Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
— Romans 8:26,27

Today I want to continue talking to you about the Holy Spirit’s role and responsibility in your life in the area of prayer. Yesterday we looked at several truths about this subject contained in Romans 8:26. Now I want to address how the Holy Spirit can intercede for and through you when you’re grappling with your inadequacies in prayer.

I shared that the word “intercession” is the Greek word huperentugchano, which means to fall into with. This word “intercession” in the Greek conveys the idea of a rescue operation and paints the picture of a person who comes upon someone who has fallen into some kind of quandary. Upon discovering the trapped person’s dilemma, he swiftly swings into action to rescue and deliver the one who’s in trouble.

This word huperentugchano carries the idea of coming together in experience or meeting with. It can also mean to supplicate, which denotes a rescue operation in which one snatches and pulls a person out of imminent danger. So we could translate the phrase, “…the Spirit itself [Himself ] maketh intercession for us…” like this: “The Spirit Himself falls into our situation with us, meeting us in a common experience and rescuing us from our weakness.”

Now let’s look at the word “groanings” in this verse. It is the Greek word stenagmos, which means deep inward sighs and could be translated to vent. The picture this word paints is similar to a teapot of water placed on a stove. As you turn up the flame and the water begins to boil, the teapot lets out some steam and that little pot begins to whistle.

This Greek word stenagmos gives us insight into how this “intercession for us with groanings” takes place in us. We think our world is falling apart — that our fiery trial is so unbearable that we’re going to be consumed by the heat of that test. Of course, the devil stokes the fire in an attempt to convince us that we’re never going to walk free from that place of testing. And, indeed, we can begin to think it’s all over for us. But little do we know that as those flames are heating up, the Holy Spirit on the inside of us is getting angrier and angrier about the looming obstacle the enemy has placed before us. Then — suddenly — the Holy Spirit vents! The Holy Spirit sighs, and incredible prayers come rising up out of us. The Bible describes them as “groanings which cannot be uttered.”

Now what does this mean, “which cannot be uttered”?

First, I want to ask you — if someone stood before you and began groaning in agony, would you be able to hear him or her? All things being equal, yes, you would hear that person groaning.

There have been times in my life when I’ve gone before the Lord with a problem, and I’ve groaned so hard in prayer that although my prayer was uttered with my mouth, it was expressed without, or apart from, natural language or speech. In other words, I prayed with “groanings which cannot be uttered.”

We see an example of this in Jesus’ prayer life (see March 14), when He stood before Lazarus’ tomb and “groaned in the spirit, and was troubled” (John 11:33). What Jesus was experiencing wasn’t just a matter of human emotions, but a deep, inward form of prayer when Jesus’ spirit hooked up with the Holy Spirit in a powerful, supernatural expression of the Father’s will.

These “groanings which cannot be uttered” can also refer to speaking, or praying, in other tongues. This phrase in the Greek simply indicates that what is uttered doesn’t make sense to the human mind. So, you see, this has nothing to do with silent thoughts or with silent groanings and sighings. Rather, the groanings in Romans 8:26 are supernatural utterances that proceed from your spirit and come forth from your mouth as the Holy Spirit rises up within you to lift you up and rescue you from your plight. This is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit as your Partner in prayer!

Second, the first part of this verse says, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities….” As we saw yesterday, the Greek word for “helpeth” — sunantilambano — conveys this same idea of partnership and cooperation. In the midst of our weaknesses when we are inadequate to get the job done, the Holy Spirit comes and says, “Let Me grab hold of that hindrance with you, and you and I will push against it together until it is moved completely out of your way.” This is how prayer becomes a twofold partnership between you and the Holy Spirit. He does this thing with you — in fact, He can’t do it without you!

In the trials of life and the situations you find yourself in that seem impossible and overwhelming, you must participate with the Holy Spirit as He intercedes on your behalf. The Holy Spirit is in you — in your spirit — grabbing those problems along with you. The devil may turn up the heat, but, all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit begins to shove back and vent ! And like that teapot on a hot stove, as you’re praying, you might make some noise!

Romans 8:27 tells us how the Holy Spirit knows just what to pray to get the job done: “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” The word “searcheth” here is similar to the Old Testament word “looketh” used in reference to God as He instructed the prophet Samuel to anoint a king from the household of Jesse (see 1 Samuel 16:1-10). After Jesse had called in his sons, Samuel looked at Jesse’s firstborn, Eliab, and said, “…Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him” (v. 6). However, God saw things differently: “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (v. 7).

As Samuel looked at each one of Jesse’s sons who had gathered before the prophet that day, the Lord said to Samuel, “No, it’s not him. He’s the wrong man for the job. You’re looking at outward characteristics, and you think you know what you want. But I look inwardly, at the heart.”

Both of these words “looketh” in First Samuel 16:7 and “searcheth” in Romans 8:27 indicate that God is looking for something that we wouldn’t think to look for. He looks beyond the surface — beyond what is shallow — right down to the need at the very deepest point.

The word “searcheth” in Romans 8:27 is translated from the Greek word ereunao, and it literally means to investigate, to examine, or to sift. It paints a picture of someone who’s going through stacks of material looking for something, so he carefully investigates, examines, and sifts through the materials as he searches for what he needs.

Verse 27 continues, “…He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit….” The word “spirit” in verse 27 is capitalized in the King James Version, but this word is not a proper noun in the Greek. You’d have to translate this Greek word in the context of the setting — and in this particular setting, the word “spirit” refers to the human spirit, not the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit who searches a person’s heart knows the “mind” of that person’s spirit.

Before we look at what the Holy Spirit knows about the mind of a person’s spirit, let’s look more closely at what it is He’s looking for as He “searcheth the hearts.” First, we know that He’s looking inward — within the heart — not outward, or just at the appearance of things. Second, we know He’s investigating and examining as He looks upon the heart. That’s how He knows the “mind” and the deepest, truest desires of a person’s human spirit.

Why do we need Someone to help us pray? Because we simply don’t know how to pray “as we ought” (v. 26)! For example, do you really know what the deepest desire of your heart is? Even if you think you know, could you agree that there’s probably a deeper desire of your heart than you’re even aware of right now? Well, the Spirit of God searches — investigates, examines, and sifts — through your heart for what He needs in order to pray for you. He looks for things you don’t even know to look for — things that, naturally speaking, you don’t have the ability to search out on your own. And He who searches the heart “…knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit…” (v. 27).

The word “mind” in this verse is translated from the Greek word that means frame of thinking. The Holy Spirit knows the mind of your spirit because He’s examining and sifting —investigating your heart to discover the will of God embedded deep within your innermost frame of thinking. The Holy Spirit is searching to see what your spirit desires or what dreams God has planted in your heart. And when He finds the deeply laid plans of God on the inside of you, He begins to pray about them according to God’s will.

Of course, you may already have a measure of understanding concerning some of those plans, but there’s no way you can instantly, automatically understand everything there is to know about them. But the Holy Spirit examines and investigates your heart and knows how to intercede effectually on your behalf regarding all that He finds there. Now you can see how valuable the Holy Spirit’s role is in your prayer life. This intercessory work has to be His responsibility because He’s the only One capable of accomplishing it!

Now let me ask you — have you ever been so perplexed by some challenge or dilemma that you said, “Lord, I don’t even know how to pray about this situation”? Are you facing difficulties right now at your workplace, in your business, in your family, or in your finances? Whatever situation you find yourself in, the Holy Spirit’s job is to fall into that situation with you and launch a rescue operation to deliver you out of confusion or danger and into the perfect will of God.

You may not know how to pray “as you ought,” but the Holy Spirit knows how to make intercession for you! He knows how to examine and investigate your heart until He takes hold of the frame of thinking of your spirit. You may be wondering, What am I going to do about this situation in my family? But the Holy Spirit knows just what the Lord wants to do. You may be concerned about a situation at work, and you’re asking, What about my job? Well, the Holy Spirit knows. Maybe you’re staring at a crossroads in your life, wondering which way to turn. The Holy Spirit knows!

I’m so thankful for the beautiful intercessory work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I can’t even recall all the times He has made intercession on my behalf to strengthen me in my weakness when I faced my own quandaries and crossroad moments and didn’t know what to do. And He wants to do the same for each one of us.

The Holy Spirit wants to help you pray about the deep, God-given desires of your heart. He knows better than you do what the plan of God is for your family, your job or business — and all the dreams He has placed in your heart. That means He knows about plans you may not yet be aware of. But the Holy Spirit hovers over those dreams and plans, and He knows the frame of thinking of all the secret places of your heart. Just ask, and the Holy Spirit will help you make the discoveries you need to know about your life and your future!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I simply don’t know how to pray as I ought! I have to acknowledge that I don’t even know what the deepest desire of my heart is. Thank You for the Spirit of God who searches, investigates, examines, and sifts through my heart to discover the will of God that is embedded deep within my innermost being. Holy Spirit, it is my will to cooperate with You as You search to find the deeply laid plans of God inside me and to pray about them according to God’s will. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for interceding effectually on my behalf. I cannot even begin to calculate the value of Your great intercessory work in my prayer life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

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MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am grateful for the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. He makes intercession on my behalf to strengthen me in my weakness when I face crossroad moments and don’t know what to do. Just as the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters when God created the earth, He hovers over my life to help me pray about the deep, God-given desires of my heart. The Holy Spirit knows better than I do what the plan of God is for my family, for my job or business — and for all the dreams He has placed inside me. He knows all the secret places of my heart. I simply ask Him, and the Holy Spirit helps me discover the precise wisdom I need to know in prayer about my life and my future!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. The Holy Spirit knows how to search for the exact will of God for your life. Have you ever allowed Him to do His investigative work in your heart to reveal the Father’s plan for you?
2. There are so many desires buried deep in your heart, but the Holy Spirit knows how to locate them, unearth them, and reveal them to your mind. Have you experienced this revealing work of the Holy Spirit in your walk with God?
3. We are helpless without the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Have you opened your heart to yield to the Holy Spirit so that He can be the Helper He was sent to be in your life?

