Free in Christ E-Book

Riaan Engelbrecht

• Herausgeber: Riaan Engelbrecht
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

God wants us to be free. Let us proclaim this truth, God wants us free! He wants us to be free from sickness, sorrow, heartache, anguish, pain, and strife. He wants us to be free from being enslaved, yoked, and burdened. For this reason, Jesus said in Matthew 11 that His yoke and burden are light. In this world, we will have trouble, and we are not immune to heartache, pain or sorrow, but we can be free from its crippling effect on our spirit, soul and body. In Christ is our liberty. In Christ is our hope, for He is the eternal shining light and the joy to sustain us. Christ has indeed set us free so that we can also cry as people of all races and ethnic groups, as Jews and Gentiles, that we are free at last, for this is the reality and the truth of John 3:16. Jesus died on the cross so that anyone who believes in Him may be saved and be free at last! Free from death, misery, darkness, despair, lies, the works of the flesh and free from worry. Glory to God, in Christ we are free at last! And for those who are free in Christ, they must declare such freedom so that freedom may ring on every mountain and hill and in every valley, city, and town! We are no longer ‘owned’ by the world, by the devil, by sin or our past. We are free at last! In God’s freedom, we shall soar! As eagles enjoy the freedom of the skies, so we are called to enjoy God’s freedom paid for by the Blood of the Lamb.

Leseprobe

Series of work by the same author:

––––––––

Perilous Times

In Pursuit of God

The Holy Spirit

The Disciple of God

Deliverance

Crossroads to Freedom

The Kingdom of God

The Prophetic

Apologetics

End-Time Remnant

Table of Contents

Title Page

Free in Christ (In pursuit of God)

Free at last!

Freedom from ‘thirst’

Free to find your purpose

Free from guilt, shame and condemnation

Free from the ashes of mourning

Free from the trap of unforgiveness

Free from ‘darkness’

Free from despair

Free from religious entrapments

Free from ‘disease’

Free from the dominion of the flesh

Free from the heavy cloak

Free from lies

Freed from the pit and dungeon

Free from slavery

Free from the Self

Free in God’s grace and mercy

Freedom from toil and strife

Freedom from free-will

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About the Author

Free in Christ

This is a distributed edition from Avishua Ministries.

The author’s intellectual property rights are protected by international Copyright law. You are licensed to use this digital copy strictly for your personal enjoyment only: it must not be redistributed or offered for sale in any form.

Scriptures quotes from the New Kings James Bible, Amplified, and the New International Version.

For more free study material and audio visit http://avishuaministries.wixsite.com/avishua

Table of Contents

Free at last!

Freedom from ‘thirst’

Free to find your purpose

Free from guilt, shame and condemnation

Free from the ashes of mourning

Free from the trap of unforgiveness

Free from ‘darkness’

Free from despair

Free from pride

Free from religious entrapments

Free from ‘disease’

Free from the dominion of the flesh

Free from the heavy cloak 

Free from lies

Freed from the pit and dungeon

Free from slavery

Free from the Self

Free in God’s grace and mercy

Freedom from toil and strife

Freedom from free-will

Free at last!

God wants us to be free. Yes, let us proclaim this truth, God wants us free! He wants us to be free from sickness, sorrow, heartache, anguish, pain, and strife. He wants us to be free from being enslaved, yoked, and burdened. For this reason, Jesus said in Matthew 11 that His yoke and burden are light. In this world, we will have trouble, and we are not immune to heartache, pain or sorrow, but we can be free from its crippling effect on our spirit, soul and body.

In Christ is our liberty. In Christ is our hope, for He is the eternal shining light and the joy to sustain us. Hebrews 1:3 says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” In Christ, we are sustained. In Christ, we are liberated from darkness, from the slavery of sin and the influences of the devil. Colossians 1:13 says, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” Yes, he has rescued us so that we can be free! We have been rescued from eternal damnation! We have been rescued to be free!

Martin Luther King Jnr (American Baptist minister and activist) said in his famous ‘I have a dream’ speech the following as he fought for equality for all man in America: And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Christ has indeed set us free so that we can also cry as people of all races and ethnic groups, as Jews and Gentiles, and as Protestants and Catholics, we are free at last, for this is the reality and the truth of John 3:16. Jesus died on the cross so that anyone who believes in Him may be saved and be free at last! Yes, free from death, free from misery, free from uncertainty and free from worry. Glory to God, in Christ we are free at last! And for those who are free in Christ, they must declare such freedom so that freedom may ring on every mountain and hill and in every valley, city, and town!

