Material of Bible School "The anointing of Abundance and Excess ", Kyiv

Сourse: "The Glory"

Part 1. Obedience to The Lord Jesus

Lesson 6. Obedience to the Lord Jesus in the aspect of spiritual gifts

The basic verse of this message: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Plan

Repeating the highlights of 4 and 5 lessons

Introduction

1. Believe in Jesus - does not mean be obedient to Him

2. The use of spiritual gifts - does not mean be obedient to the Lord

Repeating the highlights of 4 and 5 lessons

• The spiritual law of sowing and reaping - it's the law, which is in the power of any kind of seed, both the curses and blessings.
• The spiritual law of sowing and reaping - it's the law, according to the rules of which operates whole spiritual world.
• If something of what you have learned in the Scriptures and used earlier is working, it does not mean that you are obedient to the Lord directly.
• 100-fold harvest while using spiritual law of sowing and reaping – does not an indicator of obedience to the Lord Jesus, it is - the result of obedience to the rules of the spiritual law.

100-fold or 60-fold, any harvest - an indicator of the spiritual work of impartial law and the written word of God and God's faithfulness to His promises. This indicates that the spiritual law of sowing and reaping works for everyone who will apply it under it's rules.

• The spiritual law of sowing and reaping is impartial.
• The absence or presence of harvest from seed sown does not mean obedience to the Lord.

• The spiritual law of sowing and reaping - it is a spiritual tool given by God to the spiritual creature, man, for taking everuthing what is necessary for life and fulfillment of God's tasks in the physical world.
• The spiritual law of sowing and reaping - it's the law, through which the Lord is ready to give to His people all they need for which the task for all born-again ("all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth") will be carried out.
• The spiritual law of sowing and reaping - to assist you with obedience to the Lord, and not otherwise. This law - is not a form obedience.

Introduction

Starting from the sixth lesson, we will talk about the connection of obedience to the Lord with spiritual gifts, and just having spiritual gifts in the aspect of obedience to the Lord is not obedience. The particular spiritual gifts we will have a touch on:

- power in the name of Jesus;

- gifts of the Holy Spirit;

- armor of God;

- the faith of God.

1. To believe in Jesus - does not mean to be obedient to Him

Let us start with the words of the Lord, which are addressed to all who receive Him as Savior and Lord: “Not every one that saith unto me, ‘Lord, Lord’…” (Matthew 7:21). Jesus in this verse is not talking about all, not about everyone who lives on earth, but a believer in God.

Attention! He tells them that if you took me as Savior and Lord - there is no guarantee that at the end of life with any of your behaviors, you are guaranteed the kingdom of heaven. No. Once again, read carefully: “Not every one that saith unto me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 7:21), Although the same Spirit of God through the Apostle Paul said: “…For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13), It looks like something contradictory. But it is not so.

• Be saved by spirit - does not mean that person is automatically good in any behavior and secured in eternal life in the kingdom of God on earth and free entrance into eternal life.

It is written: “…dearly beloved, let us cleanse (it is process) ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, (it is process) perfecting holiness in the fear of God» (2 Corinthians 7:1), and in another verse written: with «…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Attention! After salvation, the spirit has the time of grace that is given by God for each new birth for the establishment of order in other spheres of life, namely, to enter into the obedience of His plan for man.

• At the new birth, God has a definite purpose, and not only salvation.

There is a large group of people, which I'll call "believers", which, again, in their mind think that if they believe that Jesus - the Son of God, that He was and did what He told about in Bible, if they attend any form of church ministry, and periodically perform the appropriate rituals, they believe that if they occasionally pray to God in Jesus' name for their own needs, remembering Jesus for the holidays, then this is an indicator of their obedience to the Lord Jesus and God the Father. Attention! And the wisdom of the world is in every way in their minds comforting them in this and support, telling them, “That is enough to obey the Lord.” 

• Obedience to the Lord in their lives is determined by the content of their mind, and not recorded in the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit.

This is clearly shown in some regions of Ukraine, where the man who calls himself a believer is passing by a church or cathedral, pulls a cigarette from his mouth and hid it behind his back, crosses himself, and after passing a church building, takes it and continues to smoke. And what are the faces of these devout people on Christian holidays? You paint the picture of holiness and humility, but only in a church or temple. After the service, when the masks are removed, profane words, drunkenness, fornication, lying are again dominate in their life. Generally, to evaluate what the obedience to the Lord is in their mind:

• obedience to the Lord in their mind - it is to remain in the religion in which they are.

