AMedi aResour ceofJonat hanMi ni st r i esandFr i ends Vol ume3*Number1*2013
JoyToTheWor l d “ Li ve”f r om Bat onRouge, Loui si ana,USA Wat chandl i st ent ot hi s musi cvi deoonl i neat : www. j onat hanheng. com
WATCHYOURWI TNESS,WALKANDWARFAREOFWORSHI P byJonat han THEWI TNESSOFWORSHI P “ Butt hehourc omet h,andnowi s ,whent het r uewor s hi pper ss hal l wor s hi pt heFat heri ns pi r i tandi nt r ut h: f ort heFat hers eek et hs uc ht owor s hi phi m.Godi saSpi r i t :andt heyt hatwor s hi phi m mus twor s hi phi mi n s pi r i tandi nt r ut h”( J ohn4: 2324) . Ourwor s hi pofGodi sbas edonav i t al r el at i ons hi pwi t ht heLor d.Unl es sani ndi v i dual i s“ bor noft heSpi r i t orbor nagai n”( ac c or di ngt oJ ohn3: 58) ,heors hec anonl yk nowGodi nt hei nt el l ec t . J us tl i k et hePhar i s eesofol d,manyeduc at ednonChr i s t i anst odaymayhav eex c el l entandpr of ound phi l os ophi esandt heor i esaboutr el i gi on,buts t i l l v er ymuc hf or ei gnt ot het hi ngsandway sofGod.We hav et obe“ deadi ndeedunt os i n,butal i v eunt oGodt hr oughJ es usChr i s tourLor d”( Romans6: 1 1)i n or dert ohav ear el at i ons hi pandawal kwi t hHi m.Wehav et or ec ei v eHi sl i f ebyc onf es s i ngandbel i ev i ng t hi s ,“ Andt hi si sl i f eet er nal ,t hatt heymi ghtk nowt heet heonl yt r ueGod,andJ es usChr i s t ,whom t hou has ts ent ”( J ohn17: 3) . Asi mpor t antandpr ec i ousasi ti s ,i ti snotenought ok nowt hewr i t t enWor dasadoc t r i nal orahi s t or i c al Book .Wemus tal l owt heSpi r i tofGodt oqui c k enours pi r i teac ht i mewes t udyt heHol ySc r i pt ur esasi t wi l l l eadust ok nowandl ov et heLi v i ngWor d,J es usChr i s tHi ms el f ,“ I Nt hebegi nni ngwast heWor d,and t heWor dwaswi t hGod,andt heWor dwasGod”( J ohn1: 1) . Aswel i v ei nHi m,“ TheSpi r i ti t s el fbear et hwi t nes swi t hours pi r i t ,t hatwear et hec hi l dr enofGod” ( Romans8: 16) . THEWALKOFWORSHI P “ Ther ef or e,Iur gey ou,br ot her s ,i nv i ewofGod’ smer c yt oof f ery ourbodi esasl i v i ngs ac r i f i c es ,hol yand pl eas i ngt oGod-whi c hi sy ours pi r i t ual wor s hi p”( Romans12: 1;NI V) . T omanyChr i s t i ans ,t hei deaofwor s hi pi saonc eaweek ,happyhourk i ndofc el ebr at i on.I ti spos s i bl e t ogot hr ought hemot i onsofc l appi ng,danc i ngands i ngi ngi nac hur c hs er v i c eands t i l l beaddi c t edand c omf or t abl ewi t ht hewor l df ort heot herpar t soft heweek . Fr i end,t oent eri nt ot hePr es enc eoft heKi ngofk i ngswi t hanunpr epar edhear ti st obegui l t yof“ hav i ng af or m ofgodl i nes s ,butdeny i ngt hepowert her eof :f r om s uc ht ur naway ”( 2Ti mot hy3: 5) . Whi l eGodi st i r edandwear yofs pi r i t ual phoni esandHes ay s ,“ Br i ngnomor ev ai nobl at i ons ;i nc ens ei s anabomi nat i onunt ome;t henewmoonsandSabbat hs ,t hec al l i ngofas s embl i es ,Ic annotawaywi t h;i t i si ni qui t y ,ev enast hes ol emnmeet i ng.Yournewmoonsandy ourappoi nt edf eas t smys oul hat et h:t hey ar eat r oubl eunt ome;Iam wear yt obeart hem.Andwheny es pr eadf or t hy ourhands ,Iwi l l hi demi ne ey esf r om y ou:y ea,wheny emak emanypr ay er s ,Iwi l l nothear :y ourhandsar ef ul l ofbl