Matthew 7 reminds us of the following: “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: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” We will experience the rain, the flood and the storms of life, but in God we can trust for He is our Rock and our everlasting strength. We can trust and rejoice for we are free at last!

Psalm 136 declares, “1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. 3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: 4 To Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever; 5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever; 6 To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, for His mercy endures forever; 7 To Him who made great lights, for His mercy endures forever— 8 The sun to rule by day, for His mercy endures forever; 9 The moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy endures forever.” God is good. In His freedom rests goodness, joy, life and peace.

God is great. God is love. He is a God who does heal, protects and provides. In Him, we can take courage, be of good cheer and rejoice. In this world, we will have trouble, but God is our refuge and high tower (Psalm 144). Jesus said in “31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” We also read in the same chapter: “36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” Yes, in Christ we are free at last. We are no longer ‘owned’ by the world, by the devil, by sin or our past. We are free at last!

Matthew 6 says, “9: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” What is God’s will? Yes, for us to be free. It is His will for us to be free in His power, authority, love, beauty and majesty. He wants us to walk in the reality of “Isaiah 40: 31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” In God’s freedom, we shall soar! As eagles enjoy the freedom of the skies, so we are called to enjoy God’s freedom paid for by the Blood of the Lamb.

God wants us to be free indeed—not just half-free, but wholly free persons. He has lovingly provided a way by which those who believe His Word might be released from every mental prison and every negative thought that keeps them from enjoying this freedom. Being convinced of this, we can believe positively in life, knowing our release will absolutely follow. God wants us to be free. As we believe and continue in the Word of God, the truth, and come to know God’s Son, we will be free indeed. Learning and knowing that we have freedom available from our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, we can claim that freedom daily, overcoming the adversary. We can ring that freedom bell, for freedom in Christ is most beautiful and glorious!

Paul reminds us in Galatians 5:1 (about not being yoked again) that the very purpose of Christ's work on the cross was to set us free. This freedom is not just an abstract concept, but a concrete reality that has the power to transform our lives and our relationship with God. Galatians 5:1 also contains a call to action. As believers, we are urged to stand firm in our freedom and resist any attempt to be burdened by spiritual bondage. This may take the form of legalism, false teaching, or any other force that seeks to undermine our confidence in the grace of God. Paul's use of the phrase "yoke of slavery" when speaking about yoked to the Law, yet today so many people are yoked and burdened by all forms of slavery. This includes addictions, and such addictions are not limited to substance abuse, but so many are addicted to power, money, or fame. We as believers are called to reject this yoke and embrace the freedom that Christ has secured for us through His death and resurrection.

We need to reflect on the freedom that Christ has won for us. And we must fight for such freedom by resisting the temptations and seductions of the world and the devil that seek to enslave us. We need to stand firm in our freedom by cultivating a deep and abiding relationship with Christ, grounded in the knowledge of His love and grace. We need to resist any temptation to return to the yoke of slavery, and be vigilant in guarding your spiritual freedom. James 4:7 says, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” And also “1 John 2: 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

Israel was set free from the bondage of Egypt yet they kept on wanting to go back to such captivity. They even made a god of gold to lead them through the wilderness! Indeed, God has not called us to look back and to behold our old life full of bondage and slavery. In His love is our freedom. This world holds no true joy and offers no real life, but only illusions of contentment and freedom. God has unshackled us from such illusions and false burdens. Why then be enslaved again to such temporary pleasures and seductions that only blind us spiritually to the truth of God.

God granted His creation moral agency. In our free will, we need to choose freedom, which comes when we follow God (Joshua 24:15). We need to decide to reason together with Him (Isaiah 1:18) and to believe and obey the gospel in order to be saved (Mark 16:16; Hebrews 5:9). Yes, God desires all men to be saved (2 Peter 3:9); but sadly, not all will be (Matthew 7:13-14). In our redemption, lies our freedom. He could have created us in such a way that we could not help but serve Him. But then all He would have would be a group of servants that follow Him thoughtlessly or under compulsion. This is not what God wants. He wants us to choose to follow Him and has given us the freedom of will to do so.

God created human beings, not robots. We don’t have to accept the freedom He offers us through Jesus Christ. He gives each person the free will to accept or reject His salvation. But the Bible warns that hell is a real place where real people end up when they knowingly reject the truth. The best life is one that’s devoted to honouring Him. As the Apostle Paul explained to some of the first Christians. From cover to cover, God’s Word points to freedom in Christ. And God doesn’t leave us wondering how to grab hold of the freedom He offers. It starts with acknowledging our brokenness—and admitting we are slaves to sin. And it ends with choosing Jesus and following Him daily. Only He can break the bonds of slavery and lead us to true freedom, now and forever.

