The Faith and Assurance I Have in God

We were saved by grace through our faith in Jesus Christ and this grace was a gift from God. This has made us a new creation (workmanship), created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (see Ephesians 2: 8-10).

The Word of God instructs us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is a clear indication that being saved is not enough, but we have to grow in the knowledge of our Lord. God rewards a man according to his conduct and to the fruits of his doings. Therefore our knowledge of Christ should be effective and bear fruits.

God prepared our good works beforehand and the onus is on us to grasp them and walk in them. We can only grasp that when we are spiritually mature enough and with spiritual immaturity we have no access to what God has prepared for us. In Galatians 4:1-2 Paul wrote, “Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.”

What this means is that when you become a child of God you have the good works that God prepared for you but until you grow to the rightful stage where you become a son of God (mature), you can’t have access to them.

Paul also illustrated this point by saying, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal,” (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).

The book of Hebrews explains that everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

In other words, those who are mature are wise enough to discern both good and evil and they are led by the Spirit of God that knows even the depths of God. The Spirit reveals the hidden things of God. Therefore, maturity means being led by the Spirit, walking in the Spirit and living in the Spirit.

God speaks to us (his children) in a way that we are able to comprehend, hence the illustration of milk and solid food. That is why people of this world count God’s wisdom as foolishness because they cannot understand the language he speaks and they have no relationship with him. Sometimes someone may say something led by the Spirit and you fail to understand because you are still a child. I recall someone telling me that God said I should ‘separate myself’ and at that point I could not understand what the statement meant. However, as I grew in his knowledge I began to understand that message and I obey.

God speaks wisdom to those who are able to discern his wisdom. “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,” (1 Corinthians 3:6-8).

This is the wisdom that we should yearn for. God established our purpose here on earth before time began. We need to listen to him in order to grow, meditate in his word day and night. He instructed Joshua to ensure that the Book of the Law shall not depart from his mouth, but he shall meditate in it day and night, that h may observe to do according to all that is written in it. “For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Holy Spirit teaches us all things and guides us as we read the Word of God. This is where we draw our strength. This is where gain knowledge and wisdom to understand what God says. I have been keeping notes of the time I spend reading the Word of God it is amazing to track how I have grown from strength to strength.

There have been times when I have been challenged and my faith called into question but through the knowledge and wisdom from God I emerged a conqueror. This is confirmed by the scripture, “A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength,” (Proverbs 24:5).

The Word of God is pure and never changes, and he always fulfills his promises. Faith is not just believing God can; but it is believing that God WILL. That is why we always rejoice in his name. Listen to him when he says be thankful in ALL circumstances, he means just that. It all makes sense when you have the knowledge and wisdom to understand why you should be grateful when you are going through a painful experience.

God rewards those who earnestly seek him. I pray that we grow and eagerly wait for his wisdom and knowledge all the time. It is not a once off experience, it is a continuous journey that goes through high mountains and dark forests but we never give up because we know God will lead us through- He is our hope. This is what he says:

“My son, eat honey because it is good and the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul. If you have found it, there is a prospect and your hope will not be cut off,” (Proverbs 24:13-14).

Supplementing Self – Control with Perseverance

Perseverance is defined as a steady persistence in adhering to a course of action, a belief or a purpose. Until he ascended from this world, Jesus continued to preach and teach what the Father had sent him to do. He never backed down even when his authority was questioned several times.

Jesus was here to fulfill God’s purpose for us. He faithfully served God until the end. He could not stop doing his mission until he finished what God sent him to do, i.e. save the world from sin. There was a time when Jesus felt like the journey was tough for him. When he was in Gethsemane he began to be sorrowful and trouble. He told Peter, John and James, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me,” (Matthew 26:38).

When he was praying Jesus asked God to take the “cup” away from him. Being in human body, Jesus was feeling and seeing the sorrow that was about to befell him. It was a painful experience for him that he wished it could be reversed. This was his purpose and for a moment he felt like it could be reversed. Now here comes perseverance… he immediately said, “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Even during this painful moment he persistently adhered to his purpose. Remember he said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and FINISH HIS WORK,” (John 4:34). If Jesus was not steadfast in allowing the will of God to be done even when it hurt the most, would he finish his work?

Even thought the spirit was willing to take the pain, the body was weak. However he allowed the will of God to be done. That is why when he prayed for the second time he said “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done,” (Matthew 26:42).

Here we learn how Jesus persevered to do the will of God despite the pain he was feeling. He was steadfast in prayer. The only way he could defeat the temptation of giving up doing God’s work was prayer. When you pray, God will fulfill his purpose for you. Remain steadfast (firmly loyal, constant, unswerved). When you persevere, in addition to your ability to practice self-control, your knowledge of Jesus Christ will be effective and productive. You will realize how much he loves you through the wonderful works he will do for you.

