I believe the word of God says we are to live and walk by the Spirit abiding in Christ in whom there is no sin; but if we sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, who will intercede for us and we will find mercy and grace. But if we refuse to learn obedience and continually refuse to take the way of escape the Father gives us for each temptation, we will face a terrifying judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.
Given this, I believe with all my heart that many reading this should walk away from their hunger for power and authority and instead, stand still and pay attention as the Holy Spirit judges the thoughts and intentions of your hearts. Allow Him to lead and guide you in everything you do. We must all partake of the Lord’s discipline and I assure you that if you stay quiet long enough He will teach you to obey.
One of the very first things the Lord teaches us is to be faithful in the small things. As an example, the word of God says we are to obey the laws of the land. Before you hit the ceiling, let me say, laws that go against our conscience should usually not be kept. I’m very serious about this. I have known preachers who exceeded the speed limits all the time, even when they were on their way to preach somewhere. We have all seen many cars with Christian bumper stickers exceeding the speed limits.
Most people think these are small things, and not that important. Do you honestly think the Father overlooks the small things? We are His children; we are supposed to obey our Father. That is why He disciplines us. Even Jesus was taught to obey; Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered, Hebrews 5:8.
Jesus said, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much,” Luke 16:10. So in the eyes of God all those cars exceeding the speed limit, both the preachers and the cars with Christian bumper stickers, were being driven by unfaithful and unrighteous people. Their behavior was an affront to God.
Many act as if they have a get-out-of-jail-free card and that it’s not necessary to be obedient in all things. But in speaking of loving our enemies, Jesus said, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” Matthew 5:48. James said, ‘Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing, James 1:2-4.
Jesus didn’t say we should tryto be perfect. He said we are to be perfect. James didn’t say we are to try to consider our trials all joy. He said we are to consider it all joy when we encounter trials.
Even if we did have a get-out-of-jail-free card (which we don’t), why would we use it? Consider the sacrifice of the One who loves us beyond all understanding. What kind of person would take advantage of someone like that? Anyone who has given so much of Himself for our sake deserves our respect and gratitude.
I honestly believe people claiming or seeking to have all authority should abandon that belief and submit to God in the small things. If they do, they will find those who submit to the Lord in the small things are pleasantly surprised, for He continually shows His gratitude for our willingness to walk humbly with Him. They will find an intimate relationship with the Son of God, lose their desire for authority, and walk by faith in His name.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
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