God wants us to be free. He set Israel free because He wants His children to enjoy God’s freedom. It is the freedom from doubt, from fear and uncertainties. Yet we need to respond to such freedom by accepting Christ, bowing before Him and serving Him as Lord and Master. Yes, we have been called to be FREE in Christ. Jesus died on the cross so that we may be free.

In life, so many people are looking for some sort of freedom. Some look to break away from worldly systems and, therefore, to depart from secularism. Some look to break away from all forms of religion. Some seek their freedom in nature. Day in and day out, people are looking for meaning, purpose, and a sense of freedom. And yes, some deny God to be master of their own ship. Others seek to escape the world by embracing the ‘freedoms’ offered by substance abuse, or by the pleasures of money. Yet true freedom lies in Christ. In Him is our meaning and purpose. In Him is our healing and joy.

The quest for freedom is a theme found throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Just three chapters into the story of God’s creation, humanity gave up its freedom by choosing to rebel against God. From that time forward, the perfect freedom God created in the Garden of Eden was gone, and the long-term effects were both physical and spiritual. The Old Testament of the Bible records how God’s people lost their physical freedom time and again as various empires overtook them (most notably the Egyptians, as recorded in the book of Exodus).  When God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He was foreshadowing the arrival of Jesus Christ, who came to free humanity from sin—the spiritual slavery that leads to death. Today, many people are living in spiritual slavery without realizing it. They chase false gods of money, success, personal comfort and romantic love—only to realize they still have an emptiness that can’t be filled by any of those things.

When Jesus began his short period of ministry on the earth, He announced He was the One that God’s people had been waiting for since the fall of humanity. He did this by reading a particular passage from the book of Isaiah (chapter 61) —a passage his listeners knew was referring to the Messiah, or the Saviour of the world. The core message of the Christian faith—the Gospel—is that Jesus Christ rescues us from the slavery of sin and offers true freedom in this life and beyond. He has come to set the sinner free. The Good News—the best news ever—is that faith in Jesus frees us from the death we deserve for sinning against God. It frees us from the punishment that would be inflicted upon us at the end of our lives for the evil things we’ve thought and done.

Galatians 5:13 says, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” With freedom comes great responsibility. In our freedom, we must live as servants to the glory of God. While Christ's followers still battle with sin, they are no longer slaves to it. Through the power of Christ, His people can be set free from the bondage of greed, vanity, pride, pornography, addiction, abusive behaviour, gluttony, selfishness—and any other sin under the sun. We are free, yet not free to sin anymore but free to overcome sin!

Jeremiah 29 says, “11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God only wants the best for us. After all, any parent only wants the best for their children, so why would it be different when it comes to our relationship with God? God’s intentions towards His children have always been good, pure, glorious and wonderful. Only the best says God for His children. And such best is for us to be free from lies, and the crippling power of sin and darkness.

God’s plan and purpose for us are the BEST, and this transcends every aspect of our lives, be it our spiritual journey or our journey through life. The VERY BEST God has in store for us will glorify God, exalt His Kingdom, and it will give meaning to our existence. It is the best that will prosper us in spirit, soul and body. If we truly seek God and His plan above all, we then seek His Kingdom and righteousness. And for those who seek His Kingdom with devotion, will be rewarded for the rest shall be added (Matthew 6:33 – spiritual and physical blessings and favour). As we love God, His plan for our lives shall unfold, be revealed and shine as a glorious light in the darkness. Such a marvellous plan speaks of liberty and joy in the Lord.

God wants us to be free because He loves us. 1 John 3 says, “1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” Yes, God has bestowed His love first on us when Jesus died on the cross. Before we are redeemed, we were all sinners, helplessly lost in carnality. Romans 8 also beautifully sums up God’s love: “37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In Mark 2 we read: “15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Jesus was always radical in love. He healed the lepers because of love. He raised the dead because of love. He made the lame walk and the blind see because of love. Love was a great motivator for God is love. The Kingdom is all about love. Love should be our motivator, and it should spur us on to be radical and dangerous in manifesting such glorious love. The story of the Good Samaritan speaks of such radical and dangerous love. A love that defies the odds. A love that breaks down barriers.

