Fulfilling Our Mandate

     A very dear friend, who walks in obedience to the Lord, asked me an interesting question... Do you think "God's mandate" for your life can change based on your maturity, identity, or revelation in Him? That's a pretty loaded question! But it really made me think, so I'm going to try to unpack it and see where the Holy Spirit takes me.
     The first thought I had was that we need to define what a mandate is. According to the dictionary, "mandate" means "an official order or commission to do something". Another interesting definition in the dictionary is this one: "a written authority enabling someone to carry out transactions on another's bank account". I have heard an interesting parable by Bill Johnson in which he states that Jesus has left us a spiritual credit card; we have His authority to use His Name to accomplish signs and wonders for the Kingdom. In both instances, we have been given authority and a commission in which we can walk out the calling on our lives by our Creator.
     I believe there is both a mandate for all men, and a mandate for each individual, and they are intertwined. The former is the same for all, while the latter may differ depending on what God has purposed for your life. Genesis 1:28 clearly tells us the mandate God has given to all mankind: Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.  Being fruitful and multiplying is far more than just producing offspring to fill the earth, although God did intend for mankind to reproduce and take dominion and authority over His creation. 
          But if we look at what it means to be fruitful, on the most basic level, it is to produce fruit from a seed. God made each of us in His image and planted a seed within us that He expects to bear fruit. But He didn't make us all alike, so I'm thinking that each of our seeds may be different, but all are a divine aspect of the Person of God. Therefore, the fruit we produce is going to be different. These seeds are designed to grow within us due to our relationship with Him, and will result in the particular purpose He has designed for our life. 

     If we look carefully at the original mandate in Genesis, you will see it is full of verbs, which are "action words". We are to take action; we must participate and do something to effectuate the growing of the God-implanted seed! So, I don't think the original mandate on your life changes, but I do believe that your level of spiritual maturity plays an important part in knowing your identity in Christ, your ability to receive revelation, and if you will ever reach the full level [or execution/potential] of the mandate/authority/command on your life. Does that make sense?

     I'm thinking about Moses, for instance. It was God's promise that the Israelites [His chosen people] would be delivered from their bondage in Egypt to a Promised Land of milk and honey. And the Lord chose Moses to be the instrument of His deliverance; Moses was born with that seed inside him. But we can see that Moses did not always walk the shortest path to God's plan and purpose in his life. Yes, Moses guided his people through the Exodus; was entrusted with God's Law; foreshadowed the work of the Messiah, as Jesus attested to in John 13:14-15; was listed among the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11; and was so honored by God that the Father, Himself, buried him.
     Yet, we see that Moses often stalled his destiny and then missed the mark when he didn't fully honor God's holiness at the waters of Meribah. Moses failed to recognize the water-giving rock as the Living Water of Christ. He was to speak to the rock and it would bring forth the much-needed water. Moses made two mistakes... he spoke to the rock, but also struck the rock with his rod of iron, and he did not give the credit for the miracle to God, but absent-mindedly took credit for it himself and with Aaron [must we bring water for you out of this rock?]. God's holiness must never be compromised! And I know it broke God's heart to tell Moses, “Because you did not trust Me enough to demonstrate My holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”
     So, do I think God's mandate or direction for Moses' life changed? No. I do not believe God would ever change an original purpose for our life [which would yield only good for His Kingdom and for us] to a lesser promise or destiny because we missed the mark. It was Moses' lack of revelation [and perhaps a touch of frustration and pride] that God's purpose at Meribah was not fulfilled. 
     It is important that we know and understand our responsibility in being productive and producing fruit from the seed of the Lord that has been planted in each of us. After all, a seed is of little use until it starts yielding fruit. And God has given us the ability to know Him and to be fed and nourished so that we yield an abundant harvest for the Kingdom through the way we live our lives. The importance of fulfilling our mandate is pretty evident in Matthew 21:19, He noticed a lone fig tree by the side of the path and walked over to see if there was any fruit on it, but there was none—he found only leaves. So he spoke to the fig tree and said, "You will be barren and will never bear fruit again!” Instantly the fig tree shriveled up right in front of their eyes!" It was always Jesus's mandate for the tree to produce leaves. His mandate didn't change, but somehow the tree failed to produce. 
     So while God's mandate on our lives might not change, we can certainly stall it, interrupt it, delay it; even sabotage it due to lack of fruit in our spiritual lives; or not fully comprehending who we are in Christ; or by incorrectly interpreting His revelations or simply ignoring them. The beauty of our creation is that God gave us free will to make the right choices, which always glorify Him; but our free will can also be the stumbling block to God receiving the glory He deserves. As we become intent on becoming fruitful, we will grow spiritually, our identity in Christ will be unshakeable, and we will clearly hear Him as He directs our path. His mandate, which was planted in us from the start, will come to pass and we will accomplish what He had planned from the beginning. Nothing will make God more pleased than to see us fulfilling His plan for us.

Ephesians 2:10     We have become His poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!  
    
     
     

The Word of God: The Light Switch Just Came On!

     Have you ever read over a familiar group of verses, thinking you knew and understood their meaning and significance -- only to read them one more time and it was like the Holy Spirit suddenly flooded your mind with a bright light and you didn't just see the surface of the words, but now you could see the depth and width and height of the Word? And you suddenly understood how we, as the Church and the Body of Christ, have had trouble seeing and embracing the scope of what the Word is trying to reveal.
     That's what happened as I read 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12. If you've been in the Word for awhile, then you know that this has become a very difficult and contentious chapter for the family of God. It's the chapter [along with Chapter 14] that has caused quite a lot of division and questions among various Christian denominations in the current theological climate we find ourselves. The chapter concerns Spiritual Gifts, and Believers want to debate this subject from whatever doctrinal viewpoint has been established by church leadership.
     But since the Holy Spirit has shown me that I can trust the Word itself for understanding, I do not want to shortchange God by always adopting the "acceptable" interpretation. I will also admit that it has been difficult to turn off the indoctrination voice in my mind and try to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He teaches my spirit and reveals the depths of God's Word. That is why I return to this chapter over and over. And just yesterday, the Spirit turned on another light switch!

     It is actually a very simple message given in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, which gives us a complete picture of how God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus work with us to expand the kingdom of God on earth. But as usual, our conscious mind (our brain working with our soul) takes dominance over our subconscious mind (the mind of our spirit), and we get stuck on verse 4 about the distribution of the spiritual gifts and never see God's whole agenda. [NOTE: if the concept that your spirit has a mind and can work independently of your body/soul mind is new, I will discuss how that keeps us from operating in full cooperation with God in the next post].
     For now, let's just realize that getting preoccupied with which spiritual gift(s) we have. or how we are to operate out of them, can keep us from walking in the full revelation of how God manifests His kingdom in the earthly realm.
     So, let's take a look at the full context of 1 Corinthians 12:4-6. And we're going to exegete them from the Passion Translation because I believe it explains the interface and connection between the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the Father in using His people to influence the earth. Here is what those verses say:

⁴ It is the same Holy Spirit who continues to distribute many different varieties of gifts.
⁵ The Lord Yahweh is one, and He is the one who apportions to believers different varieties of ministries.
⁶ The same God distributes different kinds of miracles that accomplish different results through each believer’s gift and ministry as He energizes and activates them.

