3 – God IS Incomparable

By / Base Theology Discipleship / 11 minutes of reading

Any exploration of God soon reveals that He is unique. Samuel proclaimed you are great, O LORD God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you… (2 Samuel 7:22). God stands apart from all others, with every aspect of His existence and character unequalled in His perfection. There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours (Psalm 86:8) explained David.

In this lesson we shall briefly consider some of the more obvious qualities of God which make Him incomparable and unmatched. These truths serve as a foundation for our future studies and our growing understanding of who God IS.

God is a Trinity
While the word ‘trinity’ is not found in the Bible, Scripture reveals God as being 3 in 1. That is, the one God equally manifesting Himself in three separate, yet like-charactered persons. Deuteronomy 6:4 tells us that the LORD our God, the LORD is one. There is only one God, and in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). This one God spoke everything into existence and there is no other besides Him (Deuteronomy 4:35).

Yet in Genesis 1:26, speaking about the creation of mankind, God said, “let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” When God speaks of Himself in the plural, He is telling us that He is not only one, but He is also more than one. Scripture explains that this one God exists in three persons who are coequal, coeternal, and self-existent. All three are inseparable and unified in all things. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit exist is perfect unison.

Matthew 28:19 identifies God the Father… the Son and the Holy Spirit. Each being distinct, yet one in holiness, in thought, and in purpose. Following Jesus’ baptism, Matthew 3:16-17 records, …behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he (Jesus) saw the Spirit of God (Father) descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” When Jesus, who is God the Son, was baptised, God the Father spoke from heaven affirming that Jesus was His Son, and God the Spirit affirmed the Father’s testimony by descending on Jesus as a dove.

The apostle Paul closes 2 Corinthians 13:14 with the doxology; the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. All three persons of God work in agreement, and all three are intrinsically gracious, loving, and desiring of fellowship. 

God is Sovereign (Omniscient, all powerful)
Following Peter and John’s release from prison in Acts 4, they returned to their friends, and together they lifted their voices to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them…” (Acts 4:24). They worshipped God as the absolute ruler who had created everything and reigns independent and supreme over all. He stretches out the heavens like a tent…  He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. (Psalm 104:2, 5).

God is the owner of everything and everyone. Psalm 24:1 NIV, the earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Deuteronomy 10:14, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Therefore, nothing will ever happen to planet earth outside of God’s control and His timing for all events. Psalm 46:1-3 assures us that planet earth and the climate belong to the Lord, and we can trust God with His management of the earth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

God alone governs all that He has created. He is beyond challenge in His absolute authority and power. In 1 Timothy 6:13-16 Paul charged Timothy saying; in the presence of God, who gives life to all things… who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honour and eternal dominion. 

Of all that can be known of God, His sovereignty towers above all human knowledge, all human reasoning, and all human strength and abilities. While technology seems impressive from a human standpoint, even the most advanced technology pales into insignificance when compared to God’s sovereignty. God speaks of Himself in Isaiah 46:9-10; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose. God is dominant, self-governing, and without influence from outside forces. He never weakens, He never gets stronger, and He never requires rest for the purpose of regaining lost strength.

In these last days he (God) has spoken to us by his Son (Jesus), whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he (Jesus) upholds the universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:1-3). ​In the beginning, before time or the universe existed, God created the heavens and the earth through Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3). Christ not only created everything but maintains the existence of every atom in every molecule in the universe simply by His spoken word. God, through Christ, radiate life. Therefore, they are able to effortlessly breathe life into and sustain that life within anything and everything they create (John 1:4; 5:26).

Daniel proclaimed that God Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will (Daniel 4:17). Despite what mankind thinks, no ruler of any nation is there by their own choice. The apostle John declares the same; Jesus Christ… the ruler of kings on earth… (Revelation 1:5). Belief in God confesses this universal truth, which all nations should also proclaim; “The LORD reigns!” (1 Chronicles 16:31).

