Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 35 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and five amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has written several books, including two that are available on Amazon - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles.

Reconciliation

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The subject of this article is reconciliation, which describes God the Father restoring us to intimacy with himself.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9  And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10  For since our friendship with God [reconciliation] was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11  So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has [reconciled] made us friends of God. Romans 5:8-11 (NLT)

It could be said that everything that preceded reconciliation was done in order that God’s born-again children might be restored to intimacy with him.

Reconciliation means that we have been fully accepted into God’s family and can receive the full benefits of sonship. It is a restoration of trust and a commission of responsibility.

Trust, once it is shattered, is very difficult, sometimes impossible, to restore. We can make a decision to forgive people unconditionally, without their even requesting it or showing any signs of repentance or remorse. Trust, however, can only be repaired over time, with participation from both sides of the relationship. In a sense, it is earned. As the forgiven party proves faithful, the betrayed party may wish to bring that person close in a trust relationship. I have seen marriages restored in this way. It is a beautiful thing.

Our Father God reconciles us to himself unilaterally, based on the trustworthiness of his Son, not our own proven faithfulness. Reconciliation is a gift beyond all reasonable expectations, one we could never earn or possibly deserve.

Let me give you a practical example of the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation that may help. I hope that none of my readers or listeners will ever have to do this. A grieving relative may choose to visit a jail to offer forgiveness to the murderer of a family member. This releases the offender from any debt owed to that person. Forgiveness can be very freeing to both parties, but it does not mean that the murderer is innocent or should not suffer the consequences of his crime at the hands of the state. Our personal forgiveness does not release an offender from the verdict and judgment the judicial system may hand down. Neither does it release him or her from God’s justice. In addition, forgiving such a person does not necessarily translate into inviting them over for dinner. We can forgive a completely unrepentant and untrustworthy person, but, hopefully we would never invite such a human being into our home and expose our loved ones to him or her. Astoundingly, however, when God reconciles us to himself through his Son, he opens the door of his heart and welcomes us into his family.

Reconciliation enables us to experience the wonderful depths of Father God’s love for us.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15  the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:14-19 (NLT)

Reconciliation is what gives us free access into God’s presence.

A king would not welcome an untrustworthy enemy into his throne room, but Father God welcomes us, his former enemies, into his presence.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)

Paul even goes so far as to call the gospel the message of reconciliation.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18  And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20  So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (NLT)

God’s willingness to reconcile with his former enemies is perhaps the most wonderful and amazing aspect of the gospel. It should make us eternally thankful and should never be taken for granted.

Being God’s friend and part of his family is the highest honor and greatest privilege imaginable.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for sending your son to die for me to release me from the debt of my sin, making it possible for me to reconciled to you. Thank you for including me in your eternal family and privileging me to freely enter your presence. I am forever grateful. Amen.

Series – The Five Pillars of Salvation
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Justification

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Forgiveness is an amazing blessing, but justification may be even better.  Forgiveness might be the easiest to understand of the five aspects of our great salvation, but justification is probably the least understood. Many believers say they believe they are justified in God’s sight, but their manner of life betrays ignorance or unbelief. What is it about justification that lends itself to being misunderstood?

Justification is a legal word that might be best translated “made right with God.” In fact, the New Living Translation does this for us.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith [literally:justified], we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1 (NLT)

Justification is a judicial declaration of innocence before God at judgment, a reverberating “not guilty” verdict.

Through justification God the Father fully includes us in Christ’s right standing before him that was earned through a life of perfect obedience all the way to death on the cross.

Justification is the result of an exchange whereby our sins and guilt fell upon Christ and his perfect right standing with the Father was given to us.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)

The stark reality is that Jesus assumed the guilt and punishment for our sin to the degree that he actually “became” sin. For a short time, Jesus’ identify changed from being the Son in whom the Father was well pleased into sin itself. That is about the best I can understand this mystery.

Think of justification as a sort of witness protection program. God gives us a new identity in Christ.

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4 (NASB)

Our old identity as a inveterate rebel and enemy of God was removed. Our new identify has no record of past sins, criminal activity, convictions, or punishment. Our new identity states that we have lived with unblemished obedience to God.

This is difficult for us to believe because we are well aware of our many faults, which continue to this day. We may find it believable that our past sins have been erased, but what about the ones I may commit today or tomorrow? Are they too expunged? Do I have a “free pass” to sin at will from now on? This is where many people stop believing in justification and slip back into a works mentality, thinking that past sins have been erased, but not current or future ones. In fact, during the Middle Ages, people would sometimes wait until being near death to be water baptized, thinking it would give them a clean slate when they faced God.

What most people have not considered is that God is not restricted by time. All our sins were in the future when Jesus died on the cross. His “once for all” sacrifice took care of the sin problem past, present, and future.

It reached back into time to provide forgiveness for those who died in faith under the Old Covenant, such as Abraham and King David. It also reaches far into the future to provide eternal forgiveness to those not yet even born.

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. 11  Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12  But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13  There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14  For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. Hebrews 10:10-14 (NLT)

We do not need a new sacrifice for our new sins. Christ’s one death on the cross solved the sin problem forever. God saw all our sins before we ever committed one of them. Nothing we do surprises God. Nothing is outside the scope of Christ’s once for all time sacrifice.

Verse 14 distinguishes between justification and sanctification or transformation. Our faith in the finished work of Christ permanently justified us, but we are being transformed on a daily basis by the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. In other words, those of us who have been declared not guilty and right with God still have areas that need to be changed. Our thought life and behavior are not perfect yet, even though we have been declared perfect before God. This is part of the reason why justification is misunderstood and rejected.

Our ongoing failure to live up to our new identity in Christ through the new birth does not nullify the truth of justification. Our imperfection reveals the need for God’s grace to transform us on a daily basis so that we can behave in alignment with our new identity.

Transformation will continue until we die or Jesus returns, at which time the sanctification process will conclude. The final installment of our great salvation will be glorification, when we receive new resurrection bodies. When that happens the old internal sin factory that fights against our spirit man will no longer exist, because nothing in us will have a link to the curse associated with Adam’s sin. In the meantime…

Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Romans 8:33 (ESV)

Some people say that to be justified is to be “just as if I’d” never sinned. This is a helpful mnemonic device, but it falls short.

Justification does not merely restore us to a place of innocence. Rather, it gives to us the righteousness of Christ, who was perfectly obedient unto death.

When Abba Father looks at us, he does not see a forgiven sinner; rather, he includes us in the perfect righteousness of his Son. We are “in Christ,” so whatever he has, we have.

The practical results of justification is that we are released from condemnation, shame, and guilt.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NLT)

Very few followers of Christ believe this verse, but it is corroborated by Jesus’ own words.

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)

The reason some people do not fully accept justification is that it seems too good to be true.

Paul, who fully grasped the import of this doctrine, was accused of saying that it gave people a license to sin without fear of consequences. (Romans 3:8; 6:1,15)

The idea that justification gives us a pass to commit sin is based on the false assumption that justification is not accompanied by the new birth.

The new birth gives us a newly created spirit that is in perfect harmony with God’s will. Justified people do not want to sin at the spirit level of their being.

With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18  Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19  They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. 20  But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21  Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22  throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23  Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24  Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:17-24 (NLT)

The battle is between the justified spirit and our residual “flesh,” which is still connected to the old creation through the unresurrected body. This is why we are in need of transformation as we await the resurrection.

While born again children of God will not be condemned for acquiescing to the old sinful man within, we can expect to be disciplined, as any good parent provides for disobedient children for their own good.

