Endogenous: Growth From Deep Within

The Palm Tree

Those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ will be transformed & grow from the inside out.  The Lord Jesus performs a remarkable transformation within us when we abide IN Him.  (John 15:1, 15:2, 15:3, 15:4, 15:5, 15:6, 15:7, 15:8, 15:9, 15;10)   If I believe in Jesus, I obey Him.  If I say I believe in my marriage to my husband, yet I practice adultery, then it is clear I do not truly believe in the marriage.  Let us be found faithful to Christ.  

He is the author and finisher of our faith, but we are reminded that we must, in fact, continue in the faith. (Hebrews 12:1, 12:2, 12:3)  As verse 3 of Hebrews 12 instructs, we must not faint in our minds, and as Paul instructs Christians in Acts 14:22, we must continue in the faith enduring great tribulation to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven from everlasting to everlasting.  The Lord is faithful to “finish” our faith IF we continue IN the faith.

Just the other day, the Lord shed new light on my understanding of the palm tree, and I shared the information with my husband.  The palm tree is quite unique in that, unlike many other trees, the palm is endogenous.  The palm tree’s growth occurs from deep within the tree  and becomes apparent externally -  this is in contrast  to many other trees that grow from the outside (exogenous).

We discussed how the palm's deep inner growth surely represents the same kind of growth that occurs within followers of Christ.  He transforms us from the inside out.  Within mere seconds of saying this, our 4 year old, who was sitting quietly in the backseat, said, “The heart.”  Now, I love my four year old, but he doesn’t possess that kind of wisdom.   : -)  

We knew the Holy Spirit had shared His Wisdom during our conversation.  It’s a transformed heart that leads to true growth spiritually and outwardly.  The Word of God teaches that our hearts are despicable (Jeremiah 17:9) without the transforming power of Jesus Christ within us.  He is the Word made flesh (John Chapter 1).  Unless that Word takes root and flourishes deep within our hearts - sustaining us, nourishing us, and growing us, we are doomed for damnation.  What a Saviour!  What mercy for God to offer HImself to a dying world.  

We must understand this Truth about the Lord’s Word:  The Truth of God’s Word must penetrate first deep within us; otherwise, our external “works” are superficial and hollow. Empty.  Dead.  If only our ears are tickled, our hearts won’t be transformed. (2 Timothy 4:3)  Messages that make our flesh comfortable will never seep into the core of our hearts.  There will be no true growth from the inside to the outside.  There may be a ‘flashy imitation’ for the world to gawk at, but it is worth nothing in the end.  The inner man will remain the same:  damned.

Is the True Word of God Implanted Deep Within You?

James 1:21

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (Matthew 13:22, 13:23, Luke 8:11)

Are You Growing From The Inside Out Because of The Holy Spirit? Or Are You Performing External Works When There is Really No Internal Transformation Occurring?  These Are Difficult Questions, But We Can’t Afford To Deceive Ourselves.

Psalm 92:12

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

[The Song of Solomon is symbolic of the pure, righteous, and fruit bearing relationship between the Bride (the true Church) and the Groom (Jesus).]

Song of Solomon 7:7   This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.

Song of Solomon 7:8

I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;

John 12:13

Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Revelation 7:9-10

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Facts About Palm Trees:  

From BibleStudyTools.com

“Its trunk is straight, tall and unbroken, terminating in a crown of emerald-green plumes, like a diadem of gigantic ostrich-feathers; these leaves are frequently twenty feet in length, droop slightly at the ends, and whisper musically in the breeze. The palm is, in truth, a beautiful and most useful tree. Its fruit is the daily food of millions; its sap furnishes an agreeable wine; the fibres of the base of its leaves are woven into ropes and rigging; its tall stem supplies a valuable timber; its leaves are manufactured into brushes, mats, bags, couches and baskets.”

“There is in the Psalms, (Psalms 92:12 ) the familiar comparison, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree," which suggests a world of illustration whether respect be had to the orderly and regular aspect of the tree, its fruitfulness, the perpetual greenness of its foliage, or the height at which the foliage grows, as far as possible from earth and as near as possible to heaven. Perhaps no point is more worthy of mention, we wish to pursue the comparison, than the elasticity of the fibre of the palm and its determined growth upward even when loaded with weights.”

“To these points of comparison may be added, its principle of growth: it is an endogen, and grows from within.”

From www.sciencedaily.com/terms/tree.htm

“Exogenous trees, which comprise the great majority of modern trees (all conifers, and all broadleaf trees), grow by the addition of new wood outwards, immediately under the bark.”

