We need to examine what it is that we treasure in our hearts... What do we put our time and energies toward? What manner of conversation do we engage in? Do we know what God's requirements are? ...and are we willing to meet them to live a victorious Christian life? ...These are just some of the questions we need to ask ourselves. Here are some of the verses that the Spirit quickened to me pertaining to this.
Romans 8:13-14 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Proverbs 23:4 Labor not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
1 Peter 5:6-10 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:6-8 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
1 John 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Deuteronomy 13:1-3 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
May we be challenged and encouraged to press in and seek after God with all our heart. May we pour over His Word, as seeking for hidden treasures. His words hold the key to life. If God is dealing with you... giving you a hunger to know more of Him, do not let anything in this world stand in your way. Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth. We will be tested and tried. We will be confronted with our own weaknesses and shortcomings. But we must learn to keep our eye single on knowing Him. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. May we learn what it means to take up our cross and follow Him. May we learn what those who have gone before us learned... what it takes to live a victorious Christian life in Christ Jesus. Only as we do this, will we be able to help others effectively. We are challenged to strive toward perfection:
Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. And we are instructed in how to go about doing it.
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
We are not asked to do anything in our own strength. God only asks that we love Him who first loved us. That we believe and obey. That we do not walk in the flesh but in the Spirit, allowing the heavenly realm to become more of a reality to us than this physical world. That we might be changed into His image. As we seek the Lord, He has promised that we will find Him. If we truly desire to help others, we need to get closer to God. He is the source of help and deliverance.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
This is what we are challenged to follow our Lord and do. May we keep our eye fast upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. May we stand in our appointed place... having accomplished all that He desired us to do. May we be found pleasing in His sight, and hear Him say to us, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." The only hope any of us have of ever achieving these goals is by our seeking a relationship with Jesus and the Father, with every fiber of our beings. In the Lord's prayer Jesus showed us how to pray...
Matthew 6:6-13 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
We should seek the Kingdom now. It is not something coming down from heaven some day. The Kingdom of God is attainable now. Our hearts desire should be that God's perfect will be done in and through the members of His body here on earth... now, even as it is done in heaven. All of creation is groaning for deliverance from the powers of darkness that now control it. God is calling us to rise up in Christ Jesus, and take back from the enemy what was delivered to him when man fell in the garden. It is not enough to see the needs around us and feel sorry for those in pain. We are called to be the sons of the Living God. We are called to walk as Christ walked. We look at ourselves and see only the impossible. But as we look at Jesus, never taking our eyes off of him for a moment, all things are possible. Let us seek, believe, obey and overcome. Let us grow in wisdom, and the knowledge of the fear of the Lord. Let us be conformed to the image of Christ; vessels of honor.
