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461. HELPING PEOPLE RECEIVE CHRIST AS SAVIOUR. [Core Teaching Stage 5 Topic 3].

Posted on January 23, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

[We are looking at the 3rd segment in the above diagram.]
Becoming a Christian means more than simply believing a number of Christian truths. It is about a Person to be received into one’s life.
It involves coming into a personal relationship with Jesus through “receiving” Him and believing or trusting in Him.
- This experience of becoming a Christian is described in many ways.
  - being converted
- - being born again,
- - committing oneself to Jesus,
- - giving oneself to Him,
- - surrendering one’s life to Him
- - letting Him come into our lives,
- - opening the door of our hearts to Him
- - seeing the light

It is helpful to memorise a few scripture verses that show the need for commitment.

This table shows:-

what God has done for us in His Son. His initiatives.
what are the choices we have. Human choices.
What are the results of our choices. Results.

JOHN 3:16.

JOHN 5:39-40

God’s initiative

1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

John 5:13 I write these things to you

Human choice

12 Whoever has the Son has life

who believe in the name of the Son of God

Results of human choices

whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life

So that you may know that you have eternal life

•A true story of a drunk in a mission hall. When a call to commit one’s life to the Lord was given, this drunk staggered to the front and gave his life to the Lord. The preacher was chuffed. So he asked the man, “What part of my message was it that made you want to give your life to the Lord? He was humbled when the man replied, “It wasn’t anything you said guv’nor. It was the words on the wall behind you, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but may have etenal life.” [John 3:16] As St Paul wrote, it is the word of God that produces faith, Rom 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.“

•A rich young man visiting a museum. During his Grand Tour Count Zinzendorf visited an art museum in Dusseldorf where he saw a Domenico Feti painting titled Ecce Homo, “Behold the Man.” It portrayed the crucified Christ with the legend, “This have I done for you. Now what will you do for me?” He was deeply moved, feeling as if Christ himself was speaking those words to his heart. He vowed that day to dedicate his life to service to Christ. His influence with the Moravians began a prayer and missionary movement that would transform the lives of thousands.

•Augustine overhearing a child at play. “ I heard the voice as of a boy or girl, I know not which, coming from a neighbouring house and oft repeating, ‘Take up and read, take up and read.’ Immediately my countenance was changed, and I began most earnestly to consider whether it was usual for children in any kind of game to sing such words, nor could I remember ever to have heard the like. So, restraining the torrent of my tears’ I rose up, interpreting it no other way than as a command to me from Heaven to open the book, and to read the first chapter I should light upon. . . . I grasped, opened, and in silence read that paragraph on which my eyes first fell … ‘Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying, but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.’ (Romans 13:13-14). He vowed that day to dedicate his life to service to Christ. [St Augustine of Hippo].

The words of Revelation 3:20 were symbolised by Holman Hunt in the painting, “The Light of the World”a copy of which hangs in St Paul’s Cathedral, London. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Christ wants to come into our lives to begin a life of never-ending fellowship with Him.

The OT Prophecies about His person and His role before He came
Ps 22:1, 7-8, 12-18. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Isa 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. (See the fulfilment in Mat 8:16-17)
Mat 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.”

The preparation by John the Baptist for the coming of the Messiah [the Christ]

Mark 1:4 “And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. …”
7 ‘And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”‘

• Mat 11:28-29 “Come to me, ….29 Take my yoke	*I will give you rest …You will find rest for your souls***
• *Mark 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.*	*35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.*
• *John 6:37 All that the Father gives me* *will come to me*	*and whoever* *comes to me* *I will never drive away*
• John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless *the Father who sent me draws him*	*and I will raise him up at the last day*
• *John 7:37-39 “If anyone is thirsty, let him* *come to me* *and drink. 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive***	38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.“

•Mat 9:13 …”For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

•John 6:29) Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

•John 10:9 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.“

•John 12:44 ‘Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”‘

•John 14:23 ‘Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”‘

•Acts 2:38, Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

•(Acts 3:19) “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”

•Acts 8:15-17, “Samaria, … Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.“

•15:11, “Paul, We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

•19:4-6, Paul in Ephesus, Paul, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them.”

Gal 3:14, 3:22, 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. 22 …so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
Col 2:6, ..just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him,
2 Pet 3:9, The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance

•If they have prayed a prayer asking Jesus into their lives ask them a question such as “Did Jesus come into your life?”

•If they say, “I’m not sure”, then remind them it was Jesus the Son of God who made that promise and that He doesn’t lie. If they invited Him in, then He has accepted the invitation and has come in whether they feel anything or not

•Faith is based on facts (God’s promises and truth). It is not based on feelings, though feelings may follow a genuine step of faith.

•Encourage them to affirm that He has come into their lives to stay and will never leave them

• Encourage the person to tell a trusted Christian friend that they have asked the Lord into their lives

•The Word, He existed from the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1-2.

•Creator, He made everything and is the Sustainer of the universe. “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, Hebrews 1:2-3.

•Son of God, He was eternally with the Father.

•Messiah (Christ), He fulfilled Messiah’s role. Jesus read the words of Isaiah 61:1 and said He had come to fulfil them, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” Luke 4:18-19.

•Redeemer, He set us free by His death. St Paul wrote of Jesus, “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” Titus 2:14.

•Lord, He was and is Lord of all, “As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all).” Acts 10:36.

•Sustainer, He upholds the universe, “and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” Heb 1:3

•Prince of Peace, He brought peace with God and brings the peace of God to human hearts.

•Judge, He will be judge of all, “ I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom.” 2 Tim 4:1.

•Etc, etc

•You can’t do it for them but you can help them

•Responding to the grace of God means receiving from Him, in whom “all things” are to be found

•In receiving Him we are able to take hold of all we have in Him. Forgiveness, eternal life, every spiritual blessing etc. Eph 1:3, 7, 1 Jn 5:11-12

•Until we are converted, He is outside our lives

•Thus we need to ask Him to come into our lives

•The picture of Rev 3:20 has helped many to pray to Him to ask Him into their lives

•But be flexible with where people are in terms of wanting to commit their lives to Jesus

•There are many roads to Jesus but He is the only one to the Father

[This was the prayer I personally prayed on New Year’s Eve 1958 when I gave my life to the Lord.]

•A. Admit I am a sinner in God’s eyes. Rom 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.“

•

•B. Believe Christ died on the cross for me. I came to understand that if I had been the only person who ever lived and committed only one sin, Jesus would still have come and died for me.

•

•C. Consider the cost of becoming a Christian. Salvation is a free gift to me but it cost God the life of His beloved Son.

•

•D. Do something about it. Ask the Jesus who is knocking on the door of your life, into your life as you open the door to Him. Rev 3:20. Thank Him for coming into your life.

•If they have prayed a prayer asking Jesus into their lives ask them a question such as “Did Jesus come into your life?”

•Faith is based on facts (God’s promises and truth). It is not based on feelings

•Encourage them to affirm that He has come in to stay and will never leave them

• Encourage the person to tell a trusted Christian friend that they have asked the Lord into their lives

Romans 10:9-10 “That is if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.“

Many people have found that when they did ask Christ into their lives to be their Lord and Saviour they only began to grow as believers once they had begun to confess with their lips, Jesus as Lord.

Confessing Jesus as Lord is necessary and is a sign that we belong to God, “and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” 1 John 4:3.

Blog No.461 posted on Monday 23 January 2023.

Posted in Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged Bible, born again, Christ, faith, grace, healing, holbeck, Holy Spirit, Jesus, prayer, receiving Christ, relationships, Revelation 3:20, Romans 10:17, Romans 3:23 | Leave a comment

460. RENUNCIATION AND RESTITUTION. Core Teaching Stage 5 Topic 2

Posted on January 22, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

On Friday 11^th December 1936 people throughout the world were surprised to read or hear these words, “King Edward VIII has renounced the Throne, and will be succeeded by the Duke of York.” That followed a conversation between the King and the Prime Minister where the King said to the Prime Minister, “I am going to marry Mrs Simpson, and I am prepared to go.” He was succeeded by his brother Albert, who became George VI and Edward married Mrs Simpson the following year.

So the people of that generation came to know what “to renounce” meant. It meant giving up something that one possessed. However, renunciation is also a Christian term and has the same meaning of giving up something that belongs to one.

