(1Corinthians 12:27) “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
To be led by the Spirit of God, what does that look like? What Instruction does the Bible give us concerning this all important coaching? Just maybe I have not been as diligent as I should have, this is now a lot more urgent than we could ever imagine, not only when you prepare for church on Sunday or I for my blog, but we must constantly seek it out. Why is this truth pivotal? If not, we will lose our way! Just maybe I have lost my way concerning the “body principle” (my role as an active member in the church), this is God’s design for every believe, we must work it out with fear and trembling and not find ourselves going down a road that is according to our own good pleasure and not God’s designed preference for our lives.
Why is it that I now am not actively involved with a church and why is it that I resist all the church’s I visit? I like to believe that I see them not sticking to God’s design as He has intended for all his people, most have a man centered ideology linked to it in one form or another. Or is it my own divisive heart that leads me to believe this? These are serious considerations! Are my objection justified or am I playing into the hand of the evil one?
Do not be fooled, Satan is very skillful with his troublesome poisonous arrows and he constantly shoots them at our understanding on this topic. How so? He does it no differently to us, in the way he did it to the Lord Jesus, when He was here on earth. Let me explain; He manipulates the use of scripture and thus propagates confusion amongst the brethren. We understand that God is sovereign and He has allowed this to happen, why? - It in turn, will fashion us into the people we are, it will work out for our good; that is, if we love God and if we have been called by God according to His purpose. Our understanding must hinge on this truth. If not we beat the air as a hopeless man and at will are lead astray by the devils fiery darts. This is by no means a simple topic, but very needful that we investigate its direction for our lives. And once again it is the Word of God that is our final authority. Nothing else will suffice!
A good place to start would be to look at the devils plot against the Lord Jesus; “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" - (The Word of God is more important than daily bread- my thought) - Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" – (We do not have the prerogative to test our God even though we are his children- my thought) - Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'"” – (Nothing in our lives should take preference in serving Him and His will for our lives- my thought) - (Matthew 4:1-10)
As I believe I stand on the Word of God to justify my position on this topic and I possibly have been blinded by my own obsession, I believe it would be wise to get another brothers perspective on this text, an unbiased one, a trusted man who simply deals with the text as it has been written and hopefully learn from him.
This topic may also need a number of posts to arrive at its conclusion as I believe we will have to travel slowly in seeking out answers for God’s direction to these areas of our lives.
It is needful to first lay down a foundational setting and that is exactly what Matthew Henry does…
“We have here the story of a famous duel, fought hand to hand, between Michael and the dragon, the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, nay, the serpent himself; in which the seed of the woman suffers, being tempted, and so has his heel bruised; but the serpent is quite baffled in his temptations, and so has his head broken; and our Lord Jesus comes off a Conqueror, and so secures not only comfort, but conquest at last, to all his faithful followers. Concerning Christ's temptation, observe,
I. The time when it happened: Then; there is an emphasis laid upon that. Immediately after the heavens were opened to him, and the Spirit descended on him, and he was declared to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, the next news we hear of him is, he is tempted; for then he is best able to grapple with the temptation. Note, 1. Great privileges, and special tokens of divine favour, will not secure us from being tempted. Nay, 2. After great honours put upon us, we must expect something that is humbling; as Paul has a messenger of Satan sent to buffer him, after he had been in the third heavens. 3. God usually prepares his people for temptation before he calls them to it; he gives strength according to the day, and, before a sharp trial, gives more than ordinary comfort. 4. The assurance of our sonship is the best preparative for temptation. If the good Spirit witness to our adoption, that will furnish us with an answer to all the suggestions of the evil spirit, designed either to debauch or disquiet us.
Then, when he was newly come from a solemn ordinance, when he was baptized, then he was tempted. Note, After we have been admitted into the communion of God, we must expect to be set upon by Satan. The enriched soul must double its guard. When thou has eaten and art full, then beware. Then, when he began to show himself publicly to Israel, then he was tempted, so as he never had been while he lived in privacy. Note, The Devil has a particular spite at useful persons, who are not only good, but given to do good, especially at their first setting out. It is the advice of the Son of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus 2:1), My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thyself for temptation. Let young ministers know what to expect, and arm accordingly. II. The place where it was; in the wilderness; probably in the great wilderness of Sinai, where Moses and Elijah fasted forty days, for no part of the wilderness of Judea was so abandoned to wild beasts as this is said to have been, Mar_1:13. When Christ was baptized, he did not go to Jerusalem, there to publish the glories that had been put upon him, but retired into a wilderness. After communion with God, it is good to be private awhile, lest we lose what we have received, in the crowd and hurry of worldly business. Christ withdrew into the wilderness, 1. To gain advantage to himself. Retirement gives an opportunity for meditation an communion with God; even they who are called to the most active life must yet have their contemplative hours, and must first find time to be alone with God. Those are not fit to speak of the things of God in public to others, who have not first conversed with those things in secret by themselves. When Christ would appear as a Teacher come from God, it shall not be said of him, “He is newly come from travelling, he has been abroad, and has seen the world;” but, “He is newly come out of the desert, he has been alone conversing with God and his own heart.” 2. To give advantage to the tempter, that he might have a readier access to him than he could have had in company. Note, Though solitude is a friend to a good heart, yet Satan knows how to improve it against us. Woe to him that is alone. Those who, under pretence of sanctity and devotion, retire into dens and deserts, find that they are not out of reach of their spiritual enemies, and that there they want the benefit of the communion with saints. Christ retired, (1.) To make his victory the more illustrious, he gave the enemy sun and wind on his side, and yet baffled him. He might give the Devil advantage, for the prince of this world had nothing in him; but he has in us, and therefore we must pray not to be led into temptation, and must keep out of harm's way. (2.) That he might have an opportunity to do his best himself, that he might be exalted in his own strength; for so it was written, I have trod the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with me. Christ entered the lists without a second.” (Matthew Henry)
Much food for thought so let us withdraw as we follow our dear brother’s instruction and draw aside as we seek out answers for our lives; “and must first find time to be alone with God.”
Let us do exactly that, as we look to commune with Him privately and alone in our closets. Pray for me, and pray for yourselves as it is essential that we get to grips with our role in the body of Christ (the church), we must work out how we fit into God’s plan in this area of our lives.
Until tomorrow then,
Signing off
Tyrone
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