sgys banner books


The Flesh vs the Spirit

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” Romans 8:5

This life is a daily test of who we truly love (Matthew 6:24; 22:37-40; John 14:15; 15:14; Romans 6:16).

You are not relegated to the flesh, to live after it, or be defeated by it.

“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:12-14

How does Christ’s victory work in our lives?

“I die daily (death)But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (resurrection). 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. …  But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:31, 57-58 …10

Those who are crucified with Christ are walking in His victory – the victory He alone grants. And they are laboring by His grace in His work.

There was no other way to redeem fallen mankind but the cross. And there’s no other way to  walk with the Savior who went to that cross for us – except by way of the cross He prescribed that we take up daily (Luke 9:23-24).

The War Within

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 
17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 
18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 
19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 
22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
24  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 
25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:16-25

The Flesh or the Spirit: Which shall ye allow to reign?

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24

Agreeing with the divine declaration of condemnation on our fallen state is essential to victory, otherwise the temptation to compromise and have mercy on the old man will be present (Romans 1-3).

Adam is the father of the old man the fallen man. Jesus is the King of the new man the new creation. Romans 5

“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. … 12  And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” Genesis 6:5, 12

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. … 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:18, 24

We are not good, not one of us (Romans 3:10). If we don’t understand and own what the Bible states concerning the universal fall of all men in Adam, that there’s “no good thing” in us, we will not recognize the need for the daily cross – to be truly crucified with Christ.

The “old man,” the flesh, can not and will not ever be reformed (Romans 6: Colossians 3). It must be daily crucified. There’s no hope of a chance or  possibility that the flesh can be reformed. It’s a lost cause and that’s why Jesus came.

“The truth is that while Christ dwells in the believer’s new nature, He has strong competition from the believer’s old nature. The warfare between the old and the new goes on continually in most believers.” AW Tozer

You can’t negotiate with a terrorist.

Kill or be killed. Kill the flesh or be killed by it.

There is no negotiating with the flesh and there can be no mercy afforded to it.

Allowing the flesh a foot in the door is the inroad to total destruction.

“Either you will crucify sin out of your life or sin will crucify Christ out of your life.” Burt Clendendon

“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” 1 Corinthians 9:27

The flesh must be sentenced to death.

2 Corinthians 1:9-11

“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 
10  Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 
11  Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.” 

  • v. 9 – Sentence the self life to the death of the self life.
  • v. 10 – Past, present, and future deliverance, victory over sin, can only come by way of the cross.
  • v. 11 – we must pray for each other in this regard – that we would be conformed to the crucified image of Christ our LORD.

Perhaps the best prayer we can pray for each other is that we’d be crucified with Christ…. because this guarantees the resurrection, the raising up of that life!

God is waiting for you to lay it all down – to be truly crucified with the Savior, to own it, to wear it, to embrace that your life is over in this world and now it’s all about Him, about King Jesus.

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:9-12

(v. 9) Being found in Christ and not outside of Him (and lost), not having our own filthy-rag righteousness “through the faith of Christ.” (v. 10) & (John 17:3) Knowing Him is the very reason we are created by Him – “That I may know him.” Experiencing “the power of his resurrection” is preceded by “being made conformable unto his death.” (vv. 10-11) Seems the apostle here is intimating that he is not perfect in taking up the cross, realizing the utter need for such.

The LORD is “Holy, holy, holy” and commands you to “be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8; 1 Peter 1:15-16)

Recently, had a conversation with a long time friend who is a dear brother in Christ. We mourned together over the sin he’d been walking in. And, we discussed the only solution – the cross. I was able to share with him that the only victory I have ever been able to walk in is via the cross life.

The life of the disciple is a crucified life and this is what our water baptism is supposed to depict and yet the follow up, the messages we hear in local churches, regrettably is anything but the cross (Romans 6; Colossians 2:12). Scarcely if ever can the message of the cross be heard or even mentioned, much less talked of continually by preachers today. This is the fulfillment of end times prophecy (Philippians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; 2 Timothy 4:2-4, etc.).

Read Romans 6 each morning this week. Pray and ask the LORD to teach you His way – the way of the cross. Ask Him sincerely to anoint your life to be dead and buried with Him and raised up by Christ – that you would be conformed to His holy image (Romans 8:29).

God’s way is the cross. No one will be in Heaven who didn’t walk His way – which is the way of the cross, the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.).

Jesus taught diametrically opposite to Satan’s message of the world to love self.

So many people claiming Christ as LORD continue to peddle lies. Beware of them (Colossians 2:8-10). Their memes and messages say things like: “Love yourself,” “take care of yourself,” “treat yourself,” “forgive yourself,” etc. …. Hmmmm I don’t remember reading any such thing in the Bible. No, in fact, the Bible says we all already, innately love ourselves and THAT’s our biggest problem and where our sin is rooted – pride! – “The pride of life” (Ephesians 5:29; 1 John 2:15-17). We are never instructed to pamper our “desperately wicked” self but rather Jesus commands us to “deny” or die to self – to live the crucified life.
 