     First, it is very important to recognize that these verses establish that the Holy Spirit, Jesus (referred to as Lord Yahweh), and God are One; they are three distinct "personalities", if you will, of the One True God. I think the Book of John, establishes this quite well .... In John 10:30, Jesus says quite clearly,  I and the Father are One.  Then, He goes on in Chapter 14 to elaborate: To know Me is to know My Father (verse 6), --- and I will ask the Father and He will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like me—and He will never leave you. The world won’t receive Him because they can’t see Him or know Him. But you will know Him intimately, because He will make His home in you and will live inside you.... So when that day comes, you will know that I am living in the Father and that you are one with me, for I will be living in you (verses 16-20).

     Now, let's go back and look at 1 Corinthians 12, and see how simply God lays out His plan to work through us to expand His Kingdom on earth. Verse 4 says that God, as the Holy Spirit, distributes the many different varieties of spiritual gifts (which are the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, the gifts of faith, healing, power to work miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues). 
     Then verse 5 says that Jesus, as Lord Yahweh (God) allocates certain ministries to certain people [by His grace] and those ministries are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Then verse 6 says that this same God (the same as Holy Spirit and Jesus) distributes different kinds of miracles [or empowerment] that accomplish different results [the results He wants] through our gifts and ministries, as He energizes and activates them. And how does He do that? By the same Holy Spirit that Jesus says lives in us and is Him.
     Isn't that a most excellent picture of both a symbiotic and beautiful relationship? The Holy Spirit; Jesus, our Savior; and God our Heavenly Father interact in a mutually beneficial relationship that both benefits Them and us! And it couldn't be laid out any plainer or simpler.... The Holy Spirit gives the spiritual gifts; Jesus assigns ministries; and then God equips those gifts and ministries with His power [miracles] to accomplish His will.
     Yet, what do we do? We try to make it more difficult than it was designed to be. We argue over whether speaking in tongues is Scriptural for our age or not. We fight among ourselves over the calling of a fellow Christian because his ministry doesn't look like ours. We don't even believe God does miracles anymore because we don't see them. And why is that? Either because we don't believe God can empower us, or we believe in our own power more. 
     But all of this antagonism and conflict serve only to distract us from what Scripture clearly says. God shows us how He has planned for the Church to walk in His power and authority to take back dominion of the earth. But the Church only moves forward in expanding God's Kingdom when we align ourselves with Him and His agenda. Why don't we let God enable us to become fully equipped [as He has shown us in these three important verses] as we operate in our gifts and ministries by the wise use of His power? It's time we get out of His way and the Church gets over itself. It delights the Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit to give us these gifts; to see us use the power of Heaven to take back dominion of the earth. Until we fully commit to represent Them on the earth, follow Their agenda, and serve God in our assignments with joy and cooperation, I'm afraid our efforts to build up the Church will continue to fall short. Pray for Spirit-led understanding and obedience!

Proverbs 19:21     "A person may have many ideas concerning God’s plan for his life, but only the designs of His purpose will succeed in the end".
 

    

Understanding The Fullness of God's Will

     About a year ago I wrote a post about God's will. Because this is something that I desperately want people to understand, I'd like to elaborate, giving you an additional perspective to consider. I've shared that I'm attending a Bible study by Bill Johnson, called God is Good. And, as always, he gives me lots to think about and Scriptures to ponder.  
     At the center of the discussion is the fact that we have to decide if we believe God's goodness is demonstrated by His perfect will. This leads to the question, "Is God in control of everything"? And I will tell you that when faced with the pain of this world; the sickness, death, and emotional wounds, no question will cause more debate within the Body of Christ than that one.
     At the heart of this discussion/debate is understanding exactly what we mean when we talk about God's "will". Yet, as I wrote in the previous blog post, it is difficult to come to a consensus about what that word means. Well, as revealed in my Bible study, there are actually two words [in the original Greek] in the New Testament that give us two very different pictures of what God's "will" is.
     The first is the Greek word boulema as it is used in John 6:40, "For this is My Father’s will and purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him [as Savior] will have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day." It is a determination made by the Father and strongly expresses the deliberate exercise of God's will. As Bill Johnson says, this form of the Father's will is going to happen whether you and I like it or not. It will come to pass. If we believe in Jesus as our Savior, we will have eternal life. There is no other possibility. Another perfect example of this kind of God's will is the certainty that Jesus is returning. No question. He is coming back.
     The second form of God's will is expressed in the Greek word thelema, and is seen in Romans 12:2: "Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes."  Here, God's will is His purpose (will) that He wishes to be done. Stated differently, His will is His desire for what He would like to have happen -- and has made possible -- but may not necessarily be accomplished because we don't believe it can be done, or we believe it, but are waiting for Him to do it. I can give you a personal example of this. 
     Nearly a year ago, during my yearly eye exam the pressure in my left eye was elevated and an optic nerve was misshapen, causing the Ophthamologist to give me a preliminary diagnosis of glaucoma. In my spirit, I instantly renounced the diagnosis and refused to receive it. I believed that Jesus would heal me. I began praying over my condition, and enlisted faithful prayer partners to pray for my healing.  Although, I felt no difference in my eyes, I trusted that Jesus's promise to the leper in Matthew 8:2-3 is the same promise He has for me: Suddenly, a leper walked up to Jesus and threw himself down before him in worship and said, “Lord, you have the power to heal me . . . if you really want to.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the leper and said, “Of course I want to heal you—be healed!” And instantly, all signs of leprosy disappeared! 
     In addition, a faithful friend who sees in the Spirit, reported that as she prayed for my healing, she saw Jesus lay His hands on my eyes. I know that Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday [with the leper] and that His promises still hold true. With my friend's vision, my faith was confirmed. You see, Jesus as God's representative, expressed what the Father wished to be done; what was His will to have happen -- that all who come to Him will be healed; from that leper 2000 years ago, right down to me and you.
     But remember this is His thelema will, not His boulema will. It doesn't automatically happen, irrespective of us. This type of will requires our participation. Yes, it was absolutely the desire and wish of God that I do not have glaucoma, because there is no glaucoma in heaven. [REMEMBER: Jesus prayed for Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven]. Could God have instantaneously healed me Himself? Yes. Could I be healed from the further advancement of the glaucoma by taking various drugs for my eyes? Yes. Both would have accomplished a desired outcome. But I was seeking His perfect will for me!
     You see, we must always realize that personal relationship is what the Father has desired with His children from the beginning. It's what the whole Garden of Eden experience was all about and where He wants to return us. If He had sovereignly healed me, without any interaction on my part, where is the relationship? That question remains the same if I let the drugs do the healing. But when I choose to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit [in me] to intercede with Jesus and my Father in Heaven for my healing, then I go to Them in heart-to-heart prayer and engage in spirit-to-Spirit intercession, pouring out my desire for healing, while simultaneously praising Them in advance for the healing I absolutely believe I will receive. It creates personal intimacy with the Father that cannot be experienced with a distant, all-controlling God. 
     Now, I know that my explanation will not be enough for those Christians who, for whatever reason, are unwilling or unable to consider it. But, to me, that short-changes God and all those experiences in the Bible where Jesus healed everyone who came to Him in trust and conviction that He truly desired to heal them. Just think of all the hurting people in the world, who just like the leper, the blind, and the lame sought an encounter with Jesus so that they could be healed. Jesus represented the Father's desire for those afflicted people. And now we represent both Jesus and the Father! We must display Their thelema will to see the hurting people of our day have the same kind of encounter! 
     True, I can give my testimony to a skeptical world, and they can either believe my story that I was healed of glaucoma, or not. I know that the devil came to steal my sight, and I know he was absolutely defeated by the healing power of Jesus in me. But a testimony is easy to dismiss. What the skeptical cannot disregard is when they see me [and other disciples of Jesus] walking out our belief in His promises and showing them God's will for healing as we lay hands on the woman in Wal-Mart with bad knees and see her dancing, pain-free; or ministering to the young man in the mall seeking an answer from Jesus about his future, and he hears and sees His Lord speaking to him; or praying for the woman laying in a hospital bed with heart arrythmia, whose doctors are confounded when all symptoms suddenly disappear.
     The world needs to see this kind of God's will on display. They need those same kinds of encounters with the Father that the people in the Bible experienced. God hasn't changed! He still wants to do that! He sent Jesus to show us that it is possible. So the world needs to see us, His children, walking in belief, trust, and confidence as we represent His nature and heart for all people. It's time we understand the dual meaning of God's will and quit laying all the Enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy at God's feet. Let's give Him the credit He is due. He is a loving Father, who is Good all the time. Period.

