Shalom,

We continue in Psalm 91 today with verses 5-6:

Ps 91:5-6 (KJV)
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

In the Interlinear Bible (Hebrew/English) the word "not" comes first and means exactly that, we should not do what comes next. Then is the phrase "Thou shalt be afraid", which is the Hebrew word, yare', which means: to fear, be afraid, be astonished, to dread or to be terrified. We are told that when we trust in God's Word (previous verses) then we won't fear the things mentioned next. "For the terror by night" is the Hebrew word, pachad, which means: sudden alarm or object of dread that comes at night. Nor "for the arrow", the Hebrew word, chets, which means: a piercer, an arrow, a wound, or the shaft of a spear, that flies by day, or in the daylight.

We shall also not be afraid "for the pestilence", the Hebrew word, deber, which means: a destroying pestilence, a plague or disease, that "walketh", or gets around, moves around (is contagious!) "in darkness" the Hebrew word, 'ophel, which means:darkness, obscurity or spiritual unreceptivity(being blinded to the Truth ofGod's Word). We will also NOT be afraid of the destruction that "wasteth", the Hebrew word, shuwd, which means: to devastate, to destroy, to ruin, to spoil, at noonday or midday.

Ultimately, what this is saying is that we don't have to fear ANYTHING at ANY TIME, WHEN we stay in that secret place! The Amplified Bible says this:

Ps 91:5-6 (Ampified)
5You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day,
6Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday.

Stay in the "secret place" of being aware of God's presence and you will have confidence in the complete and powerful protection that is at your disposal AT ALL TIMES as a believer! I hope you're getting these Truths of the Word of God inside of you and that your faith is growing!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We will continue in our study of the 91st Psalm today with verse 3:

Ps 91:3 (KJV)
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

Remember that we are talking of the Lord (Jehovah) from verse 2. Verse 2 ended with "In Him will I trust. We continue on here to see that surely He "shall deliver thee", which is the Hebrew word, natsal, which means: to snatch away, to deliver, to rescue, to save, to preserve. What will He deliver and save us from? We're told here that He will deliver us "from the snare", which is the Hebrew word, pach, which means: a trap, a snare, calamities or plots and their source! The next phrase, "of the fowler" is the Hebrew word, yaquwsh, which means: the trapper or bait-layer! The one who sets the traps for us, our enemy, the devil! He will also deliver us from the "noisome pestilence", which are the Hebrew words, havvah and deber, which mean: an engulfing ruin, destruction or calamity and a destroying pestilence or plague. How will He do this? Verse 4 tells us this:

Ps 91:4 (KJV)
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

First of all we are told that "He shall cover", the Hebrew word, cakak, which means: to hedge, fence about, overshadow, protect. He (the Lord) will cover us with His feathers and under "His wings", the Hebrew word, kanaph, which means: an edge or extremity, as in a wing, a border, corner or overspreading, "shalt thou trust", the Hebrew word, chacah, which means: to flee for protection, to confide in, have hope, make refuge, put trust. Then we are told that "his truth", the Hebrew word, 'emeth, which means: stability, trustworthiness, certainty, testimony, judgement, instruction, knowledge and doctrine. Remember that John 17:17 says "...Thy Word is Truth". So we can say that His Word is our "shield and buckler", the Hebrew word tsinnah, which means: something piercing, a hook or barb and the Hebrew word, cocherah, which means: something surrounding a person as a shield. Both of those words mean a shield, a protection, both defensively and offensively! That's our Lord and His protection.

Keep studying and meditating on what you have learned so far in Psalm 91 and start confessing it over yourself and your family! It is a very powerful promise of protection, provision and safety to all who have the faith to believe it and stand strong on it!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We began to look at Psalm 91. I will post the entire Psalm again here:

Ps 91:1-16 (KJV)
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Verse 2 begins with the phrase, "I will say", which is the Hebrew word, amar, which means: to speak, to utter, to avow, to boast, to command. It is a strong word that is NOT meant to be whispered! I will say "of the LORD", which is the Hebrew Name, Yehovah or Jehovah, as we say it, which means: the Eternal, the self-existing One! We are supposed to be boldly saying some things about our Lord. We are to say that He is our "refuge", which is the Hebrew word, macheceh, which means: our shelter, our place of refuge from danger. We are also to say that He is our "fortress", the Hebrew word, matsuwd, which means: castle, defense, net (as a hunting instrument), stronghold or strong place. He's "my God", Hebrew elohiym, which is a plural word that refers to the complete Godhead that includes the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In my God will I put my "trust", Hebrew, batach, which means: to trust in, have confidence in, be bold, be secure. As we meditate on what the Word of God is really saying, faith will begin to grow so that we will have confidence that God meant what He said and said EXACTLY what He meant! We have to make sure that what we are saying about the Lord or about every situation in our lives lines up with the Word of God. I want to look briefly at the importance of what we say according to the Word:

Prov 18:20-21 (KJV)
20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Prov 18:20-21 (Amplified)
20A man's [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil].
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].

Also:

Mark 11:23 (KJV)
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

These verses show us that what we say is vitally important and can and will impact our entire lives! We will have to be satisfied with the results of the words we speak, so say the RIGHT things! Say GOD'S Word rather than what the world says. We need to develop the habit of speaking God's Word boldly, expecting it to happen! That's the ONLY way it WILL happen in our lives! Spend time meditating on what the Word of God says about you, about Jesus, about your spirit, soul and body, about church, about money, about EVERY area of life. When it becomes real to you, you will start to say the things that Jesus would say if He were here! And THEN you will have the same results Jesus did when He ministered!

Have a great day in the Word today.

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we will begin to look at Psalm 91 for the purpose of understanding how to appropriate the promises for our own lives. First we'll look at the entire Psalm:

Psalms 91:1-16 (KJV)
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.


Now we will begin to look at it verse by verse so that we can understand how it applies to us. Verse 1 says that the promises apply to "He that dwelleth", which is the Hebrew word, yashab, which means: to sit down, to remain, to settle, to abide, to have one's abode. We must make this secret place our "living place", where we spend most of our time. The "secret place" is the Hebrew word, cether, which means a shelter, a hiding place, a place of protection. The person who finds this secret place of the Most High and dwells there, "shall abide", the Hebrew word, luwn, which means: to stay permanently, to dwell, to remain. That person will always be "under the shadow", the Hebrew word, tsel, which means: a defence, to shade with the idea of hovering over. The One doing the hovering over is the "Almighty" which is the Hebrew word, Shadday, which means most powerful and is one of the many operative Names of God! So just in this first verse we see one of the most powerful promises in the Word of God! If we will spend time habitually in that secret place, then we will be living our lives continually in the protective covering of our Father's presence! How do you find that secret place? I like to say it this way:

"Heavenly Father, I choose to live and dwell in the secret place of the Most High, that place of being aware of Your presence through prayer, through praise and worship, through study and meditation of Your Word and through intimate fellowship with You"

The secret place is not a physical place, although you need to find the physical place that is most conducive to you getting alone with God. The secret place is when you get to that point when you are really aware that He is IN you and WITH you and FOR you! I can't tell you where to find it, you'll have to find your OWN place! But you WILL know it when you get there! And it starts with you scheduling your private time with God as your most important appointment of the day, because it really is! Spend that time with Him consistently, daily, and at the same time every day, if possible. You will find that you will be more aware of His presence inside of you and you will recognize His still, small voice more clearly every day!

This is a good place to stop and let you get about finding or rediscovering YOUR secret place! Then, as we proceed into the rest of this powerful Psalm of protection, provision and safety, it will really come alive and be real to you!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Today we will look at another of Paul's prayers. This one is found in Colossians chapter 1:

Col 1:9-14 (KJV)
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

When you insert someone's name in this prayer, you are praying (proseuchomai: petitioning, supplicating, asking God) and desiring (aiteo: begging, calling, craving, desiring and requiring) that they would be filled (pleroo: made replete, crammed full, made full, fully supplied) with knowledge (epignosis: layer upon layer of accumulated, progressive precise and correct knowledge) of God's will and also of wisdom (the proper use of that knowledge) and spiritual understanding (sunesis: a mental putting together)!

This is so that they may walk (paripateo: to regulate one's life, to conduct one's self) in a worthy (axios: appropriately, suitable, after a godly sort) manner. That's a manner that is pleasing to the Lord and that is fruitful (karpophoreo: productive) in every (pas: individually and collectively) good (agathos: excellent, honorable, useful) work! And that they would also be increasing in knowledge!

