I writing to the Ephesians church, Paul wrote extensively about the differences between believers and unbelievers. This statement comes from the middle of his discussion.
We frequently need reminded of how the Gospel really changes us from the world around us. I would add that we often need to distinguish between the traditions we learned at home and in church and the direct teachings of Scripture.
The story is frequently told of a lady who was cooking a ham and cut the bone off before putting it in her large cooker. Her husband asked her why she was cutting it off. She answered, I learned that from my mother. He then asked her mother the same question. Mother answered, “I learned it from my mother”. Grandma was still available, so he asked her. Grandma’s answer was, “My cooking pot was too small for the entire ham”. Many of our traditions are good and useful, but that one wasn’t useful, even if it once was useful.
Other traditions can be very evil. Pagan practices are of the devil and should be carefully evaluated. If they in any way disagree with the Bible they must be abandoned. Paul already had addressed many of those practices before this statement in verse 27.
Let’s look at this verse carefully, to learn how to apply it.
“do not” is an absolute form of expression. It gives no opportunity for an alternate or compromise meaning. When God’s word says “do not”, we cannot compromise. Some have thought that they could confess a murder to their priest and be forgiven. Then they thought they could go out and murder someone else and be forgiven again and again. The Scripture says “do not murder” just as it says “do not steal”.
“give”, but some may say, that’s not generous. Until we recognize that the Scripture is stating that we have authority and must not exercise it in any way contrary to God’s will. How does this authority really work?
Because Divine Healing has such a controversial past, we will focus on what the Bible teaches directly. We will not attack any others who have differing opinions. Our study is not about opinions, it is about what God has already said and promised all believers.
We firmly hold to the Word of God as our rule of faith and practice. “The goal of our teaching is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith”. –1 Tim. 1:5.
Our purpose is to help train believers in experiencing and using the authority and power given them in Jesus for the healing and saving of people.
Our first question to solve is: Does Jesus want everyone healed?
KJV Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
KJV Luke 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto [upon] you. [two requirements for healing: 1) enter the city, and 2)”they receive you”.] 10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. (Luk 10:10-11 KJV)
17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. (Gen 20:17 KJV)
20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. (2Ch 30:20 KJV)
KJV Isaiah 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. (Isa 6:10 KJV)
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:4-5 KJV)
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1John 2:17 KJV)
That’s s how to survive in this trying time.
The question is: “What is the Will of God?” If we want to know the will of God, we need to turn to John 7:17: “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17 KJV)
We need to connect closely to God’s word. It has an amazing effect on other people, when we do what is right and our life is coherent, consistent, has integrity. There is a purpose behind this.”For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” (1Peter 2:15 KJV)
Much of opposition to God’s Word comes not from truth or fact, but from ignorance and tradition. It becomes silenced when we do what God says and they see the results.
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. (John 14:12 KJV)
He does want us to do His will that others will recognize, that God is at work in me and in others who walk with Jesus. How to do it?
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice… And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom 12:1-2 KJV).
People say, “How can you know God’s Will?” Or “maybe it is God’s will for you to be sick”. If you visit somebody in a hospital and they say, “It is God’s will for me to be sick” Then why are you here in the hospital trying to violate God’s will?
At one time I visited at the John Hopkins institution, and submitted myself for this series of experiments. It was not sufficient to know that God did things, I had to know HOW God accomplished these things. But I prayed in my heart, “Lord God, if you will only let the Spirit of God come like the lightnings of God upon my soul for two seconds, I know something is going to happen that these men never saw before.”
I want to explain the assimilating power of your nature, your capacity to assimilate God and take the life of God into your being, and keep it in your being. I am not talking to you about what I believe. I am talking about what I know.
By John G. Lake
Chicago, 1920
“In Him was life, and life was the light of men.” (John 1:4)
There is a difference between Christianity and philosophy. (I presume some folks are inquiring why it is that there is always that keynote in my addresses.)
God gave me the privilege of living in the heart of philosophic South Africa, where we have one million five hundred thousand, who are ministered to by Buddhist, and Brahman priests. Every imaginable cult has its representatives there. I was amazed to discover that the whites were gradually assimilating the philosophy of the East, just as we Westerners are assimilating the philosophy of the East, and have been doing so for a long time.