Matthew 14:35-36     And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent word throughout all the surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick; and they begged Him to let them merely touch the fringe of His robe; and all who touched it were perfectly restored.       
     

But Where's The Application?

    I love to read inspiring articles and opinions/commentaries. And my heart is always over-joyed when the words I read echo the sound of the Lord's voice that I hear. There are even times that I feel like I could have written what I'm reading -- that's how close the narrative is to how I would explain a particular Biblical truth or concept.
     But it saddens me when the narrative falls short of telling us how to apply that truth. Of course that is not true when reading the Bible. The Word is very clear how to administer God's principles. For instance, He holds us accountable and responsible for every word, thought, action, attitude, and motive. He makes it clear how He expects us to respond .... When we offend others, we are to ask forgiveness and make proper restitution [if needed], as declared in Exodus and Leviticus. The application of this principle/concept is evident in the story of Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, in Luke 19:8-10. Furthermore, the result of the application is confession and salvation, as stated in Romans 10:10. God tells us what He wants us to do, and then He tells us how to do it.

     However, it is not only articles that have left me searching for how to walk out this Christian life. Oftentimes, I have heard brilliant sermons establishing God's heart on a particular subject matter -- for example, taking every thought captive. I have heard how to recognize when we need to take a thought captive; why it is important to do so; the consequences of failing to do it; and even where that captive thought comes from. But I have rarely been given the practical application of how to do it.

     So when I see an article's headline that shouts The Only Way To Stop The Devil From Stealing, Killing, and Destroying In Your Life, I'm thinking, "This is going to be great! Not only does this article seem to be saying they have the Best method, but the Only method". And, I have to tell you that I was really impressed with some of the ideas expressed ... namely, we don't have to let our feelings or circumstances control us when we are facing overwhelming situations. In those moments, God wants us to stand still and see His salvation/deliverance/healing.
    And I was in total agreement with the following paragraph: "If we are broken at the beginning of our journey, and we are not keeping our eyes on God, the enemy's job is to take what is broken and scatter the broken pieces even further apart. The devil's job is to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). Father wants us healed and whole. God is not expecting us to be perfect soldiers. He is looking for the soldiers that will say yes and obey His will. We are to believe and trust in becoming whole from brokenness as we remain in Him during our journey". I have never heard such a concise implication of Luke 4:18-19 and Isaiah 61:1. Furthermore, these are the very experiences that I have witnessed in the Deliverance Ministry that my husband and I have been called to by God.
     I was thrilled to read the writer's words: whether health issues, financial struggles, family issues, or brokenness that results in emotional and mental problems, abandonment, rejection or loneliness, it is always the desire of God's heart to heal us. "You were created to overcome. You were created to have dominion. You were created for purpose, on purpose". Amen! I'm in total agreement! But then I realize that I'm at the end of the article. I understand the concept. I understand that "Once we line up with [God's divinely willed purpose for our lives], there will be no more broken pieces". Again, I agree! I get that we need to come into agreement with God's plan for our lives, and we can expect to be made whole. But HOW do we do that???
     It's not enough to get the concept! If we aren't told [or discern on our own] how to apply that truth of the concept to our lives, then does anything really change? If I'm unable to put that truth into action, then how do my circumstances change? How do I overcome? Have dominion?
    There is so much well-written encouragement and exhortation in our Christian media and from our pulpits. And I know how difficult it can be to express what your spirit and heart want to convey -- I know I have been guilty of falling short of my desired goal many times. So, I am holding myself to the same high standard that I am calling the Christian community to... it's not enough for me to call your attention to an important principle of Christian life without also presenting how God's Word expects us to accomplish it. I am doing you a disservice if I'm unable to point you to His instruction in His Word; to encourage you to meditate upon it; and to determine your own belief system (based on Scripture) and be able to support it.
     Sadly, I discern that too many in the Body of Christ are willing to accept a teaching without ever questioning it or applying it. So you have Believers that are blown about by every changing wind of doctrine, or who settle for a diminished definition of the Great Commission because they have never been taught the full application of God's Word, or seen it modeled. It's not enough to recite a lot of Scripture, if you don't know how to apply it. Knowledge is not revelation; and revelation without application does not bear fruit. It is my hope that the Christian community becomes more attuned to equipping the Body of Christ to make true disciples of our Lord; people who know God's commandments and are able to guide others into the application of His will.