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
— Romans 8:26

Has there ever been a time when you just didn’t know how to pray about some kind of challenge, or when you were in a predicament and you didn’t know how to get out of it? Maybe you’ve come before the Lord and prayed, “Father, I’m not even sure if I know what the desires of my heart are. Please help me pray.”

We all experience moments like these at one time or another. That’s why I want to share with you about the Holy Spirit’s responsibility toward us regarding prayer. We find a wealth of information about this in Romans 8:26. Right now I want to point out a few important truths in verse 26, and I’ll continue the discussion about these verses in tomorrow’s Sparkling Gem as we continue to look at Romans 8:27.

Romans 8:26 begins, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought….” That word “helpeth” is extremely important because it conveys the idea of real partnership and cooperation and paints the picture of two individuals working together to get the job done. The Greek word translated “helpeth” is actually a compound of three Greek words. The first word is sun, meaning to do something in conjunction with someone else. The second word is anti, which means against. The third word is lambano, which means to take or to receive. When these three words are joined, the new word, sunantilambano, means to take hold of something with someone else, gripping it together as tightly as possible, and throwing your combined weight against it to move it out of the way.

For instance, suppose you walk out of your front door one morning and discover that someone has placed a huge boulder in the middle of your driveway during the night. You walk over and push on that boulder to move it out of your way, but it’s too heavy and you can’t budge it. Then you try to move it from the other direction, but no matter how much you tug and pull, you can’t get the job done by yourself. So what do you do? You call a friend and ask him for help. He comes over, grabs hold of that boulder with you, and together the two of you press against it with all your strength until you have moved the boulder out of the way.

This Greek word sunantilambano, translated “helpeth,” powerfully conveys this same idea of partnership and cooperation to remove an obstacle. It tells us that the Holy Spirit literally becomes one with us in the task of removing every obstacle. In the midst of our weaknesses when we are inadequate to get the job done, the Holy Spirit says, “Let me grab hold of that hindrance with you, and you and I will push against it together until it is moved completely out of your way.”

In this way, prayer becomes a twofold partnership between you and the Holy Spirit. When that really becomes a revelation to your heart — when you realize that your prayers are not something you’re responsible for alone — it will forever change your prayer life.

Verse 26 goes on to say, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities….” It is the Greek word asthenia, which would better be translated “weaknesses.” It is used to describe people who are sickly or ailing in their bodies, minds, or emotions. Frequently it is also used to describe people who are spiritually weak.

Thus, we see that the Holy Spirit comes to help us because we are asthenia. We are simply too weak — physically, mentally, spiritually — and by ourselves we don’t have what it takes to get the job done. This is why we need our Partner to help us. We simply cannot pray like we need to by ourselves. So the Holy Spirit comes to assist us in prayer, throwing His weight against our weaknesses to remove them from our lives. The truth is, according to this verse, we cannot remove anything from our lives without the Holy Spirit’s assistance. And that is why He comes to bear this responsibility for us, assisting us in removing anything in our lives that is ailing — whether it is frailty in the body, a sickly mental state, or a weakness in our spiritual walk.

I don’t know about you, but I’m thankful that the Holy Spirit is willing to become a Partner with me to remove those weaknesses when I’m not able to remove them by myself!

Romans 8:26 continues, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought….” In other words, we just don’t have the “know-how” when it comes to prayer. We confront situations in which we simply don’t know how to accurately view or pray about a difficult situation or decision we’re facing.

This verse says we know not “what” we should pray. That word “what” is a Greek word ti, which depicts a very little thing. This tells us that we don’t know the fine points, the hidden problems, the intricate details of what is involved in the matter we’re praying about. Left to ourselves, we simply don’t have the ability to see the whole picture in a comprehensive view. We don’t have the know-how to deal with the smallest details and the entirety of possible challenges and problems that might arise regarding the situation.

Is there a specific way to pray about each instance that comes into your life that will remove every obstacle and foil the enemy’s strategies against you in that situation? The next phrase in verse 26 sheds some light on that question: “…For we know not what we should pray for as we ought….” That word “ought” comes from the Greek word dei, which means necessary. Thus, this phrase refers to something that must be a certain way. So this part of verse 26 could be translated, “…We do not know how to pray according to the need, as is necessary to pray, or as that need exactly demands.”

Some needs demand a different kind of prayer. And this verse here says that without the Holy Spirit’s cooperation in prayer, we don’t know how to pray as each need demands. But thank God, His Spirit comes to remove our weaknesses and to help us in our inadequacy to know what to pray!

How does the Holy Spirit actually help us? We know from the word “helpeth” that He partners with us in prayer, grabbing hold of the obstacle and pushing against it in conjunction with us to remove that satanic blockade. Now let’s look at the very end of verse 26 to learn more about how He helps bear the responsibility in prayer for us: “…But the Spirit itself [Himself ] maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

The word “intercession” is an interesting word. It’s the Greek word huperentugchano, which means to fall into with. It is the picture of a person who comes upon someone who has fallen into some kind of quandary. Upon discovering the trapped person’s dilemma, he swiftly swings into action to rescue and deliver the one who is in trouble. This word huperentugchano also carries the idea of coming together in experience or meeting with. Finally, it can mean to supplicate, which denotes a rescue operation in which one snatches and pulls a person out of imminent danger. So we could translate the phrase, “the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us” this way: “The Spirit Himself falls into our situation with us”; “the Spirit Himself meets us in a common experience”; or “the Spirit Himself supplicates for us, rescuing us from our weaknesses.”

Here we gain more insight into the way the Holy Spirit comes to your aid. As you’re walking through life, things may seem to be going fine. But then the devil digs one of his holes in the path ahead of you that you don’t even know is there. You take a step, and before you know it, you fall headlong into the hole. Now you’re all scuffed up, covered with dirt and bruises, trapped at the bottom of a pit.

You can do one of two things at this point. You can feel sorry for yourself and stay at the bottom of that pit — or you can say, “Holy Spirit, this is where You come in. I don’t know how I got here, and I don’t know how to get out of here. I need Your help!”

So let’s say you choose the second option. What does the Holy Spirit do after He meets you in your common experience at the bottom of the hole? He begins to supplicate for you — to move on your behalf to rescue you. When you say, “Holy Spirit, I need You to help me,” He answers, “That’s what I’m here for. I am here to bear the responsibility of helping you in prayer.” And there at the bottom of that pit, the Holy Spirit takes hold together with you in prayer against the hindrances that are preventing your deliverance.

Have you ever prayed when you’re in the pits? Your zeal is not exactly at a high level at that point. You might feel discouraged and confused about why you fell into that hole in the first place. You’re bruised and dirty, and you may have spent most of your prayer time voicing your negative emotions about the whole situation to the Lord. But then the Holy Spirit meets you right where you are in the midst of your trouble and begins to help you in your weakness. He says, “I’m here with you. I’m going to grab hold of this problem together with you, and we’re going to press against it until it moves out of your life.”

All of a sudden, something rises up on the inside of you, and you sense a renewed strength to go after that problem in prayer. You throw back your shoulders, lift up your head, and pick up the spiritual weapons God has given you to win this battle and overcome the enemy’s strategies in your life!

What just happened to you? The Holy Spirit grabbed hold of your weaknesses and helped you push them out of the way! This is His responsibility. And He’ll keep pressing with you against that problem you’re facing until it is moved out of your life and you’re out of that pit for good!

Aren’t you thankful for this wonderful work of the Holy Spirit in your life? Whatever challenges you’re facing in these uncertain times, of this you can be certain: Right now He is making intercession on your behalf, and He’s not going to stop until every obstacle to your victory has been moved out of the way!

If you’ve been feeling like you’ve fallen into a pit and you don’t know how to climb out, just remember who’s down there with you, ready to help. Then begin to pray, knowing that the Spirit of God will make you strong where you are weak and help remove every obstacle that hinders your forward progress in Him.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the insight I’ve gained into how the Holy Spirit comes to my aid. When it seems that I have fallen headlong into a hole, I can call out to the Holy Spirit for help and He will meet me in my experience. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for moving on my behalf to rescue me. At the bottom of every pit, You take hold together with me in prayer against the hindrances that attempt to prevent my deliverance until they move out of my life. Father God, I thank You for assuring my victory through the power of Your Spirit at work in me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that each time I say, “Holy Spirit, I need You to help me,” He answers, “That’s what I’m here for. I am here to bear the responsibility of helping you in prayer.” If ever I happen to fall into a hole, or if I feel discouraged and confused about why I fell into that trap in the first place, the Holy Spirit meets me right where I am in the midst of my trouble and begins to help me in my weakness. The Holy Spirit is always here with me, and He grabs hold of my problem together with me. We press against it together until it moves out of my life completely!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever experienced a moment when the Holy Spirit fell into a situation with you and interceded for you — rescuing you from an obstacle when you could not rescue yourself?
2. How would you describe it when the Holy Spirit has joined you as a Partner to bring forth your deliverance from an all-encompassing problem?
3. Do you know the delivering, empowering partnership of the Holy Spirit? If you’ve never experienced it yet but simply tried to get out of problems by yourself, why not start today to let the Holy Spirit step in as your delivering Friend?

