“Where are the nine?”
Luke 17:17 (ESV)
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
His servants receive His Word. They submit themselves to the cutting, the burning and the humbling that He must bring so we can bear His likeness in this world. Those who view their relationship as a transaction may or may not submit themselves to every aspect of His Word. They may decide to hold on to unforgiveness, choose to exclude a brother from their circle, or turn a deaf ear to one who exhorts them to a deeper walk. They refuse to step into the promptings of His Spirit in circumstances or to make themselves vulnerable.
In the story of the nine disciples and the son who suffered from seizures, there is a beautiful expression of their vulnerability to Him; they wanted to know the penetrating truth concerning their inability to bring deliverance. They did not allow themselves soothing and theological excuses. They were in earnest to know the root cause of their powerlessness.
“Why were we not able to cast him out?”
Matthew 17:19 LITV)
Jesus responded without mincing words.
“Because of your unbelief.”
Matthew 17:20 (LITV)
Those who desire truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6) receive His Word and allow it to bring them to their knees in their desperate need of Him. Others shrug it off as having no relevance to their condition. It is one thing to know His Word; it is another thing to HEAR His Word. We may have confidence in our knowledge of the Word, but the real test comes when His Word enters our heart and we begin to see ourselves in the Light of Him.
Do we shield ourselves from this penetrating light? Do we, like Adam, make excuses for our condition and cover ourselves with the fig leaves of religious confessions, hiding ourselves from Him? It is only to those who, with an “unveiled face,” behold Him are transformed from one glory unto another.
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
One of the most startling scriptures in the New Covenant reveals the WAY into His fullness:
“…then shall I know even as also I am known.”
1 Corinthians 13:12
My knowing of Him will be to the depth that I allow His Word to know me. His Word is living and sharp. It must be, to cut through the veils of my own deception, to pierce to the point of separating those things that are of my soul from those of His Spirit. Without this division, we go through life ignorant and untutored in the life of Him. Our life remains a mystery, and His Call to us unfulfilled.
Knowing His individual Call and purpose for us is the result of obedience to His Word.
“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle,
separated unto the gospel of God”
Romans 1:1
If I do not serve Him, I cannot know His calling for me. The only way I can serve Him is by being sensitive to His Word and obeying. I may know His Word in my head, but it must affect me to the point of being broken enough to be pliable in His hands.
In serving Him, we discover the movements of Him within. If I insist on my own way, I will fail in the development of my identity in Him. The apostolic expressions of the early church always presented themselves as servants of God. They were subservient to Him. Their relationship to God was that of a servant; their expression was apostolic. They did not confuse the two. Too many in our day deceive themselves in thinking their expression defines their relationship with Him!
Many in the Church of God at Corinth excelled in the gifts of the Spirit so that even if an unbeliever came into their midst, they could prophesy and reveal the secrets of that one’s heart. Yet Paul called them carnal to the extent that he could only minister the milk of the word to them.
Jesus also spoke of those who walked in the gifts of the Spirit, yet they never allowed Him to know them. They were “workers of iniquity,” which means they walked in self-will. They were serving their ends while resisting His Will, seeking the praises of men while denying His Lordship.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? and in Thy Name have cast out devils? and in Thy Name, done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.”
Matthew 7:22-23
Many may receive the benefits of His death concerning sin. But those who allow His Word to have free course within their lives will know Him to the extent that they have allowed Him to search out the untruth in their hearts.
Concerning the difference between the believer in a transaction and the ardent disciple who follows Him, Jesus said:
“Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word, and My Father shall love him. And We will come to him and will make a dwelling place with him.”
John 14:23 (LITV)
“The one who does not love Me does not keep My Words.”
John 14:24 (LITV)
The difference between these two is that those who keep His Word, honour His Word and seek Him for the grace to live it. They will experience a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus and the Father! Those who pick and choose from His words will not know the depth of this abiding relationship.
God’s Call to the Church OF THE Laodiceans is:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock: If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will enter to him, and I will dine with him, and he with Me.”
Revelation 3:20 (LITV)
The Call of God goes out to all. His invitation is irrespective of merit. But the promise of communion and fellowship with Him is to those who “open the door” and allow Him access.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
Revelation 3:22
Where Are The Nine Series:
Where Are The Nine? – Part One
Where Are The Nine? – Relationship
“But if any man love God,
the same is known of Him.”
1 Corinthians 8:3
Where Are The Nine? – His Word
Brian Troxel
Never Put Down Your Sword
I had a dream 10/01/2016 where I was in a room of what I will call a medieval castle. I was not a prisoner there. I just happened to be in a room. The room had a door to the outside and also windows. I remember it being pitch dark outside but the room in which I was standing had light. The source of the light was a very large sword that I was holding in my hands. I remember 2 demonic beings outside who were demanding that I hand over the sword to them. I kept my sword pointed at them the whole time. When the demons saw that I was not going to give them the sword they said that they would be back with reinforcements.
