Monday, September 23rd 2013 PURSUE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH “For this is good and pleasing in the eyes of our Saviour God, whose will it is that all men should be saved, and come into full knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4 MNT) Salvation is much more than an instant spiritual experience; it is a lifelong spiritual journey culminating in Christlikeness here on earth and in a blissful eternity with God in heaven. God’s ultimate purpose for you here on earth is to grow up in every aspect to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13, Rom. 8:29). And at the end of your pilgrimage on earth, God desires that you enjoy eternity with Him in heaven (John 14:2-3, 1 Thess. 4:16-17). From the moment you became born again, you have started a lifelong spiritual journey into God’s eternal purposes for your life. Your experiences in your salvation journey primarily depend on your revelation knowledge of the truth about your new spiritual condition, position, inheritances, privileges, and responsibilities in Christ. Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross did not only procure and secure forgiveness of sins for all mankind, but it also procures absolute deliverance from all demonic oppressions, and perfect victory over the devil. The Scripture declares: “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb. 2:14-15 NKJV). Through Christ’s death on the cross, the power of the devil has been destroyed and shattered over the entire mankind (Col. 2:14-15). Hallelujah! However, until you surrender to Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, you cannot appropriate the victory of Christ. Neither can you have all the blessings of Christ’s death credited to your personal account. If Christ has disarmed and defeated Satan and his cohorts through the cross, why then are many believers today still not enjoying victory over the devil? Sheer ignorance of the truth! It is so sad to see many believers today, who have been invested with divine power and authority, fretting and fleeing from one prophet to another or from one church service to another because of the fear of enemies. Although saved and baptized with the Holy Ghost, yet many believers still remain in demonic bondage because they refuse to grow in the knowledge of the truth (Hos. 4:6). It is not enough to just receive and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour; you must seek to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18 NKJV). After experiencing the new birth, you must embark on a spiritual journey into full knowledge of the truth about this your new experience and its attendant privileges, benefits and blessings. If you fail to press forward to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, the devil will exploit your spiritual ignorance to continue to torment, oppress and afflict you. The Scripture says: “For this is good and pleasing in the eyes of our Saviour God, whose will it is that all men should be saved, and come into full knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:3-4 MNT). After experiencing the new birth, don’t be stuck in religion, press forward into full knowledge of the truth, the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing sets free in life as knowing the truth, believing the truth, and acting in faith on the truth you know and believe. All that many believers today, who are suffering in the hands of false ministers who exploit, defraud and manipulate them under the pretence of ministering deliverance to them, actually need is the truth about who they are in Christ, what they have in Christ, and what Christ has already accomplished for them through His death. Regrettably, many believers are too slothful to pursue the knowledge of the truth, thereby remaining in their spiritual ignorance and bondage. How do you know the truth? Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32 RSV). "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV). It takes much more than an occasional reading and studying of God’s Word to know the truth that will make you free in every aspect of your life. You cannot come into full knowledge of the truth without a good plan to listen to, read, study and meditate in God’s Word daily. This certainly requires determination, diligent and discipline. Whatever it costs you to know the truth is nothing in comparison with what your spiritual ignorance will eventually cost you. Beloved, why would you want the devil and his false prophets to continue to exploit your ignorance of the truth of your true spiritual condition, position, inheritances and privileges in Christ? Enough of patronizing commercial ministers! Sit down and make a solid plan on how you will diligently and constantly inquire and look into the perfect law of liberty (God’s Word), so that you may grow in the grace and knowledge of the truth that will make you free and stay free in every sphere of your life (Jam. 1:25). However, don’t forget that the truth is not a mere verified fact; the truth is a divine Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. So, it is not a mere mental assent or acquisition of the knowledge of the letters of the Bible that you need, but revelation knowledge of the spirit of the Bible, “for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Cor. 3:6 NKJV). It is not just about reading and studying the Bible, but about knowing the Lord Jesus Christ increasingly and developing intimacy with Him. This is eternal life! Jesus said: "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3 NKJV). “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20 NKJV). Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for absolute deliverance and victory you have given me through Christ’s death on the cross. Holy Spirit, help and lead me into the full knowledge of my new spiritual status, condition, position, inheritances, privileges and responsibilities in Christ, in Jesus’ name. Amen
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 02:07:27 +0000