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In beginning this study, we need to familiarize ourselves with some terminologies, namely:

1. Intercession
The word intercession is the action of intervening on behalf of another person. Intercessory prayer, therefore, would mean the act of praying to God on behalf of others, whether they are aware of their need for such prayers or not.

“And Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” Genesis 25:21.

2. An Intercessor
An intercessor is the person who offers prayers on behalf of another.
Interestingly, the greatest Intercessor of all time is Jesus Christ. He never ceases to make intercessions for us before the throne of God in heaven. Isaiah 53:10-12; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:22-25.

“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25.

The quoted scriptures above give us a glimpse of what our Lord, Jesus Christ, does in heaven, among other things: He makes a continual intercession for His followers without ceasing. The phrase,
“He always lives to make intercession…” captures that essence. How fortunate we are!
Below is yet another scripture which speaks to this truth:
“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32.

Apart from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit of God, too, is an Intercessor for the children of God, but unlike Jesus Christ, He only intercedes for us when we ourselves are
Praying. He re-packages our prayers and makes them more presentable to God. Then He offers them to Him in intercession, making a strong appeal to God for us to be heard and answered. Romans 8:26-27.

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Romans 8:26.

Lastly, we as humans can be intercessors too. In fact, God is looking for intercessors today as He always has done in the ages past, but it is unfortunate to say that many people do not respond favourably to God’s call to stand in the gap as intercessors for others, as we shall see in the following texts of the study. Isaiah 59:14-16; Ezekiel 22:29-31.

“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30.

Today, God is still looking for men and women, boys and girls who would consecrate their services to Him as intercessors, to hold back His judgment and, instead, turn His favour on mankind for their deliverance and salvation. It is left to us to decide if, like Isaiah, we would gladly rise up to the occasion and say, “Here am I; send me.” Isaiah 6:8.

In the course of this study we shall be considering the following sub-topics:

1. The Principles of Intercessory Prayer.
2. The Requisite Qualities of an Intercessor.
3. Who Should We Intercede For? 1.The Principles of Intercessory Prayer.
   Intercessory Prayer, as earlier defined in the introductory part of this study, is the action of one or more persons intervening on behalf of another, or others, through prayer; whether those persons are aware of their need for such prayers or not.
   Intercessory Prayer is founded on a very interesting and divinely formulated principle which is designed by God to operate in the following ways:
   • 1.To circumvent any barrier created by a person’s self-will when it is exercised either in direct opposition to God’s will, or in ignorance of it.
   • 2.To act as reinforcement to a willing mind or an already existing prayer action initiated by anyone in line with God’s will, but which, nevertheless, is still deficient in achieving the answer sought.

In essence, therefore, we can say that intercessory prayer has the potential to persuade God to act favourably over a situation which, based on the prevailing circumstances surrounding it, He would ordinarily not have so acted, except for the sake of that intercessor(s). See Job 42:7-9.
“Therefore take now seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” Job 42:8.

Let’s now undertake an in-depth study of the two modes of operation of intercessory prayer already identified above.

1. The Power to Circumvent Barriers through Intercessory Prayer

God created man, gave him the rules he should follow to enable his life to successfully unfold in the order and manner He had designed it; but He also gave man the liberty of choice because, by God’s own design, that is an inherent attribute of his being. As long as man could make the choices which are consistent with God’s will, he would remain in fellowship with God and find the true meaning and fulfillment of his life. Deuteronomy 30:15-16.

“And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’” Ezekiel 20:11.
“…Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 2 Chronicles 20:20B.

But, on the other hand, if man makes a wrong exercise of his will in choosing what is not right in the sight of God, it would cause a breach in his relationship with God, who is the very source of his life, and that would result in a rapid deterioration of God’s original plan for his life. Deuteronomy 30:17-18.

“When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die.” Ezekiel 33:13.

Man, and that unfortunately, has habitually relied more on his own ways than on God’s, thus, coming into constant conflict with God’s ordained principles of life, and suffering dearly for it. But, thankfully, God who knew beforehand what mankind would make of the liberty of choice He granted them did not also leave them without a remedy for their transgressions. But the interesting thing about God’s remedy for man’s sins and failures is that it must be sought after for God to administer it; but here again, man is more likely to remain in sin than to turn away from it and seek God’s intervention, hence the need for an intercessor who could stand in the gap for unrepentant man and seek for God’s mercy and favour on his behalf. This remedy is a most interesting phenomenon, but we must forever be grateful that God has availed us of such underserved favour! See Hosea 7:8-16.

Hos.7.8 – “My people of Israel mingle with godless foreigners, picking up their evil ways. Now they have become as worthless as a half-baked cake!
Hos.7.9 – Worshiping foreign gods has sapped their strength, but they don’t even know it. Israel is like an old man with graying hair, unaware of how weak and old he has become.
Hos.7.10 – His arrogance testifies against him, yet he doesn’t return to the LORD his God or even try to find him”. NLT

A situation such as the one captured in the scripture above necessitates the employment of intercessory prayer to mitigate; God would show mercy if only the fallen or erring sinner would seek it, but mostly they do not, so God searches for an intercessor to stand in the gap to avert the impending judgment that would otherwise fall on the sinner. Isaiah 59:14-16; Ezekiel 22:29-31.
Ezek.22.30 “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one”.

Why has God always sought for an intercessor to intervene on behalf of the wilful, or erring, sinner? Why can’t He just forgive them of His own accord, with no strings attached, or else to just go ahead and punish them as their sins demand? The answer is simply that God will not forgive the sin which the sinner has refused to acknowledge, as that would not satisfy His justice, yet He would not also hastily bring him to judgement because He still loves the sinner. Exodus 34:5-7; Ezekiel 18:23, 30-32.
So, God would rather that an intercessor circumvents that spiritual barrier created by man’s hardness of heart, and offer a plea of mercy on his behalf. See Exodus 32:7-14; Daniel 9:15-19.

2. The Reinforcement Ability of Intercessory Prayers
The Principle here is much the same as the one explained in the first point above, but with the exception that on this second point we are not dealing with an unwilling person, but with a willing mind and praying heart that needs a support from an intercessor. Here, the case of Queen Esther as recorded in Esther 4:1-17 readily comes to mind.

“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” Esther 4:16

Here we have the case of a willing person ready to pray and seek God’s intervention, but she was still soliciting for the support of some other intercessors as a means of reinforcement. The same can be said of Apostle Peter’s willingness to go with Jesus through His trying moments when He was to be arrested and crucified. Jesus told him that He had prayed for him to come through that ordeal because, as God, He saw into the future that, though Peter was willing, his faith and courage would not carry him through, except He reinforced his faith through intercession. Yes, Peter eventually attempted to go through the length with Jesus Christ’s ordeal, but fell short as He had earlier forewarned him. What brought Peter back to repentance and spiritual restoration was, obviously, Jesus Christ’s earlier intercession.
“And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail…” Luke 22:31-32.

Sometimes the person being interceded for may not be aware of such prayer rally made on their behalf, except that they would notice that their situations dramatically changed for the better. This can happen to both individuals, or groups, in the first and second points discussed above. See Acts 12:1-11; Exodus 32:9-14.

“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” Acts 12:5.

Apostle Peter experienced an extraordinary miracle of deliverance from a maximum security prison, but he didn’t know that the secret of that divine imtervention was the relentless intercession offered on his behalf by the Church, until much later. We can also say the same thing about the Israelites when they incurred divine wrath because of the golden calf they made and worshipped. Little did they know destruction was to suddenly come upon them, had Moses not earnestly turned away God’s wrath from them through his intercessory prayers.

“Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: “LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people… Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people…” So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.” Exodus 32:11,12,14.

2. The Requisite Qualities of an Intercessor.
Having examined the principles of intercessory prayer in the first point under this study, we are now progressing into the next point of the study, as earlier captioned above. But we may have to, at this point, ask a very pertinent question: who may qualify as an intercessor before the LORD?
“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30.

The fact that God is still looking for intercessors today, as much as He has done in the ages past, quickly drives home the conviction that there has always been a scarcity of intercessors. There may have been an army of praying men and women; boys and girls, both in the past and present generations of the worshippers of God, but it is clear that there have always been a few intercessors. You may want to ask why this is so; well it’s so because as passionate as most people are about praying, yet most of their prayer points are for themselves or those in whom they have some vested interest. These are the very things that would disqualify anyone to be an intercessor before the LORD. God requires a nobler virtue from those whom He’d accept as intercessors.
Below are some qualities which God requires of those who would stand in the gap between Him and mankind in general, or individual persons in particular:

1. RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3.

The very first requirement any prospective intercessor should possess is a very good and working relationship with God, through His Son Jesus Christ. This is so because it would hardly be practicable to stand in the gap for anyone before God unless you have an intimate relationship with Him. God will only “…confirm the word of His servant, and perform the counsel of His messengers…” as His Word says. See Isaiah 44:24-26; 1 Samuel 3:19-21; Daniel 10:12.

“So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.” 1 Samuel 3:19.

2. FAITHFULNESS TO GOD
An unfaithful man would make a bad mediator or intercessor before a Holy God. See 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; Hebrews 3:1-5.

“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” 1 Corinthians 4:2.

God needs a person whom He can depend on; a person who would be faithful to His call as an intercessor. Faithfulness here means that when God needs someone to intercede on behalf of another, He would get a prompt response from the intercessor, without any interference from issues like their own personal convenience. Let us view what faithfulness to a cause would seem like to God, from the example of His own Son, Jesus Christ, in the scripture below:
Mark.6.30 – “The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and what they had taught.
Mark.6.31 – Then Jesus said, “Let’s get away from the crowds for a while and rest.” There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.
Mark.6.32 – They left by boat for a quieter spot.
Mark.6.33 – But many people saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and met them as they landed.
Mark.6.34 – “A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many things”. NLT
An intercessor, just like Jesus Christ and His disciples, must elevate the prevailing interest of God above their own so.as to minister to any one.

