Chapter 35 - The Marks of a Disciple

Freedom from Captivity 

Chapter 35 

The Marks of a Disciple 

The great commission of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 28:18-20,“When Jesus came near, he spoke to them. He said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. "And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.” (GW)

This was the commission that Jesus gave to His disciples before He ascended into heaven. In verse 18 Jesus explained to them that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him, and in verse 20 He encouraged them with these beautiful words which holds true for us today as well, that He will always be with us even until the end of the age. We are a blessed people because the one who is with us until the very end is the Lord Almighty Himself, who is endowed with all power and authority, one that supersedes all human authority. But what we need to understand is that the foremost reason the Lord is with us is so that we should go and make disciples of all nations, baptize them, and teach them all that He has commanded us.

We studied in the previous message that the huge crowds who followed Jesus did so for several reasons, many to have their sickness healed, some to see the wonders He performed, others for the miraculous food Jesus provided and the some with the intention to make Jesus king, so as to be freed from the Roman rule. The majority who followed Jesus did so to have their personal needs met by Him. This was the fan following that went after Jesus. There was a minority who followed Jesus most sincerely, and they were His disciples.

We too may have begun our journey with Jesus for our personal needs and benefits, but as we grow in our walk with Jesus, we must follow Him for who He is to us, and not for what we can gain from Him. One person told me that the ones who need Jesus are those who have nothing and are in want. He said, ‘I have everything in this world and I don’t see the necessity to have God in my life.’Sadly, there will come a day when he will realize that his life is meaningless and worthless without God. Even today there are great number of people who are content with being fan followers, who only seek Jesus for their own personal gain. The call of the Lord today is for us to be His disciples, who will acknowledge Him as Lord and ruler of our lives. His desire for us as His disciples, is that we go out and make others disciples of Jesus.

Who is a disciple of Jesus?

We read in Mark 3:14-15, “And he chose twelve to be with him, whom he would send out to preach, and who would have power to heal the sick, and to cast out demons.” (Murdock)

1. A disciple is one who is with Jesus

The reason Jesus chose the twelve disciples primarily was that they would be with Him. It was essential for the disciples to be with Jesus, so that they could see all the miracle He performed, hear all that He taught, and then put them into practice.

If we want to get to know someone really well, we can do so if we spend a day or few days with them. Our true witness is not what people see of us on Sunday, but what we are all through the week, and what those closest to us perceive of us.

The question is how can we be with Jesus today just as the disciples were when Jesus was here on earth?

· Firstly we must discipline ourselves to read the word of God daily

· Secondly, understand and meditate on God’s word

· Thirdly, obey the word of God and put it into practice

Unfortunately we live in a day when many have no time to read the word of God. A lot of people find social media so entertaining, but consider the Bible to be boring. If we are disciples of Jesus and desire to be with Him, then we will spend time with the word of God, for only then we can understand who He really is. Many people read the word, but are unable to understand or comprehend its meaning.

If our child got home from school and informed us that he or she did not understand Mathematics, none of us will ignore it, but rather go out of the way to get them tutored so they can understand and pass in maths. That’s exactly the kind of efforts we should take, if for some reason we cannot understand the word of God. It is only when we read the word of God, understand and put it into practice can we become true disciples of Jesus.

2. A disciple is one who is available for Jesus

We read in Luke 10:1,“After this the Lord chose another seventy-two men and sent them out two by two, to go ahead of him to every town and place where he himself was about to go.” (GNB)

Secondly, a disciple is one who is available, willing and able to give time for Jesus. In the above mentioned verse when Jesus called the seventy they were willing and available to go where He wanted them to. He sent them ahead of Him so that they would go, and prepare the place for His coming.

John the Baptist was also sent by God for that very same purpose. He was sent as a fore runner of Jesus, as the voice to announce Jesus’ coming and the one who would make straight paths for Jesus’ ministry here on earth.

