In pursuit of God Series

It we seek to find Life, we need to walk in the Kingdom of Life. We need to seek the Kingdom above all else, but we can only walk in the manifested reality and glory of the Kingdom once we walk by Spirit, implying surrendering first our kingdom, laying down our crown and denying the Self. If we seek His Kingdom, then our kingdom (our ways, agendas, ideas) need to die as well. What we believe to be truth, or the right way, or the correct path, needs to be surrendered as we seek the true way of the Lord, which is the Way of the Kingdom. Jesus said He is the Way, Truth and Life, meaning He is the WAY of the Kingdom, and if we seek the Kingdom then we need to follow the Lord Jesus in Spirit and Truth. For then we shall walk in God's order and in His will.

It says in "Psalm 25: Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day." This Scripture should be our heart's cry. Our heart's desire. Our yearning and longing. Yes, how we must yearn to pursue God, His ways, to know His path and His truth! For then we shall be triumphant in the glory of God. We need to seek a life in the Spirit, for the Church as we know it is on the threshing floor. We need to choose now to be the light, and choose to love and choose God's will above all else in the pursuit of His majesty.

In our pursuit of God, it is once again time to go up the 'mountain' of the Lord, arising from the valley of carnality, for we can no longer pretend everything is fine. We can no longer pretend we are living in the glory and Truth of God. For there is a light that shines over yonder beyond the gate and beyond the valley, beyond the line of the trees where the waters reach to the mountain, for there the light of the Lord shines as He calls His people home to seek and worship and find Him. Do we know His voice? Shall we arise to drink from the Lord, to sit at His table, listen again to His voice and seek His Kingdom above all else? Such a decision has to be taken for a flood of the Spirit comes into the churches and throughout the world. Shall we be found on the Rock of the Lord, or shall our sand of illusion and deception be swept away by the glory of the Lord?

Jesus said He is the Way, Truth and Life. There is no other way when it comes to following Christ. We follow the Way of the Lord, and not our way or any other way. His Way is secure, true and promises life, hope, joy, strength and love. His Way leads us along the blessed path of an intimate relationship with God, and along a path where we are led to the green pastures and quiet pastures. It is the path of the Good Shepherd who guides us with the Rod and the Staff. It is indeed the way of Psalm 23. It is the Way of Truth, for in such Truth is our victory and liberty. Yet we need to forsake our way for the true way.

Our entire spiritual journey along with our free will boils down to either choosing to walk with Jesus (LIFE) or choosing the way of the world (DEATH). In God there is life, and life in abundance. Not just  eternal life, but life in spirit, in soul and in body. Yet, there is a real difference between knowing of Him and knowing Him. In Him we abide in life, and walk in such life, but this calls for obedience to His Truth, to His Way and to His Kingdom. From a true relationship with the Lord, not religion, flows life and the blessings of such divine life. The Life and Death series is a volume of work stretching over many years, guided by the Holy Spirit, in order for the disciples of the Lord to understand we can walk in life, yet this calls for remaining true to the Word, to His Will, to His Ways and His Kingdom. In Volume IV we look at the eternal spiritual war, at the tactics of the enemy and how to need to remain in the truth and on the path of the Lord at all times.

In this study, we will explore how to walk in the victorious life of Christ. 1 John 5:4 (NKJV) says "for whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith." In Christ, we can lead a victorious life and a life of overcoming fear, uncertainty, strife and hopelessness. For Christ is our hope of glory and in Him, we do not have to fear for the battle belongs to God! He is the Light, the Way and Life.

In this day and age of troubles, strife and calamities we need to seek, yearn and desire to burn for God by His holy and pure fire! God burns for us in love so we need to burn for Him! The fire of God is the very presence of God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is the anointing and the flow of the power of the eternal and living God. The fire is also the light of God, for fire is light. God is the source of all light as an all-consuming fire. For Christians to be "in" the Lord, they must be in His fire to produce the light and the heat of His love and glory. The Bible teaches that we must be holy as He is Holy. We do so by being refined by His fire. Glory to God, His fire is spiritual, not natural. It is majestic, beautiful, and runs like a liquid in our soul and spirit. How we need to be consumed by His fire so that we may shine His light and dwell in His manifested glory! Yes, the fire is a blazing presence of the Spirit so that we may stand victoriously, overcome in joy and be triumphant in praise and worship to the Great I AM. Let it burn God so that we may burn in Your love and hope!