ood”( I s ai ah 1: 1315) ;Ik nowt her ear es i nc er eandt r ueChr i s t i answhol ov eGodandy et ,pl aguewi t hs omepr i v at e pai ns ,s omes ec r ets i nst hatonl yt heyk nowwhatt heyar e.Godwant st or el eas et heSpi r i toff ai t hi n t hes el i v es ! Dowehav edi f f i c ul t i eswi t hbi t t er nes s ,doubt ,f ear ,hat e,i dol at r y ,l us t ,unf or gi v enes s ,et c . ? Iam notpr oudt ot el l y out hi s .Ther ewer eoc c as i onswher eIhav eal l owedc i r c ums t anc est odi c t at emy c onf es s i onandwal kofwor s hi p.I ns t eadofhav i ngf ai t has“…agr ai nofmus t ar ds eed,[ I ]s hal l s ayunt o t hi smount ai n( ofwhat ev erdi f f i c ul t i esorpr obl emsIwasex per i enc i ng) ,Remov ehenc et oy onderpl ac e; andi ts hal l r emov e,andnot hi ngs hal l bei mpos s i bl eunt o[ me] ”( ac c or di ngt oMat t hew17: 20) ,Iwas
f r et t i ngandpani c s t r i c k en,al l owi ngt hes pi r i toff eart oat t ac kme. Atot hert i mes ,i ns t eadofbl es s i ngt hem t hat“ c ur s e[ me] ,andpr ayf ort hem whi c hdes pi t ef ul l yus e[ me] ” ( ac c or di ngt oLuk e6: 28) ,t hef l es hwoul dr i s eupandIwoul dbei nabadmood.Iwoul dbes of r us t r at ed t hatIf el tl i k egi v i ngupandqui t t i ng.ButGodwoul dbes opat i entwi t hmeasIhav el ear nedandam s t i l l l ear ni ngt ot ak es t r engt hi nHi sWor d,“ Bel ov ed,t hi nki tnots t r angec onc er ni ngt hef i er yt r i al whi c hi st ot r y y ou,ast houghs omes t r anget hi nghappenedunt oy ou:Butr ej oi c e,i nas muc hasy ear epar t ak er sof Chr i s t ’ ss uf f er i ngs ;t hat ,whenhi sgl or ys hal l ber ev eal ed,y emaybegl adal s owi t hex c eedi ngj oy .I fy ebe r epr oac hedf ort henameofChr i s t ,happyar ey e;f ort hes pi r i tofgl or yandofGodr es t et hupony ou:on t hei rpar thei sev i l s pok enof ,butony ourpar thei sgl or i f i ed”( 2Pet er4: 1214) . Bef or ewec anex per i enc et hev i c t or yt hatChr i s thasal r eadywr oughtont hec r os s ,Godwant sust oc al l t hel ac koff ai t h,pos i t i v ec onf es s i on,pr ay er( orwhat ev erbes et t i nghi ndr anc es )t hemani f es t at i onsofs i n wi t houtex c us eorj us t i f i c at i on. Weneedt hepoweroft hec r os si npul l i ngdownt hes t r onghol dsandt hewor k soft heenemy -“…Fort hi s pur pos et heSonofGodwasmani f es t ed,t hathemi ghtdes t r oyt hewor k soft hedev i l ”( 1J ohn3: 8) . Whyar es omeofuss t i l l s pi r i t ual l yweakands t ar v i ngev ent houghwear e“ bor nagai n”andhav er ec ei v ed J es usChr i s tasourLor dandSav i our ? Ibel i ev ei ti sbec aus ewear et ooaddi c t edandc omf or t abl ewi t ht hewor l dt owher ewer ar el y ,i fev er ,t ak e t het i met ol i s t enandobeyGod’ si nnerpr ompt i ngs ,“…dul l ofhear i ng.Forwhent het i mey eoughtt obe t eac her s ,y ehav eneedt hatonet eac hy ouagai nwhi c hbet hef i r s tpr i nc i pl esoft heor ac l esofGod;and ar ebec omes uc hashav eneedofmi l k ,andnotofs t r ongmeat .Forev er yonet hatus et hmi l ki suns k i l l f ul i nt hewor dofr i ght eous nes s :f orhei sababe.Buts t r ongmeatbel onget ht ot hem t hatar eoff ul l age,ev en t hos ewhobyr eas onofus ehav et hei rs ens esex er c i s edt odi s c er nbot hgoodandev i l ”( Hebr ews5: 1 114) . Tr ue,t