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
— 2 Peter 3:9

Today I want to encourage you to remember something about the patience and longsuffering of our Lord. Jesus Christ is still on the throne as King of kings and Lord of lords, regardless of the events that are occurring around the world. We may not see exactly how He is moving — or know everything that He is doing — but Christ is fully in charge and is moving by His Spirit around the planet to take us toward final prophetic fulfillments. As we will see in Second Peter 3:9, God is presently holding back His judgment until one last person repents. Just think of it. One last person will repent before that moment on God’s prophetic timeline begins, and then judgment will fall on this planet and God will deal with a world gone astray.

To our natural eyes, it seems like society is degenerating at an ever-increasing rate. Laws are being implemented that are antagonistic toward people of faith, and Christians are increasingly labeled as intolerant because they refuse to endorse the activities of a morally bankrupt world. Therefore, it is important for us to remain aware that Christ is still seated on His throne in Heaven, ruling over the affairs of mankind. No matter how turbulent the waters around us may seem, Christ has never moved from His highly exalted seat of authority. The Day of Judgment is near, but Christ waits lovingly and patiently for one more soul to repent before that prophetic moment occurs and judgment falls.

While we wait for that final moment of God’s reckoning with the affairs of men, it can be discouraging to see ungodly men run the transactions of government. So we must remember the fact that God’s Word promises a day will come when every man will stand before the throne of judgment. We must pray for ungodly men to come to the knowledge of the truth, but we must also never forget that those who resist and oppose the truth will not escape the consequences of their actions. A time will inevitably come when every man will be called into Christ’s high court of reckoning.

Only mercy restrains Christ from taking immediate action against evildoers. He is well-equipped to eliminate those who oppose the truth, but His mercy endures forever. This truth is very clear in Second Peter 3:9, where Peter wrote, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

I want to look at that word “longsuffering” with you. It is the Greek word makrothumeo, which is a compound of the words makros and thumeo. The word makros depicts something that is long, and thumeo is the word for anger. When compounded, the new word makrothumeo is the picture of the long restraint of anger — thus the reason it is often translated as patience or longsuffering. But it is actually the picture of God holding back His anger.

Why does God hold back so long when it seems that judgment should come more quickly? Peter wrote the reason: God is “…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” He is holding out for one last person who will repent before the clock stops ticking and time runs out.

From the signs around us, it would seem that this event will happen during our lifetime. I personally expect to see the Rapture — the “catching away” (see 1 Thessalonians 4:17) — of the Church during our lifetime. Afterward, great bowls of God’s judgment will be poured out upon the earth. But God is loving, patient, and kind. He longs for one more person to repent before that prophetic moment in history begins, so He restrains His anger toward the godlessness in the world as He patiently waits.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you were the one who led that last person to the Lord before the judgment cycle begins on the earth? Consider the joy of knowing that God used you for such a historic moment. Don’t say it couldn’t be you, because it’s going to be someone who brings that last soul into the family of God! And when this grand moment occurs and the very last person repents in this current age, the long-awaited judgment will begin. To be honest, it could happen anytime.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, my heart is stirred today to pray for my unsaved friends, family, and acquaintances. The Bible has long foretold that a day of judgment is coming, but I’ve never thought about it so deeply as I’ve thought about it today. Thank You for being patient with the world — and for being so merciful that You are waiting for more people to repent before the clock stops ticking and time runs out. Father, I want to be open and available for You to use me to share the witness of Jesus with those who are unsaved. And if I was the one You used to bring the last person to Christ, I would be overwhelmed by the privilege of doing so!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that we are living in the last days. The time is soon coming when the prophetic clock will stop for this age. When it does, the Church will be caught away, and the judgment cycle will begin on the earth. I declare that from now until then, I will do all that I can to share Jesus with my unsaved friends, family, and acquaintances. God’s longsuffering causes Him to wait for one last person to repent, and I will do all I can to bring as many souls as I can to the Lord before this age ends and the next age begins.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever wondered why the judgment of God is often delayed for so long? After reading this today, how would you now answer that question?
2. Have you ever thought about the fact that every man will be called into Christ’s high court of reckoning one day? How does that realization affect the way you conduct your own life?
3. What friends, family, and acquaintances are you concerned about because they are unsaved? Have you ever tried to share Christ with them? Why don’t you ask the Holy Spirit to open a door so you or someone else can share Jesus with them?

A bishop then must be blameless….
— 1 Timothy 3:2

Many Christians who are called to a leadership position in the Church feel excited about their new role until they read First Timothy 3:2, which says, “A bishop then must be blameless….” The moment their eyes fall on the word “blameless,” they feel disqualified because it seems to imply that they must be “perfect.” However, this is a misinterpretation of that scripture. No man or woman is perfect except for Jesus; therefore, no one would qualify to be a spiritual leader if that were really God’s requirement to be called and to function in ministry. So what then does the word “blameless” mean?

The word “blameless” in this verse is the Greek word anepilemptos, which is a combination of the Greek prefix a and the words epi and lambano. In the context of this verse, the word epi means against, and the word lambano means to receive or to take something into one’s possession. Finally, the addition of the prefix a to the beginning of the word has a canceling effect that essentially gives the word the opposite meaning.

To better understand this word anepilemptos, we must first look at its meaning without the prefix a. If only the words epi and lambano are compounded to form the word epilemptos, the new word describes a person whose character is so wrong that others have lodged a charge or accusation against him. Because of that person’s nefarious behavior, other people have a legitimate complaint against him and cannot receive him as a leader. Perhaps it was a past crime, a sin, or bad behavior that tarnished his reputation. Whatever the case may be, in the minds of those who know him, that person is guilty. In fact, the word epilemptos can describe a person who has so much wrong in his life that others can reach out, take hold of it, and use it to accuse him. The obvious sin in that person’s life disqualifies him from leadership.

It is simply a fact that if a person is living a blatant life of sin or disobedience to the Word of God and the Christian community knows about it, that behavior will disqualify him from leadership in the Church. Or if an individual’s actions don’t correspond with the Bible’s requirements for spiritual leadership and he does nothing to self-correct, he shouldn’t be considered for a leadership position. The Word of God makes this perfectly clear.

However, what if an individual who was once living in sin repents and experiences a genuine transformation of character? Is he forever disqualified from leadership in the Church because of actions in his past that in no way reflect on his character today? The answer to these questions is found in the prefix a in the Greek word anepilemptos used in First Timothy 3:2. That little a totally reverses the meaning of this word, and it is good news for the person who has brought correction to his or her life!

When the prefix a is added to the front of the Greek word epilemptos, it has a canceling effect. The resultant word carries the idea that if a person truly repents and undergoes a transformation of character, his old sins are irrelevant — regardless of how reproachable or shameful that person once was. Because time has passed, corrective action was taken, and his reputation was restored, this individual can be viewed as “blameless.” There is nothing active in his life that would disqualify him from serving in a higher capacity in the Church. He can therefore now be viewed as a candidate for leadership.

You may have sins in your past that make you feel unworthy to be called “blameless.” But have you repented and reestablished your testimony? If your answer is yes and you are now walking right with God, your blame has been removed and you are eligible for leadership. Although you were once guilty, God’s forgiveness, along with your commitment to live a holy life, has freed you from any charges that people may have once legitimately held against you.

Remember that it was the apostle Paul who wrote the word “blameless” in First Timothy 3:2. Before he came to Christ, he had watched Stephen’s murder (see Acts 7:58), and he had personally overseen the arrest, imprisonment, and even execution of numerous believers (see Acts 26:10). If God judged people by their past actions, Paul would have never qualified for leadership or apostleship. But Christ’s forgiveness, coupled with Paul’s obedience to the Word of God, transformed his lurid reputation into a glorious testimony!

Paul referred to this dramatic change in his own life when he wrote, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious…” (1 Timothy 1:12,13). By the grace and love of Jesus Christ, Paul was forgiven and restored, and the person he used to be was no longer relevant. He met God’s requirement of “blameless” and went on to serve the Body of Christ as the most famous apostle who ever lived.

Today I encourage you to review your life and see if there are any areas that require attention. And if you desire to be a leader but the devil keeps reminding you of past failures for which you’ve already sought forgiveness and experienced restoration, tell him to shut up and get behind you in Jesus’ name! If you have dealt with your past sins and failures before God — and, if necessary, before anyone you may have hurt or offended — that means you, too, can qualify for leadership!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I thank You for speaking to my heart today through this Sparkling Gem. I ask You to help me make a thorough inventory of my life to see if I have truly repented for past wrongs. If there is any area in me that requires attention, please show me so I can bring it to Your Cross and allow Your Spirit’s sanctifying power to purify my life and conscience. I want to be used by You, so I ask You to delve into the deepest parts of my being and expose anything in me that would discredit me from being used. If you show me something that still needs to be changed, please give me the courage to do what is needed to bring correction to that area of my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that I am not a prisoner to my past and that God has a good plan for me, regardless of my former mistakes. I confess those things as sin, and I do everything within my power to clear the slate. I declare that the blood of Jesus has left me blameless of the things that others once held against me. I pursue a life that is blameless; I seek to be an example of Christ; I endeavor to serve with a pure heart; and I know that Jesus Christ wants to use me more than ever before. Therefore, I am a candidate to be used by God in a powerful way to effect change in my generation!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of areas in your life that would hinder others from following you as a leader? If so, what do you believe the Holy Spirit would have you to do to correct that wrong and make it right with those individuals?
2. Can you think of people you personally held a grudge against because of their past actions even though they have since put forth their best efforts to bring correction to themselves or to the situation? Do you continue to hold them as prisoners to their past behavior or have you released them from that judgment?
3. Now that you have read today’s Sparkling Gem about the word “blameless,” how would you describe the meaning of the word “blameless” to someone else?