1 Corinthians 13 details so beautifully what love is: “4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.” Yes, God never fails, so love will forever stand! As children of God, we must seek radical love by always walking the road of humility, peace, joy, purity, holiness and longsuffering. For this is the heart of God, and then

God’s radical love extends to all people, even to those who are ungrateful and evil. As His children, our love should reflect His love. Luke shows us that we must love all people, not just those who are nice or good to us! Talk about a beautiful love! It is not enough passively to endure wrongs. We must actively engage in good deeds toward those who have treated us wrongfully. Our love must be self-denying, not self-seeking. We must set aside what we think to be our rights if we want to follow our Lord in practising this radical love. After all, this is why we preach Christ so that even the wicked will find God! We preach Christ because everyone, no matter who they are or what they have done, deserves the love of Christ.

John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This was the ultimate demonstration of love. There is no greater testimony of a God willing to lay down His life for the sake of His Creation then what He was willing to endure on the Cross. And what He was willing to endure before He even got to the mount to be crucified.

We can be free in this life, no matter our circumstances or what we face, we just have to turn our gaze away from our troubles. We need to behold Him – the one who sets us free - in all His holiness and splendour. When we truly behold him, we see the author and finisher of our faith. We then behold the majesty and the glory, we see the resurrection and the life, and we bow before the Rose of Sharon, the Lilly of the Valley, the Lion of Judah and the Lamb who is worthy to open the seals. We behold the truth and the power, and we know, yes we know, He is God and He is Lord!  With our eyes upon Jesus, this world fades, our past and future fade, for only the here and now is where we long to live and breathe. With our eyes upon Jesus, we see His plans, His ways, His perfection and His beauty. With our eyes upon Jesus, we know in our hearts that His grace and mercy is new every morning. Truly, His grace is sufficient for us. His grace makes us strong when we are weak and by His love, we are forgiven and strengthened to reign with Him.

Yes, in Christ we are free! With our eyes upon Jesus, there is peace, there is hope, there is comfort, there is joy and there is the cry of the heart just to worship and serve. All the shackles and burdens shatter. All that remains is His perfect and pleasing will. With our eyes upon Jesus, everything in this world pales in comparison and fades away. At His feet, we lay down our crowns, we lay down our plans, our ways, our deeds and our pride and we surrender. We lay down our troubles. At the feet of God, our longing is stilled, our thirst and hunger quenched and we can be at peace.

Let us always remember we are God's children, His sons and daughters of faith. Let us remember that we are filled with the resurrection power of Jesus, working through and in the Holy Spirit, that we are able to do all that God has called us to do, that we are victorious, alive, free, brought into the light, bought by the precious Blood, cleansed, consecrated, sanctified, adopted, anointed, called and blessed.

His Spirit moves us to greater heights and destinies. We are magnificent, not yet perfect, not yet pure, but broken in humility, filled with praise, filled with a new song for the Lord, filled with great wisdom and knowledge, all to the glory of the Lord! We shall not be condemned, we shall not be ridiculed, we shall not be pushed back and we shall not be made to feel weak in error.

We can be assured and be at peace for the living Lord will forever be our life anchor – immovable, infallible, incorruptible and always faithful! What a hope and what a blessing to know that God, the defender of Israel and the defender of His children, is indeed with us and not against us (Romans 8:31) and that in the storms and in the still waters, He remains our anchor that grounds us and that keeps us steady and who will keep us on course. Let us praise the Lord and be thankful on this day, lifting up our voices in psalms and hymns, for Jesus died and rose from the grave, tearing the veil before the Holy of Holies so that we the redeemed by His blood are saved, and that we have access to the throne room of God and that this Mighty God truly and undoubtedly anchors us.

Here Be Lions released the powerful song called “I Speak Jesus”. It goes as follows (and as we read it, may we also confess it and stand upon it): I just wanna speak the name of Jesus, 'Til every dark addiction starts to break, Declaring there is hope and there is freedom, I speak Jesus 'Cause Your name is power, Your name is healing, Your name is life, Break every stronghold, Shine through the shadows, Burn like a fire I just wanna speak the name of Jesus, Over fear and all anxiety, To every soul held captive by depression, I speak Jesus.

Glory to God. In Jesus there is freedom! So rejoice and be glad on this day. He paid a King’s ransom for our freedom. It is a freedom settled in heaven. It is freedom touched by divinity. In Christ, we can declare that we are free at last, no matter the storms or what life throws at us. May we rejoice in our freedom to His glory.

Freedom from ‘thirst’

God wants His children to enjoy His fullness. He wants His children to live in victory and in a state of peace, joy, and love. Yet, this doesn’t all depend on God. It also depends on us. God does His part, but we need to do ours. This is a two-way road. As they say, it takes two to tango.