THE MEANING OF “RENOUNCE”

The Cambridge Dictionary definition is “to say formally or publicly that you no longer own, support, believe in or have a connection with something. “

True repentance involves renunciation in turning to God from those sins, activities or wrong relationships and renouncing them, wanting nothing more to do with them.

BIBLE VERSES CONTAINING “RENOUNCE”. A QUICK SUMMARY OF BIBLE VERSES

Psalm 10:3, “For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.” [ nā’aṣ: A verb meaning to revile, to scorn, to reject.] Rejection of God is the characteristic of those who want to live their lives on their own terms.

Psalm 10:13,“ Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account?”[ Same Hebrew word as in verse 3.]

Psa. 89:39, “You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust.”[ nā’ar: A verb indicating to renounce, to spurn, to abandon.] It means to reject something or someone in word and in deed. To Ethan, the writer of this Psalm, “there was no other explanation than that God had gone back on His promise to David and dragged his crown in the dust. Ethan knew deep in his heart that God couldn’t renege on His promise, and yet from all appearances it had happened.” [Believers Bible Commentary].

Prov 28:13, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” [Hebrew is ‘azab, to loosen, i.e. relinquish, forsake, leave, refuse] sins and no longer to do them.

Ezek 14:6, “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!” [ shuwb, to turn back (break, recall, recompense, recover, refresh, repent, requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to return, reverse, reward, withdraw). Coupled with repentance in turning from idols and evil practices.

Dan 4:27, “Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed.” [peraq, to discontinue:–break off.] Turning from sin and living differently

Luke 14:33, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” The word for ”renounce” here is [apotassomai] made up of apo=from or away and [tassō] a verb (meaning to arrange in an orderly manner, to appoint or determine. The combined word can mean to bid farewell, forsake, take leave, send away. True discipleship meant being willing to give up everything one possesses if God requires us to do so.

2 Cor 4:2, “Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” [Apeipon, literally, to tell from, signifies to renounce, disowning “the hidden things of shame.”] In renouncing evil to turn from the negative (sin) and live positively.” The word [apeipomēn from apo = from and epo = to speak] means to say off for oneself, to give up or disown. 2 Cor 4:2. Paul was saying that the believers had given up “disgraceful, underhanded ways.”

Tit. 2:12, “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.”[ arneomai, to contradict, i.e. disavow, reject, abnegate, deny, refuse.] Forsaking sin to live godly lives under control.

RENUNCIATION IN BAPTISMAL SERVICES

In An Australian Prayer Book [AAPB] the question is asked of those to be baptised, “ Do you renounce the devil and all his works, the empty display and false values of the world and the sinful desires of the flesh so that you will not follow nor be led by them?“ That is, “Are you willing to renounce the devil, the world and the flesh.” That stands for the enemy against us [the devil], the enemy within us [the flesh or our fallen nature] and the enemy around us [the unbelieving world].

“Renounce” can mean to forsake or to reject the influence of something or someone on oneself in the past, present and future.

We look at those in turn.

1]. RENOUNCE THE WORLD. [The enemy around us.]

The peoples of the world by and large reject God and His values.

The world rejects His revealed will in His word.

The world is focussed on self. Self-focus. Self-realisation, self-fulfilment, my rights, The new narcissism which describes a pattern of behaviour in which an individual shows such behaviours as excessive grandiosity, attention-seeking, and sensitivity to being rejected or ignored.

The sin of the world. Rejection of God’s rule over every area of life. The sin of not believing, as Jesus taught about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me.” Jn 16:8-9.

Its negative friendship. James 4:4 “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” To be in love with the things of the world rather than being in love with God amounts to hatred of Him in God’s eyes.

Paul commanded the believers in Rome to not let themselves be conformed to the world, but to allow themselves to be transformed by the renewing of their minds, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Rom 12:2. Or in the graphic words of the JB Phillips version, “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mould.” It is so easy to be influenced by the world around us to adopt its thinking and its values which are contrary to what God demands of His followers.

2]. RENOUNCE THE FLESH. [The enemy within us.]

All humans have a fallen human nature which has a bias towards evil.

It is predisposed towards rebellion against God and leads to sinful behaviour.

Its desires are contrary to those of the Holy Spirit in us. Paul wrote, Rom 8:5-8, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

No matter how nice people might appear to be, if they don’t have faith in Christ they cannot please God.

There is an internal spiritual battle taking place in every believer, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Gal 5:17.

There are the temptations and lusts coming from our flesh nature, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.“ James 1:13-15.

We can renounce our flesh nature by seeking to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit who can give us victory over the lusts and desires of the flash

3]. RENOUNCE THE DEVIL. [The enemy against us.]

The devil is the father of lies and is deceitful. Jesus said to his listeners, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.“ Jn 8:44.
He wants to control the world and everything in it. St Paul reminded his readers in Ephesus of what their lives were like before they became believers, “in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” Eph 2:2. Satan is called a prince because he is a ruler and possesses power to manifest evil in the world through influencing people and commanding demons.
St Peter spoke of God’s action in Christ in setting free those who were oppressed by the devil, “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” Acts 10:38.
St Paul encouraged Timothy in his ministry to the opponents of Jesus, “and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” 2 Tim 2:26. Unbelievers are under the control of the devil.
Jesus came into the world as a human to set humans free, “Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.“ Heb 2:14-15. Christ has defeated the devil through his victory on the cross, Col 2:15 “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.”

SOME AREAS OF LIFE WHERE RENUNCIATION MAY BE NECESSARY

We need to realise that God requires that everything in our lives should come under His direction, including our words, our speech and our actions.

A]. THE DEVIL AND FALSE RELIGIONS

The devil wants everyone to worship him. He tempts people who want to gain more power in life by promising them power by participation in the Occult and the New Age etc. But trying to take hold of this promise of power brings one under the power of the evil one.
There are also the temptations of other non-Christian religions. They are not committed to Jesus who alone is THE TRUTH and so are false.
In these other religions, Jesus is not central but He is in Yahweh’s purposes.

B]. VOWS OR STATEMENTS THAT MAY NEED TO BE RENOUNCED

Vows that have been made in the past may need to be renounced.

a]. Vows made about us by those walking in darkness. Many people have asked to be set free from the vows made about them by former family members in the occult, or vows made about them in the Masonic movement.

b]. Inviting disaster upon oneself. For example, “May this happen to me if that were to occur!”

c]. Wanting disaster on others. “They deserve punishment for their attitude to me and to my loved ones! I hope they suffer!”

d]. Vows we made about ourselves that we should not have made. “I think I’d have a nervous breakdown if that were to happen!”

e]. Ongoing Negative Confessions.

We look more closely at such statements

a]. Vows Made About Us By Those Walking In Darkness

For example, forbears involved in secret societies and the vows they made which include family members. (“May these things happen to my family if I reveal the secrets.”)

b]. Inviting Disaster Upon Oneself

“A curse be upon my family if that were to happen.” For example, a marriage to one of our family members to someone of the wrong “clan” or family.
OR “Over my dead body”. We say would we would rather be dead if that course of events were to happen. OR “I will do everything in my power to stop that from happening, even if it kills me in the process.”
OR “I’d rather die than forgive that person who hurt me so badly.”

c]. Wanting Disaster On Others

Negative statements such as these:-

“May some disaster overtake them!”

“ I hope they rot in hell! “

“I wish they would drop dead!”

“I hope they fail!”

“I will never, ever forgive that person, and I hope they get their just desserts”

d]. Vows We Made About Ourselves Which We Should Not Have Made

“I will not let anyone get close enough to hurt me again”. (I found helpful the writings of John Powell who wrote a book with the title, “Why Am I Afraid To Tell You Who I Am.” He wrote that once we have been hurt deeply, we don’t want to go through the same experience again. So we close down our emotions and fail to open up to other people lest we experience rejection again.

After I had spoken at an evening meeting in a small town in New Zealand, a beautiful young woman approached me saying, “I think I need to repent of a vow I made some years ago.” It turned out that she had been through a very hurtful relationship and vowed that she would never let anyone get close enough to her ever again to hurt her. She had had friendships with some lovely young Christian men but those relationships never went anywhere and she wondered why. During the meeting she remembered the vow she had made and now saw the need to repent of it and to renounce it. She did so and I prayed she would be open to any relationship the Lord brought across her path. Her vow had closed her to any possibility of a deeper relationship.