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving….
— Colossians 4:2

Have you ever gone through a period in your life when you were tempted to give up on something you were praying for because the answer seemed too long in coming?

The truth is, we’ve all experienced times when we prayed in faith, but the answer to our prayers seemed to come far too slowly. In fact, this situation is so common that my wife and I receive thousands of letters from our television viewers, who ask questions such as:

• How long should I continue believing God for the answer to my prayer to come to pass in my life?
• Should I just give up hope that my answer will ever come?
• Is there anything special I should be doing while I am waiting for God to answer my prayer request?
• What attitude should I maintain while I continue to wait for my answer?

These questions are all very applicable to our spiritual walk, so let’s see what the Bible has to say about how we should respond when the answers to our prayers are delayed. In Colossians 4:2, the apostle Paul outlined the kind of attitude we must maintain as we wait for the answers to our prayers. He wrote, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving….”

Let’s examine several key words in this very important verse. First, Paul began by saying, “Continue in prayer….” This word “continue” is translated from the Greek word proskartereo, which is a compound of the words pros and kartereo. The word pros is the preposition to or toward, and it carries the idea of close, up-front, intimate contact with someone else. A good example of this word pros is found in Ephesians 6:12, where it is used to describe our close contact with unseen, demonic spirits that have been marshaled against us. The second word kartereo means to be strong, to be stout, to bear up, to have fortitude, or to be steadfast. Typically, it carries the idea of something that is strong, robust, tough, solid, or heavy duty.

When these two words are compounded, as they are in Colossians 4:2, the new word depicts a strong, solid, “never-give-up type” of leaning toward an object. It pictures a person who wants something so fiercely that he is leaning forward toward that object — pressing toward it, devoted to the goal of obtaining it, and busily engaged in activities that will bring the object of his desire to him.

Thus, by using the word proskartereo, Paul was emphatically urging us to do three things as we wait for God to answer our prayers:

• Stay forward-directed and focused in prayer.
• Keep pressing into the Spirit.
• Resolutely refuse to give up until we have obtained that for which we are praying.

There will undoubtedly be times in your life when the answers to your prayers won’t come quickly. However, God requires you to stay spiritually strong — pushing forward and continuously engaging in robust prayer until you see what you are believing Him for come to fruition. If you are tenaciously determined to continue in prayer, you will receive the answers you seek.

The Greek word translated “prayer” in this verse is also very important. It is the word proseuche, a compound of the Greek words pros and euche, and it is used 127 times in the New Testament. As we saw earlier, the word pros is the preposition to or toward, and it carries the idea of closeness. The word euche is an old Greek term that describes a wish, a desire, a prayer, or a vow. This word was originally used in Scripture to depict a person who makes a vow to God because of a need or desire in his life. This person is so desperate for an answer that he promises to give something of great value to God in exchange for a favorable answer to his prayer. When these two words are compounded, the new word conveys a multifaceted and powerful meaning.

The first part of the word proseuche — pros — tells us that prayer should bring us face to face with God. Prayer is more than a mechanical act or a formula to follow; it is a vehicle through which you can enjoy a close, intimate relationship with God, especially when you are trying to break through spiritual barriers or press deep into the Spirit.

Secondly, the word euche conveys that sacrifice is a vital component of prayer. When you come before the Lord, you must be willing to surrender yourself and make any changes in your life that God might require of you, because there are potential areas in your life that can block His ability to bless you. As you draw near to God, the Holy Spirit will convict your heart of any areas that need to be surrendered to Him. If you respond to His conviction and repent, the obstacles in your life that were hindering your prayers will be removed, and the answers to your prayers can come quickly.

God wants you to meet Him face to face and surrender every area of your life to Him. In return, He promises that you will receive the answers you seek.

Paul continued in Colossians 4:2 by saying, “Continue in prayer, and watch….” The word “watch” is the word gregoreo, meaning to be awake, to be watchful, or to be vigilant. It refers to a spiritual, watchful attitude and can be translated, “Be wide awake….” Rather than go to sleep on the job after spending time praying, pressing, and interceding, you need to keep your eyes wide open so you can watch for the answer you are requesting!

Remember, the word “continue” (proskartereo) refers to someone who wants something so fiercely that he is leaning forward and pressing toward it, busily engaged in activities that will bring the object of his desire to fruition. He is forward-directed, focused in prayer, pressing into the Spirit, and resolute in his determination not to give up until he has received the answer to his prayers. It is the picture of a believer who has prayed long and hard and is now becoming weary from constant prayer. Therefore, Paul exhorted us, “Stay awake! Stay on your guard! Keep your eyes open!”

Once you pray in faith and begin to make the changes God requires of you, you need to stay vigilant and watch for the answers to your prayers to show up!

The final point Paul made in this verse is that you must “…watch in the same with thanksgiving….” The word “thanksgiving” is the Greek word eucharistia, which is a compound of the words eu and charis. The word eu means good or well, and it always denotes a good disposition or a good feeling about something. The word charis is the Greek word for grace. When these two words are compounded, the new word describes an outpouring of grace and wonderful feelings that freely flow from the heart in response to someone or something.

By using this word, Paul taught that you must persistently engage in aggressive prayer — heartily seeking a specific answer from God as you keep your attitude vigilant and your eyes watchful for the soon-to-be-manifested answer. As you take that stance of faith, lift your voice to thank God in advance for the answer you are seeking! Thanksgiving is the voice of faith that thanks God for the answer before it comes! It is hard to be discouraged or defeated when you are continually thankful, so be sure to maintain a thankful, faith-filled heart as you watch for your answer to arrive!

Given what we have learned, Colossians 4:2 could be paraphrased:

“Be committed to ongoing and relentless prayer! You have to press toward that answer you are seeking. You have to be devoted to the goal of obtaining it as you stay engaged in the robust, strong, stout, never-give-up kind of prayer that brings you straight into the presence of God! While you are persistently and aggressively praying, you also need to stay wide awake, constantly keeping your eyes open as you look for and expect your answer. And while you are doing all of this, don’t forget to stay in an attitude of thankfulness that gives thanks to God in advance for the answers you are seeking.…”

So what should you do if you are praying in faith and the answer still hasn’t come? It’s time for you to dig in and press in the Spirit toward the answer. Be willing to make whatever changes God may require of you, and keep your eyes open for the answer. Finally, lift up your voice, and start thanking Him now for the answer even before it comes!

Are you going through one of those trying times right now? Have you been tempted to give up on something you’ve been praying for because the answer isn’t coming as quickly as you wish? If so, don’t throw up your hands in exasperation and walk away! Stay in faith and stay alert, because you may be on the very brink of receiving your long-awaited answer!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I am making the decision to turn up my fervency in prayer! You are telling me to pray consistently and persistently and to press in harder than ever before, so that is what I am going to do. If there are issues in my life that are blocking the answers to my prayers, please reveal them to me, and I will surrender them to You. With the help of Your Spirit, I will stay in faith with a watchful eye for the answer I have sought from You. Right now by faith, I thank You in advance for the answer I am seeking.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I press forward in the Spirit, persisting in prayer until I get a breakthrough from the Lord. As God’s Word instructs me, I will be committed and unrelenting in prayer until every blockage is removed and the answer manifests in my life. By faith I keep a watchful eye for the answer I have requested from the Lord. Right now I lift my voice in faith and begin to consistently thank Him in advance for those things I have asked of Him.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you say that you’ve been unrelentingly committed to continuing in your prayers until you receive the answers you have sought from the Lord?
2. Have you maintained an attitude of thankfulness while you’ve waited for your request to be manifested? Be honest! Have you lifted your voice by faith to thank Him in advance for the answer even though you haven’t seen it yet?
3. Before you do anything else, why don’t you begin taking a few minutes, starting today, to get into an attitude of thanksgiving and verbally praise and worship God for hearing and answering your prayer?

Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.
— 2 Thessalonians 1:6

We once had an employee whom we “thought” was the cream of the crop. He had come to one of my meetings to tell us that he believed God was calling him to be a leader in our ministry. Although I knew he had been in the ministry a long time, I didn’t know him very well personally, so I felt the need to dig deep to verify information about him. Everything I checked out confirmed this man would be a splendid addition to our team. At that time we needed a man with his skills, so we hired him to work in the office in a lower position to observe how he worked and performed with other people.

Over a period of several years, my top leadership team was very impressed with this man’s style of work and his commitment to get tasks done on time. He was professional and eager to learn, and he showed himself faithful in many respects. When the position of office manager opened up in that nation, we felt it right to move this man into that position. But once he had been entrusted with the oversight of money, serious problems started showing up. At first, the financial discrepancies were small, and we thought they were simply mistakes. But over time, it became apparent that there was a serious problem. This man was stealing money in very devious ways.

I loved this man, so when I finally discovered that he was secretly robbing us of money, I personally traveled hundreds of miles to give him an opportunity to be honest about what he had been doing. When I walked into our ministry office to meet with him, and he realized we knew about what he had been doing, he erupted in anger!

I suddenly saw a man I had never seen or known before! He screamed, yelled, and commanded that we get out of his office, which in fact was our office! It was the official headquarters for our ministry in that particular nation. When I reminded him it was our office and he had no right to tell us to leave, he shouted, “So you think this is your office? Who signed the contract? I did! I signed it! It’s in my name — and legally that makes it my office! So I am ordering you to move off the premises immediately, or I’ll call the police to have you arrested for trespassing.”

