A Good and Right Foundation for Eternity

The Lord has been speaking to me about foundations; how important it is to have not only a strong foundation but also a right foundation. I once had a vision of the night where the Lord took me to a very large amphitheater. While there I was on a platform looking out over a large mass of people, so many in fact that I could not see where it ended, it was a literal ocean of people.

While I was there, there was a lot of chatter (talking) going on and the Lord wanted to get everyone’s attention and so at this time there appeared in front of me a very dense and heavy chalk board like device; it was approximately four feet by four feet. And it stood before me on the podium. As I grasped it in my hands I said these words: “In eternity…” then I paused while I slid it off the edge of the podium and it fell slowly to the floor remaining in an upright position. When it came into contact with the floor the entire amphitheater shook like we were in a small earthquake and everyone settled in and fixed their eyes on this chalkboard…and so I continued: “In eternity we will be measure on what we have done with Jesus Christ...and how much of Gods will has been completed in our lives”.  As I said this it was obvious to me that everyone was being shown on this blackboard what Gods plan had been for their lives.

How does this vision of the night affect you? God brings each one of us into a place of worship; you are there because of the sovereign will of God. He uses the five fold ministry and the body of Christ to build within us a good and a right foundation. If the foundation is good and right then the house that is built will be good and right. 1 Peter 2:5 – “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” God has a plan for each and everyone of our lives and we are accountable to that plan, remain faithful in the place of His choosing and delight in it and God will fulfill His perfect will in you! And so my final exhortation is seek the Lord that the foundation would be good and right and that you will become that spiritual house He ordained you should be so when your day of measurement comes you will meet the exact measure...

Conflict III The Temptation of Christ

Conflict III - The Temptation of Christ

The Enemy’s Assault through Temptation

Here we see the enemy’s assault through temptation. The temptation of Christ exposes the enemy for who he really is, a worship hungry creature that seeks to trick, deceive and knock people off their course. The Lord allowed the enemy’s words to be recorded in the scriptures that they might be instructive; words paint a picture of what one really is (this is a key, learn to listen to what people are saying it always reveals who they are). We can read the account of the temptation of Christ very academically, totally confident in the outcome; however, in doing so we do not appreciate how powerful and convincing the Devil’s words and influence can be. Do not underestimate the power of this enemy of ours. He, of course, was no match for Christ but look what he did with Eve! The reason why Christ is so victorious against the enemy is found in John 14:30, where it says, “…for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” There are no sins or areas of disobedience in Him, no unrighteousness, no wickedness, and no evil confessions. Christ walked in loving obedience to His Father and was crucified body, soul and spirit (the three areas He was tempted in which we look at in depth later).

Every Life Must be Tested

We see in Luke 4:1 that it was actually the Holy Spirit who arranged this meeting between Christ and the devil in order to prove out Christ’s victorious walk. Our victory too will be tested in like manner; it is necessary that we be tried and tested because nothing is really true until it has been tested. Bear in mind we might be tested in different ways, however, the temptations will always be relevant to our own experience. The enemy does not tempt us in an area where we have no needs, but rather in areas of weakness, needs or wants. You can be sure of this one thing; his attack will always be a temptation that is relevant to a need in our lives. As Matthew Henry, an English commentator on the Bible, states, in his comments on Luke 4:1 “…It is one of the wiles of satan to take advantage of our outward condition and those who are brought into straights have need to double their guard.”

Cry Out to God against Known Areas of Weakness

Everyone knows the areas that they struggle with. We should all watch and pray in those areas, because it is in those areas that we will be tempted. Deal, deal, deal with the weaknesses in your life. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Paul says, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” God does not condemn man for being tempted provided man cries out against the temptation. The Godhead will preserve those who cry out as Christ did when He was tempted: “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared” (Heb 5:7). Those, however, who don’t deal with sin and temptation in their lives, are not preserved. The key to preservation in the hour of temptation is crying out to God against our weaknesses. God will be patient with man for a time and a season, but eventually we must all deal with sin if we are seeking to go on with God. Romans 12:1-2 instructs us to present our bodies a living sacrifice. If we learn to struggle and strive against these things, God will preserve us from the wiles of the devil and the enemy will come and find nothing in us. As the Lord prayed in Luke 11:4, “…lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” Again the secret to preservation is Hebrews 5:7.