“Endogenous trees, mainly in the monocotyledons (e.g. palms), grow by addition of new material inwards.”

What author could possibly include such intricate and vast symbolism within a book?  None other than the Creator of all, Lord God Almighty.  My mind cannot possibly fathom the depths of His Book’s Wisdom.  Yet - when His Spirit teaches a portion to me, I am humbled by Who He Is.

Is Your Heart Growing or Decaying?

Hebrews 3:12-1912 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in

departing from the living God.13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Psalm 17:3Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Psalm 10:17Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Psalm 19:14Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalm 27:3Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Psalm 28:3Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

Matthew 5:8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Matthew 12:35A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Matthew 15:8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Mark 12:30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mark 12:33And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Matthew 5:28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Matthew 15: 18-2018 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Whose Will Are You Doing?

Emotions and Personal Attachments

Placing emotions and personal attachments above obedience to the Holy Spirit of God will lead people to Hell.  Our emotions cannot be trusted if the Lord is not our Counselor (Isaiah 9:6).  Emotions can be deceptive, and Satan uses our emotions to manipulate us.  Love, hate, anger, happiness, sexual feelings, confusion - you name any emotion we can possibly “feel” as human beings, and I say be careful; tread cautiously.  

Unchecked emotions can and will control us.  It does not matter what we “feel” if God is not driving us.  Period.  

We may “feel” or “think” we know how to best handle situations, but if God is not the source of our actions, our thoughts, our feelings, then all is for nought.  Nothing. Empty.  Filthy Rags.

Too many times, under the disguise of ‘being a Christian’, we go against God’s will.  

I am convinced man’s attempt to emotionally gauge a situation has led to the birth of various denominations, has led to false teachings, has led to strife, has led to a complete distortion of God’s Holy Standard.

First, God has established His Standard.  In reality, no matter the debates and conjecture of the masses, there is no other standard except God’s Standard.  When we put God’s established way first, every decision we make thereafter is much easier.  

When we place the standards of others first or when we allow ourselves to fluctuate between what God says and what man says, we are bound to be UNfaithful to the Lord along the way.  This type of unfaithfulness is spiritual adultery.  And we know -based on God’s Standard- that adultery is grounds for divorce - be it spiritual or physical.  (Matthew 5:27, 5:28, 5:32, Hebrews 6:8, 2 Peter 2:21, 2:22)

Saul was anointed by God, but his emotions were driven by self, the need to be accepted by others, and his fear of others.  There were dire consequences for Saul.  Let this be a warning for all who profess loyalty to the Lord. (1 Samuel 15:22, 15:23, 15:24, 15:25, 15:35, 1 Samuel 28:15, 1 Samuel 28:6, 28:7, 28:16, 28:17, 28:18, 1 Chronicles 10:13, 10:14)

Solomon, too, was at one time loyal to the Lord, but he was ultimately ruled by his “feelings”.  Great was this man’s sin.  (1 Chronicles 28:9, 1 Kings 11:2, 11:3, 11:4, 11:5, 11:6, 11:7, 11:8, 11:9)

Recently, I observed someone I care for do something that was against God’s Standard.  My flesh-led emotions wanted to view it differently than God’s Standard views it.  A decision had to be made on my part.  Would I allow my emotions rule on this matter and bend what God says in His Word, or would I say, “It is written.”

Whose will would I follow?  God’s?  Mine?  Others’?  We must be prepared to choose.  Better yet, we must be prepared to choose God’s Standard every single time.  

If we find ourselves negotiating God’s Standard because our allegiance to man is more important in the moment, we are deeply, deeply deceived.  Our unchecked emotions will even convince us that we are in God’s will.  Beloved, try the spirits.  A comfortable flesh is very deceptive.

How often do we negotiate God’s Standard - distort it or remove parts of it - in order to have people view us in a positive way?  “Oh, she is so nice.”   “She always makes me feel comfortable around her.”  Satan loves to use people’s perception of us in order to manipulate us into doing his bidding.  In other words, we start shaving a little off of God’s Standard here and there - all for the sake of man “appreciating us” and man claiming that we “really love them.”  

Satan is a master puppeteer!  But can we blame all things on Satan?  Can we be honest about an unchecked flesh?  Flesh - if left to its own devices - very readily accepts pride within itself.  Of course, the flesh will never call it “pride.”  Words like meek, humble, friendly, peacemaker, etc. are replacement words used by the flesh to fool us.  