My team and I were shocked at his behavior. We had known him a long time, and I’d anticipated that he would admit what he had done and ask for forgiveness. My goal was not only to confront the problem, but also to see how I could help restore this man. But suddenly the mask he had donned for years fell off, and when it did, it revealed a face red with anger! His eyes looked like a demon peering at us, and he screamed with a complete lack of restraint. He was a man out of control and wholly given to anger. He got so close to my face as he screamed that at one point, I actually thought his nose would touch my face.

But no matter how loud the man turned up the volume, I remained calm and told him that I wasn’t leaving until he was honest with me about the discrepancies we had found. The next thing I knew, he was picking up the telephone to call the police to have us evicted from our own office. Rather than allow this to escalate into a worse situation, my team and I walked out the door and left. That was the last time I ever saw that man.

Because we had operated our ministry in that location for years, I turned around to see it for the last time as we walked down the corridor. There on the door was the name of our ministry boldly printed for all those who visited. Behind those doors were nearly 100,000 letters addressed to Denise and me from our TV viewers. The shelves and the basement were filled with 250,000 copies of my books that we sent free of charge to people who wrote in response to our TV program. Eighty full-time employees paid by our ministry were working on desks, computers, typewriters, copy machines, fax machines, and tape duplicators that were purchased by our ministry.

The next day, we discovered that not only had this man robbed us of ministry funds, but secretly he had also legally registered everything in his name. This meant we had no legal claim to anything in that office. He had even registered the ministry automobile in his name! It was the slickest, most polished case of professional thievery I had ever personally witnessed.

One of my leaders suggested I take the man to court to reclaim what belonged to us. But because we were so well known in that region of the world, I knew that such an action would end up on the front page of the newspapers, and it would be talked about from one end of that nation to the other end. In that former Communist nation where faith had historically been persecuted, I knew that a story like this hitting the newspapers would “load the gun” of every atheist and Communist who hated the Gospel. The newspapers would surely report this as the “war of the preachers,” and it would have profoundly negative consequences on the work of God in that country.

I knew that the reputation of the Gospel — and the impact it was having on countless precious souls — was worth far more than our loss. So instead of getting into a legal quandary that we couldn’t win, we made the choice to leave it all behind. We only asked that he give us the letters addressed to us, the 250,000 books that had our names on them, and the sign on the door. It was hard to refuse the letters, books, and sign, because our name was written on them and we could prove ownership of these things. But everything else was lost as we relocated to another city and reopened our office with directors who had been with Denise and me for more than a decade. After that experience, we fixed things tight legally so this kind of situation could never occur again.

At the time these events transpired, staff members were amazed at how peaceful I was throughout the entire ordeal. They asked, “How can you just walk away so peacefully from this situation with no bitterness or contempt for this man?” But the truth was, I felt sorry for him, and I was more concerned about his soul than our loss. For him to do such a thing, I knew he had to be extremely deceived. I also knew that if he didn’t repent and make it right, God would hold him accountable and would avenge this situation. I really didn’t want him to reap something terrible, but there is a universal law involved here — the law of sowing and reaping — and a harvest will come from seed sown, whether people have sown good or bad seed. This man had planted terrible seed in the ground, and if he didn’t repent for his actions, that seed would take root and grow in his life as deadly fruit.

In Romans 12:19, Paul told believers who had suffered injustice, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” According to this verse, it was time for me in my situation to peacefully move out of the way and leave it all to be settled by God. I told our staff how thankful I was that I was not in the vengeance business! However, I knew that if this man didn’t repent, he would eventually reap the terrible fruit of his actions.

When Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers, they were suffering severe persecution and horrific abuse at the hands of Jewish unbelievers and pagans. That’s when he told them, “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you…” (2 Thessalonians 1:6).

Let’s take a little time today to dig into this verse to see what powerful truths we can extract that pertain to our daily lives.

In this verse, the word “righteous” is the word dikaios, which portrays something that is just, fair, or right. In the phrase “with God,” the word “with” is a translation of the Greek word para, which normally means alongside. However, this word para means with God or refers to God’s way of doing things.

For example, if you heard someone refer to me and say, “That’s the way it is with Rick Renner,” you would understand they were referring to my behavior, my habits, or my way of doing things. In this verse, the word para is used in this same way to tell us the way things are “with God.” It is used to describe the manner in which God behaves — I’m talking about His behavior, His habits, or His style. Thus, the first part of this verse could be paraphrased, “Being just and fair is the way it is with God! It’s His behavior, His habit, and His way of doing things….”

Paul continued by telling us about a specific behavior of God we need to know about. The apostle wrote, “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.”

Now let’s look at the word “recompense.” It is the Greek word antapodidomi, which is a compound of the words anti, apo, and didomi. The word anti means against; the word apo means to return; and didomi mean to give. When these three words are compounded as they are in Second Thessalonians 1:6, it means to pay back, to repay, to give someone exactly what is due them, to give someone exactly what they deserve, or to settle the score. It is a full and complete requital of what is due. This means the verse could be paraphrased, “Being just and fair is the way it is with God! Making sure people get exactly what they deserve is His behavior, habit, and way of doing things….”

God doesn’t have to actually get involved in this “divine payback system” because it works like a law. The law states, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall be also reap” (Galatians 6:7). This means if you do good for others, this spiritual law will make sure that others do good for you. If you wrong others, this spiritual law will see to it that others wrong you. Whatever you do is precisely what will come back to you. (For more in-depth study on the law of sowing and reaping, see Sparkling Gems 1, August 2).

How others have treated you is what they will experience from others. Likewise, how you have treated others is the way you will be treated by others. This is a spiritual law that cannot be broken or violated.

Now, that’s not to say that if you’ve ever been mistreated, it necessarily means you have mistreated someone else in the same way. But when it comes to what you dole out in negative attitudes or negative treatment toward others, without repentance from your heart, that harvest will most certainly find its way back to you.

On the other hand, if you have been a source of blessing to someone else, this spiritual law will see to it that a blessing comes back to you. And if a person has deliberately done wrong or intentionally tried to hurt you, this spiritual law will see to it that they are paid back for what they did to you.

This is a fixed spiritual law that always works, so we must be careful in our treatment of others, for what we do to others is precisely what will be done to us. Only repentance has the power to eradicate bad seed from the ground and thereby stop it from producing fruit.

Paul said that God will recompense “tribulation” to them that trouble you. So what does the word “tribulation” mean? It is the Greek word thlipsis, a word so strong that it leaves no room for misunderstanding. It conveys the idea of a heavy-pressure situation. In his epistles, Paul often used this word to describe grueling, crushing situations that are unbearable, intolerable, and impossible to survive. The word thlipsis is often translated as the word “affliction,” which means the verse could be translated, “God will give a full measure of affliction to those who have afflicted you.”

By using this word, Paul was telling us that when God recompenses people for the evil they have done, it is a full requital. Those who deliberately trouble us will receive a full measure of what they dished out.

The law of sowing and reaping is activated even in this sphere of life, and the way a person does or does not treat others is part of the process that determines the type of justice he receives from the Lord. God’s payback system is just, fair, and equitable.

An interpretive translation of Second Thessalonians 1:6 could read:

“It’s God’s habitual practice and normal behavior to be just and fair, so you can be sure people who have wronged you will get exactly what they deserve. He will see to it that they are reimbursed and that they receive a full settlement of trouble for the traumatic circumstances they have put you through. Those who have afflicted you will receive a full measure of affliction in return.”

I can personally think of no better illustration for the way God’s payback system works than the man I told you about at the beginning of today’s Sparkling Gem. He had an opportunity to repent and get his heart right with God and with me. Instead, he rejected this divinely granted opportunity. I’m so sorry to say that today he is a totally discredited individual. His loss of reputation had nothing to do with our response to his misdeeds, for Denise and I made the decision that we would never tell what he had done. We left it silently in the hands of God, but over time we watched the truth of Second Thessalonians 1:6 come to pass in this man’s life. What he did to others is exactly what was done to him.

In light of this, I encourage you to keep your heart free of bitterness when someone has wronged you, abused you, or falsely accused you. Vengeance is God’s business, and you must not enter this realm that belongs only to Him. Make it your aim to forgive those who have wronged you, and leave the rest in God’s hands. And if you have done wrong to others, I strongly advise you to repent and make that relationship right today. The law of sowing and reaping is actively working, so if you’re wise, you’ll do everything you can to stay on the good side of the law!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, after reading today’s Sparkling Gem, I want to make sure that my own heart is right with You and others. I know I haven’t always done right, so if there is anyone to whom I need to go and make it right, please bring it to my memory so I can take care of it today. I want to stay on the good side of the law of sowing and reaping. If I’ve ever sown bad seed, I want to rip it up through the act of repentance. And when I am tempted to be upset with others who have done wrong to me, please help me remember that my focus must be to keep my heart free, and it is Your responsibility to give people what is due them. Help me, Lord, to stay out of the vengeance business and to focus on keeping my own heart pure and clean!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I keep my heart free of judgment and I do not venture into the realm of revenge. God sees what is happening to me, and I can silently trust that He will be faithful to take care of me and to deal with those who have tried to harm or hinder me. That is His business, not mine, and I refuse to allow my emotions or anyone else to drag me into the ring to fight it out. I will focus on my own heart to make sure that I am inwardly clean. As the Holy Spirit reveals people I’ve hurt or wronged in the past, I will quickly go to them to ask forgiveness because I want to stay on the good side of the law of sowing and reaping!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. As you read the story of the man who robbed our ministry many years ago, did you think of people who wronged you, your family, or your business in the past? Who was the person who wronged you? Have you really forgiven that person for what he or she did?
2. When you look at what happened to that person’s life since the time he or she wronged you, what do you see has happened? Has the law of sowing and reaping produced its results in that individual’s life?
3. Is there anyone you’ve wronged in the past with whom you have yet to make it right? Now that you understand you need to communicate with that person and ask for forgiveness, what steps do you need to take? Is it possible that some of the trouble you’ve experienced in life is a result of the law of sowing and reaping bringing a negative harvest back to you because of what you did to someone else?