When you take the philosophies, Christian Science, New Thought, and Unity today and examine them, you discover they are the same old philosophies of India, Egypt and China from time immemorial.
The difference between philosophy and religion, particularly the religion of Jesus Christ, is in the words I have quoted from the Scriptures, “In Him was Life, and the life was the light of men.” Philosophy is light. It is the best light the individual possessed who framed the philosophy. But it is not a LIFE GIVER.
But from the soul of Jesus there breathed holy, living life of God, that comes into the nature of man, quickens him by its power, and by the grace of God he has the life of Jesus in him, eternal life. Many of the ancient philosophies have a marvelous light. One of the Indian philosophies, Bhagavad, was written five hundred years before Isaiah. In it they predicted the coming of a Son of God, a Redeemer, who was to come and redeem mankind.
Buddha presented his philosophy five hundred years before Jesus. Pythagoras wrote four thousand years before Jesus Christ. In each one of them you will find many of the teachings of Jesus. The teachings of Jesus were not unique in that they were all new. They were new because they contained something that none of the rest possessed. It was the divine content in the word of Jesus Christ that gave His teachings their distinguishing feature from the other philosophies. That content (element) is the LIFE of God. “In Him was LIFE, and the LIFE was the light of men.”
We know that colds are caused by viruses. What has humidity to do with those diseases?
Colder air is not able to hold as much water vapor as warm air. If we heat cold air the relative humidity will drop. When the outside air is near freezing it holds almost no moisture so we need to add water to the warmed air to keep our breathing system from becoming uncomfortable or even injured. Under extreme dry conditions most people experience a sense of dryness. This is a warning to us that we need more moisture in our body.
If we want God’s favor, we need to understand He wants us to be blessed. We need to know what it takes to be blessed.
1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)
Everywhere I go I hear the word “lack”. What causes these blessings to be stolen?
The first way to receive blessing is honesty, when you have nothing hid.
“But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully” (2 Corinthians 4:2-3).
“1 Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.
3 A bruised reed He will not break, And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not be disheartened or crushed, Until He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”
6 I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations.” (NAS Isaiah 42:1, 3, 4, 6)
This introduction to the discussion in Isaiah 42 raised questions in my mind. I have read the earlier parts of Isaiah and they repeatedly discuss the corruption of the Israelites who had just been put into Assyrian captivity and dispersion. Suddenly the tone changes (no wonder commentators treat Isaiah as two separate books) and Isaiah speaks of the “Servant who will bring justice to the nations. I originally thought that any Jew reading this would say that the cruelty of the oppressing nations will be rectified by restoring the Jews to their homeland. I’m sure that some have read it that way, but I believe they never understood the word “justice”.
While my pastor was preaching on this section of chapter 42, it struck me that the key was in the phrase “justice to the nations”. If the Jews were seeking restitution from oppression by other countries, they were forgetting the message of why they were going into captivity. They had a twisted idea of justice to assume they were innocent and all others were guilty. God has explicitly stated the reason for trouble coming on all of Israel and Judah. It was their injustice toward each other.
It may seem obvious, but I must ask, “What is justice?”
At first I thought it was the removal of injustice (crime, sin, etc.)? This led me to understand that all evil in this world is a form of injustice. Logically, then it appeared to me that Justice would be removal of all of my sin and its effects(sickness, death, etc.). Then God could use me as an example to draw others to seek this good result.
I grew up in a church where they talked about “truth” all the time. They even said, “we have the truth”. Then they would say we have “the testing truth for the world”. We professed to base all our practices and beliefs on the Bible. It was only after years of teaching what I had been taught that I discovered that we have much to learn and much to unlearn before we will really measure up to the standards of God and His word.
I find it still is emotionally difficult to examine everything I believe according to the Bible. This is a continuous and present need for all true Christians. Jesus warned us that deceptions would increase until the end of all things as we know them. Why is this warning so prominent? Jesus began is answer to the disciples with, ” 4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you”. (Mat 24:4 NAS)
Your soul has to be under your control, not you under control of your soul.