Most of us are so busy through the week we don’t have time for anything that pertains to God. At the beginning of the year we all gathered together on New Year’s Day and made several decisions and commitments to the Lord. As the months roll on, we have even forgotten those resolutions we made before the Lord. A disciple must be available to go where the Lord wants him or her to go. If you are wondering where God wants us to go, He wants us to be His ambassadors to all those who are around us. He wants us to be those who are willing and available to carry the good news of the gospel of Jesus to everyone we encounter. When we enter the house of a friend or neighbour, our sincere prayer should be that they too would come to know Jesus as their saviour that God would intervene to bless their family, heal their sickness and change their arduous situations. We must be those instruments whom God can use to make way for them to have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only when Jesus enters a home that there will be genuine transformation, and for that to take place we must be those available channels whom the Lord will use to make way for that to happen.

We are called to be disciples who are willing to give and not fans who are always on the receiving end, always readily available to go and do all that the Lord wants to accomplish through us.

3. A disciple is one who values his relationship with His Master as the highest

We read in Luke 14:26, "Those who come to me cannot be my disciples unless they love me more than they love father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and themselves as well.”(GNB)

Many are still hesitant to be a disciple of Jesus because they are more concerned about the opinion of their parents, their family, relatives and society. The challenge that the Lord sets before us is to love God more than we love any other family member on earth. A disciple is one who has utmost love for God that far outweighs his or her love for the family and relationships on earth. He gives the Lord top priority, because He realizes that it was God who gave him all these earthly ties and relationships.

A great example in the Bible if of Abraham. God promised Abraham that he would bless him and make him a great nation at the age of seventy five, and at the age of a hundred God blessed him with his son Isaac. However, when God tested Abraham and asked him to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac, he did so willingly with no hesitation whatsoever. Most of us would shudder and shun such a thought away, but Abraham was a disciple and a lover of God who without questioning laid his son at the altar. God not only stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son, but because of Abraham’s faith, those of us who have believed in Jesus are now made children of Abraham.

That is the call to each one of us, to love God more than anybody else on this earth, more than our life itself. If we become a slave of Jesus, and love Him as we should, nothing in this world can enslave us.

4. A disciple is one who is willing to carry his cross

We read in Luke 14:27, “Those who do not carry their own cross and come after me cannot be my disciples.” (GNB)

To be a disciple of Jesus, one must be willing to take up his cross and follow after Jesus. Most of us would have seen images of Jesus carrying the cross. When a person carries a cross they cannot look back or be distracted about anything, but must move forward with it. As Jesus carried the cross he went forward with the only goal to fulfil the purpose of God the Father and lay down His life as a ransom for many.

To carry the cross means to focus on the main purpose for which we were created and chosen by God, and move towards fulfilling that plan of God in our lives. To carry the cross means everything else that distracts should be put out of focus and Jesus becomes our central focus, and His purpose becomes ours.

The apostle Paul was used mightily by God, and he wrote most of the epistles in the New Testament. The reason for this was on the day he encountered the risen Lord the first thing he asked Him was ‘Lord what would you have me to do?’ and God’s purpose became Paul’s mission for life. Paul was a learned man, but when he decided to follow Jesus he went through all sorts of trials and hardships, but he persevered because his only goal was to complete the purposes of God for his life. He considered all that was gain to him earlier as total rubbish when compared to getting to know who Jesus was, and accomplishing His will.

We too need to ask God to show us what His purposes are for our lives. Instead of running daily for our own whims and fancies (our education job, marriage, family etc.,) expecting God’s approval and provision, we must truly desire to do His will, so that He can fulfil His purpose in and through our lives. May we too desire like Paul to find out what is God’s purpose, and make every effort to fulfil it. Jesus should become everything for us, the One who fills our thought first thing in the morning, and the one who guides us through the day in all we do.

5. A disciple is one who is willing to give up anything

We read in Luke 14:33, In the same way," concluded Jesus, "none of you can be my disciple unless you give up everything you have.

There are two metaphors Jesus used just before this verse. One is of a man who began building a tower, but was unable to complete it, and so became an object of scorn to others around. The other is of a king going to war, who did not count the strength of his army in comparison to his opponent, and by so doing was bound to encounter defeat at the hands of his enemies.

A disciple is one who has to count the cost before he decides to follow Jesus. Today there are many followers of Jesus but very few disciples. We must decide to be a disciple of Jesus, and be willing to give up everything no matter what it may cost us.

