Our entire spiritual journey along with our free will boils down to either choosing to walk with God (LIFE) or choosing the way of the world (DEATH).
Regarding all the death, chaos, anarchy, violence, and abuse in the world, there is a simple explanation for why the world is witnessing so much tragedy and sadness. It is because so many people in the world have chosen not to believe and FOLLOW the one true God and His ways. There is a real difference between knowing of Him and knowing Him.
The Lord once spoke something in my spirit that is so simple in truth but so profound: Those who walk not in Life (submitted to Jesus) will never be able to truly appreciate the sanctity of life or uphold the sanctity of life, for they have chosen the way and value of death. This is why we sit in a world of war, violence, anarchy, chaos, and death because the world has not chosen to follow the Lord of life.
The world is rife with substance abuse (self-destruction), murder, war, abortions, child abuse, human trafficking, and the list goes on. Why? Because this world has chosen to forsake God, therefore LIFE (spiritual, emotional, physical), and therefore we are witnessing a complete disregard for the sanctity of life and thus the complete destruction of mankind. Where death reigns in the heart of men, then death will have its way. As the value of life depreciates, the world will drift further away from abiding in the Lord who is divine life.
For those who do not walk in the life of God (truly and utterly submitted to His will, way, and truth in Spirit) they walk in the ways of death, and such death will always seek to destroy life. Jesus destroyed the sting of death, not only applying to eternal life but destroying the power of death on earth. But we have to choose to abide in the Lord and abide in life, lest death has its way in our lives (and death manifests in many different ways – not just physical death).
For this reason, our very planet is dying (wildlife, environment, fauna, and flora) because the sanctity of LIFE on this planet is not upheld. The ONES who are to uphold such sanctity is the human race, created by the Lord, yet the human race has chosen not the way of the Lord and has thus by own choice and design chosen to be ruled by DEATH and thus inflict death not only against the planet but each other.
The Lord created man in the first place to be stewards of this planet, but the deeper mankind has fallen into sin and even chose to deny Jesus after the resurrection, the greater wickedness has been manifested on earth.
It is the mandate of the Church to bring this world back to Jesus and thus back to the value and sanctity of life. Our problem is we have rebelled and disobeyed God, Jesus is the only answer to the world’s hatred, anger, divisions, and cruelty, for this is the way of death. Only when we submit to the Lord and walk in His life, shall we truly begin to defend the sanctity of life.
The Lord mourns, yes He mourns, for this world and yes, even many in the churches, are no longer following Him and so allow the world to dictate their path of destruction. For let us remember, the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. He hates life, for he has rebelled against God.
Indeed, there is a spiritual battle that wages on earth, and the battle deals with life and death! And this is no game. This is reality. God has come to give us abundant life, while the devil tries to steal such life. While God grants us life and life in abundance, the devil seeks to destroy, to kill, and to deceive.
The Lord throughout the Scriptures proved His authority when it comes to granting life, while the devil has since his fall been busy trying with a counterfeit move to lead people to death. And so we need to understand, when one talks about life, it is life in the spirit, soul, and body. It is about life in the spirit that manifests into salvation and thus eternal life.
It is about life in the soul that manifests into the wellness of the mind, heart, and emotions. It is about life in the flesh that manifests into the wellness of the body and walking in the health of the Lord.
As a counter move, the devil comes to seek and destroy, meaning he wages a spiritual war against man – the centerpiece of God’s creation – but he does it by attacking the spirit, soul, and body. The devil is clearly intent to enjoy dominion over man, which means taking control of man’s spirit, soul, and body.
He does this by leading the world away from the Lord to embrace a different reality and a different truth so that the world no longer walks in life but allows the devil to have his way.
We need to understand this is no game. Man has first been made in spirit, then born into the flesh, and will return to the Lord as spirit. There is a very real and definite war being waged against man, and this war is surely one of life and death.
We need to understand that if we truly wish to enjoy life in abundance – in spirit, soul, and body – there is no room for compromise, and there is no room for the world to infest and corrupt us.
It is simple. As soon as we allow the devil into our lives, and as soon as we allow this world to creep into our soul, then we allow death to enter our state of being.
