YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMAIN LIKE THIS- Part 2

You may have missed: YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMAIN LIKE THIS- Part 1

I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. Gal 4:1,3[ESV]  

How many of us can entrust our precious and delicate things to the charge of children? No matter how those children are loved, we keep important documents, jewellery and gadgets from them. Again, who would buy a real expensive mobile phone for his or her two year old sister? Even though we may have all the money to do ten times that, we wouldn’t do it because we know the child will only spoil it. And if even you did, you would give it to someone older to keep until the child was old enough to use it?

Have you ever stopped to think that the same is true of believers? When we come into Christ, we are born again as babies in Christ. Even though we are babies, yet we are still heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8:16,17). That means that everything that belongs to God is our inheritance. Now with this kind of inheritance, we are not waiting for God to die before we come into possession. That’s because we are joint heir with Christ. Jesus Christ the firstborn already owns everything that belongs to God (Jn.16:15). We believers are his younger siblings (Jn.20:17) and the Bible declares that we are joint heirs with Him. That means that the entire estate is as much ours as it is Jesus’. Yet how many of us are actually appropriating even a millionth of this vast inheritance in God?

God’s word is full of so many mind-blowing and breathtaking statements of truth. For example, Eph. 1:3 declares that in union with Jesus Christ, we have already been blessed with all the supernatural blessings that Heaven could ever hold. Now how many believers are still not praying that God would bless them because they don’t feel blessed enough? The same book tells us that Christ has been exalted far above ALL principalities and powers and that we are exalted to sit with Him there in Heavenly places (Eph.1:20-2:6). In spite of this many believers are actually living not only in fear of, but also in bondage to demons, witches and curses. 2Pet 1:3,4 also adds that everything necessary for the totality of our  lives and godliness has already been given us through our knowledge of God; that we’ve been given so much that we can actually participate (live) in the very life of God! 

Yet many Christians still suffer lack and want in many areas of their lives. Jesus often said that if we had faith, we would receive WHATSOEVER we asked in prayer and NOTHING shall be impossible for us (Mat.17:20, Mk.9:23). The sad truth however is that many believers read scriptures like these and think that somehow, the Word of God might be exaggerating because they simply don’t work for them!

Well, God’s promises are always yea and amen in Jesus Christ (1Cor 1:20). If promises like these are not always yea for you, I want to point out that the problem is never with God, it’s with you. The problem is not the Giver, it’s the receiver! The Word says that although everything that belongs to God is already ours, yet as long as we remain children in Christ, our blessings would rather be entrusted to slaves, and slaves will determine when we eat, change clothes or buy something nice for ourselves. 

I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. Eccl 10:7  

Do you now see why Solomon made this profound statement over 3000 years ago? The princes have refused to grow up!

Now one thing about spiritual growth is that it is independent of time. You won’t become a matured believer just because you were saved 20 years ago. Paul says, “as long as he is a child...” You can be 50 years as a Christian yet still be a toddler spiritually. Spiritual growth depends on one thing only: how much you are LIVING THE WORD.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,that ye may grow thereby: 1Pet 2:2

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. Jas 1:25[ESV]  

Another very serious reason why it is critical for you to grow is that the children are often enslaved to the elementary principles of the world (Gal 4:3). What are these principles? They are the laws that govern human existence in the natural realm. For example the natural man is supposed to get tired when he works hard; he is supposed to sweat before he eats; he is supposed to fail his exams unless he studies every page of his notes, etc. When a person is born again, He has already overcome the world (1Jn.4:4, 5:4) and he is supposed to be living above these laws of nature. However, because he is a child, the Bible says he still remains subject to these laws.

Sickness is a glaring example. The natural man is supposed to get Malaria when a mosquito bites him; he is supposed to get flu infection when everyone around him catches it, he is supposed to be asthmatic because his parents are asthmatic, etc. But the matured Christian does not live under these principles. He lives by the principles of the Word which say that “by his stripes we are healed” (Isa.53:5). James 5:14,15 says that if any believer is sick, he should call for the elders (the matured) who will lay hands on him and pray the prayer of faith which will save the sick. What does that mean? If you think about this enough, you will understand that this means that the Elders do not get sick!

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. 1Jn 5:4  

Beloved, God has called us to a life of all-round victory over the world. Don’t be content with where you are because everyone around you is like you or because you seem to be better off than those around you. God has so much more for you. You’ve got to grow up and come into your inheritance. Our standard is Jesus because God purposed that we should become like Him (Rom 8:29); not just as He was 2000 years ago, but as He is right now, reigning at the Father’s right hand (1Jn.4:18).