We are called to be true disciples of Jesus but are also commissioned to go out and make disciples of others. Let us analyses ourselves to see if we are true disciples who have given Jesus topmost priority, who want to be with Jesus, always available for His service, loving Him more than anybody or anything else in this earth, eager to do only His will and willing to pay the cost no matter what. Only then can we be those effective disciples who can make disciples of others.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for teaching me who a disciple is.  Help me to spend more time with You in prayer, teach me to carefully use my time so that I will be available for You and make You the Lord of my life, giving Your priority over everything or everyone else.  Help me O Lord to carry my cross everyday.  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,  I pray, Amen.

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

You can view this message in tamil through this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrlTP3oyY_k&t=3074s

For more information : www.goodnewsfriends.net

Chapter 34 - Fan or a Follower?

Freedom from Captivity 

Chapter 34 

Fan or a Follower? 

We read in Matthew 4:25, “Large crowds followed him. They came from Galilee, the Ten Cities, Jerusalem, Judea, and from across the Jordan River.” (GW)

Great multitudes of people followed after Jesus while He was here on earth and there were several reasons why they did so. As we study the following passages given below, they will give us a vivid understanding as to the various reasons they thronged after Him.

Matthew 4:24, “The news about Jesus spread throughout Syria. People brought him everyone who was sick, those who suffered from any kind of disease or pain. They also brought epileptics, those who were paralyzed, and people possessed by demons, and he cured them all.” (GW)

When people brought to Jesus those who suffered with all sorts of disease or sickness, they found that He had the power to cure all of them. Jesus spoke or touched the sick, as a result of which many were healed from every form of infirmity, and delivered from demon possessions.

Hence,there was this large group that followed after Jesus whose sole purpose was to receive healing.

We read of an incident in Matthew 9:33, “Jesus forced the demon out, and the man was able to talk. The people were amazed and said, "We have never seen anything like this in Israel." (ERV)

In the above mentioned incident in Matthew 9:33, there was a man who was unable to speak, and when Jesus cast out the demon from the man, he was healed, delivered and began to talk. Often we perceive sickness as just a physical ailment, and fail to realize that often these afflictions are the work of Satan. When the people saw this miraculous deliverance and healing they were amazed in wonderment, as they had never seen anything like this being done in Israel ever before.

We also read in Matthew 9:8, “The people saw this and they were amazed. They praised God for letting someone have such power.” (ERV)

For a background to the above mentioned verse, Jesus had healed a paralytic, forgave his sins and the man immediately got up and walked. When the crowds saw this, here again they were amazed and praised God for the demonstration of such power through Jesus.

Here was a second group of people who followed Jesus, mainly to see the wonders He performed, and pursued after Him in amazement.

In John 6:26 Jesus replied to them, "I can guarantee this truth: You're not looking for me because you saw miracles. You are looking for me because you ate as much of those loaves as you wanted.”

When Jesus performed the miracle of the five loaves and two fish to feed more than five thousand, there was a large crowd that followed Him simply because they had witnessed this astounding miracle of provision. When they came looking for Jesus later on, Jesus was forthright, and told them that they were pursuing Him only because they had their stomach’s filled.

We observe that this third group which followed after Jesus, did so only to have their physical needs met.

We read in John 6:15, “Jesus knew that the people planned to come get him and make him their king. So he left and went into the hills alone.” (ERV)

There was this group of people who when they realized that Jesus had divine power and authority, wanted to take him by force and make Him their king so they wouldn’t have to be under the Roman rule. They did not seek his approval or God’s will but wanted to force Jesus to become a king, so that they could use His divine powers for their own benefits.

This was a fourth and dangerous group of people, whose motive was completely selfish or self-centered.

However, there was a small group of followers whom Jesus specifically called to be His disciples. His invitation to his disciples was “follow me” and this call extends to all of us as well. Sadly, even today many people are still following Jesus, for healing, for the wonders he performs, to have their physical needs met, and often for their own selfish gain. All of these are also bondages that one must be set free from.

It is essential that we should live our life here on earth comfortably, be debt free, have good health, have our daily provision of food and water met, and have the Lord to be our helper. But, if we follow the Lord for the above mentioned reasons alone, we are the most pathetic people.