God is willing to meet our ‘thirst’, meaning whatever we thirst for in this world to make us happy, and joyous and to bring us into a state of contentment. God is always available and accessible for us to engage in a real and meaningful relationship with Him. God is a personal and faithful God who wants to engage with His children. God provides Himself as the source of life, yet it is up to us to ‘plug’ into God. Want more of God? Then it is about how much we are willing to sacrifice, surrender and seek God. The Lord is always willing to meet with us, but our spiritual journey hinges on our desire, thirst and hunger for God.

Deuteronomy 30 says, “11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” God is available. His Word is accessible. Jesus died on the cross and the Lord poured out His Spirit to ensure we may abide in Him. Indeed, it is not a great mystery to find Him, and neither is He far away to search Him, for God is ever-present, magnificent and glorious.

Matthew 7 says, “7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Take note, we are called to “ask”, and to “knock”. These are a call to action on our part. If He truly seek Him, the Lord shall answer. The Lord sees and knows all. He sees the thirsty and the hungry, and those who desire His company shall surely know His divine love and touch.

How thirsty are we to drink from God’s well, with His very representing His very being? For those who drink from the well, it shall be well with their souls!  It boils down to how much we are willing to surrender to God. 1 Thessalonians 5 says, “23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” Yes, God’s desire is for children to ‘prosper’ in spirit, soul and body, but this requires drinking from God and willingly and through a determined effort of obedience seeking to follow Him.

Jesus uses the phrase “living water” in two instances in the Bible. The first instance is found in John chapter 4. Jesus was tired and sat at a well while His disciples went into town to buy food. A Samaritan woman came to draw water. We read, “13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

In another passage of Scripture, Jesus is in the temple surrounded by a throng of worshipers. He suddenly cried out in “John 7: 37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” Here Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the living water.

External influence of the Spirit had always been given in the conversion and sanctification of the Old Testament saints and prophets, but the gift of the Spirit who would indwell believers had not yet been received (Acts 10:44–45). So, though many people say that Jesus is the living water, Jesus Himself intended the phrase to mean the Holy Spirit who dwells in believers and seals them for salvation (Ephesians 1:13–14). It is the ministry of the Spirit, flowing out of a heart redeemed by God, that blesses believers and, through them, brings life and light to the world.

Take note in John 7 that Jesus says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” If we want to walk in God’s fullness by His resurrected power and by His Spirit, we need to be thirsty. God does not put the thirst inside of us, we need to yearn for God in our will. Secondly, we are admonished to “come”, which is another action on our part. Thirdly, we need to drink. God will not force us to go to the well or to drink from it. To receive God’s Spirit and to walk in His presence requires we take action.

It seems some believers expect God to do everything. He has done His part. It is up to us. Are we truly thirsty? Are we truly hungry for Him? If so, have we truly and often and persistently come to the well to drink? Oh yes, it doesn’t help to look at the water but not drink it! We need to seek, and then we shall find. We must knock, and God shall answer. God calls us to come to the well and to drink!

The glorious news is that the water – His living waters – never runs dry. Never! We can drink every day. Not only does it not run dry, it is also free! There is a saying that nothing is really free, but not with God. He says to all of us today to come and drink from the waters, for Jesus died so that all mankind may be saved and know the greatness, goodness and mercy of a loving God (John 3:16). Isaiah 55 says, “1 “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

Question is, what satisfies our thirst in this world? Is it money, or maybe fame? The passage also says, “2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.” Only God satisfies the thirst within our soul! It is the thirst for rest, for peace, for wholeness and to be at peace! It is the thirst to be loved!

Psalm 23 says, “1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul.” Only in God, who is the living streams of water who provides peace and joy, do we find our refreshing (revival) and inner strength. No other “streams of water” in this world will quench the inner thirst of the soul and spirit. When we drink from God, we are finally no longer thirsty! Revelation 22 speaks of Eden restored, and it says, “1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city.” When we abide with God one day for all time, there is still the water which serves as a continuous reminder that only God eternally and for now satisfies our inner thirst!

In Exodus 15 we read, “22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah, 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” 25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.” Glory to God, this world only offers us water that is bitter and of no use. Yet Jesus is the root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10) and in Him we find our life and hope. The Hebrew word used for “root” (sheresh) implies a root that remains alive and sends up a shoot or branch; thus, the root of Jesse was a root from which more descendants could come. Yes, Jesus gives us life and hope!

In Exodus 15, God then led them to Elim, of which we read, “27 where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.” This was the second encampment of the Israelites after crossing the Red Sea. It was a contrast to the previous camp as we saw called Marah because of the bitterness of the waters. The traditional site is an oasis. An oasis is described as a fertile spot in a desert, where water is found.