God’s sovereignty means He is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does (Job 23:13). In the believer’s life, it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). God invisibly works within His children to accomplish His purposes, and often His children cannot perceive His workings. Regarding mankind’s capacity to believe in Christ, God says in Romans 9:15-16; “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” 

David explains in Psalm 139:16 NIV, Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. From the point of inception within the womb, before our human likeness was developed, God had mapped out the precise number of days each person would live on the earth.

Paul acknowledged that his apostleship was by the will of God (Colossians 1:1) and was not the result of his own desire. With this understanding, Peter could exhort the suffering believers in 1 Peter 4:19, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. Nothing happens outside of God’s knowledge and will, including suffering. The Bible speaks clearly, God is God alone. He reigns supreme and does as He pleases, where He pleases, when He pleases, and with whom He pleases. Psalm 103:19 declares, the LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

God is all knowing (Omniscient)
Put simply, there is nothing that God does not know. All the subjects which have not yet entered the mind of mankind, God already knows them fully. Everything in the physical realm and in the thoughts of animals and mankind, He knows them all thoroughly. God does not simply know about things; He comprehensively understands the entire microscopic details of all things which He knows. There is not one single thing in the entire cosmos of both the tangible and spiritual realms which He does not have a broad and complete knowledge of. Nothing escapes His attention, and nothing catches Him by surprize.

This is why Job could ask, will any teach God knowledge? (Job 21:22). The answer is obviously – NO! Elihu affirmed God is mighty in strength of understanding and perfect in knowledge (Job 36:5, 16). When thinking of a person’s heart, or their thoughts, the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). God is not limited by flesh and blood, but accurately perceives the inner-most thoughts of a person. The Psalmist confessed; your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16 NIV), God knows it all.

In Isaiah 40:14, Isaiah asks rhetorical questions of God; whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? Again, the answer is obviously NO-ONE! No creature is able to add to God’s knowledge. God cannot be corrected because He is never lacking or in error. John sums it up perfectly, God, he knows everything (1 John 3:20). What a marvellous truth, God knows us best and yet He loves us the most.

God is all present (Omnipresent)
Humans can only be in one place at one time. No matter how fast anyone can move, both human or angelic, we are always fixed in one location. But not so with God. Our imaginations cannot grasp the reality of God’s intelligent and powerful presence being everywhere at the same time.

As John 4:24 tells us, God is spirit, therefore He does not suffer the spatial limitations or restraints that we do. It was this understanding which enabled the Psalmist to say; where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me (Psalm 139:7-10). There is no escaping the presence and attention of the Almighty.

This adds a greater understanding to Paul’s words; there is one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:6). God is present, in life, in death, in time and history, in eternity and timelessness, in every place in the universe, He is there. There is no place and no sphere in which He is not equally and fully present in the constant NOW of His existence. This is why it’s recorded that at the completion of creation, God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good (Genesis 1:31). He alone could see every facet of all creation in a snap-shot of time and presence because He was everywhere to observe all of creation.

God, through His Son Jesus Christ, can say “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8). God sovereignly rules all human history simultaneously, without any physical or dimensional limitations of His created timeline. He exists in eternity, outside of time. He not only looks into time but is equally able to reach into history just as easily as He can reach into the present or the future, which are all foregone conclusions in His eternal presence.

Solomon exclaimed, the highest heaven cannot contain you (1 Kings 8:27), to which Isaiah 66:1 adds, thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” Time and space with their measurable dimensions create no limitations for God. God is unable to be escaped from. There is no hiding place, no place of silence where He cannot hear your words or perceive your thoughts. There are no circumstances where He is not present and fully aware of. Therefore, there is no time when God is not actively engaged with His children. Our inability to perceive His presence does not change the reality of Him being present.

God is all present, all knowing, all powerful, and all seeing. He is consciously aware of every piece of information and activity in all realms at the same time. He is present without restriction, in His full and glorious power.

Application:

  • Worship, be thankful that you understand that God is neither like us nor the world. Worship God’s holy character and glorious actions. Do not worship the experience you have during worship, but worship God alone.
  • Disciple others to know the majestic greatness of our glorious, holy, and merciful God.
  • Tell others of our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Come Lord Jesus!