See also http://stanleylistens.blogspot.com/2010/05/effective-and-fruitful-knowledge-of.html

Supplementing Knowledge with Self-Control

Challenges and temptations will always be there and you need to overcome them. Discipline and self-control are essential when dealing with temptations. Your knowledge is tested when dealing with temptations and you have to use your knowledge. However, your knowledge will be worthless if you do not use it to exercise self-control.


Jesus himself faced temptation at some point and the devil used the knowledge of heavenly secrets to tempt him. Jesus resisted and the devil fled. If you resist the devil he will flee from you and Jesus is a perfect example of self-control practice in this incidence.

The devil knew that Jesus had the power to turn the stones into bread but Jesus drew from his well of knowledge and said, “It is written ‘Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,’” (Matthew 4:4). He controlled himself from not yielding to the temptation of performing a miracle thus obeying the commands of Satan. You see, when the devil tempts you he uses your strength and power. You have to resist.

The devil realized that Jesus was using his knowledge of God and decided to use the same strategy to tempt him. When you defeat the devil on one level, he raises his standard as well. The devil used what is written in Psalm 91:11-12 to tempt Jesus. But the Lord used the word of God again and said, “It is written that you shall not tempt the Lord your God.” The truth is that God would keep the promise and send angels to catch Jesus if he threw himself from the highest point of the temple because he is as faithful God. However, Jesus controlled himself not to listen to the devil and test God’s promise.

The devil was even willing to risk everything he had if Jesus bowed down to worship him. Mind you, Jesus would have accomplished his mission to take the world away from the hands of the enemy, but he refused to worship anyone else other than God. The devil presents everything wonderful to you, and he presents the easiest options to achieve your goals but without self-control you can fall into that temptation.

You need to supplement your knowledge of the heavenly secrets with self control. In that way, your knowledge of Christ will be effective and fruitful. God will reward you with great things as you grow in knowing him.

Supplementing Virtue with knowledge

Because of our faith in Jesus, we live a righteous life. In order to reap more rewards of our virtue, we need to add knowledge to eat. We need to develop the earnest desire to know him and we shall receive the fruits of his knowledge in abundance.

Jesus asked his disciples who do people say he is and he then asked them, “But what about you, who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). Peter replied by saying that he is the Christ, the son of the living God.

Because Peter illustrated that he has had the earnest desire to know Jesus, he was blessed and his knowledge was effective and productive. He received all the powers from Jesus and his work after the ascension is well documented in the book of Acts.

Another lesson we learn here is that the more you seek the knowledge of God, He reveals to you the mysteries that are hidden from men. For his knowledge of who Christ is, Peter received this blessing from Jesus;

“Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven,” (Matthew 16: 17-19).

This is it! Because Peter supplemented his virtue with knowledge, he received a powerful blessing that gave him authority to control everything on earth. More than anything he received the keys to the kingdom of heaven. He received the anointing to lead people to the kingdom of heaven.

The knowledge of the heavenly secrets is a blessing given to those who seek the kingdom of God and are walking with Jesus all the time - those who develop a close relationship with him. The disciples asked Jesus why he was speaking in parables to the crowd and he responded by saying that the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has not been given to them.

“But blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear but did not hear it.” (Matthew 13: 16-17).

The revelation of the secrets of God was not given to many righteous people because they did not have the privilege of knowing Christ. If you seek to know more about the secrets in heaven, you receive your fruits in abundance. “Whoever has will be given more, and he will have in abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him,” (Matthew 13:12).

You can have faith, live a righteous life but if you do not seek the knowledge of the secrets of heaven, you even risk losing what you already have.

Supplementing Faith with Virtue (goodness/righteousness)

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be given to you as well,” (Matthew 6:33).

In this message Jesus was teaching about not worrying about the future but instead putting your faith in God. Jesus was teaching that our priority should be seeking God’s kingdom and his righteousness. Because we have faith in God through Jesus Christ, Jesus was teaching us to supplement our faith with his righteousness (virtue).

In other words, we should live a righteous life so that we receive the kingdom of God. These are the fruits therefore: “All these things shall be given to you as well”. The things that we spend time and energy worrying about shall not be fulfilled unless we rest our faith in God and then strive to live a righteous life. God already knows what we need and he shall provide as long as we focus on entering his kingdom (through living a righteous life).

We are longing for good fruits through our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we need to be good ourselves just as he was and is a good teacher and Lord. If we do not add goodness/righteousness into our faith, how do we expect to bear fruits?