Philippians 4:9    The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the Source] of peace and well-being will be with you.

God Has Equipped Us!

     I remember when I was a first-year Journalism major at the University of Texas.  Among the first things you're taught about writing is the five W's: Who, What, When, Where and Why. At this very elementary stage, our professor was equipping us to become good news reporters. But my first assignment was to cover a speech given by Madalyn Murray O'Hair, the activist and founder of American Atheists who led the movement to ban prayer in American schools. Even though I wasn't yet saved, there was something so distasteful about her, that I lost the desire for becoming a reporter and decided I only wanted to write about things that interested me.
      Although I didn't embrace that curriculum, I saw the value in being prepared to carry out the assignment; to be trained for that particular purpose, and to be ready and willing to do what was necessary to finish the task. In other words, how important it is know Whom you serve in this life; What your assignment is; When you are ready to act [and how]; Where you are to serve your God; and Why you've been called.            
     It's been nearly four years since God made it clear to Mark and me that He was going to equip us to serve Him according to His will. That word "equip" means He is going to give us the answers to the Who, What, When, Where and Why of our service.  Hebrews 13:20-21 says that the God of peace will equip you with every good thing to carry out His will, accomplishing in us that which is pleasing in His sight -- all through Jesus Christ. The Amplified versions says God will strengthen you [making you complete and perfect as you ought to be].
     When it comes to equipping us to be servants of the Most High God, it is obvious that Father God is the One who does the assignment of the task, and the strengthening for the accomplishing of that task. It is is not us. It is Christ through us. And the task is not based on who we are or what we can do, because it is certainly not determined by our pedigrees, our influence, or our IQ. It is based on Who He is and What He can do. In addition, What is being equipped is His will-- His good and perfect and acceptable will; whatever He needs done to achieve His purpose of reconciliation with mankind. When He equips is a two-part proposition; when He decides we're ready, and when we surrender to His will. The Why is easy... to declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness and into His wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9); to give us everything we need for living a godly life through Him who called us for His own glory (2 Peter 1:3).
     This covers the basic and fundamental theology of God equipping us. But perhaps an even more significant aspect of this truth is How does God equip us? I think the most obvious answer (and the most Biblical one) is through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us that there are varieties of gifts, but only One [Holy Spirit] who grants them and empowers them individually as He chooses. I want to make it clear that it is my belief that since all the gifts are present in the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is present in all believers, then all believers have all the gifts available to them. And since we are to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit, I do not find it unreasonable to think that we can ask the Holy Spirit for gifts that we discern we need in a particular situation. It doesn't matter whether it is faith, or healing, or wisdom, or a word of knowledge, or a miracle, or prophecy, or tongues, or the interpretation of tongues -- they are all gifts available through the Holy Spirit who empowers them. They are given to us. We should use them.
     God also equips us to serve His Kingdom by using our experiences with Him in this world to enable us to share His grace and mercy with others. Nothing encourages another human being more than our testimony of how God helped us through a difficult time in our life, whether it be health-related, soul-shattering, or a spiritual attack. He equips us by giving us a testimony that changes lives. 
    The bottom line is that everything we are able to accomplish for the Kingdom on earth [which is our mandate from our Savior] is not because of our own efforts, but because God has equipped us to carry out His purpose for our life. We are His workmanship -- spiritually transformed, renewed, and ready to be used. He has set our paths before us, and we are fully capable of walking in them, if we trust and walk in obedience. He is our storehouse, our source, and our constant supply. We need never fear of being up to any challenge, because He will supply our every need, when we need it. Thank you, Father, for calling me and equipping me. Thank you for encouraging me and strengthening me, and may I never forget that I need You to help me answer Your call. And may my service forever glorify Your magnificent Name!

Philippians 1:6   I’m fully convinced that the One who began this glorious work in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you and will put His finishing touches to it until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ!


     

Being The Presence Of God

    I want to relate an experience that my husband and I had a couple of days before Christmas.  Although I posted a quick synopsis on Facebook, there is more depth to the story than I was able to express on that platform.  It is a stark reminder to me of how I need to be more focused on being the presence of God to another person.
     As millions of Americans did, Mark and I had to get out in the Christmas rush to buy household essentials, and I needed to return a rug I had bought on an impulse. Big mistake, I thought at the time.  I waited in the Return line at Walmart for over 30 minutes, my frustration beginning to mirror the poor woman trying to figure out how to send money orders around the world. But I kept myself in check, clinging to thoughts of the peace of this season. Finally, I was up next. I finished my return, we scrambled to find the other items we came for, got in another line to purchase them and were happy to be exiting the store.
     As we approached the exit, there was a woman ahead of me, obviously in pain, and moving very slowly. Although we were ready to get out of the rush, I got a clear prompting from the Holy Spirit ... "You are not going to walk past this woman."  Mark and I waited for her to clear the final door, and once in the parking lot, I approached her and asked if she was having trouble walking because of knee pain.  She told us that her right knee was swollen because she'd recently had that hip replaced. She was supposed to have the left hip replaced, too, but Hurricane Harvey caused a delay, and now she is displaced, waiting for her house to be repaired so she can move back in.  I asked her if we could pray for her knee pain, and she was enthusiastic in her approval, "Yes! I would love that!"
     I laid hands on her knee, prayed and asked if the pain was gone.  She said it was better, and we said, "Then, let's go after it again!" We continued to pray, laying hands on her, and releasing the power of the Holy Spirit against the spirit of pain in her knee.  We looked up and tears were running down her face.  Mark asked her why she was crying, and if those were tears of pain or joy.  She said, "Who are you people?"  We said, "Just followers of Jesus, doing what He has asked us to do, and what we are called to do".  She replied, "I have felt so distant from God for too long.  And He has sent me several people this week to remind me that He is still present in my life".  And the tears began flowing even more steadily.
     Mark asked her why she felt God was so far away, and she replied that she was the one who had pulled away.  So we held her hands and prayed that her relationship with Jesus would be restored and she would know how much He loves her and desires to rekindle the fire that once invaded her heart.  We asked her if she had received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and she said she had; that she had received the gift of tongues, but had lost it. We asked if she wanted it back, and she said, "Oh, God, yes!" So Mark prayed over her, calling for more of the Holy Spirit, and she prayed along with us, but nothing happened.  We reassured her that if she wanted it, all she had to do was keep on asking for it.  It is the Father's desire to restore her to fullness.  She said, "I know this, y'all! I know this!  My daddy was a Pentecostal preacher and I should know this!"
     We asked what happened to her that she had abandoned her faith.  She struggled for an answer, finally saying that things had just happened in her life.  We asked who she needed to forgive, and the answer finally came out ... herself.  So we led her in a prayer asking Jesus to help her forgive herself, as He has forgiven her.  By this time, I became aware of the strange looks we were receiving ... two white people hugging and praying and laying hands on an infirmed black woman ... and none of us cared!  Our Sister in Christ, Tracy, was walking in less pain, smiling through her tears, and declaring to anyone who cared to listen, "This is what we are supposed to be doing! We are all the same! We are all God's children and we are supposed to care about each other!"  We walked her to her car, blessing her and reminding her that Jesus will never leave her.  It was such a blessed reminder that Jesus will give us unending opportunities to represent Him, if we will be present in our spirits.
     I tell you this story, not to point out mine and Mark's actions.  It's not about us!  Remember, I just wanted to get out of that store, and there is another detail to the story... I had noticed Tracy as we rushed around trying to grab our two small items after my long wait in the Return line. But I was so self-absorbed with my own needs and getting out of there as fast as I could, that I had walked past her. Then here she was in front of me as we were exiting the store. I am telling you this because I am ashamed that I wasn't listening to the Holy Spirit when I first saw her, and I am praising the Father for giving me another chance to walk in the identity that I am seeking. I now see that my wait in the Return line was by His design -- otherwise our paths would never have crossed at the end.
     Again, this is not about the work that we did that day, although I know that it ultimately pleased the Father. But, rather, it is a serious inspection of myself as to why the presence of the Holy Spirit is not continuously expressed in my actions, every single minute of every day.  I want to be a person that the Holy Spirit "rests upon", as He did Jesus throughout His time on earth. 