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2 – God IS Holy

By / Base Theology Discipleship / 7 minutes of reading

While it is essential to believe there is one supreme God, it is only the beginning. This awakening to God should lead us to ask; “What is this God like?” While there is more than one source of information to answer this, we look first and foremost to the most authoritative source for answers, which is God’s own written revelation of Himself – the Bible.

Yes, it’s true, “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). We learn much of God by observing His creative genius throughout the world and the universe. Creation provides us with a great sense of His creative intelligence, and His infinite power, but these tell us little of specific character qualities that’s true of God.

Although weaker, human testimony of God is valid and it adds more information to our understanding of God’s nature. But the greatest human testimony comes from God’s own Son, Jesus Christ. John 5:36 records Jesus, “the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.” And again, in John 5:43, “I have come in my Father’s name.” Jesus’ testimony surpasses all other human testimonies because He alone has “come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38).

Jesus alone could say, “I speak of what I have seen with my Father” (John 8:38). “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Luke 10:22). Therefore, we turn to God’s witness of Himself, and we look to the testimony of God’s Son as PRIMARY. We look for evidence of God’s nature through these two primary sources to expose us to specific details of God’s character.

From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture boldly proclaims that  God is HOLY. When Old Testament Scripture uses the word  “holy” it uses the Hebrew word (h6944, קֹדֶשׁ qôḏeš) which means “separation, or apart from.” God’s holiness means that by His intrinsic nature He is separated from all of His creation, He is set apart from everything He has made. No being in creation is the same as God, or even like God. Even mankind, who “God created… in his own image… male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27), are NOT the same as God. Although humans are the only created beings imprinted with the image of God, God is still set apart from, and different from them.

While all created beings have the capacity to disobey God and sin, God does NOT have that capacity. Therefore, God is set apart in sinless alignment with His own purity and beauty. Holiness distinguishes God from everything and everyone, including heavenly beings. Holiness is far more than just a facet of God’s character. Holiness defines and permeates every facet of His character and activity.

All other beings may, or may not, have been gifted with lesser degrees of holiness, but NOT so with God. No-one gave holiness to God, and no-one contributes or enriches God’s holiness. God, in and of Himself, is intrinsically pure and without even the possibility of being anything other than holy. God lacks the capacity for even the slightest degree of unholiness. He is simply NOT capable of anything less than ultimate perfection and purity which sets Him apart from all else.

The sanctuary of God’s throne room in heaven resounds with the all-consuming theme of God’s matchless holiness. “Around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures… (Revelation 4:6), each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” (Revelation 4:8). These mighty creatures are not calling out about God’s love, or any other quality, but ONLY His holiness.

Holiness shapes and directs every divine attribute and action of the Almighty. Holiness is, therefore, the foundation and the summation of all that is God. Holiness encapsulates every facet of His nature and indelibly imprints itself into everything that is God. It is impossible to be exposed to any part of God without being exposed to His absolute holiness.

Habakkuk 1:13 exclaims, “you who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong…” All forms of sin, and all  degrees of sin are repugnant to God, causing Him to look away. Sin is humanity’s violation of God’s holy image and is therefore infinitely offensive to the Lord.

Steven J. Lawson rightly observes the following in his book “Show Me Your Glory: Understanding the Majestic Splendour of God” (Kindle Locations 1113-1116).
God’s name is “holy” (Ps. 145:21). Jesus addressed God as “Holy Father” (John 17:11). Likewise, Jesus Christ Himself is as equally holy as the Father. He was born the “holy Child” (Luke 1:35) and recognized by the demons as “the Holy One of God” (Mark 1:24). Peter likewise called Him “the Holy One of God” (John 6: 69). In turn, Jesus called the Spirit of God “the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). In the Bible, the Spirit is called the “Holy Spirit” nearly one hundred times.

