Where are you at in life? What are your expectations each day? What goals are next on your list to achieve? What’s your overall mission going forward? What about when you need to rest from your busy lifestyle, where do you go? What do you do to get away from it all? What are your hobbies and the things that you really cherish? What are your heart’s desires or simply put, what’s your will for your life?
Truthfully think about these questions and ponder your answers. Are you happy with the answers? Are you happy with all your accomplishments? Or do you feel a sense of emptiness? Do you feel like something is missing? Have you tried filling up that feeling of emptiness or what’s missing in your life with all the wrong things? Every time you try to get away and go after the newest, latest, and greatest things this world has to offer in hopes of finding true happiness, why do we always walk away disappointed? Why are we still left with a huge hole in our life.
In answering the questions above concerning your heart’s desire, they usually start out with or only involve, “me, me, I, I, self, self, and no one else?” So, what does this reveal? It reveals the same thing that the god of this world experienced when he was the highest-ranking angel in heaven, until pride, arrogance, and self-righteousness set in (Ezekiel 28:15, Isaiah 14:12-15). The god of this world wants us to follow him in allegiance and in step with idolatry acts of pride, arrogance, and self-righteousness where humbleness or the act of being humble no longer exists in our vocabulary.
As the enemy has rebelled and sinned against God, he, too, wants us to do the same by following in his footsteps whether we realize it or not. Remember God hates sin and pride! Proverbs 21:4 (AMP) states, “haughty and arrogant eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked [their self-centered pride], is sin [in the eyes of God].” God will not allow pride, arrogance, and self-righteousness to continue as stated in Psalms 101:5 (AMP), “…the one who has a haughty look and a proud (arrogant) heart I will not tolerate.”
When we put ourselves in front of and ahead of God in Christ, it is a form of idolatry. This is where our sinful act of self-righteousness becomes another god that we choose to worship instead of our Holy Creator, which violates God’s number one commandment! Exodus 20:3 (AMP), “you shall have no other gods before Me.” For the Almighty God, your Creator, is a very jealous God and He does not accept second best. God will not agree to take the back seat while you control your own life by making all your own decisions without Him. This will only drive Him away in anger as disclosed in Deuteronomy 6:14-15 (AMP):
You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, for the LORD your God who is among you is a jealous (impassioned) God [demanding what is rightfully and uniquely His]—otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled and burn against you, and He will destroy you from the face of the earth.
There are six things that the Lord hates and seven that are an abomination to Him. Why did He list pride first as revealed in Proverbs 6:16-19 (AMP)?
These six things the LORD hates; Indeed, seven are repulsive to Him: A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that creates wicked plans, feet that run swiftly to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths], and one who spreads discord (rumors) among brothers.
The once great Lucifer, angel of worship in heaven, became the sinful Satan (fallen angel), and our greatest adversary (1 John 3:8). As he rebelled against God, he continues deceiving as many as possible to join in on this act of evil against our Creator by following him down this dark path (John 12:31, Ephesians 2:2, Ephesians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Corinthians 6:15). Our enemy is very cunning and deceptive! He led a third of heaven in this rebellion against God, Christ, and His Holy Realm (Genesis 3:1, Revelation 12:9).
So, do you hear the voice of God in Christ? Do you hear the gentle whisper of God’s Holy Spirit tugging on your heart? Or is it silent? If you only hear silence, is it because you have been filled up with pride and arrogance? Or is it because you could be following after the god of this world without realizing it through an act of self-righteousness? Are you filled up with too much of the world? The real question is: who do you really follow? Or better put, who do you put first in your life? Could you be hearing the wrong voice of influence from the enemy telling you, “It’s okay to keep sinning with your prideful and self-righteous ambitions. It’s not hurting anyone. Besides, this is what the world expects of you, and this is the true way of life!”?
Is the world, that is totally influenced by Satan (1 John 5:19), continuously pushing you to work more and more to excel for the next best promotion by climbing the corporate ladder where there is no room for God? Has the enemy backed you into a corner with too many worldly distractions where you feel that God does not exist? Or worse, have you stopped living in God’s Word and praying to Him daily, by falling away from the faith as insubordination to your first love? Or have you never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? As you keep reading, there is hope!
Could the voice of God in your life be silent because you have quenched the Holy Spirit in the past? Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (AMP), “Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit.” Paul continues this teaching in his letter to the Church in Ephesus as disclosed in Ephesians 4:30 (AMP), “and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God’s own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin].”
Has the Holy Spirit taken a back seat in your life due to you taking over, doing it your way, with carnal thinking and actions from your own understanding (Proverb 3:5)? Were you walking in the flesh instead of being in step with His Spirit as revealed in Galatians 5:16-17 (AMP):
…walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do.