     I know the Spirit lives in me; my body is His Temple, and I am confident that I have been born again. But I have to honestly look at myself and ask, "Can I say that the Holy Spirit rests on me?"  To me it is as Bill Johnson explains, "The Holy Spirit is IN me for my sake, but He rests UPON me for the sake of another".  That means that I should be having an impact upon others because of His presence upon me, and I should be effecting the world around me. Does it happen occasionally? Yes! And I know when it does that it is not me who is affecting a person's spirit, but the Holy Spirit leading me "on paths of righteousness for His Name's sake".
     During this season of my walk with the Lord that's where I'm at -- I want more than anything else to facilitate an encounter with God for another human being; to be the vessel or pipeline, if you will, through which God reaches out and touches a human heart. But I am also very aware that my heart must be always open towards the Holy Spirit in order for that encounter to flow through me. And my experience at Walmart, two days before Christmas, shows me that I still have work to do. I want to be constantly engaged with the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus was.
     John the Baptist, when testifying to the validity of Jesus as the Son of God, says in John 1:32, I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him [Jesus]. It means that for the rest of His earthly life, Jesus continued to position Himself to effect others, as the Holy Spirit directed Him. For me, it means I must direct my heart ever more towards God, so that I will be aware of every possible occasion or circumstance in which someone might encounter God through me.  I do not write this as a matter of self-deprecation, because I know I am a Daughter of the King.  Rather, I write it as a testament to my self-awareness, and to encourage others to walk with me as we seek to become more like Jesus. So, Father, I pray for more encounters like the one you blessed me and Mark with, and I pray that You will come to entrust me with more opportunities as I learn to recognize Your presence and share You and the Holy Spirit with others.  I want to cooperate with You more; fully representing You and what You are doing in the world. I ask all this so that my life may exalt my Lord and Savior. Amen!

Titus 3:5    He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,  

How Religious Spirits Keep Christians From An Intimacy With The Lord

      Have you ever encountered a religious spirit in a fellow Christian?  I daresay if you are walking in your delegated power and authority from Christ, and know who you are in Him, then you most likely have met a fellow Christian with a religious spirit.  How will you know and what effect does this spirit have upon the Body of Christ?

     First of all, a Believer with a religious spirit will be critical of any revelations you might have received from God that are outside of his or her mainstream doctrinal training.  Just think Pharisees, and you will get a good picture of men with religious spirits. They might accuse you of being deceived, or constantly challenge you to show where that particular spiritual truth is found in the Bible. But I'm not writing this post in defense of those of us who have found ourselves at odds with our fellow Christians, nor to condemn those who don't see eye-to-eye with us, but rather in the hopes of highlighting the detrimental effects this spirit can have upon the relationship of our fellow Christians with our Savior.  Let me repeat that ... THIS POST IS NOT CONDEMNING CHRISTIANS, BUT RATHER EXPOSING THE SPIRIT THAT KEEPS THEM FROM A SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS. You see, I want all Christians to enjoy the intimacy that I have with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and I want them to step into the freedom that can come when this spirit is expelled from their lives.
     So, what exactly is a religious spirit?  This may shock many in the Body of Christ but it is actually a spirit that comes from the Enemy to wage war against an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus in a Believer's life.  And I want to take a moment to point out a fact that escapes so many people who say they believe in God .... we are made in His image, and the Bible says, God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24).  So, if we are made in His image, then we are spirits, too, correct? But here is what too many people miss when considering how they live out their faith in God .... we are created as spirits who are living through a temporary physical experience.  We came from Heaven where we were spirits, and after a very short life span here on earth, we will return to Heaven (which we call "home", right?) as a spirit. We are not primarily physical beings created to stumble upon an occasional spiritual experience, even though I'm afraid that this is how most Christians see themselves. When the Bible says those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth, that is the truth we must embrace as we seek to relate to Him as spirits in a spiritual realm outside of this physical world. 
     But back to the purpose of a religious spirit, which is in all reality, a spirit sent by the Enemy against Christians to keep them feeling distant from God and to ensure that they never meet Jesus in the spirit.  This spirit can severely limit a Christian's intimacy with their Lord and Savior, and result in a life lived in virtual isolation from the One who created them and Who longs for a heart/spirit relationship.

