Monday, October 14, 2013

You are built together for His dwelling place!

Ephesians 2:20-22 (NKJV): ... Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom, you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

'Built together' here in Greek is 'sunoikodomeo', which means 'being constructed, or composed together', and 'dwelling place' ('habitation' in King James Version) here is from the word 'kat(a)oikeo', which means 'to reside permanently, or to be housed permanently'.

In cross reference, let's look now at 1 Corinthians 6:17, and then 1 Corinthians 6:19. It says, 'But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him... Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?'

In 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Paul wrote, 'Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells (lives) in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred (holy, set apart, separated unto God), and you are that temple'.

From the Scriptures above, it is clear that in the New Covenant, God dwells (lives) not in temples made of bricks and stones, but He dwells (lives) in you, the temple of the Holy Spirit. By the way, the word 'temple' mentioned in all the above verses here is called 'naos' (pronounced 'nah-os') in Greek, which simply means 'dwelling place'.

One can personalize Ephesians 2:22 this way: "In Christ, I am being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

People of God, do you see that now? You are being built together for what? What was the reason God 'constructed, or composed' ('sunoikodomeo') you in the first place?

The answer is so that He can make His home in you! For some people in this world, they live for eating, for some, they live for drinking, and still for some others, they live for all the pleasures they can ever get in this world, but God's Word says you are being 'built together' for God's glory (presence) to reside in you!
Note: There is nothing wrong with eating, drinking, and enjoying the good pleasures that God has given you, but I mean 'the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, but rather righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit' (Romans 14:17).

And when the glory of the Lord is in you, people will come looking for you because somehow they know you have the 'answer' to their 'questions'! That was exactly what happened when the temple of Solomon was being dedicated to the Lord! (see 1 Kings 8:22-63) 1 Kings 8:60 says, '(so) that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; and there is no other'.

The Old Testament is the 'shadow', and the New Testament is the 'substance'. So, let's go to the Old Testament now to find out the details of what a 'temple' is, and let Scripture interpret Scripture. In the context of our Bible-study today, the temple of Solomon is the 'shadow', and you (the temple of the Holy Spirit) are the 'substance'.
Note: The composition of the temple
'The inner sanctuary ('The Most Holy Place' where the ark of the covenant is)' speaks of your 'spirit';
'The Holy Place' speaks of your 'soul'; and
'The porch and the outer court' speaks of your 'body'.

Therefore, I can say that the temple of Solomon those days was a 'picture' of you today, the temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 Kings 6:22 says, 'The whole temple he (Solomon) overlaid with gold until he had finished all the temple; also he overlaid with gold the entire altar that was by the inner sanctuary'. When I see this word 'gold', one word comes into mind, and that word is 'precious'! And the Bible says, 'The whole temple of Solomon was overlaid with gold'! You know what this means? God is telling you today that you are precious in His eyes too, even if others may not see you that way! But God sees you precious! Period.

1 Kings 8:1 then says, 'Now Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion'.

This 'ark of the covenant' speaks of Jesus Himself, the King of Glory. 1 Kings 8:9 says, 'Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there...' The 'two tablets of stone' here speaks of the 'Law' given to Moses. The Bible says 'Jesus has come to fulfil (satisfy) the Law...' (see Matthew 5:17-18). As a matter of fact, no one can fulfil (satisfy) the Law perfectly except Jesus who is perfect in all His ways.

Now, notice in 1 Kings 8:5, the Bible says, 'Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude'.

Before the 'ark' (which speaks of 'Jesus') was brought into the 'inner sanctuary' (which speaks of 'your spirit, or heart'), there was a sacrifice of sheep and oxen 'that could not be counted or numbered for multitude'.

Today, in the New Covenant, we don't need to sacrifice sheep and oxen any more, because Jesus (the Lamb of God) has already been sacrificed for you, once for all! Hebrews 10:10 says, 'By that (sacrifice) will we have been sanctified (cleansed, set apart, made holy) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all'. So, what you need to do today is simply looking to all that Jesus has done for you at the cross. Many people see Jesus as just another 'religious' teacher or prophet, but what do you see Jesus as? He is THE Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29), and there is no other name by which one is saved but the name of Jesus! (see Acts 4:12) May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23), as you keep looking unto Him. Amen.

