrifice for our sins on the cross. God’s wrath against us for breaking His law was emptied on Christ at the cross. Christ received the wages of our sins on the cross (Hebrew. 2:9). Peter aptly states this truth in his epistle.

1 Peter 2:24 – WNT

24 The burden of our sins He Himself carried in His own body to the Cross and bore it there, so that we, having died so far as our sins are concerned, may live righteous lives. By His wounds yours have been healed. (WNT).

Jesus Christ finished the work of our redemption; nothing is to be added to it (John 19:30)! Therefore, anyone preaching or teaching people to add good works to the finished work of Christ as a means of earning a right standing with God, or as a means of obtaining God’s salvation, or as a means of deserving God’s love, acceptance, favor or blessing is simply an enemy of the cross of Christ.

When you approach God for anything trusting in your self-righteousness, performance, goodness, or good works, you are simply demeaning or disregarding the finished work of Christ as the only basis for having a loving and intimate relationship with God and the only means of obtaining God’s acceptance, favor or blessing. Thus, you are an enemy of the cross of Christ.

Anyone who claims to belong to Christ but who is not wholly trusting alone in the finished work of Christ as the only basis of having a loving and intimate relationship with God and enjoying God’s blessings is simply a liar; he is an enemy of the cross of Christ.

Sadly, many people today who confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour reject Him by their actions as they continue to trust in their righteousness, goodness, performance, or good works to please God and obtain or earn God’s love, acceptance, favor, or blessings.

Our self-righteousness, which comes from the works of the law, cannot be mixed with God’s righteousness, which comes from faith in Christ Jesus and His finished work alone as a basis for a relationship with God. Both are incompatible! Either you receive God’s righteousness as a gift or cling to your imperfect, stinking self-righteousness in your dealings with God (Romans. 9:30-32, Isa. 64:6).

On the other hand, this terminology, “whose god is their belly,” used by Paul to describe the enemies of the cross of Christ, speaks of being led, controlled, or governed by fleshly desires and appetites.

Therefore, the enemies of the cross of Christ are the professed believers or ministers who indulge in sinful pleasures and live as debtors to the flesh, fulfilling the flesh’s lusts, passions, or desires.

Living according to the flesh or gratifying the desires of the flesh will ultimately result in corruption, death, or destruction. This is why Paul states that the end of the enemies of the cross of Christ is destruction.

Philippians 3:18-19 – NKJV

 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame–who set their mind on earthly things.

Romans 8:12-13 – NKJV

 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors–not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Beloved, if you profess to belong to Christ and yet still live as a debtor to the flesh, your lifestyle negates or contradicts the power and purpose of the cross.

The cross is the gateway to a supernatural lifestyle. The sinful life terminates, and Christ-life starts at the cross. The cross releases the believers to walk in the newness of life—to live and walk as Christ did (Romans. 6:4, 2 Cor. 5:15, Gal. 2:20). This is the power and purpose of the cross of Christ!

Therefore, anyone who professes to belong to Christ but does not live according to Christ but instead according to the flesh is demeaning the cross of Christ, thereby making himself an enemy of Christ.

Find out more about the enemies of the cross of Christ within the Church in the second part of this piece.

 

Prayer:

My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the cross of Christ where my sinful life was terminated. Dear Holy Spirit, teach and help me embrace the cross daily to live a supernatural life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

OUR mandate is to preserve the faith of the Apostolic Generation.

Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.

AWH, Blogs.

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THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST (Part 2)

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“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:1-2 NKJV)

 

The Bible commands Christians to walk in love and pursue peace with all people (Ephesians. 5:1-2, Romans. 12:16-18). However, the Bible cautions Christians on friendship, fellowship, or association. While Christians should love and seek to live peaceably with all people, we are not expected to befriend, fellowship, or keep close company with all people.

Proverbs 12:26 – NKJV

26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.  

Proverbs 22:24-25 – NKJV

 24 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go,

 25 Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

In all his epistles, Apostle Paul seriously warns Christians to note and separate from those among them who are not walking or living according to Christ’s teaching and example, which he had set for them (Romans. 16:16-18).