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24

People who are propagating these diabolical lies, encouraging others to love self instead of to crucify self, are clueless, walking in darkness, have no clue of who Christ is or His Gospel message – which begins with the essential command to “repent,” to lay down our lives in this world and obey Him – to follow Him, His example by preferring Him and others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3-5, etc.).

Recently a saint of Christ send this message:

“Never change Todd. Keep lifting JESUS up as you do. Keep dying, so you will not be cast away in the end. Keep increasing in humility and love. At any moment, you could jeopardize your place with Christ, when just a little pride slips in, self glory, lust…  Keep that humble place until You see your Lord face to face. I want Todd to enter Heaven, my dear Todd, a wretched  man, as I, who trusted Christ’s Sacrifice and lived, until the end, for His Name.”

“Jesus needs to Increase and I need to decrease. I am nothing without Jesus Amen.” David Reeves

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30

Do you desire and love God above self?

Get low.

Stay low.

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3

Go down deep into death and burial and let the LORD Himself raise your life upward.

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12

HOW will you finish? It’s really how you finish that matters most! (2 Timothy 4:7-8) Finish strong beloved – lay down your life (death and burial) so that the strength of your life is Christ’s resurrection grace!!!!! Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. Go down deep.

“And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:” Isaiah 37:31

Read the verse above again, looking for the death, the burial, and raising up!

The context of Isaiah 37:31 concerns Assyria seeking to seize Judah and yet out of that evil attempt to conquer God’s people came a “remnant.” Yet it’s those who submitted to the LORD in death, those who took root downward (death and burial) who were reciprocally raised up out of that snare and destruction. Resurrection grace wins every time, with no exception! The cross is the divine prescription for absolute victory in every situation.

The depth you allow God to bury you determines the height of His resurrection, His raising up in you! (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

As we submit to Him, to His way, God liquidates us, putting away our sin, our past, and weaknesses and raising us upward in His power while granting us a clear conscience.

“God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him again to newness of life.” AW Tozer

The cross is always God’s way – the blood of Christ’s cross, His death, burial, and resurrection, and daily our own (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

“And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:10-11

The raising up cannot and will not come before the laying down of one’s life.

God is not going to raise up the rebel but He is going to raise up the humble, the truly poor in spirit saint.

“The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” Psalms 145:14

The soul, the spirit, the life of the true saint must be nourished in this essential cross message. A little dab will not do it – you must be saturated. You must be ever bowing downward in worship to the LORD. As your life is bowed down, the reciprocal divine raising will transpire!

If you are not learning the cross Jesus taught, you are fallen away.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I come to You now as a sinner. I am away from You and I do not want to remain alienated from You. Holy Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I here and now ask You to take me back, to wash me clean in the blood of the Lamb, and to have Your way in my life. This moment, I lay my life into Your holy hands and rest in You, in Your love, by faith. Thank You for finding and saving me dear LORD. From this moment forward, I will follow You LORD Jesus till the end of my life on this earth. I pray all these things in the name above all names, the name of Jesus Christ! Sobeit dear LORD!

The Cross | 100’s of Scripture-Rich Podcasts for you edification in Christ | Fasting and Prayer

Support | STORE | PodcastsThe Return of Christ | Stewardship | Jesus Sat Over Against The Treasury [podcast]10 Clues Your Love for God has Waxed Cold [podcast]Where to Give and Where Not to Give | Fruit Abounding to Your Account!Parable of the Talents [podcast] | Proving Jesus Matters [podcast]Money, Material Wealth, and RichesRusted Gold and Fire Untold [podcast]

Join Us

We saved a place for you to receive our weekly newsletter.

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

G.O.D. = Game Over Devil [podcast]

Who were the Amalekites and what do they Represent to us? [podcast]

 

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

Abiding

The Eternal Danger of Trusting Mere Men [podcast]


Idol Shepherds Abounding!

The LORD is Holy and will not share His glory with any other.

“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” Isaiah 42:8

Your favorite pastor, evangelist or teacher among men is “at his best state … altogether vanity” (Psalms 39:5). God be thanked for the life of every true servant elder and yet they are mere men. God did not send His only begotten Son to die and be buried and raised again to make you a good church member or fan of a mere man who is supposed to be a servant leader. Jesus came to take away our sins, make us new creatures so we could know Him and His Father – and serve them and not man (John 1:29; 17:3; 1 Corinthians 7:23). We are each called to “know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10). Let’s read the whole verse: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10).