“I will never forgive them!” That is an understandable reaction when someone has hurt us very deeply. But God has commanded us to forgive one another, as St Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Vowing never to forgive someone is to be disobedient to God’s command, and holds us in negativity.

Any vow we make without consulting God is an ungodly vow and needs to be renounced.

e}. . Ongoing Negative Confessions

It is so easy to be captured by our words which are “a snare to our souls”. Proverbs 18:7, “A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.”

For example, statements such as, “ I could never do that, I’m too dumb.”

OR “I could never cope if that were to happen to me!”

OR “I find it too difficult to befriend people.”

Or “I don’t think those people would ever accept me.”

Or “I’m useless and will never amount to anything.”

All these negative confessions are a barrier to the grace of God coming into our lives to transform us.

G]. RENOUNCING, REJECTING FORMER UNGODLY LIFESTYLES AND PRACTICES

Some people may need to make restitution of what was wrongly or falsely taken.

Others may need to attempt to restore personal dignity or reputation to people they ignored, used or abused by apologising to them and asking for their forgiveness. They were not just objects that were misused. Rather, they are people who have been deeply hurt and need healing.

A BRIEF NOTE ON RESTITUTION.

The Cambridge Dictionary definition is ”the return of objects that were stolen or lost.”

The Miriam Webster Dictionary suggests

an act of restoring or a condition of being restored: such as

a: a restoration of something to its rightful owner

b: a making good of or giving an equivalent for some injury

But the word is also used in the Bible. [15 occurrences in the NRSV Bible version.]

What is involved in restitution is the justice of restoring the value of something that was taken or destroyed by a person who was not its owner.

Examples in the Old Testament include:-

a]. Paying back someone for stealing, injuring or destroying an animal or possession they owned.

Exo 22:1 “When someone steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, the thief shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. The thief shall make restitution, but if unable to do so, shall be sold for the theft.”

Exo 22:5 “When someone causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets livestock loose to graze in someone else’s field, restitution shall be made from the best in the owner’s field or vineyard.”

Exo 22:6 When fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, the one who started the fire shall make full restitution.

b]. When the death of an animal or of a person occurred, restitution was necessary.

Lev 24:18 “Anyone who kills an animal shall make restitution for it, life for life.”

Lev 24:21 “One who kills an animal shall make restitution for it; but one who kills a human being shall be put to death.”

Zacchaeus in the New Testament

The story is recorded in Luke’s gospel about Jesus noticing Zacchaeus up in a tree where he was trying to get a better view of Jesus. 19:5 ‘And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.’

However, Zacchaeus was well known to bystanders who said of Jesus, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” Luke 19:7. Zacchaeus responded to their comment by expressing to Jesus his willingness to make restitution, even to paying back fourfold anyone he had defrauded, “Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” 19:8.

QUESTIONS FOR US TO ANSWER REGARDING RENUNCIATION

Have we personally renounced the things we need to renounce? As we reflect on our lives, can we remember vows that we once made that seemed reasonable at the time but now appear to have been inappropriate or offensive to other people? If so, we need to renounce them and pray that any damage caused, is healed.

Have there been words we said, actions we took or attitudes we adopted that have had a negative impact on ourselves or on other people? If the Lord brings them back into our memories, we need to ask His forgiveness and perhaps seek the forgiveness of people we hurt.

Have we a present philosophy towards life that is counter-productive to what is best for us in God’s eyes? For example, the attitude, “I’m determined to get to the top of the tree and it doesn’t matter who I have to step over to get there!” Such an attitude is an ungodly vow that is destructive to all those around us.

Are there present or past relationships that cause you from being available to the Lord to be used by Him? Some relationships may need to be renounced if they are not of the Lord.

Have we a desire for certain things that leave us ungrateful for what we have at the moment? We need to remember that when our desire for a certain object [or person] is paramount in our minds, we have made that thing or that person into an idol that needs to be renounced.

William Cowper had some wise words to say about the idols in our lives in his famous hymn “O for a Closer walk with God.” He wrote,

“The dearest idol I have known
Whate’er that idol be;
Help me to tear it from Thy throne
And worship only Thee. “

Praise God that He gives us the grace to recognise and then to renounce what we are meant to renounce in our lives.

Blog No.460 posted on Sunday 22 January 2023.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged Bible, Christ, faith, healing, holbeck, Holy Spirit, Jesus, negative confessions, prayer, relationships, renunciation, the flesh and the devil, the world, William Cowper, Zacchaeus | Leave a comment

459. Reflecting On The Love Of God We Experience In Our Lives

Posted on January 21, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

As one gets older one reflects on life and many of us we can think back to the love of God we experienced being showered on us throughout our lives. How wonderful to have experienced that love through others we loved and by whom we were loved. As I think back to my wedding to my beloved Carole 57 years ago on the 22 January 1966, I had no idea of the blessings that we would share together as husband and wife and as partners together in family life and ministry.

I wrote about that 2 years ago on Facebook and in a blog article, and I continue to be humbled by the fact that the Lord over-ruled for Carole and I to meet, fall in love and enjoy almost 54 years of married life together before the Lord took her home to Himself just over 3 years ago. This was the article No.377 I wrote back in 2021. On this link
https://jimholbeck.blog/2021/01/21/377-honouring-a-very-special-person-carole-ann-holbeck-1943-2019/
“How deep the Father’s love for us. How vast beyond all measure.”
Blog No.459 posted on Saturday 21 January 2023

Posted in Coping With Personal Grief, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mini Reflections, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, Tributes | Tagged Bible, Christ, faith, healing, holbeck, Holy Spirit, Jesus, prayer, relationships, The love of God | Leave a comment

458. CORE TEACHING STAGE 5 TOPIC 1. Repentance

Posted on January 19, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

[MINISTERING IN THE AREA OF REPENTANCE]

In Stage 5 Core Teaching we look at various topics but also include some thoughts on how to minister to others and to help them understand and act on that knowledge. What follows is some discussion on the first segment in our circle from the last article.

In this article we look at what does it mean to “repent? ” We also look at how we can help others to understand what repentance really means. However to understand repentance of sin we need to understand the nature of sin.

1]. THE NATURE OF SIN

There are many different words to describe “sin“ in the New Testament. We will look at many of these words. A number of them begin with the letter “A”. This is called an “alpha privative” and changes the meaning of the letters that follow, to the opposite meaning. An example in English is “atheist” where a “theist “is one who believes in God and an “a-theist” is one who does not believe in God.

ADIKIA. [noun] ADIKEO [verb.] [a-dikia and a-dikeo] This means unrighteousness, injustice, or wronging someone].

Ac 7:24. “But the man who was wronging his neighbour thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?”
1 Co 6:7, “To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?”
2 Cor 7:2, “We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.“
2 Cor 7:12, “So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong.”

ANOMIA. Noun.[a-nomia]. Lawlessness, wickedness

Mat 7:23, Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers (you who work lawlessness).’
Rom 4:7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins (hamartia) are covered;

ANUPOTAKTOS. Adjective. [an-hypotassō = not subdued].

Unsubdued, insubordinate, what is not put under, unruly, rebellious
Titus 1:6, if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.
Titus 1:10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.

APEITHEIA. Noun. [a-peitheia]. (Lawlessness, wickedness, rebellion, unpersuadable)

Eph 2:2, ‘in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.“

Eph 5:6 ” Let no one deceive you with empty words , for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience .

APEITHEO. Verb. [a-peitheo not obeying, disobedient.]

“but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” Rom 2:8.

1Peter 2:8, “and A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.“

APEITHĒS. Adjective.

Rom 1:30, disobedient to parents.

HAMARTIA. [means to err, offend, trespass, fall short].

Rom 2:12. All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
(Rom 3:23) since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;

PARABASIS. [Para = to the side of and basis= step, walk, transgress, go aside].

Rom 2:23 You that boast in the law, do you dishonour God by breaking the law?
Rom 4:15. where there is no law there is no transgression
Gal 3:19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions

PARAPTOMA. [para to the side of and ptoma from pipto = I fall.] [side slip, lapse, deviation, fall beside, err].

Mt 6:14 For if you forgive others their trespasses …
2 Cor 5:19. … in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them …

SIN. A SUMMARY

Sin is wrongly using the free will God has given us. That is, we choose to disobey.
It means we are not receiving His grace to be different. We choose not to receive His grace when God offers it freely in Christ.
We are all accountable for our sins of commission [the sins we actually commit] and those of omission [those things we should have done but failed to do.]