Moreover, the angels are described as His “holy ones” (Deut. 33:2). The Word of God is contained in the “holy Scriptures” (Rom. 1:2). The people of God are called “holy people” (Deut. 7:6). The temple in Jerusalem is the “holy temple” (Ps. 11:4). God dwells in heaven on His “holy mountain” (Ps. 2:6). The city of Jerusalem is “the holy city” (Neh. 11:1). The Sabbath is the “holy” day (Ex. 20:8, 11). The promised land is His “holy land” (Ps. 78:54). Holiness is the cornerstone of all of God’s redemptive purposes. End quote.

In Exodus 15:11, the song of Moses reveals that God’s holiness is majestic. “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” While manmade idols are oppressive, demanding, and unforgiving, God towers above them all with His holiness being self-evident in majesty. His holiness is awe inspiring as it radiators through His spectacular works. When we consider the wonders of what God does, we are magnetically drawn to worship Him.

In Exodus 15:11, the word “awesome” (h3372, יָרֵא yârê’) means “to fear, to revere, to be afraid.” As Moses thought about all that he knew and had experienced of God, he realised the enormity of God and the difference of God. Moses, like us, was forced to acknowledge that he was tiny, weak, and impure compared to God. God was nothing like Moses and this realisation caused Moses to tremble, as it were, before the infinite greatness of God.

Any biblical understanding of God’s holiness recognises that “as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15). God’s holiness forms the truth foundation upon which we understand sin, judgment, wrath, and forgiveness. A clear view of God’s holiness prepares the human heart for understanding the ugly violation that sin is against the character of God.

God’s holiness instructs the unbeliever because through God’s “law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). This is the starting point of the gospel of God (Rom 1:1) which leads to repentance of sin and salvation.

For the believer, God’s separateness from sin (holiness) motivates genuine separation from sin and worldly passions which lead to sin. The believer’s desire for holiness is a practical desire, as Jesus prayed; “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). We are to remain living amongst the world but separated from the sinful beliefs and behaviour of the world. Holiness is NOT a call for isolation but a call to purity in a hostile environment.

As we grow in understanding God, we are to invite God’s holiness to impact us, to change us, to sanctify us as an act of worship (Romans 12:1-2). “Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

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1 – In the beginning – God

By / Base Theology Discipleship / 5 minutes of reading

All understanding of spiritual realities and the gospel of Jesus Christ must begin with a correct understanding of God. Who is God? What is God like? Where does God live? What does God do? Has God created anything? Why does God create anything? These are the starter questions on which we build our knowledge of God. There are no questions more important than these. The truth of God is the single foundation on which every Christian belief is built.

Spiritual living hangs off the deep conviction that there is a God, and He is knowable. Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6). Every belief we have, every doctrine we believe, and everything we explain to other people grows from this greatest of all theological truths – God!

The Bible begins in Genesis 1:1 with His revelation, In the beginning, God… Before there was anything material, before time began, when there was no known universe, God was already there. This is why we say He is the pre-existent One, He existed before anything else. All Scripture testifies to the existence of the only true God (John 17:3).

From the very first verse in the Bible, we see that God is NOT like mankind. He is different to us and separate from us. This God who existed before the beginning, the Bible repeatedly says is eternal, the everlasting God (Genesis 21:33). He is without beginning and without end. There simply is none other to compare with eternal God (Deuteronomy 33:27).  

Being eternal means God does not depend on anything or anyone to support or enhance His existence. Jesus’ testimony was that God His Father has life in himself (John 5:26). Meaning, God is perpetual life in and of Himself, dependent upon nothing, and unable to be affected by anything external. He cannot be added to, and no part of Him can be taken away or lessened. He never weakens, nor does He get stronger, and He never tires. He is life, constantly existing in His fullest capacity without the ability to be anything less that perfectly self-sustaining without flaw or defect.

The apostle Paul summarises God in Acts 17:24-25, the God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. God is self-sufficient, not needing anyone to serve Him out of necessity. The Almighty who dwells on heaven’s throne has no need for anyone or anything to provide for Him because God needs nothing to enable Him to exist in holy perfection and harmony. Mankind is beneath God, created by God, dependent upon God, and governed by God. God exists as King over all.