2 Thessalonians 3:6-7 – NKJV

 6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.

 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you.

In the first part of this piece, we began to examine Paul’s description of the professed believers and ministers who are “the enemies of the cross of Christ” by their doctrine and lifestyle.

Paul describes them as those “whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame–who set their mind on earthly things.” (Philip. 3:19 NKJV). He, therefore, admonished true Christians to note and avoid or withdraw from such lest they follow their evil doctrine and lifestyle.

First, Paul describes the enemies of the cross of Christ as those “whose god is their belly.”

This implies that they are professed believers who trust in themselves, in their self-righteousness, goodness, performance, or good works, but not in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

The enemies of the cross of Christ are those who profess to be in Christ but are still clinging to their righteousness, which is from the law, and not the righteousness from God through faith in Christ and his finished work (Philip. 3:9 NKJV).

Moreover, the enemies of the cross of Christ are those who profess to belong to Christ but will not submit to His lordship or live like Christ and for Christ.

Paul states, “Christ died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” (2 Cor. 5:15 NKJV).

Rather than living for Christ, the enemies of the cross of Christ live only for themselves, pursuing, fulfilling, and gratifying the flesh’s desires, lusts, or passions. Paul warns genuine Christians to note and avoid such believers (1 Cor. 5:8-13).

Second, Paul describes the enemies of the cross of Christ as those “wekhoecse glory is in their shame.”

These professed believers delight in iniquities, boast in the flesh, and glory in their self-righteousness or good works but not in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Like the immoral believers in Corinth, the enemies of the cross of Christ trivialize or make light of sins and rejoice in those things they should be ashamed of 

  similarly, some professed believers today VA can relaxed and comfortable in unrighteousness, even vaunting their achievements, possessions, or riches amassed through ungodly means. They are simply the enemies of the cross of Christ. Why?

Because they belittled and despised the huge price Christ paid for sins at the cross by their attitudes toward sins!

Lastly, Paul describes the enemies of the cross of Christ as the believers “who set their mind on earthly things.” (Phil. 3:19 NKJV).

The born-again believers are crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to them through the cross of Christ.

Galatians 6:14 – NKJV

14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Any believer who boasts of anything other than the cross of Christ is ignorant of the power and blessings of the cross of Christ. The cross of Christ releases the believers to walk in the newness of life, to live as one who is truly dead to sin, the flesh, and the world, but alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans. 6:1-6). 

Having been dead, buried, and raised with Christ, you are expected to seek and set your mind on heavenly things, not earthly things.

Colossians 3:1-2 – NKJV

 1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Any believer who continues to seek and live for the perishable and fleeting material things of this world is demeaning and denying the power of the cross of Christ in his life.

Beloved, pursuing and clinging to the things of this world, chasing after the current trends of this world, or seeking to be conformed to the fashions or modes of this world is disrespect or contempt of the cross of Christ. Why? Because you are crucified to the world and the world to you through Christ’s death on the cross (Gal. 6:14)!

Therefore, seeking to be conformed to this world or setting your mind on earthly things is an utter denial, rejection, or belittling of the victory Christ won for you over the god of this world through His sacrificial death on the cross.

That is why Paul refers to believers who pursue, love, cling to, or set their minds on earthly things as the enemies of Christ’s cross and warns you to note them and not walk like them (2 Thessalonians. 3:6-15).

Friend, it is wise to heed this warning!

 

Prayer:

My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for crucifying me to the world and the world to me through the cross of Christ. Dear Holy Spirit, teach and help me to always set my mind on things above and not on things on earth, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

OUR mandate is to preserve the faith of the Apostolic Generation.

Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.

AWH, Blogs.

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THE PARABLE OF THE TARES OF THE FIELD (Part 1)

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“The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.” (Matthew 13:38 NKJV)

 

After the Lord Jesus had privately explained the parable of the Sower to His disciples, He put forth another parable about the tares of the field to the great multitude that was gathered to Him by the sea.