There’s a story told of a king who was so filled with mirth one day that he decided to call his ministers, and grant them whatever they wished for. The first man came and asked the king that the path to his house be laid well as it was rugged. His wish was granted by the king. The second man requested the king to get his house repaired, which the king also gladly did. The third man asked the king for some silver coins which was also readily given. The fourth man however, humbly told the king that he only desired that the king come and stay with him in his house for a week. The king was so overjoyed at the request of the fourth man, that he sent his servants to get the house of this man ready and fit for him to stay. What happened as a result was that the king’s servants set the path to the fourth man’s house in order, got his house furnished to host a king, gave him all the money he needed, so that he could entertain the king as he should. By desiring the presence of the king, the man not only got the king, but along with him received all the blessings that he brought as a result of him being invited.

Like that man in the story, if we will truly seek the Lord, and yearn after Him with all our heart, everything else will follow suit. That is why Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:33 that we should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness so that everything else will be added to us as well.

To those who follow Jesus for the wrong motives, and use His name for their own gain here’s the Lord’s shocking response as found in Matthew 7:22-23,“Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we force out demons and do many miracles by the power and authority of your name?' Then I will tell them publicly, 'I've never known you. Get away from me, you evil people.'” (GW)

On the last day when we stand before the judgement seat of Christ, many will call on God saying “Lord, Lord.’ They will list out to God all the wonderful deeds they carried out in the name of the Lord, but the Lord will deny even knowing them, simply because though they performed all these acts in His name, they were not in alignment to the Lord’s divine will. The Lord is indignant with such, and rebukes them as evil people who should get away from His presence. He goes further on to say that He does not even know them.

For all of us who use the name of the Lord, but do not fulfill His will we are just ‘fans’ who follow after Jesus. The Lord is not looking for a ‘fan’ following but He is seeking those who will be His true disciples. The ones who are just fans of the Lord are always on the receiving end, and want the Lord to give them all that they need and desire. We might have heard of many of the cine stars who have fan clubs. The sole selfish motivation for these fan followers is to await the next movie to be released, so they can watch and enjoy it. A disciple on the other hand is one who loves the Lord, gives to the Lord, and is motivated to serve the Lord.

What does God expect of us as His disciples?

We read in Matthew 7:26,“Everyone who hears what I say but doesn't obey it” and in Matthew 7:24,“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:” (NKJV)

A disciple is one who knows the will of God, and fulfills it in total obedience. On the other hand a ‘fan’ is someone who hears the word but does not obey it. Jesus refers to a person who hears and obeys His word as a wise man who builds his house on the rock, which can never be shaken. Contrarily those who hear the word and do not obey it are referred to as foolish people, who build their house on the sand, which cannot withstand any calamity.

There are more fans who follow after Jesus, who love Him, but are not willing to walk in obedience to His word. Jesus had twelve disciples and when He gave the great commission before his ascension, he commanded his disciples to go into all the world and make disciples of others, those would hear the word, living every day in obedience to God and His word.

That is why Jesus said in John 8:31, “So Jesus said to those who believed in him, "If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples;” (GNB)

Who is a disciple of Jesus?

We read in Luke 5:11, “Simon and his partners brought the boats to shore, left everything, and followed Jesus.” (GW)

When Jesus first called His disciples, at his behest they obeyed, threw their nets into the deep and had an enormous catch of fish. Having witnessed this astonishing miracle, when Jesus gave the invitation to his disciples and said, ‘follow me’ they willingly left their boats on the shore along with everything in it. The boats and nets they left back were not empty, but full and brimming with a great catch of fish. Peter came from a family of fishermen, where fishing was his livelihood, his income, his everything. When Peter recognized Jesus as the Lord, without a moment’s hesitation, he gave it all up, and went after Jesus to become His disciple.

The question we need to ask ourselves today is, ‘What are the things that we have given up for the sake of Jesus?’ Maybe some would say I gave up some friends, the traditions that my family held on to, relationship with my relatives who hindered me from following Jesus, but there are still a majority who are living a fruitless Christian life, because they are unwilling to give up what the Lord is calling them to let go of. A true disciple is someone who is willing to give it all up to follow Jesus.