HOWEVER THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT GOD’S GRACE OF FORGIVENESS IS AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT

Forgiveness is available for all our sins in Christ (alone). It was His blood alone that could take away the sin of the world. Heb 9:22 “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”
Acts 10:43 “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Eph 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”
Col 1:14 “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

2]. TEACHING ON REPENTANCE. IMPLICATIONS WHEN MINISTERING

We need to recognise what is the difference between:-
- Repentance or remorse
- Repentance or rationalisation of sin
- Acknowledging guilt or projecting it on to others

i]. WHAT REPENTANCE IS NOT

It is not just sorrow or remorse or regret.

Eg., Judas Iscariot didn’t repent. He regretted what he had done in betraying innocent blood but he didn’t turn to God to seek His mercy in forgiveness.

It is not rationalisation or projection of sin.

There is no freedom in rationalisation (giving a reason for the sin).
Projection of sin onto others seeks to avoid personal accountability before God. He is not fooled!

Listen to see whether the person you are trying to help has really repented or not.

ii]. WHAT REPENTANCE REALLY IS

The word is “metanoia. ” It means a change of mind AND a change in behaviour

It involves turning from sin and turning to God for mercy

We see many elements of repentance [underlined] in King Solomon’s prayer. 1 Kings 8:47-50

8:47, and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’ 48 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;
1 Kings 8:50 “And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offences they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy.”

The Gospel message in Acts. It meant that those who heard the gospel message should recognise and confess their sins. Not only that, but they should turn to God to ask for His forgiveness.

Peter. (Acts 2:38 “Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
(Acts 5:31 “God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins .”
Paul speaking to King Agrippa: Acts 26:20 “but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout the countryside of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance.”

Questions to keep in mind in trying to help others

Has the person realised the enormity of sin in the sight of God? [Until they do, they will not appreciate the magnitude of the love of God and the grace of God in forgiving sin.]
Do they realise that all sin is against God as well as against others? [He is a Person who has been sinned against. It is not just His will that has been rejected.]
Have they turned from their sin and turned back to God. [Forgiveness is only available to those who repent AND turn back to God to seek His forgiveness or to thank Him for it in Christ.]
Have they made changes to their lives with God’s help? [As Paul declared to King Agrippa as we saw above, Acts 26:20 “… that they should repent and turn to God and do deeds consistent with repentance.”

iii]. WHO HAS TO REPENT?

Everyone! That includes you and me and yours and mine

God commands everyone to repent

1 Kings 8:46 “When they sin against you for there is no one who does not sin
Acts 17:30 While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

SUMMARY

Everyone (including those who see themselves as “victims” and perpetrators) needs to repent of their own personal sins.
Ensure that the person isn’t operating under a “victim mentality” that stops them from seeing their own need for forgiveness for their own sin.
Having to endure difficult circumstances is not an excuse for any sin we might commit. We are responsible for how we respond to our circumstances in life.

3]. WHY DO ALL PEOPLE HAVE TO REPENT OF SIN?

Sin is an offence against God. It is a breaking of His revealed will in His law and commandments.
It is sin to be unwilling to draw upon His grace so as not to sin.
It is an offence against others and against God Himself. The prodigal son had it right. Lk 15:21 “Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

All sin has an effect

Our sin always has an effect on others (and through them to other people as well)
Heb 12:15 “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
Our sin always has an effect on oneself. Heb 3:12 “Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. “
Heb 3:13 “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Forgiveness comes only through repenting of sin and trusting in Jesus for salvation.

(Acts 2:38) ‘Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”‘
(Acts 3:19) “Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.”

4]. CAN WE AS HUMANS GET PEOPLE TO REPENT?

John the Baptist and Jesus both taught that to repent was a command from God to be obeyed.
John the Baptist. Mat 3:1 ‘In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”’
Jesus. Mat 4:17,’ From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”’
Only the Holy Spirit can convict people of sin. Jesus said, Jn 16:8-10, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

5]. SUMMARY ON REPENTANCE

All people need to repent of their sin no matter how righteous they might appear to be. Rom 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” No one is perfect. All people are guilty.
We can encourage people to think of the effects of their sin on others and to express those thoughts. But we need to be praying that the Holy Spirit will do the deep convicting of the sinfulness of sin in their hearts.
We are not to allow ourselves to be shocked by what those we are trying to help tell us about their lives in the past. If we adopt a “condemning” attitude, it may hinder the conviction of sin in the other person.
We have to rely on the Spirit of God using the word of God to bring conviction of sin and true repentance in the life of any person.

Blog No.458 posted on Thursday 19 January 2023.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Questions and Answers, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged 1 Kings 8:47-50, 2 Peter 3:9, Acts 26:20, Acts 2:38, Bible, Christ, faith, grace, healing, holbeck, Holy Spirit, Jesus, prayer, relationships, repentance | Leave a comment

457. Core Teaching Stage 5 An Overview

Posted on January 17, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

In the Core Teaching Stage 5, I have attempted to bring together the main parts of our Christian experience. This simple diagram is meant to portray this graphically to help people understand what Christian discipleship is all about.

But there is another element to this Stage 5 teaching, and that is to enable those who do it, to minister in these areas to others.

So I call it a “Prayer Ministry Model” where believers can minister to others in any of the various segments in the circle, based on the truths to be found in each of the articles which are to follow in this series.

For convenience, the diagram is a circle with various segments. There will be a new blog article for each segment giving the scriptural background for each segment. On the right are 3 “R’s” and on the left are 3 “S’s” to help memorisation of the model.

Blog No.457 posted on Tuesday 17 January 2023.

Posted in Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Questions and Answers, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, TOPICS | Tagged Bible, Christ, Christian fellowship, faith, grace, healing, holbeck, Holy Spirit, Jesus, prayer, receiving Christ, relationships, renunciation, repentance, Restitution, Spirit filled, spiritual fruit, spiritual gifts, submission to Christ | Leave a comment

456. The Privilege Of Entering Into The Tapsell Family

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

In a few days it will be 57 years since I married Carole Ann Tapsell at All Saints Church, Booval. We were married for almost 54 blessed years before she went home to the Lord in October 2019.

I have often reflected on the privilege the Lord gave me to enter into the Tapsell family of Carl and Eileen with their daughter Carole, pictured in this blog. The photo was taken when Carole was a teenager. They arrived in Queensland from India in 1947 and settled into the Booval area. They arrived with virtually nothing having left most of their belongings with Carl’s crippled sister in India.

Carl was one of the world’s best field hockey players having won Olympic Gold medals at the 1932 Los Angeles and at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. He transformed the hockey scene in Ipswich and led the famous Hancock’s team to winning many successive Grand Finals. He is still considered the best player in his position in Hockey world history. He later changed to playing golf and became a champion player in that sport as well.

He was a thorough gentleman and only increasing deafness prevented him from making more of an impact on society. However, some of the young hockey players he coached eventually became international players and one went on to coach both the Australian and English Olympic Hockey teams. A fine Christian man!

Eileen was a brilliant pianist who often accompanied very talented singers. She was also the church organist and helped lead the spiritual revival that was experienced at Booval in the late 1950’s and early 60’s. She was very much involved with the Girl Guides Movement which Carole also became heavily involved with.

She was also a praying woman and many people came to their home to be prayed for by Eileen. That included young people and ministers and missionaries.

After Carl passed away she eventually came to live with Carole and me in the Deanery in Armidale. Here again there came a whole group of people of all ages to talk with her and to be prayed for by her. Everyone in the parish called her “Gran!” for she was like everyone’s gran.

Well how did Carole and I get to meet? I had begun to teach Junior church and Eileen played the organ for us. That meant going to her home to prepare for the coming week. There I met this tall black haired beautiful schoolgirl who was wearing black stockings as part of her school uniform. Apparently I called her “licorice legs” because of the black stockings. I knew that she was a winner at eisteddfods for Art of Speech and I often heard her speaking on the local radio station on a Saturday morning when they featured leading young people in the city. I also knew that she was a champion athlete, basketballer and swimmer and had won the GPS Sprint in Brisbane against all the leading athletes from all the GPS schools. She was the school’s Sports Champion and undoubtedly a leader of girls.

