Tag: righteous

Studies

Judging Righteous Judgment

Pete

Judging Righteous Judgment

Making judgments is essential for the people of God.  The Scriptures command us to be vigilant and diligent to guard our way.  That means making judgments constantly as we must strive to stay on the narrow way and separate from the world and all things unclean.

Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

The Elect of God otherwise known as the Body of Christ will in fact be the judges of all mankind and will usher in salvation to all men in the appointed times.

1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

Lest we forget, judgment is the process by which all men are saved.  There is no other way.

Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

The promise given to Abraham, a type of God’s Elect, is that we and our households would do justice and judgment.

Gen 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

Gen 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. (i.e. Salvation)

So knowing these truths combined with a God-given zeal for the House of the Lord, we should run towards these judgments knowing they hasten the formation of Christ in us.  The day of the Lord for each of us is a wonderful day for the new man but a terrible day for the old man.  Such is the conundrum that the carnal world and orthodox Christianity cannot see.

2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

It is those of us who follow the Lord in the “regeneration”, the process of being born again by the Spirit of God, and washed in the water of the Word; that will sit on the throne of His glory judging Israel.

Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

This statement of the Lord, of course, applies both inwardly and outwardly in an “is, was and will be” manner.  Inwardly the Christ in us replaces the beast sitting on the Lord’s throne and brings salvation to the nations within us.

Psa 47:8 God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.

Judging Israel applies to those in the Body right now who are sitting in down payment form judging the twelve tribes of Israel right now.  We are the lake of fire to one another and it is by abiding with and in Christ, in the Word, that we are judged now.

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

The Elect of God are in training for their future roles to be the saviors of all men which will be preceded by their reigning with Christ during the Millennium.  Those given this role will have lost their carnal mindedness (been beheaded) now in this life in the clay.

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

The only way we learn to do anything including becoming the judges of the world is by experience.  This is why we are given these trials and caused to fall down so we can learn true righteousness through this judgment process.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

We best be becoming of full age now, getting lots of experience judging and being judged as that is how we become the mature man (Heb 5:14) learning how to discern good and evil (Gen 3:22).

This is the upward call of God also called the prize by Paul (Php 3:14) that hopefully we have been given the zeal to run and finish the race so we may attain to the first resurrection.

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Babylonian Ditches on Both Sides

There are Babylonian ditches on both sides of the narrow way.  Most of us have been in both places and either not judging or making judgments after the flesh.  The sleazy grace mentality that says the Lord did it all for us on the cross and all we need to do is say a ten second sinners prayer for salvation encourages lasciviousness and causes us to wrest away the judgment of God and stay worldly.

Exo 23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

Generalizing Babylonian lies, there is another ditch on the other side of the way.  This ditch is one I would define as legalistic, condemning, blaming others with a mindset that always denies the Lord and makes man responsible for his own salvation and accountable for his own behavior.  Of course, that is a lie as the Lord truly is the Potter and we merely are the clay and everything we do is His work in us (Isa 64:8).

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

The insidiousness of all these false doctrines and both generalized ditches is that there is always some truth connected.  Yet the leaven or lies renders the doctrines spiritual poison and points to another “jesus”.  It is indeed a very narrow road with error and ditches on both sides of the road.  The people of God do not walk after the flesh but after the Spirit.  And if we do so, we are commanded to be judging ALL THINGS.

1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

Yet the people of the Lord who are to judge all things, judge them spiritually.  That is what righteous judgment is all about.  It is based on the WORD and not the ways of this world.

Joh 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

 Lev 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

We judge all things but not according to the flesh and the ways of the world.  When we are carnal we will judge after the flesh.

Joh 8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

Joh 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

This parable of Christ says He judges no one but then tells us how He judges.  This tells those with ears to hear that Christ, us, His Body, are to only judge according to the Scriptures.  We are not judged of any man because it is the WORD, the plumb line that is the measuring stick of judgment.  This is “the way” by which Christ in us arises.

Amo 7:5 Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

Amo 7:6 The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD.