Indeed, His sacrifice on the cross some 2,000 years ago was a perfect sacrifice, greater than all the sheep and oxen being put together and sacrificed in this world! (see Hebrews 10:1)

Upon bringing the 'ark of the covenant' into its rightful place (i.e. the inner sanctuary), 1 Kings 8:10 says, 'And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud (speaks of 'the glory of the Lord') filled the house of the Lord (i.e. the temple)'!
Note: The glory of the Lord is His very presence, and where the presence of the Lord is, there is peace, rest, and joy.

As you open your heart for the 'ark' to come into your 'inner sanctuary', you too will be filled with the glory of the Lord who dwells in you! Never mind about the past, or what has happened in your past, but in Him, know that the blood shed on the cross for you has already washed and cleansed you from all your sins, curse, past and hurts the moment you receive Him into your life. Just as the temple of Solomon was dedicated, you too can have a brand-new start in life today! Will you give your life to Him anew and afresh all over again? A brand-new season of God's glory beckons if you do.

In amazement of the glory of the Lord that filled the temple, Solomon then said, "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying befire You today; that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, 'My name shall be there,' that You may hear the prayer that Your servant makes toward this place." (1 Kings 8:27-29)

Beloved of God, God also wants you to know that His eyes are always open toward you too (His temple) night and day, for He never slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4), and therefore you can be assured that He is always watching over you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Not only that, because He makes you His home, His name shall also be in you, and He is your:
El-Shaddai (God Almighty and All-Sufficient to you),
El-Olam (God Everlasting and Eternal to you),
El-Roi (God who watches, who sees, and who is All-knowing to you),
El-Gibbor (God the great God to you),
Immanu-El (God who is with you),
YHWH Yireh (The Lord who provides for you),
YHWH Rapha (The Lord who heals you),
YHWH Nissi (The Lord your Banner of Victory),
YHWH Shalom (The Lord your Peace),
YHWH Raah (The Lord your Good Shepherd),
YHWH Tsidkenu (The Lord your Righteousness),
YHWH Shammah (The Lord who is always here for you, and Ever-present to you),
who lives in you.

And so, if He is in you, of whom (and what) shall you fear?

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Your praise releases authority and open door!

Psalm 34:1-2a (NKJV): I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord...

This word 'praise' in Hebrew is 'tehillah', from the word 'haw-lal', which means 'to be loud and clear, to shine, to celebrate, to boast about God (His greatness), to make His name great (high above all else)'.

Let's go to the Hebrew alphabets ('alefbet') for this word 'haw-lal' now:
The consonants are 'h-l-l' (Hey-Lamed-Lamed).
'Hey' speaks of God's grace (i.e. supply, ability), blessing, and anointing;
and 'Lamed' is a 'picture' of a 'shepherd's staff, or rod', and is a sign of 'authority'. 'Lamed' can also mean 'to point forward, or to move forward with the authority of God'.

People of God, as you praise ('tehillah') the Lord, He will also supply you with the authority to point forward, or to move forward! Praise releases authority! Just as Moses raised his rod and the Red Sea miraculously opened, your praises will also release authority in the spiritual realm that causes breakthroughs and doors to be opened!

So, what is praise? Simply put it, to make His name great in your life! Yes, and high above all else, and over every situation in your life. 'He is great and greatly to be praised...' (Psalm 96:4).

The Bible also says 'God is enthroned in the praises ('tehillah') of Israel' (Psalm 22:3). In other words, He becomes King (in and over your life) when you praise Him! The enemy (the forces of darkness) may be trying to ‘spew poison’ against you, and will also do anything to try to dominate you, but God already has an answer for you this day! The answer is in your praises! Begin praising the Lord, and keep on praising Him! Because when you praise, He, the Lion of Judah is enthroned. 'Lion' speaks of 'authority and dominion'. The real authority and dominion in the spiritual realm is in the Lion of Judah (the king of your praises), and you are in Him! All the words (and works) of the enemy will therefore have to leave when you praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

No wonder the psalmist wrote, 'Seven times a day I praise ('haw-lal') You' (Psalm 119:164). 'Seven times' here is a 'picture' of 'perfection, or continuity'. So, people of God, let the praises of the Lord continually be in your mouth. Amen!