We won’t be fooled by our own flesh if the Holy Spirit rules within us.  

If the flesh is not destroyed (mortified - put to death) by obedience to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:13), then we will think ourselves special in the flesh. Beware! We will find ourselves manipulating the Word of God in order to have our flesh flattered by man’s “love” and “adoration” of us. Our flesh will communicate with the flesh of others in order to make people think we are ‘humble’ and that we truly ‘love’ them. Their flesh/ feelings will acknowledge the false ‘humility’ and ‘love’ and be very receptive to it --- especially if it means, they are not being called to turn from their sins nor being pricked in their hearts to beg the Lord’s forgiveness. If their heart does not have to be transformed, their ‘feelings’ will celebrate you. But such a celebration is worth absolutely nothing eternally.    

After the fleshly party and ultimately, at the Judgment, nothing remains from the celebration but the garbage that has continually defiled the hearts of ALL involved.  It’s a pitiful sight to behold.  I weep at this tragedy of corruption!

 

It is written:

Matthew 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, 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.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.

Matthew 12:41The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Mark 6:11And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Revelation 2:5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Revelation 21:8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The Question Remains:  Whose Will Are You Doing?

Matthew 7:21

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Waters of Siloam

God places His soldiers right in the middle of enemy territory, and the enemy thinks that he has you surrounded -- that it is just a matter of time before he completely destroys you.

However, the Lord has dug a canal underneath the ground filled with the water of Siloam.  And the Lord is able to quench your thirst even when the enemy and his army surrounds you.  The enemy won't even be aware of the Lord continually filling you with His Holy Spirit.

From the outside, the enemy will presume that it is just a matter of time before your walls crumble and you starve to death.  The enemy won't be aware that on the inside, the waters of Siloam are quenching your thirst -- That from your belly Living Waters flow (John 7:38).  The enemy won't even be aware of the Lord speaking to you - of the Lord showing you what must be done. On the outside the enemy will think the countdown to your demise has begun, not knowing that the Lord's Living Water flows into your encampment freely and fully!  And you are strong because of the Lord's provision.  And you are not going to back down because of it - and you know the Truth because of it!  Hallelujah!

"SILOAM.  The Pool of Siloam, where Jesus sent the blind man to be healed [John 9:7],

was located in the Tyropoeon Valley, at the lower end of Hezekiah's underground conduit (Siloam Tunnel) which brought water into the city from the Gihon Spring (Virgin's Fountain).  'The waters of Shiloah that go softly' (Isaiah 8:6) referred to these waters that flowed through the 1,770-foot tunnel and into this pool called 'Siloam,' because it was just across the Kidron Valley of the village of Siloam.  The pool was much used by the people of Jerusalem, and they considered it sacred" (Thompson Chain Bible, reference # 4436).

"GIHON, now known as the Virgin's Fountain, is an intermittent spring (or fountain) of pure water which bursts forth from deep within the Kidron Valley, east of Jerusalem and just opposite the village of Siloam.  From early times it has been the only known living spring in the environs of Jerusalem.  In fact the city was located on this arid plateau because of the splendid water supply.  The Jebusite inhabitants of Jerusalem dug a deep underground channel or tunnel westward from the fountain, under the walls, and into the city, so that they might draw water without having to go outside the walls; and also to enable them to obtain all the water they needed in time of siege without being exposed to the enemy..." (Thompson Chain Bible, reference #4383). 

May the above revelations bless a brother or sister in the Lord who is surrounded by the enemy.  It doesn't matter what surrounds you; the Holy Spirit will support you from within.

 On February 26th, while at work, the Lord brought a Biblical event to me on two different occasions.  I realized the Lord was trying to show me something, but I didn't know what He was teaching me at that point during the day.  Later that same night, when tucking my 8 year old into bed, the Lord used this child, who knew nothing about the events earlier in the day, to speak truth to me from his children's Bible.  In that moment, I thought, "There it is.  That's what You were  trying to show me, Lord."  In late January or early February, I was preparing to go to sleep, and the Lord spoke to me about Hezekiah.  It was a very clear "God has spoken moment," so I immediately went downstairs and began reading about this king.