What did Paul give up?

We read in Philippians 3:7, “These things that I once considered valuable, I now consider worthless for Christ.” (GW)

Paul explains his past in Philippians 3:5, “I was circumcised on the eighth day. I'm a descendant of Israel. I'm from the tribe of Benjamin. I'm a pure-blooded Hebrew. When it comes to living up to standards, I was a Pharisee.” (GW)

In Philippians 3:8 we read, “It's far more than that! I consider everything else worthless because I'm much better off knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. It's because of him that I think of everything as worthless. I threw it all away in order to gain Christ.” (GW)

When Paul encountered the risen Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, there was such a transformation, that he considered everything else worthless when compared to having Christ in his life. There was no one who was more qualified than Paul. He was a pure-blooded Jew, a Pharisee, who had done everything that the law required him to do. However, in Philippians 3:8, Paul says that in order to gain Christ, he discarded everything that he prided himself in earlier, and considered all of it as totally worthless.

There are many who have been Christians for many years, but still are obsessed by their caste, family, education, ancestors and take pride in them. A true disciple is one who comes to a point in his life where God becomes everything, and all other worldly things (money, relationships, caste, family, tradition, idolatry etc.,) become totally worthless, when compared to Christ. We must be willing to let go of all the things that do not please God, and are contrary to His word.

When Jesus comes into our life everything that He considers rubbish must be discarded from our lives, just like Paul did, if we truly long to be a disciple of Jesus. To illustrate this let me explain it this way. If a young child were to ask his or her parent for a cell phone, and the parent purchased for them a feature phone instead of a smart phone, the child would be completely disappointed and consider it worthless or trash. What the child wanted was a smart phone with all modern features, but what he or she got in their hand was a feature phone which is of no value to them.

So also, if we were to compare God with the things of this world, the possessions, the position, the tradition this is how we too should feel, that everything else is rubbish, when compared to having Jesus as our Lord. If for some reason or reasons this is not so, then it is a clear indication that we have not yet become a disciple of Jesus but are still a ‘fan’ of Him. If we wish to follow Jesus and be His disciple there is a price we must be willing to pay. It is to let Jesus be the topmost person, our number one priority, our greatest treasure that we hold on to, and value in our lives.

A disciple will give up everything in order to gain Christ, just like Peter who willingly gave up everything with no questions whatsoever. If we want to be a disciple of Jesus, we will most certainly have to give up those things in our lives that are not in line with His will.

What did Jesus teach about discipleship?

In Luke 9:59-60 He said to another man, "Follow me." But that man said, "Sir, first let me go back and bury my father." But Jesus told him, "Let the dead bury their own dead. You must go everywhere and tell about the kingdom of God." (GW)

In the above mentioned verses when Jesus invited a man to follow him, he excused himself by saying that he had to go and bury his father. Basically he was more concerned about the traditions and his family ties. He was overly anxious to have everything settled in his home, before he ventured out to follow Jesus. What did Jesus mean when he replied him, ‘let the dead bury their own dead.’ Jesus was referring to all those who are dead without knowing who Jesus really was. His call to this man was that since he had received eternal life, it was his duty to now go and proclaim to others about the kingdom of God. By so doing he would then bring those who are dead back into the kingdom of God, so that they too can truly live.

A disciple is one who will leave behind all those things that he needs to, and is one who will faithfully do the will of the Lord in his life. It was the twelve disciples of Jesus who turned the world upside down, and it was because of Thomas who was one of them, that the gospel came to our country. The sad thing is that we have not let go of so many things in our lives that displease the Lord, and have also not shared the gospel with those around us. The ones who hear the word of God, and are willing to allow His word to transform their lives are the true disciples of Jesus. Let us not be content to be ‘fans’ of Jesus. Many who came to Jesus initially did so because they had a need, but when they recognized who Jesus was, they were completely altered to become true disciples of Jesus.

As a disciple of Jesus, our obedience is not to be selective, wherein we obey the Lord only when it suits us, but our obedience must be total and complete. To be a disciple of Jesus we must be ready to give up everything that He wants us to give up, and do everything that He expects us to do.