In 2 Kings 19:15, Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said: O LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Hezekiah rightly perceived the exalted nature of God, ruling over all heavenly beings, ruling supreme over all the earth. This is the pre-existent One whom Isaiah saw sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke (Isaiah 6:1-4).

Heaven is consumed with worship of God.  Seraphim are enamoured with the awe-inspiring holiness of their creator. Thunderous declarations of Yahweh’s holiness fill the air in the throne room with sounds of praise. Nothing is of greater importance in heaven than the pronouncement of God’s indisputable and inescapable holiness. Everything God is, and everything God does manifests His intrinsic holiness and expressive glory. Therefore, the whole earth is full of his glory! His majestic character shows through every part of the created world. The Designer’s infinite intellect and creative power is placed on display through the complexity and diversity of everything that exists because of His will and power being actioned.

Through these foundational revelations, God reveals Himself in clear and unique ways. God IS – He is eternal, He is unassisted, and unparalleled. God knew exactly How He wanted Moses to understand Him, and God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14). God reveals Himself through Scripture in the precise ways He wants us to communicate Him to others.

We are to speak of Him with the same clarity and certainty as God speaks of Himself. We are to speak of the importance of God, of the uniqueness of God, and of mankind’s dependence upon Him. We should even be willing to extend our vocabulary, learning new words to enable us to give the greatest expression of God that we are capable of. There should be seriousness and sincerity in our speech when telling others of this Great God who IS.

In all our conversations of the Almighty, we should express a sense of awe, of wonder, and amazement. After all, who is like our God, to whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike? (Isaiah 46:5). Jehovah stands apart, He stands alone in the beauty of His intrinsic holiness and glory. Is not God high in the heavens? (Job 22:12). From heaven God reigns, governing all, with nothing escaping His attention or the boundaries of His will.
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all (1 Chronicles 29:11).

In the beginning – God

Let us celebrate God!

 

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26 – Praying in the spirit

By / Discipleship Notes / 6 minutes of reading

God’s Armour (Eph 6:10-20)

Ephesians 6:18 …praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…

While Paul does not have a metaphor to visually depict prayer as part of the armour of God, he does complete his teaching on the armour with the essential presence of prayer as part of the armour. This is reinforced by the fact that Paul exhorts prayer in verse 18 as the ending statement concerning the Sword of the Spirit in verse 17. They are within the same sentence and therefore, should not be separated.

Prayer can, therefore, be visualised as the nervous system which links the entire armour on the believer with all the interlocking connectors, interactions, and all the differing communications uploading to God. Without prayer the armour is ineffective. No matter how skilful the believer thinks they have been in applying the armour and going out to do battle with the enemy, they may be sure that without prayer defeat is inevitable.

Prayer is a dialogue with God. This is a discussion of life that continues throughout life. Prayer is fellowship with God, a communion with God which opens the believer’s life and heart so that they realise they have exposed themselves to God and are dependent upon His merciful resources.

It’s true that God knows what we are going to pray before we begin, but we don’t. We need to experience the process of faith in praying, and in believing that God is listening and will respond to our prayers. We need to hear ourselves confessing sin and foolishness, to hear ourselves agreeing with God’s Word over wrong attitudes and behaviours. We need to hear ourselves seeking greater sanctification and Christlikeness.

Prayer is the adhesive that units each piece of the armour to become a natural clothing for the believer as they walk and talk with God throughout life. Prayer helps make sense of the application of the armour as it relates to the events of your lives. Prayer clarifies and exposes the motives and intentions of the one putting on the armour of God. Therefore, prayer should not be a theoretical exercise but real as it spreads out your life before God.

What is “Praying in the Spirit?”
Once again, the context of Ephesians chapter 6 is important to our understanding of what Paul means by the phrase “praying in the Spirit.” As Paul’s instruction for prayer forms the final clause in the sentence of verse 18, which speaks about the Sword of the Spirit, prayer is best understood as the final piece, or the final extension, in the Armour of God. Therefore prayer operates best when flowing out of our understanding and application of the Sword of the Spirit, the Bible.