      I heard an excellent Youtube video by Ryan LeStrange, the founder of Impact International Ministries. Ryan gives a very short and concise description of what a religious spirit is and how it affects a Christian's life.  He describes the religious spirit as "a demon power that uses religious structures to entangle people in bondage; to prevent transformation; and to enforce the spiritual status quo".  In other words, the spirit entraps the religious person into religious systems and traditions that result in little or no growth in their understanding of how they are to relate and work with Jesus, which essentially results in no fruit.
     LeStrange goes on to say, "The religious spirit fights [against] revelation; it defies prophetic insight; it hates apostolic authority; and it uses tradition to build structures of limitation".  All that is just another way to say that it builds a chasm between the Believer and a spiritual intimacy with God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.
     If you have spent time with God in His Word, then you know that it is His heart's desire to lead us into new and fresh revelations of His nature and His plans for invading earth with the Kingdom of Heaven.  It only makes sense that Satan would do everything he could to keep that from happening.  As long as the devil can keep us entangled in our limited human reasoning, and uninterested in pursuing the spiritual realm and encountering Jesus there, then he can keep us impotent and ineffective.
     You see, God wants us to be in sync with Him; to be aware of what He is saying, what He is doing, and what He is releasing in the earth -- just as Jesus was when He walked among us.  We can only do that if we are tuned in to the Spirit through our own spirit.  We must be aware of His presence, and the only way to do that is in the spirit!  It is the devil's express desire to keep us from being transformed from our physical limitations into a spiritual awareness where we can commune and work with Jesus to bring about God's will on earth.
     Satan loves it when we, as Christians, are stuck in a paradigm that is unable to experience the presence of Jesus in our lives.  When we are stuck with our religious ideas and traditions, we are not able to partner with Him to bring about prophetic change on the earth.  The religious spirit works to block people's minds from becoming renewed and seeing and hearing in the spirit, which is our birthright -- it is what we are created to do!
     You see, God wants to reveal the deep and hidden mysteries of His Kingdom to us, so that we can help bring about the times and seasons of His plan for mankind.  But the Religious spirit develops blockades that keep men from seeking those new revelations. So, as a Body of Christ, we must pray for freedom from this spirit; we must pray to break the opposition that comes against us as we share these truths with Believers; and we must pray that our Brothers and Sisters in Christ are transformed with new hearts and minds that can resist this hindering spirit and come into alignment with us and our Father in Heaven, to bring about His plans for these times. It is now time to defeat and remove this spirit's stranglehold on the Church, so that we might enter into our inheritance!

1 Corinthians 2:14   The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him [absurd and illogical], and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters].
   

Do We Misunderstand What God's Will Is?

     A few blog posts back, I stated that I'm not sure we Christians really fully understand God's qualities or characteristics; His Nature, to be exact. And I think perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of our Father in Heaven is His Will.  In fact, I bet if you asked several different Believers to define what God's Will is, you might get several different answers.  Yet our understanding of what His Will is, or what it means, leads to our individual views of Who God is.
     It is so common to hear these days, "God, if it is Your Will, then heal me [or protect me, or provide for me, or stop the evil, or any of a number of requests"... or, "It must have been God's Will that the accident [or death, or miscarriage, or failed marriage, or any number of tragedies] took place".  Can you see that this belief system can lead to an impression of God as a Zeus-like imperial, dictatorial, and authoritative figurehead who rules our lives from a distance?
     Oh, we will say that we know God loves us, because He sent His Son to die for our sins, right? And we declare our love for Him, but often experiencing a lack of real passion in our relationship with Him.  I think the truth is closer to the idea that many see Him as a loving, yet strict and inflexible Father who decides our fates based on His uncompromising rules; that it is our role as obedient children to never question or wonder why that fate befell us. It's all laid at the feet of a "sovereign" God, who causes [or allows] things to happen.  Perhaps this is best expressed in Psalm 135:6, The LORD does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths.

     Now that is an extreme [and rather cold] view of our Father in Heaven, but I would guess that far too many Christians see Him as a milder version; an aloof and remote God.  But I think the perfect picture of Who God is, is presented in Luke, Chapter 5, in the short exchange between Jesus and the Leper.  In verses 12 and 13, we see Jesus's illustration of God's will: While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 
     Remember, we must accept that Jesus only did what He heard the Father tell Him.  So, here the Leper acknowledges the power that Jesus has [from the Father] to heal, and says all it will take for him to be cleansed of this dreadful disease is that it be God's Will. Jesus's response? I am willing. Which means the Father was willing, too.  But I want to give you a richer [and I think more accurate] picture of this exchange.
     This is the translation of the Leper's request (and Jesus's response) as rendered by Dr. Kenneth Wuest, Teacher Emeritus of New Testament Greek at the Moody Bible Institute:  Sir, if you have the desire in your heart, you are able to cleanse me.  And having stretched forth His hand, He touched him, saying at the same time, My heart desires it. Be cleansed at once.  Do you see the difference in these two interpretations?  The English is more reserved and detached, while the Greek reflects the heart of God.  It is His desire -- His longing, His yearning, His eagerness, His enthusiasm, His determination [welling up from His heart], in this instance, to heal. But no matter what the circumstance we are facing in life, it is important to understand that God's will comes from the desire of His heart for us, which is always what is best for us -- not some detached decision that might or might not benefit us.
     In the case of the Leper, I have heard the logical question asked, "But how do we know that God wants everyone to be healed?  Couldn't it just be His desire or will for this one particular man"? Good question! But the Bible shows the desire of God's heart [which is His will] in the circumstances surrounding Cornelius's conversion in Acts, Chapter 10.  Here, Peter states that God is no respecter of persons, or as the Amplified Bible says, "Most certainly I understand now that God is not one to show partiality [to people as though Gentiles were excluded from God’s blessing], but in every nation the person who fears God and does what is right [by seeking Him] is acceptable and welcomed by Him".  So, God doesn't pick and choose those whom He will grant blessings to.  If we earnestly seek Him, it is always His heart's desire to bless each one of us.
     So why do bad things happen to people? If it is the desire of God's heart to bless those who seek Him, why do Christians suffer loss and defeat?  And that's where it gets particularly tough for many Christians.  But here's how I see it.  If someone suffers in this life, there are only three possible reason's ... 1) It is not the desire of God's heart to bless them [which we've already shown Scripture doesn't support]; 2) the person's free will played a part; or 3) it is the result of satan, who is the god of this world, and he found a way to steal, kill, or destroy God's intended blessing.
     Now, here comes the next question which always arises ... But God is sovereign, and he could have stopped the person's free will or the devil's schemes, and because He didn't, then shouldn't we surmise that God allowed the suffering?  People always want to go back to the example of Job and point out that God allowed the devil to torment Job.  But we misunderstand what is going on.  When God says to satan, "Behold, all that Job has is in your power...", we should discern that God wasn't giving satan power over Job (or allowing him to make Job suffer) ... satan already had the power, because he had dominion over the whole earth [from Adam and Eve's surrender in the Garden]. God was simply stating the facts and is saying, we're playing by the established rules.  You can destroy all the blessings I have given him, and my servant Job [still] will not curse me.  In fact, at the end of the Book of Job, God is mad at Job's friends, saying, "“My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has".  In effect, you have misrepresented Me! You've been trying to lay all the blame for Job's misfortune and suffering at My feet, and that is wrong!