The Holy Spirit directed me specifically to one of Hezekiah's struggles with the king of Assyria and the Assyrian king's messenger, Rabshakeh.  This was a profound moment that night because I, too, had been battling with an enemy who was making every attempt to draw people away from the Truth.  Like Rabshakeh, this particular enemy even seemed to speak the same language of the church, falsely appearing to be with them and one of them.  Take the time to read these verses. (Isaiah 36:13, 36:14, 36:15, 36:16, 36:17, 36:18, 36:19, 36:20, 36:21, 36:22). When Hezekiah was  presented with Rabshakeh's threats and false words, King Hezekiah in great anguish went directly into the house of the Lord, seeking direction (Isaiah 37:1, 37:2, 37:3, 37:4).

Ultimately, the Lord's prophet Isaiah spoke to King Hezekiah on this matter:

5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.
6 And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master, Thus saith the Lord, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

 Praise the Lord for His provision when the enemy speaks blasphemy against the Truth and against those who stand for the Truth!  I shared this regarding Hezekiah because it directly relates to the Pool of Siloam, Gihon and the underground canal dug during the Old Testament time period.  Only the Lord can piece His revelations together so masterfully!  As shared above, on February 26th, the Lord brought me to an event in the Bible twice while at work and later that same night with my 8 year old. And a few weeks before the 26th, the Lord sought to instruct me regarding Hezekiah. On the 26th, while tucking him in, my son led me to the story of Siloam Pool in the New Testament.  In his children's Bible, there was a reference regarding the Pool of Siloam and the king who was responsible for the canal's construction.  It was none other than King Hezekiah.  In that moment, events and revelations spanning weeks were brought to one unified message of Truth by the Holy Spirit.

Picture of my son's Bible page

The story of Hezekiah is vast and spans more than one book in the Bible, but I will include one of the verses demonstrating this king's action that is further echoed in the New Testament when we read the story of the healing waters of Siloam Pool.

2 Chronicles 32:30 - "This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works."   ***(I have added a short YouTube clip on Hezekiah's Tunnel at the end of this blog. Added 3.13.16)***

When the Lord has absolutely shown you the truth on a matter, you are not to return to the lie.  You are to share the truth to those who will receive it.  God willing, they will join you in the Lord's Truth on a particular matter, but we are never to "side with" a lie.  We are never to be "cordial" to the lie.  We are never to pretend it is acceptable to speak or teach the lie.   That same night on February 26th, the Lord brought me to His direction for me, and no doubt His direction for all those who follow Him and accept 'soft waters' from His Spirit of Truth.  Please read Isaiah 8:5 through the end of the chapter.  It is in verse 6 that the Lord begins to describe consequences for those who refuse the waters of Shiloah (Siloam).

Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;

 The remainder of the chapter describes what those who refuse the waters can expect and what those who are partakers of the water will receive.  There is a distinct difference between the two.  Shame and destruction will pursue those who have rejected the Lord, but the Lord clearly instructs those who follow Him and accept His Spirit.  He tells His people (those who accept the waters of Shiloah) what they are to do and what they are not to do.  Hallelujah!  

Notable Areas:

10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.    [Those who refuse the waters of Shiloah can devise schemes, but they will come to nothing, says the Lord!  Who is God with? There is a clear separation in this chapter.  He is with those who are truly partakers of His Spirit, His Living Water. God will never side with lies, such does not come from His water of Siloam/Shiloah.]

11 For the Lord spake thus to me (the prophet of the Lord and all who are partakers of the waters) with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,  [Those who are of the truth must not join in allegiance with those who refuse the Lord's truth.]

12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.   [A partaker of the Lord's Truth must not join in an UNlawful alliance (confederacy) with those who are serving a lie and teaching a lie.  Do not revere or respect what they revere.  Do not live in terror of what terrifies them.]

13 Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.  [Those who are partaking in the waters of Shiloah must be loyal to the Lord above all.  Revere the Lord.  Fear the Lord.  Be loyal to the Lord above all.]

14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  [He is our source of strength and protection. Even when surrounded by the enemy, the Lord will provide His water (Spirit) springing forth within us.  There are many, even those who seemingly speak our language (Isaiah 36:13), who are greatly offended by areas of the Lord's Truth.]

15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

[Never mind them.  Let the Lord be your sanctuary.  Let others stumble at the Truth if they refuse to accept it.]

16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
17 And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion. [Wait upon the Lord.  Trust in Him.  He will work through you.]

19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that

peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? [Beware of those who seek to turn you to lies.  Many of today's 'wizards' are wearing normal clothing, even that of a sheep's attire.  Beware of those who refuse to seek the full counsel of God.  We are to seek counsel from the only One who offers complete Truth, the LORD.]