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
— 1 Corinthians 3:16

When we first started our church in Moscow in the year 2000, God moved supernaturally in our church’s midst, and our congregation miraculously began to grow by leaps and bounds. It wasn’t long before the auditorium we had rented was filled to maximum capacity, and we still needed room for more people. So we rented a bigger auditorium — but once again, soon we were at capacity. This happened again and again over the years.

In addition, because our church membership was growing so rapidly, it soon meant we needed a larger office to accommodate the business end of things, and so the search began. After a period of looking, we finally secured an office in an ideal location. It was directly in the center of downtown Moscow — a two-minute walk from the Bolshoi Theatre and a short seven-minute walk from Red Square. You couldn’t get any closer to the heart of the city than this location. It was ideal in every way!

Because of the building’s prime location, I knew that many high-ranking visitors would come to this office to meet with our ministry. Therefore, our space needed to be decorated professionally and beautifully to make a first-class impression of the Gospel on every person who entered that office. To this end, Denise and I worked hard to choose the perfect wallpaper, carpet, and furniture to adorn our church office. Finally, the day came when the interior decorating work was to commence on the new office. The first work to be done that day was to hang the wallpaper Denise and I had so carefully chosen. We were so excited to see how it would transform the “look” of that office!

The reception area was the first room in our office to be wallpapered. This was the most important part of our office because it was where people’s first impressions of our ministry would be made. Many people in this region of the world have historically ridiculed people of faith, so it was essential to us that our guests associate excellence with the name of Jesus Christ as they entered our reception area. Therefore, we chose an elegant, intricate, floral-patterned wall covering for that space, and we knew it would take a real master to hang it correctly.

The person we chose to hang the wallpaper was a woman from our congregation who maintained that she was such a master at the craft. She had even volunteered to do the job and to do it for free as a gift to the church, and we were delighted. I met her at the office and showed her the wallpaper, and she got started. I left the site because I had a meeting in another part of the city, assuming this “master” would do a beautiful job. However, when I returned to see what she had done, I was shocked!

She had hung a lot of paper and had done it very quickly, but none of the patterns from strip to strip matched each other. I was so stunned that for a few moments, I was literally speechless.

She asked me, “How do you like my job?”

I regained my composure and replied, “Do you realize none of the patterns match?” She said, “Oh, you wanted the patterns to match? Why didn’t you tell me?”

I told her, “When I heard you were a professional paper hanger, I assumed you would know to match the patterns of each strip. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to take it down and start all over again.”

On her second attempt, she matched the patterns, but this time the wallpaper was very visibly crooked. As I explained to her that this room would be a reception for very important guests and the wallpaper couldn’t be crooked, she said, “But if you look at it like this, it doesn’t look crooked.” With that, she tilted her head sideways and framed the crooked wallpaper between her hands. She said, “If you tilt your head and look at it like this, it looks normal. See?”

I was astounded that she would try to tell me that it would look normal if I would just cock my head to the left. I replied, “People won’t walk into this office and cock their heads sideways so the wallpaper will look normal. People will walk in here standing upright, as people do, and they will think this wallpaper looks crooked and crazy. Please tear it down, and I’ll find someone else to properly hang the paper.”

When I instructed this woman to rip the paper off the walls, I heard people gasping. A staff member privately suggested, “Pastor, this wallpaper is expensive. What if we just paint it and forget about it? Does it really have to be torn off the walls a second time? Do you really think anyone will notice that it’s crooked? Can’t we just leave the way it is instead of losing money?”

I finally had to walk over to the wall and begin tearing the paper off myself — as everyone around me gazed in shock. The sound of expensive paper being ripped from the walls filled the ears of all who stood by. Piece by piece, the wallpaper fell to the ground. When I saw people staring in disbelief at what I was doing, I turned and explained to them, “This room is designed for guests. Nothing less than our best is acceptable. I want every person who enters this room to sense that we care about them and have prepared a place for them that is special and shows them respect.”

That day my staff finally realized how important it was to me that we do our best to make guests feel honored and welcomed. But as important as it was for me to treat the guests of our ministry with respect, it is far more important that we do our very best to make God welcome in our lives.

In First Corinthians 3:16, the apostle Paul wrote, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” This word “dwelleth” is the Greek word oikeo, which denotes a house. However, the word oikeo as used by Paul in this verse means to dwell in or to take up residency in a house. This means God is not like a guest who comes and goes. Rather, when a person repents and comes to Christ, God’s Spirit moves in and takes up residence. In other words, that newly saved believer’s heart becomes the Holy Spirit’s permanent home.

When a believer first accepts Christ as his Lord and Savior, there are areas in his life that need to be healed, restored, and changed. By walking in obedience to the Word of God and learning to serve in the local church, a person’s mind can become conformed to the mind of Christ, and his life can gradually become transformed to reflect the excellence of Jesus Christ. However, for these changes to occur in a person’s life, it requires his complete participation. These kinds of changes don’t occur without hard work, commitment, and determination to make one’s heart a place where God feels honored.

Never forget that God’s Spirit — the Spirit of holiness — now lives inside you. What are you doing to make Him feel welcome? Are you allowing the crooked and mismatched places of your life to remain unchecked, or are you doing your best to rip them away, one piece at a time, so you can make your heart a place that shows God honor and respect?

It’s great that we do so much to make guests feel welcomed in our homes, churches, or offices. But think about how much more important it is that we build our lives in such a way that conveys to God just how thankful we are that He dwells in our hearts!

God has moved into your heart and made it His permanent home. Don’t you think you should “hang the wallpaper” in your heart in such a way that it shows Him how happy and honored you are that He is there?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I thank You for coming to live permanently in my heart. What a miracle it is that You would want to live in someone like me. I am amazed and dumbfounded by this great act of grace — and my heart is overwhelmed with thankfulness that You have chosen to make my heart Your home. I know that I have a lot of areas in my life that need attention, and I’m asking You to give me the grace and power to deal with each of these areas one step at a time. Without Your help, I can’t change myself. But with Your grace working inside me, I can be conformed to think with the mind of Christ, and my behavior can be transformed to reflect the character of Christ. I thank You in advance for helping me get rid of all the crooked and mismatched places in my soul so I can become a dwelling place where You are comfortable to abide.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I obey the instructions of the Holy Spirit as He guides me to correct all the crooked and mismatched places in my mind, my soul, and my character. God’s Spirit lives in me, and He is giving me the insight, wisdom, and strength to peel flawed areas away from my life so I can become a shining example of what Jesus desires His people to be. By myself I cannot change. But thank God, the Holy Spirit who lives within gives me the power to confront every area of my life that needs to be brought into alignment with His perfect will. His strength is MY strength to make wrong things right. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, as He continually helps me become all that He wants me to be!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of specific parts of your life that are intolerable and hurtful to God’s Spirit, but that you have allowed to continue in your life? What are the areas in your life that you know are wrong and God is asking you to change? Why don’t you make a list of these areas and keep it nearby so you can be reminded of the changes you need to implement as you pray each day?
2. What do you do in your life that especially makes God feel welcomed, honored, and respected?
3. If you were God and were looking for a heart that made you feel welcomed, honored, and respected, what qualities would you be looking for that let you know you were truly wanted?

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
— 1 Corinthians 3:6,7

When I was growing up, my pastor, Brother Post, was like a hero to me. He was a master Bible teacher who taught the Word of God with intelligence, conviction, and passion. His intense enthusiasm for the Bible deeply affected me, and I am certain that my love for the Word of God today and my desire to mine the Greek New Testament for these Sparkling Gems is directly connected to the way he taught me the Bible.

Wednesday night church services were my favorite because that was when Brother Post would dig deep into the Word and feed us richly! However, I must admit that I also loved Wednesday nights because our church hosted a supper for the entire congregation each week before the service began — and at those dinners, we got to eat Bobbie Jo’s awesome shiny, butter-covered rolls! Bobbie Jo was our church cook, and no one made bigger, better, or more delicious rolls than Bobbie Jo!

Each week as Wednesday drew near, I grew so excited to think I would soon be eating those big fluffy rolls! I’d consume as many as I could before my parents would rebuke me for eating too much. Then I’d head across the street with a full stomach to the church building for the Wednesday night service where Brother Post would fill my spiritual stomach with masterful, thoughtful, in-depth teaching from the Word of God.

Brother Post was the only Bible teacher I personally knew until I attended college as a young man. There is no way to exaggerate the biblical foundation that he laid in my life. During my college years, I was exposed to other wonderful Bible teachers, and not long after I left the university, I took a position as an associate pastor in a large Baptist church under a godly pastor named Dr. Bill Bennett. This man was as knowledgeable as any person I’ve ever met in my life. He read Greek; he knew history; he had a doctorate of theology. In my opinion, he was and remains one of the most brilliant Bible teachers I’ve ever met anywhere in the world.

