The Gloved One

 The Gloved One

Theme Scripture Passage :- Mt 4

If you have time read 1 Samuel 25..the account of David's encounter with a wealthy sheep shearer called Nabal. David just came from a mighty victory over Goliath and he was the talk of the town. Many of us think walking with God is always glorious and magnificient...void of the pits and the falls. David probably thought the same way too...anointed as heir to the throne, defeated Goliath, cheered on by the citizens, loved more by the people. However from victor, he became a fugitive and a marked man. 

In our walk with God, there will be tough times or challenging times where things just don't go the way or work out the way that they shud. When David approached Nabal for help, he assumed his fame will precede him. Instead, Nabal scoffed at David and ridiculed him. In anger and frustration, he sought to kill Nabal instead. Thank God for His intervention...using Nabal's wife to put sense into David.  What lesson can we learn here ? When we are in situations where things don't go well for us, debts mounting, problems never-ending, and you believe in God..how come all this things are happening ?

Who do people turn to the most in problems ? Others and themselves is probably the most popular choices. That's what David did. In the wilderness, God is still with us ...remember Psalms 23..eventhough we walk through the valley of the shadow of death..we fear no evil ..because God is with us...A shadow of a snake will not kill you likewise...a shadow of death will not harm you. You can see the shadow, because Jesus is with you. He is your light and your life. God has a purpose for you. What is that purpose..Let me tell you this, how long you stay in the wilderness is determined by how well you respond to 3 questions.

The most important lesson we must learn is this. NEVER TURN TO PEOPLE FOR THE ANSWERS TO YOUR MISERY...remember Job and his "wise" friends. Turn to God.

3 questions the devil asked Jesus. This 3 questions must be founded in your hearts not just your lips. God is after only one thing....TO BLESS YOU ! His plans for you is to prosper you and to give you life and life more abundantly ! 

Question 1:-  (Mt 4:3-4)And the tempter came and said to Him, If You are God's Son, command these stones to be made loaves of bread.    ⁴But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

ANSWER :- GOD MUST SPEAK

 Jesus answered - Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that God speaks. What does this mean ? How many times we chose to rely on our abilities, qualifications, credentials, money, other people, instead of waiting on God, we grab and take whatever we can see. Friends, if we need to take and grab and fight for something, its probably not ours in the first place. You see, God is about restful increase. He adds to us..He gives us the very very best (Psalms 23). Wait on God !Let Him speak into your life ! How does God speak to you ? Through His Spirit. Our communion is with the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that will give life to our mortal bodies  and lift us up ! When God wants to lift us to a new level, it takes one thing..empty the old wine skin..renew the wineskin and let God pour new wine in to you ! ONE WORD..SURRENDER 100!

One word of advice, if you turn to people, everyone has 101 advice for your issue. Even your pastors. You need to know what God is saying and stand steadfast regardless and keep on believing. You may need to correct your steps as your walk towards your victory..but weigh each advice and let God's still small voice guide you through. 

Question 2 :    ⁶And he said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, He will give His angels charge over you, and they will bear you up on their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.   ⁷Jesus said to him, On the other hand, it is written also, You shall not tempt, test thoroughly, or try exceedingly the Lord your God.

ANSWER :- Don't Test God, Let Faith Arise

 

Satan always wants to cause us to doubt God's word to shake our faith, so that we will fall again at question 1. Are you sure, you can trust God's word ?Are you sure, that's good enough ? Friend the mistake we make here is to argue with satan. We always pray, I resist you devil, flee from me...and we use Jesus' name like a M16 riffle..and yet the devil does not run. Why ? You see God does not do miracles to prove He exist. He does not need to prove to anyone who He is. Even if nothing happens in your life, He is still Yahweh ! He is still the Lord. Instead of arguing with the devil and being so devil focused, be grace focused and pray like this...

"Yes eventhough I know I've made alot of mistakes in the past, yet I am not disqualified before God because Jesus, You saved me and redeemed me and by Your blood I stand right before God. Jesus You are my righteousness and by your grace I stand. Fill me with your love and grace again"..Amen ! 

At the end of the day, if God is for you, who can be against you right ! Hallelujah !

Question 3 :- ⁸Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory (the splendor, magnificence, preeminence, and excellence) of them.

    ⁹And he said to Him, These things, all taken together, I will give You, if You will prostrate Yourself before me and do homage and worship me.

    ¹⁰Then Jesus said to him, Begone, Satan! For it has been written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve.

ANSWER :- WORSHIP GOD FOR WHO HE IS.

The devil wants to give you everything at one price..Worship goes to him. Everytime I hear people wanting to help us say, do this for me...I will make the way for you...or the only thing they care to help you is to give you this or that...I am not interested. I'm not after cheap trills and earthly riches. I want to know how to obey God and how to recognise His leading more. I want to love Jesus more ! People have asked me to give up pioneering the church..How can I, when it is God that spoke to me to do this directly. Stay the course. The only place you need to be to get out of the wilderness well, is lift Jesus higher in Your lives !...There was awhile I was afraid of losing my relationship with Jesus when things gets better...Then God said to me, nothing can separate me from His love ! How awesome...I just yielded 100% to the Holy SPirit. My mouth is His, my all is His...The breakthrough really came when I just yielded to the HOly Spirit .

This was my prayer that started the ball rolling forward and upward .

Lord Jesus, my body is the temple of the Holy SPirit and the members of my body belongs to You. I pray, fill me with the Holy Spirit and take over my life. Amen

Do you know, God will anoint your head with oil and your cup will runneth over ! Wait in God . He will lift you up. When you surrender, you can laugh at the NOW problems..because they will become yesterdays problems ..whereas your today onwards is going to be glorious. That's how you get into glorious restful increase ! the Key is flow with the Holy Spirit ! 

You are the glove, He is the hand. A tight fit !

Luv

Edwin Koh (22/8/10)