Jesus told the Pharisees who thought he was driving away demons from a man by Be-elzebul’s power, “The good man out of his good treasure brings forth good and an evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth evil,” (Matthew 18:35).

Prior to that Jesus figuratively said that you make a tree good and its fruits will be good. In order to bear good fruits of knowing Christ we need to add goodness to our faith and our prayers will be effective and productive.

Living a good life simply means doing the will of God. The kingdom of God is for the righteous and that is why Jesus was teaching us to first seek that. Jesus also said, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven but only he who does that will of my Father who is in Heaven,” (Matthew 7: 21).

In other words Jesus was saying that many people may have faith in him but that alone is not enough to enter the kingdom unless you live a righteous life to supplement your faith.

Effective and fruitful knowledge of Christ

“For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love,” (2 Peter 1: 5-7).


Faith is the foundation of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we received him as our Lord and saviour, we began to have a relationship with him. We began to know him simply because we believed (had faith) in him. “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave them power to become children of God,” (John 1:12).

Through him we have become children of God. More than anything we have become friends with him because we believed in him. Knowing him is not enough though if it is not effective and does not bear fruits.

Jesus said, “You did not choose me but I chose you that you should go and bear fruits and that your fruit should abide (last) so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16).

Peter presents seven qualities that are needed to supplement our faith in Jesus Christ. “For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (2 Peter 1: 8).

The seven qualities are:

1) Virtue (goodness/righteousness)

2) Knowledge

3) Self-control

4) Steadfastness (perseverance)

5) Godliness (Holiness)

6) Brotherly affection (kindness)

7) Love

The important thing to note is that Peter presents these qualities as building blocks, with faith as foundation of everything. In other words faith is the root of our knowledge and as you grow in knowing him you develop each quality and grow deeper into knowing him thus bearing fruits.

In the next discussions we will look at each quality and draw some lessons from Jesus’ teachings and his life with regards to each quality.

The Lord Will Fulfill His Purpose for Me (Psalm 138: 8)

“His Divine Power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness,” (2 Peter 1:3).

What the Lord has commissioned has to be accomplished. Each one of us has a purpose to serve the Lord. God has a purpose for each one of us. He says he knows the good plans he has for us, plans to prosper us. Because he is the faithful God, what he has purposed shall be accomplished.

In Isaiah 55:11 he says, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth, it will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Once God has spoken, it shall be so. I know God has a purpose for me. He has empowered me to serve that purpose. He has armed me to fight a good fight and serve him as my Lord and Saviour, the only true God.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life. There is nothing that can withstand his divine power. Through his power we have all the resources we need to serve God’s purpose. There is nothing that we cannot do because we have everything we need. As long as we are willing to allow God to fulfill his purpose we shall conquer.

How do we get hold of the resources that we need? It is though the knowledge of Jesus Christ and as Paul stated, there is nothing that surpass the greatness of knowing Jesus Christ. You cannot taste the greatness of knowing Christ if your knowledge is ineffective and unproductive. You cannot accomplish God’s purpose if your knowledge does not bear fruits.

The Worth of Knowing Christ - Part 2

Standing Firm in the Lord


(Philippians 3: 12 -21)


1) Pressing on towards the goal

My call is to receive the glory of God, to attain my portion of the glory – that is the biggest prize. “I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Pressing on means you have the faith that you will reach the end of the race. You are not prepared to give up. You have the courage to go on. You do not fear the path you need to go through. No matter what comes you just press on.

“For God did not give us the spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, love and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1: 7). If you want to know Jesus you need to remember that the Spirit you have is powerful and not faint-hearted. You press on because you have the love for what you are doing. You press on because you have the passion for what you are doing and nothing is going to stand on your way. Jesus is love. If you love him you would not allow anything to stand on your way to get to him.

Self-discipline is an important element when you press on. You ensure that you avoid things that will distract you from reaching your goal. There will be challenges along the way to distract you but you need to have the discipline to overcome the challenges. “Blessed is the man who preservers under trial, because he has stood the test, he will receive the Crown of life that God has promised to those who love him,” (James 1:12). Press on (persevere) even when you face trials.

2) Forget the Past

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do is forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,” (Philippians 3:13). Paul knows very well that he was persecuting the people of God but he never allowed his past to haunt him. He forgot about his past and pressed on.

Sometimes we allow our past mistakes, failures and backgrounds to hold us back. We forget that our faith in Jesus Christ has made us a new creation and the past is gone. Jesus Christ has qualified us to inherit God’s glory. We are born again – rooted and built up in him. Therefore the past has nothing to do with us. We need to forget the past and press on.

3) Mature

“All of us who are mature should take such view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have attained,” (Philippians 3: 15 -16).