For several years during my earliest period of ministry, my chief role was to serve my senior pastor. I carried his books and traveled with him as his assistant. I relished every minute of this season because Dr. Bennett spent time speaking to me from the Word of God and helping me establish my thinking in sound doctrine. I tremendously respected his knowledge, his teaching ability, and the godly life he led. Working at his side and serving him as I did was one of the greatest honors that God ever gave to Denise and me. God used that man to set me on a solid biblical foundation.

When I look back at the roles Brother Post and Dr. Bennett played in my life, I can see that both were vital to my spiritual development. One planted and another watered my spiritual development — just as the apostle Paul told the Corinthians, “I have planted, Apollos watered…” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

As an apostle called to the city of Corinth, Paul was responsible for starting the church in that city. However, he also served as their first pastor until God raised up another pastor to take his place. This replacement was a well-respected, highly educated man from Alexandria in Egypt named Apollos — and soon after Paul’s departure, he became the senior pastor of the Corinthian church. History tells us that Apollos was a gifted orator who was renowned for his eloquence.

In Paul’s absence, the Corinthian believers naturally began to compare the different speaking styles of Paul and Apollos. Some who had been in the church from the beginning and were extremely affectionate toward Paul apparently didn’t like the style of the new pastor. There were others in the church who loved Apollos and asserted that his preaching was superior to Paul’s. Yet the message Paul and Apollos preached was the same — they just had different styles.

When Paul heard of divisions forming in the church of Corinth over the issue of his and Apollos’ different styles of ministry he wrote to them and said, “I have planted, Apollos watered…” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Let’s take a closer look at the Greek in this statement to see exactly what Paul meant.

The word “planted” in this verse is translated from the Greek word phuteuo, which is a form of phuton, the Greek word for a plant, and it simply refers to the act of planting a plant. By using this word, Paul was metaphorically describing his role in Corinth. He was a planter. His task was to penetrate the darkness of the city and plant a church there. There is no doubt that this city had some of the toughest spiritual ground he had ever encountered. It was surely one of the most difficult places to minister in the ancient world.

Like a neglected garden overrun with pests and weeds, Corinth was infested with demonic powers. In order to plant the Gospel in people’s hearts and firmly establish the Church in that tough environment, he had to press forward and till the ground with the power of God; then he had to get on his hands and knees and pull the weeds. This was hard work! Yet for one and a half years, Paul poured his life into this pioneering job. When he finally left Corinth to pursue his apostolic call in another city, the Corinthian church had not only been planted — it was deeply rooted and producing good fruit!

Paul described his role in Corinth as a planter; however, he was fully aware where his responsibility ended and another equally important responsibility began. That is why he continued in First Corinthians 3:6, “I have planted, Apollos watered.…” The word “watered” here is from the Greek word potidzo, which most often means to water or to irrigate. It is the very word that would have been used to depict a farmer watering his garden to provide nourishment to his plants so they could grow. It can also be translated to imbibe, which in this context would convey the act of a field becoming soaked or saturated in water.

By describing Apollos’ role in Corinth with the Greek word potidzo, Paul actually gave Apollos a great compliment. It is as if Paul said, “Apollos didn’t just water you; he saturated you….” In other words, Paul acknowledged what a wonderful, vitally important job Apollos played in the Corinthian church! Paul had pulled the weeds, chased away the pests, planted the seed, and established the new growth of the young plant. Apollos then nurtured that plant, watering it regularly with the Word of God and thus contributing equally to the great increase that happened in that church. The roles of both ministers were absolutely vital. One was not better than the other; rather, each played a significant role in the spiritual development of that church.

Paul continued in First Corinthians 3:6 by saying, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” This word “increase” is the Greek word auxano, which means to cause to grow, to cause to increase, or to cause to become enlarged. By using this word, Paul was teaching us that we are always dependent upon God to provide growth and increase — even if we do everything right as we plant and water our crop. Or to put it another way: We can carry out our different roles of planting and watering, but only God can provide the sunshine and weather that allows it to grow. If God doesn’t intervene and provide His part, all of our planting and watering will be in vain. Therefore, as we carry out our roles as effectively and efficiently as we can, we must always be conscious of the fact that we’re not responsible for growth and success. If growth comes, ultimately it is God who gives the increase.

I am thankful for my first pastor, Brother Post, and for Dr. Bennett, the pastor whom I later served. One firmly planted the seed in my life, and the other watered that seed until I was saturated with the Word of God. Both of these men were vital to my early growth as a man of God — but, ultimately, it was God who made me grow. These two men were part of the process, and I’m so thankful to Him for what they invested in my life. But the One who caused me to grow was God Himself.

It’s right for you to acknowledge and thank the people who have played a major role in your life. But don’t make the mistake the Corinthians made and get so fixated on personalities that you forget that God is the One who really makes seed grow!

Also, as you play a God-given role in someone else’s life, let me encourage you to do the very best with what He has entrusted to you. Till the ground, plant the seed, and pour on the nourishment required to make the seed grow. God expects you to do your part. But never forget that He is your greatest Partner. You are completely dependent on Him to do the part you cannot do for yourself — increase and growth!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I sincerely want to take just a moment to say thank You for the people who have played such an important role in my spiritual development. So many people have helped me, corrected me, assisted me, and taught me. When I think of how many people have made investments into my life, I am amazed and grateful that You would love me so much. Holy Spirit, help me express my gratitude to these people whom You have used to develop me. Most of all, I want to thank You for providing all the other ingredients that no one else could provide. Even though others invested so much in me, I know that You are the One who is responsible for the growth, increase, and success I am experiencing in my life. Without You, none of this would be happen- ing today, so I want to say thank You!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that God is using me to play a significant role in other people’s lives. Just as others loved me and invested in my spiritual development, God is now using me to help others. I consider it a privilege to plant spiritual seed into other people’s lives. It is an honor to tend that seed with love and care and to nourish it with the water of the Word of God. All around me are people with great potential who need someone to help them. Because the Holy Spirit is working in my life and making me more like Jesus Christ, I am willing, ready, and desirous to be a blessing, just as key people have been to me. God has given me a role to play in the spiritual development of others, and I will faithfully do exactly what He has asked me to do.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Who are the people who have played the most important role in your spiritual development? In what ways did they affect your spiritual growth?
2. Have you ever taken the time to call, write, or make a personal visit to those people who helped you along the way in your walk with God? Have you expressed how profoundly thankful you are for the role they played in your life? If you haven’t done this, why not? Don’t you think it is right to go out of your way to say thank you to someone who had such a dramatic influence in your life?
3. Who are you helping spiritually develop right now? Are you planting seed in someone’s life? Are you watering seed that has already been sown in another’s life? God has a role for you to play in helping others, so take a good look at your life and ask, “In whose life am I making a difference today?”

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
— Hebrews 10:36

People often throw in the towel and quit when they don’t see results as quickly as they want. I am amazed at how short-lived some people’s faith really is. If their prayers for healing aren’t answered immediately, they allow their flesh to convince them, for example, that it is God’s will for them to be sick. Or if they sow their finances and believe for a financial harvest but don’t see that harvest in a matter of months, they are tempted to think that everything they have been taught concerning prosperity must be a lie. The problem is that these Christians want quick “microwave answers” to problems that probably took some time to develop. They need to give their faith time to work!

Most people quit before their faith has time to fully work. These folks need a good dose of patience to go along with their faith! You see, faith and patience are partners. You need both to receive the promises of God. Hebrews 10:36 says, “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

The word “patience” comes from the word hupomene, which is a compound of the words hupo and meno. The word hupo at the beginning means under, and meno means to stay or to remain. When you put these two words together, the Greek word means endurance or to stay under. It is the picture of a person who is under a heavy load but has resolved that to stay put in that one spot, regardless of how hard or heavy that load gets.

This person is thoroughly committed to maintaining his position. He will stay in that spot as long as it’s necessary for him to achieve victory. He is intent on standing by his commitment, regardless of the cost he must pay. Nothing can sway or move him to change his mind. He is not going to relinquish his territory! I call this “bulldog faith.” It is a faith that manifests as a tough, resistant, persistent, obstinate, stubborn, tenacious spirit that refuses to let go of what it wants or believes.

If you haven’t done well in the past at standing firm in your faith against the pressure of the enemy, don’t feel condemned. Just receive this as an encouragement from the Lord to get back up and go for it again! To experience a breakthrough regarding a difficult situation or trap that you’ve struggled with for too long, you must take a bold stance of faith and then stand still.

Yes, it may take time for your answer to manifest. Just because your request is in accordance with God’s will, the answer doesn’t always quickly come to pass without a hitch. There’s a devil out there that doesn’t want you to experience God’s will for your life. You also have your own flesh to deal with, and flesh loves comfort — it does not like a challenge. Your faith may need to grow. God wants you to come to a higher level in the process of receiving the answer to your prayer. You need to renew your mind so you can “…ask in faith, nothing wavering…” (James 1:6).

Faith has focused desire. It knows what it wants. It doesn’t vacillate. It never moves. Faith stands still in one spot. So make your bold confession of faith: “God, this is what I want. This is Your revealed will for my life, and I’m not moving until I receive the fulfillment of it!” You must have this type of patience if you intend to beat the devil at his game and successfully do what God has called you to do. Endurance is absolutely essential if you intend to stay in the fight until your enemies are under your feet and you emerge victorious.