Sometime later Carole joined the Youth Group I was leading and I began to notice more of her excellent qualities. She was a fun person and willing to take part in any activity [and to make it fun.] I was quite touched when she made a decision to follow Christ at a camp when I was absent and she waited to tell me first because I was the Leader of our group. Another thing that touched me deeply was an incident at another Christian camp. We were having a BBQ on the beach and one had to line up in one of two single files to get the food. I noticed that there was one young fellow there with severe physical disabilities so I decided to line up to get his food first then go back later to get my own. I did this and as I arrived back with the food I discovered that Carole had had exactly the same thought and had also got food for the fellow. I thought ”What a beautiful, thoughtful, caring girl! who puts the interests of others above her own.” From that moment I think I was hooked. I have realised in retrospect that Carole always put the interests of others above her own, right throughout her life. What a woman!

There came a time when I thought I should tell Carole how I felt about her. So one night I plucked up courage and said to her, ”Carole I think I’m beginning to like you!” Hardly the stuff of romantic novels, but for me it was a very deep expression of the love I had for her. She seemed to be pleased with that romantic outburst, so soon after I was able to tell her that I loved her. She told me that she loved me too. I felt I was the most privileged man in the world to be loved by someone so very special and to be so welcomed into the wonderful Godfearing Tapsell family. Most of our courting days were held in the company of other young people as we enjoyed activities or day trips together.

In 1964 there came a change as I went some 1650 km away to Melbourne to study at a Theological College. Carole was very faithful in writing and keeping me up to date on my family. However, I was able to come home for a couple of weeks in August and we travelled to Monto to visit my sister and her husband and family before returning home on 22 August. Towards the end of our journey, we stopped outside the small town of Esk to rest. I had realised that Carole had committed herself to our relationship and was not dating anyone else. I felt that we should both know what the future had in store for both of us, especially as I was about to return to Melbourne and would not see Carole again until the end of the year. After sharing for a short time I found myself saying, “ Carole, what would you say if one day I asked you to marry me?” That certainly wasn’t in my mind when we had stopped! Imagine my joy when this beautiful, precious, delightful creature replied, “I would say “Yes!” My next question that came so naturally was, “Well then, will you marry me?” I think I knew what her answer would be as she replied, “Yes, of course I will!” At that place, in the space of less than an hour, my life was forever changed! I had someone to love and to share my life with, for the rest of our lives.

When we later drove on to Carole’s home her parents were delighted with the news. We bought an engagement ring a few days later!

I was so glad that we got engaged that day, for only a few days later my father collapsed and died a week or so later from a brain tumour. It was great that both my parents had been able to welcome the news of our engagement. After my father’s funeral, I drove my mother to Melbourne to stay with my sister and brother-in-law until the end of the year. We had a sad drive home as we were coming home to an empty house. Carole and I were able to get some time together before I returned to Melbourne for 1965.

Then came 22 January 1966 and my wedding to Carole and a few days later we journeyed to Melbourne where Carole began a Phys Ed job in one of the outer Melbourne High Schools. Carole taught there for 3 years before we returned to Qld where I was ordained on 21 December 1968. We ministered in St Stephen’s Coorparoo parish from 1968 to 1972 until I was appointed Rector of Mt Gravatt where there was no church building and only a tiny congregation. Our children Sarah and James were born in 1971 and 1973 but Carole proved to be the ideal Rector’s wife and it was through her loving caring nature that many young and older people were attracted to the church so that we were able to get built a new brick church and a new Rectory in less than 6 years.

Carole’s father Carl passed away in 1975 and Eileen went to live in a Church retirement village in Brisbane. However, Carole and I moved to Armidale in 1978 when I was appointed as the Dean of St Peter’s Cathedral. Our youngest child David was born in Armidale a year later and we had the joy of bringing Carole’s mother, Eileen to live with us in the Deanery. We had a marvellous time in Armidale until 1988 when I accepted the position as the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney. Carole’s mother was unable to move into the accommodation in Sydney but we managed to get her into an Anglican Retirement Village where she had a wonderful ministry as a prayer warrior and as a musician. She passed away in 1993 while I was on a speaking tour of New Zealand.

This isn’t perhaps the time to write of the ministry Carole and I shared in Brisbane, Armidale, Sydney and in the United States over many years, especially in Florida. Nor of the enormous joy our marriage, ministry and family life has been to us. My main purpose here has been to talk about the tremendous privilege the Lord had given me in being welcomed into the Tapsell family almost 59 years ago and experiencing their love and support over all those years. However, with the death of my dearly beloved Carole in 2019 that wonderful godly family came to an end. Who would have thought that a family of 2 adults and a 4 year old child arriving in Australia from India in 1947 with virtually nothing, would have had such an impact on so many people around the world. They certainly had an impact on me and I praise God every day for the privilege I have enjoyed in becoming part of the Tapsell family and especially for their success in bringing up the most beautiful, gracious, self-giving, lovely daughter to become my wife 57 years ago. Oh, so greatly, greatly missed, every day!

[Of course, the Tapsell family didn’t really end, for through Carole there are now one son in law, 3 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren and 3 step great-grandchildren of whom Carl and Eileen would have been enormously proud.]

“To God be the glory. Great things He has done!” [And continues to do, every day!]

BlogNo.456 posted on Monday 16 January 2023

Posted in Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, Tributes | Tagged 1932 Olympic Hockey Gold Medal, 1936 Olympic Hockey Gold medal, All Saints Booval, Carl Tapsell, Carole Tapsell, Christ, grace, healing, holbeck, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Living for others, prayer, relationships | Leave a comment

455. Praying For All The Saints. Ephesians 6:18. Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 6.

Posted on January 14, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

(Eph 6:18) “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Many years ago I was asked the question, ”Can you describe in one sentence what Christian Ministry is all about?” I replied that my own overall aim in ministry is expressed in this concept. It is to get people into the kingdom of God and to get the kingdom into the people. In other words

to evangelise [share the good news of the gospel message] so that people can hear the gospel of the claims of Christ on their lives and have the opportunity to make a commitment to Him. But it doesn’t stop there.
It is then to encourage those people to appropriate in every aspect of their lives, all the resources they have as believers in the unsearchable Kingdom riches which are theirs in Christ.

That should be the aim of every Christian. They are to live for Christ and to live for one another. That involves praying for them so that they might know Him and might receive all the riches He has for them in His Son. We see what those riches are in Paul’s prayer in Eph 1:15-23, “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT ON ALL OCCASIONS WITH ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS AND REQUESTS.

We have looked in blog article No.455 at what it means to “pray in the Spirit”.

But it needs to be comprehensive prayer. Notice the “all” words in Eph 6:16-18. “In ALL circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish ALL the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at ALL times in the Spirit, with ALL prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with ALL perseverance, making supplication for ALL the saints.”

“All circumstances. “ (That is, at all times.) [Kairos] is used here to denote quality of time, significant time. The other word for time is [chronos] which is used to denote the quantity of time. Every moment of time is significant for believers for He is always at work for His people. “He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” Psalm 121:3-8. There will never be a time when God does not hear and respond to the prayers of His people.
“All prayer and supplication “
Prayer = proseuchē. This type of Prayer and petition is always addressed to God.
Supplication = deēsis = a petition, request. Stresses praying for a need to be met.
“Praying all times in the Spirit. “[See blog No.455].
“Keep alert” [agrypneō]= to be sleepless, to keep awake, watch.
“with ALL perseverance” = [proskarterēsis] = in all persistence. To continue in, and to give great care to.
“Making supplication.” Is the same word for supplication as previously in the same verse.
“For all the saints.” “For” = peri = about, concerning. “Saints “= hagioi= the separated ones. “All“ can mean all without distinction, not all without exception. We need to pray for all the saints without excluding some we don’t want to pray for on the grounds of something we feel towards them. God’s command is that we pray for all believers generally and for some more specifically.

The saints are holy because God chose to set them apart to be His holy people, a people of His own possession ( ! Pet 2: 10, “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”) It was not because they were holy that he chose them. Rather they are holy because He chose them, and they responded to Him in faith. Salvation is by the grace of God.

2. PRAYING FOR THOSE IN LEADERSHIP.

(Eph 6:19-20) “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

We see here the necessity of humility for those in leadership. Paul was the great apostle, but he still needed and valued the prayers of others that he might fulfil God’s plan and purpose for Him.