This is no light thing. In addition, our future reward in heaven will be tied to how we cooperate with the Spirit in the transformation process.

Justification is the secret to walking in the Spirit. When we understand that we already live in the Spirit, it gives us the faith that we are able to walk out our new identity as part of the transformation process.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 (ESV)

Justification releases us from the impossible task of trying to be perfect. It gives us the freedom to approach God in our current “imperfection” because we know that God sees us as being perfect in Christ.

When we sin, we know we are not condemned for it, even though we need to repent and turn away from it. Understanding and believing the truth of justification is a big key to experiencing a joyful life as a Christian. Far too many people miss out on it. How about you? Do you believe justification is real? Do you live in its glorious freedom?

Prayer

Father God, thank you for sending your Son to die for my sin and guilt. I accept his right standing with you as a free gift. Thank you that you love me as your child and I will never be condemned by you. Help me to live in the freedom and joy of that reality. Holy Spirit, I submit myself to you and the ongoing process you began in my life to make me more like Jesus. Help me to walk in obedience and dependence upon you every day. I thank you that your grace is sufficient for every challenge I will face. Amen.

Series – The Five Pillars of Salvation
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Redemption

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Not only do we desperately need to be forgiven; we also need to be bought back and set free from what holds us captive, which is called redemption.

I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” 23  Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done this wondrous thing. Shout for joy, O depths of the earth! Break into song, O mountains and forests and every tree! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob and is glorified in Israel. Isaiah 44:22-23 (NLT)

In the Bible, to redeem means to buy back from slavery in order to set free.

Sin was the means that Satan used to enslave us. He used our transgression against God to strip us of our legal rights and make us slaves. Thankfully, Christ used his authority and power to liberate us from bondage to sin and the devil. He is the great Liberator.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, Luke 4:18 (ESV)

Sin is not only something we do; it is also a power within us that generates evil and rebellion against God.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22  I love God’s law with all my heart. 23  But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24  Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25  Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:21-25 (NLT)

Everyone comes into the world with a propensity to sin. It is what the Bible calls the “old man” because it is the inherited part of us connected to Adam and his fall from grace. The more God’s righteous Law prohibiting us from sinning, the stronger the urge in us becomes to violate that law. (Romans 7:8) The is called the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2) . Paul the apostle understood the power of sin very well. Anyone who seriously attempts to live in obedience to God’s commands will discover the same.

This is what Paul wrote from his own experience.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:21–25 (NLT)

When Jesus died and rose again, he broke the power of sin to rule our lives.

When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11  So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. 12  Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13  Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14  Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Romans 6:10-14 (NLT)

The part of us that is drawn to sin was not annihilated, but it lost its power to rule us.

According to the Bible, every born again believer has been set free from all that enslaved us, whether or not he or she has yet to fully experience that reality.

Sin is a many-faceted oppressor. The wages of sin is death in all its forms, which appear as physical death, sickness, legalism, dead religious traditions, racism, demonic oppression, addictions, generational sins, etc. Christ paid the price to set us free from all these things.

With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Hebrews 9:12 (NLT)

After being forgiven, we enter into a process called “sanctification” or “transformation,” which lasts for the rest of our lives here on earth. The Holy Spirit works within each believer to transform us into Christ’s image.

God wants us to experience freedom from everything that holds us in bondage. He already paid the redemption price.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33  “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” 34  Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:31-36 (NLT)

There is much to say about how God sets us free. He wants us to be delivered to lies we believe that create internal bondage. He also wants us to learn how to live in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, rather than attempt to serve him in our own strength. The process of being set free and learning to live each day by grace takes a lifetime. If you want to read more about how God sets people free, click here.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for redeeming me and setting me free. I want to experience this freedom in a greater way. I give you all the areas of my life in which I still need to experience this freedom. (List these things before the Lord.) Holy Spirit, guide me into freedom. Amen.

Series – The Five Pillars of Salvation
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Three Calls from God

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God issues three basic calls to his people, each of which resonates deeply in the hearts of those who love him. Each is tied firmly to God’s eternal purpose to glorify his Son, and each is a doorway into joy and fulfillment in life. Jesus combined all three in one beautiful sentence.

...“Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”  Matthew 4:19 (NLT)

Come… Follow… Fish. Each call invites us deeper into our relationship with God. Each has a higher personal cost associated with it, and each brings us to a new level of fulfillment and joy. Disciples embrace all three.

Come: The Call to Belong

The call to come is the gospel invitation to be forgiven, loved, and included in God’s own family through the new birth.

The call to belong to God satisfies our deepest longing and answers our identity question. No longer do we need to wonder who are we. We are beloved children of God.

And you... have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. Romans 1:6 (NLT)

People experience belonging in marriage, family, church, social clubs, and all sorts of other groups, but nothing is able to ultimately satisfy our deepest longing outside of belonging to God. Belonging to God automatically makes us belong to everyone else who belongs to God.

When Jesus launched his mission to die for our sins as God’s Lamb and recover all that Adam lost, as the risen Lord, God the Father spoke from heaven.

..."This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." Matthew 3:17 (NASB)

Jesus knew (and knows) beyond a shadow of doubt where he stands with his heavenly Father, but sin and Satan seek to block us from knowing and experiencing God’s love, acceptance, and favor. Until we put our faith and allegiance in Christ, our sin actually does separate us from God. Up to that point, our sense of rejection is a self-imposed reality connected to our rejection of God and his rule in our lives.

Our biggest problem, deepest fear, and loneliest prospect is a life and an eternity separated from God.

Since Father God understands our plight and loves us deeply, he sent Jesus to earth to repair the breach and issue an invitation to be reconciled to God.

Listen to Jesus’ wonderful call to belong.

...“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

The first and most fundamental call anyone can receive from God is the gospel call to become sons and daughters of God through the new birth.

It is a call to belong to God’s family and to be loved and accepted by our heavenly Father. The only way this is possible is because Jesus paid the price for our sin and rebellion. When we put our faith and allegiance in Christ, Jesus shares his relationship with Abba Father with us.

Corresponding Baptism

There are three baptisms mentioned in the New Testament. The one which corresponds to the gospel call to belong is the baptism into the body of Christ which is done by the Holy Spirit at the new birth. 

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 1 Corinthians 12:13–14 (NKJV)

This spiritual baptism makes us one with Christ and his people.

But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NKJV)
Action Point

If you have never done so before, now is the time to respond to the gospel invitation to become a child of God. Jesus did the hard part on the cross, but we have our own responsibility in the matter. His hand is extended to offer us the gift of life. Our part is to reach out and receive that gift.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 (ESV)
Prayer

Jesus, I receive you as my Lord and Savior. I believe you died for my sins and rose again as my Lord. I give you my life and receive yours. Thank you for reconciling me to Father God and making me a part of your eternal family. Amen.

Follow: The Call to Allegiance

Being loved and part of God’s family is deeply satisfying. Being faithful and loyal to Jesus fulfills another fundamental desire we all have – to be approved.

...and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." Matthew 3:17 (NASB)

First and foremost, we are human beings, not human doings. We must first discover who we are through the new birth before we can move forward. However, God did not create us merely to exist. He also intends for us to do good works of faith and love.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (NASB)

We do not do good works to gain God’s approval and favor, which are a free gift. Our approval by God is first and foremost based on Christ’s performance on our behalf. He kept the law of God perfectly and served his Abba Father without deviation all the way to the cross.

When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, his right standing with God and the approval attached to his perfect obedience are credited to our spiritual “bank account”.

This is called justification, the judicial act of God’s imputing or crediting Christ’s righteousness to those who believe.