For the armoured believer, prayer abandons individuality, pride, and self-sufficiency towards God and seeks a God honouring application of the armour. Therefore, prayer speaks out the believer’s dependence upon God in the same way we are dependant upon every other piece of armour.

In 1 John 5:14 John explains, this is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. The fact is, often we pray NOT according to God’s will, but according to our will. Therefore, praying in the Spirit speaks of praying in alignment with the will and purposes of God. This forms a significant part of the Spirit filled, or Spirit controlled Christian life. This is how we pray under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit as we grow in our understanding of God’s purposes and will through God’s Word.

The distinction between prayer and supplication that Paul makes is subtle, yet important. The words with all prayer refer to the various forms of prayer which include, but are not limited to public prayer, private prayer, internalised prayer, and prayer expressed through music and singing (hymns, spiritual songs etc.)

Supplication is slightly different in that supplications are detailed and persevering with strong and persistent pleadings. The undercarriage of prayer is the belief that …God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). We are often so caught up in the self-centredness of our prayers that we overlook the fact that the Lord is presently providing our daily needs, and that is answered prayer.

Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 26:41 are applicable, watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. We are to pray in a life watching manner that gives us realistic insights into our spiritual lives that prevent us from giving in to temptation. Therefore, we are to be alert, awake to sin’s trickery, and interacting with God through prayer. Watching and praying is the dual mechanism God offers us so we are able to stand firm. Similarly, Paul reasons this out in Colossians 4:2, continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Spirit filled prayer is “other” inclusive. That is, prayer is more focused on others than self. Beginning with worship and thanksgiving to God, then thanksgiving and requests for other people.
1 Timothy 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone.
Matthew 5:44 …Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…
Luke 6:28 …bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Prayer partners with God as He mercifully interacts with someone else in a different location. Prayer units together people who are apart in a common cause through Christ. Even those who inflict pain upon the believer are to be talked about with the Lord and blessing should be sought for them bringing them to repentance and salvation.

Conclusion
Prayer has always been one of believers’ primary activities as witnessed through the 1st generation believers spoken of in Act 2:42, they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Prayer is a believers’ first priority as we engage through various kinds of communication with God for the purpose of glorifying Him, giving expression to His character, and speaking well of Him with thanksgiving.

Therefore, praying in the Spirit becomes an all-occasions dialogue of worship, thanks, and requests that reflects the complexity of our lives being intertwined with God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Spirit filled prayer is ONLY able to exist when we are walking a Spirit filled life in realisation and surrender to what the Holy Spirit is doing in and through us.

Prayer is about God first and foremost. It aligns us with and synchronises us with God’s will both before we make requests and as we are making requests.

Prayer puts self in the back seat as it promotes the Lord’s will and His glory before we make personal requests on behalf of others.

Prayer interacts in other’s lives in ways we could not do otherwise, seeking eternal benefits and not present blessings only.

 

 

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25 – The sword of the spirit

By / Discipleship Notes / 11 minutes of reading

​God’s Armour (Eph 6:10-20)

Ephesians 6:17 …and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…

The sword Paul refers to is the “machaira”, which was a short sword varying in length from 15cm to 46cm. It was used by the soldiers arresting Jesus in the Garden (Mt 26:47), by Peter when he cut off the slave’s ear (Mt 26: 51), and by Herod’s executioners of James (Acts 12:2).

Remember, the emphasis in this context is on how the believer is to use the Sword of the Spirit “to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph 6:11). This is the only piece of the believer’s armour that is used for both defence as well as an offensive weapon. The Sword has a dual role, a dual purpose, which achieves its purpose best when used equally for defence and offense.