RAVI ZACHARIAS is just another pawn of Satan whom gullible dupes clung to, they hung to his every word. He rarely even mentioned the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith – the holiness of God, the precious blood of Jesus, the crucified life, repentance, etc.. Why did they cling to him, a mere man? They were unrepentant and therefore weren’t choosing to truly worship, seek the face of, love and obey Christ. The vacuum left by their idolatry facilitated their delusion. Then Ravi died in sin. When you love the LORD, truly, you love and devour HIS Word, daily. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.

“LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. 5  Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 6  Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. 7  And now, Lord, what wait I for? MY HOPE IS IN THEE.” Psalms 39:4-7

When O When will we truly repent and genuinely follow JESUS, pouring over and hanging on HIS every Word – from Genesis to Revelation? Isn’t that why He gave us HIS Word, the Bible? (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3

“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” 20:31

“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:5

The ministries of mere men are not an end in themselves.

They are called to simply teach God’s Word itself – and to get you into God’s Word daily for yourself.

Notice how the apostle Paul reveals how the disciples at Thessalonica “received the word of God.”

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when YE RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13

“Ye received the word of God – Ye received the doctrine of God, not as any thing fabricated by man, but as coming immediately from God himself, we being only his messengers to declare what he had previously revealed to us. And ye have had the fullest proof that ye have not believed in vain; for that doctrine, under the power and influence of the Holy Ghost, has worked most powerfully in you, filling you with light, life, and holiness.” Adam Clarke

They were “taught of God”, not men (1 Thessalonians 4:9).

The ministries of the servants of God are merely designed to get you to discern ….. and to get into God’s Word FOR YOURSELF – to study to show your own self approved unto God! (Acts 17:10-11)

” And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts 17:10-11

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13 

YOU do it.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

The lazy, those who don’t truly love the LORD are being eliminated as goats. This all comes on the heels of their refusal to seek God…. and study His own Word.

No, instead the idolaters of mere men will read and listen to endless messages by mere men, their favorite preachers, mere men. They then bond with those mere men, there is an unnatural soul-tie created.

“Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” Isaiah 2:22

“Isaiah 2:19-22 People will seek for shelter wherever they can hide. It will be clear then that fleeting man is unworthy of trust. Only the Lord is worthy of the undivided confidence of His people.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

“Cease ye – Never admire or place your trust in man. Breath – Whose breath is quickly stopped and taken away. Wherein – What excellency is in him, considered in himself, and without dependence on God?” John Wesley

“Cease ye from man – Trust neither in him, nor in the gods that he has invented. Neither he, nor they, can either save or destroy.” Adam Clarke

The church world is full of wolves in sheep’s clothing. The list of “idol shepherd(s) is long…. Here is but a sampling:

See all shorts videos here on ministry youtube channel.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates |  Because You Care Page | The Greatest of these is CharityBe Ready in the Morning [podcast]The Sure Mercies of David [podcast]That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast]At His Feet | Prepared to be Used of God  | Waste | Stewardship | GivingLet Him be Your Fear [podcast]Why We Need Not Fear DeathFear Not Little Flock | The Glorious Church Jesus is Returning For [podcast]

Join Us

We saved a place for you to receive our weekly newsletter.

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

Continue Reading

Abiding

“Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith” [podcast]


Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith and He requires our personal participation both initially and ongoing, as we “endure to the end”, abiding in Him (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; John 15, etc.).

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” John 6:66-67 

WHERE O WHERE are we going to go if we depart from Jesus? …. does He, the eternal God and Creator of all things not hold the future of every living soul in His holy hand?

FB Meyer on John 6:60-71

“THE SIFTING OF JESUS’ FOLLOWERS
Christ’s pathetic question-Will ye also go away?-elicited from Peter a reply which proved that the inner meaning of His words had already broken upon their souls. ‘Thy words give us and nourish within us the eternal life.'”

“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” John 6:66-67

There are many today, who like the 5,000 who departed from Christ, leave when they hear the cross message – the divine command to be crucified with Christ. Jesus asks us today: “Will you allow He who authored your faith to finish it?”

“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4 

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:   knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness”? Romans 6:1-16


“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:3-10

The Gospel, the Resurrection of Christ

1 Corinthians 15

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Christology | The Cross

Support | STORE | PodcastsMaking Peace with God | It is Finished! | DiscipleshipThe Gospel Centers Upon Christ’s Blood | Christology | The Gospel: What is It?

Join Us

We saved a place for you to receive our weekly newsletter.

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

Continue Reading

Abiding

“My Sheep Hear My Voice, and I Know them, and they Follow Me” [podcast]


There are 7 portraits of Jesus in the Gospel of John. One of those seven portraits is Jesus our “the good shepherd.” (John 10)

The first thing the good shepherd of the sheep did was give His life to purchase the sheep with His own blood.

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

Jesus who created us, then came to die to buy up back to the Father and Himself.

