The Word Works!: CUSTODIANS OF GOD'S MYSTERIES III

Jesus was teaching Nicodemus about being born again but he didn’t get it. This Jewish teacher of the Bible knew the Old Testament thoroughly, but he didn’t understand what it said about the Messiah. He had no revelation from it. You should know the Bible, but even more important, you should understand the God whom the Bible reveals and the salvation that He offers. God wants us to know Him: “Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise and skillful person glory and boast in his wisdom and skill; let not the mighty and powerful person glory and boast in his strength and power; let not the person who is rich [in physical gratification and earthly wealth] glory and boast in his [temporal satisfactions and earthly] riches;

But let him who glories glory in this: that he understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character], that I am the Lord, Who practices loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:23-24, Amp). So above all else, God wants us to know Him. He wants us to know Him personally and by experience. If we’re to boast or glory in anything, it should be for the knowledge of Christ. Knowing about God is not the same as knowing Him personally, and this is one thing that separate believers.

God’s Word says “Get wisdom – it's worth more than money; choose insight over income every time” (Proverbs 16:16, MSG). Nothing compares to knowing God. I’ve seen people have everything they would need in the world but are as hopeless as nothing. Hey, we have a God who shares His vision with us. Solomon asked for wisdom when the Lord asked him to make a wish (1 Kings 3:9-13). God was so delighted that he added wealth and glory to what he asked for. His Word came to pass, in that King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom (1 Kings 10:23). He was wise in almost every respect and could even speak with authority on subjects such as botany and zoology.

You see, God’s interest is that we seek to know Him more. With the wisdom of God we can bring into being anything we desire. Today, I see a lot of believers who are so business-minded that they forget God. It’s good to work but you should always put God first and you’ll succeed in everything you do. It’s surprising you see others who go into business with the try and error mentality. As far as I’m concerned, God’s ideas never fail! Not one word from Him has failed (Joshua 21:45; 23:14; 1 Kings 8:56). People travelled from long distances just to listen to Solomon speak. Oh, the wisdom of God, how priceless it is.

How does Paul describe his Christian walk: “But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ's sake. Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One).

And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law's demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith. [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him,

Those who know their God are strong

If that was Paul’s attitude, then no wonder he did so much: “…but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” (Daniel 11:32). He did so much that people called him a god (Acts 28:6). When you hunger and thirst for God, He’ll surely satisfy you (Nehemiah 9:15). Paul tells us to covet (desire) spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1). He counted everything (including his mind) lost so that he may know Christ: “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). We should put our minds right; make it subject to the knowledge of God.

Let’s also take a look at where he dedicates a whole chapter to talk about the mysteries in Christ: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:1-16).

He puts it plain that he came not with excellency of speech. This means that how eloquent you are does not make you a discerner of the mysteries in Christ. Paul didn’t use enticing words of man’s wisdom as some still do, and it’s a powerful statement! He didn’t speak mere words but he taught the Word in demonstration of the Spirit and power. This means that miracles, signs and wonders followed as he preached the gospel. And in fact Bible says, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them” (Acts 19:11-12). Jesus said such things will follow us (Mark 16:17-18).

When you see a man of God perform such miracles today, you’ll have people talking against him but you don’t need to be surprised. Such people don’t know the scriptures. They don’t know they’re spiritual gifts. Oh okay, it’s true there’re 9 fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), but there’re also 9 gifts from the same Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-10). These are what Paul tells us to covet. I was once at the station to buy something and I decided to stop when I saw a Man of God teaching. A guy approached me and began asking me some questions. I quoted Scriptures to him to support my answer; they mostly came from Paul’s teachings.

I was surprised this young guy told me to shut up and not mention Paul’s name because he was such a hypocrite. I wondered at his remark so I asked about his church but he never answered. I wanted to find out who was polluting this guy because it’s a very serious problem. In fact Paul wrote one third of the New Testament; how can you eliminate the teachings of such an influential Holy Ghost filled man? If you find someone performing miracles and you don’t believe it, just keep quiet than to talk against the works of the Spirit.

In Luke 4:18 we see Jesus being given the scroll to take the first reading of the book of Isaiah. He turned to the sixty-first chapter and of course, He didn’t read like anyone else would have read. He didn’t say, “Isaiah said the Spirit of the Lord was upon him (Isaiah), for the Lord had anointed him.” When Jesus started reading He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me”, referring to Himself and not Isaiah. And when He was through reading, He said, “Today is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21). The Bible says that heaven and earth shall pass away but the Word of God shall never pass away (Matthew 5:18).

In Jesus’ day, Isaiah had passed on to glory but the Word of the Lord continued on earth. And it’s still the same today. Whoever will, let him step into the Word and say, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” and the Spirit of the Lord will surely rest upon him. Don’t you dare think Jesus acted the way He did because He knew Isaiah had prophesied concerning Him. If you stand on the Word like the disciples did, you’ll get the kind of results they got. Paul could boldly say, “The God of our fathers has chosen me to know his will.” But Paul has passed unto glory.