The Scottish pastor Thomas Guthrie, (The Free Church of Scotland – 1803 to 1873) said, “The Bible is an armoury of heavenly weapons, a laboratory of infallible medicines, a mine of exhaustless wealth. It is a guidebook for every road, a chart for every sea, a medicine for every malady, and a balm for every wound. Rob us of our Bible and our sky has lost its sun.”

Some qualities of God’s Sword:
The Sword is Scripture. That is, God’s holy and sacred writings. The Scriptures are the Bible, and it is authored by the Omniscient Holy Spirit who is the all-knowing origin of the Sword (2Ti 3:16; 2Pe 1:21).

The Sword is infallible – faultless, without error, and effective.
Psalm 19:7   The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple… 
Psalm 19:8   The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart…
Proverbs 30:5   Every word of God proves true…

The believer can take the Word of God (The Sword) into any situation with confidence that God has revealed absolute, dependable truth. For those who believe God’s Word, it educates the inner person, it explains gospel truth which leads to salvation, and it sanctifies the whole Christian life when it is obeyed.

The Sword is complete and cannot be added to.
Proverbs 30:6   Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar (cf. Dt 4:2; 12:32; Rev 22:18-19). In an age when many false prophets are claiming to speak for the Lord, God’s people can rest assured, certain of the Bible’s completeness. In fact, the Bible has such an enormous wealth of truth that there is no need to seek after fresh revelation. The Sword of the Spirit is fully sufficient because God has revealed everything that needs to be revealed in His written Word.

The Sword is authoritative – speaking to readers the very words of Jehovah the Almighty. God the Holy Spirit wrote Scripture with the full agreement and authority of the triune Godhead.
Isaiah 1:2   Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken…
John 17:17   Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
2 Timothy 3:16-17   All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…
Hebrews 4:12   For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God’s Word carries the weight of heavenly authorisation. Because it is written by God, it is designed to enter people’s eyes and ears as the doors to their mind and heart. Scripture has surgical precision at explaining truth, exposing sin, and offering righteous solutions through Christ.

God’s written Word, the Sword of the Spirit, can cut into and divide the various layers within a person’s spirit with accuracy. Because of this, it is used by the Holy Spirit to bring conviction, to direct motives and thoughts, and to inspire rejoicing when Christlikeness is achieved.

The divine authority intrinsic to the Spirit’s Sword is always for the purpose of producing glory to God and obedience within the believer. In Luke 11:28, Jesus said “blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” God’s Word is not a set of theories and ideas to be considered as one of many options in life. Rather, His Word is living and active, therefore, it should also become living and active in believer’s lives through thoughtful and loving obedience.

The Sword is sufficient and effective – there is no area of life that Scripture does not speak to, either directly or indirectly.
2 Timothy 3:15   …the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:17 All Scripture is given so …that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Isaiah 55:11   so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
No part of life is exempt from the power of the Spirit’s Sword. It offers comfort for the downcast, it livens joy and peace, and it stirs up hope of eternal life.

The Sword is resourceful – supplying needs and pointing to the Lord as our ultimate supplier of needs.
Luke 11:28    Blessed (Happy) rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
2 Peter 3:18  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:25  …the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
1 Peter 2:2    Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.
Psa 119:105  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Rom 15:4      For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

No other resource in life can offer the immeasurable spiritual strengths and blessings as the Spirit’s Sword.

The Sword speaks on God’s behalf
Luke 4:3-4     The devil said to him… Jesus answered him, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone.’”
Luke 4:5-8     The devil… said to him…  Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
Luke 4:9-12  The devil said to him… Jesus answered him, “It is said, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Particularly when caught in the struggles of life and seeking to overcome dark thoughts within, the Spirit’s Sword is to be quoted for both defence and for fighting off the enemy.

The attitude and use of the Sword
Dependency – the believer accepts and depends on the very words of God in writing for all things in life.
Matthew 4:4   But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Use the Sword to mould your life – Do not neglect God’s Word. Owning a Bible is not enough. When the Bible is studied, the believer knows where to go in Scripture to find what they need (The Sword provides sufficient tools)
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (c.f. 2Ti 3:16-17).