Of the greatest commandment, we read in Mark 12 (NIV): "29 The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' We need to again place a spotlight on the word "strength". So what does it then mean to serve God with all our strength? We can also ask do we really serve and love God with all our strength. For if we do, then we must make every effort, day and night, to obey God, to follow Him, to love Him, and to serve Him. We must do so with every ounce of our strength, with every ounce of conviction, and there must be no room, none whatsoever, for the world to steal our love for God, or our devotion, loyalty and faithfulness. To love God with all our strength (might) is to constantly all the time seek His will, His ways and truth. It calls for us to pay attention to God, to be serious about Him above everything else and to love Him as our First Love.

Our entire spiritual journey along with our free will boils down to either choosing to walk with Jesus (LIFE) or choosing the way of the world (DEATH). In God there is life, and life in abundance. Not just  eternal life, but life in spirit, in soul and in body. Yet, there is a real difference between knowing of Him and knowing Him. In Him we abide in life, and walk in such life, but this calls for obedience to His Truth, to His Way and to His Kingdom. From a true relationship with the Lord, not religion, flows life and the blessings of such divine life. The Life and Death series is a volume of work stretching over many years, guided by the Holy Spirit, in order for the disciples of the Lord to understand we can walk in life, yet this calls for remaining true to the Word, to His Will, to His Ways and His Kingdom. In Volume IV we look at the eternal spiritual war, at the tactics of the enemy and how to need to remain in the truth and on the path of the Lord at all times.

Mankind stands at a most critical time. A deserted bell rings over a deserted field. It is a hollow sound, eerie, almost foreboding. It is the bell that one hears in the wake of death or at that very moment of impending doom and danger. It is the toll that brings a chill to one's bones. For when that forlorn watchman on a fortress wall hears that bell through misty currents, and it is like a death-grip unto the soul. It is the bell that echoes the alarming truth that mankind has lost its true faith. A faith buried, tortured and left in the dungeon. More than ever we need to return to the Lord Jesus, and His Ways, to His Kingdom, to His Life and Light as the world slips deeper into moral depravity and self-destruction. These are days of apostasy and heresy where the Truth of the Lord has been discarded and trampled upon, yet His Truth shall forever stand as a bastion - calling us home and providing refuge and shelter to those who believe, who hope and who trusts in the Lord.

The greatest commandment in Matthew 22: 36 is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind.' We must love God WITH ALL OUR MINDS. It is a commandment. Not part of it. Not proportionally. In totality. We must be consumed by a love for God, for He is must be our first love. Our mind must be connected and united with God in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, yes every second of the day! Our hearts must yearn for God, for God is glorious and wonderful. God is jealous of our love. He wants our minds to think of Him ALL THE TIME. He wants our affection, attention and devotion. There is nothing greater for your mind to THINK of God and His Word. Only when our minds yield to God, can we seek a path of purity, joy, peace, and love. For God calls our mind to be in sync with His mind. Do you know the mind of God? For His mind speaks of wisdom, divine knowledge, love, of beauty and majesty. God calls for a pure mind, a good mind, and a mind that seeks the light.

Why talk about the heart? We read in "Matthew 22: 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment." It is that simple. We must love God WITH ALL OUR HEART. Not part of it. Not proportionally. In totality. We must be consumed by a love for God, for He is must be our first love. Our heart must beat for God in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, yes every second of the day! Our hearts must yearn for God, for God is glorious and wonderful. God is jealous of our love. He wants our heart. He wants our affection, attention and devotion. There is nothing greater for your heart to beat for God and for God to live in our hearts through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Only when our hearts yield to God, can we seek a path of purity, joy, peace, and love. For God calls our hearts to beat in sync with His heart. Do you know the heartbeat of God? Do you know what His heart beats for? For His heart speaks of love, of beauty and majesty. God calls for a pure heart, a good heart, and a heart that seeks the light of His splendour and glory.

Galatians 5 makes it clear what are the fruits of the Spirit, which include love, joy, peace and self-control. Take note we are dealing here with the fruits of the Spirit, not our spirit. So we can only develop and carry such fruit when we allow God to abide and work in us. Therefore, we have to "live in the Spirit", meaning walking in the Spirit who produces such fruit. This volume of work has been prompted for the simple reason that the church seems to be neglecting the need to equip disciples who reflect and manifest the character of God. We have become too obsessed with creating a feel-good Church, gifts, signs and wonders, yet ignoring the importance of character. It should be stressed we cannot generate such good fruits that produce moral and godly living on our own, therefore, we need to abide in God to bear much fruit. We need to earnestly cultivate a character that glorifies and exalts God, so that the world may know we are disciples of God because of the fruit we carry.