God wants to lead us from a state of Marah to Elim. Therefore, from a state of dryness and bitterness within the soul and spirit to a state of sustenance, joy, peace and hope! God is the one who provides such “water” for the thirst of the soul, for only god can truly satisfy our needs and wants.

Exodus 17 says, “1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” 3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” 4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.”

The people were thirsty, and God provided fresh water! Many see the water coming from the rock as alluding to the living waters that comes from Christ who is the eternal Rock of Salvation. God does provide, not only to quell our fears, but He provides the “waters” of joy, salvation and hope. For many in their times of revival and awakening, they have also come to a place where they can no longer go on. They are tired, quarrelling with myself, the world or even God, but the Lord never gives us bitterness but always the best water!

Revelation 17 says, “17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” Yes, come to the well and drink! God satisfies all longing, and all yearning, for only He provides true rest and hope. Only in God do we belong, for in God we come home to a place where we are accepted and loved.

Come to the well and drink! God satisfies all longing, and all yearning, for only He provides true rest and hope. Only in God do we belong, for in God we come home to a place where we are accepted and loved. Ephesians 3 says, “19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Come and drink from God’s love that is beyond human reason, logic or understanding! It is love divine, sweet and pure! God is indeed awesome, and wonderful. Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” Yes, come and drink and taste of His goodness, for God is good, kind, loving and so beautiful in all His glory and majesty!

I remember there was a time when the Lord showed me a waterfall. It was beautiful, and the water was refreshing. Then the Lord spoke about how His children only dip their toes in the water or are willing to take a small sip. Then the Lord said He wants His children to get into the waterfall so that we are saturated and soaked by His Presence.

To be saturated implies something is holding something (such as water or moisture) that can be absorbed; therefore, thoroughly soaked. When something is saturated, there is no room for something else to occupy that space. You see, we need to be so saturated and soaked by God’s presence that there is no room for the world or the devil. How thirsty are you for God? How much do you yearn for Him? To get into the waterfall implies a voluntary action. How much we want to be saturated depends on us. The more time we spend with God in fellowship and in His Word, the more we shall be saturated by His presence. God plays His part, but we need to come to the party. God is ready to rock our world, we just need to allow Him through intimate fellowship.

God’s intention is for us to grow into the fullness of His glory, the fullness of His majesty and nature, and thus to come to the perfection of His will. In Him we find peace, thus Shalom. True peace comes when we surrender our story to the author of the finisher of our faith. If we come to the last sentence of our lives, whatever our fate and outcome, then it is the Lord’s perfect will and in this, we rest. Up to then, we follow and obey to walk in God’s fullness of our lives. We then know the perfection of His will, of His love and goodness as living epistles.

When Jesus said in John 15 that if we abide in Him then He will abide in us, He was saying that the more we die to the self the more we will be living in the fullness of God, meaning the fullness of His authority, the fullness of the anointing and the fullness of His glory. His holiness and glory will then be manifested in us. King David writes in “Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” As believers of God, we need to yearn, seek and desire to dwell in the presence of God, for in His presence we know God and in that knowing, we can thrive, overcome, prosper and grow spiritually.

In Exodus 33 we read, “11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.” Take note of Joshua “did not leave the tent”. Yes, he longed for God. He longed to be with God. Do we have such a desire? Do we have such an urgency to dwell in God’s presence, where there is fullness of joy and hope? David also wrote in “Psalm 42:1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” He also said in “Psalm 140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.”

David became king because he had a heart for God. Joshua took over from Moses to lead the people into the Promised Land because he longed to dwell with God.

To worship God is based on relationship, not religion. In Psalm 139:7 we read, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” God’s presence is always available to God’s people through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. God is also omnipresent, meaning He is always present even if we aren’t aware of it.

Yes, we must seek God’s presence. Moses understood the critical importance of being led by God’s Presence when in Exodus 33 he cried, “15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” In Psalm 51:11 David said: “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” In 1 Samuel 16 we learn (verse 14) that “the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.” Saul had become rebellious, seeking life after the flesh instead of serving God’s will. In Ezekiel 10 the glory departed from the Jewish temple because of Israel’s wickedness. Remember during that time God’s presence was visible, tangible yet dwelled only in the Holy of Holies, even though the Spirit of God was active among His servants but not yet poured out.

It is indeed fearful when we are left to wander this earth without the presence of God! A church without the presence of God is a mere building of noise and senseless activities! Ministry without the presence of God is powerless! The apostle Paul walked in the presence of God, therefore, in God’s power and so he wrote in “1 Corinthians 2: 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” Indeed, the Christian life without God’s presence is void of true regenerating life!