There are no shortcuts. The believer needs to spend much time in God’s Word. Reading, meditating, memorising, and reasoning through to come to a mature understand of God’s Word. The outworking of this will be discipleship of others. This is where all the learned truth is passed on to the next generation of Christians.
Psa 119:11    I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psa 119:34    Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.
Psa 119:81    My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.
Psa 119:101  I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word.
Psa 119:104  Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
Psa 119:112  I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.
Psa 119:114  You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.

When the Spirit’s Sword is; learned, and put into practice, the Holy Spirit takes those truths and invisibly strengthens faith, educates the conscience to warn of impending sin, and guards the mind against error by increasing the mind’s ability to decern between right and wrong, good and best.

The Sword is aggressive against error
When a repentant sinner turns to the Lord from witchcraft or demon possession, they are to present your (their) bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your (their) spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2). The truth of God’s Word, the Sword of the Spirit, does this sanctifying (John 17:17) work of mind transformation into Christlikeness.

As with all believers, but especially true for those escaping the claws of Satan, the Sword of the Spirt is used aggressively to cut down error and lies that misrepresent the truth of God. This aggressive use of the Sword is both internal for the believer and external when in discussions with others. In 2 Corinthians 10, Paul writes with strong imagery about the battle against error. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…

John 8:44 …the devil …was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The first line of defence and attack against the devil is by using the truth of the Spirit’s Sword. Truth exposes lies and error for the evil that they are. Satan has no answer to God’s truth, as he only knows how to lie and produce death. This is why, in the direct gospel battle against demons, biblical truth is the first piece of God’s Armour to be get put on – “the belt of truth.”

Conclusion
The Word of God, the Bible, which is the Sword of the Spirit contains the most powerful truths that have ever been written. God’s Word makes us strong and prepared, so that when the day of evil attack comes, we know how to use the Sword most effectively to ensure we remain standing in the spiritual battle.

When obediently trained by Scripture, the believer is spiritually determined not to move in the faith. They know what parts of Scripture to remind themselves of and to quote in whatever situations they find themselves in. Their confidence is in the Lord because they know God’s truth. Consequently, they are not lured into misrepresentations of God through false doctrine spoken by false prophets, false teachers, or deceiving spirits (1Jn 4:1).

Psalm 138:2 declares that God has exalted above all things your name and your word. Jehovah considers His Word to be as exalted as His very own name. Therefore, His people are to treat His Word with the same reverence and awe as they treat God.

The Sword of the Spirit is NOT a mystical chant or magic formulae to be quoted only when we want something, or to get relief from some form of suffering. Nor does it hold mystical power that can only be released when repeatedly written down on paper by the reader. Rather, it is to be the daily spiritual food of God’s people. Just as it is taken it, so it is to be obeyed, transforming both thoughts, beliefs, and behaviours.

Therefore, the Sword of the Spirit is used with nonbelievers to make them aware that they have broken the law of God and need a Saviour (Rom 3:20). And that Saviour is the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 3:22-26).

A good knowledge of God’s Word enables the believer to use the Bible as the Sword to identify and correct theological error. The believer’s attitude is to be one of humble confidence in the Sword which deals powerfully in the spiritual realm.

When confronting the enemy head on, Christ’s example should be followed. God’s Words are the only authoritative words that carry divine truth which can penetrate both spiritual and human creatures. However, the effectiveness of the Spirit’s Sword is experienced through belief which is lived out through obedience.

The Sword of the Spirit is the only weapon needed to identify sin and expose error. The Sword is the spiritual surgical tool in the hands of the Holy Spirit to produce conviction.
Isaiah 55:11   …so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; It shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

John MacArthur says this:   To be infallible, inerrant, complete, authoritative, sufficient, powerful, and divinely authored belongs only to Scripture. This is what the Bible claims for itself; as such, it is obviously a formidable weapon.

Questions:
What things prevent us from understanding and applying the Sword (God’s Word)?

Can God’s Word be used when there is no specific passage that speaks directly to your situation?

How can you assist another believer to use the Sword?

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