In the next part of the dream there were more demons and I was no longer in the small room in the castle. Instead I seemed to be on a wall of the castle overlooking the surrounding area. The demons as I said were back and one had secured a rope to the castle wall upon which I was standing and began to climb the rope to where I was standing. I remember the wall being high and I also remember taking the sword in my hands and cutting the rope. I remember the demonic being in my dream fell and made a thud when he hit the ground.
That was the end of the dream.
What I take away from the dream is the castle where I was staying was a place of safety. The sword in the dream was the Word of God which brings light. The demonic beings demanding that I give them the sword never tried to take it by force. I believe that that to be the case because I was pointing the sword at them. Had I turned the sword over to them as they were demanding it would not only have been used against me but would also have been polluted . Of the armour described in Ephesians, the sword is the only offensive weapon mentioned. As for the scene change to me standing on the castle wall I believe that I was fulfilling my calling as a watchman. The rope that this demon used to climb up the wall upon which I stood I believe represents a lie. In my dream I cut the rope and and the demonic being fell with a loud thud.
Deception is coming and, in fact, is already here. The demons in my dream demanding that I give them my sword were screaming at me. To hold on to the pure, unadulterated Word of God in these last days will become increasingly more and more difficult. Never sucomb to the pressure to compromise and hand over your sword to the devil. As for the demon climbing the wall in would only say that the sword is what kept him from gaining a foothold being that I cut his access. The other takeaway I get from this dream is that one could make the assumption that being that I was in a castle I would be safe from attack. This is a very dangerous assumption as the dream seems to indicate.
Upon waking I was asking the Lord as to whether or not this was just a crazy dream or whether this was from Him. The word dropped into my spirit is also the title of the post which is NEVER PUT DOWN YOUR SWORD
https://tpuccio.wordpress.com/2016/10/01/never-put-down-your-sword/
Another timely word and one of great significance. The Word is the lamp and the illumination of all things. Its sharpness frees us from self-deception, and it safeguards us from the wiles of the enemy. Many have given up their sword or allowed it to be blunted to the point where the enemy fears it not in their hands.
It is a dark day, and few comprehend the storm at hand.
Blessings my friend.
BT
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NJB)
I am very happy to make my weakness my special boast, that the power of Christ may stay over me.
We ought to be enormously glad and grateful to use our oftentimes resented weakness, of which our Father of mercies shows us, to emphasize the ever extreme extent of our neediness of dependence upon Christ, the living, eternal Word of grace and truth, for the imperative of obedience.
Trusting ourselves for being and behaving better for our beautiful Beloved, aloof from abidingly intimate, worshipfully loving, transforming communion, grace upon grace, glory upon glory, is serpent subtlety and sophistry of self. Rather than progress and joy, it is regress and regret.
John 1:16-17 (AMP)
16 For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].
17 For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:1 (AMP)
So you, my son, be strong [constantly strengthened] and empowered in the grace that is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus.
Romans 11:6 (AMP)
But if it is by grace [God’s unmerited favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace [it would not be a gift but a reward for works].
https://shorturl.at/7dnd4
Grace justifies us before a holy God (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:6; Titus 3:7).
Grace provides us access to God to communicate and fellowship with Him (Ephesians 1:6; Hebrews 4:16).
Grace wins for us a new relationship of intimacy with God (Exodus 33:17).
Grace disciplines and trains us to live in a way that honors God (Titus 2:11–14; 2 Corinthians 8:7).
Grace grants us immeasurable spiritual riches (Proverbs 10:22; Ephesians 2:7).
Grace helps us in our every need (Hebrews 4:16).
Grace is the reason behind our every deliverance (Psalm 44:3–8; Hebrews 4:16).
Grace preserves us and comforts, encourages, and strengthens us (2 Corinthians 13:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17; 2 Timothy 2:1).
Amen 🙏
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].”
What is the definition of grace?
https://shorturl.at/7dnd4
Much of the desire in beliveres is for worldly knowledge rather than spiritual, because of their lack of spiritual tactile evidence. By that, I mean that they want to see it flowing so they can get in it without applying themselves first. Also, the length of time that one spends in the church doesn’t translate into affection, but into duty, obligation and expectation. Where is the love? That is where the affection goes. When we love the world more, we love Jesus less. When we love Jesus more, we love the world less.
Blessings brother.
“the length of time that one spends in the church doesn’t translate into affection…” So true
It is by the length of time we spend with Him that determines our affection for Him!
Blessings brother.
BT