Matthew 13:24-30 – NKJV

 24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;

 25 “but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.

 26 “But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

 27 “So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’

 28 “He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’

 29 “But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.

 30 ‘Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

When the Lord Jesus had sent away the multitude that was only after His works and not His words and who were only hungry for mundane things and not heavenly things, His disciples came to Him in the house, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” (Matt. 13:36 NKJV).

Then, the Lord Jesus opened His mouth and explained the deep meaning of the parable to them. We are ignorant of the truths and mysteries of God’s kingdom today because we are not passionately seeking after God and diligently seeking to obey God’s Word (Jeremiah. 29:13).

The Lord Jesus said, “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.” (John 7:17 NKJV).

Today, many believers are vulnerable to deception, exploitation, and manipulation of “spiritual con men” in our generation simply because they have no genuine desire, passion, or hunger to know, understand, and obey God’s Word.

According to Jesus’ interpretation of the parable of the tares of the field to His disciples, He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels (Matt. 13:37-39).

Like every parable of Jesus, there are vital truths, lessons, and principles of God’s kingdom embedded in the parable of the tares of the field. In this piece, we shall begin to thresh this parable to discover and imbibe its essential truths, lessons, and principles.

First, it is worth considering the seeming contrasts between the parable of the tares and the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:1-23).

While Jesus interpreted the seed the sower sowed to be “the word of the Kingdom” (Matt. 13:19 NKJV) in the parable of the sower, He interpreted the good seeds in the parable of the tares of the field to be “the sons of the Kingdom” (Matt. 13:38 NKJV).

The interpretations are not contradictory but rather complementary!

God’s Word is “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.” (Isa. 28:13 NKJV).

Understanding the parable of the sower is a prerequisite for understanding other parables of Jesus. Jesus asked His disciples, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?” (Mark 4:13 NKJV).

It is the seed (the Word of the Kingdom) that falls on good ground (the heart that hears, understands, accepts, believes, and obeys God’s Word) in the parable of the sower that produces the good seeds (the sons of the kingdom) sowed in the field in the parable of the tares.

Can you see the progression in Jesus’ parables and teachings?

The Word of the Kingdom bears or produces the sons of the Kingdom!

Whenever the Word of truth (the Word of the Kingdom) grows and flourishes in a generation, the sons of the Kingdom will also flourish, increase, and multiply in the generation.

The result was terrific when the early apostles of Christ disentangled themselves from mundane affairs and gave themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

Acts 6:7 – NKJV

7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Why are there few true sons of the kingdom in our generation?

Why don’t many believers whose lives and conducts reflect the mindsets, values, virtues, glories, and purposes of the King of the Kingdom, the Lord Jesus Christ?

It is simply because most of the men and women of God chosen to be stewards of the words and mysteries of God’s Kingdom in our generation have become deeply entangled, engaged, engrossed, engulfed, immersed, or preoccupied with mundane affairs!

Unlike the early apostles, our spiritual leaders today have failed to continually give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word!

What about the tares—the sons of the wicked one, Satan?

They are the natural fruit of Satan’s lies and deceptions!

You will eventually become a tare when you loathe, despise, ignore, or reject the Word of the Kingdom. When you constantly, consistently, and continuously turn your ears away from hearing the Word of truth, you cannot be anything other than a tare.

The tares reflect the lifestyle, mindsets, values, or passions of the devil. The Lord Jesus called the Jews, who constantly opposed, disputed, and rejected His Word, the devil’s sons (the tares).

John 8:44 – NKJV

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

• What will eventually happen to the tares?
• They will be cast into the furnace of fire!

Matthew 13:40-42 – NKJV

 40 “Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.

 41 “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,

 42 “and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The threshing of this parable continues in the second part of this piece!

Prayer: 

My Dear Holy Spirit, open my eyes to know, understand, believe, and obey God’s Word, in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

OUR mandate is to preserve the faith of the Apostolic Generation.

Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.

AWH, Blogs.

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