3. BURDEN FOR OTHERS
Daniel 9:1-19; 10:1-21.
Daniel was a man who had such a huge burden for his people, the Israelites and their land. Even in the event where his life was threatened with death in the lion’s den, on account of his faithfulness to intercessory prayer, Daniel still made intercession for his people to God Almighty. Daniel 6:1-10.
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” Daniel 6:10.

Nehemiah was also another man who showed such a huge burden for his nation Israel. See Nehemiah 1:1-11; 2:1-3.
“And I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?”” Nehemiah 2:3.

Moses, also, was a man with such a large heart for his people. Despite their incessant rebellion against God, and many conspiracies to stone him (Moses) to death, he still interceded for them before God. See Exodus 32:30-32; Numbers 14:11-20; Exodus 32:7-14.
“Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.”” Exodus 32:31-32.

Apostle Paul was also a man whose burden for his people, the Israelites, was great; it was such that he wished, like Moses did, that he could be accursed for the sake of his people. Romans 9:1-5; 10:1-2.
“I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh…” Romans 9:1-3.

The examples above should suffice for us to establish the importance of a burdened heart as a prerequisite for God to lay hands on the person He would use as an intercessor.

One striking thing, though, which is common to all the Bible characters mentioned above, was that they did not advance their personal interests before God in preference to that of their people for whom they entreated God’s favour. The same must apply to anyone who would be an intercessor before God for others. But who does God want us to intercede for? This question leads us to the third and final point of the study.

3. Who Should We Intercede For?
1 Timothy 2:1 – 8.
In answering the question posed above, we must reasonably give answer in line with God’s Word that we are to intercede for all of mankind.
“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men…” 1 Timothy 2:1

In fact, we should offer intercessions for everything worth praying for, unless God commands us to do otherwise. We must understand here that as great as the leverage is which our God has given to us in the place of prayers, yet He reserves the right to reject or accept the prayers so offered and to also determine if we should pray for anyone or not. See an example of this in Ezekiel 14:12-20.
“Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you.” Jeremiah 7:16.

However, with all things being equal, God would have us make intercession for all men and for all things in accordance with His will.
From our opening text, from the scriptures, we can identify some specific points raised for prayer and intercession. They are as follows:

1. FOR ALL MEN: 1 Timothy 2:1.
The phrase “…for all men…” is quite broad and should not be taken to mean literally praying for the over seven billion humans on earth, individually. Rather, it makes better sense to say that the request given therein is for prayers to be offered for all manner of men in their different classifications, such as we can see listed in the following points below.

2. FOR KINGS AND PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY. 1 Timothy 2:2.
This includes every person vested with powers to govern, to lead, to guide, to instruct, to teach or to administer justice. This classification covers almost all the different strata of the society such as: government, corporate institutions, educational institutions, religious institutions, and all of that. The idea for this prayer request is so that “…we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence…” in the society, which will in turn afford us the right setting to do God’s work successfully and to live a meaningful life.
The current state of the world, however, suggests that the church has not been doing much on this aspect of intercessory prayer. We keep praying for souls to be won, and for our living standards to improve under a system that’s secretly or ( in some countries) openly wired to prevent us from doing or achieving that! How can that be possible without first interceeding for the salvation of our political leaders, or the people in whose hands lie the civil power and authority by which we are governed. If we let Satan, God’s enemy, controls them first, as we can be rest assured that He already does with some of them, then he will influence them to make and implement bad policies that will adversely affect how we serve God acceptably in our lands. On the other hand, if we fervently intercede for their salvation, they would, as genuinely saved children of God, be inspired by His Holy Spirit to make and implement good policies that will enable them to rule righteously.
Proverbs 29:2 “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan “.

It is amazing that the Church has been given such leverage and power to determine her fate in the hands of the civil authorities, but would seem to have done nothing much with that stupendous amount of power! The fact that we still groan under the mis-rule of corrupt politicians and the burden of their bad governance presupposes that we have not been using the amazing power of God available to us through the ministry of intercessory prayers. I have heard people praying and asking God to “clear” (or kill) bad politicians troubling the country, but He will not do that for a lazy church who would not rather intercede for their salvation because that’s what Jesus Christ, His Son, offered His life to give to them: if the Church cannot see it in this light, then it seems that we have a serious problem to deal with!
Luke.9.56 “For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them…”
A hateful and vengeful heart prays for the destruction of the wicked sinner, but a compassionate and living heart would intercede for their deliverance and salvation. That’s the kind of God’s heart, which an intercessor must pray to have.
Deut.5.29 “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!”

3. FOR THE SALVATION OF MANKIND. 1 Timothy 2:3-4.

I want to make this point brief. When the nation thrives under righteous leaders, and persons of authority, then our intercession for the salvation of its citizens becomes more fruitful and less burdensome. Proverbs14:34 “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people”.

Besides the prayer points explained above, we can also intercede on the following prayer points, namely:

1. FOR THE CHURCH:
Today’s Church faces so many challenges from both the physical and spiritual worlds; this calls for our earnest intercession. Ephesians 6:10-12.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12.
Victory here would ensure the growth and prosperity of the church.

2. FOR THE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; Matthew 26:31.
A greedy and an unholy minister is the undoing of any congregation; and we have quite a number of them overseeing large churches today.
“All the dogs are greedy; They never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory.” Isaiah 56:11.

Our prayers, therefore, should be for God to give us faithful ministers who will be willing to make sacrifices for the welfare of the church of Jesus Christ. See Acts 20:25-31; Jeremiah 23:1-4.
“And I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the LORD.” Jeremiah 23:4.

3. PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF OUR NATION: Jeremiah 29:1-7
“Also, seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.” Jeremiah 29:7.

The place and priority of peace in any nation can never be overemphasized: we need peace in our nation for us to be able to lead a normal and fruitful life, both secular and ecclesiastical. The countries currently at war have little or no freedom to carry out their civic, secular or religious duties in peace.

4. PRAY FOR CHRISTIANS TO BE STEADFAST TO THE END: Matthew 24:12-13; 44-51; Revelation 2:8-10.
“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 24:13.

There are many challenges facing the body of Christ all over the world today, just as Jesus Christ foretold earlier. We must continue in intercessory prayers for one another so that our faith will not be lost to Satan. There is no price too great to pay for the victory that is mandatory for every Christian who must wear the crown of life reserved for the victorious saints in heaven. Intercessory Prayer holds the key for this victory!

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10.

There’s hardly any victory in spiritual warfare without prayer, especially intercessory prayer, because God’s intervention in mankind’s contention with Satan and his kingdom is always the key to this victory, through that prayer.
Those who know this secret talk less but pray more about worrisome situations.
The faithful intercessor is God’s ready vessel to use as He wishes, when He wishes, wherever He wishes and at whatever time He wishes. As long as they make themselves available, God will always have a work at hand for them to be engaged with because there would always be the need for an intercessor until God’s eternal Kingdom established over the whole realms of humans and spirits existence in His own set time. But until then we must each strive to give ourselves to intercessory prayers so as to be able to change the old, yet subsisting, narrative of the scripture below:
Ezekekiel.22:30 “I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this, to repair the defenses of the city, to take a stand for me and stand in the gap to protect this land so I wouldn’t have to destroy it. I couldn’t find anyone. Not one”. (MSB)

      THE END

The consolation of the early Church, as they endured the trials of their time, was that Jesus Christ would come again to judge the living and the dead. When he wrote his second letter to them, Paul told the Christians at Corinth that this would come to pass.

“For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT

Today also, the thought of Christ’s coming to judge the living and the dead should inspire this present Church of Jesus Christ to make more effort to be found acceptable before Him when He returns.
Matt.24.44 – “You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected”. NLT
The admonition above is important for the following reasons:

1. His coming will be sudden and catastrophic
There will be no time for last-minute repentance. The panic and confusion will be overwhelming.

“But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible roar, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.” 2 Peter 3:10 NLT
Read also: Matthew 24:29-31, 36-44; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3

Once a person’s brain signals a response to an impending danger, the whole body goes into a panic mode, and what’s important for that moment would be getting out of the danger zone. That’s how it would likely play out on the Lord’s day. People may not even be thinking of repentance in the midst of all the chaos around them. With the sky all ablaze with fire, the earth reeling from the impact of flying crafts falling from the sky, and high-rise buildings collapsing to the ground, the last thing anyone would want to do is to kneel down and pray. The human body is simply not wired to respond that way! Now is the time to turn to Jesus Christ and seek His forgiveness and mercy. Now is the time to repent — tomorrow might be too late!
Isa.55.6 “Seek GOD while he’s here to be found, pray to him while he’s close at hand”. (MSB)

2. His judgment will be without partiality
God is a just Judge. Only Christians who are found ready and worthy at that time will be recognized by the Lord. Careless Christians will be rejected and will have labored in vain. Sinners who repented just at the nick of time, before the Lord’s day, would have made the wisest decision of their lifetime, and this can be today, my friend!
See 2 Corinthians 6:1 NLT
“As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it.” 2 Corinthians 6:1 NLT
God’s love and mercy, through Jesus Christ, is just a prayer away from you right now. Say the prayer!

3. He will show no mercy at judgment
At the coming of the Lord, the era of mercy will have been gone for good. Now is the time of God’s mercy. In Revelation 19:12-15, the appearance of Christ shows us what that day will be like:
“His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God… From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.” Revelation 19:12-15 NLT
Read also: Revelation 19:11; Colossians 3:25; Galatians 6:7-9; Matthew 25:1-13.

Mercy — man’s only lifeline — is offered with love from God to all who will receive Jesus Christ today. Great will be the wrath and punishment of God on sinners and backsliders who spurn the mercy of God for the sake of personal gain, self-will, or outright rejection of Jesus Christ. See Hebrews 10:26-31; Hebrews 12:28-29.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God… Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.” Hebrews 10:31, 12:28 NLT

“Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.” 2 Corinthians 5:11 NLT

The day of the Lord’s judgment is at hand. It has already been set in motion by God’s divine power, and no other power can turn it back!
We have just one choice to make between the two choices of either believing in Jesus Christ and accepting His salvation, or rejecting Him and preparing to meet Him at His judgment seat.