It says the following in Romans 8: 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
Take note of verse six … “the mind governed by the flesh is death”. You see, if we live in carnality, seeking this world above God, we will ultimately run the risk of having our mind governed by the flesh, and the flesh (meaning the ways of this world) is hostile to the ways of God. Only when we lead a life in the Spirit can we truly walk in life!
Yet this world will lead us down a downtrodden path of chaos and lawlessness. It says in Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Again, there is only death to be found in this world, for the world leads us to sin and to cast our minds not on God but on the ways of darkness. Want to walk in life? Then seek the Lord above all!
It is written in 1 John 2: 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Again, the same theme of “living” – we shall live when we do and follow the will of God, and not the will of this world or the devil. This is the crux of the Lord’s Prayer which is to seek the will of the Father.
So if we choose this world or the way of the devil, then we choose death which of course translates not just into physical death. There is spiritual death, which comes from forsaking God, idolatry, and spiritual adultery. There is the death of the soul, where depression, anxiety, fear, doubt, anger, unforgiveness, and bitterness takes hold of our thoughts and our emotions, leading us down a dark path of self-destruction and self-loathing.
We have to realize that Satan first attacks the soul (mind, will, heart). A soul that is darkened by the devil’s influences can lead to a spirit forsaking God by accepting the way of the world. The devil is for now the ruler of this world. And as the soul becomes corrupted by the cold grip of the devil – allowing for death to seep into our lives – very soon it manifests into our flesh, where our actions, behavior, and moral conduct rarely reflect the glory of God but the immoral ways of the devil.
Let us, for now, look at Deuteronomy 30: The Offer of Life or Death: 11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
In the Old Testament life and death translated into blessings and curses for the Israel nation. Under the Law of Moses, the Lord presented to His people a very simple choice – follow God and live, or disobey God and die. Take note of verse 15: See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.
We are either going to follow God and live in abundance – spirit, soul, and body – or we are going to choose to allow ourselves to become infested by the world and therefore suffer the touch of death – spirit, soul, and body.
This Scripture also closely relates to the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 7: 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
With the wide and the narrow road, the Lord is teaching about choice. We either have a choice to go His way or the way of the world. Thus we have a choice to choose between life or death. It is interesting to note that there is no middle path in the teaching of Jesus – there is thus no compromise.
Again, the lack of the middle path alludes to the following truth as spoken by Jesus: Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
We cannot, therefore, walk both roads. We cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and the devil. We cannot live for the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness. We have to choose!
The choice that lies before us was even underlined in Jeremiah 6: 16 This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
You see, we have a choice but sadly we have forsaken the path of life to seek another path (the broader way) and so we have gotten lost along the way. If we are not walking in the shadow of the Lord then we cannot hear the voice of the Master.
So often people will say that the Old Testament has got nothing to do with the modern-day Church. This is where we make our biggest mistake. The Lord has never changed and the foundation of the spiritual war remains intact. It has always been a war over life and death. Nothing has changed.
The Lord demands obedience, faithfulness, holiness, and purity in order for us to lead a life of life, while the devil calls for man to disobey, to be unfaithful, impure, and unholy so that death may destroy and harm.
Why do we think this world is in such a grip of death? Is it not because the world has chosen to follow after other gods – choosing death over life? This world has chosen to follow a different truth masked by a myriad of philosophies, ideologies, and religions.
This world has chosen to embark on a road that leads to hell’s door. Are we then surprised that the world is in the throes of war, famine, and plague? To be honest, very few people of the 7 billion on the planet truly walk in life, meaning they are utterly devoted to God, to His Truth and ways.
There are but a few who refuse to compromise, who still treat sin as lethal, and who follow a path of holiness and purity. If the vast majority of the planet follows after the ways of the devil we should not be surprised that we see death and destruction around every corner. After all, we live in a world of fear, rumors, conspiracy, conflict, violence, and dread.
We live in a world where we fear dreaded diseases, poverty, injustices, and xenophobia. In the midst of all this turmoil, we must be vigilant not to turn our ears or eyes to such manifestations and deem it to be the final reality of all things, for this will then cause fear and anxiety. We must not listen to rumors, talks of conspiracies, propaganda, and hate speech, for this sows fear, confusion, and deception. Such is the work of the enemy. Turn your eyes and ears upon the Lord and the Lord alone, for He is the author of our faith, He is the Alpha and the Omega of all things and He alone holds all power in heaven and earth. No one else.
