GO YOU OUT

“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him.”

              MATTHEW 25:6 (KJV)

The statement in the opening scripture is said against the background of the parable of the ten virgins. The preceding verses let us know that they were appointed to meet with the bridegroom. Five of them were defined as being wise; while, the other five were defined as being foolish.

They all waited for the bridegroom, and while he delayed in coming they slumbered and slept. Scripture says that at midnight there was a cry made, “Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him.”

Why was an emphasis placed on them going out to meet the bridegroom? Couldn’t they have stayed where they were for the bridegroom to come meet them since they’ve been waiting for him? It is interesting to know that the parables of Jesus conceal Kingdom principles by which we are to live our lives.

Jesus, being the bridegroom, cannot be met in the present location where we are. We will have to go away from our present location to meet with him. This location does not refer to a physical one: it is a state of life. To meet with Jesus, you have to leave the state of sin, sickness, oppression, poverty, mediocrity, complacency etc. Staying where you are because of your present state of life will not make you meet with the bridegroom who has the solution to the problems of your life. The four lepers in 2 Kings 7 didn’t experience wealth until they left their present state. Blind Bartimeaus didn’t experience a change of condition until he left his present state. The woman who had the issue of blood didn’t experience a change of experience until she left her state of illness. Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “stretch forth your hand:” he wanted him to leave where he was.

Often, our present unpleasant state of life may want to confine us to inactivity, but we are to step out in faith to meet Jesus who has the solution that we need. We go out to meet Jesus when we take decisions that our present state will not encourage us to take. You can’t continue to wallow in past hurts and mistakes and experience a change of situation. You can’t continue to stay in prayerlessness and experience a change of life. You can’t continue to hold back from giving to others and experience prosperity.

Scripture let us know that the wise virgins demanded that the foolish ones went out to buy oil for their lamps. This lets us know about another type of “going out.”

The foolish virgins thought they needed oil before they could meet with the bridegroom. Oil makes for a state of wellness; as scripture says that oil makes the face shine. A dull face, which is a product of lack of oil, signifies an ill state.

The foolish virgins went out to seek solution to their problem before meeting with the bridegroom, but on returning they were denied entrance into the marriage because they were late. Notice, scripture didn’t say that possession of oil was the criterion for meeting with the bridegroom; availability was the criterion. Scripture says, “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” The word “ready” connotes availability.

Some people seek to solve the problems of their life before they meet with Jesus in an intimate and sincere relationship. They say things like, “when I am through with this issue I will get serious with God.” It ought not to be so. The foolish virgins could have relied on the reflection from the lamps of the wise virgins, or relied on the light from the moon, but they wanted to be in good shape before meeting with Jesus. We need understand that Jesus wants us to come to him just the way we are. He only requires faith in our hearts as we approach him. The mad man of Gadarene meet Jesus the way he was and he was healed and commissioned for the work of the gospel.

When we seek to solve our problems ourselves, we could fall into wrong hands, get the wrong solutions, and worst of all miss Jesus because of our lateness in heeding his invitation to salvation and a life of significance.

THE LIFE OF GOD

“And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

John 17:3 (KJV)

The promise made by Jesus to everyone that believes in him is life eternal. This simply means a life that last: as the word eternal means continuing forever or indefinitely. The contrast is death eternal: this is a death that continues forever or indefinitely. Those who refuse Jesus are sure to experience death eternal as they spend their existence in hell fire alongside the devil and all his wicked demons.

Life eternal is the life of God. It is the very life that the Father possesses which causes him to exist in the atmosphere of righteousness, peace and joy. Whoever possesses this life comes into the same experience as the father.

Let us take a moment to consider on a simpler level what the life of God is as it relates to human existence, judging from the fact that the reception of this life does not mean a termination of the present life you have which is a function of exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon-dioxide). Since the receptor still has the human life, how then do we know that we have received the life of God?

Our opening text lets us in on the answer. It says, “. . . this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ . . .” The life of God is the knowledge of God, or what can be called the awareness of God. It can’t be any simpler than this.