Let's look at the life of David now. He lived to sing praises unto the Lord! You see, like so many other people, David too experienced a 'dead-end' at one time! (see 1 Samuel 21:10-15) He was fleeing from King Saul, but ended up in King Achish's (the king of Gath's) path, who was also hunting for him! By the way, Goliath (whom David slain not too long ago) was this king's blue-eyed boy! So, as you can see, David was a marked man!

And how did David respond in such a 'dead-end' (or 'checkmate') situation? Okay, out of fear, he pretended to be mad! But what else did he doPsalm 34:1-2 says, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord..." David began praising ('tehillah') the Lord! And you know what? God somehow opened a door of escape for him to the cave of Adullam! Not only that, God's authority was also with him, as he then raised up a new army of warriors from among those who were in distress, in debt, and discontented (1 Samuel 22:1-2). Praise the Lord!

So, people of God, for you too, how do you respond when you find yourself in a 'dead-end' road (or 'checkmate' situation)? You praise the Lord! What do you do 'when the going gets tough' in life? You praise the Lord! And what do you do if you find yourself stagnated and unable to move forward in life? You praise the Lord too! Let the praises of the Lord be released into the air loud and clear, in spite of what happens!

Recently, I heard these words from the Lord during a time of praise and worship:
"This whole month, as you praise, you're going to see things moving into order for your life. You're also going to see authority and doors being opened for you supernaturally. So, keep praising, no matter what. Never quit praising. Your praises unto Me will open a supply of My direction, revelation, and authority. Your praises will be the key to a year of authority and open door, and for heavenly wisdom to be released on you even as you move forward into the next stage of your life!"

Another Hebrew word for 'praise' is found in 2 Chronicles 20:21. It says, 'And when Jehoshaphat had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise ('ya-dah') the Lord, for His mercy endures forever."'

This word 'ya-dah' means 'to shoot up, to lift up hands and revere Him, or to throw oneself before Him'. By the way, this word 'ya-dah' is also where the word 'Judah' comes from.

Let's go to the Hebrew alphabets (alefbet) for this word 'ya-dah' now:
The consonants are 'y-d-h' (Yud-Dalet-Hey).
'Yud' is a 'picture' of 'hand';
'Dalet' is a picture' of 'door';
and of course, 'Hey' speaks of God's grace (i.e. supply, ability), blessing, and anointing.

Therefore, 'ya-dah' (Yud-Dalet-Hey) means 'the hand of God that opens the door to grace (i.e. supply, ability), blessing, and anointing for your life'. And that's exactly what happened to Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah those days! (see 2 Chronicles 20:1-30) When all of Judah were surrounded by a great multitude to come and battle against them, Jehoshaphat was instructed by the Lord to send out the singers and musicians to the front-line! (2 Chronicles 20:21) And when they began to sing praises, the Lord supernaturally set ambushes against all their enemies who got so confused they 'self-destruct' one another! (2 Chronicles 20:22-23) See His authority over the enemies at work here? Not just that, His hand then also opened the door for them to take away the spoils (valuables and precious jewelry) of the enemies. In short, He opened the door of blessing ('berachah') for them as well. Praise the Lord!

Let's look at another example now, and this time in the New Testament. When Paul and Silas were put into a prison at Philippi, instead of feeling sorry or angry, they began singing praises unto God! (see Acts 16:25 KJV). I like the word 'praise' here in Greek. It is pronounced as 'arete', which means 'to speak excellence (of God), to declare bravely (like a man), or to roar with a loud voice'. God then caused an earthquake, and all the doors of the prison were opened (Acts 16:26). The keeper of the prison, upon seeing this, and supposing all the prisoners had fled, tried to kill himself, but Paul and Silas stopped him. Falling down and trembling before them, he then asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." (see Acts 16:27-31) He and his whole family were then baptized on that same night! (Acts 16:33) Well, again, that's God's authority at work! Praise the Lord!

In conclusion, no matter how big your challenges may be at the moment, take heart, because there's an answer! Begin praising the Lord and keep on praising like David, Jehoshaphat, or Paul and Silas did. He is still the same mighty God, the Lion of Judah, yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). And the praises that come forth from your mouth will also release His authority over that very situation of yours, and open the door of His supply, ability, blessing, and anointing for you, just as He did for His people those days. Amen!