Amo 7:7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

Amo 7:8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

Amo 7:9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

How we judge that determines whether or not we are on the narrow way.  Our judgments must be according to the WORD.

1Co 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

Judging Without Vs Within

Those without the Body of Christ we are not to be judging.  The reason for this is those outside the faith do not have spiritual ears to hear the Word now.  It is the Word that shall judge all men, but only in the last day of the carnal age for every man.  That day is today for the very few but for the rest of mankind that will come in the Lake of Fire at the Second Resurrection.  It is our speaking the Words of fire that brings judgment (Jer 5:14) but if someone cannot hear, they cannot now be judged.

Joh 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

We are commanded not to keep company with spiritual fornicators and not even share a spiritual meal with them (1 Cor 5:9-11).  The reasons are many fold.  First, we can easily be corrupted by keeping bad spiritual company (1 Cor 15:33) and allowing even a little leaven into our spiritual house.

1Co 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Secondly, we are working against the Lord in trying to impart Truths on one who has not been prepared to hear.

1Ti 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.

Pro 20:12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

If the Lord has not opened one’s ears to hear we will know it quite readily.  His sheep do hear His voice that we speak.

1Jn 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

We are not to judge those people; we are to turn them over to the Lord who will use His instruments including Satan to destroy their flesh in due time.  We are to judge OURSELVES and those within THE BODY OF CHRIST ONLY.

1Co 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

1Co 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

This is why we are told to put out those that bring heresy and openly live in sin.  We should not need to speculate over the Lord’s sovereignty and hopefully will believe taking such a seemingly harsh act is actually the manifestation of what loving our neighbor actually entails.  Let the Lord have vengeance, only He can destroy the flesh and humble His little ones to return to their first love.

This is very difficult, a narrow road indeed especially when involving our physical families and loved ones.  It can seem so unloving to the natural man to not get engaged in the affairs of the world.

2Ti 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Ezr 6:21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,

How do we obey the commands and take seriously our doctrines and purge out the leaven from our midst and stay on the narrow road? How do we be that ambassador for Christ yet be a watchman over the house of Israel? We are first and foremost to be examining ourselves and making sure we are walking in the faith and clinging to sound doctrine.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

 1Ti 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

God’s chosen people, His Elect, will be making judgments and meditating on the Word of God constantly and making the necessary judgments to strive to stay on the narrow road and avoid the spiritual diseases that plague Babylonians.

Exo 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Deu 7:12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments,and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:

 “Doing what is right in his sight” includes keeping leaven out of our spiritual house.  The narrow way requires that we make many judgments and admonish one another.  Unless we are willing to speak up, be honest with ourselves first and also be willing to go to brothers and sisters as faithful watchman we are not trusting fully in the Lord.  We are here to watch over the flock of God and must learn to be obedient to those commands now.  Otherwise, how can the Lord use us in the ages to come if we don’t move on to maturity now?  Here is how the body is to operate and to heal itself as we are the sum of our parts in the Body of Christ.

Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

There is a reason we have Matthew 18 and Leviticus 13-14 and many other Scriptures.

Mat 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

A witness from the Old Testament would include the processes of dealing with leprosy in Leviticus.

Lev 13:2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests:

Lev 13:3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

The Lord does not want us chopping off literal body parts, but in order to keep our walk clean and the entire Body of Christ pure, we are given commands that require us to put our trust in Him and the work He will do in the heart of His creation.  We must be willing to chop off those unhealthy parts and cast them out less the entire body be impacted.

Mat 5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Preaching the Word to one another, the only ones with ears to hear and the focus of Christ’s ministry, brings rebuke and reproof to our sins and ungodly ways.  This is a good thing!

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Not being faithful watchmen is a recipe for disaster and spiritual stagnation as Paul continues the instruction to Timothy.  This is speaking of what will happen within the Body of Christ.

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Thankfully the Lord is faithful to make His Elect watchmen who have a responsibility to oversee the flock and to warn, rebuke and discipline when we are led astray or living in error.  If we fail to warn and fail to blow the trumpet we will bear stripes for such disobedience.