2Cor.5.10 – “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in our bodies”. NLT

“But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.” Jude 1:20-21 NLT

Prayer has always been the most effective way of communing with the Godhead. We pray whenever we seek audience or fellowship with any, or all, of the three members of the Godhead, namely: God the Father (Jehovah), God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost or Spirit of God).
Whether we are approaching them just for fellowship or to seek their intervention in the situations we face, we do that through prayer.
Ps.65.2: “O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come”. (NIV)

Prayer is a general term for all forms of communication with God — whether by making a personal request for one’s self or on behalf of another, which is supplication; or by standing in the gap for another, which is intercession; or by offering praises, songs, or worship to God, which is fellowship. All of them are called prayer — an act of communion with God.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

From the text above we can understand that prayer is a spiritual matter because it involves communing with God, who is a Spirit. The Holy Bible says: “For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24 NLT
Let me clarify here that to worship God in spirit, or to pray in spirit, simply means doing so under the influence or guidance of the Holy Spirit. It does not only mean to pray or worship in the language of the Holy Spirit, popularly referred to as speaking in tongues. Praying in the spirit could also mean to pray in any human language, but under the leading of the Holy Spirit. So, whether we are praying in an unknown tongue or praying with the understanding in a known tongue, as long as we are being led by the Holy Spirit we are actually praying in the Spirit. The most important thing to be sure of is that He influences the prayer to suit God’s purpose for us.

Consider the case of Simeon who prayed over baby Jesus Christ by the leading of the Holy Ghost in Luke 2:25-33. It is evident that he did not speak in tongue doing that because Mary and Joseph could clearly understand what he was saying.
Luke.2.27-31: “That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, I have seen the Savior you have given to all people”. NLT

Consider also King David, when he wrote the following words in Ps.110.1: – “The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” NLT.
When Jesus Christ would later comment on that Psalm, He said the following in Matt.22.43-44: “…How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”‘ (NIV).

The point I’m stressing here is that to do anything in the Spirit simply means doing it under the inspiration, anointing or guidance of the Holy Spirit. It could be prayer or singing in a known or unknown tongue. It could be the carrying out of any service to God — what’s important is that the Holy Spirit initiates and leads it according to God’s will.
“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” Romans 8:26-27 NLT

Now to the actual subject of Praying in the Spirit: it involves visualizing the object of your prayer in your mind, or spirit, and being able to see it accomplished in that dimension according to your prayer.
This is how we can accomplish much in the place of prayer because that is also how God operates: He visualizes what He wants to be made and then speaks it into existence.
Rom.4.17: “…the God who gives life to the dead _and calls things that are not as though they were”._ (NIV)
This principle applies to just anything which is right to ask God for in prayer, as Jesus Christ also pointed out in Mark 11:24 NLT.
“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”

Visualizing Your Prayer: Hebrews 11:13 – 16, NLT
Prayer becomes more effective when there is less distraction and more focus. This happens when we learn to pray with the object of our petition clearly in view in our minds. In other words, we must learn to visualize what we are praying for in our minds and allow our spirit to connect with it. The faithful saints of old times lived that way. Although they did not live to see the fulfilment of some of the prophecies given in their time, yet they believed those prophecies (or promises), saw them through the eyes of their spirit and, therefore, were persuaded of their fulfilment at God’s set time.

For instance, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ said this of Abraham:
John.8.56 – “Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. _He saw it and was glad.”_ NLT.
It was not a literal sighting of the Messiah that Abraham had. It was a spiritual sighting — the same way God wants us to visualize His promises in the spirit and pray for their fulfilment. This is what praying in the spirit would mean to anyone who walks with God in the Spirit.
Heb.11.13: “These people all died controlled and sustained by their faith, but not having received the tangible fulfillment of [God ‘s] promises, only having seen it and greeted it from a great distance by faith, and all the while acknowledging and confessing that they were strangers and temporary residents and exiles upon the earth”. (AMP)

It is easy for faith to build up rapidly and in overwhelming measure when we visualize the object of our prayer, and we shall establish this fact by looking at the following scriptures for similar recorded experiences of spiritually or physically seeing the object of one’s desire in order to bring it to manifestation:

1. ABRAHAM: Genesis 13:14-18; Genesis 15:1-6.
   In a vision at night, God stimulated Abraham’s faith by guiding him on the principle of visualization.
   Gen.15.5 – “Then the LORD brought Abram outside beneath the night sky and told him, “Look up into the heavens and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that–too many to count!”
   Gen.15.6 – And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD declared him righteous because of his faith”. NLT
2. JACOB: Genesis 30:37 – 39 (see Genesis 31:10-12)
   Jacob did an incredible thing with this principle of visualizing: when God showed him in a dream that the male goats mating the ewes in Laban’s flock were all streaked, speckled and spotted, he cut tree branches and marked their barks to look streaked, speckled and spotted, then he placed them where the herds were wont to mate. And sure enough they gave birth to a totally new breed of streaked, speckled and spotted kids, which hitherto were not seen among those mating flocks.
   Gen.31.10 – “During the mating season, I had a dream and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled, and spotted.
   Gen.31.11 – Then in my dream, the angel of God said to me, Jacob!' And I replied,Yes, I’m listening!’
   Gen.31.12 – The angel said, `Look, and you will see that only the streaked, speckled, and spotted males are mating with the females of your flock. For I have seen all that Laban has done to you”.
   That’s how powerful and effective this principle of visualizing one’s desire, while praying, can be.
3. ELIJAH and ELISHA: 2 Kings 2:9-15
   To be eligible for the double portion of his anointing, which he had requested, Elijah stimulated the faith of his spiritual son and mentee, Elisha, by telling him that it would only be made possible if he could see the moment of his ascension into heaven. I believe that from that moment onward Elisha became focused both spiritually and physically. I believe he started visualizing how that ascension would take place, and that must have helped him catch the moment it happened, therefore fulfilling the proviso given.
   2Kgs.2.11 “As they still went on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire parted the two of them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
   2Kgs.2.12 _And Elisha saw it and he cried, My father, my father! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen! And he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces”._ (AMP)
4. JESUS CHRIST: Hebrews 12:1-3
   “…Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.” Hebrews 12:2 NLT
   Jesus Christ saw the future redemption of lost mankind, and He considered that a great consolation for the cup of suffering He must have to drink to make that happen.
   Isa.53.10 “Still, it’s what GOD had in mind all along, to crush him with pain. The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he’d see life come from it–life, life, and more life. And GOD’s plan will deeply prosper through him.
   Isa.53.11 Out of that terrible travail of soul, he’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it. Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many “righteous ones,” as he himself carries the burden of their sins”. (MSB)
5. EVERY TRUE CHRISTIAN: Hebrews 12:2
   Today, God calls every Christian to prayer — continuous prayer! The need is urgent now as ever before because without prayer there’d be little or no activity between mankind and God, and that’s to our disadvantage. God can do anything but not until there’s obedience to His call to ceaseless prayer! Just as a Litigant cannot move the court to grant any relief they seek from it, without first filing a cause and praying the court to grant it, no more can any Christian hope to continually enjoy God’s intervention in their life unless they pray without ceasing. And the best strategy for getting results from our prayer is by praying in the spirit and visualizing the process.
   “We do this _by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…”_ Hebrews 12:2 NLT

All the people mentioned above received great revelations and answers to prayer because they could clearly see and focus on the object of their desires. This allowed their minds to dwell richly on it, while they prayed, and thereafter, until faith overcame doubt and brought those desires to fulfilment.
Ps.16.8 “I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken”. (NIV)

If Jacob could achieve such a great feat by helping his flock to visualize the kind of offspring they’d deliver through looking at some streaked, speckled and spotted tree barks, then we, as God’s own children, can achieve even greater results in prayer than Jacob did with his animals.
It is high time we changed our traditional way of praying and launched into the deep waters of the Spirit, praying in the spirit while seeing the desired outcome with the eyes of our minds!
2Cor.3.18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord”. (NKJV)

The End

That the human race is plagued with sin and imperfection is no longer news. What is, however, is the glad tiding that we can regain the image and likeness of God, which was our original nature before the fall of Adam and Eve.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:27.

But no sooner had man fallen and lost his innocence and perfection than God set in motion the rhythm of grace that was to redeem and reconcile him back to his original estate. However, unless this work of grace is fully achieved in anyone’s life, so that Jesus Christ becomes the Lord of their life, they will still be estranged from God and be eternally damned in hell should they die without genuine repentance in that condition.
John 3:35-36: “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

Although there are three definite works of grace for the perfection of the sinner, which are, namely: salvation, sanctification, and Holy Ghost baptism, they are, however, maintained in the genuine Christian’s life by four divine resources, which have been made available to them by God. These divine resources are as outlined and discussed below:

1. THE BLOOD OF JESUS
John 1:29; Hebrews 9:11-28; Matthew 26:17-28; 1 John 1:1-7; Revelation 7:9-17.

“…But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” 1 John 1:7.
In this present dispensation of grace, the blood of Jesus Christ functions as the only cleansing agent for all manner of sins.
Unconfessed sins in the life of anyone strengthen the hand of Satan and his agents against them, but the blood-washed Christian overcomes them because they have nothing to accuse him of. See Revelation 12:10-11; Romans 8:1-2.
Revelation 12:11: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
The blood of Jesus, when constantly applied in one’s life by the prayer of faith, keeps the Christian pure and holy. However, let us be wary of the negative trend we see around these days, where people shout “the blood of Jesus!” at just anything that disgusts them or arouses their emotions. That is quite demeaning and disrespectful to our Lord Jesus Christ. Such people can be sure that they will not get answers by such frivolous use of the blood of Jesus Christ. Unless they repent and desist from such practices, they will more likely earn His wrath.
Hebrews 10:29: “…Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

2. THE NAME OF JESUS
Mark 16:17,18; Luke 10:17-19; Acts 3:1-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Acts 4:29,30; John 14:14; Proverbs 18:10.
“…wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11
The name of Jesus Christ in the mouth of His faithful follower is the most potent weapon or resource, depending on whether you are dealing with Satan and his agents in spiritual warfare or advancing the cause of God’s kingdom and His righteousness through constructive, positive utterances sanctioned by the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name” Luke 10:17.