We are also praying that they may be strengthened with all might (both come from the Greek word, dunamis: miraculous power) according to His glorious (doxa: magnificence, excellence, preeminence) power (kratos: dominion, might, power, force and strength). This will result in patience (hupomone: steadfastness, constancy, endurance, perseverance) and longsuffering (makrothumia: forbearance and fortitude) with joyfulness!

Then we can be thanking the Father Who has made us meet (hikanoo: enabled, qualified, equipped with adequate power) to be partakers of our inheritance as saints in God's Light, recognizing that it is He Who has delivered (rhoumai: rescued, drawn to one's self) us from the power (exousia: authority, jurisdiction, mastery, power of rule) of darkness and translated (methistemi: removed, transferred) us INTO the kingdom (dominion, rule, kingship) of His dear Son, Jesus!

In Jesus we have received redemption (apolutrosis: liberation procured by the payment of a ransom) through His blood and that includes the forgiveness (aphesis: deliverance, release from bondage, remission) of sin! Hallelujah! Let's look at the Amplified Bible here:

Col. 1:9-14 (Amplified)
9For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things--
10That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].
11[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy,
12Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light.
13[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
14In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins

You couldn't pray a more powerful prayer for someone that you want to see grow in the things of God than that one! Now WILL you pray this for them consistently? IF you will, you WILL see God's results!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

Have you begun to pray Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1 for people that you know and care about? I hope you have! Today we'll look at the second prayer of Paul in Ephesians chapter 3:

Eph 3:14-21 (KJV)
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Paul prays here that God the Father would "grant" (Greek word: didomi, which means to give, to bestow, to furnish necessary things, to endue) you, or whoever you are praying for, (out of HIS abundance, fulness, richness) to be strengthened (empowered, invigorated, made strong) with might (dunamis: miracle working power!) which comes by His Spirit, Who lives in you!

Paul also prays here that you would have the faith and trust and confidence that He really does live in you, by His Spirit. Then he prays that you will be rooted and grounded (be firmly established with a solid foundation) in love (Greek: agape). This love is the God kind of love. It is unconditional love, seeing others just as God sees them, through HIS eyes! Treating others the same way that God treats us! Looking at every person as precious and valuable, because we ALL are to Him!

Paul goes on to pray that we (all the saints, God's people) would be able to comprehend (to perceive, understand, possess) that love that God has for us. To understand the awesome power of His love for us and in us! To know (ginosko: learn to know, come to know, become acquainted with and understand) this force of agape love that CANNOT fail, so that we can be in a state of being filled to overflowing (replete, crammed full and complete) with all of HIS fulness!

Paul finishes this prayer by giving glory and praise back to the Father, recognizing that He is able (and willing!) to do, for us, so much more (exceedingly and abundantly, far beyond) than we can even ask, think, dream or imagine! He does it by that same power of the Holy Spirit, living in us, that raised Jesus from the dead!To Him be ALL honor and glory forever! Amen! Here is the Amplified Bible on these verses:

Eph. 3:14-21 (Amplified)
14For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name].
16May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].
17May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
18That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
19[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
20Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]--
21To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

Add this prayer to the one in Ephesians chapter 1 for all those you would like to see set free, delivered and living a life that is powerful in the Lord! Remember that His Word IS His will. If we pray according to His will, then He hears that prayer and we have the answer! Hallelujah!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

I want to take the next few posts to share some very powerful and effective Scriptural prayers. After praying in other tongues (my heavenly prayer language that I received when I received the infilling of the Holy Spirit--see earlier blog posts for the teaching on this subject) I have found these prayers to be invaluable in praying for other people. These are some of the prayers of the Apostle Paul. The first one is found in Ephesians chapter 1:

Eph 1:16-23 (KJV)
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The first verse here says that I "cease not", meaning that I will not stop, "giving thanks for you", meaning that I am grateful and thankful to the Father for this person I am praying for and what they mean in my life. Then we see "making mention of you in my prayers", meaning that when I spend time in prayer, I am bringing that person before the Father and making requests of the Father for them. The next 3 verses detail what I am requesting of the Father for this person: that they may receive the spirit of wisdom (how to use knowledge) and revelation (enlightenment and understanding) in the knowledge (Greek "epignosis" that we talked about in a recent post, progressive knowledge, layer upon layer) of Him (our Lord Jesus Christ)! Then verse 18 goes on in more detail to specifically ask that their understanding be enlightened (illuminated) so that they may know what is the hope (joyful and confident expectation) of his calling (the invitation to salvation) and be made aware of the riches (wealth, abundant provision, and valuable bestowment) of the inheritance we have received as saints ( those who are born again have been made saints!). The verse 19 goes on to ask that they be made aware of the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. That power that is so great that it was able to raise Jesus from the dead and elevate Him to that place that is so far above any other place of power and authority and any other name that is named, in any and every realm of authority and also gave Jesus that Name that is above every name! Not only that, but He was also made the head of the body (that's US!) and put all things under His feet. If all things are under His feet as the head of the body, then they are also under OUR feet as parts of that Body! And His presence FILLS that Body, all in all, which means individually and collectively! What a powerful, Godly prayer to pray for anyone!

I like to pray this prayer from the Amplified Bible, because it uses and brings to mind all of the above explanations and shades of meaning of the Greek words. Here is that translation:

Eph. 1:16-23 (Amplified)
16I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.
17[For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,
18By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),
19And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength,
20Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places],
21Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come.
22And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church],
23Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself].

Now pray whichever version of that prayer that YOU are comfortable with, replacing the "you" in all of these places with the person's name that you are praying for. I pray for every member of my family, my church, and our ministry partners this way. 1 John 5 tells us how to know that we have the answers to our prayers:

I Jn 5:14-15 (KJV)
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

The Amplified Bible says this:

1 John 5:14-15 (Amplified)
14And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.
15And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him

If we ask for anything that is according to His will, He hears us and IF He hears us, we have what we have asked for. Praying God's Word back to Him is the surest way to pray according to His will! Then we KNOW that we have the answer! Now we can just continue to praise Him for what He is doing that we can't see yet, knowing that it is accomplishing exactly what we have asked Him for! Now continue to pray in the Spirit for these people and watch God work HIS work! Hallelujah!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

We talked about the Greek word, epignosis, on the last post. We found out that it means layer upon layer of knowledge. Getting to know, progressively, day by day, what God's Word has to say! That is so important to do! We have stated that the purpose for this blog is to share nuggets of Truth to add more layers to your foundation in the Word because:

John 8:31-32 (Amplified)
31So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.
32And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.

The Truth that we KNOW will be what sets us free, and, if we continue in that Truth, it will KEEP us free! So let's look a little more at what the Word has to say about knowing:

Hosea 6:3 (KJV)
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

We will "know", (the Hebrew Word, "yada", learn to know, come to know, find out, discern, perceive) IF we follow on to know. "Follow on" is the Hebrew word, "radaph", which means to pursue ardently, to chase, to run after, to attend closely upon, to aim eagerly to secure. We need to have that kind of attitude in our pursuit of the Truth of God's Word in order to get to "know" Him the way He wants us to know Him! How is it done? Like this:

Isa 28:9-10 (KJV)
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

It is layer by layer, precept (commandment) upon precept, line upon line. Feeding on God's Word by meditating on it daily, and all day long, is what will cause the knowledge to come. We have to start with the deep desire that Paul talks about in Philippians:

Philippians 3:10-11 (Amplified)
10[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]
11That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].

Paul MADE it his determined purpose to know the Lord. To get to know Him more and more, progressively, through the Word of God. Chase after, pursue, aim to secure a more intimate knowledge of Him and you will! The more you know Him, the more you will think like He thinks, talk like He talks and act like He acts! THEN you will have the same results He had when He walked on this earth! That's what we, as believers, are meant to do. So let's get to know Him, it's the best thing we could ever do!

