Standing fully dressed in the armor of God prepares us to keep on praying in the Spirit! Paul keep bringing the revelation of the heartbeat of the Father. It was often written in the salutation or greeting. Some make the mistake of writing it off as the flowery words of opening or closing; however there is great revelation in all the word of God. May none of it become read over material. May we come to know God by first hand revelation of His goodness.
Ephesians 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints; 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Remember in the last few lesson we have addressed putting off the old man, being renewed in the spirit of our mind, and putting on the new man. Getting dressed in the armor of God is walking in the revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ. Jesus is our salvation, our righteousness, our peace, our truth, He is the word we speak, and has even provided the faith that quenches all the fiery darts of the evil one. Being dressed in Jesus and standing in this truth is what we are called to do. It is Spiritual warfare from the point of victory. The object of our faith is ever Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross. When the object of our affection is Jesus we are now able to keep on praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Our heart should be for all the saints with an “I will not give up” attitude! Pray that utterance of the grace message will boldly go forth. Oh that the mystery of the gospel will be proclaimed!
Ephesians 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 21 But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you; 22 whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts.
Paul has such a heart for the church of Christ ! He has called himself a bondservant of Christ, and now an ambassador in chains. Think of all these wonderful revelations of intimacy with God; all proclaimed from a jail cell! Awesome God!
Ephesians 6:23 Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
Rather that looking at these words as a wonderful salutation, understand they are God breathed, and anointed truth, worth understanding. Peace is oneness with God! Love with faith is how to operate in the covenant of grace. All this goodness comes from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Can you hear the Father’s heart for you? Divine influence be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ! AMEN … so be it!
Galatians 1:1 Paul , an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia :
Paul was not afraid to call himself an apostle, he knew his calling and ministry was through Jesus Christ and God the Father. The Spirit of God was announcing come hear an anointed word of God, be prepared to receive from it!
Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Spirit of God wasted no time getting to the heart of the matter. Divine influence and oneness from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. More that a greeting but precious words to meditated upon! Jesus gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. Can you clearly hear the heart beat of the Father? The Father wants you to know sins were dealt with by Jesus Christ; the Father’s will is for your deliverance from this present evil age. The Father has a heart for you! The psalmist wrote that if we could count the sand by the sea shore we would know how many thoughts God has had toward us! Hear the heartbeat of the Father; your freedom from sin and your deliverance from the present evil!
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Paul was stunned that the believers were turning away from the goodness of the grace gospel. We must not allow the gospel of Christ to be perverted; it is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Our deliverance from sin comes by no other means or fashion. Any turning from the work of Calvary is a perverted gospel of Christ. Don’t be moved!
Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
Twice repeated truth in scripture needs our undivided attention. Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way and there is no other way! Righteousness apart from the law is what Paul preached. There were those who were trying to pervert the simplicity found in Jesus Christ by adding rules, codes, or regulations from the law. Paul used strong words, call that man accursed.
Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
The apostle Paul lost his fear of man! We will do well to lose our fear of man. We cannot please man and God! Like Paul , may we walk as bondservants of Christ.
Galatians 1:11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul came to the gospel message by first hand revelation knowledge of God. It is the will of God for every believer to walk in first hand revelation knowledge. The Holy Spirit Himself wants to teach you truth about Jesus! The Holy Spirit Himself desires to lead and guide you to walk in the Father’s divine plan for your life. D o you believe what you believe because your daddy believed it? D o you believe something because some man taught it to you? Or do you believe what you believe because the Spirit of Truth made real the Word of God to you? No one is getting into heaven on the shirt tails of a good minister or ministry; it is a first hand revelation that causes us to put the object of our faith in Jesus is our Messiah. It is not the traditions of our fathers but the precious blood of Jesus that procured our deliverance from sin. It may come from the mouth of God’s servants but it is the words of life you are receiving. Jesus said my words are Spirit and they are life; when God brings it to life for you, your liberty is come.
Galatians 1:13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
Paul before his conversion was know as Saul. Saul thought he was doing the will of God! He was zealous for the traditions of Judaism beyond most of his contemporaries. Yet Saul was wrong! Saul needed a revelation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Saul was a religious man believing in the law of Moses and the tradition of his fathers; his salvation was not found there.
Galatians 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
Paul understood he was separated from his mother’s womb and called through God’s grace. Paul ’s revelation of Jesus Christ was His salvation and there is not another way to salvation. It did not come by conferring with flesh and blood; it was a personal revelation of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself declared the church would be built upon the confession that Jesus Christ is the Messiah the sent One from God. There is no other foundation and the true church is built upon this truth. Can you hear the heartbeat of the Father who separated you from your mother’s womb? God has his eye on you and longs for you to know His grace.
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