het r ans f or mat i oni nt he“ r enewi ngof[ our ]mi nd”( ac c or di ngt oRomans12: 2)i sac ont i nuous l i f el ongpr oc es st hatwi l l notbec ompl et edunt i l wear ec al l edhomet obewi t hJ es us ,butt hepeac ei n k nowi ngt hat“ ev eni nt hemi ds toft r i bul at i on,wec anbeofgoodc heerbec aus eJ es ushav eov er c omet he wor l d”( ac c or di ngt oJ ohn16: 33)i ss omet hi ngwec anex per i enc eher eandnow. Buti tmus tbegi nwi t ht hedes i r et owal kwi t hGod.Enoc hwal k edwi t hGods omuc ht hatGods i mpl yt ook hi m home( ac c or di ngt oGenes i s5: 1824andHebr ews1 1: 5) .Dowes eeGodonl yasourFat herand Sav i our ,ori sHeourFr i endaswel l ? Letusex pr es sourl ov e,obedi enc eandr ev er enc ef orGod,“ Thous hal tl ov et heLor dt hyGodwi t hal l t hy hear t ,andwi t hal l t hys oul ,andwi t hal l t hymi nd”( Mat t hew22: 37) . THEWARFAREOFWORSHI P “ Andhec omet hunt ot hedi s c i pl es ,andf i ndet ht hem as l eep,ands ai t hunt oPet er ,What ,c oul dy enot wat c hwi t hmeonehour ?Wat c handpr ay ,t haty eent ernoti nt ot empt at i on:t hes pi r i ti ndeedi swi l l i ng,but t hef l es hi sweak ”( Mat t hew26: 4041) . Ir eadt hatt her ear ec hur c heswher epeopl ewearc ombatf at i guesandhol di magi nar ys wor dst odenot e t hatt heywer eengagedi ns pi r i t ual war f ar e.Theywoul ds c r eam l oudl yands t ampt hei rf eetev i dent l yt o s uppos edl yf r i ght ent hedev i l away .Thi si sf ool i s hnes sandpr es umpt uous nes s . Now,Ihav eev er yr es pec tf orpeopl ewhoneedst owears uc hat t i r ei nt hel i neofdut yands er v i c et ot hei r nat i on,butt os ugges tt hatt her ear es omepower si nt heador nmentofs uc huni f or mswheni tc omest o s pi r i t ual mat t er si st obeal aughi ngs t oc knotonl yt ot hepeopl eoft hewor l d,butt ot hepower sofdar k nes s aswel l .Ont heaut hor i t yofGod’ sWor d,Is ayt hatt hef oundat i onsofv i c t or yi ns pi r i t ual war f ar el i esi nour pos i t i oni nChr i s tJ es usaswear ec l ot hedi nHi sr i ght eous nes sandt hatweputont hewhol ear mourof
God,andnotbec aus eweac torl ook“ mi l i t ant ”ont heout war d.Tr ues pi r i t ual war f ar ei snotpl ay i ng gameswi t ht heenemy .I ti snotaj ok e.I nf ac t ,i ti sac onf l i c tt hatwi l l notendunt i l t het r umpofGod s oundsorwhent heLor dc al l sushomet ogl or y .J us tas“ whent hedev i l hadendedal l t het empt at i on,he depar t edf r om hi m( J es us )f oras eas on”( Luk e4: 13) ,wec anbes ur et hatt her ei snot hi ngwec andot o s t opSat anf r om c omi ngbac kt oat t ac kort emptus .Howev er ,“ l es tSat ans houl dgetanadv ant ageofus : f orwear enoti gnor antofhi sdev i c es ”( 2Cor i nt hi ans2: 1 1) ,God’ sas s ur anc eofv i c t or ywi l l beour si fwe r es ponds c r i pt ur al l y ,“ Ther ehat hnot empt at i ont ak eny oubuts uc hasi sc ommont oman:butGodi s f ai t hf ul ,whowi l l nots uf f ery out obet empt edabov et haty ear eabl e;butwi l l nots uf f ery out obet empt ed abov et haty ear eabl e;butwi l l wi t ht het empt at i onal s omak eawayt oes c ape,t haty emaybeabl et o beari t ”( 1Cor i nt hi ans10: 13) . Theol ogi c al l y ,Ic ons t ant l yac c eptt hef ac tt hatSat anwi l l al way sr et ur nt ot r yt ohi