     Let me try to put God's will in a more modern perspective.  God's establishment of the family dynamic mirrors the relationship between our Heavenly Father, and us, His children.  We can agree that in a perfect world, parents exercise authority over their children.  Let's say a family exists of a father, mother, and several children.  It is the desire of those parents that all of their children follow God's ways, and they teach them Biblical principles and what they expect of them.
     But one of the daughters decides to walk a different path; one that pleases the world, instead of her parents.  By her own free will, she begins making choices that result in drug addiction and repeated arrests.  So, are we to lay the blame at the feet of the parents because they "allowed" this to happen?  Or was it their daughter's free will that resulted in her suffering?  Or was it that the devil tempted her with escape through drugs in order to destroy her relationship with both her parents and God? The blame lies at the feet of either the daughter or the devil, not the parents, who only desired the best for their daughter and gave her the ground rules by which she could enjoy a blessed life!  The same model works in the spiritual world.  When tragedy or suffering occurs, it is NEVER the desire of God's heart; it is not His will!  Either the person made a free will choice that brought on the result, or like Job, we live in a world that is under the dominion of satan and he roams the earth looking for someone to kill, steal, or destroy.  He can work with the person's free will, or he can simply use the power he has to attack us.  It is up to us to resist him, while continuing to honor and glorify God,
     I guess the reason I am so passionate about viewing God's Nature correctly is that it saddens me when He gets the blame for the sadness, misery, and tragedy in this life.  We are made in the image of the Son whom He dearly loved [and therefore, what He desired for the Son, He desires for us].  And I would challenge anyone who believes that God caused [or allowed] His own Son's death. It was Adam and Eve's free will choice to disobey God that began the Israelite's long road of disobedience and ultimately led to Christ's crucifixion [and to God's glory, His resurrection].  Was it the desire of God's heart that His Son die such a horrific death? No! But once the dominion of this earth was handed over to satan, God cannot violate His own rules and take that dominion back until He sends His Son a second time with power and glory to defeat evil for all time.  But we tend to believe that "God's will" is His plan, [as in, it was His plan that Jesus go to the Cross in order to provide a way for  us to escape God's wrath].  And that is a much different understanding than seeing God's will as His heart's desire.
     Ultimately, it is the desire of God's heart that all men seek Him, and through confession and repentance, come into the Kingdom of God, partnering with Him to exert the Kingdom's influence on satan's dominion here on earth.  But while satan still rules this earth, the Bible tells us he is the god of this world, ruler of this world, and the prince of the power of the air.  He does not have ultimate authority over this world; but operates in this world within the boundaries God has set for him.  And God has set boundaries for Himself, too ... God is a God of order and harmony (1 Corinthians 14:33). So, to say that "it is God's will" when bad things happen is just not in keeping with His heart's desire or His Divine Nature.  Everything about God [including His will, or the desire of His heart] is good and acceptable and perfect.  Bad things -- evil, tragedy, trials -- come from the Enemy and/or our own sin nature.  Let's give God the praise He is due, and not dishonor His reputation [as was done in the Book of Job] by allowing Him to be falsely accused.

Romans 12:2    "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". 
   
   
   
      

How Do You Understand God?

     I think we would probably be amazed if we asked a roomful of Christians what their impression of God was like.  Of course, you would need to do it privately, or you wouldn't get honest answers.  But I imagine that the responses would sound something like this:  "God is my Daddy figure.  I can go to Him with anything"; "God loved me enough to send His Son as a sacrifice for my sins, and I owe Him for that"; "God is in control of everything in my life -- if He didn't cause something bad to happen, He at least allowed it"; and "God is a powerful, yet distant Ruler.  I don't know if He even knows I exist. I've never felt His presence".
     As you can see, there is quite a wide range of perspectives when it comes to how Christians perceive the God they profess to worship -- and this only covers a small fraction of our perception of Him. But I would think that, at the very least, Christians could agree that God is Good, right?  After all, I think we've all grown up with the cartoon images of God in a white robe and the devil in a red jumpsuit with horns and pitchfork... with the idea that God represents Good and the Devil is the purveyor of Evil.
     But man's traditions aside, Scripture tells us in Psalm 100, Give thanks to Him, bless His name, For the Lord is good. And David speaks of God's "goodness and mercy" that will follow him all the days of his life in Psalm 23.  Then there is Titus 3:4-5, which states, But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us.  God's goodness is well-established in the Bible -- throughout both the Old and New Testament; by His acts and those of His Son, Jesus.
     Yet, to paraphrase A.W. Tozer, how we think about God can affect our relationship with Him, and is one of the most important things in our Christian walk.  It is amazing to me how many Christians have a problem with seeing God as Good. And I have met some who are even offended by that statement! Typically, someone they have loved has suffered from cancer, died from a prolonged disease, or were the victim of some tragedy.  And they are simply unable to see God as good, loving, or merciful in that situation.
     Somehow, they have convinced themselves that if God were truly Good, then those events wouldn't have happened.  They don't want to come right out and blame God for the adversity in their life, and if you ask them, "Do you think God caused that, or made that happen?", they are likely to answer with indignation, "Well, I don't really know ... BUT...". If they can't go so far as to say God was the source of the bad situation in their life, they will say that He allowed it.  And then the next sentence is usually ... "Just like He did with Job".  But we aren't in the same situation as Job was. He didn't have Jesus, who is our Mediator, and who has taught us how to defeat the works of the Enemy.
     Furthermore, God is not the source of evil or bad things... the Devil is.  And he has been the source of evil from the beginning. Those who are confused about God's goodness will often use the argument that God causes or allows evil/bad things to happen so He can display His mercy.  But think how twisted that is!  Would a Good Father break a child's arm (or watch His enemy break it) just so He could comfort him (show him mercy) and then use His ability to reset the broken bone so it could be said of Him that He restored His child's health?
     If I may, I'd like to quote Pastor Bill Johnson: "Today a large part of the Body of Christ believes God either sends sickness, or allows it, to make us better people by building character and teaching us the value of suffering [like Jesus]. But, if God allows sickness, can we still call the devil a thief? After all, if the thief has permission to steal, it is no longer called stealing.  Yet Acts 10:38 tells us God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him... Remember, healing is not just something God does.  It is who He is.  His name is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. To deny this, is to deny the nature of God, who never changes".
     Our takeaway from this statement should be that it is not God's desire that anyone be sick. We must see that Cancer does not represent Life in the body; it represents Death, which lies in the realm of Satan. Sickness and Disease were not part of God's design for our bodies when He created us.  Both became a part of man's experience after Satan tempted Adam and Eve to sin in the Garden.  Child molestation, rape, murder, tragic car accidents -- none of these are the will of God for us.  But Satan hates God and hates His creation....us!  He wants to hurt God by hurting God's creation. So when anyone convinces themselves that God caused or allowed any of these tragedies, they are blaming God for Satan's evil plans and schemes against us.  John 10:10 should clear up any idea that God is behind the bad things that happen in our lives:  The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. 
     Jesus came as God Incarnate; as an exact representation of God, the Father -- to give Life, and give it abundantly. God is Life. Satan is Death and Destruction.  It's really that simple.  Cancer, Sickness, Child Abuse, Sexual Molestation, Murder, and every evil thing on earth is a manifestation of Satan, and they exist because the Enemy uses them to separate us from God and to steal, kill, and destroy our relationship with Him.
     How we understand God and that relationship has huge stakes for our lives and for this world.  It is imperative that we understand that we were hand-crafted by Jesus with the capability of being conformed into His very likeness. Can we be perfect Goodness, as He was?  Sadly, no, due to our sin nature.  But although that level of Goodness may be difficult for us to comprehend, we still have the ability to experience it personally... but we have to be willing to see His Goodness in every experience of our lives.  God is either Good all the time, or He isn't.  His character attribute of Immutability demands that we acknowledge that.
     But if we are going to blame Him in any form or fashion for the Cancer, or Sickness, or Abuse that were part of Satan's plan, we are robbing ourselves of that fullness of God and the abundance of His love for us, and His desire for intimate relationship.  How we understand God is perhaps the most important thing we will ever decide in our lives.  If I had to offer one piece of advice, it would be this: If it is good, it is from God. Jesus, Himself, said in Mark 10:18, Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. So let's understand this ... Anything that brings sorrow or loss or death is from the Devil.  Do not color God's incomparable and perfect character with Satan's wickedness and evil.  God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.  When your heart can embrace that Truth, the schemes of the Devil to harm your soul will have no effect.