With this in their mind they are comforted and they are caught staying in the darkness of ignorance and under the rule of the kingdom of darkness.

There are others who believe in Jesus, but who nevertheless are born again and have the Holy Spirit in their spirit, but in their mind they have come under the influence of the other extreme, which in their mind is called by beautiful words: “life by grace”.

After watching them, not difficult to guess that this form of spiritual infancy is controlled by the mind. If generally to evaluate what is the obedience to the Lord in their mind, it's:

• in their mind the obedience of the Lord - is to remain in what and how they understand.

To these two groups of people can be attributed the words of James: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well …” (James 2:19). Good for you, that you believe in God, this is very good, but it is not something for which Jesus the Son of God came on earth, faith in God was on the earth, and before He came: “…the devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19) before God. 

“But wilt thou know, O vain man (or without foundation) that faith (in God) without works is dead?” (James 2:20). And then James discovers exactly what things are important to God: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” (James 2:21). Stop. Question: "Why did Abraham laid his son on the altar?" God said to him do so. That is the faith of Abraham - is not just a belief that God exists. No.

• Abraham's faith was in the performance of what has been said to him by God.

And then James notes: “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works (obedience) and by works (or through obedience to what God says) was faith (in God) made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed (was obedient to) God (performed), and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” (James 2:22-23).

Now, be careful: “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified…” (James 2:24). Stop. I repeat: James does not speak about good works, he does not talk about the law, while Abraham had no articles of the law. James speaks of deeds of obedience to the assignments from the Lord, on the implementation of what has been said by God.

“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only?” (James 2:24).

Then the question may arise: “Is faith alone is not enough for salvation?”

Attention!

• To the born again, it is enough to believe in Jesus as the Savior, but to preserve the God-given salvation – one’s faith in Jesus is not enough, you need to be obedient to Him. 

“Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, (or obedience by the words of the spies) when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?” (James 2:25). Attention! In the next verse, James makes the culmination: “For as the body (in itself) without the spirit is dead…” (James 2:26), useless for living and can not carry out God's will.

“…so faith (in God) without works (without obedience to his instructions) is dead also” (James 2:26), or for the Lord and His kingdom, both on earth and in heaven, is useless.

And now once again we read: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 7:21), and further the Lord Jesus gives the key with which we will work. His words give them detailed understanding” “…but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21). Attention!

Word from the Holy Spirit: “You accepted the Lord Jesus, not for the sake of the Lord, but for the sake of the One who sent Him. He is Who you need, and Who is available to you through the Lord Jesus, He has a plan for everyone.” It's written: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” (John 13:20), and also: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).

I also had noticed that the focus of the majority of believers - only the Lord Jesus, and that is good, do not get me wrong. But there is One who sent Him to earth, and there is something for what He had come, there is something for what He shed His Blood, is the purpose of His mission, presented in many well-known verse: “For God so loved the world…” (John 3:16) – it is the cause of all that Jesus did, and God - the initiator of all that Jesus did. Consequently:

• The Spirit of God - the gospel for a man.

“…as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16). Emmanuel - God with us.

• The purpose of the gospel - is not just for the salvation event, but for the Savior, the Holy Spirit of God's personality.

Through Jesus, in the focus of every born-again must be the Spirit of God and His will. And the will of the Father, which the LORD said, can not be viewed through the prism of any denomination. Will of the Father, that Jesus said, should be viewed in the light of Jesus, how he did it: “…but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). This tells us that:

• to accept Jesus as Savior and believe in Him, that He is - does not mean to be obedient to Him. Obedience to Jesus is considered through the fulfillment of the will of the Father.

2. The use of spiritual gifts - does not mean obedience to the Lord

Attention! In the next verse the Lord says that believers have different ideas of what it means - to do the will of God, His Father. And the reason is that, the followers of the Lord also considered the Will of the Father and in Him. Their mind presented it such way, and they have begun to do it, although Jesus said something quite different. What Jesus said next, He didn't try to blame, he brought to light and formed true priorities for those who will be born again and will be willing to be obedient to Him and God the Father. If you gather 10 or 20 people and ask them: "What does it mean to do the will of God?", each will present his own opinion, but for the person is also important to know the only true view of Jesus.