Jesus Christ answers to His name whenever and wherever His faithful children call upon Him. This should give us the boldness to call upon His name whenever the need arises.
John 16:24: “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
The Holy Bible gives us assurance that our confidence in the name of the Lord can never be betrayed because it is a formidable name in all situations and circumstances standing against the true believer.
Proverbs 18:10: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.”

3. THE WORD OF GOD.
Psalm 1:1-3; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:1-11; 37:29-31; 119:97-105; John 5:39; Colossians 3:16; 1 Timothy 4:13-16; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17; Deuteronomy 17:18-20; 6:1-25.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” Colossians 3:16.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” Psalm 119:11.
God’s Word is given to us for two main reasons, namely: to give us knowledge of the truth which can save us (John 8:32) and to warn us of the things which could condemn us before God (Romans 1:18).
To lack the knowledge of God’s Word, therefore, leaves anyone bereft of the godly wisdom they would require to order their ways in righteousness and to refrain from doing evil each day of their life. Consistent study and meditation in the Word of God results in a consistent, victorious Christian life.
“I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word… Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” Psalm 119:101,104

The devil knows how important the knowledge of God’s Word is to overcoming his wiles, so he endeavors to keep as many people as he can from reading the Holy Bible. It is imperative to note here that whoever wants to overcome Satan and the lure of this sinful world should make God’s Word their daily companion.
Some people fall into sin not because they actually planned on doing that, but because they overlooked certain red flags which only a good knowledge of God’s Holy Word could have alerted them to.
Psalms 119:9: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
Furthermore, reading the Word of God gives a massive boost to the believer’s faith in God’s promises. Each time we read the Holy Bible we are confronted with what is possible for God to do for us. Not reading it leaves us in the dark as to what is rightly ours according to God’s divine providence.
Psalms 19:8, 10-13: “The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.”

4. THE HOLY SPIRIT
John 14:15-17; 16:7-15; Acts 4:23-31; Micah 3:8; Romans 8:1-17; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13; Ephesians 4:30; Romans 8:26-27

The Holy Spirit of God is given to each truly saved believer for the fulfillment of two purposes, namely:

1. To guide them throughout their Christian walk with Jesus Christ, and their service to God, on earth.
   “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26.
2. To be the divine seal of their redemption.
   Eph. 1:13 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
   Eph. 1:14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” (NKJV)

Having the Holy Spirit in our life, therefore, is a great asset. However, we must understand that He cannot be compelled to remain with anyone whose ways are not pleasing to God. As He is holy, so must all be holy who want to enjoy His continued presence in their life. They must abstain from sin and also be ready to reprove, not compromise with, anyone who practices it.
“But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.” Micah 3:8.

The Holy Spirit is the true companion of the true Christian. He never leaves nor forsakes us as long as we, too, are willing to submit to His instructions and obey when He leads us.
Where this harmony is achieved between the Holy Spirit and the faithful Christian, our labor for God’s Kingdom becomes joyful and the journey to Heaven easier because He will be with us all through the journey victoriously.
Finally, the Holy Spirit can help us to know God more intimately and to enable us to have a deeper understanding of the yet unseen riches and glories of His eternal Kingdom, if only we can yield completely to Him and give Him the chance to reveal them to us from His own divine perspective as one of the three persons of the Godhead.
1 Corinthians 2:10-12: “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”

The Christian who embraces and diligently operates in all the four divine resources which God has made available to them will come to fully understand and appreciate God’s grand plan for the redemption and perfection of their soul. Conversely, anyone who falls short of the benefit of the use of even one of them would suffer the lack of the rest, unless they repent of and forsake whatever sin it was that has deprived them of that benefit.

Dear reader, I invite you to get more serious with reading the Word Of God, The Holy Bible, praying in the Name Of Jesus Christ, letting the Blood Of Jesus Christ continually wash your life, and practicing communion with the Holy Spirit all day long. If you can do this effectively, God helping you, you will never lack God’s divine guidance throughout the rest of your life.
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21.

Mal.3.16 – “Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and loved to think about him.
Mal.3.17 – “They will be my people,” says the LORD Almighty. “On the day when I act, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient and dutiful child.
Mal.3.18 – Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” NLT

A JEWEL is defined as “a precious stone or a piece of hard, shining mineral cut into shape and polished for use as an ornament for beautifying the body or the home.” Below are some examples of jewels depicted in the writings of the Holy Bible:
“And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst…” — Revelation 21:19-20 KJV

God’s kingdom is beautified with some of the rarest jewels of inestimable value, as we have seen in the quoted portion of the Scriptures above. But God’s greatest jewels are the redeemed souls of the people who have accepted His Son, Jesus Christ, as their Lord and personal Saviour, even as we have read in the opening text above. God says of them:

“And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” — Malachi 3:17 KJV

We can understand from the text as a whole that God is making up His jewels from among the people of the world, and His selection process is still ongoing. He will choose from among the peoples of every nation and tribes of the earth, and the process will be free and fair because God is not biased toward anyone. See Romans 2:11; Colossians 3:25. His eyes are constantly roving throughout the earth in search of people who are upright in heart and godly in their character, that He may make them part of His collection of precious jewels, to be redeemed at last from this sinful world and translated into His eternal and glorious heavenly kingdom. As a redeemed soul, you must show yourself capable of good works, through the available grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that you may be among God’s chosen jewels.
“For his eyes (God’s) are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.” — Job 34:21 KJV
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…” — 2 Chronicles 16:9. KJV

Below are three (3) sub-topics for the purpose of expanding the study for a better understanding:
1. GOD CHOOSES HIS JEWELS BASED ON THEIR WORKS.
Malachi 3:16; 1 Corinthians 3:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10
God looks out for those whose works are acceptable to Him and encourages them to keep up with what they do. They stand a chance of becoming His treasured jewels, whose names He would command to be written before Him for an everlasting record in the Book of Life in heaven.
“And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God… I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.” — Revelation 2:18-19 KJV
As for those whose works are less than acceptable to Him, God gives them a warning to change their sinful habits and unrighteous works so that they could be among His chosen jewels.
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: … I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot… Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear…” — Revelation 3:14-18 KJV

2. GOD TESTS AND PROVES HIS JEWELS BY TRIALS AND HARDSHIP
Zechariah 13:7-9; 1 Peter 1:3-8; 4:12-16
The jewel that shines the brightest is the one on which the craftsman had spent much time polishing it to perfection. Even so, God looks for an opportunity to work more on our lives in order to bring us to perfection, provided we do not deny Him the opportunity, which, sadly, we often do without realizing it.
“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” — Zechariah 13:9 KJV
Trials and hardship help the righteous to re-evaluate their lives in order to refocus, re-strategize, and re-launch their lives into serving God better than ever before. See Hebrews 12:6-11; Revelation 2:8-10; Philippians 3:3
“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” — Revelation 2:10 KJV
Patience and endurance in the face of trials will keep us steadfast in the race to heaven and cause us to shine the brightest as God’s own chosen jewels.

3. GOD WILL REWARD HIS TRUSTED JEWELS WITH ETERNAL LIFE
John 10:27-29; Revelation 21:12-14; John 14:1-3; Hebrews 10:35-39
“For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him; but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” — Hebrews 10:37-39 KJV.

It may seem like it’s been a long wait for the return of Jesus Christ to take us to heaven, but no matter how long the wait has been, God’s Word assures us that it will soon be over and the Lord will come to take His chosen jewels with Him to heaven. The most important thing for us now is not the long wait, but what we should be doing while waiting for the Lord’s return. See 1 John 3:1-3
“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” — 1 John 3:3 KJV.
Our waiting time should be spent mostly in:

1. Pursuing a holy and righteous lifestyle. — Hebrews 12:14
2. Praying, studying the Word of God, and preaching the gospel. — Acts 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:1-2, 15; 4:1-5

“If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” — John 13:17

Matt. 18:32 – “Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me.
Matt. 18:33 – Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?'”
Matt. 18:34 – Then the angry king sent the man to prison until he had paid every penny.
Matt. 18:35 – “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” NLT

Today’s teaching is on the topic of forgiveness, which is now a rare virtue in a hurting, vengeful, and fault-finding world where people look for just anyone to blame for their pain. But, the current situation of the world notwithstanding, our text vividly captures the essence of forgiveness from God’s own viewpoint. He forgives us so that we can, in turn, learn to forgive others. As we practice the virtue of forgiving others for whatever wrongs they have committed against us, God also holds open for us the door to His heart, where we can always find full forgiveness for our own trespasses.
Matt. 6:12 – “…and forgive us our debts, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.”
The Lord’s Prayer above makes it clear that we can only ask for God’s forgiveness on the condition that we have also forgiven those who have trespassed against us. However, we must be careful how we practice forgiveness because it must meet certain criteria for it to be acceptable to God.

