Looking Inward & Outward (with the goggle of Faith) – Part 21

Dearly Beloved,

The following is another attempt to use the goggle of Christ’s Faith to weigh all conversation and filter all thoughts under the sun.

Graceful Reading!

1. An armed robbery experience is an unpleasant experience for most people, and victims can estimate the financial or emotional loss involved. But we can hardly measure the loss of life we incur daily, when the devil robs us of life – while walking contrary to or outside faith (Jn. 10:10, Rom. 14:23).

2. Information is quite necessary, and it can be costly when we lack it. Yet, the world has positioned it like it can address man’s greatest need; the need to keep living by every revealed word from the Father – and thereby become a man (Lk. 4:4). Today’s information and technology (IT) would someday cease, but revelation would continue in the world to come – and it would be the IT of that eternal world (1Cor. 13:2, Eph. 2:7).

3. The three-in-one comfort that the throne of God has for every sincere heart of a believer who is under the economy of the New Testament, is firstly the mystery of Christ, which leads to the mystery of the Father, which also leads to the mystery of God (Col. 2:2). We can claim with our lips that the God and Father of the Lord Jesus is their God, but the only time heaven can attest to such is when our confession springs from our hearts (Rom. 10:9-10, Rev. 21:3c-g); i.e. when we have sought and received the comfort of grace, peace and mercy from these Three Comforters. (1Tim. 1:2/Jn. 14:16/2Cor. 1:1/2Pet. 1:2/Jude 1:21b)

4. What the world is saying to many believers is: “you can’t sight me, not to talk of beating me in any contest where, unlike Paul, I haven’t been subdued in your flesh daily; when I still have a say in your daily dictates and decisions of life or when any other commandment but mine remains a delight to you” (Gal. 2:20, Ps. 119:47). But a generation of saints are arising to puncture that boast.

5. God is a jealous God: He wants to have our ears all day long. He wants to be seen in all creation, He wants the fragrance of His Son’s knowledge to be all over us. He wants to instruct our hearts in the night seasons and fill us all in all – like He did with Jesus! He also wants us to feel after and find Him; to live move and have our being in Him (Exo. 34:14, 1Pet. 3:12, Ps. 16:7/19:1-6, Acts 17:27-28)! Those are His dues from us that please and bring Him worship, and the absence of these creates room for the world to take His rightful place in us (Rev. 4:11)

6. All decisions that an unbeliever personally makes and most decisions that a carnal (or unbelieving) believer personally makes concerning various areas and issues of their lives, take place in the boardroom of their soul, chaired by the world, under the influence of the lust of the flesh/eyes and the pride of life. Even after years of hearing the faith that overcomes this world, these 3 musketeers have been confirmed to quietly influence many daily decisions of zealous believers, as long as they lack a concrete resolve like that of Paul, to live solely by faith. (Mk. 4:12, Gal. 2:20)

7. The world has put in place an orderly arrangement that would make vain and mean men look like kings; and make meek and lowly men (like Jesus and His apostles were) look weak. When we conform to this world, even believers would be at home with us. When we choose to walk constantly against the course or orderly arrangement of this world, we would be perceived as extremists – because our stand would be a threat to such men or institutions. So head or tail, we would be persecuted. (Matt. 5:10/2Tim. 3:12)

8. There is always a temptation of struggling to give unto Cesar, what belongs to Cesar (which includes intercession), give unto our spouses, what belongs to our spouses (which includes a listening ear), and to give unto our kids, what belongs to kids (which includes qualitative bonding). But the more we press into the provisions of the gospel, such temptations would become a walk away.

9. When the devil through his cohorts, can no more trouble us with discouraging thoughts and cares like he used to, then we have acquired some practical growth and a level of righteousness has been credited to our account. We would then have the honour of having fresh – more matured temptations and discouraging thoughts that we can bear, as approved by heaven (Ps. 23/1Cor. 10:13). That is how we would keep growing until we grow above all our fears and our feet is given the privilege of keeping an appointment with the devil’s head. (Rev. 12:17/Rom. 16:20)

10. Knowing what the scriptures say about every contrary thought, deaf problem and distracting ailment is a good place to start. Victory over such issues is sometimes months or years away – because from heaven’s point of view, a quicker answer may see us forgo an opportunity to grow above the spirit supervising those trials; above that mountain in the spirit! So we are better off thereby adding patience to our faith, burying our anxieties, learning to wait and prevail in prayers, enlarging our hearts, being made wise concerning the saving of our souls, and being trained to wrestle with or disobey such contrary voices and spirits.

Blessings!

Pst. Tayo Fasan

You may share if blessed and inspired to do so