In Nehemiah 9 we read of God’s provision: “20 And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst. 21 Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing.” Glory to God! What an incredible God we serve. God is so loving, so caring, and so awesome that He did not withhold His provision during the days that the Israelites wandered the wilderness. Yes, every morning the people had to trust and put their faith in God that He shall provide, He shall sustain and that they shall lack nothing. Every morning when they woke up their faith was settled in a God who is truly faithful, real and true. Glory to God, God never withheld the Manna! He provided without fail!

And just so, we can wake up every day knowing God is faithful. He is true. He is real. He still does not withhold His living waters! He still provides to quench our thirst. He is our joy, our contentment, our joy and the meaning of this world. Just as Jesus fed the multitudes supernaturally, God will provide for He is Life, eternal Hope and our anchor of faith. John 6:35 says: “Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).” Praise the Lord, He still quenches our thirst! Yet it is up to us to ‘drink’, for the Lord will not force us to drink!

God promises to give us peace and contentment if we trust him (Philippians 4:6–7). He really wants us to experience them in increasing measure, even here in this troubled world (John 16:33). So he has given us the simple, hard secret: Trust Him.  1 Timothy 6 says, “6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” In God we find contentment, for He is still our provider, and such provision also extends to our spiritual serenity and the health of our soul.

Let us hold onto “Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Yes, the Lord’s living waters will never run dry. He will never abandon us for bareness, or to go through life alone.

Free to find your purpose

Mankind is in a crisis because so many have rejected Jesus, and thus find themselves in a world of chaos and destruction. We are floundering in the muck of this post-modern world, and the Church and the therapists and the psychologists think they are making a difference to alleviate the crisis. The therapists and the psychologists have failed because they do not deal not with the ancient laws and truths of the spiritual realm and that man was first a spiritual being and will return as a spiritual being. In between this journeyman has been given a soul and a flesh. Yet man has been created by God who is Spirit.

Mankind is experiencing an existential crisis, which means we struggle to know what the meaning of life is and what is our purpose on earth. The truth is that only in God do we find our purpose, our hope and our meaning. God is our anchor, yet so many people are drifting through life without an anchor. It says in “Hebrews 6: 19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.”

Jesus has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. God is forever the life anchor – immovable, infallible, incorruptible and always faithful! What hope and what a blessing to know that God, the defender of Israel and the defender of His children, is with us and not against us (Romans 8:31), and that in the storms and in the still waters, He remains the anchor that grounds us and that keeps us steady and who will keep us on course.  And thus, we need to lead people, especially in times of counselling to understand and grasp the reality of such an anchor.

Mankind is sadly self-destructing because it has chosen not to place its hope and strength in the eternal anchor. And so mankind is drifting on the seas of turmoil, pain, confusion and isolation. Man finds himself in this torturous crisis where he toils and labours in vain because he fails to realise his was made in the spiritual realm and would return for all eternity (where space/dimension does not exist) to a realm of no dimension. Man has found himself sinking deeper and deeper into the quicksand of his mortal existence because he has focused on the fleetingly temporary world of existence.

Man has systematically chosen to push divinity aside, choosing to seek his own salvation and meaning. Man has therefore plunged himself into a crisis of epidemic proportions, for man was made by divinity and should be ruled by divinity. Wisdom is required to deal with the challenges of the soul and the flesh. In the soul, you have the realms of the will, emotions and intellect. In the spiritual world you have the realms of God, and within operate a place called hell. It is no wonder man is floundering. If there is no divinity to rule and determine, then surely man is but like dust. If there is no hope for a divine being to play a part in our lives then we are but surely nothing more than useless atoms. Oh, what a frightening concept to consider being all alone in the world, your existence and its meaning uncertain and events being at times futile.

From morning until dusk, from dusk to first light, man gets up and is solely, utterly and deeply embroiled in his world. And man’s own world is a place of self-exalted pity, where he is so concerned with his own wellbeing, his glory, his pride and his welfare. It is a world enclosed; a selfish beast with little remorse or regret. It seeks to devour for in his own world man lives for himself and, where it applies, his immediate family. Yet, even then, where a few do impede on his ground, man in his soulless nature still seeks to claw and wrestle for his sense of sanity and salvation.  This quest of climbing out of the pit to find solace and hope rests in a myriad of coping mechanisms or methods of escapism. In the end, where man seeks to operate within the boundaries of natural laws and not within the parameters of divinity, he will surely find himself at the mercy of all kinds of quips, gratifications, longings, yearnings and endless earthly quests.