That’s the “being” part. In addition, because we are new creations in Christ, who already have a right standing with God and his approval, we (super)naturally desire to do good works. The indwelling Holy Spirit inspires and enables us to carry them out.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit enables us to live and experience what has been given to us through justification.

He works to translate our inner identity into outward performance. In other words, through what is called sanctification or transformation we start to think and act more and more like Christ. We participate in this process by consecrating, dedicating, or surrendering ourselves to Christ’s lordship and the inner work of God’s Spirit.

This ongoing act of cooperating in the transformation process is a “work” of faith on our part.

When some of his disciples asked Jesus what works God wanted them to do, here is what our Lord said.

..."This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." John 6:29 (NASB)

The Greek verb pisteuo, which is translated “believe,” also carries the fundamental idea of allegiance.

It is a lot more than mere agreement with a set of doctrines or belief that Jesus lived, died, and rose again. Faith or belief in Jesus that does not include faithfulness or allegiance to him and his Word is mere lip service and is not biblical faith. Jesus’ call to follow him is a call to show allegiance to him above all else. This requires us to surrender our will to his. When we choose to do this by faith, the Holy Spirit helps us to enter into an experience of Christ’s allegiance to his heavenly Father.

By coming into alignment with Christ’s obedience through the Spirit’s help, we gain a deeper experience of God’s approval that previously was simply a free gift to us.

In other words, God imputes (credits to our account) Christ’s righteousness, but he also wants us to experience living out that righteousness. Some say this is when what was imputed becomes imparted.

Corresponding Baptism

The call to allegiance is our invitation to make a public declaration to loyally follow the One who called us to belong.

Following Jesus means we attach ourselves to him personally and follow his teachings. It means we seek to be continually “led by the Spirit.” It means we no longer belong to ourselves: we belong to God. Our first loyalty and allegiance is to Jesus. This is much different from merely being called a Christian or being a church goer. It means we seriously commit ourselves to Christ and are not ashamed to be known as one of his disciples.

Water baptism is our formal declaration of allegiance to Jesus. In it we lay aside our past self-directed way of living and launch ourselves into a life on mission.

Action Point

Receiving Jesus as Savior can be done privately, but the call to follow requires a public identification with our Lord. He wants us to unashamedly declare our allegiance to him.

I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. 9  But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God’s angels. Luke 12:8-9 (NLT)

Water baptism is the perfect setting for us to do this. If you have never publicly declared allegiance to Christ, why not right now? If you have never been baptized in water, that is something that should be at the very top of your priority list.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for dying for me. This cost you everything, but required nothing from me. Now I see how important it is for me to respond to your love by giving myself back to you. I choose to follow you. I declare allegiance to you. Holy Spirit, help me to be loyal and unashamed of Jesus and the gospel from this day forward. Amen.

Fish: The Call to Mission

Some of Jesus’ first disciples were fishermen, whose trade or job was catching fish. It was what they did. Success for them would be measured by the number of fish they caught in a day. For men in general, our jobs often highly influence our self-concept. In most conversations among men, when we first meet, the question usually arises, “What kind of work do you do?”

No matter what our mission or job in life has been up to this point, Jesus gives his followers a new responsibility – fishing for people.

Jesus’ mission was multi-faceted. He was and is the perfect representation of what Father God is like. He lived in an exemplary way to illustrate what a God-directed and God-glorifying life looks like. He also came to die for our sins as God’s Lamb and to rise again as the exalted Lord of Lords. Finally, as the ascended Lord of the harvest, his continuing mission is to add large numbers of people to God’s family through the church preaching the gospel message. The way he accomplishes this is to pour out his Spirit upon his people and send us to keep working at what he began until the day he returns as the glorious Son of Man, who will judge the world in righteousness.

Responding to the first two calls of God prepares us for mission and propels us into fishing for people and making them into disciples.

God did not create us to be insignificant. He calls us to be actively on mission with him.

God created Adam and Eve to first of all love him and fellowship with him, but from the beginning he gave them a job to do – to be fruitful and multiply and rule over his creation. The church has the same mandate. Another way to put this is that he did not save us simply to go to church and eventually get to heaven. In between being born again and the death of our bodies, we have a mission – to go and make disciples.

Most missional activity takes place outside the church building.

Being on mission is a 24/7 calling. It causes us to look on our neighbors and community with new eyes. Being on mission asks us to be alert to the prompting of the Spirit, in expectation that he will open up doors of opportunity to meet and influence people toward God’s kingdom everyday.

God gave us new life so we can join him in his worldwide mission to fish for, catch, and disciple people.

Jesus formally announced the call to mission just before he ascended into heaven, when he gave his disciples and us what we now call the Great Commission.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19  "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)

The call to belong to God’s family is relatively pain free for us, but it cost Jesus everything. For us, it is mainly about discovering how much God loves us. The greatest number of people who call themselves Christians respond to this call. The call to loyally follow Christ introduces the cost associated with identifying with our Lord publicly and keeping his commandments, and fewer accept this call. It is an invitation to die to ourselves and live for our Lord and God’s glory. There usually are more people who identify themselves as Christians than as loyal followers of Christ.

The call to mission is the most costly of all, and fewer still embrace a Great Commission lifestyle. The call to mission invites us to expend ourselves for others for Jesus’ sake. It is our call to have great significance by having great impact in the world and others’ lives.

Because Jesus was God’s own son, and because he always did what pleased his Father, he was someone very significant. His words were to be heeded, just as the Father said when he spoke from heaven.

He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Matthew 17:5 (ESV)

When we share the good news of the Gospel, we become extremely significant, too. People should listen to us because we speak for God himself.

The devil will resist our responding to the Gospel’s call to belong because he wants you and me to be eternally lost. He will also resist our responding to the call to surrender our lives to Jesus’ lordship because he knows that will make us dangerous people with respect to his kingdom of darkness. He most firmly and fiercely resists any person or group who commits to being on mission because he knows that such a commitment will bring many others into the kingdom of God.

Corresponding Baptism and Action Point

One of the first steps to embracing the call to mission is to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which equips and empowers us to proclaim the Gospel boldly with signs following.

…he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5  John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” ... 8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:4-8 (NLT)

If you have never asked for this free gift, right now is the perfect time. Like all of God’s gifts, it is received by faith. It is for all of his children, and its purpose is to enable and empower us to fulfill the Great Commission.

You can read more about this amazing gift by clicking here.

Prayer

Jesus, I accept your call to mission. I ask you to baptize me in the Holy Spirit to equip and empower me to be your witness. I accept the call to be part of the solution to this world’s dark problems. Set up Holy Spirit encounters with people who will be open to the gospel. Help me to faithfully disciple my family and any others who respond to the gospel. Help me to get involved in my community to be salt and light in any capacity you choose, Lord. Amen.

Conclusion

I hope that you will respond to each of the three calls of God on your life. If you are interested in learning more about what it means to be a modern missionary right where you live, check out my other articles. If you do not have a church home and live in the Burlington, NC area, consider LifeNet. We are doing our best to help people respond to God’s three calls and accept the responsibility of being Great Co-Missionaries. Blessings to you on your discipleship journey!

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Propitiation

aspects

Propitiation is the first aspect of our great salvation. A mountain range can be viewed from several vantage points, each one providing a unique view of the same group of mountains. What Jesus accomplished through his life, death, resurrection, ascension, and coming return is and will be so spectacular and comprehensive that it cannot be contained in a single Bible idea or word. Therefore, I have divided it into five aspects or parts. 

