God's Call

Focusing on missions and the young generation, Kevin shared a word that he titled "God's Call" emphasizing that God is calling us and we need to heed to God's call. He chose to focus on the story of Gideon in Judges chapter 6 and 7. This story was so nicely broken down clearly highlighting the significant events that happened in this chapters until God used Gideon to save the Israelites from the Midianites. If you have ever taken time to read and study the story of Gideon, then you will understand that it is one of the stories where we see God calling upon an insignificant person to undertake a significant task

Gideon, like many of us, doubted his own abilities. He had suffered so many defeats that he even put God to test, not once but three time. In the Bible story, Gideon is introduced threshing grain in a winepress, a pit in the ground, so the marauding Midianites did not see him. God appeared to Gideon as an Angel and said, "The LORD is with you, mighty man of valor." (Judges 6:12). Gideon prepared a meal for the angel. The angel touched the meat and unleavened bread with his staff, and the rock they were sitting on spewed fire, consuming the offering. Then Gideon put out a fleece, a piece of sheep skin with the wool still attached, asking God to cover the fleece with dew overnight, but leave the ground around it dry. God did so. Finally, Gideon asked God to dampen the ground overnight with dew but leave the fleece dry. God did that as well.

God was patient with Gideon because he had chosen him to defeat the Midianites, who had impoverished the land of Israel with their constant raids. Gideon gathered a huge army from the surrounding tribes, but God reduced their number to only 300. There would be no doubt that victory was from the Lord, not from the army's might.
That night, Gideon gave each man a trumpet and a torch concealed inside a pottery jar. At his signal, they blew their trumpets, broke the jars to reveal the torches, and shouted: "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" (Judges 7:20, NIV). God caused the enemy to panic and turn on each other. Gideon called out reinforcements and they pursued the raiders, destroying them.

This story does not just excite us at what God did in the end but also reminds us that God's call is not easy.  Gideon was from the weakest clan of Manasseh which under normal circumstances wrote him off from saving an entire nation. Sometimes our standing in society dictates what we can accomplish, but this is only in the world view. In the divine order, status, size, beauty and the rest DO NOT amount to anything. God searches a willing heart. He calls out to people who are willing to heed to His call. So that did not stop God from using Gideon.

The other task God gave Gideon was to destroy the altars of Baal his father had built and erect an altar for God. Gideon obeyed but it put him at loggerheads with the people who wanted to kill him. But God, did not allow this to happen. He uses Joash, his father, to tell the people that if Baal really is a god, he can defend himself. Many times when God calls us we are required to destroy the altars we have erected for ourselves that are ungodly. We have altars of self, pride, money, lack of commitment, employment you name them. Then God tell us to destroy them so that we can build him an altar. Many people will never do what Gideon did, in stead we decide to ignore God. Sad thing, that is how far God will go. He will never use us to the fullest unless we obey him. One of the things He is asking us to do is to destroy altars raised for other gods and erect an altar for God.

If you read this story, God reveals himself to Gideon through the dry and wet fleece of wool. Still he is required to reduce the men in his army to 300 men. If this was you and me we would go "What!!! God you must be joking. Are you kidding me? 300 men for people whose population is as thick as locusts? Come on God, get someone else. I ain't dealing this." Thank God for Gideon, he obeyed and put his trust completely in God. We often allow ourselves to be controlled by our limitations. We forget that God is not limited to our limitations. Everything he touches he magnifies. One time he used Samson that with a jaw bone Samson slayed thousands. Another time he asked Moses, "what do you have in your hand?" I am sure Moses was not prepared for what he saw happen next. Its time to let go of our limitations and let God lead.

Finally God gives Gideon victory in the most unique of ways, the aggressors start fighting and killing each other. Before that Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” I love what Gideon did after hearing this. The bible says that when Gideon has this dream and its interpretation he bowed down and worshiped. There is a great reward to all who positively respond to God's call.