Why fear the world? Why fear famine, plague, and violence? Why live in dread? Is not the Lord of Israel the God whom we serve today? Is not the One who shook Egypt with the 10 plagues the One who still rules and reigns? Is not the One who provided for Israel and protected them in the wilderness the same One who holds the keys of life? Why fear? Why dread? For those who indeed shelter beneath the shadow of the ALMIGHTY God shall not be moved and shaken, for indeed, peril and fear and dread surround us, but fear not cries the Lord!
Choose life or choose death in this day! It is either the world and its conspiracies or God and His Truth. It is either being a slave of the world ruled by the hand of the devil or being a Son or Daughter of the Most High King. Is not the Name of Jesus above all Names? Is not the Blood stronger than any famine, plague, or disease? Is not the Blood capable of delivering us from all our afflictions? Is God not mighty, almighty, all-powerful, and majestic? Why then fear?
Believers, we need to turn our ears to God and listen to His voice and His voice alone! Turn your eyes to Jesus and to Jesus alone! Obey the Lord, forget Him not, forget not His ways, forget now what He has done, and be led by the Spirit. War and conflict and violence have always plagued the earth, for such is the way of death, yet God of Life will rule and remain standing when all is done. Today, now, repent of one’s fears, repent of one’s lack of faith and trust in the Lord, repent of your sins for indeed the Kingdom of God is at hand for look, our days are turbulent and persecution and perversion arise but has the Lord not commanded not to worry, not to be anxious and to keep on praying?
If we seek life, we need to seek God, thus His glory for there is life in the Glory of God! There is no darkness, death, or destruction in the Glory! It says in Habakkuk 2:14: For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. When the earth is covered by the knowledge of the glory then this earth will be alive and full of life! The glory is not just the Lord’s presence, but it is the very life that He brings and by that life, we are sustained.
How we need to walk in God’s glory, for the Glory of the Lord is life; it is the prosperity of spirit, soul, and body! The Glory of the Lord is the power of God, the healing of the Lord, and His sustenance to a weary soul! How we need to crave and yearn and seek after the glory of God.
To carry His glory places our focus on God and makes us God-conscious of His holiness, purity, of His character, nature, and love. If we truly carry His glory, it will redefine the way we operate and function – for those who allow the Spirit to take them from glory to glory. It means certain abandonment unto God and alienation from the Self. Our motivations, intent, and thoughts will be centered on His Will, His compassion, His love, and His desire to see a lost world saved. It will place our hearts in alignment with His. We become God-conscious and not self-conscious in all that we do, say, and think.
Alas, how we need to urgently recapture the centrality of glorifying God in our lives and work, for this will lead us to life! Too much of what passes for evangelical Christianity is man-centered or even self-centered. God is reduced to a means to some other end, whether it is my own self-fulfillment or the welfare of others. The results are disastrous for worship, discipleship, and for witness. Worship either becomes tepid, or it becomes an experience we offer to people as a sort of consumer product rather than the adoration and consecration we offer to God.
If the glory of God is our supreme passion, this will redefine both the goal of our task and the manner in which we pursue that task. The goal of our task is that the earth is filled with the knowledge of His glory as the waters cover the sea. Our passion is to see Him receive the glory that is due His Name from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Everything else is simply a means to that end.
A passion for the glory of God will also redefine the manner in which we pursue our task. If our supreme goal is to glorify Him, then we shall indeed walk in the weightiness of His substance.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3: 18: And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
It is therefore clear by Paul’s writing that it is those who turn to Jesus and thus to the Spirit that will begin to walk in Glory which should be reflected in our walk. Yet, an ever-increasing glory and a transformation speak of a process of self-denial, a journey of sanctification and abandonment unto God, and the continuous seeking after truth.
The entire Bible from Genesis to Revelations provides clear instructions on how to lead a victorious life as a believer in the Lord. Take note of the following two Scriptures.