20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.  [The Lord has given us a formula for trying spirits.  Look at His Word.  The answers are within the Bible.  Sincerity of heart, prayer, and fasting usher in proper understanding of the Word.]  

21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.  [Those who have refused the waters of Shiloah/Siloam/Holy Spirit will ultimately find themselves cursing God when times grow dark and difficult.]

The Lord has faithfully taught me regarding what true loyalty to Him looks like.  Not having loyalty to Him and His statutes will surely result in eternal separation from Him, but glory to God,  being loyal to Him - although painful in this life -- will reap eternal fellowship with Him in His Holy presence forevermore! (Acts 14:22)

Seek to help those who are misled, but never join them in the lie.  They can come to you, but you must never return to them in thought or acceptance of a lie.

Do not wander from the path of understanding.  There are consequences.

The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.  ~Proverbs 21:16

Battle Ridden Brethren

This is for the battle ridden brethren in Christ Jesus who find themselves on hands and knees in the middle of the war torn field gasping for breath, wondering which way should I go?  What should I do? This is for you.

The word remnant means “a small remaining quantity of something.”  If you are under the impression that there be few who are encountering the battles you are facing, you are correct.  There is only a small remnant.  If you are under the impression that you are fighting a losing battle, then you are not correct.  There are promises in the Word of God teaching us exactly how to endure in the Faith, no matter the circumstance, no matter the struggle, no matter the pain, no matter the anguish.

You must first be willing to believe this:  ‘My God will help me overcome in a godly and holy way.’  You must allow that to seep down into the very pores of your spirit.  You must be willing to patiently wait for His guidance.  There will be those, Satan and others, who will make every attempt to convince you that you should seek to escape down a path other than the narrow path the Lord spoke of.  Do not heed the advice of those who contradict the promises and conditions set forth by God Himself!

If the way of escape is not a godly way, then it is not from God.  It is Satan, not God, whose goal is to persuade men to choose sin/rebellion/disobedience.  

John 10:10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.John 10:27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:John 18:37Jesus said,To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 

John 10:4-5  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

During dark battles, I have noticed that there are always many voices attempting to point me off the straight and narrow path.  Some of those voices are very, very convincing and seemingly genuine in their advice and their approach, but the Lord teaches His followers to WAIT on Him.  Confusion breeds rash decisions that lead to sin and rebellion, but the Word of God teaches that everyone that is of the truth heareth His voice. The Lord’s voice will never agree with sin. Never.  

Beloved, please know that there are many spirits in this world.  The Lord has so very specifically taught me during trials that we cannot judge the reliability of a spirit by that same spirit.  In other words, don’t fall into the trap of thinking, “Well, this person spoke kind words to me during this past event. Or this person provided sound words of wisdom to me last year or last week, so this current advice must be true.”  If you think that way, then you are judging a spirit by the same spirit.  And you are valuing ‘man’s truth’ over God’s Standard of Truth.

Although it may be true a person has imparted Biblical wisdom to you in the past, that most assuredly does not mean all words that come from that individual are ‘of God’.  

Measure any and every spirit, whether from another person or from yourself, by the only accurate gauge of TRUTH… and that is the source of TRUTH: The Word of God.

The Devil has truly sought to convince others that these Truths are offensive, but we must separate ourselves from emotional attachments and allow the Word of God to stand True in our lives and our hearts no matter what.  Emotions are deceptive and unruly.  Many a well-seeming man has allowed himself to believe a false gospel of emotional entanglements instead of the unadulterated Word of God.

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait [thlibo] is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The Greek word thlibo means to crowd, to press upon (like grapes), to press hard, to contract, to trouble, to distress.   Brethren, you are going to suffer tremendously.  However, if we are not forewarned and taught of these inevitable struggles, we may be inclined to give up the faith and instead give into the sorrow.  Know this:  The price that was paid at Calvary was much too precious for giving up or giving in.

The Holy Spirit sends this reminder -  if you feel you can’t continue on another step:  remember Joseph in Egypt, remember Daniel in Babylon, remember Jesus in the wilderness, remember Elijah against Jezebel, remember Esther in Shushan, remember David against Goliath, remember John crying out in the wilderness. Remember those true examples of faithfulness and endurance.  

It is time to look toward the hills.  From there comes your help!

Psalm 121“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.”

Remnant:  It is time that you look for assistance from Truth!  

No matter the battle, there are promises that cannot be denied in God’s Holy Bible.  Stand on those promises no matter the opposition.  God’s word will stand when all else fails.  Stand on His Word.  