Eze 33:7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

God’s Elect will be on this narrow road which will include blowing the trumpet, warning the people but how we do this is essential.

Jer 6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

We need to walk softly and carry a big stick!  But that stick is the WORD and that is what does the work.  We just need to bring these Truths to others and stand and let the Lord give the increase.  There is no place in the kingdom of God for harshness.  We must learn to be meek and gentle in Spirit but strong in the Words of fire that we speak.  I have failed miserably in trying to do right by being harsh, seemingly mean and looking down upon others and being an accuser of my brethren who ultimately is all men.

Judging men by the spirit means to recognize that no man is responsible for the behavior, that the Lord is indeed working ALL THINGS for the counsel of His will. Very few are given the faith to believe this truth and thus judge like Christ judged.

Joh 8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh

We stop judging men after the flesh and do it by the spirit of Truth, when we properly apply the sovereignty of God and learn to not even think above what is written.  If we are truly God’s people, we better be making judgments. The whole of Matthew seven tells us how to judge.  We will reap what we sow and that applies to judgment as well.

 Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

When we judge in the flesh we will be judged in the flesh.  It comes back to us.

Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

If we truly love the Lord, we will want the same measure of Truth to be meted out to us in judgment.  There is no darkness that shall not be revealed and brought to the light (Luk 8:17).  So with this mindset, it is a good thing when we are judged and we should be thankful for a brother or sister to point out leaven in our doctrine or sin in our walk.

The pride of man and the deceitfulness of sin that lies in our hearts is an easy snare and cause of stumbling until we learn to judge righteously. Before we go showing others the mote in their eyes, we had best learn to examine ourselves first and make sure we are not castaways (1 Co 9:27).  We can’t help anyone spiritually if we ourselves have poor spiritual eyesight.

 Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye (by making spiritual judgments, trying spirits).

We must learn to let God judge those without. Before we judge within the Body we must first judge ourselves.  If we cannot learn to judge and do it righteously in this age, we will have NO PART in being God’s judges during the Millennium Reign or at the Great White Throne Judgment. This is just how important it is that we learn to judge righteous judgment.  We must know when to judge and how to judge using the Scriptures as our plumb line.  The whole purpose of the Lord having an Elect is to make ready the remnant of His people through which all men shall enter into the city.

 Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

 Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

 Many times we are too hasty to judge things and do not wait on the Lord.  Another criterion of judging is to wait on the Lord to work His work in others and give the trees time to bear fruit.

1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

 We will always know things by the fruit on the trees (Mat 7:16-20).

Loving our brothers includes pulling specks out of their eyes, judging all things, and judging righteous judgment. The doctrine that says judge nobody or nothing is not love. It is actually the spirit of a harlot church aka Spiritual Babylon that has NO JUDGMENT in it.

Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers (hating the doctrines of Christ).

But the Lord is faithful even when we are not.  A day will come when He will restore judgment to the House of Israel.  Today is that day of salvation for the Elect of God.

Isa 1:26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

The judgment of God by HIS WORD is what sanctifies us. It is how we are redeemed, it is what causes the death of the old man by the sword and fire of God.

Isa 1:27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

Loving you neighbor as yourself is our commandment.  The mercy of the Lord is living thru the trials that bring forth salvation in due time.  Mercy will rejoice and triumph over judgment and we must trust in those promises and become obedient to the perfect law of liberty.

Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Bringing this judgment by the words we speak is how the mercy of the Lord is made manifest in our lives and how we give spiritual food, clothing and housing to our brethren who need it to sustain themselves. These are the greater works that bring salvation. Our faith without doing the works of judgment within the house of God are dead.

Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

All of us who have come through the door of “The Christ” are a shepherd of the sheep.

Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

Those who will be abiding in everlasting burnings will be God’s Elect who abide in the fire of the Word judging righteous judgment.