Let’s conclude with the great commission of Jesus as found in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (NKJV)

The Lord did not ask us to go into all the world and make more converts to Christianity, He asked us to go and make disciples who are in total obedience to His word, who will live in accordance to His will. It is a life of total surrender to the Lord, and a willingness to give up everything that hinders us from following Jesus. Part of the great commission is to obey the Lord by entering the waters of baptism. Baptism is an act of obedience, whereby one declares to everyone that they have become a disciple of Jesus. If our lives are built in total obedience to the word of God, just like the house that is built on a rock, we will be unshaken for nothing that comes against us can prevail or overcome us.

Prayer:

Our Father in Heaven, am so happy that You have showed me the difference between a fan and a follower.  Help me to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, following Your life.  I am willing to change or leave whatever that will disqualify me from being Your disciple.  Help me, O Lord.  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

You can view this message video through this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_ffTxmX9H0&t=3365s

For more information : www.goodnewsfriends.net

Chapter 33 - No Weapon Forged Against You Can Prevail

Freedom from Captivity 

Chapter 33 

No Weapon Forged Against You Can Prevail 

We read in Isaiah 54:17,"People will make weapons to fight against you, but their weapons will not defeat you. Some people will say things against you, but anyone who speaks against you will be proved wrong." The LORD says, "That is what my servants get! They get the good things that come from me, their LORD.”(ERV)

These words are assurance from the Lord Himself to His own, that no weapon formed against them will prosper. If people are still in enslavement to money, position, material things, and some even to people, it simply implies that the enemy has overcome them in some way. The reason for their bondage is that they fell prey to Satan’s attacks and cunning devices, thereby getting themselves trapped into some form of bondage.

There are two types of weapons mentioned in the above verse that can come up against us. One is the physical weapon, and the other is the deceitful use of words to speak against someone. Most people today will not dare to use physical weapons, because they fear consequences from the law and the government. However, many use words as sharp weapons against others to damage and destroy them. An injury that is caused by use of a physical weapons can heal over time, but often the hurt that is produced by words are deep, painful and long lasting. Both these weapons are used by Satan, but the promise of the Lord is that nothing that is targeted against His children will overcome them.

How Haman used both these weapons

1. Haman lied to the King

We looked at the incident of Mordecai and Haman in the last message. Every time Haman saw Mordecai, he was infuriated simply because Mordecai in some way reflected the character of God, which upset Haman. Haman’s single goal was to get Mordecai out of his way, and the first thing he did to carry out his plan is found in the verse below.

We read in Esther 3:8,“Then Haman went to the king and said: Your Majesty, there are some people who live all over your kingdom and won't have a thing to do with anyone else. They have customs that are different from everyone else's, and they refuse to obey your laws. We would be better off to get rid of them!” (CEV)

Haman went to King Ahasuerus, and lied to him about the Jewish people, that they were a strange lot. Without mentioning who they were, he cleverly fabricated a case against them, lying about their practices and customs. He also accused them of not obeying the laws of the land, and thereby requested the king to punish them by getting rid of them.

Many of us may have been victims of these lying tongues. We have been deeply aggrieved by those who spread false reports about us, or our families. Sometimes it is the destructive words spoken by a spouse that has caused unexplainable ache inside of some. As long as we don’t hear these deceitful rumors we are unaffected, but when it reaches our ears, it most certainly disturbs us intensely. Whatever the case may be, we have a God who can heal those bruises and He assures us that all those dishonest allegations, will fall flat, and not harm us in any way when we are His children.

In the book of James the tongue is described as a small organ that can cause great trouble. It is compared to a spark that can set a forest on fire. We must be extremely cautious with the words that proceed out of our mouth, that they should in no way grieve another person. Many people when they are pained about a small issue, retaliate by speaking ill and spreading false allegations about the person with whom they had an altercation.