Under the New Covenant, we use the word “salvation” to describe in general what our Lord accomplished on our behalf, but the meaning of that word is so broad that important details can be lost. When my eyes were first opened to Christ’s lordship and I was born again, I did not understand all of what I will share in the following teachings in this series. We don’t have to understand everything in order to benefit from it. Our bodies’ immune systems work whether we understand how or not, but, when we gain understanding, it makes us appreciate God’s genius. If I were told that someone gave me a gift, I would be grateful, but if I later discovered that the gift was far more magnificent than I would have ever dreamed, then my appreciation would skyrocket. Over the years, as I have grown in understanding of what the Bible calls our “great salvation,” I have gained more and more appreciation for Jesus and what he did for us.

The teachings in this series are intended to increase our understanding, appreciation, and faith in what God accomplished on our behalf through Christ.

Propitiation or Atonement

Most people think of forgiveness as the essence of salvation. It is certainly the beginning, the first step toward the ultimate goal. Rather than settle for that familiar word, however, I choose to use another theological concept – propitiation. God’s is justly full of wrath because of our betrayal of him. He lovingly created us, provided everything we would ever need, sustains us every moment, and desires a relationship with him built on mutual trust. He designed us to be dependent upon him in the best sort of way. Satan spoiled everything by leading Adam and Eve to throw all of that away in pursuit of a godless self-directed life. Basically, the turned their backs on God and followed Satan, God’s worst enemy. Sin entered our lives, separating us from God and condemning us to an eternity outside of his love and presence. We were lost, without God, and without hope. In that situation, God sent his Son, our Lord Jesus the Messiah, to come as God’s Lamb to take our condemnation and punishment upon himself by dying for our sins. Once God’s righteous anger against our sin was satisfied, he was able to forgive us of our previously unpayable debt. This entire process is called propitiation.

Propitiation is the satisfaction of God’s wrath by making a blood sacrifice.

It is what Jesus did on the cross to appease the terrible wrath of God against sin. The result of Christ’s sacrifice is that all who place their trust in him are made right (or “at one” – at-one-ment) with God and forgiven.

For some moderns, this sounds barbaric and out of sync with current ideas of a loving God. Some attempt to make a distinction between the “angry,” “violent” God of the Old Testament and the “forgiving” God represented by Jesus. But this overlooks the violence and blood letting that took place on Good Friday.

God can only be merciful to us because Jesus absorbed God’s wrath by taking upon himself our guilt and punishment.

All the Old Covenant sacrifices painted a picture of what was to come and were a temporary means of delaying God’s wrath until the appointed day when God’s Lamb would be sacrificed.

For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26  for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. Romans 3:25-26 (NLT)

Just as John the Baptist announced, Jesus was / is the Lamb of God who took / takes away the sins of the world through shedding his blood on our behalf. Without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness.

...without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22b (NASB95)

Those who discount or dismiss the concept of propitiation, show that they neither understand God’s holiness nor the horror of sin.

Sin is an affront to the character and being of God – a slap in his face. God has a holy and just wrath against sin and the blasphemous rebellion that began in the garden and continues to this day.

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2 (ESV)

Faith in his atoning death is our only means of escape from God’s just wrath. There is no other way to be restored to the Father (John 14:6), and no other way to be saved (Acts 4:12) By suffering as an innocent Lamb, Jesus propitiated (appeased) God’s wrath, the first step in allowing us to be restored to a right relationship with Him. Every other aspect of our salvation hinges upon Jesus’ obtaining forgiveness for us.

I have heard people say that God forgives us because that is “his job.” No it is not. God is just. He cannot simply forgive. A price has to be paid. Never take for granted the enormity of the cost for us to be forgiven!

I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross… Here I am to Worship by Michael W. Smith

Prayer

Father God, I see now that I need to receive what Jesus did for me. Thank you, Lord, for laying down your life as a sacrifice for my sins. I joyfully accept that payment made in my behalf to wash away the stain and guilt of my sins. I surrender my life to you, knowing that such a loving Savior can be trusted in all things. Amen.

Series – The Five Pillars of Salvation
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How God Moves Us from Fear to Faith

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This is the eleventh article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. I sometimes use other names for this ministry, such as Personal Prayer Ministry and Biblical Healing and Deliverance. The adjective "wonderful" is used because Jesus is the "wonderful Counselor" of Isaiah 9:6. This ministry attempts to make room for Jesus to personally counsel people by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit, with human ministers acting as facilitators. This makes it different from most counseling. It is highly effective at teaching the recipient how to hear the voice of the Spirit and to receive his life giving words.

 

The account of Gideon in Judges is a wonderful example of how God can move us from fear to faith. The opening scene in Judges 6 shows Gideon threshing wheat in a wine press. Wine presses were located in valleys which made them generally less visible to prying eyes. Wheat was usually threshed on top of hills where there likely would be more of a breeze to separate the heavy wheat from the lighter chaff, when the mixture was thrown into the air. Gideon chose to work in the less efficient wine press for fear that Israel’s enemies, the invading Midianites, might see him, steal his crops, and perhaps even injure or kill him. He was a fearful and oppressed person who was intimidated by his oppressor – not a likely candidate for being a hero.

The angel of the Lord stood under a tree watching all this, most likely a little amused because he knew what was coming. God’s sense of humor can be found throughout the Bible. If we need more proof, consider that he made you and me.

God loves to choose unlikely people to accomplish the seemingly impossible because it gives him pleasure, fulfillment to us, and brings glory to his name.

God selected Gideon to lead Israel to victory over apparently insurmountable odds. The Lord picked a man who was fearful, insecure, and small in his own eyes, a man who at the time had very little faith in God because he believed some very big lies.

Imagine Gideon’s surprise when he heard the angel’s greeting.

The LORD’s messenger appeared and said to him, “The LORD is with you, courageous warrior!” Judges 6:12 (NET1)

Gideon must have been taken aback by this announcement because he believed neither of these things. He saw no evidence that God was with him and certainly did not believe he was a courageous warrior. When God starts to work on destroying the lies in which we trust, he doesn’t beat around the bush. By addressing Gideon in this way, the Lord prompted Gideon to state what he believed on a heart level.

Exposing the Lie

Getting the lie into the open is a great first step toward freedom.

Gideon said to him, “Pardon me, but if the LORD is with us, why has such disaster overtaken us? Where are all his miraculous deeds our ancestors told us about? They said, ‘Did the LORD not bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian.” Judges 6:13 (NET1)

Let’s look at some of the key words: if, why, where, and but. We often reveal the lies we believe when we use these words.

Satan loves to insert an “if” into the equation to inspire doubt in God’s character, God’s promise, and God’s plan.

The “if” was derived from the why and where. Gideon showed that he depended on his own powers of deduction rather than on God’s character and promises. Paul called this a “stronghold” – a logical speculation or argument derived from our experience or observations that prevents us from knowing and trusting in God. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6) Gideon saw that disaster had overcome Israel and that no known miracles had taken place in his day. This led him to conclude or speculate that God was no longer on Israel’s side and that he was not doing anything powerful at all. This logical argument stood between him and the experience of deliverance and freedom. It blocked him initially from simply believing God’s word to him.

The “but” surfaced the lie in which Gideon trusted: God had abandoned Israel, he thought, leaving them powerless against their enemies.

In Gideon’s lie-based worldview, God was not present and Israel had no hope, thereby providing Gideon with no basis for faith from which to derive courage.

The lie was now out in the open, as was Gideon’s unbelief. Gideon had been paralyzed by lies of abandonment and powerlessness, two of the most prevalent lies we all must face and conquer.

Once the embedded lie is exposed, the Lord desires to speak his truth into our lives, which will demolish the stronghold, if we hear, receive, believe, and act on it.