Isa 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

This calling comes with a duty to be the watchman on the wall and admonish and edify one another through the speaking of the Word and sharing of communion.  We must not neglect or take lightly such a high calling.  We need one another to be saved.  It is the only way we will learn to judge and be judged now.  Hence we are reminded of the importance of being connected.

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching

Comments and sincere questions are welcome.  You can also email me at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

 

Articles

What Prayers Are Answered?

Pete

I was asked recently if God answers my prayers.  The questioner has been greatly afflicted with physical ailments and it appears the Lord is working with this brother and using this trial to do it.  Yet the brother was troubled because it appeared his prayers were not being answered.  Besides asking me for prayer, the question was asked does God answer my prayers.  This is a worthy question and worthy of sharing the answer as a post in hopes of edifying the family of God.

First, we should never lose sight of the Sovereignty of God in ALL THINGS.  This includes evil things as well as the good.

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

The Lord is the one who wounds us and He is also the one who heal us, all according to His will and purposes.

Deu 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Evil includes the afflictions and the trials the Lord gives us beyond our sins.  Here the same word for EVIL [H7451 in Strong’s or spelled “RA”] translated as afflictions.  They are one and the same yet the Lord will in due time deliver us out of them all.

Psa 34:19 Many are the afflictions [H7451 Evil] of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

The short answer is that yes, the Lord answers my prayers.  But He only answers them according to His will.  We must remember the ways of the Lord are different than that of the natural man aka the carnal mind.

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Prayers are answered according to the Lord’s will not the will of any man.  The Lord’s will is always being done and that truth includes prayers but also ALL THINGS.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Another key point is the aspect of time and when the Lord answers prayers.  A day to the Lord is like 1,000 years and vice versa. So the Lord marches to a different time factor than the natural man.  In fact, the way we are supposed to possess these bodies of clay is with patience and of course, none of us have any until the Lord gives it to us and we learn it as we mature in the faith.

Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

So let’s look more at the Scriptures, our only source for truth to see if we can add some more definition to the basic answer to your question on prayer.  We see lots of Scriptures, some saying He answers prayers and some saying He does not answer prayers.

He does not answer these prayers

Prayers of the old man made seeking to have his flesh blessed and prospered, contrary to the will of God are not answered in our day of the Lord, in our day of judgment.  The Lord does prosper the wicked and the righteous for a season and this does help keep the entire world deceived to the truth I am sharing here in answering you.  But when judgment has come on our house, then those carnal prayers will not be answered.

Jer 11:14  Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

The old man is the marred vessel of clay made to be destroyed.

Pro 1:26  I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

Pro 1:27  When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

Pro 1:28  Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

When we pray contrary to the Lord’s will (asking amiss) or simply ask not because we do not have faith, our prayers are not answered and we do not receive.

Jas 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

The Lord is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  If we have needs we need to go to Him but we should be doing that constantly or diligently.

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

But we need to ask in faith and not doubt.  If we doubt and are still being tossed and turned we are still that double minded man, mixing carnal thoughts with godly thoughts and James tells us we should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Jas 1:7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Jas 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

When we pray not according to His will, He does not answer them as we prayed; because it is HIS will being done, not ours.  His will is our sanctification and He is working ALL THINGS to bring that about.  He is destroying the old man and our carnal way of thinking to bring forth the new.  So when we pray asking the Lord to bless our flesh or take away the burden, we are more than likely praying amiss.  When we come to understand what the Lord is doing and that it is the trials through which we are remade and saved, then we won’t pray for the removal of the trial, but we will pray for the strength to endure the trial and the increased faith to believe what His word says and to trust in the Lord.

Rom 10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Isa 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

This is why it is said, in our patience (waiting on the Lord) we shall possess our souls.  Many witnesses to waiting, that is the mark of the Lord’s people, having great patience.

Hos 12:6  Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

This is required to enter into true REST, to enter into Christ who is the Sabbath.  This is the rest that remains for the people of God that few are given in this age to find.

Psa 37:7  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

This waiting and enduring the TORMENT to the old man, is the patience of the saints.  The very verse false prophets use to teach the lie of eternal torment shows those who have ears to hear and eyes to see the truth.

Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Understanding what I just reviewed about Rev 14 is very important.  If you can be given to understand that than you are well on your way to spiritual healing, the greater work that Jesus wanted done.

Those who keep the commandments are those in the “is, was and will be the process of being judged now”.  It is the same chastening grace that torments the old man and ultimately destroys those fleshly and carnal desires within us.  That is the patience of the NEW MAN to endure thru that process and trust in the work the Lord is working within us to bring Christ forth from the death of our old man.

We are not to pray for the world or for worldly things.  The fact is the Lord is not saving the whole world now, He is only working with His Elect in this AION (age).  While Babylon means well and it seems good to pray for all those suffering around the world, God’s people are not to be focused on worldly things, events or circumstances.

Joh 17:9  I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Jer 14:11  Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.

Jer 7:16  Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee

This seems harsh and unloving to the carnal mind but it is the truth. All men will be saved, we just need to learn patience in that regard as well.  The Lord does not need our help; He is working all things right on schedule.

Act 17:25  Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Psa 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

The Lord does answer ALL prayers of Faith, in His timing and in His ways

Here are some well-known passages that speak to the Lord answering prayers, but they are prayers made in FAITH and not in unbelief.  The stories around these verses tell us that.

Mat 7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you

This is right after we are told not to cast our pearls to swine and engage in discussion with those the Lord has blinded in this age.

Mar 11:21  And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

Mar 11:22  And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Mar 11:23  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Mar 11:24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

This speaks not to literal things but to spiritual.  Getting mountains removed is removing the giants in the land, our besetting sins, and the lies and false doctrines, or the idols of our heart we setup and worship.  This must be done within us for the temple we are to be cleansed.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

A prayer that keeps the old man alive or allows a false doctrine or unbelief to fester in our mind (heavens) is not going to be answered.  The Lord is in the business of destroying the beast we all are when we are given to hear His word.  The Lord will not answer prayers that perpetuate the defiling of His temple and the blaspheming of His Holy name. He comes with a sword to make war in our heavens and nothing is going to stop the process from running its course.  He will not spare, He will not pity the old man or listen to our cries for help if they go against His purposes.

Eze 7:9  And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the LORD that smiteth.

This sounds all so negative and it is for the old man. But the SUM of the Word tells us the Lord is good and He is merciful and He is not going to give us any trial or affliction we cannot bear.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

There is always a way out and that is called Faith.  The rest of Scriptures tell us to go seek the elders and to cast our cares upon Christ (1 Pet 5:7) and by doing so we shall be healed.

Jas 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

It is the Elect of God that make up His Body that have great power in their prayers made according to the true faith.  This is how deliverance comes and we are primarily spiritually healed (the greater works of John 14:12).  Yet the Lord also does heal us physically and does answer prayers for such healing according to His will.  We must ask for those healing but need to be prepared to wait for an answer or endure if it is His will not to answer.

We must learn to pray like Christ demonstrated.  Christ suffered and so will His Christ on a cross being hated and rejected by those in the world.  We will pray for the removal of this cup of suffering but as our faith grows, we will pray the right prayer which is the Lord’s will be done.

Luk 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

A prayer of faith is required for a prayer to be answered.  Anything not of faith is sin.   If we think it is up to us and our free will as an example, that is not a prayer of faith but is a prayer of unbelief.  All things must be done in the name of Jesus Christ, but what does that really mean?

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Doing the greater works is bringing spiritual healing and salvation to all men in the end.  We are the instruments, the BODY thru which the Lord works.  When we ask things according to His name, referring to obeying Him and true doctrines not how you pronounce or say the name physically, then those prayers are answered, He will do it.

Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

See the condition here.  “If we do things in His name” which means obeying His commands and standing on pure doctrine then He answers us, it will be done.  Those that abide in me, are those that continually abide in Him.  Those are the very few disciples indeed that are distinguished from those who abide only for a little while in “me”.