Read carefully further: “Many…” (Matthew 7:22), is not hundreds of thousands, it's more. “Many will say to me in that day…” (Matthew 7:22), the day when all humans will congregate before the Lord, to give an account for their lives in his kingdom. And this is what they will ask the Lord wondering why He has put them among the goats (Matthew 25:32): “…Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?” (Matthew 7:22). Stop.

Question: "To serve in the gift of the Holy Spirit - prophecy - is sin?". No.

The Spirit of God through the Apostle Paul says: “…brethren, covet to prophesy…” (1 Corinthians 14:39).

• To prophesy - it is the will of God.

This is an important part of the heritage of born again in the Holy Spirit. And perhaps those prophecies, which they said, have served the people, blessed the people, and considering with what astonishment heard the question, these prophecies must have come true. They saw, and they testified that they came true.

As a manifestation of the gift of prophecy and fulfillment of prophecy, to speak prophesy in their mind means that they are supposedly doing the Father's will, that they are obedient to the Lord. Therefore, in their mind, they thought it was their calling from God that the Lord speaks through them, it shows their obedience to the Lord.

And, expressing their amazement before the Lord, they were in stress: “…have we not prophesied in thy name?” (Matthew 7:22), in other words: “We said in the meeting that we have the word of the Lord Jesus. Is it not you that tld us?”

They did not have the slightest doubt in the mind that what they are doing, it is obedience to the Lord, and every question covers a multitude of certificates and thanks to people from outside. So they grew in this themselves, taught others and expanded in the ministry until the day of the Lord.

“And then…”, or after they will try to excuse, “…will I profess unto them …” (Matthew 7:23).

The question arises: “Did The Spirit of the Lord, before telling them that something, told them that there is something wrong?” Yes. He is the Spirit of truth; it is His mission to shed light. The Spirit of the Lord long ago did everything necessary, so that born-again entered into obedience to the Lord. But the born-again was so passionate about the results and his plans and did not heed emanating from the soul unrest. He saw it as the pressure of the kingdom of darkness and allegedly beat him in prayer in spirit, although, in fact, quench the Holy Spirit in the matter of obedience to the Lord.

“…I never knew you…” (Matthew 7:23).

• If a person knows Jesus, it does not mean that Jesus knows him. 

“…depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:23).

Question: "How can the influence of prophecy be lawlessness?". Such an idea in the mind rises. But Jesus called the manifestation of the gift of the Holy Spirit - prophecy - lawlessness. He called the man who saw it as his obedience to the Lord, "transgressor." What is the reason for Jesus' use of the word "transgressors" to these people who served in the gift of prophecy?

The main problem was that they did not just periodically in small groups or services have served by this gift. No. They were found using this gift in their life and ministry, to all the manifestations of this gift and as we have said, prophetic manifestation in their mind was an indicator of their obedience to the Lord Jesus. And thinking so, they began to increase in the self-promotion of the manifestation of this gift, spending ministry, meeting, opening the training practices of this gift to others. Thinking:

• “If through me the gift of the Holy Spirit manifested - the gift of prophecy, then I am obedient to the Lord.”

This idea - a trick of the wordly wisdom.

• If you have seen through the gift of the Holy Spirit - the gift of prophecy, it confirms that this gift is available to every born-again.

Attention! Build a ministry centered on this gift, to gather people around the manifestation of this gift, as well as to open the service, based on the gift of the Holy Spirit without acknowledging the Lord - this is going on in his flock, among His sheep, lawlessness. It's written: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way (and by other means), the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door (through the Lords' acknowledgement) is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” (John 10:1-3), also: “…A man can receive nothing…» (John 3:27), in the light of the verse we are examining – to organize or open the prophetic ministry of Jesus to sheep, “…except it be given him (clearance or instruction) from heaven” (John 3:27), that is, from the Lord.

In light of the above, it is now clear why Solomon three times used the word “vain”: “…Except the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build itL except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.” (Psalms 127:1-2). In vain is not for everyone, but only for that person, and in vain, because it took all his life, but in the wrong direction. In vain is not for everyone, but only for that person, and in vain, because it took all his life, but in the wrong direction.