The devil loves to hide in the darkness, and he wants our lie-based arguments and speculations to swirl around in our minds pulling us deeper into the abyss of unbelief, fear, and confusion. Once these lies are exposed to the light of God’s truth, they tend to dissipate like the morning mist.

Lies cannot coexist with truth, just as darkness and light cannot exist side by side.

The Power of a Personal Word from God

God’s answer to Gideon was a “rhema” word to him. I use the Greek word for “word,” “rhema,” to describe the experience of God’s revealing himself and his eternally true logos Word to us by the Spirit. In other words, a “rhema” word makes the eternally true “logos” Word found in the Bible both personal and faith inspiring.

A personal “rhema” revelation of truth has the power to destroy lies and transform us.

God’s rhema word to Gideon invited him to see things as God did and to believe the truth that the Lord was still with him and is much bigger than any fear or enemy.

Then the LORD himself turned to him and said, “You have the strength. Deliver Israel from the power of the Midianites! Have I not sent you?” Judges 6:14 (NET1)

We should pay close attention to what happened in this verse. Suddenly it was no longer God’s messenger speaking: now it was the Lord himself. My next sentence is one of the biggest keys to being set free. This truth is able to unlock some of the strongest prison doors.

In order for us to be delivered from deeply embedded lies, we must hear the Lord himself speak his truth to our hearts.

This is called revelation in the Bible and comes via the Holy Spirit.

God can speak through another person, a Bible verse or passage, or by his Spirit in the inner recesses of our hearts. In this case, it was through a pre-incarnational appearance of the Lord. God’s rhema to Gideon smashed both of the lies in which Gideon trusted: God had not abandoned him or Israel, and Gideon was not powerless because God was with him.

When the Light of the world, Jesus, enters our hearts, darkness is dispelled.

God himself told Gideon that he had the strength to deliver Israel and gave him the command to go do it. Gideon still has his doubts, however, because there were yet more lies to be confronted.

Gideon said to him, “But Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.” 16 The LORD said to him, “Ah, but I will be with you! You will strike down the whole Midianite army.” Judges 6:15-16 (NET1)

“But Lord!” How contradictory are these two words when used side by side! Here Gideon revealed that his calculations did not include God at all. He still saw things through the lens of his own inadequacies and failed to factor in God’s ability and power. (Don’t we all tend to do this?) When we make excuses for not doing what God commands us, it reveals that we believe that God is either not with us or not up to the task of enabling us.

Our unbelief clearly indicates we doubt either God’s trustworthiness, power, or his love – or maybe all three.

In other words, unbelief impugns God’s character and negates his power; whereas, faith upholds both.

Only faith glorifies God. Peter Block wrote in his book, The Answer to How Is Yes, that when we commit to do something, negativity evaporates and we begin to use our faith to become creative problem solvers.  The “how” of unbelief does not calculate on God and makes excuses for disobedience; whereas, the “yes” of faith moves forward in obedience trusting that God will somehow come through.

When the Lord reaffirmed that he would be with Gideon, he revealed the key to living the faith life – God is always with us.

Jesus is Immanuel – God with us. I cannot overemphasize the importance of this truth.

The root of many deeply embedded lies is a deep sense of abandonment by God.

This derives from humanity’s actual separation from him in the Garden of Eden because of our sin. But Genesis 3:15 reveals that God never actually abandoned us at all. He promised Adam and Eve that one of their descendants would crush the head of the serpent – Satan. This is the Bible’s first messianic promise.

Because Jesus, our Messiah and Immanuel, died and rose again, no one who believes in him needs to experience life apart from God any longer. (John 14:16)

When we imagine that we do, it reveals how far we still have to go in our understanding of grace and how sinfully independent our thinking still is.

Amazingly, God allows us to collaborate with him in life and when we face obstacles. This is one of the great joys of being a follower of Christ. We are not alone any longer! God delights to use us, even though, ultimately, all the glory will go to him, because he alone is able to pull off the miracle. What a joy for us to be his partner! When God allows us to participate, he shares his power, glory, and honor with us in a similar fashion as the moon shares the sun’s glorious radiance. The moon has no light of its own, yet it shines beautifully in the night sky. We have no power or glory of our own, yet we can win great victories when we obey God and trust him completely.

God’s grace shines through us, despite our weaknesses.

But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. 10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NET1)

When God made Gideon a promise that he would be with him, it should have confirmed to him that God was loyal and loving toward him; but, he was still not convinced of where he stood with God. This is a common problem for many of us – yes, even with Bible-believing followers of Christ. Because we are at least partially aware of our own faults and shortcomings, we cannot imagine that God could be truly pleased with us or use us in any significant way.

This shows that we have negated God’s gracious promises with a lie-based argument, which causes us to miss a central point of the gospel of grace. No one can possibly be good enough to please God: that is why Jesus had to die for us.

The mindset that God cannot use us is sinful and must be repudiated.

When we receive the benefits of the finished work of Christ by faith, not only are we forgiven, but we are completely reconciled to God. We become members of God’s family and true friends. God provides the Spirit of his Son to indwell us. We have been given the Son of God’s relationship with the Father, minus the divinity part; therefore, when God looks at us, he is as pleased with us as he is with his Son.

Consequently, because of our relationship with God, our commission to be his representatives on the earth, and the  indwelling Spirit, we are able to do whatever he tells us.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:15-16 (NET1)

But Gideon did not know this, since he lived in a time before Christ’s death and resurrection. Even though God told him he was highly favored, he still wanted further proof.

So Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. Judges 6:17 (NASB)

If you are like me, you might be thinking that God was beginning to get a little impatient with Gideon, as he did with Moses when he made excuse after excuse. But that was not the case. God was calling and commissioning Gideon to do the impossible; so, he was willing to corroborate his word to him.

The greater the task the more willing is God to make it plain to us. He knows that our faith needs bolstering.

Gideon offered the Lord a sacrifice, which God accepted by consuming it on the spot with fire in which the angel disappeared from sight. Gideon promptly went from doubt that it was God to doubt as to whether he would continue to live after seeing God. You have to admit this is at least a little humorous. After receiving an assurance that he would not die, Gideon built an altar to the Lord there, naming it “Jehovah-Shalom” – the Lord is peace, security, wholeness, success, or prosperity. All of the these concepts are rolled up into one word – shalom. I like how the New English Translation translates Jehovah-Shalom: “The Lord is on friendly terms with me.”

God took Gideon from doubting his good intentions to worshiping him for showing shalom towards his servant.

By revealing himself as Jehovah-Shalom, God shattered the foundation of several strongholds at once.

Once again, God revealed himself personally with a “rhema” word. He nullified the lie that God did not favor Israel or Gideon. He broke the power of the lie that God is not able to give victory over his circumstances and fears. Shalom declared that God was the provider of financial well being, healing, success, victory, and peace. Gideon’s faith in these truths would later be tested even further; so, Gideon could come to know this amazing God of shalom better.

Faith grows when it is tested, just as muscles are strengthened by exertion.

The Lord moved quickly on the heels of Gideon’s breakthrough revelation. It is important for us to realize that God does not reveal himself to us just for fun. It is to prepare us for what he has called us to do. That same night God gave Gideon his first big job, one that confronted his remaining fears to the core. I find it ironic and intensely interesting that God would reveal himself as Gideon’s peace (shalom) just before commissioning him to fight.

Peace is not the absence of conflict. It is the presence of God that gives us the courage to fight the Lord’s battles.

