by Pedro Anosike | Oct 21, 2010 | Featured
It takes GRACE to deny the man and let the CHRIST come forth. It takes abiding, not in and out, hot and cold, here and there, back and forth, sometimes up and sometimes down. “Who shall abide?” He that hath clean hands and a pure heart. God will give grace to the humble and succor fhe weak, that he/she may be able to stand under all circumstances and conditions and glorify his Heavenly Father.
One might not be aware of one’s own spiritual growth, (which is good, no space for being puffed up), but others with whom you come in contact will surely witness that you have been with the Lord. This is one’s testimony.
Each day should bring us closer to that mark of the high calling. The Divine Nature must be engraved deep in our souls, that as the months and years go by, we mellow, not in churchianity or in church politics, but in CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
by Pedro Anosike | Oct 21, 2010 | Featured
The following article came together out of the conviction of the Holy Spirit within my own life. Although at times I may refer to a condition I see in other believers, it is not at all my intention to set myself apart from anyone else. This is truly one area where none can be set apart from any other. Just the thought that we are free of such an illness ought to reveal to us that we are yet entangled in it.
It is only possible for me to even make mention of such things by the grace that I have received from the Lord to do so. I am well aware of the pride of man that yet smolders within my own heart. It has only been since the first of this year that the Lord has been removing the blinders from my eyes in this area of my soul.
It is certainly the greatest enemy to our walk in the spirit. We’ve blamed the devil, other people and circumstances for our troubles, when, very often, the worst enemy we have is the selfishness and the deceitfulness of our own hearts. The root of all such wickedness is pride.
Pride manifests itself in various ways. Regardless of its manifestation, it is always after the interest of one’s own self.
I am convinced that there is enough pride and rebellion in the nature of fallen man to send himself to hell without any help from Satan. Satan constantly seeks who he may devour by gaining entrance through the lusts and desires of man’s selfishness. This is the dust which he has been given to eat. He works where men seek to save their own lives.
Due to the multitude of spirits that are at work to accompany self-interest, it is often that pride will appear in various forms of godliness, and be readily accepted by those of whom it desires acceptance. The root of it all is pride, and regardless of its outward appearance, it is after recognition and selfishly demands a response from others. The desired response may vary from one individual to the other, depending on what spirits one yields oneself to. However, regardless of the response desired, self cannot be satisfied without recognition from others.
What you are about to read is a statement of repentance. The greatest fool is the one who remains a fool. A wise man is able to recognize his foolishness, but a fool is too proud to admit the truth, even when it is known. The truth of Jesus Christ always reveals the foolishness of man. The love of God can only be manifested in the absence of self.
I am most grateful for the harness of the Lord. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is the faithfulness of our God. His loving kindness is better than life!
I. THE SEARCHING OF OUR HEARTS
We often ask the Lord to search us, try us, know our hearts and see if there be any wicked way in us. Yet, what do we think about when we pray this way? In such a prayer, it is foolish to believe that the Lord needs to check our hearts because He doesn’t know what is in them (see Hebrews 4:13).
In Genesis 3 and verse 9, the Lord did not ask Adam where he was because he didn’t know or he wasn’t certain. The Lord was not searching frantically to find Adam. It was Adam who was in need.
When Abraham was asked to offer up Isaac, the Lord did not sit back, not knowing what was in Abraham’s heart. He wasn’t fretting over the possibility of Abraham failing to obey His command, and how that might affect the generations to come.
It is in the divine plan of God for a people to cry out to be conformed to the image of His Son. In responding to such a cry, the Lord asks of us to give Him our hearts. Not part of it, but ALL of it. It is not possible for the Lord to answer such a cry without obedience to His call for surrender. Yet, even as we say, “Father, I give you my whole heart,” the Lord is much more aware than we are of the things which we are still holding on to. Nevertheless, if such an offer is given out of a pure desire for the Lord to change us into the image of His Son, the Lord begins to answer our prayer (1st John 5:14-15).
In the process of cleansing and sanctification, we must realize that there is absolutely NO holiness outside of Jesus Christ. There is no overcoming that is done independently of Him or that is of self-effort. Neither can there be any overcoming without death to the self-life, and there is no death to self that is pleasing to the Father that is of our own design. All such self-imposed slaughter of the self-life will always remain outside of Christ; therefore keeping us entangled therein. The only one who can overcome is that same one who already has overcome, and that same Spirit desires to overcome and live His life in us. We must follow Him in submission to His Headship.
This is where the Lord begins to reveal to us the things in our soul life which keep us from a closer walk with Him. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. This is the baptism of fire. This is the pruning Jesus spoke of in John chapter 15, verse 2.