Some people may be quick to say that they have the life of God because they know that there is only one God, and yet they may not be possessors of this life. The unbelievers out there know about God’s existence, even those who feign to be Christians and are not know about God’s existence, yet they do not know God.

What then is the true knowledge of God. The true knowledge of God is the information about God that causes a man to serve him. This is what is called revelation of God. We are judged as being in service to God when we live for him and speak about him to others.

The man who possess the life of God encapsulated in the knowledge of God will live his life in allegiance to God’s ways of doing things. The knowledge of God is communicated by the word of God as either written in the scripture of truth or revealed by the spirit of truth. Scripture says we are born of God’s word, and this confirms that the life of God is a product of the word of God in the heart of a man.

As it is with the human life where we have to continually exchange gases to survive, we have to take in God’s word always and release the ignorance that is in us. Jesus said that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes out of the father. Do not stay far from the oxygen of God’s word: you need it daily to survive.

PATHWAY TO GOD’S FULLNESS

“And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:9

The fullness of God is something that we can possess as humans. This is in harmony with what scripture says in Romans 8: 29, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Jesus is an exact representation and manifestation of God to humans. Conformity to his image is the act of behaving and thinking in the same way as he does.

One may say that, “Jesus is not around here in person: so how can I know to behave as he does and think as he does when I can’t see him?” Scripture says for us to conform to his image, this is the alternative to his physical presence that we may require.

There can’t be an image without a projection. But first, what is an image? An image is a mental representation of someone. It is interesting to know that the gospel presents us with a mental representation of Jesus. The gospels contain the behavioural patterns and thought patterns of Jesus.

Our opening text reveals that LOVE is the pathway to the fullness of God. The fullness of God consists of his anointing, blessings and dimensions. The anointing of God is the power of the spirit that causes supernatural results to happen in a man’s life. Once it is at work in a man’s life, that man only needs to speak the word and the Holy Spirit will produce the result.

The blessings of God are the very provisions of the father that defines him as a wealthy one; they include all the resources needed for life and godliness. The dimensions of God are phenomena like fire, wind, thunder, lightning etc.

God desires for man to carry his fullness, and he furthermore made it possible through the life of Jesus. Scripture reveals that certain people in the early church had the fullness of God. In Acts 11:24, it was said of Barnabas that he was full of the Spirit. It was also said of Stephen and Phillip Acts 6:3. The fullness of the Spirit- seven spirit of God- is the Fullness of God.

The knowing of Jesus’ love for us brings us into this estate in the spirit. The love of Christ to mankind was revealed in his willingness to die for man in order to liberate him from Satan who held him in bondage through fear, sin, and afflictions.

As we perceive how much God loves us, we will naturally reciprocate this love to him through our love for one another. We love God by loving mankind. As we persist in loving mankind, the fullness of God will become a reality in our lives.

Paul also lets us know that the accurate way to the gifts of the Spirit, which is an expression of his anointing, is through love. “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I to you a more excellent way. 1Cor 12:31” Then Paul further said, “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts. . . 1Cor 14:1” This lets us know that Love is the excellent way to the anointing.

While we can pray our way to realities of the fullness of God, we may be deficient of love, and as scripture says we would only amount to nothing in life and in the kingdom of God 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

TIMES OF TEMPTATION

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Cor. 10:13 NKJV”

The presence of evil in the world has made temptation, which is also known as trial, a reality of Christians. As darkness continues to attack light, they of the light may go through experiences that are in contrast to the promises in God’s word. This need not bother a Christian so much as Christ has put us on a vantage position over our enemies and their works.

Scripture lets us know that Christians have a role to play with respect to temptations that come their way. I need, at this point, clarify the word temptation before continuing. The word temptation is readily associated with sinful activities, but this is not all to the word temptation. The Greek form of the word temptation as used in the New Testament is “peirasmos (pi-ras-mos');” which means a putting to proof (by experience [of good], experience [of evil].¹

A financial challenge is a temptation to a Christian, a case of sickness is a temptation to a Christian, a moment of depression is a temptation to a Christian, and a season of abundance is a temptation to a Christian. These and many more are forms of temptation to Christians.