In summary, it is clear that God is calling. We can either chose to answer or ignore. The task is not easy, many obstacles have to be overcome. We have to look beyond our social standings, we've got to destroy ungodly altars in our lives and erect an altar for God and finally, we need to look beyond our limitations. God is fighting the battle for us. He is the strength we need to accomplish the task. Whatever God requires, He provides. During the journey, all we can do is respond in worship. 

I want to sincerely bless God for our brother Kevin for allowing God to use him to bring this revelation to us. God bless you Kevin. Stay in His service.

A Call for Missions (Awakening a Generation Hungry For change)

Before Jesus departed to His heavenly throne to take His position as Lord and Christ, He spent a final time with His eleven disciples. The last command that He gave them was this: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20).

Following this command, it was our prayer that we will obey and do as Christ commanded. So in less than a month, our bishop and pastor planned with pastor Kallest for our young people to go for a mission in Gilgil. It was a great feeling to see how many young people were excited to participate in this mission, both young, single young adults and even the married. So Friday evening we headed to Gilgil to preach and share Christ overnight, full day on Saturday and Sunday service. We could see hearts that were full of expectation, hungry for Christ and just yearning to mingle with other likeminded young people. It was interesting how our minds were changed from the desire for adventure to the desire for Christ. Adventure took a back seat while Christ became the center of our mission. Christ was represented in song and dance, word, smiles on every face, conversation, meals and everything that happened.

So many lessons I learnt from this mission. Some made my heart jump for joy while others made my heart wail. All in all, it is very clear that  work needs to be done. We have a great number of unregenerate Christians that Christ is telling us to reach out to. Why do we sit comfortable in our own churches and lie to ourselves that everything is okay? Why do we muzzle our young people and keep them from expressing their passion for Christ? One of the most amazing feeling I had is when I saw teenagers from our church that would never say or do something in church but freely did everything for Christ out there. Could this be platforms that God provides so that people can discover their inborn drives and unleash the potentials within?  Sometimes it takes exposure for us to gain experience. At home, most of the times we have so many Michals. Remember Saul’s daughter, who was the wife of David, when she saw him dancing and his clothes falling off she said sarcastically “How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!” She ended up becoming childless.

At home, the Michals of our time will do everything to keep young people from expressing their love to God, from living out their salvation. There is growing criticism on anything good that young Christians do. As blind as the current Michals are, they never notice that they have become spiritually barren. They stopped being fruitful a long time ago. They live in bitterness and any element of change scares them to death. They feel threatened and any attempt to bring change is seen as an invasion of their comfort zones. Unfortunately, when they bark, some of the young Christians scatter. But praise God for those whose resolve remain unchanged. When they decided to follow Jesus they were ready to carry the cross so they never look or turn back. They are pressing on towards the mark of the high calling to be able to reach their goals in Christ. They have sold their hearts out to Christ. They will go anywhere, sleep anywhere they can lay their heads or sometimes even sacrifice their sleep, eat whatever they can get or even go without food just for missions. They have a deep hunger for the lost, they have a passion for others. They will weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. The words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:9 “However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" -- the things God has prepared for those who love him” keep them going.

The critics will never sacrifice their comfort for anyone or anything. They value their queen-size comfortable beds which unfortunately don’t come with added sleep. They will not even stand the smell of food that does not march their standard. Overnight prayer meetings, what a minute, are you serious? What don’t we have to sacrifice our sleep for that? When you talk about evangelism they will be wondering what the work of pastors, evangelists and the rest is? Why should they do work that is for other people.

Good news is, God is awakening a generation that will bring change. A generation with an eye and a heart for missions has awakened. Beat them with your criticism all you like, they will not falter, they have made a decision to heed to the call of Christ. They are marching on and sweeping everyone on their way. If you did not participate in the Gilgil mission, don’t sit back and become the fat King Kevin told us about. Ehud will kill you. Awake oh you sleeping giants. God is calling us to reach out. Be part of this generation. Bring change to the nations. Touch the heart of God and watch him spear nothing to touch you.

2 Chronicles 20 New International Version (NIV)

 

 

Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon

20 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites^[a] came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.

² Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom,^[b] from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). ³ Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. ⁴ The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
⁵ Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard ⁶ and said:

“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. ⁷ Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? ⁸ They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, ⁹ ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
¹⁰ “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. ¹¹ See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. ¹² Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

¹³ All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.

¹⁴ Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.

¹⁵ He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
¹⁸ Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. ¹⁹ Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
²⁰ Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” ²¹ After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his^[c] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
    for his love endures forever.”

²² As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. ²³ The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

²⁴ When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. ²⁵ So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing^[d] and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.  

²⁶ On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah^[e] to this day.
²⁷ Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸ They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.
²⁹ The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰ And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

³¹ So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. ³² He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. ³³ The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.
³⁴ The other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.
³⁵ Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked. ³⁶ He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships.^[f] After these were built at Ezion Geber, ³⁷ Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.^[g]

My journey is tough but the end is glorious!

Everyone talks about throwback Thursday and people take time to just look back at some pieces of their lives in times passed. It is common to see people focus on the fun, the good and the pleasant times but rarely will they focus on the lows. Those times where lessons were learnt, tears were shed, pain was rife and characters were molded. Today, my throwback Thursday is all about the lows in our past and the present and future glory. They say that life in a journey and that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a step. Every step inches you closer to your destination. It means that without that step, you won't move. So everything about the start and the end of the journey is in every step you take. In my journey, I know that every step has counted, even the missteps. There have been lessons learnt, tears shed, pain endured, character molded but above all I have learnt to totally depend on the one who gives me the strength to lift up a leg and make that step. Today I realize that he has taken my lows, my shame, my guilt, my pain, my pride and wiped away every tear replacing all that with a covering of His glory. Let us reflect on this beautiful piece from the bible for a minute.

Isaiah 53: 3-10

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our grief sand carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people He was stricken. And they[a] made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

In my throwback, as I choose to focus on the lows that Jesus Christ has clothed with glory, I learn to appreciate every shame I had to face. There were points when there needed to be the midnight before the dawn could come. Imagine if your days were to be all daylight and no darkness. In our present age, when we all seem to need more time just running around and trying to make some extra cash people would be collapsing. We all need the dark when we can retrieve and rest. It is the same case with the journey of life. There are rocky paths, potholes, the wilderness, heat, cold and many of those hurdles that really make the journey tough. The right focus will tell you there is a destination you have to reach which means you've got to go on. Many times the focus is what leads to mistakes and missteps. In my experience, when the focus is so much on the destination then the end will justify the means which means it does not matter what means I take as long as I get to the end. 

Today I want to introduce you to the right focus in the journey, God the almighty, the author and finisher of our faith. In the scripture we just read, we are informed of the many things Jesus Christ bore just so we could be approved. Just so we could reach the end of this journey. Just so we, when things get tough, could look upon him and see all he carried for our success in the journey. One time Abraham was asked by God to go to Mt. Moriah to offer his son of promise as a sacrifice to God. The journey to Mt. Moriah totally depended on his ability to listen to God every step of the way which means he needed to have the right focus. He gets to a point and tells the servants to stay behind. If they accompanied him and the lad they would have stopped him from obeying God. It is the same with us. For us to be covered with the latter glory which the bible says will be greater than the glory of the former house (Haggai 2:9), we need to focus on God and be good listeners. When he says "let go" it s time to let go, no questions no buts. Abraham proceeds to the mountain and not even the question Isaac asks stops him because he knows perfectly well that the center of his focus, God, will provide. And as he is about to slaughter his son, with a right focus, he is able to listen to God when the lamb is provided. God is ready to be with us in the journey. The problem we have is that we always want to reverse the order. We want to lead as God follows us. He will never follow nobody. He wants to lead as we follow. He know the path and is able to guide you through every stage. He is the only one will take you to your destination safely. When it gets tough he will be there to help you through. 