He humbly asked the believers in Ephesus to pray for him. He was specific in what he wanted them to pray.

“words may be given me.”

Paul wanted to speak the words the Lord gave him to share. He had already mentioned the power of the word of truth that he himself had preached, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” Eph1:13. By that same word of truth Jesus had cleansed the church, “that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.” Eph 5:26. The word of God Paul described as being the sword of the Spirit, part of the armour of God believers were to wear at all times, “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Eph 6:17.

“so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.

Paul had come to know what the mystery of the gospel was, “how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ.” Eph 3:3-4.

“fearlessly” is from [parrēsia] meaning frankness, bluntness, boldness.
“Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” “Fearlessly” is the same word as in verse 19. Paul saw himself as an ambassador for Christ and he wanted his message to be without the restraints of fear. Fear was a possibility for anyone in Paul’s situation [chained in prison with the possibility of an imminent death.] However Paul looked beyond his present circumstances to the Lord whom he served fearlessly.

3. OUR PRAYER LIFE

As we look at our verse for discussion in this article, we need to see how we measure up in our prayer life to what Paul commanded. (Eph 6:18) “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.“

Are we reliant on the Holy Spirit as we approach God in prayer? It is so tempting for us to simply rush into prayer knowing that the Lord’s ears are always open to hear us? But how much better it is for us to spend some time in quietness before we begin to verbalise our prayers. It allows the Lord to speak into our minds by His Holy Spirit. It means then that we become more informed in our prayers, praying about the things the Lord has placed on our hearts and in our minds.
We need to persevere in our prayers giving the same sort of “attention” [proskarterēsis = perseverence] to it as the Roman authorities gave to the receipt of taxes, “For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.” Rom 13:6.
Paul urged the churches in Rome and in Colossae to focus on their need to pray constantly, Rom. 12:12,”Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” AND Col. 4:2, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

The questions that remain for every believer are these, “Do we pray for all others as we should?” The Lord has commanded us to do so and they certainly need our support.

AND “Do we value others praying for us as we should?” I was quite touched recently when a few people my wife Carole and I had ministered to for a month each time on 9 occasions in Central Florida wrote to say that they still pray for me every day. It is now 10 years since we last ministered there and I was surprised and delighted that they continued to persevere in praying for Carole and me until her death in October 2019 and for me every day since then. We should really appreciate those people who are faithful intercessors and especially those who lift us up in prayer to the Lord every day.

Blog No.455. Praying For All The Saints. Ephesians 6:18. Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 6 posted on Saturday 14 January2023

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged Bible, Christ, Ephesians 6:18-20, Ephesians1:15-23, faith, grace, healing, holbeck, Holy Spirit, Jesus, perseverence, prayer, relationships, Supplication | Leave a comment

454. Spiritual Warfare. “Praying in the Spirit.” Eph 6:18. Core Teaching Stage 4. Topic 5

Posted on January 12, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

Ephesians 6:18 “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”

What is prayer? Simply put, prayer is conversing with God. Not just talking to the Lord but listening. The latter is easy as it is being quiet before God. The former is easy as well as it is expressing what is on one’s heart. Prayer is “an address (such as a petition) to God in word or thought.

Jesus expected his disciples to pray, even teaching them how to do so when one of his disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” Luke11:1.

THE NEED TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT ON ALL OCCASIONS.

In spiritual warfare, one has to put on the whole amour of God, but one also has to be always constant in prayer. If we use Paul’s use of “flesh” for human (natural), and “spirit” for the things of the Spirit (the supernatural), it means praying as one is led by the Spirit and not praying just from human or fleshly wisdom or from human understanding. This shows our need to rely on the Spirit in prayer and gives a deeper dimension to prayer.

1]. JESUS TAUGHT THIS NEED.

Luke 11:1-13. ‘He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” Jesus taught them what is known as the Lord’s Prayer. He went on to add, 9 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. …13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” The other gospels have “good things” instead of Holy Spirit. Luke may be stressing the means of prayer, the need to pray with the Spirit’s help, while the other gospel writers focussed on the result of such prayer. It’s the Holy Spirit-inspired prayer that brings the “good things” (as God sees them) for our needs.

2]. PAUL TAUGHT THIS NEED.

Romans 8:26-27. Paul wrote in Rom 8:26, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” It is the experience of many believers that there are times when they have found it difficult to find the words to pray. They discovered that God has helped them as they found themselves praying with groans or sounds or with words not in their own natural tongue. It’s as though the indwelling Holy Spirit gave them the impetus and the sounds to pray in that way. Such prayer is powerful for it originates in the Holy Spirit.

Paul went on to describe what happens when people pray in that way. (Rom 8:27) “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” When God hears such prayers He searches our human hearts which are yielded to Him and recognizes the sounds we have made that originated in the mind of the Spirit. The wonderful thing is that what the Spirit prays through us is in accordance with the will of God.

It may be helpful to look more closely at the words used in verse 26.

Help = sunantilambano – to help at the side of, to help in attaining.
Weakness = asthenia = to lack strength, illness, frailness, inability.
Pray = proseuchomai =always used of prayer to God.
Intercedes = huperentunchano = to make a petition on behalf of another. Also in Rom 8:27, in the form of entygchanō huper to intercede on behalf of the saints.
Groans = stenagmos is used of Jesus praying in Mk 7:34 as He looked to heaven and sighed before saying “Be opened” to a deaf, mute man. See also 2 Cor 5:2-4 for the groaning of believers longing to be clothed with their heavenly dwelling.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-3. The gift of the Spirit enables us to declare that “Jesus is Lord!”

I Corinthians 12:4-13,

The Spirit gives a variety of gifts, ministries and workings but it is same Spirit at work who manifests Himself through all these things v.7. “and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

Tongues and the interpretation of tongues are included among the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Cor 12:11, “to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”

1 CORINTHIANS 14

Those speaking in tongues speak to God not men, and utter mysteries, 1 Cor 14:2. “For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.”
The one who speaks in tongues edifies himself. 1Co 14:4 “The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.” “Builds up” is from [oikodomeō], meaning to found, to establish, to promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, blessedness, to grow in wisdom and piety
However if tongues are interpreted it means that Church is also edified, 1Co 14:5 “The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.” Here the same word [oikodomeō] is used of congregational spiritual growth.
The willingness to interpret tongues should be a goal for the believer 1Co 14:12 “So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. 13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.”
Paul saw the need to pray in tongues AND to think of what to pray in one’s native tongue, 1Co 14:14 “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.”

Some people have felt there is a contradiction in this passage in 1Corinthians 14. For example, they point to 1Co 14:5 “Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy.” Then they contrast that with 1Co 14:27 “ If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret.” However there is no contradiction, for in verse 5 Paul is stating that he wants all believers to be willing to pray in tongues, but in verse 27 he is thinking about public worship where the emphasis is on the edification of the people. When tongues are exercised in public worship they should be accompanied by interpretation and even then, there should be only three at a maximum.

The same applies to prophecy in public worship. Only three people are to prophesy.

Paul’s principle is that tongues are a manifestation of the Holy Spirit and thus valuable in prayer. They are certainly to be used in private devotions as a means of building oneself up. But they are also to be used in public worship when interpretation is available, to build up or edify the whole congregation.

3]. JUDE ALSO SAW THIS NEED.

(Jude 1:20-21) “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.”21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” The main command here is, “keep yourselves in the love of God” where “keep” is an aorist imperative command. The means to keeping ourselves in the love of God is expressed by two present tense participles, “building” and “praying.” So the verse could be translated as ”21 keep yourselves in the love of God, while building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.”

4]. NOTES:-

“Build up “= epoikodomeo= used in Eph 2:20 and Col 2:7 for being established on Christ.
Eph 2:20 “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” AND Col 2:7 “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
In Acts 20:32 the word for “building up’ is [oikodomeo.] Act 20:32 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
This [oikodomeō] is also used in 1 Cor 14:4, 5, 17 for the edification of believers individually and corporately. 1Co 14:4 “The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.”
In 1 Cor 14:16-17, Paul teaches that praying in the Spirit is helpful for an individual, but it does not edify another person who is present who doesn’t understand what has been prayed. “Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?“17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.”