“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13).

"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).

"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7).

"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it" (Revelation 2:17).

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne" (Revelation 3:21).

Grace empowers you to overcome any and all struggles.  Wait on the Lord for His holy direction.  You won’t regret it. When we truly seek Him diligently with all of our hearts (and this is what it takes), It Is Written that He will not give you a stone, nor will He give you a serpent! (Matthew 7:9-10). Jesus will give you that which sustains LIFE, not that which facilitates death in sin. Glory!

Jesus was crucified as a solitary body on that cross, suffering and dejected, so just when you think you are alone in your tremendous trial, there was One who prepared a way for you to overcome.  Praise this God who provided Himself the sacrifice! (Genesis 22:8)

Stand up, dust off your hands and knees; the spoils of Victory are awaiting you.  Fight the good fight.

That Much More

Jesus recognized the weakness of the flesh.  In fact, He specifically addresses flesh as being weak.

He said in the 26th chapter of Matthew:  "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Let us be clear on this matter:  Jesus did not address the weakness of the flesh as a way of granting subtle or even not so subtle permission to sin.  No.  He acknowledged the weakness of the human flesh, but He pressed into prayer that much more.  That much harder.  That much more obediently. Because He fully understood the snares and traps within the flesh, He illustrated what any son of God is called to do: Pray to the Father.  Press in & don't stop!  He is truly the perfect Teacher for those of us who long to follow Him.  When He states so many times in the Gospel, "Follow me,"  it is clear that following Him also includes being taught of Him.  He shows followers how to handle any situation, any trial, and any temptation of the flesh.   Thank you, Lord!
 
Therefore, when Jesus was battling the flesh nature, He prayed.  He knew the agony awaiting Him just around the corner.  He knew of Judas' upcoming kiss of betrayal, He knew of the upcoming scourging and humiliation, and He knew of His impending gory physical death.  The flesh rose up in opposition to this.  Just as our own flesh will rise up in opposition to us when we devote ourselves to the Lord.  The flesh won't give up without a fight.

Jesus, Our Example:

This verse is absolutely one of the most profound verses in all scripture illustrating precisely what it means to ENDURE in the Faith:

"And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22: 44).

How does Jesus handle this time of agony?  The word "agony" in verse 44 is the Greek word agonia . It means "struggle ie anguish."  Do we see Him giving into the struggle by obeying the flesh's desires?  Do we see Him saying, "This is too much.  Surely, the Father understands my frailties of giving into sin?"  Of course not!  He prays that much more, that much harder, & that much more obediently! (Make no mistake about it.  The flesh rises up in opposition in order to plant and reap disobedience.  Disobedience equals SIN.)  Hallelujah, the Lord provided Himself as an example of what we are called to do in order to avoid giving into the flesh and its deception.  Not just one time does the Son pray to the Father while in agony of what He was being called to, not just two times, but three times Jesus diligently prays.  Enduring in the faith!

Jesus is our Master Instructor.  If instruction comes from another individual (even if from ourselves) that is in opposition to the example set forth by Christ, we must reject it.  No matter the messenger, if the message about how we are to react to sin & the temptation to sin is a stark contradiction to the way Jesus said to handle it, then we must reject the false instruction.  Today, we can look anywhere and hear the familiar tune of the flesh being weak and that God understands such things.  Those words are misleading, and that kind of misleading message is one that facilitates continued sin within a person.  We see this mentality everywhere.

I included part of a verse at the beginning of this post: "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Here is the entire verse:

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).

 
Never let your "prayer" be:  "God, you know my flesh is weak.  I can't help myself with this sin I am committing."

Always let your prayer be: "God, you know my flesh is weak.  That is why I am relying on Your Power to deliver me from this temptation.  I won't stop seeking You until You deliver me of this temptation. Rid me of the desire surrounding this temptation."

When others mention fleshly struggles to us, we must make sure that our response to that person is led of the Holy Spirit of God and not of our own flesh.   Flesh wants to comfort flesh.  "There, there...you can't help yourself.  God understands... Don't worry, you are under the blood no matter what."

If we are being led of the Holy Spirit, our response will be 'watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.'  'Fight the good fight of faith!'  'Bring all imaginations in subjection to Christ.'  'The Lord overcame the world, so that you, too, can overcome this temptation.'  'Be encouraged, there is hope to overcome this temptation IN Christ Jesus!'

Falling Away to the Anti-Christ