2. Haman prepared the gallows for Mordecai

We read in Esther 5:14,“So his wife and all his friends suggested, "Why don't you have a gallows built, seventy-five feet tall? Tomorrow morning you can ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it, and then you can go to the banquet happy." Haman thought this was a good idea, so he had the gallows built.” (GNB)

Haman’s hatred for Mordecai was so intense, that at the suggestion of his wife Zeresh and friends, he prepared the gallows, seventy five feet tall, for Mordecai to be hung. Yet, the Lord was in control and what Haman failed to realize was that the king’s wife Esther, was related to Mordecai. The gallows that Haman prepared for Mordecai later became his own death trap.

Satan may scheme and plan his evil attacks, but the Lord reassures us that none of the weapons will prevail against us when the Lord is on our side

How does Isaiah 54:17, get actualized in our lives?

The Message translation, explains Isaiah 54:17 this way: “but no weapon that can hurt you has ever been forged. Any accuser who takes you to court will be dismissed as a liar.” (MSG)

The second part of Isaiah 54:17 says, “and their righteousness comes from me, says the Lord.” (BBE)

The word of assurance from the Lord is that there is absolutely no weapon that the enemy can forge, to harm those who belong to God. The other part of this verse reiterates the truth that even if someone were to indict us with their deceitful words, the accusation they brought forth will be nullified as false. To understand this, let us consider a case in the court of law. If for instance, someone brought a charge against us, and took us to court, if during the trial, as we stand before the judge, the allegations are proved false, the charges that were framed against us will not stand, and the case will be dismissed.

This promise of Isaiah 54:17 is applicable to those who stand without fault before God, whose righteousness comes from Him alone. We will study Isaiah 54 in depth to see how it will be possible for us to be made righteous, so that we can stand faultless before God.

Two states of mankind

Isaiah 54 describes two states of people, and the important aspects that characterize both these groups.

The first group

1. Isaiah 54: 1, “a barren woman” (NKJV) referring to a dry and fruitless situation that many people feel they are trapped in.

2. Isaiah 54:6, “a woman who is forsaken and grieved in spirit.” (NKJV)

3. Isaiah 54:8, “With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment” (NKJV).There are many who are in such situations, where they feel that their prayers are unanswered and God has turned His face away from them.

4. Isaiah 54:11, “O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted,” (NKJV). Describes a situation where one is in deep distress, literally tossed about and with no ray of hope or comfort whatsoever.

The above mentioned verses describe the adverse or unfavorable state in which people in the first group are found; barren, forsaken, rejected and brought low, and all of these are the consequence of sin.

The second group

1. Isaiah 54:1, “For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord. (NKJV)

2. Isaiah 54:3,“For you shall expand to the right and to the left” (NKJV)

3. Isaiah 54:4,“Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame” (NKJV)

4. Isaiah 54:7“But with great mercies I will gather you” (NKJV)

5. Isaiah 54:8“But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you” (NKJV)

6. Isaiah 54:9, “So have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.” (NKJV)

7. Isaiah 54:14, “In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.” (ESV)

The second state of mankind as detailed in the above mentioned verses is in total contrast to the first. It described a life of fullness (many children), growth (expand to the right and to the left), abounding with great mercies, the kindness of God, grace of God and a life where there is no fear but total confidence.

God’s redemptive plan

If we are wondering how this transformation came about, the revelation is found in Isaiah 54:8, “In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer.” (ESV)

Yes, the Lord is our Redeemer, and it is only when this becomes our personal experience, that something amazing begins to happen. There is total transformation from the deplorable state in which man is found, to the glorious state as mentioned in Isaiah 54. To be redeemed means to be saved from sin and the effects of sin. The benefits of redemption that the Lord offers, is that sinful man can come out of barrenness to enjoy fullness, and from a state of being forsaken to being engulfed in God’s everlasting love.

Why do we need redemption?

We read in Isaiah 53:6, “We have all strayed like sheep. Each one of us has turned to go his own way...”(GW)

This is the true condition of all mankind from God’s perspective. All of us have strayed away like sheep, and each of us have not heeded God’s voice, but have gone our own way. As a result of this rebellion mankind stepped out of God’s grace and protection.