Our role with respect to the experience of temptation is in Jesus’ encouragement for us to pray that we fall not into temptation.² In another occasion, he admonished we prayed against being led by God into times of temptation:³ this has to do with a case where God permits a temptation to come to us partly because we did nothing to avert it in the first place.

This role of ours is very important with respect to the degree to which we experience the blessings of God’s kingdom. Scripture lets us know that the kingdom of God suffers violence and that those that will experience the kingdom are they that take it by force.⁴

Prayer averts evil. We do not need to wait until a trying time comes our way before we begin praying: we can, through praying in the Spirit or understanding direct prayers into our future that will keep the evil day at bay. God asked Job if he has shaken evil out of his days.⁵ Job didn’t, and he was bound to go through that trying time.⁶ When we pray we avert temptation, when we don’t pray we allow temptation.

God’s role in our times of temptation is to occasion it for our good. Scripture says that all things work together for good to them that love God and are the called according to his purpose.⁷ God allows some temptations come our way – after we failed to avert them – in a bid to have our faith tested to know the quality it is made up of. Testing in the life of a Christian is a very important part of his Christian growth: it reveals the fault-lines in his character and also gives him an opportunity to know the progress he has made in his spiritual growth. Bear in mind that whenever God allows temptation come our way, it is always for character formation and life promotion.

Scripture admonishes us to allow trying times because it works patience in us and we are to allow patience do her work of making us whole and lacking nothing in character when we respond positively to temptations, and lacking nothing in possession when the time of temptation is over.⁸

The way of escape is promised, but the taking away of the temptation is not promised. The way of escape is designed to cause us to bear the temptation while it last. Every temptation will pass away when it has accomplished what it is intended for. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.⁹ The way of escape is communion with Christ either through prayers or partaking of the flesh and blood of Jesus.

Certain times, times of temptation, may not be as a result of our prayerlessness, it could be a case of divine ordination: the more reason we have to pray to be able to bear it. Several of Paul’s temptation was as a result of divine ordination, Jesus, speaking to Ananias, concerning Paul said, “For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.”¹⁰ The way of escape is still the same for whatever the cause may be. The exit of the temptation is still the same for whatever the temptation may be.

If Christians fail to avert times of temptation through praying, they are encouraged to subject themselves to the learning process instituted by the temptation by responding positively to it through right attitude and heartfelt communion with Christ. The faster they respond, the earlier the temptation leaves.

Since God allowed it come, He can allow it go.

References

¹ (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded   Greek-Hebrew   Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

² Mark 14:38

³ Luke 11:4

⁴ Matthew 11:12

⁵ Job 38:12-13

⁶ Job 3:25

⁷ Romans 8:28

⁸ James 1:4

⁹ Psalms 30:5

¹⁰ Acts 9:16

BLEEDING HEAD

“And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,”

         JOHN 19:1 (KJV)

While Jesus journeyed to the Cross, a crown of thorns was platted and put on his head. It is necessary we understand that everything that was done on Jesus’ body depicted something of importance to the redemption of mankind. Through the body of Jesus, God put an end to the consequences of the sin of mankind, committed by Adam.

The bleeding head of Jesus on the Cross signifies man’s redemption from poverty. Thorn is a symbol of poverty, and this is clearly captured in the curse that God pronounced on the ground (uppermost layer of the earth that is easily accessible to man) because of Adam’s sin. “And to Adam he said, because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to you; and you shall eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return to the ground; for out of it were you taken: for dust you are, and to dust shall you return Genesis 3:17-19.”

It was symbolic for Jesus to have the thorns on his head: and this lets us know that poverty is a state of the mind and also an attack on the mind. In the true sense, poverty is not a state of the pocket, but a state of the mind. It is also not a function of what you don’t have; rather, it is a function of what your mind lacks.

There is no way a man can prosper if his mind is not prosperous. As long as a man keeps thinking along the line of mediocrity, impossibilities, limitations, he will never be wealthy. Even if such a man possesses money, probably through an inheritance or hustling, he will one day come back to the level of his thinking.