James 1:17    Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes]. 

Unpacking Jesus's Work For God

     I love it when, during our morning study time with the Lord, my husband challenges me to follow a trail through Scripture, unpacking a word from Jesus to reveal a bigger picture of our relationship with the Father.  The other day, it all started with John 17:4 ... I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You gave Me to do.
     So, naturally, I was curious to know what the Bible defined as the exact nature of the work Jesus did, and what was God's objective in sending Him to do this work? What did God intend for Jesus to accomplish? These may seem like uncomplicated questions, and that every Christian should know the answers.  But I didn't want to just accept Church doctrine -- I wanted to discover the full revelation of God's plan.  And I discerned that it is really a two-fold answer.
     The word "work" in Greek is ergon, and it's definition is "to toil (as an effort or occupation); an act or deed; labor". While on earth, the accumulated deeds [Jesus did] were His work.  But the second aspect of His "work" is the accomplishment of the Father's purpose in the commandment to do those deeds.  The glorification of God, the Father, comes from both the work (deeds) themselves, AND the accomplishment of the work. Make sense?
     The next step I took in unpacking the Word, was to go to John, Chapter 4, verses 32-34, where the disciples urge Jesus to eat after His discourse with the Samarian woman at the well.  Jesus tells them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about ... My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work". In other words, He is saying that He has no need of physical food, but He is spiritually fed by doing the work of His Father; the work He has seen the Father do. Here again, we see the double purpose of 1) doing the work and 2) accomplishing it; seeing it completely done.  But what is the work?  Jesus says it is the will of the Father.  But what does that mean; what is the will of God?
     Jesus tells us in John 6:39-40: This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.  So, here, we see "the will" of the Father -- what God has determined shall be done through Christ.  In other words, it is God's will (His desire and choice) that the works Jesus does will result in belief that He is the Son of God; and because of that faith, Believers will receive the blessing that God wishes to bestow upon them, namely, eternal life (or salvation).  

     But the Father is fully aware that mankind is not going to believe Jesus just because He says He is the Son of God.  God has already sent so many prophets who foretold of Christ's Coming, and of the works He would do, and yet not even the religious leaders recognized Him. For centuries, the descendants of Abraham had been looking for the Messiah as described by Isaiah 35:4-6:  that God would come with a vengeance to pay back all the ungodly and save His people; He would do mighty miracles of opening the eyes of the blind, unstopping the ears of the deaf, healing the lame and mute; and His teaching and preaching would bring living water to those who thirst for righteousness.
     And those are the very "works" that Jesus did during His ministry -- all to accomplish the will of His Father, that those who would believe in Him would receive eternal life.  But there is an aspect of this Truth that we in the Modern Church miss.  Oh, we get the part about salvation and eternal life.  But we miss what Jesus did to get those in the First Century to accept Him as the Son of God and their Savior.  We are so scared of Ephesians 2:9 that tells us that faith is by grace; a gift from God, and not of works, that we only preach the message of salvation.
    But that's not all that Jesus did!  Yes, He preached and He taught, but His message was accompanied by the works that God commanded Him to do -- healing the sick and casting out demons was part of the Father's will!  Jesus explicitly says that He only does the things that are pleasing to the Father (John 8:28-29); and that He only does what He sees the Father doing in Heaven (John 5:19-20). ALL OF IT -- casting out demons, healing the sick, and preaching that the Father wanted His will to be done, on earth as it is in His Heavenly Kingdom -- were what the works of Jesus was all about.  And it was ALL the will of God for Jesus to accomplish.  And guess what, it is what God wishes to be done by us, too!
     For the life of me, I do not know how you can interpret John 14:12 any other way!  I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father.  And I think the logical extension of Jesus's words is that He is going to the Father because His work is accomplished -- now it is our turn to carry on His work!
     Like I said, we preach the message of salvation, but we don't have the works that accompany the message [which are God's will for us to do]; therefore the message [by itself] doesn't hold enough weight to convince ungodly men to believe in Christ.  They see nothing in our actions or attitudes that convinces them we serve a mighty God. The state of the world is evidence of that!
     But I can tell you that when you do what Jesus did, by the power that comes from the Father [just as it did to Him] and you lay hands on someone and they are healed; or you are able to cast out the demonic voices they are hearing in their heads and they have peace for the first time in years; or you help them to see [in the spirit] that Jesus was with them during a tragic time in their life -- then you are accomplishing the will of the Father.  The Lost have the opportunity to know and believe in Jesus, and the previously Saved will get their theology rocked and their minds renewed; they can let go of their "sacred religious cows" that have not brought them the freedom Jesus and God desire for them.  It is only when they see the full picture of ALL the works of Jesus that they "will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will" that accomplishes His plan and purpose.
     In the final analysis, it became clear to me as I followed the bread crumbs through Scripture and landed on John 19:30.  When Jesus, with His last breath, says, It is finished!, I believe He means His supernatural works, and His accomplishment of the Father's will and purpose. The Way to eternal life  has been instituted.  We have been shown by Jesus that His works are the same works the Father does, and the same works the Father wishes us to accomplish.  These works are not done so that we may boast, but to draw men to the saving message of Jesus Christ. It is clear -- it is the Father's will that all be saved -- but we are missing a vital part of Jesus's work to accomplish that -- the work that is clearly God's will for us to do.

Ephesians 5:15-17   "Therefore see that you walk carefully, not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is".