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. We need a cry of the heart that we need the presence of God daily for as believers of God we cannot truly function or be alive with His presence! A life of spiritual victory is only possible in God's presence as we walk in His glory. We need to cry out to God that surely we don't want to go anywhere or do anything without His presence. In His presence is life, hope, joy, strength deliverance and healing.

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. 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. And the good news is that it is never too late to come into alignment with God's plan. Never.

How we need the wisdom of the Lord once again in our churches and for the wisdom of the Lord to rest upon the lips of His servants! It says in "Job 28:28 But to man He said, Behold, the reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord—that is Wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." These days man seeks after his own wisdom, and relies upon his own intellectual faculty to determine the Truth of God. Godly wisdom comes by fearing the Lord, obeying Him, seeking Him and walking in His Spirit. Such wisdom speaks not of foolishness, ignorance or deception as we see so often in Churches, but it speaks of God's will, His plan, His Kingdom, His Truth and His Way. God is all-wise, infinitely wise. God's wisdom is also vastly superior to human wisdom and He remains the source of wisdom. Wisdom is not just knowledge, but "know-how." It enables us to follow God's will and to know how to move in His Spirit at all times. Thus, we don't just need knowledge, but we need God's wisdom to conduct our lives to His honour all day!

The Lord is our Bridegroom, and those who belong to Jesus Christ are His Bride. Those who believe have been included in Christ when they heard the message of truth, the gospel of our salvation. The moment we hear the message of the gospel and receive salvation we are betrothed to Christ. Such a Bride is sold out for the Bridegroom, seeking to be with Him and to love him for all eternity. This church—the Bride of Christ—is not one specific local church or denomination but the entire body of believers throughout the ages. All who have trusted the Lord and received salvation by grace through faith are collectively His Bride. As the Bride, we are called to have only one true eternal love – Christ. The Lord Jesus is our Bridegroom, the Lover of my soul. It means that we share His love. It means we bear His Name. We are called to uphold the name of Jesus. Through our actions, words, behaviour and conduct, we must bring honour to the name of our Bridegroom! We are His Bride, and as such, we must bring honour to our Bridegroom. We must not put Him to shame. What He loves we must love. He must be ours and captivate our attention day and night. In any true marriage, the bridegroom and the bride give themselves to each other, unreservedly and forever; and in this holy relationship of the saved sinner and the Saviour, it is the same. We are called to shine the light of the Bridegroom, to be ready for His coming, and to be without spot or wrinkle when it happens. We must make every effort to be found pleasing unto the Bridegroom, for the marriage feast in heaven will outshine any grand wedding that has ever been held on earth! The Bridegroom is indeed glorious, so let us prepare and remain consecrated unto holiness. May the Bridegroom find a pure and faithful Bride at His blessed coming!

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.

Just as one's DNA is made of chemical building blocks called nucleotides, just so our spiritual composition is made up of building blocks. And such blocks all should form part of the foundation of our faith, with Jesus being the cornerstone. Our entire lives should be built upon Christ, and everything else should flow from God. For a true believer to survive the storms of life, while also thriving and prospering, we need to be grounded in Christ. We need to make sure our foundation is rock solid. And we need to make sure all our building blocks are in place. Unless such a true foundation is in place, where we are settled in the complete, beautiful, infallible, incorruptible and untainted truth and ways of God, we then remain in danger of being swept away by the storms of deceptions, lies, manipulation, extortions, seductions and spiritual corruption. After all, we cannot build a house unless the foundation is properly laid and secured. Just so, unless the foundation of our faith is properly built and sealed by the Blood of the Lamb, how shall we truly know who God is, fathom His Kingdom or follow His will? For in His will is life, hope, and our strength.

Years ago, the Lord spoke in my heart about three key aspects of our spiritual journey: Mortification. Abandonment. Purity. Together, they abbreviate M.A.P. Thus, the map to follow in our pursuit of holiness. For if we pursue such practice of always seeking God, yielding and laying it down for His glory, we shall then pursue holiness and we shall abide in His glorious presence. We then shall shun evil, for as we abide in His presence, we seek the moral good path of God's will and truth. We find the world is slipping deeper into decadence, depravity, wickedness, and immorality because we have forsaken God. As we forsake His ways and spiritual laws, we embrace the darkness, and in the darkness, we succumb to spiritual corruption and we are vulnerable to evil inclinations and wicked intent. We are called to abandon all unto His care. To seek holiness. To seek purity. And to surrender it all to His Glory. Yes, we are called to seek moral goodness by seeking God, for without Him, we only find a perilous path paved with self-destruction.