When Jesus spoke about the lost condition of man, he used three parables; the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son or prodigal son. In the parable of the lost sheep, the shepherd had a hundred sheep and lost one, which he went seeking after to find. The second parable is about a woman who had ten silver coins, of which she lost one. In order to find it she lit a lamp, swept the house and searched diligently until she found it. The third parable is of a father who had two sons, the younger of whom walked out in rebellion. The father waits for his son to return, and the son having squandered all of his father’s possessions gets back to his senses, and returns home to his father, who lovingly receives him back.

These parables refer to the three probable states that all of mankind can be classified in. The first is the state of the silver coin, which was not even aware that is was lost. There are many like that coin who are not even conscious of their lost condition or reasons as to why they are in such a predicament. There are some like the sheep who are lost and are desperate, but do not know how to get back. The third state is those who like the younger son, know their condition and realize that they must get back to God, but dilly dally, and don’t have a heart to repent or change. For the transformation to take place in all of the above mentioned people the Lord must intervene, and bring about redemption for He alone can redeem us from our sins.

There are many people who are obstinate to do their own thing and walk in their own ways. Sometimes, when someone comes for counselling with an issue, after hours of sharing with them and advising them, we will be greatly frustrated, when at the end of that conversation, they still hold on to their own thinking with which they first came to us, having no mind to change themselves whatsoever.

How did the Lord redeem us?

We read in Isaiah 53:4-5, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities; (NKJV)

We read in Isaiah 53:12 says, “Because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (NKJV)

We also read in Isaiah 53:10, “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin,” (NKJV)

Jesus came down to earth to redeem all of mankind from all of their sins and that’s the sole purpose why Jesus took the form of man. Jesus was nailed to the cross, and bore all the excruciating pain simply because He chose to bear our griefs, our sorrows and our sins. He was wounded for our transgressions, and was bruised for our iniquities. Jesus died on the cross to redeem us from sins, sickness, poverty, despair, barrenness, hate and brokenness. We were living in rebellion and sin, but the Lord carried all of our sins on the cruel cross, and His life was sacrificed for our wrong doings. Jesus paid the price and He became the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.

We must be reminded that no amount of our good works, alms giving for the poor, offerings or pilgrimages will save us from our sins. The only way for a person to have their sins forgiven, is to believe in the atoning sacrifice that Jesus made for each one of us on the cross of Calvary. Only the finished work of Jesus on our behalf can redeem us, and save us from all our sins. Jesus came to change our situation from a state of despair and hopelessness, to one of fullness and hope.

It is only those who have been redeemed by the Lord Jesus, who can claim the promise of God as mentioned in Isaiah 54:17, that no weapon formed against us will prosper. Jesus took our sins and He has given us His righteousness, so that we can stand boldly in the presence of God blameless. When we stand in His righteousness nothing can attack us, or harm us in any way. We must accept Jesus as our Saviour and Lord of our lives, the one who forgives our sins and also as one who reigns over every area of our lives. Nothing else or no one else should rule over our lives. When we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of the Lord, He will lift us up in due time.

What have we received as a result of redemption?

In Isaiah 53:5 we read, “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripeswe are healed.” (NKJV)

Redemption brought peace between sinful man and a holy God. But all of our sins were laid upon our Lord Jesus. The death of Jesus, our Lord brought about peace and broke down the wall of hostility. Redemption has made us righteous before God. That is why we are able to wear the breastplate of righteousness. No one is perfect, but as we read in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (NKJV). We stand justified before God because of the righteousness that our Lord Jesus Christ offers.

We read in Isaiah 53:11, “My righteous Servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins.” (NLT)

Jesus is the righteous one, who made it possible for us to be made righteous, because He alone was the sinless Lamb of God who shed his precious blood, and bore the sins of all mankind on Himself. All that is required of us to do is to believe in Jesus, our redeemer and appropriate this righteousness in our lives. Only then will this great promise and blessing of God as stated in Isaiah 54:17, that, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgement you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness if from Me,” says the LORD. (NKJV) become a reality in our lives.

Prayer:

Our loving Heavenly Father, I thank You for redeeming me and giving me Your righteousness.  I know that no weapon that is formed against me can ever overcome me, because You are with me to help me.  Thank You Lord for Your Word which has encouraged me to go on following You and not to worry about the people who come against me.  In the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.

Br. Dixon

Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins

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