THE HIGHER CALLING OF BLOOD-WASHED SAINTS

06/08/2017

THE HIGHER CALLING OF BLOOD-WASHED SAINTS

Philippians 3.7-15, 2 Timothy 1.8-10, Heb. 3.1, Heb. 12.1

Our call to salvation and to the kingdom of God is with the precious blood of the very Son of God. Every born again child of God is washed and cleansed with the blood of Jesus (1 Cor. 6.11). And he bears the holy seed of the calling of the Lord upon himself. To be born again, the sinner must have repented of his sins and had accepted Jesus as Lord and personal Saviour. Thereafter, he takes upon him his cross and follows the Lord everywhere. Paul the Apostle emphasize here that though he was converted, yet he would still “… press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” In the same way, the believer today must endeavor to understand the depth, the scope and the benefits of his calling in Christ. This will enable him to appreciate its peculiarities, purpose, and profits of God’s calling to himself. The scriptures confirm that we, as believers have a High calling, being called by the most High God Himself. We also have the heavenly calling, i.e our calling is from the heavenly father and the goal of every believer must be to live with Him in heaven forever. It is also a holy calling being called by the Holy God into the Holy covenant through the holy blood of Jesus. Therefore, the Christian must remain holy in character and conduct, he must be heavenly minded and he must also live with a higher consecration to the Lord. Appreciating our calling in this manner makes God continue His everlasting benefits upon us as believers.

THE CALL TO SALVATION AND HOLINESS OF LIFE Leviticus 19.1,2, Gen.12.1, Gen. 17.1, 1 Peter 1. 15-16, 1 Peter 2.9, Titus 2. 11-13,

Like the children of Israel, God brought believers out of the slavery and captivity of sin, the world and corrupt religious practices by the power of His word and His blood. He called Abraham to “walk before me and be thou perfect” and he obeyed following God in holiness. In the same way, having called us and washed us by His blood, he gives a command to all His children today: Ye shall be Holy. This command covers every area of our lives as believers to fulfil His purpose. God’s purpose in redemption was to redeem for Himself a peculiar people, separated from sin, from the fleshly lust and from the worldly pollutions. He wants to build a relationship with those that are called by His name. Therefore, we are (i) called out of sin (1 Cor. 15.34), (ii) called out of the world (2 Cor. 6.17), (iii) called out of all fleshly lust and (1 John 2.15-17), (iv) Called out of spiritism and occultism (Deut. 18.9-12), (v) We are called to holiness (Rom. 6. 18-19), we are called unto entire sanctification and holiness (1 Thess 4. 3-4), (vii) we are called to godliness and humility (Titus 2. 11-12)   

OUR CALL TO CONSECRATION AND SUBMISSION TO HIS LORDSHIP Gen. 22. 1-10, Romans 12. 1-2, Luke 9.23, John 4.34, Acts 24.16, 1 Thess. 4.4,

The higher calling of God to His children is to enter into a higher relationship with Him. Just as the saints of old submitted themselves to the Lord in total obedience, consecration, and honor, so also does he demands from believers today. As Abraham obeyed God even in yielding and submitting his Isaac to God, so also God expects every believer to do with our lives. Our greatest desire should be to live lives of holy worship and devotion to God. We are to offer our bodies and belongings as a consecrated vessel to God and for His holy service. Self-denial and cross-bearing must characterize our lifestyle and we must be totally yielded to the Lord’s commands. Doing the will of God must also be our topmost priority (John 4.34). Our consciences must be free from every sinful trait against anyone as we follow peace with all men. Having this as our watchword, we must jealously guide our salvation and be sure that as we walk in this world of sin, we remain purified from the pollution of this world and its allurements. Lastly, we must cultivate the habit of regular prayer and supplication to the Lord, and be interceding for the lost so they also could be delivered from the chains of the devil.

CALL TO COMPASSIONATE SOULWINNING TOWARDS THE LOST Isaiah 6. 1-6, Matthew 28. 18-20, Isaiah 62. 6-7, Ezekiel 3. 17-21, 2 Tim. 4.1-2, Acts 26. 13-19, Matthew 25. 34-40,  Ezekiel 22.30

After we had received the cleansing and the calling from the Lord, our duty and responsibility are to respond positively to the command of the Lord and the cry of the lost. Like Christ, we must be compassionate as His children and understand that this is the heavenly vision given to us. If this command grips our hearts, then we should also be able to say “here am I, send me!” Isaiah rose up promptly and positively, Ezekiel also answered immediately. Paul the Apostle said, “I am not disobedient to the heavenly vision”. As blood washed saints, we are to preach the word purposefully, painstakingly, persistently, patiently, perseveringly, and prayerfully. Our message should be to point them to their guilty and sinful lifestyle, and their depravity. We are also to prayerfully preach to open their spiritual eyes, and to turn their understanding to the Lord. We are to preach Christ the crucified as the only way to Salvation (Acts 4.12), We are also to lead them to sustained Christian living through adequate follow-up and discipleship. Carrying out these responsibilities makes the believer fulfilled in the love of God and to attract His tremendous blessings of protection, preservation, provisions and eternal inheritance in heaven.                               