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Here is one OT witness, there are many more but for brevity I show just the one.

Jer 33:3  Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

The great and mighty things we knowest not is the remaking of the old man into the new man by this process of judgment.

So when we ask for prayer according to His will, we are praying that thy kingdom come on earth as it already is in heaven.

Luk 11:1  And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

Luk 11:2  And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

Luk 11:3  Give us day by day our daily bread.

Luk 11:4  And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Heaven and earth are not speaking to things in space.  The kingdom of God is within us (Luke 17:21).  Heaven is our heart and mind and earth is our body and our walk.  So this prayer is asking the Lord to take what is already in heaven, THE TRUTH, the pure doctrine and make that manifest in our walk on the earth.  So we may know it is a sin to lust after a woman in our heart.  Yet we still battle that in our life.  We pray for the Lord to deliver us from that sin.  That is asking thy kingdom come thy will be done (which is our sanctification) on earth as it is in heaven.  This is the will of God, that we be cleansed of all things that defile and abstain from mixing things of the world with the things of God (fornicating).

1Th 4:3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

So be ready for how the Lord works.  If you ask for something according to your will, the Lord is going to bring trials that will test those very things we have prayed for.   The trials of our faith are what is precious to the Lord.  For example, if we ask for deliverance from lust or patience, we will get trials and be put in a situation to tempt us to try our faith.

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Those trials and the subsequent falling down and getting up again is the chastening grace of the Lord and how we are caused to obey Him with time and His will is done in our life.

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

And here is what real grace really is.  It is the furnace that melts away the old and purifies the dross within us.

Isa 48:10  Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

This is why it pleases the Lord to bruise us, His Christ.  We must become a living sacrifice to complete the work of the Lord.

Isa 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

So to your situation Steve.  I am praying for your deliverance of the ailments you describe.  Your prayer in asking for that is perfectly fine, as the Lord can and does heal but not always.  You need to be willing to accept this burden as part of the cross the Lord has given you to carry, if that be His will.  But the Lord may just deliver you and you must ask for that.  Paul also had an ailment but the Lord did not deliver him of that to keep him humble so he could use him in ministry.

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

When your faith grows and you see the good that comes about from your infirmities, than like Paul you will be able to rejoice in those infirmities knowing they work the true righteousness of Christ within you.

The Lord cannot use us if we are puffed up.  I hope you are beginning to appreciate the Lord’s work and give Him thanks for all things (Eph 5:20).  He does not choose many noble or those who look well by the world’s standards to be in His Body.  He chooses those the world rejects and thinks are nothing that is who makes up the Christ in this age.  Knowing the Body of Christ, I can tell you that you and your ailments are in very good company.  Here is a witness to this truth from the new and the old testament.

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

And these verses define our Lord but they also define His Christ, His Body who are doing His work in every age.

Isa 53:2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

I am in fervent prayer for your healing, both SPIRITUALLY as well as physically.  THY KINGDOM COME, is the most simplest prayer of faith that honors the Lord.

Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

We are commanded to pray without ceasing.

1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

Obviously one cannot pray physically without ceasing.  We have to eat, sleep, work etc. and focus on other things to live a life in this world and in these clay vessels.  So what is being said here really comes down to what true spiritual prayer is all about.  Praying is doing the will of God.  Coming to the place of rest, where we no longer seek to do our will but your will O Lord is how we pray without ceasing.

Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his

Entering into true Sabbath rest, is how we can pray without ceasing.  We are always striving to do our Father’s will and sacrificing the wants and desires of our flesh to the commandments of the Lord.  This takes much labor and trial to attain and we only arrive in down payment form in this life. Yet we are striving to enter into that rest and it is enduring through the process that we pray without ceasing.

Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Said another way, we are becoming a DOER of the Word and not just a HEARER by praying without ceasing. That is when our prayers are truly powerful and save the spiritually sick including ourselves.

Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Questions and comments can be emailed to me at peterjwilson56@gmail.com.  Or you can leave one here on the blog site subject to approval.

Your brother in Christ,  PETE