Firstly, it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:13 Be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
Thus, a victorious life consists of the following:
a) Peace among all
b) Addressing unruly behavior
c) Showing comfort
d) Upholding the weak
e) Showing patience
f) Not repaying evil for evil
g) Pursuing good
h) Rejoice always
i) Pray without ceasing
j) Give thanks to the Lord
k) Do not quench the Spirit
l) Do not despise prophecies
m) Test all things
n) Hold fast to what is good
o) Abstain from evil
Secondly, it says in Romans 12: 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Thus, a victorious life consists of the following:
a) Love without hypocrisy
b) Cling to what is good
c) Show brotherly love
d) Be fervent in Spirit
e) Patient in tribulation
f) Bless those who persecute
g) Repay no one evil for evil
h) Live in peace
i) Abhor evil
j) Seek after brethren’ unity
In such ways, we must walk to taste the victorious life of Christ. 1 John 5:4 (NKJV) says “for whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” In Christ, we can lead a victorious life and a life of overcoming fear, uncertainty, strife, and hopelessness. For Christ is our hope of glory and in Him, we do not have to fear for the battle belongs to God! He is the Light, the Way, and Life.
We can overcome and be victorious when we keep our eyes upon Jesus. Jesus is the Way, Truth, and Life; those who know Him will know His voice; He is the only Shepherd and He is the only way to the Father. Jesus is all and everything, for all has been made for Him, unto Him, through Him, in Him and all is upheld by Him!
For millenniums the world has been led away from Jesus by following many different other voices, so many different paths, so many false ways, and so many false shepherds. Jesus is the only Voice that we must listen to, He is the only Way, He is the only Shepherd, and He is the only answer and the only way to the throne room of God the Father. For centuries the voice of man has tried to replace the voice of the Lord in providing truth, but there is only one true voice and vision.
Jesus is Wisdom, yet all the false wisdom presented through thousand ages has drawn us away from the Lord. It is all about Jesus, yet all that is false has now for so long drawn our eyes from the truth and the answer, the salvation and the glory!
God does not call us to build on any other foundation but on the only foundation of Jesus. For God is faithful and true, yet the world and His people have for too long not adhered to His Voice and His Wisdom. For too long our eyes have not been turned upon Jesus and for too long we have failed to build on the only foundation which is Jesus. We have preached and taught so many doctrines, built on so many other foundations, yet the only true and everlasting foundation of Jesus has been discarded.
Anything that draws our fully devoted love from the Lord is idolatry. All that the Lord desires is for us to return to Him, remember Him, honor Him, worship Him, and give Him all the glory. When we look at ourselves, there is either condemnation or commendation. When we look at ourselves and not God, our failures and weaknesses either overcome us or our pride and hunger to be gods overcome us. When we look at ourselves, there is the world and imperfection, there is the reminder of the flesh and our past, and there is the control of the emotion, the gratification of the senses, and the sharp realization we are but human.
Yet, when we look not at ourselves, casting away self-absorption and self-centeredness, but looking upon Jesus, beholding Him in all His holiness and splendor, we see the author and finisher of our faith. We then behold the majesty and the glory, we see the resurrection and the life, and we bow before the Rose of Sharon, the Lilly of the Valley, the Lion of Judah, and the Lamb who is worthy to open the seals. We behold the truth and the power, and we know, yes we know, He is God and He is Lord!
With our eyes upon Jesus, this world fades, our past and future fade, for only the here and now is where we long to live and breathe. With our eyes upon Jesus, we see His plans, His ways, His perfection, and His beauty. With our eyes upon Jesus, we know in our hearts that His grace and mercy are new every morning. Truly, his grace is sufficient for us. His grace makes us strong when we are weak and by His love, we are forgiven and strengthened to reign with Him.
With our eyes upon Jesus, there is peace, there is hope, there is comfort, there is joy and there is the cry of the heart just to worship and serve. All the shackles and burdens shatter. All that remains is His perfect and pleasing will. Oh, let us lay down our ways and follow completely His will! Oh, with our eyes upon Jesus, there is only one desire and only longing: to worship Him and to glorify Him. There is the only desire to live and please Him! Oh, by the power of His love, by the power of His grace, by the power of His touch, we bow the knee, our hearts melt, and we know that He is God and we are but man!