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, Heb 5:12[ESV] 

For every Christian, there comes a time when God expects for you also to become a teacher to someone. The ultimate aim of maturity is for one to become a father; to produce after your kind. Jesus said we did not choose Him, but He chose us and appointed us not just for us to be sure of a place in Heaven and to be blessed on earth, but to bear fruit – fruit that will last (Jn.15:16).

What are these fruits that will last? They are not just good deeds or exercising spiritual gifts. These are good fruit but they are not that lasting (1Cor 13:8-12). The fruits that last are those that make an eternal impact in the lives of men. Men are God’s focus, he called us from catching fishes so that we can join Him fish for men (Mat 4:19)!

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Luk 15:7  

Among Jesus’ last words to His disciples was to Go therefore and make disciples of all nations... teaching them (Mat 28:19,20). The reason why He baptises us with His Holy Spirit is so that we can be His witnesses even unto the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). He gives us spiritual gifts for the purpose of perfecting the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (Eph 4:12).  The reason why He has not yet come to take us to Heaven is that He is patiently waiting, giving as many second chances to those who have not repented so that many will be saved (2Pet 3:9). So in the light of all these, what right has any Christian to sit down and be comfortable with God blessing him alone and not caring somewhat for the lost or for the babies who have not yet come into enjoying their inheritance in Christ.

So why is it that so few Christians are the ones always reaching out to others while the majority only care about themselves? Why are evangelistic meetings the poorest attended in most of our churches? Because many believers have not matured in the Word!  The reason many people shy away from reaching out to witness is because they feel that they don’t know enough. In fact as the writer of Hebrews puts it, they still need someone to teach them again (Heb 5:12). Peter admonishes us that we should always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks us for the reasons behind the things we do and believe as Christians (1Pet 3:15). Yet many believers are doing what they do just because someone told them to, without really understanding what they are doing and why. I’ve got two things only to say to you in regard to this unfortunate phenomenon.

First of all, being able to teach others doesn’t just come. It comes by serious study and meditation.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2Ti 2:15  

The point in this scripture is that you only gain God’s approval as His workman by studying His word! Some have the habit of preaching only what they’ve heard others teach. This does not attract God’s approval. God is happy when we take the time and the effort to study His Word for ourselves. When that effort comes from you, God rewards you with revelation and insight like He rewards all those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6). I am not saying it is wrong to share what you’ve learnt from others. But even if we learn something from the greatest teachers of the Word, we have Gods approval when we sit down with the Word alone to examine and ascertain the truth of what we’ve learnt for ourselves. Was this not what attracted God’s commendation of the Church at Berea (Acts 17:11)?

Furthermore, most of the time, the deeper insight into the Word comes to us as we meditate on it. Paul told Timothy after giving him some deep teachings, Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things (2Ti 2:7). Indeed, most of the blessings of the Word come by meditating and not just studying (Josh 1:8, Ps.1:1-3, 119:97-80). Meditating on the Word gets the Word from being mere head knowledge which only makes one proud (1Cor8:1) to becoming a living truth engraved upon our hearts (2Cor 3:3, Col 3:16). This is why you can easily sense conviction from a preacher who is really living what he preaches than another who has only studied to preach. Moreover, it is always easier to live out the Word when you meditate on it than when you merely know it with your head. It was for this reason that God told Joshua, thou shalt meditate therein [the Word] day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein (Josh.1:8). 

The second thing is that you don’t have to wait till you know so much before you start sharing with others. Paul told Timothy to start sharing just the little he had been taught to others who would also be willing to continue to spread the Word.

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 2Ti 2:2  

It seems God is interested in committing His Word only to people who are willing to share it with others. That means the person who is not willing to share the little he knows should forget about being entrusted with more of the Word.

No one person knows enough in the body of Christ. God has designed the body such that what one member lacks is supplied by another so that when each part does it’s little work, the whole body is edified and makes increase (Eph 4:15,16). Never think that you know too little to share. Wasn’t that the mistake of that servant who received only one talent and kept it hidden (Mat.25:24,25)? Whatever little you have, God will be expecting you to make good use of it. What God does is that He will never give you so much until He has seen how faithful you will be with little (Mat.25:21). So what do you think is going to happen if you sit down with the little you know, waiting until you get to know more before you start sharing it? In fact you will never get more. Rather, the little you have will be mysteriously taken from you (Mat.25:28,29).

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Prov. 11:25

One young man had been a faithful follower of Christ and a keeper of the law for so long yet he felt dissatisfied. When he asked Jesus about it, He answered that there was only one thing lacking in the young man’s life:

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come [and] follow me. Mat 19:21  

Beloved, if you will be perfect (fully matured), you need more than to be satisfied with your own salvation and blessings on earth. You need treasures in Heaven and that you will only get when you give of what you have been blessed with to those who don’t have. Would you start now?