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

One of my favorite Greek words is the word: epignosis. It is translated knowledge in several places in the New Testament. Here are a few:

Rom 10:1-2 (KJV)
1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

Eph 1:17 (KJV)
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Eph 4:11-13 (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Phil 1:9-10 (KJV)
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

Col 1:9-10 (KJV)
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Col 3:10 (KJV)
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

1 Tim 2:3-4 (KJV)
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2 Tim 3:7 (KJV)
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Pet 1:2-3 (KJV)
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

2 Pet 1:8 (KJV)
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This Greek word, epignosis, means: recognition, full discernment, precise and correct knowledge. It gets even more interesting and enlightening as we break it down further. Epignosis comes from the Greek word, epiginosko, which means: to become fully or thoroughly acquainted with, to know accurately, to understand. It is a compound word made up of the two words epi and ginosko. Ginosko means: to learn to know, to come to know, to understand, to become acquainted with, to have knowledge of. Epi is a primary preposition which means superimposition of time, place, order as a relation of distribution. What does that mean exactly? It means that one thing is placed positionally on top of another thing and on and on, in a layering affect! What are we layering? The "knowledge" of the Word of God! Remember one of the Scriptures that is key to this blog is Romans 8:31-32:

Romans 8:31-32 (Amplified)
31So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.
32And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free

By meditating and acting on the Word of God, we enable our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, to bring understanding of the Word. Each new layer of understanding builds on the strong foundation you already have, making you even stronger in the Word! THIS is "knowing" the Truth! The Truth you know will set you free and, if you keep "knowing" it every day, it will keep you free! And remember that Jesus IS the Word of God and also this promise:

John 8:36 (KJV)
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 8:36 (Amplified)
36 So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.

No question about it! The Truth of God's Word IN you and obeyed BY you will bring the freedom you are really looking for! So let's get at it! Until our next post,

Shalom in Him!

Shalom,

In order to walk in the authority that Jesus walked in, and that He told US to walk in, we need to understand that authority. These verses should help:

Phil 2:5-11 (KJV)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(KJV)

The Amplified Bible says this:

Phil2:5-11 (Amplified
5Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]
6Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained,
7But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
8And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
9Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,
10That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11And every tongue frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This tells us that Jesus was and is God, but, for our sakes, He left His deity in heaven with the Father and came to earth to operate as a human man. Everything Jesus did on earth He did as a man (without sin!) not as God. Then we are told that AFTER He offered Himself as the ONLY sacrifice for our sin, He was given by the Father that Name that is above EVERY name ever given! That is a powerful Name and we are told to use that Name like this:

John 14:12-13 (Amplified)
12I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.
13And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son.

...and this:

Mark 16:15-18 (KJV)
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.(KJV)

So we see here that the Name that Jesus was given is more powerful than ANY other name! But there is something that has been lifted even above the Name of Jesus! Do you want to know what that is? Of course you do, that's why you're here! This verse will tell us:

Psalm 138:2 (Amplified)
2I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word and You have magnified Your word above all Your name!

There we have it! The Word of God is exalted BY God to a place even higher than the Name of Jesus! How can that be? Because it is by the Word of God that Jesus was conceived as a baby. The Word of God is what Jesus used as His authority here on earth. The Word of God is what Jesus came to fulfill through His death, burial and resurrection. John 1:1 tells us that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God! Jesus was the Word of God MADE flesh! So now we have the Word of God, the Blood of Jesus and the Name of Jesus as the basis for our authority on earth! There IS no more power and authority available than that! You and I are equipped by God to be WAY more than conquerors! (Romans 8:37)

So how do we get to a place of understanding and confidence in that Word? We need to obey Joshua 1:8:

Joshua 1:8 (Amplified)
8This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.

We need to meditate on the Word of God until the understanding comes! But we know from previous studies that the word must be spiritually discerned:

1 Corinthians 2:14
14But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.

In order to understand the Word of God we need to be born again so that the Spirit of God lives in our spirit. This promise is to believers:

1 John 2:20, 27 (Amplified)
20But you have been anointed by [you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from] the Holy One, and you all know [the Truth] or you know all things.
27But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do].

You and I, as believers, have received the anointing, the Holy Spirit, Who is our teacher. People who teach us the Word give us an advantage, but only the Holy Spirit can make it real to US! So what should we do? Every time you study the Word of God, pray this prayer:

Psalm 25:5 (Amplified)
5Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.

When you do this in faith, the Spirit of God will be free to make the Word of God real to YOU! You will be able to understand and operate in all the authority of a child of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! And HE will receive all the glory! Hallelujah!

Shalom in Him!