If we wish to walk in God's victory, blessing, love, hope and glory, we need to walk in His Will. Regarding His Will, there is no greater testimony of our desire to follow Him as His children than by the prayer of asking the Lord that His will be done and not ours. And that "will" in the Greek language speaks of desire, purpose and intent. Therefore, Jesus instructs us to pray that the will of the heavenly Father - that same Sovereign Lord of Isaiah 61 – be done, and we are to seek, pursue and desire that God's purpose, desire, intent and desire for us all in this world be done, and not our own. In His will is life, victory, and the strength to overcome.

There is this strange notion these days that God no longer speaks to His people. It is said that God spoke in the Old Testament and that God today only speaks these days through His Word. Yes, it is true, that God does speak through His Word, but the wonderful and glorious news is that God does speak to His children. He has a voice, we have ears, and there is definite communication! Some even say that one is crazy to think one hears from God (voices in the head apparently speak of a deep-seated disorder). Others claim it is purely your imagination. This is sad because God is an incredibly personal God who wants to communicate with His children. He wants to talk to us, and He wants us to talk to Him. Just because someone has not heard from God does not mean He doesn't speak! Think about it. The Creator of all actually speaks to us! He does not just speak to the apostles or the prophets but to each and every believer. This is the God whom we serve. An awesome God who is not distant, but a God who wants a personal relationship with us. Yes, we can hear from God as His children. There is no simple formula, but it boils down to relationship, fellowship, intimacy, and willing to follow and listen.

If we look at the life of Moses, we find numerous spiritual lessons that will benefit any disciple of Jesus. Is his life important? Most assuredly, as this volume of work explores. He was a murderer, yet God used him mightily. He was almost killed as an infant, yet survived to do great things for God, leading a life of worth and value for 120 years. He survived the harshness of two wilderness journeys, totalling 80 years, and rightly takes his place, even though human, as one of the great heroes of the Bible. Moses as a prophet played a vital role in pointing towards the life and the ministry of Jesus. Moses is of great importance in the Bible for he is recognised as a deliverer (Exodus 3:7–10), covenant mediator (Exodus 34:27), priest (Psalm 99:6), and ruler (Exodus 2:13–14; Acts 7:27). Moses's larger-than-life status as prophet was designed by God as a template from which all other prophets would be measured. Enjoy this journey as covered in volumes one and two to know more about Moses, and how we can spiritually grow on our journey with God.

God is an actual, literal Father. He is the source of life. Yes, our God the Father created the universe and everything in it. He is a big God but at the same time is a personal God who knows each person's every need. God the Father set a plan in place to save humanity from itself. Yes, He is a good Father and a loving God who wants a family and to be with His children. He is not cruel or mean. Not abusive. Loving and kind. But also a Father who is not pleased with wickedness, evil or sin. He is a holy God. Unto Him we cry "Abba, Father" and He hears us. What an awesome God we serve, far better than the supposed fathers of mythology! Just as earthly fathers have an important part in contributing to the life of children, this is true with God as His spiritual children. He provides, protects, and nurtures. In this study, learn more about the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Yes, He is the heavenly Father of Jews and Gentiles alike. Unto Him comes all the glory and all the praise. He is Holy. He is almighty. Unto Him comes all power, for He is authority. May we draw closer to Him and let God Father us in His love, beauty and majesty.

If we look at the life of Moses, we find numerous spiritual lessons that will benefit any disciple of Jesus. Is his life important? Most assuredly, as this volume of work explores. He was a murderer, yet God used him mightily. He was almost killed as an infant, yet survived to do great things for God, leading a life of worth and value for 120 years. He survived the harshness of two wilderness journeys, totalling 80 years, and rightly takes his place, even though human, as one of the great heroes of the Bible. Moses as a prophet played a vital role in pointing towards the life and the ministry of Jesus. Moses is of great importance in the Bible for he is recognised as a deliverer (Exodus 3:7–10), covenant mediator (Exodus 34:27), priest (Psalm 99:6), and ruler (Exodus 2:13–14; Acts 7:27). Moses's larger-than-life status as prophet was designed by God as a template from which all other prophets would be measured. Enjoy this journey as covered in volumes one and two to know more about Moses, and how we can spiritually grow on our journey with God.