That night the LORD said to him, “Take the bull from your father’s herd, as well as a second bull, one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s Baal altar and cut down the nearby Asherah pole. 26 Then build an altar for the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold according to the proper pattern. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt sacrifice on the wood from the Asherah pole that you cut down.” Judges 6:25-26 (NET1)

In the afterglow of finding out that God favored him and was with him, Gideon was told to provoke the anger of the local idol worshipers, which included members of his own family. This man who went out of his way to stay hidden from danger now was told to stir up trouble and bring down the wrath of the community upon his head. Gideon obeyed, but stuck to his old ways of trying to stay hidden. He did the deed at night with the help of ten associates.

The command to build an altar on top of the idolatrous stronghold is especially significant. Not only does God intend to smash our lie-based strongholds, but he plans to transform their rubble into a place of worship for us, building an altar faith and devotion to God upon which we can give ourselves unreservedly to him.

From the rubble of our smashed strongholds likely will emerge our ministry to the Lord and other people.

As expected, the local townspeople threatened Gideon, but God preserved his life. His name was changed to Jerub-Baal, meaning “let Baal contend with him.” In other words, he became known for his brave and confrontational act of destroying the idols that offended God. God insulated him from men’s threats and violence by personally defending him. His own father, a former idolater-in-chief, defended his son when an angry mob wanted to harm him. God was indeed his “shalom.”

But this test was only the “warm up.” Next God told him to confront and defeat a vast horde of Midianites which oppressed Israel. In a very short time God took Gideon from fearing those invaders to becoming the captain of the minuscule force that defeated them. What an amazing turn around! But this next task required that Gideon become even more convinced that God was with him.

Strongholds run deep. Even though Gideon had obtained some deliverance, he still battled unbelief and fear, as is often the case with us. How could he be sure that this command was really the Lord? When the Lord asks us to do things within our “comfort zone,” we may obey him fairly promptly; but, when he tells us to do something of which we are afraid, suddenly we are not sure if it’s really the Lord! That is probably why God “broke in” Gideon with a lesser task first before sending him against a huge army.

If we are predisposed to unbelief because of our fears, we may lack confidence that we really have heard the Lord or have difficulty accepting even the most obvious confirmations. Fear lacks the ability to think clearly.

Understanding this human frailty, the Lord was very patient with our reluctant hero. When Gideon asked him for a double reverse sign involving a fleece, God obliged both times. On top of that, God even came up with a further sign to help fortify Gideon’s faith. He told him to venture near the enemy’s camp, where he heard one of the enemy soldiers voice his interpretation of an ominous dream in which he predicted that Gideon and his army would prevail over them in battle. This was all Gideon needed. Gideon promptly marched back into camp and spoke rousing words of faith to his men.

When Gideon heard the report of the dream and its interpretation, he praised God. Then he went back to the Israelite camp and said, “Get up, for the LORD is handing the Midianite army over to you!” Judges 7:15 (NET1)

Isn’t it interesting that Gideon put more stock in a dream’s interpretation than he did in God’s direct promise? May God give us more reliance on his Word than in anything else!

But we get ahead of ourselves. God had previously reduced the size of Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300, saying:

…“With the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver the whole army and I will hand Midian over to you. The rest of the men should go home.” Judges 7:7 (NET1)

God really does have a sense of humor, but I am sure it did not seem so at the time to Gideon. After thoroughly convincing Gideon that it was really He giving him the command to destroy the Midianites, God removed 99% of his army, giving the following reason:

… “You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag, ‘Our own strength has delivered us.’’ Judges 7:2 (NET1)

This is one of the ways God operates. He convinces us to sign on to his program and then removes from us some of the resources we thought we could count on. He does this so that we can learn to trust in him alone.

Even before reducing the size of the army, Israel was hugely outnumbered, but now the odds were ridiculous from a human point of view. If God did not do a major miracle, Gideon would go down in history as one of the biggest fools who ever lived. This must have been why God obliged him with the two fleece confirmations and gave him the interpretation of the enemy’s dream. Gideon needed to know that this adventure with God was legitimate. His life and that of his men, as well as Israel’s freedom, depended on it.

Well, if you don’t know the rest of the story, it’s in Judges 7. As you might have guessed, Gideon, with God’s help, triumphed and became one of the great heroes of Israel.

When we cooperate with God by allowing him to help us conquer our fears by smashing our strongholds of lies and unbelief, it is no telling what great things can be accomplished in God’s kingdom.

Maybe God has a Gideon-sized job for you? If so, you likely have a Gideon-sized set of embedded lies that need uprooting. Don’t be surprised if God requires you confront your fears head on. Draw near to him and let the Lord speak his loving truth into those hidden places in your heart. The truth will set you free.

Go back to Part 10.

Read Part 12: An Introduction to Overcoming Generational Devastation

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Whose Money Is It?

god and money

The first and most important question that we must ask and answer, if we want to have a right relationship with our money with regard to the Lord, is “Whose money is it?”

  1. Is it all mine?
  2. Is 90% of it mine, after I give the Lord his 10%, or
  3. Does it all belong to the Lord?
  4. And, of course, the final choice – “I don’t know.”

Judging by the giving habits of many church goers, the answer is #1. Among those who have discovered the blessings associated with giving back to God, many accept the Old Covenant tithe (10%) as the normative level for their giving. But what about that other 90%? Is that mine to do with as I please, or is it God’s for me to manage as he pleases? Many have discovered the liberating truth that all our money and everything else we have, including life itself, is on loan to us from God. It all belongs to him, and we are assigned to manage it well.

So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. Luke 14:33 (NLT)

GollumA disciple is someone who lets go of everything for the Lord’s sake. When God puts something in our hands to steward, we are tempted to think of it as our own. Think Gollum in Lord of the Rings – “my precious.” We forget from whom it came and to whom it ultimately belongs. When we die, we take nothing with us. It is wise to hold on to what God has given us with an open hand. Be ready to let it go.

I am reminded of when my children were small, and we would go to McDonald’s to eat. I would pay for their meals and later ask if I could have a french fry – just one. Sometimes the answer was “no.” They did not want to share what had been given to them with the one who gave it. That’s how we are with money quite often because we just don’t understand.

Pure selfishness might be the motivator, but often fear is behind our refusal to release ownership of our money. We doubt that we will have enough for ourselves; so, we hold tightly to what is “ours.” The only problem is that it’s not really ours. It’s God’s to be used as he sees fit. What if we handled all of our money as if it were God’s? Would it make a difference in how we spend, save, or give it away? Most likely. But if we treat our finances as if we are accountable only to ourselves, we might easily miss out on God’s best, or, worse, end up handling it very poorly.

The first step in gaining financial freedom is to recognize that all of our money belongs to God and act accordingly.

We will see what this looks like in coming articles. Until then, why not tell God that now that you realize that of your money, all of it, and everything else you have, belong to him, and he can do with it as he sees fit? Sounds scary? Only because we don’t trust him or realize how loving and generous he is. It’s time for us to let go of our wallets and exchange fear for faith in God’s faithfulness.

To access the entire series on the Disciple and Money, click here.

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The Ten Principles of Tithing

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So far in this series I have looked at the disciple’s relationship to money from a number of angles. Now it’s time to consider tithing, which simply means giving a tenth of our income to God and his kingdom work.

Tithing Is an Acknowledgement of God’s Authority over our Lives and Wealth

Tithing is a practice that goes all the way back to Genesis, which is first mentioned when Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils of war to Melchizedek, a priest-king of Jerusalem, who many believe was at least a type of Christ. With God’s help, Abraham had just defeated a coalition of pagan kings to rescue his nephew, Lot, and his family.