We are reminded that all true prayer originates in God Himself and is released in us as we become open to the Spirit as we commune with God.
We need to be inspired by the Holy Spirit Who can open our minds so that we can come to know more of the mind, purpose and will of God.
In that way, as we are led by the Spirit we can pray according to the will of God and get the answers He longs to give to us as His children.
As we commune with God, the Spirit is able to motivate us to pray, to give us the words (in tongues or our ordinary language to pray. (Often praying in tongues allows us to know more clearly how to be able to pray in our own language with a greater understanding of God’s will. )

So we can see why “praying at all times in the Spirit” is associated with the armour of God we are to clothe ourselves with. It allows us to come to a greater understanding of the will of God so that our prayers become more powerful by allowing more of the will of God to be accomplished through us.

Blog No.454 posted on Thursday 12 January 2023.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, TOPICS | Tagged ! Cor 12-14, Bible, Christ, faith, grace, healing, holbeck, Holy Spirit, Jesus, prayer, praying in the Spirit, relationships, Rom 8:26-27, tongues | Leave a comment

453. Spiritual Warfare. Standing In The Armour Of God. Eph 6:11-15. Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 4.

Posted on January 7, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

(Eph 6:11) “Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (methodeia) (Eph 6:13) … so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

1. WE CAN STAND IN THE VICTORY OF CHRIST.

We can take our stand on God’s word and on the victory He accomplished in Christ.

Eph 6:14 “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”

Through the death of Christ on the cross and because He rose from the dead as the Victor over death and evil, we can have peace with God and the peace of God within us.

Christ’s victory over the devil and over the powers of darkness is seen in these verses

Jesus overcame temptations from Satan in the wilderness before He began His public ministry.(Mat 4:10) Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'”
(Luke 10:18) ‘He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”’(The context is Jesus explaining to His disciples why they could cast out demons.)
(Luke 11:18-20) Jesus said that He cast out demons “by the finger of God”.
Col 2:15 “having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. “The cross was a public declaration of the victory of Christ over all the powers of darkness. [“spectacle” = deigmatizō means to put on a show and “public”= parrēsia means to be open or public. It may have seemed that as Jesus hung on the cross, the powers of evil had destroyed Him and His ministry. But the opposite was true. He shouted out on the cross, “It is finished!” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:30. He meant that the work of redemption had been accomplished as His public death on the cross, was a public declaration of His victory over Satan and evil.
Heb 2:14 “he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil.” Jesus became a human so that He might die as a human for humans.
John explained Jesus’ ministry,1 Jn 3:8. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”
St Peter said to the Gentiles in the home of Cornelius, Acts 10:38 “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power … healing all who were under the power of the devil.”
St Paul witnessing before King Agrippa, the commission the Risen Christ had given him at his conversion on the road to Damascus, Acts 26:18 “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
(Rom 16:20) “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (St Paul encouraging the believers in Rome that they could have victory over Satan through Christ’s victory over Satan.)
St Peter writing of the victory Christ had achieved through His death and resurrection, 1 Pet 3:22 “who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.” He is now the head over all authority in heaven and the universe.

The victory is complete. Just when it was finally accomplished is unclear.

Jesus shouted out on the cross, “It is finished!” The work of redemption had been accomplished. Now that victory was to become manifest in human situations.

In Revelation 12 we read of the victory Michael and his angels had when fighting against the dragon. (Rev 12:9) “The great dragon was hurled down–that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. (Rev 12:10) Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. (Rev 20:2) He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

There will be a brief reprieve for the devil before his final judgment.(Rev 20:7) “When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison.” But the devil faces final judgment.

Jesus as Judge At the Final Judgment. (Mat 25:41) “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.“

2. WE CAN TAKE OUR STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL’S SCHEMES. Eph 6:11 etc

Eph 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Forgiveness is a necessary part of standing in the victory of Christ. Part of the devil’s scheme is to hold us in bondage when we refuse to forgive.

Compare 2 Cor 2:10-11, “Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” [noema].

Unforgiveness can hold us in the devil’s power. The devil is Diabolos, the accuser. He is also the deceiver and the father of lies. He is the one who leads the world astray.

For example, we can have control over our anger and not be tempted by the devil to sinfully express it, Eph 4:26 “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.”

James wrote of the benefit of submitting ourselves completely to God in order to have victory over the devil, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7.

The Strategy of the Devil or the Result of his activity.

He tempts us to be proud.
–1Chron 21:1 “Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.”1Ch 21:7-8, “But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel.” 8 And David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”
– Paul warned against the danger of appointing an immature believer as a Bishop. “he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.” 1 Tim 3:6-7.

Contention. The devil can tempt people to be contentious. Those serving God are meant to be kind and gentle. 2Tim 2:24 “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” “Captured” is the perfect passive of zōgreō meaning they had really been captured and would remain so until they were released. ]

Temptation and testing.
– Jesus was tempted by the devil. (Mat 4:1-11) “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”(Mark 1:13) “he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.”
– The devil can tempt people to be disloyal. John 13:2   “… the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.”
– Sometimes people may become mouthpieces for Satan.  Peter tried to deflect Jesus from going to the cross, as he said to Jesus, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” (Mat 16:22)  ‘Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”’  Matthew 16:23. [See also Mk 8:33. Lk 4:2-13.]
– The devil tests believers to try to prevent them from remaining faithful to Christ, Rev 2:10  “I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.“ (Church at Smyrna)

Deceit and Destruction
– (Mat 13:39) “and the enemy who sows them (weeds) is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.”(Mark 4:15)  “Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.” Also Lk 8:12.
– (Luke 22:3) “Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. “
– (John 13:2) “the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.”
– John 13:27)  ‘As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. “What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him.’(Acts 5:3) ‘Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit.”’
– 1 Cor 7:5. “Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
– Acts 13:10  Of Elymas. “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery.”·
– (2 Cor 2:11)  “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”
– (2 Cor 11:14) “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
– (2 Th 2:9) “The coming of the lawless one … the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders.”
– (1 Tim 5:15) “Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.”
– (Rev 2:9 …  “I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”
– (John 8:44) “You belong to your father, the devil, … there is no truth in him. … he is a liar and the father of lies.”
– James 3:15) “Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.“ See Rev 2:24. 1 Pet 5:8. “Be self-controlled and alert Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.“

Satan Can Afflict People.
– Job 2:7 “So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores.”
– (Luke 13:16), “a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day.” Luke described her as one “who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.”
– (2 Cor 12:7), “there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger (angelos) of Satan, to torment me.”
– (Acts 10:38), God anointed Jesus of Nazareth … healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”

The devil as the Accuser.
– (Zec 3:1), “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.“
– Rev 12:10 “And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.”

Handing People Over To Satan. Withdrawal Of Fellowship To Bring Correction. ·
– (1 – -Cor 5:5), “hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.”·
– 1 Tim 1:20),  “Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.”

Satan tries to stop the gospel.
– (1 Thess 2:18) “For we wanted to come to you- certainly I, Paul, did, …–but Satan stopped us.” However, the battle has been won on Calvary.
Martin Luther wrote of Satan in a hymn, “he cannot do us harm, to judgment he has come, one word can swiftly fell him.”
Recognising the devil’s strategies and knowing how to overcome them, can bring us freedom and victory over evil.

OUR VICTORY does not lie in our own ability to overcome Satan for He is more powerful than we are apart from God. But our victory comes from the victory Jesus accomplished on the cross over Satan and over all the host of evil. We are not to attempt to fight for victory over Satan but to take our stand in the victory Jesus has won for us.

The victory comes as we sincerely obey God’s command to us through the writings of St Paul, (Eph 6:11) “Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (Eph 6:13) … so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

BlogNo.453. Standing In The Armour Of God. Eph 6:11-15. Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 4. Posted on Saturday 07 January 2023

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged Bible, Christ, devil's schemes, Ephesians 6:11-15, faith, grace, healing, holbeck, Holy Spirit, Jesus, prayer, relationships, Satan's strategies, spiritual warfare | Leave a comment

452. Putting On The Armour Of God. (Ephesians 6:11). Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 3. “Put on the full armour of God.”

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

Eph 6:11 “Put on the whole armour (panoplia) God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

1. WE ARE TO REALISE THAT WE ARE IN A SPIRITUAL CONFLICT. Eph 6:11

There are powers at work in this world besides the power of God, and these are opposed to Christ and to His people. We see that in our baptismal vows in which we promise to “renounce the devil and all his works.” We see it also in the teaching and ministry of Jesus as He spoke of the existence and power of Satan, the devil, and delivered people from the power of evil spirits.