In the times I have made Him my focus, he has carried me through. My shame has been covered, my guilt taken, my sorrow he has replaced with joy, the ashes of the journey he has given me beauty for them, every tear he has wiped away, every sickness he has healed. Every pain he has taken away. I am walking victorious in this journey knowing that God the center of my focus will see me to the end. His glory surrounds me and his strength is made perfect in my weakness. His grace is sufficient and he is ever present. This is my throwback experience today. The journey maybe tough but the author of this journey is tougher. I will cry in his arms, I will let his hands heal me. When I am out of breath I will inhale his breath and when I grow weary I will allow him to carry me. He is the one I have decided to follow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6MzgVsP2uE

Make God the center of your journey today.

My understanding of Prayer

In times like this, when so much is happening in the world, as Christians we respond in prayer because we understand that if we do not look to God, no other person or thing will save us. Most of the time we are locked up in our prayer rooms, churches or homes and it is because we are driven to seek God. Prayer is beautiful. It gives us a rare opportunity to talk to our heavenly Father, and we not only speak but we also listen to Him talk to us. Every person has their own unique way in which they communicate to the Father. Prayer is so necessary in our lives that when we stop praying, we cut links with our Father. In the physical or natural, when you stop communicating to someone you know, it is because the person is either dead or no longer a part of your life. This is the same thing with God. When we claim to know God then we must be in constant communication with Him. When we stop the communication flow, it is either because He is dead to us or He is no longer a part of our lives. In essence we are without God. Everything divine is perceived or received in a divine way. Prayer is one of the tools that aids in this process. So then, do we know how to pray?

Paul says in Philippians 4:6 that we should not be anxious for anything but, in everything, through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving..... This is where the catch is. He reckons that we have needs, we get anxious about things and needs and so there is something we can do about everything. But before we make the requests known, there must be prayer (communication), supplication (humbly or earnestly ask) and thanksgiving (being grateful). In our prayers, there is so little of thanksgiving yet so much of asking. We do a lot of asking and so while we are busy asking, we forget to listen. And when we cannot listen to the person we are talking to, we can never understand his worth, his importance and his ability to provide. In other words, we turn him into our errand boy. Our work is to give instructions and expect him to get to work. Once we are done giving instructions, our time is up and off we go and wait for the work to be done. And we dare wonder why our prayers are not being answered. Have you tried worshiping and giving adoration to the God who is able? Have you tried thanking Him for the supplication you made? Why are your prayers not being answered? Change the way you pray. Paul also told the Ephesians about making supplications for others. (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,). It is also time we stopped being selfish and start interceding for others. 

One time David said in Psalm 66: 17 that he cried our to God with a loud voice and praise was on his tongue. I believe that when God is worshiped for who He is, when we please God with our praises, when we show Him that we acknowledge who He is, our prayers will be effective. This is a part that we always just don't apply in our prayers and when we do it takes 5% of that time. Most of the time we assume worship is only done when through songs and during worship time in church. So when we get moved to pray we are energized to take needs to God after all, 'haven't I worshiped him, its time he got to know what I need' forgetting that He knows all our needs even before we ask. Where is our service to God? When we touch God with our worship, He will touch our lives and when He touches us nothing will be left the same. (Psalm 50:14-15 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”). 

Many people walk in sin but rush to God when they need Him. We need cleansing before we can expect to receive from God. We need to be obedient to Him. I have not heard of a parent who will reward his/her child for being rebellious and disobedient. We take God so casually and expect Him to give freely. The bible says that the prayers or a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16). Be righteous, walk in holiness then go before God and see what happens. 

Another thing I have noticed is that many of us spend so much time on the devil in our prayers. We take 70% of that prayer time dealing with the devil. We end up mentioning him more times than we do God. The bible tells us to fight the devil and yes it is important that we make warfare every time in our prayers. But when this takes all our time, then the devil feels like he has won our attention. It is the same thing with terrorists. they do what they do so that people can stop everything and focus on them. The bible says that at the mention of the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth (Philippians 2:10). It means every time Jesus in mentioned in our prayers every power of darkness is weakened and Jesus keeps winning the war for us. It is important to undertake warfare in prayer but let God be supreme all through.When we worship God and thank Him for the 70% then the remaining 30% we do warfare and supplication I believe our prayer life will be transformed radically.