1. FORGIVENESS THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE WITH GOD:
Matthew 18:35
Forgiveness is a sacrifice; therefore, any forgiveness that is not done with a sacrificial spirit may not have been properly done. Forgiveness is a conscious decision aimed at refraining from the vengeful desire to do any act or say any word to another person that their attitude or action toward us deserves. In exercising forgiveness, we deny ourselves the right to seek redress for any wrong done to us. Although this may not always be easy to do, that is exactly what God’s Word commands us to do in this new dispensation of grace.
In contrast, however, during the old dispensation of the Law, it was proper to seek redress for damages done to one’s person or body because the Old Testament law prescribed “a tooth for a tooth” or “an eye for an eye” as a system of justice. However, Christ’s ministry changed that and instead prescribed forgiveness, even for those we think are undeserving of it.
Matt. 5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'”
Matt. 5:39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Matt. 5:40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
Matt. 5:41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.”
From Jesus Christ’s admonition above, it follows, then, that the common impulsive attitude of first giving vent to our anger before pronouncing forgiveness to our offenders is not acceptable before God on the simple grounds that it was not done sacrificially with love. The only exception to this rule, though, would be in the case where we are not the beneficiaries of such a show of anger. For instance, when we are angry at what is offensive to God, just as Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest of God, did, then the anger would be considered justified, provided we do not allow it to continue after our point is made.
Num. 25:11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them.” (NIV)
Eph. 4:26 – And “don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry,
Eph. 4:27 – for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.” NLT

Where we choose to satisfy ourselves by releasing the thunder and volcano within us, we have in effect denied our trespassers the benefit of our forgiveness. In such a case, the sentence of Holy Scripture is clearly spelled out.
Mark 11:26 “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.” (AMP)

2. FORGIVENESS AS PRACTICED IN THE SCRIPTURES
Having now seen, from the foregoing, the dangers of maintaining an unforgiving attitude, we will do well to fall back to the Scriptures and get ourselves acquainted with the practice of the early saints as it regards forgiveness by studying how they practically applied that principle in their own lives.
The martyr Stephen, as he was being brutally murdered by the people he had wanted to save, did not cry out to God for vengeance against them but pleaded for their forgiveness (Acts 7:54-60).
So, also, in Hebrews 11:36-38, we are given a glimpse of the horrible life which our predecessors were forced to live by unbelievers and the backslidden religious leaders of that time. When strong, able-bodied brothers in the Lord would not retaliate against their persecutors, we can reasonably conclude that their actions were a result of their deep understanding of the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:43-44: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” NLT

Unless we have reached the point in our personal lives where we can honestly say, without fear of being contradicted by our conscience, that we have obeyed Christ just like the early Christians did, we have not practiced forgiveness as God would have us do.

3. FORGIVENESS AS A TOOL FOR WINNING OTHERS TO CHRIST
Love is something you do. There is no better way to show love to your trespassers than by forgiving them unconditionally. An old, popular Christian hymn says, “they will know we are Christians by our love.” More than anything else, forgiving others when we are suffering as a result of their actions tends to melt their hearts and bring them to repentance.
The crowd that cheered and jeered as Jesus Christ hung in agony from His cross was not the same that left the scene of the crucifixion after He had uttered His last prayer for their forgiveness before He died. See Luke 23:20, 21, 33-37, 44-48.
Luke 23:48 – “And when the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw all that had happened, they went home in deep sorrow.” NLT

Paul the Apostle gave wise counsel when he said:
Rom. 12:19 – “Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, ‘I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,’ says the Lord.
Rom. 12:20 – Instead, do what the Scriptures say: ‘If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.'”
Rom. 12:21 – Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.” NLT

In practicing the counsel given above, however, we must avoid the error of weaponizing forgiveness against anyone. By that I mean that the end goal of showing kindness to those who offend us should not be to make them feel ashamed or regret their actions against us. It should rather demonstrate our love for them. This is also the reason why God forgives us: that we may know that He still loves us, our sins and shortcomings notwithstanding. This is the reason we must also forgive others, their offenses and uncharitable deeds against us notwithstanding!
Matt. 5:44 – “But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
Matt. 5:45 – In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too.” NLT

When we preach that God loves a cheerful giver, it also includes those who give forgiveness cheerfully!

Evidence abounds not only in print, audio, and visual media, but also from the events of everyday life, that the Rapture, which will herald the coming of the kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth, is quite at hand. The strivings among the nations, one against the other, and the degradation of nature, are some of the obvious signs which Jesus Christ had earlier warned His disciples to look out for in judging the imminence of the Rapture and His eventual second coming to rule over the earth.

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in diverse places…” Matthew 24:7.

Jesus had not only given us the signs to look out for, but also what preparations to make against the yet unknown day of the Rapture. He said to His disciples:

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads: for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28.

Below are some of the areas that the children of God should make adequate preparations as they await the events of the rapture:

1. Have a Modest Plan for Your Life. 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12; 1 Timothy 2:1-3
“…that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” 1 Timothy 2:2b; Luke 21:35.
Keep it simple. Do not get yourself entangled with the things of this life so much that they will demand too much of your attention and time to manage. Remember, you have your soul’s eternal destiny to worry about and your future with Jesus Christ in heaven to prepare for. So do not allow the temporal things of this world to spoil your chances of gaining the eternal ones of heaven.
Luke 21:34 “But take heed to yourselves and be on your guard, lest your hearts be overburdened and depressed (weighed down) with the giddiness and headache and nausea of self-indulgence, drunkenness, and worldly worries and cares pertaining to [the business of] this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap or a noose.” AMP[lest]

2. Be Earnest in Prayer. Psalm 55:16, 17; 5:7; 28:1, 2; Hebrews 5:7-10; Luke 22:39-44; Jeremiah 29:13
“Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared…” Hebrews 5:7.
Keep praying, not only when you need something from God, but mostly because you want to have and maintain fellowship with Him. You might just be having one of those intimate prayer fellowships with Him one day when the celestial trumpeters will give that distinct blast that will herald the Rapture of God’s saints — and you inclusive — to heaven.
Mark 13:32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Mark 13:33 “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.” NKJV

3. Constantly Study the Bible. Acts 17:10, 11; 2 Timothy 2:15; John 5:39
“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39.
Read the Holy Bible as if your entire life and hope of heaven depend on it, because it actually does. Let the Word of God guide your steps in the dangerous terrain of this treacherous world because you cannot be too sure what is right to do unless your knowledge of God’s Word comes in handy. Those who presume to navigate life’s complex roads purely on their own initiative, without the light of God’s Word, are bound to fail!
Psalm 119:9 “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules.”
Psalm 119:10 “I have tried my best to find you — don’t let me wander from your commands.”
Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” NLT

4. Be Always Spirit-Filled and Spiritually Conscious. Galatians 5:16, 22-25; Romans 8:1-2, 9-17; Ephesians 4:30
“And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30.
If you want to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led, then you have to be on good terms with the Holy Spirit; your life must be conducive for Him to live in. As He is holy, He must, therefore, find your life holy to dwell in also.
One identifying mark of those who are on course to heaven is that they carry the presence of the Holy Spirit, not only in the over-hyped tongue speaking, but in the mostly unsung holy character, which cannot be mistaken for anything else but that it is the very life of God in them!
Galatians 5:22 “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”
Galatians 5:23 “gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.”
Galatians 5:24 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.”
Galatians 5:25 “If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” NLT

5. Be Ardent in Evangelism. Mark 6:7-13; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; John 4:23-24; Romans 10:14-16
“And they went out, and preached that men should repent.” Mark 6:12.
Witnessing to people about the redemption story: how God loved us and sent His Son Jesus Christ to make atonement for our sins, which had hitherto separated us from Him (Isaiah 59:2, John 3:16); how He is transforming sinners into saints as they believe and accept His Son Jesus Christ as the Lord and Saviour of their life (2 Corinthians 5:17); how He is preparing a place for them in heaven, with the promise to return to earth to take them to be with Him in heaven forever (John 14:1-3); that is the primary assignment which Jesus Christ has given to everyone who believes in Him.
Matthew 28:18 “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth.’”
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 28:20 “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” NLT

6. Be in Constant Fellowship with Other Believers. Malachi 3:16, 17; Hebrews 10:23-25
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25.
Keeping in touch with those who practice the Christian faith in truth and sincerity, through church meetings and scheduled visitations, is one sure way to keep yourself spiritually connected, edified, and positively occupied with the things of God while waiting for the Rapture to take place.
Malachi 3:16 “Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and loved to think about him.”
Malachi 3:17 “‘They will be my people,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘On the day when I act, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient and dutiful child.’” NLT

7. Have Occasional Personal Retreats. Mark 6:30-32; Luke 4:42
“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Mark 1:35.
Withdrawing yourself, once in a while, from the hustle and bustle of your daily activities, in order to wait on God for personal renewal and spiritual refreshment, is a must for every heaven-conscious child of God. This is important because it is often so easy to get too occupied — even with spiritual activities — to notice that we are missing out on some intimate moments with God, like waiting to receive direction for tomorrow from Him, or just wanting to know the next task He has for us to do for Him.
God wants to spend time with us in order to prepare us for the Rapture, but unless we create that time for Him, it will not be possible for Him to easily fulfill that desire.
Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait upon GOD get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.” MSG

8. Subject Every Doctrine to Rigorous Biblical Scrutiny. 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Ephesians 4:14, 15; Isaiah 8:20; Mark 7:6-13; 1 Timothy 4:1-2
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20.
What you hear and believe becomes what you practice. What you practice becomes your spiritual identity before God and mankind. Your spiritual identity determines your eternal destiny. So, be careful where you attend fellowship and who ministers to you. This is about your eternal destiny. As you would not consciously allow a quack doctor to attend to your health issues, so you should not allow just anyone to guide your spiritual destiny unless you have proven confidence that what they believe, preach, and practice is totally in line with God’s Holy Word.
Luke 8:18 “So be sure to pay attention to what you hear. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they think they have will be taken away from them.” NLT

9. Be Careful Who You Partner With In Life Or Ministry. 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Acts 20:28-30; 1 Peter 5:1-3; 2 Peter 2:1-3, 18-21; 2 Timothy 2:22
“Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” 1 Timothy 5:22.
You are as good — or otherwise — as the company you keep. Keeping the right friends or having the right partner can add a boost to your hope of heavenly candidacy for the Rapture of the saints.
1 Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.” AMP

10. Render a Good Account of Yourself to All Men. Acts 20:17-38; 1 Timothy 4:12; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Peter 2:11, 12; Matthew 5:13-16
“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12.
What people see and comment about your life might just be a true reflection of how you stand before Almighty God also. So, try and give a good account of yourself wherever you are.
Acts 24:16 “So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.” NIV

We may not really know the day and time of the rapture of the saints, but knowing that we are daily preparing ourselves for this event can be very comforting to us and inspiring to those who look up to us for hope in a dying and soon-ending world.

“And every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:3.

I am continuing this literature with the fifth (5) and last point, having written the first part up to point 4 titled Why The Splitting Of God’s Redemption Plan Into Two Phases Became Necessary. Please, follow me as I explore the fifth point.

5. What All Of This Means For Us Today
In rounding up this work, it is imperative to let the reader know that I have tried my utmost best to avoid being tedious, by trimming down the number of words I needed to use, in order to win their interest, while also at the same time doing justice to this literature by furnishing the reader with enough scriptural proof so that their conviction on the subject would be absolutely based on God’s Word alone. What I have eventually ended up with can best be described as an abridged version of what I would otherwise have written were this to be a fully detailed work.