Through the crown of thorns that was put on Jesus’ head he has liberated man’s mind from the grip of mediocrity and limitations. You can work out your ideas with a certainty that they will prosper, because they will indeed prosper.

The platting of the thorns into the shape of a crown is worthy of note as it contains a revelation for humanity. The crown indicates a kingly position, and this lets us know that prosperity has somewhat to do with kingship. The influence of a king is a measure of his prosperity. King Solomon is a good example of this. Your kingly destiny in Christ will speak the more when it meets with wealth. No more are we under the curse of poverty, our ground is blessed; therefore, our seeds of business, ministry, idea can prosper because the ground is no longer cursed for man’s sake; rather, it is blessed for Jesus’ sake. Hallelujah!

BLEEDING BACK

“Then Pilate laid open Jesus' back with a leaded whip.”

JOHN 19:1 (TLB)

The first bleeding part of Jesus’ body on the Cross was his back. Scripture lets us know that stripes were laid to his back, and this act caused blood to flow out. In the realm of the spirit, blood is needed for redemption, and man could only be redeemed by the blood of a man and the only man whose blood could redeem man was that of Jesus.

The back part of the body represents the past. This past includes one’s parental background, foundation, and history. The past of man has a great influence on his present and future life. Scripture says, “for we are but of yesterday Job 8:9.” Some of the challenges people go through in life are a product of things done in the past. The posture of the dispensation of the law towards the past of a man is to have him suffer the consequence of his sins even to his third generation Exodus 20:5, but it is different with the dispensation of grace.

God, under the dispensation of grace, clearly states that man would no longer live by the consequence of wrong deeds of the past, “What mean you, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? As I live, said the Lord GOD, you shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel Ezekiel 18:2-3.”

The bleeding back of Jesus Christ signifies man’s redemption from the past. Hallelujah! When blood came out of Jesus’ back, it once and for all atoned for generational sins and brought man into an estate where they are no longer subject to the mistakes of the past. Scripture says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 3:11.” You can stand on the authority of this word to refuse any negative trend from your family foundation, if any man be in Christ through faith in Jesus, he is a new man, scripture says that old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new 2 Corinthians 5:17.

There is no reason for you to live with the consequence of the past. Rid yourself off it by believing your position in Jesus and declaring with all persuasion that Jesus has delivered you from the past.

PROPHETIC REALITIES OF THE CROSS

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us who are saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1: 18 (KJV)

The Cross of Jesus holds certain realities that are prophetic in implication. These realities are those events that we saw happen to him during the event of His death on the Cross. There is more to the death of Jesus than what eye can see; every part of his body from which blood came out holds a form of redemption for man. Paul lets us know that without shedding of blood there is no remission.

Jesus’ death on the Cross is for the benefit of man and this benefit can only be appropriated through our focused gaze on his body on the Cross through the eyes of our mind as the Word of God is taught with respect to these realities.

The Children of Israel had a similar experience with gazing at a structure for their redemption: this is in the account the fiery serpent that God sent amidst them because of their murmurings against him. Moses was commanded of God to set up a serpent that would serve as a cure for the poison from the bite of the serpent once it is looked upon by those that have been bitten by it.

Jesus related his death to the lifting of the serpent stating that he would be lifted up in same manner. We can propose that the same reality of gazing at the serpent for redemption holds true concerning the body of Jesus, as anyone who dares to look at Jesus on the Cross will be set free from the poison of the Old serpent called Satan.

There are several bleeding points on Jesus’ body – as it hung on the cross – that are worthy of consideration. These points have spiritual implications that have liberated mankind from the effects of the Fall of Adam and that can liberate anyone who is still held bond by these effects in his mind. These points are:

1.       Bleeding Back

2.      Bleeding Head

3.      Bleeding Hands

4.      Bleeding Legs

5.      Bleeding Side

We will consider them in details in the succeeding articles. Bear in mind that looking unto Jesus through the act of believing on him will deliver to us the blessedness of life that will long so much for.