Our enemy wants to control us by fleshly desires. He desires to make us spiritually (and physically) weak and frail by drowning us in our own sinful nature. Satan with his evil tactics attempts to tug us in his direction of haughtiness where the Spirit of God may seem far too distant from us. His Word explains in Psalms 138:6 (AMP), “though the LORD is exalted, He regards the lowly [and invites them into His fellowship]; but the proud and haughty He knows from a distance.” Proverbs 3:7 (AMP) gives us a command as stated, “do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD [with reverent awe and obedience] and turn [entirely] away from evil.” James exposes how God resists the proud and arrogant but gives grace to the meek in James 4:6 (AMP):
But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD and HAUGHTY, BUT [continually] GIVES [the gift of] GRACE TO THE HUMBLE [who turn away from self-righteousness].”
We must reject the sinful nature and fleshly desires that take us away from God in Christ as disclosed in Romans 8:6-8 (AMP):
Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever]; the mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God.
Let us humble ourselves and submit to Him by being spiritually minded in Christ. As we submit to the Lord and He draws close to us, our enemy has no choice but to flee! James 4:7-10 (AMP):
So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double minded [people]. Be miserable and grieve and weep [over your sin]. Let your [foolish] laughter be turned to mourning and your [reckless] joy to gloom. Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose].
As true born-again believers in Jesus, we are baptized with His Holy Spirit as another gift providing us the promised seal of our salvation in Him. The Spirit of God dwells in us and as we walk with Him in Christ we learn to submit to His will and hear His voice as revealed in 1 Corinthians 2:12 (AMP), “now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by God.” Paul discloses more in 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 (AM), “but the spiritual man [the spiritually mature Christian] judges all things [questions, examines and applies what the Holy Spirit reveals], yet is himself judged by no one [the unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer’s spiritual nature]. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND and PURPOSES OF THE LORD, SO AS TO INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His thoughts and purposes].” Paul also explains that God gives us the Holy Spirit power to overcome the enemy’s temptation as explained in 1 Thessalonians 4:8 (AMP), “…God who gives His Holy Spirit to you [to dwell in you and empower you to overcome temptation].”
Are you now hearing the voice of God again? Do you feel His Holy Spirit tugging on your heart? Or is this the first time you felt this way on the inside where your hardened heart now feels like it is slowly melting away? Let’s keep going…
Could God’s voice be silent because you neglected to acknowledge Him in Christ with your praise and gratitude by letting arrogance and pride take over by the enemy? Proverbs 3:6 (AMP), “In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, and He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].” Turn to Him with a humble heart and offer up the praise and thanksgiving that He deserves. Draw closer to Him with thanksgiving, praise, and worship! Enter into His Holy Realm! Psalms 100:3-5 (AMP):
Know and fully recognize with gratitude that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting, His faithfulness [endures] to all generations.
Now are you hearing the voice of God, yes? Is the tugging on your heart getting stronger! Read More…
Do you have a strong feeling that God may have abandoned you due to many unconfessed sins in your life that should have been given over to the Lord in prayer through repentance? His Word tells us we must confess our sins in prayer to Him with a regretful heart as unveiled in Isaiah 59:2 (AMP), “but your wickedness has separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.” King Solomon exposes the importance of confession to our Lord in Proverbs 28:13 (NKJV), “he who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Unconfessed sins to our God cause us sorrow and pain as stated in Psalms 32:3 (AMP), “when I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all the day long.”
None of us are without sin!!! We all have unconfessed sins! Romans 7:18 (AMP) states, “for I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not.” The apostle John exposes it in this manner in 1 John 1:8-10 (AMP):
If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.] If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]. If we say that we have not sinned [refusing to admit acts of sin], we make Him [out to be] a liar [by contradicting Him] and His word is not in us.
Now is a good time to lift up your voice to God in Christ through prayer by confessing your past sins! Humble yourself by totally submitting to Him with a repentant heart! Speak from your heart to His heart and be blessed in Christ! Ask that you will hear His voice again! He desires us to call upon His name with a genuine heart and gentle spirit. He loves it when we acknowledge Him as “Abba, Father!” Jesus desires a relationship with us, spiritually! He would not have died for us if it were not so! Now is also the time to confess to Him any unforgiveness that you are carrying in your heart towards others (Mark 11:26).
God’s silence may be an indication that He is wanting you to wait patiently upon Him as revealed in Isaiah 64:4 (AMP), “…Who works and acts in behalf of the one who [gladly] waits for Him.” Ask God in Christ to strengthen your faith in Him by patiently waiting upon Him.