Forgetting what is behind and pressing on requires one to look at things from a mature stand point. Those who are matured are those who are led by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God has the power to reveal or clarify what may not be clear.

Paul says let us live up to what we have already attained. Being led by the Holy Spirit is a gift for the matured. “We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God that we may understand what God has freely given us,” (1 Corinthians 3:12).

The Spirit teaches us everything and reminds us everything that Jesus said whilst he was on his mission here on earth. Therefore we should live up to the Spirit so that we may know who Jesus is. If we live up to the Spirit we will forget the past and remember what Jesus taught us. We will press on to what God has promised us through Jesus Christ.


4) Fellowship

“I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly,” (Psalm 111:1).

The Psalmist demonstrates the importance of praising God, not just on your own but with other people. He talks about praising the Lord in the company of people that live according to God’s will (council of the upright and in the assembly).

Paul also encouraged us to worship the Lord with others. Because Paul knew he was righteous and living according to the will of God, he encourages us to follow his example as we join others in our quest to know Jesus. Joining with others comes with a caution: “take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.”

This means that we should be careful of the people we associate with when worshipping God, are they led by the Spirit of God? This basically cautions us to discern the nature of the spirit leading the people we worship with “for sinful nature (spirit of the world) desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want to do,” (Galatians 5:17).

This warning guard us against losing track of our goal, i.e. losing the Spirit that teaches us God’s way. Take note of those who live according to the pattern that was given to us so that we “do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19)


5) Set your mind in heaven

Our citizenship is not here on earth but in heaven. This is where Jesus is seated on the right hand of God. Our focus therefore should be where Jesus is – heaven. If we focus on earthly things then our destiny is destruction.

Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and here thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be,” (Matthew 6:20-21).

We can have everything on earth but these things are temporary and we may lose them anytime. The things of this world may defer us from our quest for the truth (Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life).

Paul says, “What is more I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ,” (Philippians 3:8).

In order to know Christ you do not have to spend time thinking about earthly riches, but think about Christ. We have to be like-minded with him because we have the mind of Christ.

Conclusion

When all has been done, ran a good race, we get a better understanding and knowledge of Jesus and he will crown us. He will transform us from our earthly bodies and we will be like him (glorious bodies). “That is how you should stand firm in the Lord,” (Philippians 4:1).

The Worth of Knowing Christ - Part 1

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death (Philippians 3:10)


a) I want to know Christ

Hebrews 1:3 says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for his sins, he sat at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Knowing Christ is equivalent to knowing God and the knowledge of the Holy One means understanding. Jesus is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact representation of God.

I want to know Christ.

I want to make a relationship with Christ.

I forget about everything else and I yearn for the glory of Christ.

I want to be sustained by the powerful word of Christ.

I want to know Christ.

I have a burning desire to know him better

I want a deeper understanding of his glory

Meeting Christ is not enough, you have to have a mutual relationship with him. To grow as a Christian you have to have a better understanding of who he is.


b) I want to know the power of his resurrection

“Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God,” (Colossians 3:1). Knowing the power of his resurrection means focusing where he is. He was raised and he went to sit at the right hand of God.

He conquered the world and hence he is the Lord of Glory. Therefore we should set our hearts where is, on the things above, were our treasure is. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal,” (2 Corinthians 4: 18).

The power of his resurrection is that we were raised with him. “When you were dead in your sins and in the circumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,” (Colossians 2:3).

The power of his resurrection made us to be alive. The power of his resurrection is a fulfillment of the promise that if we believe in him we shall have eternal life. We are born again because we were dead in our sins. The only way to know the power of his resurrection is focusing on the things above.


c) I want to know the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings

Knowing Jesus means building a relationship/friendship with him. A true friend is one who shares even in his suffering, the pains of his friend. “Now, if we are children then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. If indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Romans 8: 17).

In the consequent verse Paul says: I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. “But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you… However, if you suffer as a Christian do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name… So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good,” (1 Peter 4: 13-14, 16, 19).

As a Christian you should not fear when you suffer because Christ also suffered but endured until the end. Fellowship in his sharing in his suffering means staying strong by doing the following:

i) Rejoice

ii) Praise God

iii) Commit to the faithful Creator

iv) Continue to do good


d) Becoming like him in his death

The humility of Jesus Christ was outstanding even in his death such that the people who watched testified that surely he is the son of God. He suffered like any human being but he humbled himself even though he was in the very nature of God.

That is the attitude we need to develop. Even though we may be co-heirs with him that should not be something we boast about and exalt ourselves. Pride should not overrule the way we handle ourselves. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: …and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5, 8).

Conclusion

I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST JESUS AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SHARING IN HIS SUFFERINGS, BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH

[Know who he is, focus on where he is, appreciate how he felt, and do what he did when he died]