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19  and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20  And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Genesis 14:18-20 (NIV)

Tithing was a common practice in that day and long predated the giving of the Law to Moses, at which time tithing became part of the legal code of Israel. In Abraham’s case, he was tithing to a person, who was greater than he, as a way of acknowledging that he was under his authority and blessing, which brings us to our first tithing principles.

Principle One: Tithing shows that we acknowledge God’s authority over our lives and finances.

Principle Two: Tithing reveals that we believe that God is our Provider. It is from him all blessings flow, and to him we return a tenth.

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. Leviticus 27:30 (NIV)

If we accept that the tithe belongs to God, then those who withhold giving the tithe are actually robbing God, keeping for themselves what is rightfully God’s.

"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9  You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. Malachi 3:8-9 (NIV)

Those who robbed God in this manner brought upon themselves a curse or judgment. Instead of experiencing God’s supernatural provision, they would experience being robbed themselves by the “devourer.”

A Gateway to Blessing
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11  I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. Malachi 3:10-11 (NIV)

Principle Three: Giving to God what is his already opens the door to God’s returning immense blessings to us. It is an amazing thing that God rewards us for doing our duty.

It is not that we give to get. Rather, we give because we believe that God, our Provider, will supply well beyond our needs as we sacrificially give to him and his kingdom. Tithing often takes money that we feel we need. When we choose to give it to God, he knows what we need and makes provision for his people. There are countless stories of people who began to tithe by faith, only to see God surprise them with unexpected and unforeseen provisions. God delights in honoring the faith of his people in this way.

A Means of Provision for those who Serve on a Full-time Basis
I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting. Numbers 18:21 (NIV)

Under the Law of Moses, the tithe supported God’s appointed representatives, the Levites and priests, who served God in the stead of the entire nation. The tithe enabled them to serve undistractedly, without worry of how they would be able to provide for their own families. If the people of Israel tithed, the priests and Levites were able to perform their assigned duties. If the people failed to tithe, the work of God suffered because the workers had to use other means to stay alive and make ends meet.

I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and singers responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. Nehemiah 13:10 (NIV)

Principle Four: Today, when people tithe to the local church (the New Covenant version of the Old Covenant “storehouse”), it enables called servants of God to serve without encumbrance in their ministry to the Lord.

Secular jobs take enormous amounts of time, which subtract from what is available for the Lord’s work of study, prayer, counseling, visitation, sharing the Gospel, disciple making, and whatever else might present itself during a day to a pastor or other full-time church leader. It is my conviction that the number one priority for church spending is to support the five-fold ministry – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, because the work of the kingdom depends on their having the means and ability to serve. Providing for those in need is second. Buildings and such come in a distant third.

A Provision for the Poor and the Marginalized

Every three years a special tithe was collected in Israel, which was specifically used for helping not only the Levites, but also foreigners, widows, and orphans – the poor who cannot provide adequately for themselves.

Principle Five: Local churches are able to help the poor and those facing unexpected hardships by using the tithe in conjunction with other special offerings.

When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. Deuteronomy 26:12 (NIV)
The Tithe in the New Covenant
Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. Luke 11:42 (NIV)

There is not a lot written about the tithe in the New Testament. Jesus told the Pharisees that they were both to tithe and keep the more important aspects of the Law. This would have been the perfect place for him to throw out the tithe, as he did with ceremonial washing and other dietary laws, but he did not.

Principle Six: The tithe is outside the jurisdiction of the Law and is actually built into the framework of humanity, going back to Genesis and creation itself.

The only other place tithing is mentioned in the New Testament is in the the Letter to the Hebrews, where the author makes a case for Jesus’ superiority over the Aaronic priesthood.

See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! 5  And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6  But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7  It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8  In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9  One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10  for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. Hebrews 7:4-10 (ESV)

In this case, the tithe once again shows how the lesser supports the greater. It’s a matter of authority and blessing and recognizing the need to support the five-fold ministry.

Some argue that the tithe is “legalistic” and was done away with in the New Covenant. To these, I point out that Jesus never did away with God’s authority over and ownership of our finances. He clearly stated that a true disciple is one who serves God, not money. In fact, our Lord said that a disciple is one who gives up everything for the sake of the kingdom of God.

So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. Luke 14:33 (NASB)

The rich young ruler was offered the opportunity to sell all and become part of Jesus’ traveling band of disciples. What an opportunity and honor! Jesus still holds the power to call each and everyone of his followers to the same high standard with regard to money.

Principle Seven: If God required at least a tenth from his Old Covenant saints, is it probable, or even conceivable, that he would ask less of us? The only legitimate way to do away with the tithe is to move up to the New Covenant standard of giving everything.

A Matter of the Heart

Over the years, I have known some who objected to tithing because they were selfish and wanted to hold on to their finances for themselves. Others refuse to be limited by the tithe and give much more. Ultimately tithing and all giving is a matter of the heart. If it is not done willingly, it is not worth a whole lot, at least in terms of heavenly reward.

Principle Eight: Tithing should not be approached legalistically. It is something we do by faith because we believe it is the right thing to do and because we trust that God is our provider. If we give willingly and cheerfully, God will see it and return a blessing.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)
Conclusion

God asks some disciples to give all their money and resources to him, as he did with the rich young ruler. For the rest of us, as we consider how God would want us to give toward his kingdom, ten percent is a great place to start.

Principle Nine: I believe we should consider the tithe a minimum automatic category in our budget. Giving beyond the tithe is an opportunity to listen to the Spirit of God for his direction in our giving. This kind of giving is sometimes called making “offerings.” It is an act of obedience to the Spirit , a spiritual sacrifice that pleases God, and is a function of our faith in God and the generosity of our hearts. We learn the art of generous giving by starting with the tithe and progressing beyond.

I have tithed for years out of conviction and faith. I cannot imagine doing otherwise. I know many others who have done the same. In fact, I know of no one who has tithed regularly who does not agree that God abundantly supplies all our needs. The work of the kingdom somewhat depends on the generosity of the people of God. Let’s be faithful in giving.

If you have never tithed, give it a try. God promises to faithfully bless you.

“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9  You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10  Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Malachi 3:8-10 (NLT)

Imagine! God wants us to test him in this matter! Have you exercised your faith by giving to God money you think you need to make ends meet, because you acknowledge that he is your supplier and can somehow make up the difference and more? It’s time to get started. You may be cheating yourself out of an amazing blessing!

Principle Ten: Once you find out that tithing opens up blessings, you will be ready to ask God, “How much do you want me to give beyond the tithe?” Then you will be ready for a really exciting ride!

One thing is for sure, if we give little, we will reap a small blessing. If that is what you want, have at it. I rather think we all want more than that. Try tithing. You’ll like it.

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7  You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8  And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NLT)

To access the entire series on the Disciple and Money, click here.

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How We Handle Money Says a Lot about Us

god and money

Jesus taught his disciples a lot about money. The subject comes up in sixteen of his thirty-eight parables. This is remarkable since Jesus seemed to be unconcerned about his personal finances and wealth. He taught his followers not to worry about money, but to simply trust God to supply our needs. He gave generously to the poor, and encouraged his followers to do the same.

Money tries to make a claim upon our lives, and, if we do not resist its pull, we may end up following its dictates instead of obeying Jesus.

Our Lord also said that the way we handle our finances reflects our inner condition.

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. 11  And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? 12  And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? 13  “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Luke 16:10-13 (NLT)

From this micro teaching on money, we can extract the following principles.