Mathew Henry has done a commentary on the Lord's prayer that Jesus taught his disciples  and I would like to share with you. 

Understanding the Lords Prayer - Mathew Henry's Commentary
The petitions, and those are six; the three first relating more immediately to God and his honour, the three last to our own concerns, both temporal and spiritual; as in the ten commandments, the four first teach us our duty toward God, and the last six our duty toward our neighbour. The method of this prayer teaches us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then to hope that other things shall be added.

1. Hallowed be thy name. It is the same word that in other places is translated sanctified. But here the old word hallowed is retained, only because people were used to it in the Lord's prayer. In these words, (1.) We give glory to God; it may be taken not as a petition, but as an adoration; as that, the Lord be magnified, or glorified, for God's holiness is the greatness and glory of all his perfections. We must begin our prayers with praising God, and it is very fit he should be first served, and that we should give glory to God, before we expect to receive mercy and grace from him. Let him have praise of his perfections, and then let us have the benefit of them. (2.) We fix our end, and it is the right end to be aimed at, and ought to be our chief and ultimate end in all our petitions, that God may be glorified; all our other requests must be in subordination to this, and in pursuance of it. "Father, glorify thyself in giving me my daily bread and pardoning my sins," &c. Since all is of him and through him, all must be to him and for him. In prayer our thoughts and affections should be carried out most to the glory of God. The Pharisees made their own name the chief end of their prayers (Mt 6:5, to be seen of men), in opposition to which we are directed to make the name of God our chief end; let all our petitions centre in this and be regulated by it. "Do so and so for me, for the glory of thy name, and as far as is for the glory of it." (3.) We desire and pray that the name of God, that is, God himself, in all that whereby he has made himself known, may be sanctified and glorified both by us and others, and especially by himself. "Father, let thy name be glorified as a Father, and a Father in heaven; glorify thy goodness and thy highness, thy majesty and mercy. Let thy name be sanctified, for it is a holy name; no matter what becomes of our polluted names, but, Lord, what wilt thou do to thy great name?" When we pray that God's name may be glorified, [1.] We make a virtue of necessity; for God will sanctify his own name, whether we desire it or not; I will be exalted among the heathen, Ps 46:10. [2.] We ask for that which we are sure shall be granted; for when our Saviour prayed, Father glorify thy name, it was immediately answered, I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.
Source: Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume V (Matthew to John)

Sweet Spirit Sweep Over my Soul!

I have been doing a study of Romans chapter 8 and this chapter has just been speaking deeply to my spirit. Paul seeks to explain true meaning of living in the Spirit in this chapter. I was reading it again this morning and I could actually imagine how Paul's heart was as he wrote this words with so much conviction. Many of us believers have just focused on the speaking in tongues bit as being the true manifestation of living in the Spirit. We have not truly understood the power that comes from living in the Spirit. It totally separates us from our fleshly beings and we transform totally into spiritual beings. The Spirit of God is the only one who helps us to overcome the flesh. Everything about us is now determined by the Spirit within us. A preacher once said that even for us to be ruptured, we will need to be empowered by the Spirit and Paul says in Corinthians 15:52 that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. That is why he says even in this chapter that the Spirit is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and it is the same power within us. Let us go through this together.

Romans 8

New King James Version (NKJV)

Free from Indwelling Sin

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Paul boldly states that now there if therefore no condemnation but only for those that are in Christ Jesus and not just being in Christ Jesus but there is also a condition to it. Who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Did you know that the Holy Spirit was not just given for us to be able to speak in different tongues but to free us from condemnation? We are free from sin when we walk in the spirit. In the spirit we are free from death, that means that when we walk in the flesh, our outlook being shaped by the flesh, we are just the walking dead carrying death upon us. We can only be free when we ask God to give us the Holy Spirit and he says in Luke 11:13 that how much more will He give the holy spirit to them that ask. It is beautiful to also learn that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power living within us that will also quicken our mortal bodies. Can you take a moment on reflect on this.

