Faith As A Process of Calling

UV 4301/10000 Faith as a Process of Calling And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. Genesis 1 v 5 Faith is calling into being that which is not as if it is. Hence, it is a creative process. God used this process to call into being order out of chaos, light out of darkness, life out of dead matter. Even day and night divisions were called into being by God. We are to enjoy every day as the verse says, “This is the day the Lord has made (created). We shall rejoice and be glad in it.” Each day we are to rejoice with what the Lord has called into our lives and call into being that which we lack or need. We can approach God also through Christ only by faith. We call into being that which is not – righteousness, holiness as if it already is. God’s word has such power. Our words too have power. We can call into being that which is not as if it is. When we do so in the name of Christ, the authority of Christ is established as the basis for our faith, the foundation of all that we pray, speak, do. Naming a blessing or counting it is also a way of concluding the creative process of faith- for example, the names we give children can be a lifelong remembrance for them, us and others of the favour of the Lord. We suspend our senses when we exercise faith. To some extent we also suspend our sense that asks us to disbelieve and to only believe that which we can perceive with our senses. Apart from praying in the name of Jesus, when we pray on the basis of a scripture verse or portion, it is powerful. Sometimes, even a phrase or part of a promise verse that we hold onto as relevant for our need is also effective as the basis of our faith process. For we are calling into being that which is not, that which we need-say, a healing, a job, a financial provision, wisdom to take a decision while on the horns of a dilemma or a crossroad situation in life, a deliverance from oppression. After praying, we need to see with our spiritual perception that we are in the process of receiving that which we called into being though it is not perceivable yet by our senses. Hence, being thankful, hopeful and joyful during the period of waiting for the answer is part of the process of faith. Taking the first steps in some venture or in fulfilment of a vision as if God has already answered us is another way of confirming or affirming our faith. We can have hundred percentage faith only in God and His Word. The percentage of faith or trust we exercise in respect of other people, the things of this world, in ourselves is necessarily much less. Our positive confessions are also useful in calling into being that which is not, that which we are in need of in order to be joyful, strong and victorious in life. When we affirm our faith that God is answering our specific prayer request, we set in motion in the spiritual realm certain force or power that will bring it into being. One of the greatest objects we can use the faith process of calling into being is our own edification- the building of Christ-like character, of the birth and growth of the fruit of the spirit in our inner being. In Hebrews 11 v 34, the phrase- “out of weaknesses, were made strong” speaks to this kind of expression of faith. Faith is often referred to by believers as a muscle. Just like there are different kinds of muscles in our bodies, some strong depending on both natural endowment and constant exercise, some less developed, in our faith life, each of us have prowess or potential in certain areas of expression of faith. Our prior experiences or testimonies of others give rise to our own confidence or trust in God in these areas.

The Stone of Faith

UV 4298/10000 The Stone of Faith For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on that one stone are seven eyes ( symbolizing infinite intelligence, omniscience). Behold, I engrave an inscription on it,” declares the Lord of hosts,” and I will remove the wickedness and guilt of this land in a single day. Zechariah 3 v 9 Often, we can understand a verse of old testament only in conjunction with a portion or verse from the new testament. This verse when it is read along with the promise in the book of Revelation which speaks of a white stone makes complete sense. Jesus is the white cornerstone of our lives, the stone with seven eyes or complete knowledge, understanding and wisdom. When we build our lives around and on this foundation of faith in Jesus, the Lord removes our own guilt and that of our people in a single instant, the moment we put our trust in Him. We can then sit with peace with our neighbour under the vine (symbolizing prosperity) and the fig tree ( symbolizing peace). We become a branch of the tree of eternal life, producing the fruit of the spirit. The Joshua, spoken of in this uni-verse, is the high priest. The angel of the Lord appears to him and promises that the dirty clothes symbolizing his sinfulness would be replaced by the rich robes of salvation. He was adorned with a turban to symbolize the power to rule. He was asked to walk in the ways of the Lord and to serve God. If he did so, he would have free access to the presence of the Lord and would govern over the house of the Lord. The same promise is extended to believers of Christ, today. The Lord has removed our soiled clothes and given us the white clothes of salvation, crowned us with the helmet or turban of assurance and hope. Unlike the rest of the world who are perishing in their wickedness and hopelessness, our hope in Christ fills us with joy and strength. With a stone, the young boy David became the victor in the battle with the giant Goliath. Faith is the stone that Daniel sees in his vision, the stone that is not cut with human hands but is of divine origin. With faith, we can break down the feet of clay of the strongholds of wickedness of this world. The people of this world appear to be stronger than us but their weaknesses ( clay) is mixed with their apparent strengths. Wicked, ungodly people may be very powerful, healthy, personable, wealthy, influential but their feet of clay are broken by the white stone rolling down on it. They will come crumbling down in a single day, on the day of their judgement or on the day of their end just as we are saved in a single day or single moment. This is the sovereign will of God for He chooses one and rejects another. He chose Abel and rejected Cain. Cain was the stronger one but his strength was mixed with lack of reverence for God. Abel was killed but his innocent blood foreshadowed that of the Messiah Jesus. God chose Jacob and rejected Esau. Esau was the stronger one but his strength was mixed with lack of self control and greed. Jacob had many struggles but he emerged victorious. To one, the stone is a stone of stumbling that leads to his downfall, to the other, it is the stone of strength, victory and endurance.