GHS: 2, 19 & 124

LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS

August 2, 2018

LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS 1 Tim. 2.8, Psalm 134

There is an awesome power in the believer’s prayer. When children of God lift up holy hands to their holy father in prayer, heavens give attention to their petitions. Lifting up holy hands simply symbolizes the passionate prayer of true Christians, with holiness of lives and characters without hypocrisy, malice or unbelief, to the heavenly father who can never fail. They had repented from all sins, had prayed for forgiveness and had received assurance that his sins are forgiven. He must have also done all restitutions and obtained a conscience void of offence towards God and towards all men. Furthermore, he must have come into intimate fellowship with God in regular sincere worship and lastly, he is one who obeys all instructions of his master and do his will always in evangelism, tithes and offering, love and charity towards his neighbors, prepared and waiting for his masters return. To such people, the Almighty God is their father and they are his children, so they possess an undeniable boldness to come to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need because their petitions and desires are sweet smelling savor unto their God. They are the people that can lift up holy hands to God in worship, Praises and in prayer.

PRONOUNCED PROMISES TO HEAVEN-BOUND CHRISTIANS Heb. 4.16, Heb. 10. 19, 21-22, Matt. 7.7-9, Matt 21:22; Mark 11:24; Lu 11:9-10; 18:1; John 14:13; John 15:7; John 16:23-24; Jas 1:5-6; 1John 3:22; 1 John 5:14-15

The Lord had pronounced great and precious promises to Christians through the scriptures to assure us of answer to our prayers. These promises are the foundation upon which believers prayers are anchored. As God is immutable and His words are dependable, a true believer trusts the promises firmly knowing that heaven and earth may pass away, the Lord’s word will never fail. Some of these promises includes – Matt. 7.7-9, Matt 21:22; Mark 11:24; Lu 11:9-10; 18:1; John 14:13; John 15:7; John 16:23-24; Jas 1:5-6; 1John 3:22; 1 John 5:14-15. Apart from blanket prayer of answer to prayers, God also gave promises on specific areas of our lives such as healing, deliverance, provision, protection etc. which believers could claim. These and many other promises give a true believer the confidence that our prayers will definitely be answered when we pray. To adequately claim these promises, a Christian must have a conscience void of offense towards God and man, pray in Jesus Name, ensure that his request is according to God’s will and His laid down principles.

PRINCIPLES AND PATTERN OF PRAYER THAT CANNOT BE DENIED. Luke 18.1-8, Luke 11. 2-5,

Although God has given us these unfailing promises, yet for our prayers to be answered, it must be in accordance with scriptural pattern  (i) Must be according to the will of God (1 Jn. 5.14), (ii) Must be asked in faith with total trust in God that He can solve the problem (Matt. 9.28, Rom. 4.19), (iii) Must be persistent. Not relenting but constantly asking till you gets the result (Luke 18.1), (iv) Must also be fervent. Cold and lukewarm prayers don’t show the passion of a true seeker (Gen 32.26, Matt. 11.12), (v) Must sometimes be with fasting (Matt. 17.21), (vi) Such prayer must be purposeful. A seeker must know what he needs and we must direct our prayer to the point (James 4.2-3). However, there is the biblical pattern of prayer which will always bring results when we lift up holy hands to the Lord in prayer. (a) We must begin with Praises, Thanksgiving and Worship to the Lord (Ps. 100.4), (b)Then we must make confession of our shortcomings and failures in service, ministry or even in our families before Him and express our need for more grace. (c) Prayer of Consecration and submission is very necessary to surrender everything to His will and His word, also to consecrate our time to Him (Heb 10.7), (d) Prayer of inquiry. When there is a situation you don’t understand, then this is very crucial to unravel the mystery surrounding a situation (2 Samuel 21.1), (e)) Prayer of binding and loosing (Matt. 18.18, Jere. 40.4), Prayer of agreement (Matt. 18.19), (f) Praying in the Spirit with unknown tongues (Eph. 6.13, 1 Cor. 14.2)   

POWER OF PREVAILING PRAYER WITH HOLY HANDS 1 Jn. 5. 14-15, James 5.2Kings 19.14-16, 19-20, Isa. 38. 1-5,

When a child of God LIFTS UP holy hands to God according to the pronounced promises, there is an express answer. In times of trials, temptations, and troubles, the true believer needs not to fear but to manifest total faith and confidence in the Lord for the needed miracle. Righteousness of life and purity of heart makes a Christian have power and authority in prayer. This was the kind of prayer of Hezekiah when Sennacherib gathered his army to besiege the people of Judah and God gave instantaneous victory (2Kings 19.14-16, 19-20). He also prayed with such power and authority when Isaiah the prophet brought negative prophecy of death. God heard him and reversed the death sentence (Isa. 38. 1-5),. When Elijah also came at Mount Carmel against the prophets of Baal, He, through such prayer of authority God answered by fire (1 Kings 18. 36-39). Other people that prayed with such power and authority include Moses, Daniel, Hannah, Jacob and many more.  You can also add yourself to the catalog today if you learn to pray with holy hands without doubting. He will answer you in Jesus Name.