Sonship Through the Spirit

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

The beautiful Spirit of the living God not just frees us from condemnation and death, He also makes us sons of God. Being sons we are made heirs which means we have an inheritance and not just heirs but joint heirs with Christ. It means we share everything that Christ has as sons and daughters of God. The same power that is in Christ Jesus is the same power we can now enjoy. We can therefore worry less about the things of this world because we have a greater inheritance. Desire to be a son of God, desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit. As many as are led by the Spirit, this are the sons of God.

From Suffering to Glory

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us[b] with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to Hispurpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to beconformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Paul was writing to a tried and afflicted people, and one of his objects was to remind them of the rivers of comfort which were flowing near at hand. He first of all stirred up their pure minds by way of remembrance as to their sonship,—for he said "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." They were, therefore, encouraged to take part and lot with Christ, the elder brother, with whom they had become joint heirs; and they were exhorted to suffer with him, that they might afterwards be glorified with him. All that they endured came from a Father's hand, and this should comfort them. A thousand sources of joy are opened in that one blessing of adoption. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have been begotten into the family of grace.

When Paul had alluded to that consoling subject he turned to the next ground of comfort—namely, that we are to be sustained under present trial by hope. There is an amazing glory in reserve for us, and though as yet we cannot enter upon it, but in harmony with the whole creation must continue to groan and travail, yet the hope itself should minister strength to us, and enable us patiently to bear "these light afflictions, which are but for a moment." This also is a truth full of sacred refreshment: hope sees a crown in reserve, mansions in readiness, and Jesus himself preparing a place for us, and by the rapturous sight she sustains the soul under the sorrows of the hour. Hope is the grand anchor by whose means we ride out the present storm.

God’s Everlasting Love

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”[c]

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Beautiful words indeed. To realize that God could not even spare His own son just for us and getting to understand that there is so much more that He can give freely. We notice first the idea of sparing. When people are rescued from an almost certain doom at the last second, we say that they have been spared a disaster that was about to befall them. When we read such language in Romans 8, how can we not think back to Genesis 22, where God commanded Abraham to offer his son Isaac, the son whom he loved, on the altar at Mount Moriah? In obedience Abraham took his son on an arduous journey and placed him on the altar, bound in ropes, and he lifted up the knife to slay him, but at the last second God stopped him: "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him" (Genesis 22:12). God commanded Abraham to spare his son. It was on Mount Moriah, later named Mount Calvary, just outside the city of Jerusalem, where, one thousand years after Abraham's experience, our Savior on the night before His death went into the garden of Gethsemane and sweat drops of blood pleading with the Father to allow the cup to pass from him. "Nevertheless," Jesus said, "not what I will, but what You will" (Mark 14:36). In that moment of the grand passion of Christ, the Father said no. The Father would not spare His Son. 

How can we not understand the posture of God toward His people after He has gone to such lengths to effect our redemption? God spared nothing, not even His Son, so that we might be saved. Therefore, Paul says, "He delivered Him up for us all." I don't believe for a moment that God did this for all mankind. God gave His Son to redeem His elect, those who are a part of the Golden Chain. 

Today, it is my prayer, that you will desire and pray for the in filling of the Holy Spirit. If you had been filled with the Spirit before but never truly understood what you carried inside you, there is a chance to be filled afresh. Speak Romans 8 in your life everyday. Claim the power by walking in the Spirit. Ask God to fill you every day, every hour, every moment. Walk in the Spirit. Say this prayer and begin to walk in the Spirit.

My Heavenly Father,

I am a believer. I am your child and you are my Father, Jesus is my Lord. I believe with all my heart your word is true.

Your Word says that if I will ask I will receive the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, I am asking you to fill me to overflowing with your precious Holy Spirit. Jesus Baptize me in the Holy Spirit, Because of Your Word, I believe that I now receive and I thank you for it. I believe that the Holy Spirit is within me and by Faith I accept it.

Now Holy Spirit, rise up within me as I praise my God. I fully expect to speak with other tongues as You give me the utterance. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Thank God and Praise him for Baptizing you in the Holy Spirit. From this Moment on you are a Spirit Filled Baptized Believer.