The Process of Sanctification

UV 4297/10000 The Process of Sanctification Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through ( that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged- consecrated to Him- set apart for His purpose); and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete and ( be found) blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I Thessalonians 5 v 23 God has called us, separated us from the world. He is the One who gives us eternal peace. We are no longer restless and insecure. We are confident of our salvation by faith in Christ. Yet, we are being sanctified so that we conform to the first born, Jesus. He is the One who sanctifies us and makes us pure, whole and complete. We are like the vessels in the temple that are consecrated and set apart for the Lord. Our spirit, souls and bodies are sealed with the Spirit of God, washed in the blood of Christ and we should strive to stay blameless or blemishless in the sight of God and man. We are accountable to God and Christ for every thought, word and deed. Christ uses the agency of the Holy Spirit and the word to sanctify and complete us. The more we yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and apply the word, the process of our sanctification is speeded up. The word penetrates like a surgeon’s scalpel to the point where soul and spirit and body meet. It also washes and cleanses our inner being. We should always be filled with the lively hope that Jesus is coming back as Lord, that the day of the Lord is near. Instead of being complacent, we need to be sober and alert, energetic and eager to meet the Lord. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure for they shall see God.” Our eyes are opened to see God when our hearts and minds are purified. Our faith is not complete unless our inner being is refined and freed of all impurities, the lusts of this world. Both what goes into us and what comes out of us needs to be pure. The words we speak need to be sent through five filters to conform to the edifying “ THINK” and speak pattern the Lord commends us to practice continually: it it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring hope and faith in God and Christ and the good things of life? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind? We will not stumble, as St James wrote, if we are refining our speech by sending our thoughts and words through these five effective filters. Our tongues will be veritable instruments of peace and of salvation used by God.

Focus on the Lord

UV 4296/10000 Focus on the Locus-the Lord and Giver of Life Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything of praise, think continually on these things, ( center you mind on them, and implant them in your heart). Philippians 4 v 8 What or who is true, honourable, right, confirmed by God’s word, pure, wholesome, lovely, brings peace, admirable, of good repute, excellent, praiseworthy? When I look around, I find no one or no one thing reflects all these qualities except God and Christ. Therefore, the apostle Paul is asking us to think continually or continually focus on God. He is the locus of all creation. The Creator and Redeemer occupies central point or locus in our lives. Everything we think, speak and do reflects and relates back to Him. The extent to which we think about Him, we too will experience truth, justice, honour, purity, wholesomeness, love, peace, excellence and become worthy of praise, admiration. The amazing thing is that Paul is asking us not to meditate on God in our quiet times but all the time. Elsewhere, Paul says, ( in Thessalonians), “ Pray without ceasing.” When our minds are stayed or focused on God, His Son Jesus, our peace is established. Our purpose is fulfilled. Our eternity is guaranteed. When we think, meditate on God, pray to Him continually, it implies that we will thank and praise Him, also continually. God becomes our grand obsession, our only legitimate obsession for anything else that distracts detracts from His greatness, His glory. This is the reason, God declares Himself to be a jealous God. When God encompasses us, He becomes our compass. We find our direction, our light, our strength, our success in Him. But, are we capable of continually thinking, meditating, praying, praising God, distracted as we are by the world and its attractions and burdens, the longings of our own senses and urges? The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. We need the power of God to overcome the weaknesses of our flesh. The Lord knowing this, sent us, gifted us the Holy Spirit, the Breath or Ruah of God. He mingles with our every thought, every word, every breath, every moment, every effort and so enables us to focus on the Locus- the Lord and Giver of Life.

The Signet Ring

UV 4295/10000 The Signet Ring “On that day,” declares the Lord Almighty, “I will take you, my servant Zerubabbel son of Shealtiel,” declares the Lord, “ And I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. Haggai 2 v 23 When we lower our hearts before God as servants, He raises us like kings before man. On the day, we first humbled ourselves before God and believed that He is the One and only One who existed before all creation and caused all creation and further, He sent His Son Jesus to redeem mankind, we are taken by God Almighty. No one else can take us thereafter. He declares us as spiritual descendants of David to reign and rule like kings over the spiritual realms. We are like the signet ring of Almighty God. We are the final seal of approval, the symbol of ultimate authority over all powers on earth and all powers of darkness. No king has power to flatten a mountain but we have authority to flatten the mountains, to alter the landscape of human lives, to live with purpose, power and meaning. A signet ring is valuable- therefore, we are valuable. It is irreplaceable. We have the authority to issue decrees and declarations in the name of Jesus. A decree with the king’s seal is carried out even in the far reaches of a realm. It has power as long as it is not recalled or cancelled. Hence, the decrees we issue cannot be revoked unless we do so. A signet ring has the logo or court of arms of the owner so that it leaves an impression on that to which it is stamped or affixed. Hence, we are to leave an impression of the Almighty in all we think, speak, do or relate to. The Lord makes us or prepares us to be His symbol of authority and power. He uses His word to fashion us in His image. He uses our life experiences and encounters to shape us. A signet ring is strong and durable and hence, we are to be strong and enduring by His grace. We are symbols and emblems of God on earth. By carrying out His will in our lives and through our lives, we become His signet rings. We are signet rings with a difference, however. For we are not only symbols of God’s power and sovereignty but we are also to reflect His love and grace for though we do not deserve to serve Him as His representatives on earth, as His emblem of authority, He has chosen us in His love while we were yet, disobedient and sinful. Hence, we need to blend authority with love, humility and gentleness in the same manner as Jesus, our Saviour first and also, Lord and King. We are to always be mindful of our sinful past and stay guarded against falling into sin again and to be always grateful to the Lord for choosing us for salvation and to adorn His finger as a signet ring.