  • Money is a “little thing” in God’s eyes. This means we must guard against it becoming a “big thing” to us.
  • Unfaithfulness and dishonesty with regard to money reveals an inner heart condition that will affect every area of our lives.
  • God will entrust us more and more with those things which are truly valuable in his kingdom, when we prove faithful with handling money.
  • Money pulls at us so strongly that God requires us to “hate” it. In other words, we must consciously put God and his will above the pull of wealth and the desire for the comforts, security, and prestige it offers.

The condition of our souls is reflected in the way we handle money. If our finances are in disarray from God’s perspective, something is amiss in our relationship with money.

The key areas we will look at in articles following in this series will be:

  1. What does money represent?
  2. Whose money is it, mine or God’s?
  3. What are my spending priorities and do they line up with what the Bible teaches? In other words, am I being faithful and wise with money?
  4. Am I obeying God when it comes to tithing and being generous?

If we are handling money unwisely, it is sometimes the result of a lack of self-control. We use money to satisfy our greed and lusts, instead of using it wisely. Sometimes we lack wisdom and foresight, failing to understand that we must live within our means and give ourselves some “margin” so that we have something extra set aside for unforeseen or unexpected expenses. Maybe we do not make enough money to meet our legitimate needs. That is another problem. Many times people fail to prioritize what they do with their money, failing to give a proper amount to God and his kingdom work. This leads to all sorts of problems. God wants us to be generous to the poor and those in need, too. Generosity is perhaps one of the greatest secrets to having all that we need.

The crux of the matter is this: how we spend our money reveals what we truly value in life.

What comes first – God, our car, our home, clothes, food, entertainment, vacation? If we place anything in front of God, we are heading for trouble! Are we generous or hoarders? Are we savers or spenders? Are we free or fearful? Are we content or never quite have enough? The answers to these questions reveal a lot about us and our relationship to God. If you suspect that something is out of kilter and you need help with handling your finances, you will want to read the next several articles. Even if you handle money well, the following articles in this series may help you.

To access the entire series on the Disciple and Money, click here.
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Chapter 85: Participating in Christ’s Victory by Faith

foundations

When God brought Israel to the boundary of Canaan, he invited them to participate in the promised victory. When Israel stepped out in faith to attack the pagan Canaanites, they discovered that God helped them to succeed.

Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, 2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. 3 “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 4 “From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. 5 “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.  Joshua 1:1–5 (NASB95)

The first generation who escaped Egypt refused to accept God’s invitation to take the promised land by faith. They were afraid that God would not be with them; so, they never experienced the victory that could have been theirs and died in the desert.

God designed faith to produce obedience by which we experience his grace.

Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,  Romans 1:5 (NKJV)

True faith acts as if it believes that God is faithful to his promises. Intellectual faith leads to lip service with no follow through. That is why James wrote that our faith can be seen by our actions.

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  James 2:18 (NKJV)

If we take God’s faith challenge and do what he commands, we will experience God’s grace enabling us to succeed.

The Canaanites were formidable enemies who threatened Israel’s safety. It took courage and faith in God to face and overcome them. God told Joshua…

Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.  Joshua 1:6–7 (NASB95)

Courage is evidence of faith.

It gives us the ability to face our enemies and our fears with the confidence that God is with us. It is vital that we stand by faith or we may find ourselves overthrown by fear.

…If you will not believe, Surely you shall not be established.  Isaiah 7:9 (NKJV)

When Gideon was asked to lead Israel against a seemingly overwhelming army, God told him…

“…I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”  Judges 6:16 (NLT)

If God is with us, who can be against us. (Romans 8:31) We understand that he who lives within us is greater than any enemy we may face. (1 John 4:4) We rely on Jesus’ promise that nothing can ultimately harm us.

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.  Luke 10:19 (NASB95)

When Joshua defeated five of the kings of Canaan, he had them brought before him and made them lie upon the ground. It was customary for conquering kings to place their feet upon the necks of those he conquered, but in this case Joshua (who was a type of Christ) had his soldiers do the deed.

When they brought these kings out to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came near and put their feet on their necks. 25 Joshua then said to them, “Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies with whom you fight.” 26 So afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees; and they hung on the trees until evening.  Joshua 10:24–26 (NASB95)

This foreshadowed how Jesus allows his church to participate in his victory over Satan.

When our Lord died on the cross and rose again, he effectually and legally defeated Satan and put him to an open shame.

In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.  Colossians 2:15 (NLT)

Afterward, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, where he sits waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool.

“For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” ’ 36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”  Acts 2:34–36 (NASB95)

This means that Satan is legally defeated, but his final humiliation at the hands of the church waits for God’s perfect timing.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.  Romans 16:20 (NASB95)

This may not be completed until the Second Coming, resurrection, and final judgment, at which time the Bible says that we will receive what is called the “adoption” or full sonship, including authority to judge angels. (1 Corinthians 6:3) However, as we wait for that day, we are charged with extending Christ’s rule through the preaching of the gospel, making disciples, healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, and exercising Christ’s spiritual authority through the power of the Spirit. This also includes being involved in secular activities and politics as representatives of Christ.

If we do not involve ourselves in the everyday affairs of secular government, by default we cede that area to the devil and his minions, who are more than willing to fill the vacuum.

Jesus told us to be “salt and light” (Matthew 5:13-14) and a lamp set on a stand (Luke 8:16) for all to see. This involves more than simply ministering to like-minded people within the walls of the local church. It includes becoming an answer to our Lord’s prayer that workers be sent into the harvest.

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”  Matthew 9:36–38 (NASB95)

As people hear, believe, and respond to the gospel, the kingdom of God is extended. As we use Christ’s authority to heal, deliver, and set the captives free, the kingdom of God comes in an experiential way.

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.  Matthew 12:28 (NASB95)

As we go outside the walls of the church to let our light shine and bring good news, more and more people will come under the influence of our Lord’s kingdom. The goal is for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. It is God’s plan for his glory to cover the earth (Habakkuk 2:14) after he pours out his Spirit upon “all flesh,” as prophesied by Joel.

It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. 29 “Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.  Joel 2:28–29 (NASB95)

God includes his church in his plans and will use us to accomplish what he promised.

The wisdom of God will be revealed through the church.

God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.  Ephesians 3:10–11 (NLT)

It is our responsibility and privilege to contend for what God has given to us, just as Israel contended for the promised land.

Paul told Timothy to fight the fight of faith.

Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.  1 Timothy 6:12 (NASB95)

Eternal life is a gift purchased by the blood of our Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, we must take hold of it and receive it by faith.

We have a responsibility to seek and lay hold of what has been freely given to us.

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:12–14 (NASB95)

Even though our Lord Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, we must do our part by “wrestling” with spiritual wickedness.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)

Christ’s victory must be enforced by his representatives who carry his authority and are empowered by God’s Spirit.

God gave Joshua and the Israelites all the land on which they set foot in warfare mode. Those who refused to fight did not share in the victory. In fact, that initial disobedient generation died in the wilderness because of the disobedience caused by their unbelief.

Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.  Hebrews 4:1–3 (NASB95)

Because God’s purpose is to mature us as sons and daughters, he ordained that, even though Christ completed the work of salvation, we only get to experience it through the obedience of faith.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:8–10 (NKJV)

for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.  Philippians 2:13 (NKJV)

In spiritual warfare, we contend by faith for what Christ already won.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Philippians 3:12 (NKJV)

In many cases, we can discern the areas in which we are responsible to God to possess by faith. God’s gifts to us are our assignments, as is the case with children. What he gives us becomes our responsibility to steward and govern.

Click here to see all the articles in this series.

 

Questions for Further Study and Discussion
  • What gifts has God given to you for which you are responsible to him to use in a way that will bring him glory and extend his kingdom?
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