But, be that as it may, I have kept until now what I would consider the most poignant aspect of the expose, and it has to do with the tragic twist which Satan has subtly introduced into some people’s perception of the redemption project of God. Since knowing that he cannot stop God from carrying out His redemption plan for mankind, Satan has inspired and commissioned an army of false prophets, preachers and teachers to craftfully distort the teaching on the subject of redemption in a way that will be misleading to mankind. Although Jesus Christ and His immediate disciples had earlier given the Church the warning of this impending evil, yet it is sad to admit that, in recent times, the success rate of this satanic campaign to propagate a misleading redemption gospel is alarming. However, and that happily, God has also promised His faithful children that Satan’s efforts would be defeated, nevertheless, and his loyalists judged and punished.

2 Thess. 2:9 – “This evil man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles.
2 Thess. 2:10 – He will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them.
2 Thess. 2:11 – So God will send great deception upon them, and they will believe all these lies.
2 Thess. 2:12 – Then they will be condemned for not believing the truth and for enjoying the evil they do.” NLT

God has faithfully played His own part in re-opening the way back to His Kingdom, through His redemption road map, to anyone who is willing to faithfully accept and follow it.

Our part now is to diligently study the Holy Scriptures in order to properly acquaint ourselves with the truth it offers with regards to the subject. This has become necessary because the message of God’s redemption through Jesus Christ has been deliberately compromised through some subtle means, which only a diligent study of the Holy Bible, and prayer for God’s guidance on the matter will help unravel.

I have no doubt that there are a lot of sincere people out there who have already accepted, or are really desirous of accepting God’s redemption through Jesus Christ, but unless they’re well guided by God’s Word, they might just be listening to the wrong preachers. To such persons I will recommend that they do the only sensible thing that the scriptures below suggest:

Isa. 8:20 “Tell them, ‘No, we’re going to study the Scriptures.’ People who try the other ways get nowhere — a dead end!” (MSG)
Acts 17:11 – “And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. _They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas, to see if they were really teaching the truth.”_ NLT

Below are some important guides to help the sincere seeker of God’s redemption to successfully navigate through the maze of satanic doctrines which is keeping a lot of people religiously active but, sadly, very far from being truly saved.

1. Avoid Treating Salvation As A Quick Fix Formula To Be Recited
God wants to be intimately connected with the sinner. No one becomes saved because they casually recited the “sinner’s prayer”, even as important as that may be. Every part of the process leading to the salvation of the sinner has its rightful place and time, and must be taken seriously. God respects our choices; no one should be pre-empted into making a decision to accept His redemption when they’re not convinced that they want to do it. The preacher may preach his sermon and make a plea for the sinner to repent and turn their lives over to Jesus Christ. However, that’s as far as they can possibly go: the Holy Spirit will have to finish it up by convicting the sinner of their sin, while also helping them to see their need for God’s forgiveness and salvation. If this happens (as it is bound to happen where the truth is sincerely and faithfully preached) the outpouring of grief and regret over their sins will be noticeable.

Acts 2:37 – “Peter’s words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’
Acts 2:38 – Peter replied, ‘Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’.”

However, there have been some sad cases where people had been assured that they’d be blessed with finances, or good health, and so on, if only they’d repeat the sinner’s prayer. Well, that may be alright to do if their initial intention in approaching God’s altar was to ask for His forgiveness and accept His redemption; otherwise, using repentance as a leverage to get God’s blessing will not result in a genuine redemption of the soul. The next point below complements this truth.

2. Do Not Seek The Physical Blessing Above The Spiritual New Life
Forget about the much-hyped prosperity gospel as it does little or no good to anyone who wants to be truly redeemed. Do not get me wrong – God has a plan to prosper His children, but only after their redemption has been guaranteed. The proponents of the prosperity gospel will hardly dwell much on that fact because their speeches are focused more on acquiring wealth to live the best life money can afford now. However, a closer look at the gospel of Jesus Christ will show that such a view is not even contemplated in God’s plan for this first phase of His redemption project; it belongs to the second phase. But this does not mean that God will not take care of His children now before the consummation of the second phase, which is the restoration of redeemed mankind’s lost glory and prosperity in the new heaven and new earth; it just means that He will restrict that care to just their needs, not their wants. There’s a world of difference between the two, namely:

i. A person’s needs are those things that are essential for their daily survival and functioning. They’re the basic necessities of life — the continued deprivation of which could jeopardize a person’s existence. God’s Word focuses on just two of them, namely: food and clothing.
1 Tim. 6:8 – “So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.”
In the Holy Bible God’s Word promises to meet those basic needs, (not our wants) if we give priority to seeking His Kingdom’s interest.
Matt. 6:31 – “So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing.
Matt. 6:32 – Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs,
Matt. 6:33 – and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” NLT

You’ll have noticed already that the emphasis above is on those two basic needs of mankind and, even at that, God still says we should not freak out when they seem to be lacking because He’d supply them to us.

Consider also Apostle Paul’s admonition to the Christians at Philippi below:
Phil. 4:19 – “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” NLT

Notice also that the promise made is to supply our needs. However, in contrast, let us consider below what God’s Word says about wants.

ii. A person’s want is any thing they desire in order to improve the quality of their physical life, the deprivation of which can only cause some temporary inconveniences or disappointments, but certainly not a threat to their existence. While some of our wants are tolerable with God, however, man’s disposition towards acquiring them might not be. For instance, the excessive desire among mankind for riches, fame, beauty, fancy clothes, lavish vacations, luxurious lifestyle (the list goes on!) are just some of the wants the mind craves for. However, they’re not part of the basic needs of life; rather, they’re the desires which feed the lust and pride of the unregenerate mind of the unredeemed person; it is akin to that same spiritually unnecessary desire which the deceptive words of the devil diffused into the mind of Eve at Eden, which led to her corruption.
1 Tim. 6:9 “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.” (NIV)

The Holy Bible seriously warns against indulging those desires because they’re a distraction to the first phase of God’s redemption plan for mankind, which is mainly the restoration of mankind’s corrupted spirit back to a semblance of God’s image and likeness. God wants the redeemed Christian to be mainly focused on seeing the accomplishment of His work of grace in their life, while trusting in Him to take care of their needs. But if we follow the error of the prosperity gospel, by craving for the gold and glory of this present sinful world (which indeed God plans to give us, but in the future fully restored new world) then we’d still remain corrupted and be thrown off His plan for good. That’d be very, very sad!
Rom. 8:8 – “That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.”

If we truly love God’s plan of salvation for us, we’d follow it all through faithfully, not minding the sacrifices it requires.
1 John 2:15 – Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you.
1 John 2:16 – For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world.
1 John 2:17 – And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.” NLT

Let’s put the view above into context: imagine that a house with people inside is on fire and a rescue effort is being launched; what do you think would be the rescuers’ first instinct?
To save the people, of course! Once they’d achieved that, then they could shift attention to the house itself. But would that move mean that the house is not important also? Of course not! It simply means that on the scale of preference, the occupants’ lives come first. In much the same way God wants us to be focused on the redemption of the soul over and above the gratification of the body as this is the priority in His scale of preference, with regards to His redemption project. If the soul is redeemed in this first phase of the project, it will eventually successfully transition into the second phase, in God’s new world, where all the deprivation it had earlier endured would be more than compensated for.
2 Cor. 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
2 Cor. 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
2 Cor. 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (NIV)

3. Do Not Compromise On Holiness
Heb. 12:14 – “Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” NLT

Holiness is the absence of corruption in the God-image and God-likeness in which God created mankind. We know, however, that earlier on from the beginning sin had brought corruption upon them. So to be holy, therefore, means to be transformed into God’s image and likeness once again.
Lev. 20:7 “Set yourselves apart for a holy life. Live a holy life, because I am GOD, your God.” (MSG)
You’re under probation: from the first day you turned your life over to Jesus Christ for redemption, until the day you leave this world (either by natural death or by the rapture of the church), heaven counts on you to work out, on your own part, God’s redemption plan for your own salvation. Your personal choices play a very important role here.
Phil. 2:12 “Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).” (AMP)

Those who eventually transition into the next phase of God’s redemption plan (from this sinful and chaotic world) would be the ones whose lifetime on earth was carefully spent in alignment with God’s will, purpose and plan for them. Such a life would include the scrutiny of both your inward and outward, or public and secret life. It will affect your choice of friends, entertainment, adornment, career, etc. Simply put, living a holy life means living entirely for God’s glory, and not for your own pleasure.
Col. 3:17 “Let every detail in your lives — words, actions, whatever — be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.” (MSG)
In essence, whatever God’s Word does not approve of is not right to do for the person who wants to be holy.

Satan has raised preachers who strongly preach against the need for living a holy life, wrongly stressing that God’s grace, as a covering for man’s shortcomings, has taken care of that. At first that might sound right and reassuring, but wait! Does it agree with the scriptures of truth, by which we are made wise for the salvation of our soul? 2 Timothy 3:15. I do not believe that is the scriptural view of the workings of God’s grace. That’s almost the same thing as saying that because you have a laundry soap, or detergent, stored up in your house, your clothes would never get dirty anymore, no matter how careless you are wearing them. Grace is not an immunization against sin but, rather, a divine empowerment with the knowledge to not sin.
Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
Titus 2:12 It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,” (NIV)
If Grace immunizes against sin, as some Preachers seem to make it look, then there’d be no more need to watch against being contaminated with the sins of this world, as we are being admonished throughout the Holy Scriptures. But no! Grace is not a safeguard against sin as vaccines are against diseases. Grace, instead, teaches you to stay holy after you have been washed clean from your sins.
1 John 5:18 “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.” (NKJV)

In conclusion, I want to say that the above three sub-points under this fifth final point, are not the exclusive things to watch out for against the wiles of Satan, but they’re some of the most important. If anyone starts off wrongly in the redemption road to salvation, chases around the temporal blessings they see, and lives an unholy, unprincipled loose life, they’d no doubt miss out on God’s road map to redemption.