ndermyf ai t handmy wal kwi t hGodbuti npr ac t i c e,t her ehasbeenmoment swhenIf eel s ogr eati nGodt hatIt houghtIwoul d nev erf al l f l atonmyf ac eagai n,onl yt of i ndday s ,hour sorev enmi nut esl at ert hatIam s hak i ngand s t r uggl i ng. Wher ehav eIgonewr ong? WasIf i ght i ngi nt hef l es hori nHi sSpi r i t ? Ev ent houghIk nowt heanoi nt i ngandt het ouc hofGodt hr ought hey ear s ,i ti shumi l i at i ngandpai nf ul t o k nowt hatt her ewer es t i l l s omeuns c r i pt ur al ar easi nwhi c hIwasoper at i ng. I nt hi smer c i l es ss pi r i t ual wr es t l i ngmat c h,Iam asal i t t l ec hi l d,s ay i ngofmyi nf i r mi t i esasPaul s ai dofhi s , “…Mos tgl adl yt her ef or ewi l l Ir at hergl or yi nmyi nf i r mi t i es ,t hatt hepowerofChr i s tmayr es tuponme. Ther ef or eIt ak epl eas ur ei ni nf i r mi t i es ,i nr epr oac hes ,i nnec es s i t i es ,i nper s ec ut i ons ,i ndi s t r es s esf or Chr i s t ’ ss ak e:f orwhenIam weak ,t henam Is t r ong”( 2Cor i nt hi ans12: 910) . No,Iam nott al k i ngaboutwi l f ul f ai l ur eors i n,butIam t al k i ngaboutt hej oyandpeac eIc anex pec tt o r ec ei v ef r om Godev enwhi l epeopl ec ur s e,mi s under s t andorwr ongl yj udgeme.I ti snoteas yandIam s t i l l l ear ni ng,butt hr oughi tal l ,t heLor di ss ay i ng,“ Mygr ac ei ss uf f i c i entf ort hee:f ormys t r engt hi smade per f ec ti nweak nes s … ”( 2Cor i nt hi ans12: 9) . Ibel i ev et hewor dsofJ es usatGet hs emanewhenhes ai dofSi monPet er ,“ ButIhav epr ay edf ort hee, t hatt hyf ai t hf ai l not … ”( Luk e22: 32)i sal es s ont os howust hatev ent hes t r onges tChr i s t i ani snomat c h f orSat ani ft her ei spr i depr es ent .Yous ee,Pet erwasas t r ongi ndi v i dual andwhenhes ai d,“ Lor d,Iam r eadyt ogowi t ht hee,bot hi nt opr i s on,andt odeat h”( Luk e22: 33) ,hewass i nc er eandwasnotl y i ng abouti t .Butwhent het es tc ame,hef ai l edmi s er abl y .Washeanout r i ghthy poc r i t eoral i ar ?No,Idonot t hi nks o.Theans wer sar eof t enduet os pi r i t ual at t ac k st hatar ees pec i al l yv ul ner abl eei t hert oamor e mat ur ec hi l dofGodoronewhos ubt l yt r us ti nhi sorhers pi r i t ual ac c ompl i s hment s . Ic onf es st hatt her ear emanyt i mesIc ani dent i f ywi t ht hi spr obl em.Ihav et hebes tandwel l i nt ent i onsof wi l l t oac c ompl i s hc er t ai nt hi ngsf ort heLor donl yt of i ndt hatIf ai l edt o“ mak ei t ”l at er . Ihav el ear neds omet hi ngst hehar dway ,andIam c er t ai nt hatt her ear es omuc hmor et ol ear nwheni t c omest ot het hi ngsandt heway sofGod.ButasIhav eat t empt edt obr i ef l yr el at et oy oumyper s onal s pi r i t ual bat t l easwel l asex ampl esf r om t heWor dofGod,i ti smypr ay ert hati twi l l s omehowbeof c omf or tandhel pt oy ou,mybel ov edi nChr i s t ,“ Forourr ej oi c i ngi st hi s ,t het es t i monyofourc ons c i enc e, t hati ns i mpl i c i t yandgodl ys i nc er i t y ,notwi t hf l es hl ywi s dom,butbyt hegr ac eofGod,wehav ehadour c onv er s at i oni nt hewor l d,andmor eabundant l yt oy ouwar d”( 2Cor i nt hi ans1: 12) . COPYRI GHT( C)1995WORLDHARVESTGOSPELPRESS ALLRI GHTSRESERVED ( Thi sar t i c l ewasor i gi nal l ypr i nt edi n1995. )