As CS Lewis wrote in one of his books, the great strategy of the enemy is to get people to believe that he doesn’t exist. Paul knew that Satan did exist, and so did a host of the powers of darkness that were opposed to Christ and to His people. These powers had “schemes” [or Greek “methodeia.”]

EK Simpson wrote of the devil that he plays both bully and beguiler. (eg., a Roaring lion & an angel of light.) Paul writes that we have to play our part in being strong in the power of the Lord and in the strength of His might (verse 11) and also we have to put on the armour of God to know His protection and His victory in our lives (verse 12). (That is, appropriating God’s provision to live as we should.)

2. WE ARE TO RECOGNISE WHO THE ENEMY IS. Eph 6:12

(Eph 6:12) “For our struggle (pale =wrestling) is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers (archas), against the authorities (exousias), against the powers (kosmokratoras = used in astrology of control by planets over humankind) of this dark world and against the spiritual (pneumatikos) forces of evil (poneria) in the heavenly realms.

(Note the previous references to Satan in Eph 2:1-2, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” And in Eph 4:27 “and do not make room for the devil.“

We are not to identify these powers with the structures or the people but with the evil forces behind them and often using them whether they know it or not. Satan is a liar and a deceiver and influences those under his control. We see that in the lives of 2 men in the New Testament. We see how Peter was used by Satan when he thought he was acting in love towards Jesus when he tried to stop Him from going to the cross, Mat 16:22 “And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” Jesus recognised the origin of Peter’s statement and said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Mat 16:23.

We see how Judas was used by Satan when he thought he was serving God by considering betraying Jesus, “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.” Luke 22:3. Judas had given room or opportunity to the devil as Paul was later to warn about in Eph 4:27, “and do not make room for the devil.“ In getting victory, we may have to forgive the people who allowed themselves to be the devil’s mouthpieces or instruments. But we also need to bind the power of the enemy, and ask God to set us free of any damage done to us by their words and actions.

3. WE ARE TO PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD. Eph 6:11, 13.

Eph 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Eph 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

“Put on” [enduo]. The “full armour”. [panoplia.] Paul here uses an analogy showing how God’s people could take hold of the victory God could give them. They could stand in the victory, vs 11, “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Paul repeated the same command in verse 13, “Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” [verse 13] and also in verse 14, “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”

As a soldier would dress up in armour for the battle, so Christians can avail themselves of the armour God supplies to enable them to stand and win the victory (in His strength, through His victory).

THE FULL ARMOUR OF GOD. The picture is from Isaiah 59:16-17, “He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.” 17 “He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.”

The picture Isaiah paints is of God Himself going forth to fight for His people clad in His righteousness and in the helmet of salvation. God supplies righteousness and salvation for His people in their battle against evil.

i. {Verse 14} … the belt of truth. It was necessary for easy walking. The word can mean both the truth and integrity.

In Isaiah 11:5 we read, “Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.”

Jesus said in Jn 8:32. “You shall know the truth, and the Truth will set you free.” That is, the truth that is known and acted on.

As we come to know Him in a deeper way and become open to share His power and His strength, we can live in the liberty Christ came to bring us. However if we reject Him, we turn away from the truth and from the source of strength and become sitting ducks for the enemy’s attacks.

ii. [14]. breastplate of righteousness. Imputed and imparted righteousness. Our part in the process.

Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 11:5, “Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.” And in Isa 59:17 “He put on righteousness as his breastplate.”

When we become Christians, the righteousness of Jesus is imputed to us. God sees us as being In Him, as being clothed in His righteousness. In legal terms, having the right standing before God.

But there is another aspect in that as we live in intimacy of our relationship with Him, we can begin to share in our daily experience, the power of the life of Christ within us. His righteousness is imparted to us by His Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-23] the outward expression of the presence of God within us, means that His presence can become more and more evident in our lives, as we keep yielding to the Spirit.

iii. {15} … feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Taking our stand on God’s word [the gospel of peace] prepares us to experience God’s peace in our own lives, and to bring His peace to others as we share the gospel with them and they receive the Prince of peace. Paul had written about the need for people to hear the gospel to be able to believe in Jesus for salvation, and he quotes from the OT, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” We see the connection between “feet” and the gospel in Rom 10:15, “And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

We realise of course that it’s not the feet that save, it is Jesus. But what a marvellous message is the gospel that sets people free to live as God wants them to. What a privilege to be able to pass the good news on to others or to be the feet as a messenger from God. We need to be ready at all times to step out in faith to share the gospel message with those whom God brings across our paths.

iv. [16] … the shield of faith. {16} “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.“ The shield spoken of here is [Θυρεόν from θύρα door], because it was large and shaped like a door. It was covered with leather which extinguished flaming arrows, provided maximum protection to the warrior.

Faith protects us from the devil’s fiery darts or accusations and deceits.

Faith enables us to receive the promises of God and have them come true in our experience as we act on them.

Faith in His promise that when people ask Christ into their lives, He will come in.

Faith in His promise that God does not remember the sins that are confessed to Him.

Faith that He justifies us and declares us “not guilty” as we put our trust in Christ.

Faith that He is with us always even to the end of the ages.

As we take up the shield of faith and affirm the truth, it prevents Satan wounding us.

v. {17}… the helmet of salvation.

Eph 6:17 “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Paul had written about the helmet of salvation in 1 Thess 5:8. “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” This verse suggests that it was the mind that the helmet of salvation protected. A helmet to guard our minds, reminding us of Paul’s words in Phil 4:7, “The peace of God which passes all understanding, will guard (garrison) your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.“ It was the sure and certain Christian hope that would protect the minds of believers when under attack by Satan.

vi. [17]. the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The sword is both a defensive weapon and an offensive weapon. We can guard ourselves against all the lies, deceits and errors that Satan throws against us. But we can also wage war against the powers of darkness setting ourselves and others free by the power of the word of truth. Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” It allows us to recognise what is of God and turn to it, and what is not of God, and turn from it. As King David observed, “Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Ps 119:11. He realised that knowing the word of God gave him an understanding of what is good and what is evil and he could then choose to do the good that he knew. That is true for every believer.

4. WE ARE TO STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL’S (diabolos) SCHEMES (methodeia)

Eph 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Putting on the full armour of God enables us to stand our ground and to overcome, not be overcome by the schemes, trickery and wiles of the evil one. Paul had written previously in this epistle, “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes [methodeia.]” Eph 4:14

Paul had shared with the believers in Corinth that believers need not be outwitted by Satan for they know his schemes and designs, “so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs [noemata].” 2 Cor 2:11. Satan’s schemes [noemata] are known to believers and so they are not outwitted. But as we saw above, they must not give the devil any room to deceive them, “and do not make room for the devil.“ Eph 4:27. This is in the context of what we do and say when we are angry or tempted to lose control such as in becoming bitter. Satan desires to occupy any space that becomes open to him.

5. THE NEED TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT. Verse 18

{18} “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.“

Believers are encouraged to be prayerful at all times but there are times when it is difficult to know how to pray. However, that is when the Holy Spirit is able to help us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26. Part of Christian maturing depends on our prayer life, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.” Jude 1:20.

The Spirit as the origin of all true prayer, motivates us to pray, and gives us the words [or sometimes the groans] to pray. Prayer inspired by the Holy Spirit enlightens us as we seek to know the mind, purpose and will of God so that we can pray more in conformity with the will of God.

Putting on the armour of God is another way of saying that we are appropriating the provision God has given us in Jesus, and applied to our hearts and minds, by His Spirit. Or it is allowing Him to ‘grace’ us with His amazing grace for our acceptance before Him and for the manifestation of His life in and through us by His Spirit. However successful Christian living always depends on our willingness to put on the armour of God!

Blog No.452 Putting On The Armour Of God. (Ephesians 6:11) Core Teaching 4-3.doc. “Put on the full armour (panoplia) of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Posted on Monday 02 January 2023.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Praying our way through Paul's letter to the Ephesians, Questions and Answers, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged Bible, Christ, Ephesians 6:11-18, faith, full armour, grace, healing, helmet of salvation, holbeck, Holy Spirit, Jesus, prayer, relationships, schemes of the devil | Leave a comment

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