The Bible, God’s Word, is full of illustrations of who God is, and who He is to us. He is our shepherd….the shepherd of His true sheep. How do we know who His remnant saints, sheep truly are? How do we know if we individually are truly His?

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29

“John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice – But ye will not hear: – my sheep follow me; but ye will neither follow nor acknowledge me. Any person who reads without prejudice may easily see, that our Lord does not at all insinuate that these persons could not believe, because God had made it impossible to them; but simply because they did not hear and follow Christ, which the whole of our blessed Lord’s discourse proves that they might have done. The sheep of Christ are not those who are included in any eternal decree, to the exclusion of others from the yearnings of the bowels of eternal mercy; but they are those who hear, believe in, follow, and obey the Savior of the world.” Adam Clarke

We know He is our shepherd if we are reading, listening for, and walking out the voice of His Word. That’s why He gave us His Word. The voice of His Word is His voice. This is why God gave us the Bible, His Word, the “voice” of His Word. Jesus says “My sheep hear my voice” and the “voice” of Jesus is with us, is God’s written Word. We have the “voice”, the very words of our LORD on record. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The primary way God’s voice is heard by His sheep is the Holy Scriptures….. reading God’s Word is hearing the voice of God.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” John 16:13-14

Our LORD, the good shepherd of our souls, told us that His sheep are those who hear His voice, the voice of His Word. Those not in the Word are not hearing the voice of God.

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:47 

Those who are “of the truth” hear the voice, the words of Jesus Christ.

“To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37 

Jesus made it clear who His true sheep are ….

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21

Jesus’ sheep hear His voice, He knows them, they follow Him. They don’t listen to nor follow their own feelings, human reasoning, their own wicked heart, nor any mere men … “follow your heart”? No.  That’s a lie from hell. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)  Jesus died to save you so you would be His, and that you would follow Him, His voice and none other.

Jesus, on record in John 10:27-29, is telling us that it’s only those who are hearing His voice, the voice of His Word, and following Him, who are going to be kept in His holy hand. After being saved, only those who abide in Christ to the end will be kept by Him and with Him eternally. Read John 15:1-6 where you will see that any whom Jesus saves and yet then they don’t “abide” (remain, continue) in Him will be cast into the fire of hell (v6).

Take a closer look at John 10:27-29. Anchor the promise in verses 28-29 on verse 27 where Jesus identifies who His sheep are—those who hear and continue to hear His voice and continue to follow Him (present tense). The divine promise here to be kept is a conditional
promise requiring the individual recipient of the gift of God to continue to hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27-29). If you are born again, a sheep of Christ’ pasture, and you cease hearing His voice and following Him, you are no long His.

Many today detach, separate our LORD’s words in verse 27 from verses 28-29 of John 10. In doing so, they perpetrate their “eternal security” mythology which is Satan’s first lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4). Beware as this was the first lie Satan told mankind, which led to the fall (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).

The LORD saved you to be His – to hear the voice of His Word and to follow Him, to walk with Him.

“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:5

To be kept you must live “through faith” – to hear and believe the voice of His Word, and walk with Him accordingly.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

“Eternal security”, otherwise known as “once saved always saved”, is a lie from hell. Run from any and all wolves peddling this, Satan’s first lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).

To be “kept” by Jesus, the saved sheep must live his life “through faith.”

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.”   Luke 17:5

The recipient of salvation must “through faith” be “kept.” God never removes man’s free will and requires not only initial but also continued faith. Jesus foretold that some would be saved and then not continue with Him and “fall away” (Luke 8:12-13).

“Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:9

Prayer: Father, I know You are holy and require my faith to the end of this life. Make sensitive my conscience, quicken my spirit to repentance and to be holy as You are holy. In Jesus’ name.

Jesus Christ our LORD is “that great shepherd of the sheep.”

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21  Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21 

“For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,” Psalms 95:7

“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Psalms 100:3

“To hear His voice, we submit to the pruning of the Holy Ghost in our heart. The fruit of righteousness can only be produced in an ABIDING relationship with Jesus and cultivated by the Holy Spirit given to them that OBEY him. (John 15:3-5; 14:15-17)” Jon Crane

Moments with Our Master [book] 365 Day Devotional book available at  and amazon. English and Spanish.

See what others are saying about this devotional book.

Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison MinistryMexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | Hell | Becoming Rooted and Grounded in Christ | Bride of Heaven vs Harlot from Hell [podcast] | Fresh Start with God | Peace with God | Jesus is Coming Just as He Promised [podcast] | Having No Part Dark [podcast] | An Angry Man in Hell | Tormented in this Flame | Wolves ExposedThe High Treason of False Leaders | A Quick Nugget on Discerning WolvesKnowing Your Enemy [podcast]Is God Faithful to save us if we aren’t faithful to  Him?

Join Us

We saved a place for you to receive our weekly newsletter.

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

Continue Reading

Categories

donate button round
sgys-books01

Trending