The work of searching, trying and pruning belongs exclusively to the Lord. Most Christians do not understand that such a working is the sole purpose of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Many are far more interested in signs and wonders. Let us not embrace the gifts, and disregard the greatest desire of the Father. He desires us to bear fruit that we might glorify Him (John 15:8).
The Lord is faithful to show us what is asked of us in this conforming process. That is shown to each of us in the command to follow Him day by day.
The command to follow Him demands a response of obedience from us. Having faith in the Lord is seen in our obedience to heed His call to follow after Him (John 15:14, Hebrews 11:8).
So the light of the Holy Spirit searches and tries our hearts to lead us into a deeper and deeper call from the Father to go on in Him (Hebrews 4:12). Our part is to agree with the Lord to rule over every area of our soul life. As He reveals to us our heart each step of the way, He says just as he did to Adam, “Where are you?” It brings no pleasure to the Father for us to make excuses, but to agree with the findings of His great light. This agreement is acknowledged by the confessing of our faults. When we agree with the Lord and repent of our weakness, then its rule over our soul suffers a violent blow. As we surrender again to Him who has already overcome the world, we are conformed even the more to His likeness (James 5:16).
by Pedro Anosike | Oct 21, 2010 | Featured
Not very long ago, a situation arose in which a child of God behaved very unseemly. On seeking the Lord about the matter, and with much grief of heart, the words came strongly to me, “Grace and Stature.” This was followed by greater clarification of the word, “GRACE.” Though GRACE in one sense means unmerited favor, which is from God to man, yet it involves a work in man’s soul in its more extreme application.
AMAZING GRACE: ” ‘Twas grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me on.”
This song speaks of grace as a beginning work, a work of continuation and a work to the end. Through grace comes Salvation, but it also takes grace to love, to forgive, to be patient, to be kind and gentle, to endure all things, to be loyal, etc. It is, therefore, the continuing in the grace of God that leads one into that final bliss, which is the heart’s cry of every true believer. There is a standard of inexhaustible fullness set by God for man. For this reason, the true and noble child of God will not rest or be satisfied with his or her own soul attainment until this fullness is achieved, which is divine perfection. The presence and power in the human soul enables man to be delivered from the human nature (earth bound) to the divine (heavenly).
Christ must reign through grace in the hearts of believers until all enemies (all the contrary and unsubdued nature) are put under foot. Believers who resist this operation in their daily lives frustrate God’s plan for their soul’s salvation, and fall terribly short of the glory of God. For this glory, the whole creation is waiting.
It is therefore possible to receive forgiveness of sins initially, and not grow IN GRACE; then the ugly attitude of the human soul will manifest very unseemly.
Through God’s grace, the believer can say the right words and not offend, but rather love, respect and regard one to another, have proper control over the members of the body, thereby bringing the mind in harmony with the Spirit; then there will be no place for the Devil.
STATURE – Webster’s Dictionary: time of life, age or one’s height to stand, growth, maturity, development.
There is natural or physical, political, and Spiritual stature.
Luke 2:52, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
Ephesians 4:13, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the STATURE OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST.”
Stature depicts a standing and a height in Christ that would put one in a position, not above his brother, but risen above the flesh or carnal nature; standing firmly in the Divine nature; refusing, through His grace, virtues and excellence to return to the weak and beggarly elements. There is a place of integrity in Christ to be attained, maintained and sustained above the rudiments of this world, where the believer will no longer be a tool or an instrument of the enemy in any way. We have been raised up with HIM FAR ABOVE PRINCIPALITY AND POWER, and made to sit in HEAVENLY PLACES. Believers are His workmanship created unto GOOD WORKS. Although stature means time of life, age and maturity – one can be many years a believer or Christian, and experience very little spiritual growth or maturity. Year after year finds him or her going around the same mountain, having the same weaknesses and behaving the same old way; not experiencing much change in character. On the other hand, some show such growth and maturity in a few months that the difference is apparent. Growth and experience should be most important in one’s spiritual life. Anything that hinders one’s growth and progress should be dealt with before it is too late, when it would become so much a part of that person’s nature that separation becomes absolutely difficult or almost impossible.