With much prayer and sincere longings, the Holy Spirit will guide the genuine Seeker into more truths.
The End

Gen. 1:26 “God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature, so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
Gen. 1:27 God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female.
Gen. 1:28 God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.” (MSB).

The scripture above reveals God’s original blueprint for mankind. It was a great idea conceived entirely for the benefit of man. When He eventually made the first man and woman, they reflected the exact manifesto of that blueprint: they were perfect in His own estimation!
But we know the age-old story that soon followed, of how Satan corrupted mankind, God’s crown creature, and took over the dominion of their habitat, thereby causing moral rot and chaos in the whole earth. And, to a large extent today, we are still in that sorry state of depravity, even after the great redemption project, which graciously came to us by the mercy of Almighty God, through His Son Jesus Christ, had been set in motion. The Holy Bible speaks of this redemption plan in the words below:
Heb. 2:14 – “Because God’s children are human beings–made of flesh and blood–Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death.”
Heb. 2:15 – Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
Heb. 2:16 – We all know that Jesus came to help the descendants of Abraham, not to help the angels.
Heb. 2:17 – Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.” NLT

The corruption of man by Satan affected them in two ways, namely: Firstly, it affected their God-like image. It stripped them of their God-like glory, which connects them to His divine life, thus leaving them in their base, vulnerable form of ordinary flesh. This, in essence, is spiritual death. It is the God-emptiness that every sinner presently feels, and must continue to feel unless they are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Gen. 3:7 – “At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover themselves.” NLT

Secondly, it affected their God-like nature or likeness. They were stripped of their inherent ability to, like God, exercise dominion over their natural habitat. Nature would no longer recognize their authority over it because they had none anymore.
Gen. 3:17 – “And to Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate the fruit I told you not to eat, I have placed a curse on the ground. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.” NLT
This greatly impacted mankind’s ability to rule the earth and all of the created things in it, as God does in heaven.
The fall of man resulted in the withdrawal of God’s presence with them because they had relinquished their world to Satan. They lost the peace and joy of the paradise in which God placed them. Instead of the spiritual elevation which Satan promised they’d achieve, what history recorded, rather, was a tale of wickedness and immorality all over the earth.
Gen. 6:4 – In those days, and even afterward, giants lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with human women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes mentioned in legends of old.
Gen. 6:5 – Now the LORD observed the extent of the people’s wickedness, and he saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil.
Gen. 6:6 – So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them. It broke his heart.” NLT

It would have been an easy thing for God to completely destroy the fallen race of mankind and the entire earth, out of existence, in order to forestall the unfortunate and inevitable outcome of what Satan’s dominion over them would eventually result in (as we can see in today’s world), but He did not. Such a decision would not only have denied man of God’s mercy and forgiveness, but would also have handed Satan, God’s arch enemy, the much needed validation that he could defeat God’s purpose. So, the situation at hand, then, was what necessitated the plan of redemption which was aimed at making an atonement for mankind’s sin, and restoring them back to their original nature and habitat according to God’s original plan from the beginning.
So, from the foregoing we can see that the main goal of the redemption is in two fold, namely: Firstly, to restore mankind back to God’s image and likeness, through a spiritual rebirth.
Ezek. 36:26 – “And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart.
Ezek. 36:27 – And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command.” NLT
Secondly, to restore their natural habitat back to its original glory.
Isa. 65:17 – “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth–so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore.” NLT

Although that redemption plan has now been fully and successfully activated, one might still wonder why mankind still seem to be under so much control of Satan, with the propensity to do so much evil. Well, we must understand that although God’s redemption project for mankind is totally free for all of them, yet it is activated in individual person’s life strictly on a need basis. So the seeming prevalence of depravity among humankind is not because the redemption project has failed to yield any results but, rather, because some people still love their present fallen, sinful life more than the original God-life they had lost, which God’s redemption promises to restore to them. And God will not give to anyone what they do not desire and ask Him for.
John. 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John. 3:17 – God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.
John. 3:18 – There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God.
John. 3:19 – Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
John. 3:20 – They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished.
John. 3:21 – But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants.” NLT

However, notwithstanding the fact that sin still prevails in our world today, yet many people have greatly benefited from God’s redemption over the millennia of years past; they were cleansed from their sins, were restored back to fellowship with God, and once again bear His image and likeness, but not in exactly the same way and manner as it was from the beginning, when Adam and Eve were made in glorious bodies. The reason for the difference is simply this: that a physical restoration of the human body, now, to its initial God-like glory cannot be compatible with the present degenerated nature of the earth; it will only be possible after the restoration of the earth, which is the second phase of God’s redemption plan.
So, the restoration of mankind’s initial glory is, for now, intended to be more a spiritual thing than physical, as 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 shows below:
2Cor. 4:6 – “For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Cor. 4:7 – But this precious treasure–this light and power that now shine _within us is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.”_ NLT
In a very simple language, the scripture above says that every redeemed Christian now carries God’s glorious likeness within, that is in their spirit man, even though their outward appearance may still look their very own old self. However, when the period of the redemption of the soul of man is consummated, and the time of the restoration of God’s creation begins, we shall physically manifest the glorious image and likeness of God, as when God made Adam and Eve. This is what God’s redemption project is all about for now. It is still an on-going project, even though it has been fully set in motion; and we the beneficiaries (that is anyone who is genuinely born again) are eagerly waiting for when it will be fully implemented. Please, read Romans 8:15-25, but also consider the excerpts below:
Rom. 8:15 – “So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family–calling him “Father, dear Father.”
Rom. 8:16 – For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.
Rom. 8:17 – And since we are his children, we will share his treasures–for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Rom. 8:18 – Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.
Rom. 8:19 – For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
Rom. 8:20 – Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God’s curse.
Rom. 8:21 – All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.” NLT

There is going to be a time of restoration of God’s creation to its original form, and in accordance with His original blueprint. Jesus Christ also alluded to this coming event when He talked with His disciples (and to us too!) in Matthew 19:28-29 in the manner below:
Matt. 19:28 “Jesus replied, “Yes, you have followed me. In the re-creation of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule, starting with the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matt. 19:29 “And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields–whatever–because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life.” (MSB)

From the foregoing so far, I want to formulate some salient points for consideration, which will be aimed at pointing out some error in the modern day Gospel preaching that is subtly leading many unsuspecting people away from the hope of eternal life in God’s Heavenly Kingdom. It is necessary to do this at this critical time of our waiting for Jesus Christ’s return because Satan has raised his own army of false teachers, preachers and prophets for the sole purpose of misleading people from enjoying the benefit of God’s great redemption project, which has been fully paid for and set in motion by the sacrificial death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. Since Satan could not stop that happening, he has been bent on seeing that very few people get redeemed and restored at last to their original place in God’s grand plan for His Kingdom.
Below are five points to help us navigate through God’s work of redemption, and the complexities associated with Satan’s efforts to rob man of its benefit. It is my sincere hope that at the end of this expose` you’d have become more enlightened and made aware of the pitfalls to avoid as we await the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to usher us into the next stage of God’s grand redemption plan.

1. Understanding The Two Phases Of God’s Redemption Plan For Mankind.
The Holy Bible begins with the account of God’s creation of the physical heavens, the earth, and all living things, in Genesis chapter one. Thereafter Chapter two reveals the order of administration instituted by God in His new creation, with man, His crown creation, receiving the blessing to be the head of all that He had created. After that Chapter three reveals the coup staged by Satan to unseat mankind from their place of authority in their God-given paradise. However, because His initial works were compromised, God immediately implemented a temporal measure to mitigate the damage caused by Satan’s subjugation of mankind and his habitat: He reversed His earlier blessings on humankind and the earth; He cursed them! Read Genesis 3:1-19, but consider the excerpts below:
Gen. 3:17 – “And to Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate the fruit I told you not to eat, I have placed a curse on the ground. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.
Gen. 3:18 – It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.
Gen. 3:19 – All your life you will sweat to produce food, until your dying day. Then you will return to the ground from which you came. For you were made from dust, and to the dust you will return.” NLT

This measure taken by Almighty God above was meant to wind down the earth, its inhabitants and their governments because His original plan was not meant to accommodate the parallel government Satan had ultimately created (as can be seen in the scripture below) when he subjugated mankind in their habitat.
Luke. 4:5 – “Then the Devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Luke. 4:6 – The Devil told him, “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them–because they are mine to give to anyone I please.
Luke. 4:7 – I will give it all to you if you will bow down and worship me.” NLT

Although mankind fell from grace, yet there were still a sizeable number of them who still remained loyal to God up to this day; these sought to run a government loyal to God while Satan, on the other hand, ran a government in opposition to Him. In His Wisdom God has allowed the two opposing government to run together, as we can see in Jesus Christ’s Parable of the Tares and the Wheat, in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.
Matt. 13:40 “Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
Matt. 13:41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
Matt. 13:42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matt. 13:43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (NKJV)

God’s tolerance of the excesses of Satan and his followers today is by no means a sign of weakness; it was a temporal measure which He had put into place while a permanent plan of a total redemption was being birthed, as the scripture below reveals.
Isa. 65:17 “Pay close attention now: I’m creating new heavens and a new earth. All the earlier troubles, chaos, and pain are things of the past, to be forgotten.” (MSB)

2. The First Phase Of God’s Redemption Explained
The first step God took in His effort to redeem mankind from the hand of their captor, Satan, was to make an atonement for their sins. This is the most important aspect of God’s plan of redemption as it deals entirely with the salvation of the soul of fallen mankind: if this cannot be achieved, then the second phase would be totally unnecessary. To this end a temporal means of atonement for sin was initially instituted through animal sacrifice, until God’s perfect Sacrifice should be made ready. Then enters Jesus Christ, God’s perfect sacrifice for sin!
John. 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (NLT)
1Cor. 15:3 – “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me–that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.” NLT