Believe me, friend, when this kind of patience is working in your life, it’s not a matter of if you’ll win — it’s just a matter of when you will win. So keep your arms of faith wrapped around that promise, dig in your heels, and refuse to be moved!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I repent for each time I have fallen short of Your promises simply because I gave up before my faith had time to fully work. I neglected to feed my faith on the Word of God. As a result, I began to give place to the fleshly tendency to become impatient when what I really needed to do was to persevere in faith and be strong. I receive Your forgiveness and cleansing, and I ask You to strengthen me with might in my inner man so I can let patience have its perfect work in me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I let patience have its perfect work in me (James 1:4). Through faith and patience, I inherit the promises of God for my life. Having done all to stand, I stand with bulldog faith and tenacity, committed to seeing the will of God for my life fulfilled!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a time when you were tempted to throw in the towel and give up on what you were believing to come to pass, but because you decided to hold your ground and stay in the fight, you saw your victory manifest just a short time later? What if you had quit just before you won your victory? Aren’t you glad you didn’t quit?
2. Everyone faces struggles like I’ve described in today’s Sparkling Gem. Do you know people who are facing a battle right now and could use an encouraging phone call from you to cheer them up in their fight of faith? Wouldn’t it have blessed you if someone had done that for you when you were in the middle of your fight?
3. What are you believing God to see manifested in your life? Maybe it’s more than one thing. Are you being steadfast and immovable until you see the answer to your prayer? I urge you to dig in your heels and refuse to be moved by anything until you see God’s promise come to pass!

Flee fornication….
— 1 Corinthians 6:18

In the early years of our marriage, my wife Denise and I pastored an adult singles ministry, and one of my responsibilities in this role was to regularly meet with people who needed counseling. During one session, a distraught young man began to pour out his heart to me about how he kept habitually falling into sexual sin. As he sat before me, I could see that he was disappointed in himself, spiritually broken, and feeling like a miserable failure. With tears streaming down his face, he told me, “Before I know what is happening, I find myself in the middle of a sexual sin. I just can’t seem to control myself.”

I asked him, “Where are you when this sin usually takes place?”

He told me, “It usually happens at my house or at my girlfriend’s house.”

I looked into his eyes and asked, “Don’t you think it would be wise for the two of you never to be alone together at your house or her house so you don’t put yourself in a position where it’s easy for you to fall into sin? If that’s the place where you keep falling into sin, I strongly recommend that you don’t spend time alone in her house or yours!”

He responded, “Are you suggesting that I run away from my problem and my weaknesses? No way! I am not going to run away from my weaknesses! I intend to prove that I can overcome these temptations. I don’t believe I need to change my environment. I just need to be stronger!”

As the years passed, I watched this man continue to struggle with sin. His plan wasn’t working! He was sincere, but the approach he was taking was not wise. Not only was he not conquering his temptations, but he was being conquered by them! It was time for him to use his brain to get up and get out of those places where he had habitually fallen into sin. He needed to heed the words of the apostle Paul to the Corinthian believers when Paul urged them to “flee fornication…” (1 Corinthians 6:18). If this man would have just obeyed the wise counsel of the Word, he could have escaped those years of misery, feeling like a spiritual failure.

“Fleeing fornication” would have been very hard to do in a city like Corinth! Corinth was known for its perversion and twisted sinful activities, as well as for its drunkenness. In short, it had a worldwide reputation for being a “party city” and a center for “sexual freedom,” where one could avail himself to the vilest of human instincts without any fear of others’ disapproval. The entire city was devoted to the sex industry; therefore, any kind of sex was considered acceptable and fair. Some have speculated that after Sodom and Gomorrah, Corinth may have been one of the most perverted cities in human history.

The city had a constant flow of sailors who came to town to party, and this fed the prostitution business — the largest source of revenue in the city of Corinth. Furthermore, the city abounded with idolatry, which frequently incorporated sexually immoral behavior into their rituals, and the Corinthian bathhouses brimmed with homosexual activity.

In addition to all these excesses, wine was integrally tied into nearly every aspect of the city’s culture. It was used in idol worship as a sacrament and a tool to commune with the spirit realm; it was commonly imbibed by prostitutes and their customers; and it was readily available in the city’s bathhouses to loosen people’s inhibitions so they would more readily participate in homosexual activities. Basically, all these factors combined meant the alcohol business in Corinth was booming! So not only was Corinth rife with idolatry and all manners of gross sexual perversion, but the city also struggled with serious alcohol abuse and addiction.

In fact, the city of Corinth became so synonymous with perversion and drunkenness that the term “to Corinthianize,” first coined by the Greek author Aristophanes (450-385 BC), became a common term used in other cities of the Roman Empire to describe drunken or immoral debauchery.1 Regardless of where you lived, if you knew a person who was given to excess and drunkenness, that person was referred to as “a Corinthianizer.” Corinth’s reputation was so stained that if an actor in any city of the Roman Empire was required to play the role of a drunkard on stage, he was always depicted as a drunk Corinthian.

This was the environment the Corinthian believers faced every day, and because they were so new in their faith, the lure of the world and the flesh still had a strong hold on them. Paul knew they needed to use their minds to think carefully about where they went and what situations they should avoid. Even today, we know it’s just common sense that if a person struggles with alcohol, he needs to stay out of bars! Likewise, Paul knew that these Corinthian believers needed to avoid environments where they might be tempted to fall back into sin. Fleeing from sinful environments was the smartest thing they could do if they really wanted to stay free from sin!

This meant the newly saved Corinthian believers had to avoid a lot of places in Corinth! It meant they had to reassess how to maneuver in the city in order to avoid all the places where sin tried to call out to them. Because there were so many sinful places in Corinth, it took concentration and serious planning for them to obey Paul’s exhortation to “flee fornication.” However, because Paul admonished them to stay away from these cesspools of sin and perversion, the committed believers in Corinth learned to move as quickly as possible to “flee” from these establishments.

The word “flee” that Paul used in First Corinthians 6:18 is the Greek word pheugo, which means to run, to flee, or even to take flight. Making this word even stronger is the fact that the tense used in this verse conveys the idea of a habitual fleeing or a continuous escaping. This plainly means Paul is telling believers that they need to make a habit of running from sin!

The Greek word pheugo is used throughout Scripture to depict the act of:

• Fleeing from evil influences.
• Fleeing from youthful lusts.
• Fleeing from morally bad friends.
• Fleeing from a corrupt stimulus.
• Fleeing from wrongdoing and sin.

In short, the word pheugo means to run like crazy!

Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is get up and get out of a situation as fast as you can. Just as Joseph fled with haste to escape the seductive advances from Potiphar’s wife (see Genesis 39:11,12), if you’re in a setting where you’re being tempted or you feel yourself being lured to do something contrary to the Word of God — get out of there! Rather than stick around to prove you can resist, it’s time for you to get your feet moving and resist sin by saying goodbye as you walk out and let the door slam behind you! A weak person won’t have the strength to say no and walk away — but a person who is strong will say, “Enough is enough!” and walk away.

Paul’s order to the Corinthian congregation was to “flee fornication.” In order for them to obey Paul’s command, these believers had to make drastic changes in their routines. They had to change the places they frequented, the activities they participated in, and the people who surrounded them. If they were going to walk away from sin and stay free from it, they would have to deliberately avoid the situations that previously made it so easy for them to fall into sin.

How does Paul’s message apply to you?

For you to stay free, it may be necessary for you to choose new friends. You may need to make a break from the places where you used to spend your free time. You may need to quit watching the TV programs or movies that once were a big part of your life. It is possible that you may need to stop reading the material you once read. It may even mean that you need to discontinue your Internet service so you won’t gravitate to pornographic sites that keep luring you into their seductive, entangling web.

Is it possible that you’ve been praying for strength to resist sin, when actually all you simply need to do is to stay away from the things that encourage you to sin? If you’re tempted to overeat, stay out of the kitchen! If you’re lured to pornographic websites, then add filters to block those sites, or, if necessary, discontinue your Internet service. Permanently fix your situation by removing yourself from the things and the places that have a negative influence on you. Taking this commonsense approach may be the answer to the prayers you’ve been praying to be free!

If you are serious about your walk with God, you need to make every change necessary to stay both spiritually strong and free from guilt and condemnation. I admonish you to take Paul’s words deep into your heart and “flee” from those things that have an adverse effect on your soul and on your spiritual life. It’s what you would tell someone else to do if you were giving them counsel about how to stay free from alcohol or drugs, so don’t you think it would be wise for you to start applying the same advice to your own life?

1William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975), pp. 2-3.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I thank You for speaking to my heart today about making a break with my past and with the places that tend to pull me down. I admit that I’ve allowed my flesh to lead me, and I have been wrong for not making better choices for my life. I’ve tried to blame the devil and others for my failure, but today I am taking personal responsibility for the control and direction of my life — and I am walking away from those places, people, and deeds that negatively affect me. Holy Spirit, I tap into Your mighty power already at work within me to strengthen me with might in my inward man as I make these right choices. With Your help and by Your grace, I can and I will walk free and stay free!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I do not linger in compromising situations where I am tempted to think wrong, speak wrong, and do wrong with my mind, mouth, or body. I am the temple of the Holy Spirit, and I honor the Holy Spirit’s presence in me. I never want to grieve the Spirit by slipping back into those sins from which I’ve been delivered. Therefore, I am making every effort to stay away from people, places, and deeds that have a negative impact on me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of people, places, or deeds that you need to make a break from in your life? Make note of them, and then determine a plan of action you can take to avoid them so you can remain free from sin.
2. Was there a time in your life when you felt seduced by sin, yet you stayed in that bad environment? Did you falsely think that you could overcome it, but instead succumbed to sin over and over again? When and where was that time in your life? What did you learn as a result of that experience?
3. If you were counseling individuals who were struggling with an addiction or some habitual sin, what would you say in counsel to them to help them stay free? Do you apply this same counsel to your own life?