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance (Psalm 42).
David is talking to himself. God has interest in seeing your spirit, soul and body prosper. It is part of His plan, will and purpose for your life. Your spirit is the part of you that gets born again. It enters into relationships with God, make connection with Heaven, which Holy Spirit directs. You are responsible to keep your body in subjection. We need to make a decision to keep our soul in line with the Word. Soul consists of mind, will and emotions. Soul does not get born again, it is being renewed gradually. You have to talk to your soul. Soul does 3 things: mind processes your thoughts; thoughts affect your feelings and how you make decisions. The key to get your mind, will and emotions lined up with the Word of God and Spirit of God. This way you will correctly respond to the way God feels and will help you on your decision making. God wants you to be in control of your emotions rather than emotions controlling you. Soul is affected by the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.
Kingdom of Heaven
kingdom of darkness
New man Mind Flesh (soul man)
Soul
Emotions Will
If you depend on your natural senses to feed the information to your soul it makes you a carnal man. If you depend on your spiritual senses to tap in the Kingdom of Heaven, in makes you a spiritual man. If unconverted man taps into spiritual realm of the kingdom or darkness it is witchcraft. You have to train your new man that taps into the Kingdom of God to use spiritual senses to feed your mind.
If you understand heart - not heart that beat your blood, but the heart condition of man, the very innermost being of an individual. What is wrong that the Bible does not work? Why do we need to shift gears when a trouble comes? We have faith as long as it is not too bad, but when it become serious, it is different.
Many people are finding out, that the god they serve is not alive at all, he is not real. Many people become angered, because the thing they thought real is not real. We serve a living God.
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” (1 Corinthians 9:24)
Everybody starts to run, but only one will win this race. You are going to win. Anything in your life that is not real will hinder you from winning. Hypocrisy is not going to win, anything that is fictitious, not real. If you try to be happy and have love, and you are not really happy or don’t really love, you won’t win. What love and joy you have, you invest it, and it comes back more.
You will either submit to your thought life or it will submit to you. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7). If you think you are a failure it will come to pass. You will either submit to pride or pride will submit to you and humility will come. You will either submit to lack and poverty or they will submit to you.
John the Baptist said, “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:29-30).
In order to make room for God you have to decrease, you have to get rid of something, which hinders you. People say, “I want my faith to increase”. What are you willing to decrease?
Faith will serve you. You need to read Bible examples of how somebody was operating in faith. You can’t have faith reading all the negative things in the Bible.
Tell the Lord what you need and expect positive results. Stand your ground till you see the answer. If it did not happened right away, keep on praying. Luke 11:10: “10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” If you don’t like what your preacher says pray for him.”
People say, if you pray for money, God may give you poverty. You can’t find that in the Bible, you can find it in traditions. Yet the Bible makes it clear, that you will get what you ask for. There are certain conditions involved. What heart condition do you have? Do you have a connection with heaven? If you do not, Satan can answer your prayer.
There are lots of things in the Kingdom of God that are available to us that are really beyond all comprehension and we don’t grasp them for a lack of knowledge. Things that you can comprehend you can trust in, or get a hold of. You have to get rooted and grounded in love. You are going to get your strength from your love.
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen (Ephesians 3:17-21).
The Spirit things, so divine, the best, the greatest things in life (protection, deliverance, healing, wisdom, ability, authority) seem to most people like a desert. We spend our space on appetisers, and the main course, so when it comes to desert, to things of the Spirit, we don’t have room for it any more. But things divine can come into you is only through the vine. Jesus said, “I am the vine.”
The day you bowed your knee to the Lord He chose you to be a soldier. “All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their fathers, mighty men of valour, were seventeen thousand and two hundred soldiers, fit to go out for war and battle.” (1 Chronicles 7:11). They had the power to fight the battle. They were trained the right way.
We are the one who put a damper on God, not Him. We have reasoned ourselves weak. Apostle Paul wrote, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, …that you, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14-19). How many saints is ALL? 90%?
“Do Not Give A Place to the Devil”