Shining Through Areas of Darkness

UV 4294/10000 Shining Through Areas of Darkness Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. Isaiah 60 v 1 The call to arise comes to us as we are sitting in some areas of our lives in the darkness, the gross darkness of this world. Since the light of the world has come into our lives – Jesus Christ, we are to have no truck with darkness of this world- the evil brought on by sin and godlessness in this world. We are now restored to the glory of the Lord. We are to no longer dwell in hamartia or shortcoming. We are surrounded by the greatness of God. We are not to think, speak or do anything or desire anything that smacks of darkness or sin. Since we are part of the light, part of the solution, part of the way, the life and the resurrection, we have to stay apart or far from the darkness of this world. The light that has come into our lives is the personal knowledge of God, the knowledge of God as our Saviour, Redeemer, the God of Jacob or Israel. He is the Light by which we are able to see all things. He is the One who saves us from the darkness of this world. Darkness is therefore, synonymous with ignorance. We are freed from our ignorance. Knowledge is power and therefore, our new knowledge of God empowers us. The more knowledge of God we store in us, the more light or energy or power shines or radiates outward from our inner being. Both our influence and impact increases manifold in all the areas where we formerly dwelt in darkness. Since we belong to the Light, we have no excuse to continue in darkness. Hence, we need to keep examining our lives and see if any remnant of darkness remains in us, consciously or unconsciously and get progressively rid of it. The more we grow in the light, the further we go. The traces of ingrained darkness that remains in us needs to be first, identified in the light of His word, removed with the help of the Light. These areas of darkness might not just be wilful acts but could be disbelief in certain aspects of our faith. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to both identify these areas of darkness and to overcome it in His light.

Anointed to Rule

UV 4293/10000 Anointed to Rule This is what the Lord says to His anointed, to Cyrus ( king of Persia), whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him, and I will ungird the loins of kings ( disarming them); To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: Isaiah 45 v 1 Those who are chosen by God are also anointed or equipped by Him. We are enabled by His grace and power to fulfill His purpose in our lives. He holds our right hand to empower us, to give us the authority, power and dominion over the nations. By virtue of his anointing or His authorization, we can strip kings of darkness and their earthly representatives in all nations of their defensive armour. We can disarm them of their weapons of destruction. The Lord will open doors before us that no man can shut. He will give us opportunities to demonstrate the power and authority of God on earth that no one can take away or block. We have a royal and eternal destiny like King Cyrus. Like King Cyrus saw himself as a servant king, who serves the living God, we are servant Kings in the order of Jesus Christ, the Anointed One. We are anointed or filled with the Holy Spirit to build God’s kingdom on earth like Cyrus was anointed to have the temple and Jerusalem re-built. The resources of heaven, the army of God is available to us for the fulfilment of our calling. The Lord also promises to go ahead of His people and to remove the obstacles even if these be as large and seemingly insurmountable as mountains. Even the strongest of doors cannot withstand His power. He can reach through bronze doors to deliver hidden treasures into our hands. He calls us personally and by our first names like He called Cyrus even when the latter did not know anything about the God of Israel. We have the advantage of knowing Him more fully thanks to the word of God which tells us in great detail who He is, what kind of person He is, the extent of His power and authority, His great love for those who trust Him. Any demonic force or power that rises against us, we can subdue in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Some of these forces try to kill us or destroy or weaken us with our inner strongholds of fear or doubt. Some try to rob us, causing us hurt and inner injuries. Some try to steal from us subtly so that we are not even aware of it. The satanic array of forces though they number 666 threats, dangers, viles against us are no match for the sovereign power of God and that of His people. Since God’s presence surrounds us like a cloud, defends us like a fire, since He holds our right hand and guides us in all our important areas and decisions, we can be confident of victory over all the 666. If we take a year as having 365 days, an average of one to two kings of darkness attack us on a daily basis. We should know from this uni-verse that we can strip them of their armour, neutralize their power to harm us. Once we exercise our kingly authority delegated to us by the Lord God, their strongholds will come crashing down and they cannot come near us to steal us of our mental or emotional peace, affect our holistic health of spirit, mind or body, impact our finances, our reputation, our emotions, our relationships, our present or future or eternity.