Now, whoever will, let him step into what Acts 22:14 says and declare that the God of our fathers has chosen him to know His will. You have been chosen to know the revelation of that Just One and to know His voice. The whole world may hear other voices but you can know the voice of God. Jesus said He’s the Shepherd and we’re His sheep. He leads us and we follow; we hear His voice for He’s our shepherd (John 10:14, 27). We don’t recognize or adhere to the voice of strangers. You can know Him!

As we discussed earlier, for you to know His voice you must develop a voracious appetite for the Word. The proof desire is pursuit. Study the Word and know it for yourself. The voice of God’s Spirit is known to you through the written Word. Train your spirit to respond to God by acting on the Word quickly. When you receive instructions or counsel from God’s Word, don’t delay; act quickly. This is learning to train your spirit. Praying according to God’s Word is very vital. Prayer helps your spirit to become a dependable receptacle of God’s ideas, visions and promptings. Pray mostly with the spirit, in other tongues. The more you do, the more sensitive your spirit will be to His voice.

When you receive Christ into your life and are born again, the Lord begins to share mysteries of His Kingdom with you. Mystery refers to something that's known but not meant for everybody, but is released for a select few. This is why Bible says, “We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7). This hidden wisdom is not for everybody, but only for those in that inner circle with God, and that's us! Understand that the way God deals with His children is completely different from the way He deals with the rest of the world. Jesus' disciples noticed this fact and they wondered why He talked to them plainly, but spoke to the others in parables.

He replied them saying that it was given to them to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God (Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10). He doesn't have this obligation to the rest of the world, and that is why when we begin to declare the truths of our kingdom, the carnally minded cannot comprehend them. In your life, never act like someone who's confused or without direction. Quit talking like a victim, saying things like “I don't know what to do.” No, not you! You have insight to the secrets of God. You are the one who can look at a seemingly hopeless situation and laugh in the face of it, for you have inside information that all things work together for your good! (Romans 8:28).

As you study the Word of God, do it with confidence, knowing that the Holy Spirit is more than willing to reveal to you wonderful truths of the Kingdom that will make you a winner every day. Have a strong foundation, so “that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Ephesians 4:14). For lack of knowledge, it’s possible to accept whatever someone teaches. Today he sees somebody say something different and he accepts, another time he accepts a different thing. I’ve seen this happen to some people and it’s a serious problem.

Paul went to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus as he was instructed by God. In a private meeting with the leaders, he explained the gospel message he preached to them. He was there because the people were being deceived. He stated: “…because of false brethren who had been secretly smuggled in [to the Christian brotherhood]; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage [under the Law of Moses]” (Galatians 2:4, Amp). Some people have listened to such folks and they are in bondage.

The plans and purposes of God are unsearchable to those who walk by the senses. Be very careful about them. Don’t think: “Oh, I’m too young or too old for God to use me.” There is no respecter of persons with God (Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Romans 2:11). The devil is wasting people’s time by making them engage in things that do not profit them. They are arguing about which day we should go to church, ceremonies and festivals we should observe, foods we should eat etc. Instead of seeking to know more about God, they are always looking for things they can argue about.

Get this: “…don't let anyone criticize you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating Jewish holidays and feasts or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these were only temporary rules that ended when Christ came. They were only shadows of the real thing-of Christ himself. Don't let anyone declare you lost when you refuse to worship angels, as they say you must. They have seen a vision, they say, and know you should. These proud men (though they claim to be so humble) have a very clever imagination. But they are not connected to Christ, the Head to which all of us who are his body are joined; for we are joined together by his strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God.

Since you died, as it were, with Christ and this has set you free from following the world's ideas of how to be saved – by doing good and obeying various rules – why do you keep right on following them anyway, still bound by such rules as not eating, tasting, or even touching certain foods? Such rules are mere human teachings, for food was made to be eaten and used up. These rules may seem good, for rules of this kind require strong devotion and are humiliating and hard on the body, but they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires. They only make him proud” (Colossians 2:16-23, TLB). No wonder such people look so proud; they think they are too good by their works! Have deep roots in the Word so that no one deceives you.

Don’t waste your time with such people, because we are told to “avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain” (Titus 3:9). The message Bible translates it this way: “Stay away from mindless, pointless quarrelling over genealogies and fine print in the law code. That gets you nowhere.” They’ve gotten nowhere in their journey with God, and have not realized it. That’s a scheme the devil is using to waste their time. Before they realize, they’re been old. They can’t confidently state like Paul: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Finally, brethren, “Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that's not the way of Christ” (Colossians 2:8, MSG).