With our eyes upon Jesus, everything in this world pales in comparison and fades away. At His feet, we lay down our crowns, we lay down our plans, our ways, our deeds, and our pride and we surrender. At the feet of God, our longing is stilled, our thirst and hunger quenched and we can be at peace. O, the Lord says be still and know that He is God. Let us be still, our eyes upon Jesus, our hearts upon Him, beholding Him, crying out for Him, seeking His touch and love, for then we will be satisfied and then we will be free.
Let us behold Him, love Him, and cherish Him. He seeks our hearts and He seeks our love. Who shall listen to His voice, who shall heed His wisdom, and who shall run after Him and sit at His feet? With our eyes upon Jesus, there is settled faith, there is a certainty, there is assurance and there is comfort. With our eyes upon Jesus, there is trust, there is calmness, for we know no matter what storm, no matter the trials and tribulations, no matter the days of splendid joy or the days of fire and ice, our Lord Jesus is faithful and true, always walking with us.
Oh, to look into His eyes, for there is fire, there is holiness, there is so much love, there is so tenderness and there is so much peace. Oh to hear His voice, for there is so much authority, there is so much kindness, yet both are like the thunder and a peaceful river. Oh the Lord is beautiful and gracious, kind and true, yet we have not looked upon Him for all of our days. He is the host of the army, the prince of peace, the great high priest, and the great high judge. He is the power and He is the might!
Yes, He is the answer and the truth. He is the Life and the Way. There is no other foundation and there is nothing else. He desires our comfort, our love, our worship, and our praise. He desires our heart and spirit, all of it, so He calls for obedience and submission. Yet with our eyes upon Him, with our eyes beholding the cross and the empty tomb, how else but to abandon all to walk in His love?
Let us not look at the failures of this world, but let us look at Jesus. He is the answer and He is coming back to rule for all time. This world is already covered by His glory, yet we fail to see His Spirit. This world is already covered by His love, yet we fail to surrender to Him. This world is already covered by His peace, yet we fail in our unrest for our eyes are not on Him.
Jesus: You are the Son of David, the Righteous King and the only one to be praised and worshiped. Let us again hear Your Voice, follow your Wisdom and bow the knee to you as our only Shepherd. The wisdom of man is but feeble and not the way. Let us then shout it from the rooftops and the mountains, let us speak the word in the valleys and the forests, let us worship in the towns and cities, for God is King and Jesus is the only way, truth, and life!
Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] – To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Let us always remember we are God’s children, His sons, and daughters of faith, and that we serve a Father who gives what His children ask. Let us remember that we are filled with the resurrection power of Jesus, working through and in the Holy Spirit, that we are able to do all that God has called us to do, that we are victorious, alive, free, brought into the light, bought by the precious Blood, cleansed, consecrated, sanctified, adopted, anointed, called and blessed!
Let us remember that Satan’s power has been crushed and he has no more hold over God’s children. Satan’s lies and deceit deserves to be torn down, crushed, broken, bound, and made useless. Let a cry arise in the hearts of the children of God that we are powerful, loosed, walking with authority, walking with faith, dancing, singing, rejoicing, for the hand of the Lord is upon us.
His Spirit moves us to greater heights and destinies. We are magnificent, not yet perfect, not yet pure, but broken in humility, filled with praise, filled with a new song for the Lord, filled with great wisdom and knowledge, all to the glory of the Lord! We shall not be condemned, we shall not be ridiculed, we shall not be pushed back and we shall not be made to feel weak in error!
Hallelujah, praise Him, and worship Him. At His feet there is surrender, there is forgiveness and there is peace. He is the fulfillment of the Law and the mediator of the New Covenant. By His blood we are free!
With our eyes upon Him, there is vision and understanding. Oh let the Lord awaken in us the living truth. Let His sword cut through our spirit and soul, burning into us the living epistles of His word and truth.
Praise Him and glorify Him! He is the answer to all and everything, for all ages and all ages to come. He is love and He is compassion. He is the Alfa and the Omega. He is the authority and life. He is Lord over all.