With the coming of Jesus Christ mankind was given a choice to return back to God through the reconciliatory atonement made by the offering of the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Lamb, when He died on the cross, and rose again.
This first stage of the redemption plan is still running today. It will, however, come to an end when the Church is raptured to heaven, and this can happen anytime from now.
2Cor. 5:17 – “What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
2Cor. 5:18 – All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him.
2Cor. 5:19 – For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others.
2Cor. 5:20 – We are Christ’s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, “Be reconciled to God!”
2Cor. 5:21 – For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” NLT

3. The Second Phase Of God’s Redemption Explained
The second phase of God’s redemption plan is for the future restoration of the heavens and the earth, which presently are under the curse of God. When God, through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, would have established His Kingdom, in the new heaven and the new earth, after the rapture of the church, then this final phase of the redemption of God’s creation would have been consummated.
Rev. 21:1 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.
Rev. 21:2 – And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband.
Rev. 21:3 – I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.
Rev. 21:4 – He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.
Rev. 21:5 – “And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making all things new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

4. Why The Splitting Of God’s Redemption Plan Into Two Phases Became Necessary
God is a righteous Judge. If He was going to deal fairly with the ugly situation mankind brought upon themselves and their habitat, by taking sides with Satan against Him, (See Genesis 3:1-23) then it would have to be in a justifiable manner that will clearly show that justice was served and God’s righteousness, as an unbiased Umpire, upheld in the whole process, to wit:
a. The process must be impartial; both Satan and mankind must be granted equal opportunity to have audience before God’s holy court. To this end, the following allowances were made:
i. man could seek redemption from Satan’s tyranny by calling upon God, the Judge of all creation, for salvation. Genesis 4:26: “Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. _At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD.”_ (NIV)
Ps. 18:6: _”In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.”_ (NIV)

ii. Satan could show cause why mankind should not be granted redemption, or salvation, from his dominion. Job 1:6: “One day when the angels came to report to GOD, _Satan, who was the Designated Accuser, came along with them.”_ (MSB).
Psalms 109:6: “Send the _Evil One to accuse my accusing judge; dispatch Satan to prosecute him.”_ (MSB)
Read also Job 1:1-12; Revelation 12:10.

b. The process must also be unforced:
i. Mankind must choose to be redeemed; they cannot be forced into making that decision against their own free will as that will seem to be a counter-coup staged by God to deprive Satan of a loyal servant (it should be noted that mankind, of their own free will, pledged allegiance to Satan at the garden of Eden).
Deut. 30:19: – “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!” NLT
ii. Similarly, Satan cannot be allowed to prevent mankind from accepting God’s redemption at whatever time that they’re inclined to, or to tempt them beyond God’s allowable limits in that regard.
1Cor. 10:13: “For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.” (AMP)[always]

c. The first stage of God’s redemption plan must have to run its full course to a designated end, at which time God would pass His judgement on mankind, both the living and the dead, with regards to the choices they’d ever made. Those who chose His redemption would be justified while those who didn’t, but kept their allegiance to Satan, would be condemned. Read Matthew 25:31-46, but consider the excerpt below:
Matt. 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.
Matt. 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Matt. 25:33 “He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Matt. 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world…
Matt. 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels…
Matt. 25:46 Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (NIV)

The scripture above depicts how the end will come upon those among mankind who neglected, or outrightly rejected God’s redemption. They’ll never transit into the second phase of God’s plan of redemption. But for those who accepted God’s redemption work, which was accomplished through His Son Jesus Christ, the second phase opens up to them with exciting promises and great privileges in a world where Satan, his army of demons and all the wicked will never set foot again.
Dan. 7:9 – I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like whitest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire,
Dan. 7:10 – and a river of fire flowed from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him, and a hundred million stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened.
Dan. 7:13 – As my vision continued that night, I saw someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence.
Dan. 7:14 – He was given authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal–it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
Dan. 7:27 – Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. They will rule forever, and all rulers will serve and obey them.” NLT

To Be Continued

As the clock ticks away the hours and the days of our life fly past, timeless eternity draws near and the burden of where we would live eternally rests heavily on our soul.

Many have trod the path in which we now walk, and if Christ tarries, many more would follow after us. How they ended their journey, or how they would, and how we would end ours, too, on the other side of life is the most important personal issue that rests in the heart of any person who is conscious of the eternal places of the afterlife: heaven or hell.

“…Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
Matthew 25:34,41,46.

Those who have gone before us have had their chances and those who will follow after us will have their own chances, too, but for now we are having our own chances to conduct our journey to heaven, each person in the best way they believe would earn them a place in the Kingdom of God.
There is only one way, though, by which all who travel faithfully therein would end up in God’s kingdom. He is Jesus Christ.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” John 14:6.

The scripture above is not a new revelation to most people, anyway, as Jesus Christ has been widely preached as Lord and Saviour for over two thousand years now. But, perhaps, it may be new to someone out there; but the disturbing news is how reluctant we are to follow this “Way” (Jesus Christ) to a happy ending in heaven.
Today’s study will seek to help us identify the hindrances to walking with Jesus Christ, and how to overcome them.

1. SHOW SUFFICIENT INTEREST IN FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST 
John 1:35-39; John 11:7-16; Luke 9:57-62; 22:31-33

In most cases of Christians who lost the Kingdom of God and ended up in hell, it is not that they didn’t receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, but whether, over time, they were able to sustain that initial interest in following Jesus Christ continuously is the pertinent question to ask.

“And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father…and another also said, Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house”_ Luke 9:59,61.

There’s hardly any acceptable excuse for refusing God’s invitation, no matter how well thought out it may seem. Matthew 22:1-5; 19:16-22; Proverbs 1:20-33.
If our zeal in following Jesus Christ daily equally matches our desire to make heaven at last, we would definitely achieve meaningful progress in our relationship with God.

“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me” Matthew 10:38.

2. KEEP FOLLOWING JESUS EVEN WHEN OTHERS WILL NOT 
John 6:66-69; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; Matthew 24:10-13; 2 Peter 2:1-2; Romans 8:35-39.

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour” John 12:26.

It is a fact that people sometimes get discouraged following Jesus Christ, but more disturbing is the fact that some of these people get discouraged because of others who will not serve God in truth. This is spiritual childishness, or simply, a convenient excuse for uninterested people to walk away from Jesus Christ. For instance, why do we not see this happening in the secular world? When have we seen people resigning their appointments because one or two of their colleagues are inefficient? When have we seen companies folding up simply because some other companies doing the same business are not competent? Do they not rather see other people’s inefficiency or lack of competence as an opportunity for their own skills or good qualities to be noticed? Why do we not translate this into spiritual reality?

“Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended” Matthew 26:33.

As our faith requires some complimentary works in order to be honoured by God, so also serving Him requires followership in order for it to be acceptable with Him. Romans 12:1-2; 8:1-6; 1 John 2:4-6.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”
Romans 8:1.

The true test for serving God is followership. This is the point of separation between the Christian who know what they want and where they are headed to, as against the ones who are simply observing a religious obligation.

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” John 8:31.
Where others fail to follow Jesus Christ because they cannot bear to walk in His footsteps, that is where the faithful follower distinguishes themselves by proving they are truly committed to Jesus Christ for a lifetime.

3. LET YOUR LOVE FOR JESUS BE YOUR MOTIVATION IN FOLLOWING HIM EACH DAY
John 21:15-17; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. 
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” Romans 5:5.

It is amazing what extent humans, even animals too, could go in proving they are in love. In the romantic love vocabulary there’s hardly anything like convenience or discouragement, unless where the fires of true love were never kindled, or its embers are slowly dying.

“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be condemned”
Song of Solomon 8:7.

If we could dare to fall in love with Jesus Christ as we are prone to do with mere, temporal, earthly beings or things, we should, no doubt, eventually arrive at heaven’s blissful city with no doubt as to our suitability for admittance into its eternal glory; for then would no excuses ( no matter how pressing) have been too important as to stand in our way! Anyone who has a relationship with God will immediately agree that we have been created with the capacity to love Him more than we could love anyone or anything else — even ourselves!. Matthew 10:37; 19:27-29.
“And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life”_
Matthew 19:29.

Nothing fosters a closer relationship and an enduring love as much as constant communication or fellowship. This is as true in all our physical ties with people as it is in spiritual ties with God also. We are responsible for whether our love for Jesus Christ is growing or dying, and the health of our love for Him determines the strength and quality of our followership.
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me”.
John 14:21, 24 .

It is not possible to love Jesus Christ and the world within the same heart. 1 John 2:15-17; Matthew 6:24.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” Matthew 6:24.

Enthroning Jesus Christ in our heart each day, without any rival, is the sure way forward to heaven, and the following daily activities would prove to be of immense help in doing this:

1. A ceaseless prayer life: Luke 18:1-7; Luke 6:12; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17. 

   “Pray without ceasing.”
The Christian who has cultivated and nurtured a disciplined prayer schedule will, no doubt have discovered that it has brought them closer to Jesus Christ.

2. A disciplined fasting schedule: Joel 1:14; 2:15-18; Jonah 3:5,10; Zechariah 8:18-19; Acts 13:1-12 .

” As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them”. Acts.13.2.
Fasting is to the human spirit what physical exercise is to their body. As a constant exercise keeps the body fit, grows the muscles and improve their reflexes, so also constant fasting increases the awareness and sensitivity of the human spirit to the spiritual realities surrounding them.

3. A continuous study of God’s Word: Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; Deuteronomy 17:18-19; Psalm 119:9-11; Acts 17:10-11; John 5:39; 2 Timothy 2:15.

The Holy Bible is God’s instruction to mankind on how to navigate life’s complexities while maintaining a right standing with Him all through. Without the Holy Bible’s guidance, no one can live for, or walk with God as He want them to.
“… Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”.
Psalm 119:9,11.

4. A sustained practice of preaching, visitation and personal evangelism:

2 Timothy 4:1-2; Acts 8:4-8; 15:36; 2:44-47; 4:33; 20:17-24.
Getting involved in the ministry of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost is the best way to walk with Him. Jesus Christ lives in those who truly and faithfully evangelize lost souls and follow them up until they are spiritually  mature and also become His true followers.
I’ve always told anyone who cared to listen that if they want to find Jesus Christ anytime, He’s always available in the evangelism fields.
“And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen”.
Mark.16.20.