Jesus told us that all His true followers were considered His very own sheep that would hear His voice and listen to His commands. Are we putting God in Christ first in our lives (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 22:37-38, Mark 12:29-30, Luke 10:27, Luke 12:31) and following after Him (Matthew 16:24-27, Mark 8:34-38, Luke 9:23-26)? He died for us to offer us eternal life so that we could die to sin and live our life for Him. 1 Peter 2:24-25 (AMP):
He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed. For you were continually wandering like [so many] sheep, but now you have come back to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
Are we living in His Word by carrying out His commandments (Luke 6:46, James 1:22, James 2:14-20)? Studying and living by God’s Word is viewed as the upmost important spiritual training which is much more important than physical exercise. Our spiritual growth strengthens our faith and is most profitable in this life and the next as disclosed in 1 Timothy 4:8 (AMP), “For physical training is of some value, but godliness (spiritual training) is of value in everything and in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.” John tells us that we have the true love of God in us if we live by His Word daily as explained in 1 John 5:3 (AMP), “For the [true] love of God is this: that we habitually keep His commandments and remain focused on His precepts. And His commandments and His precepts are not difficult [to obey].” Jesus says we love Him if we obey His is commandments as revealed in John 14:15 (AMP), “If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.”
So what happens if we do NOT obey and keep His commandments? We will NOT love Him NOR have a relationship with Him as the scriptures state! This means, we only believed superficially with our mind (flesh) but not with our heart! We did NOT totally trust in Him with true faith as our Lord and Savior! We confessed Him with our lips but never was transformed by His Holy Spirit upon the renewing of our minds! Simply believing without genuine faith, total trust, and submission in Him is NO different than the enemy of darkness. Satan and his wicked followers who also believe and tremble will still end up in the lake of fire as divulged in James 2:19 (AMP), “you believe that God is one; you do well [to believe that]. The demons also believe [that], and shudder and bristle [in awe-filled terror—they have seen His wrath]!”
Jesus makes a shocking declaration that NO ONE wants to hear as we read in Matthew 7:21 (AMP), “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” When we have a genuine relationship with God in Christ, we are His true sheep as explained in John 10:14-15 (AMP), “I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]— even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My [very own] life [sacrificing it] for the benefit of the sheep.” Jesus continues explaining about how His true followers will hear His voice and obey as disclosed in John 10:27-28 (AMP), “the sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they will never, ever [by any means] perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand.”
Do NOT give up on your Christian walk with Christ! Keep pressing on toward the prize without wavering like the apostle Paul as stated in Philippians 3:14 (AMP), “I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Jesus tells us that the one who continues to the end will be saved as demonstrated in Mark 13:13 (AMP), “…but the one who [patiently perseveres empowered by the Holy Spirit and] endures to the end, he will be saved.” Hebrews 3:6 (AMP) states it this way, “but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.” Make sure you persist until the end in your devotion and walk with Christ as Jesus revealed the warning message to the Church of Sardis. He stated this for the Church and individually for all born-again believers when He said in Revelation 3:6 (AMP), “He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.” His message to Sardis is as stated in Revelation 3:3-5 (AMP):
So, remember and take to heart the lessons you have received and heard. Keep and obey them, and repent [change your sinful way of thinking, and demonstrate your repentance with new behavior that proves a conscious decision to turn away from sin]. So then, if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. But you [still] have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes [that is, contaminated their character and personal integrity with sin]; and they will walk with Me [dressed] in white, because they are worthy (righteous). He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God] will accordingly be dressed in white clothing; and I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess and openly acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels [saying that he is one of Mine].
Watch this inspiring praise and worship song by Keith & Kristyn Getty – Holy Spirit, Living Breadth of God!
Watch this inspiring praise and worship song by Michael W. Smith – Nothin But The Blood!
Watch this inspiring praise and worship song by Martha Munizzi – Say the Name of Jesus!
Watch this inspiring praise and worship song by Elevation Worship – Talking to Jesus!
Watch this inspiring praise and worship song by Keith & Kristyn Getty – The Power of the Cross!
Watch this inspiring praise and worship song by Martha Munizzi – Renew Me!
Watch this inspiring praise and worship song by Steve Swanson – I Bow Down and Cry Out!
Watch this inspiring video by Servants for Jesus Christ – Jesus Fulfilled All OT Prophecies. Watch another inspiring video by Servants for Jesus Christ – God Has Always Been. Watch another inspiring video by Servants for Jesus Christ – Be Filled With The Holy Spirit.
Do you know where you will spend eternity after you die on earth? Will Jesus be your Lord and Savior or your eternal judge – John 3:15-21, Romans 2:16, 2 Timothy 4:1? Jesus says He is the narrow gate to heaven where it is difficult to find and only a few will enter by it where many will enter the easy, wide and broad gate that leads to Hell and destruction – Matthew 7:13-14. Will you experience the second eternal death (spiritual death) – Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 21:8? Do you know for sure that you are written in the eternal Lamb’s Book of Life – Revelation 3:5, Revelation 20:12-15? The place called Hell is NOT a myth and is very real and an extremely scary place – Watch this Video!
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