Man will embroil himself in countless adventures, relationships, career-embarking/empire-building strategies, self-motivational/self-enlightenment dramas and spiralling notions of temporary grandeur. For man wakes up every morning and he is battered by haunted winds – for this existential crisis is one of the deep fears and even deeper rejections. He fears loneliness, poverty, being insignificant, feeling unwanted and unneeded – man wakes up every day in a state of existential crisis for he analyses his very existence. And there a myriad of questions that rage and challenges that rises like bile: Is he successful? Is he making a difference? Does anybody love him? Is there a god? Why doesn’t that person love him? Who cares about him? What about a new job? How to please the partner? How to please the children? Who am I? Why am I here? What is the meaning of this all? I want to be someone else.  Am I lost spiritually? Am I unhealthy? When will I die? Am I poor?

It is a whirlwind of fear and indecision. It is a hurricane of doubt and chaos. So man seeks to find some kind of sanity and some kind of sense to his very existence. He will try anything to negate the existential crisis. So he drinks. So he uses drugs. So he reverts to violence. Yet is a downward spirit for the means of escapism demands more and more like a hungry wolf on the moors – it howls at the moon for pain never ceases and the maddening rage of quietening the fears. This world has been plunged into this crisis for individuals have chosen to create the meaning and essence of their lives, as opposed to it being created for them by deities or authorities or defined by the true Ancient Ways of the Eternal Living God.

This crisis is like a man trying to lead himself out of a labyrinth armed with a dying candle. For those who follow God, the labyrinth of life and existence may remain perplexing and complicated at times, dark and dank, yet it is not the place of total despair. For to the saint, God becomes their guide and their light and true source of hope to navigate through the tunnels into everlasting and glorious light. Man’s adventures and quest, at times bizarre, quirky or even self-destructive, remains like a warm jacket that one cannot shed on a humid day. Without God, despite man’s efforts, his endeavours remain poor in finding true answers and hope for the meaning of existence.

In God, we are liberated and set free by the Son of God.  In God, we strive for a higher ideal and a higher sense of need and want. We then live for the Kingdom of God and not for his own kingdom. Let us praise the Lord and be thankful in this day, lifting up our voices in psalms and hymns, for Jesus died and rose from the grave, tearing the veil before the Holy of Holies so that we the redeemed by His blood are saved, and that we have access to the throne room of God and that this Mighty God truly and undoubtedly anchors us. No matter the storms, no matter the winds of life, no matter the lashing rains of trouble and strive, no matter the heat of the sun, God anchors us, God keeps us from sinking and God keeps us from being shattered against the rocks of our hardships.

In God we find our meaning, our purpose and hope. He is the creator, the author and the glory. The answer to our ailments, trauma, suffering, and crisis is Jesus, the Son of the Living God. His pure love for us and our pure love for Him is all that is important and it is all that matters.  Jesus is the Way, Truth and Life; those who know Him will know His voice; He is the only Shepherd and He is the only way to the Father.

In Christ’s freedom, we discover our purpose and we can pursue it as led by the Spirit of God. Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” He has a plan for our lives. Remember you are saved by grace. You live by grace. God will accomplish His plan in your life by grace. Christ frees you so that your activity doesn’t flow out of some sense of trying to win God’s approval. Your approval doesn’t come because of what you do, but because of what Christ has already done. When you understand this, you are free to accomplish the plan God has for your life with no agenda, no ulterior motive but out of a heart motivated by love for Him.

Romans 8 says, “28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Let us stop for a while, pausing to admit our busy schedules, to ask ourselves, honestly, what is the purpose of all that we are doing? Be honest, for you are only answering to yourself. Go ahead, take a leap of faith, and admit freely if what you are doing has a real meaningful purpose, if your life is abundantly filled with contentment and joy.

Not so easy to be convinced that purpose is always evident in your life, is it? The meaning and purpose of life are and have been an enigma for centuries. Philosophers have spent nights burning the midnight oil to provide, through provoking arguments, what they believe is the meaning of life, and what it entails. Every day you find a strong sense of confusion in societies, for not all fundamentally know what their true purpose is. Haven't there been times when we asked questions such as what am I doing at this job; what am I doing in this relationship; what am I doing on earth? Fundamentally, it is unsettling to not always know for certain why you are in a certain situation, why you chose a certain option above others, or for many, why you are bored, frustrated, irritated, and perplexed. It gnaws at your nerves.

In the end, some seek to escape through worldly pleasures, to forget. I'm using the word ‘fundamentally’ freely to add strength to the point I’m trying to impress upon you. On the surface of our being, we think we know what drives us (purpose), but unfortunately, as many discover, it is to a degree, short-term, temporary, and of little value in the long haul. We create our purpose to establish meaning, in order not to spin into a mindless void of confusing questions.