Spiritual growth is not flourishing in the gifts, or being an outstanding ministry. Paul said he had to be careful, lest after placing many into the Kingdom, he would himself be a castaway. The gifts and ministries and every blessing of the Spirit is to bring the believer into union and harmony with God. The tendency is to glory in the gift and not the Giver.
by Pedro Anosike | Oct 19, 2010 | Doctrine, Revival
Now and again, everyone experience being at a loss on how to deal with a pressing need in our spiritual, social, economic and political life or in more than one area at the same time. The pressure can weary our soul. This is not surprising because none of us is all-knowing and all-powerful (Omniscient/omnipotent). At such times, we need two things the most: Revival — to draw life into our soul and wisdom to direct us. Thank God, He has not left us in the world without help. Servants of God from all generation hold the testimony — that God’s Word is the unfailing and powerful source that revives and makes wise anyone that turns to Him. God understands the need we all have for our souls to be revived. God’s word revives us because He wants you to praise Him joyfully and silence His enemy (Psalm 8:2). As God strengthen your soul in revival, He loves to see and hear you exalt and praise Him, “O LORD, our (my) Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1). Psalm 19:7, confirms that God’s word doesn’t only revive our souls but also makes us wise — enlightening our eyes to see and understand what God will have us do in our times of struggle and confusion. Leading us in the path of “good success” and safety. As you read this, it will be wise not to consider it as something happening by chance. Believe that God is engaging you in conversation and meditation in order to revive you and lead you. So, again, lets read Psalm 19:7 NLT and hear the words with the ears of your heart and believe the testimony — right now, God’s word (Spirit and life) is reviving your soul because He owns it and He cares about your well-being (John 6:63, 3 John 1:2). As recorded in Psalm 18:16-19, this is the testimony God is bring to your life as your soul is revived and making its boast in His word. His word is able to revive your soul because it is trustworthy having been tested seven times in the furnace of fire ( not mere fire as we humans know fire but even much more in the spiritual realms). This emphasis is needed because the spiritual realm controls the physical. But, God has got all of His people including you well covered. Praise to our God! Lets boast of the power of His word! God is good, His word is near to all peoples — great and small who’re struggling, confused and broken to revive all and lead in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. May this mediation lead you to God’s word, prayer and His praise. Shalom! Maranatha!
by Pedro Anosike | Oct 16, 2010 | Body of Christ
God instructs us from his word by His spirit so that we may be successful in righteousness.
The righteousness that God values for eternal life is the one He has imputed on all who believe, follow, obey and suffer with Jesus Christ.
The imputed righteousness can not be improved upon. God calls on everyone He has gifted with righteousness to love Christ His only Son whom he scarified to bring the gift of salvation to all He fore-knew and predestined to conform to the image (personage) of Christ Jesus.
This whole journey of salvation starts as a gift and will end only as a gift.
Wise people search out the cost of a gift and value it not only for the cost but for the love it expresses from the giver.
God is seeking for those who will search for the cost of salvation and value it not just for the sake of its sacrificial cost but also for the love He has extend to all whom He has granted this salvation gift.
It is said that wise people treasure gifts.
The word treasure, connotes in many ways an understanding and a preservation of value in addition to its’ futuristic benefit. The wise treasure gifts as they concern themselves with the futuristic benefit without losing sight of the immediate value of its cost and the inherent love it expresses.
The bible loudly tells us that the word of God is able to make us wise (2 Tim 3:15).
All who will be wise must be humble to go to the bible to search out the cost of salvation for themselves, spend day and night searching the scripture and the Teacher whom God has authorized to guide all who are diligent to search will not fail to indeed guide and guard into all truth (Josh 1:8, John 16:13, 10:27 & 3)
Jesus said the expression of valuing his sacrifice (death and resurrection) and His Father’s love is to return love and obedience to Him and to the Father by listening to the Holy Spirit and depending only on His grace (John 14:15, Rom 8:5, Gal 5:25 & 1 Cor 15:10).
The Holy Spirit is the voice of God to his people on earth today like Jesus was the voice to His people when He was physically on the earth two thousand years ago. Now, the Holy Spirit works in our hearts as a law of the spirit of life telling us what not to do but more importantly what to do. He breaths on the word of God empowering life to us unlike the law of sin and death that instructs us but doesn’t empower us so leaves us life-less (Rom 8:1-4).
Now, mercy and truth has merged together in the One who has brought us salvation and redemption even Christ Jesus to whom all praise be for ever in all eternity.
Brother James tells us that he whom the Holy Spirit instructs on what to do, should do it else it becomes sin to the person though a written code may not have been broken ( Jam 4:17)
We are set free from the law of sin and death not to be lawless rather we’re set at liberty to obey joyfully with all perseverance the law of the spirit of life that shines light on the path of all that God has called and elected for his glorious kingdom.
Therefore, all who love the Lord and his commandments constantly cry in the secret and in the open, ” Lord, let your kingdom come and let your will be done on earth (in me) as it is in Heaven.” Amen.
Maranatha
