I have been looking at our Safety in Christ as we acquire His Righteousness in wisdom and understanding of the true and correct knowledge of GOD in Christ and Christ and GOD in us guaranties to those who stand firm to the end. Now I will look at the GOD of Battles as my next subject in this course of study. But first things first Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace as we walk out this Life in the Promised Now Covenant of Grace. Then on with the targeted subject with the LORD's help and in put if He should choose to do so using the ESV translation.
"Our Approach to Ministry"
"We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." (2Corinthians 4:2)
"GOD has made us His servants under the New (Now) Covenant of Grace. "GOD . . . made us . . . ministers of the New (Now) Covenant" (2Corinthians 3:5-6). Those who desire to serve the LORD by Grace, in Grace with Grace have a very distinctive approach to ministry. "We have renounced the hidden things of shame (the things of this world which operates in gross darkness and lawlessness), not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of GOD deceitfully." This is reserved for the worlds churches of law who operate with and in the external Law of Moses. It is this who operate as Israel does that our spiritual battles are with besides our own flesh. These people Israel that is, will rise to the occasion after GOD's Family has been taken away.
It is so sad that the many ministry approaches in the church world include motives and methodologies that are kept hidden, because their true character is shameful. Some of these dishonorable approaches involve "walking in craftiness" (such as, manipulating people through carnal enticements). Others involve "handling the word of GOD deceitfully" (such as, preaching what people want to hear, instead of what the scriptures actually say). If we are going to serve GOD by Grace, we must reject such tactics and have a revelation of Grace which is the person of Christ the ascended LORD.
Instead, we want to serve GOD "by manifestation of the Truth." We minister by a candid declaration of GOD's Truth, not by a deceptive operation of man's tricks. Also, we desire that our lives be a commendation of our message, not a contradiction of it: "commending ourselves to every man's conscience." As we proclaim GOD's Truth, we humbly ask GOD to impact our lives by that Truth, in order to become an example of what we proclaim in and through our daily life. The LORD will use this to touch others deep in their consciences.
It is GOD's Will that our ministries impact more than men's minds (which can be reached by mere ideas, concepts, or systems). It is His intention that our testimonies of witness of HE and Christ's Spirit in us reach beyond men's emotions (which can be touched by exciting stories, condemning insinuations, or inspiring ideals). He certainly does not want us to appeal to people's pride ("let GOD make you someone others will envy") or to their covetousness ("give to our ministry, and GOD Will give you ten-fold in return"). For we are Now GOD pleasers and not man pleasers. Rather, GOD desires to reach their consciences, the "image-of-GOD" imprint that convicts people of sin and of their need for GOD, in their Now revealed undoneness: "who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing them witness (Romans 2:15)."
GOD of Battles:
Exodus 14:10-14 "When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD Will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."
Exodus 23:20-33 and Deuteronomy 1:30, 3:22 "Behold, I send an angel (the is the LORD of Host) before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to Him and obey His voice; do not rebel against Him, for He Will not pardon your transgression, for My name is in Him. "But if you carefully obey His voice and do all that I say, then I Will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. "When My angel (sent one, the LORD of Hosts) goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them (in their unholy religious practices), nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. You shall serve the LORD your God, and He Will bless your bread and your water, and I Will take sickness away from among you (this is a promise solely for Israel as a people not the nation and not the Family of GOD that remains hidden as a secret in GOD) None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I Will fulfill the number of your days. I Will send My terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I Will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. And I Will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. I Will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little I Will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land. And I Will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates, for I Will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you."
Deuteronomy 1:26-33 "Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. And you murmured in your tents and said, 'Because the LORD hated us He has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, "The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there."' Then I said to you, 'Do not be in dread or afraid of them. The LORD your God Who goes before you will Himself fight for you, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.' Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God, who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go."
Deuteronomy 3:18-22 "And I (Moses) commanded you at that time, saying, 'The LORD your God has given you this land to possess. All your men of valor shall cross over armed before your brothers, the people of Israel. Only your wives, your little ones, and your livestock (I know that you have much livestock) shall remain in the cities that I have given you, until the LORD gives rest to your brothers, as to you, and they also occupy the land that the LORD your God gives them beyond the Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession which I have given you.' And I commanded Joshua at that time, 'Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings. So Will the LORD do to all the kingdoms into which you are crossing. You shall not fear them, for it is the LORD your God Who fights for you.'"
2Samuel 5:22-25 "The Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the LORD, He said, "You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines." And David did as the LORD commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer."
2Chronicles 20:24-30 "When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them, in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the LORD. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Beracah to this day. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies. They came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the LORD. And the fear of GOD came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around."
2Chronicles 32:1-8 and Nehemiah 4:20, Psalm 24:8, Zechariah 14:3 "After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself. And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, he planned with his officers and his mighty men to stop the water of the springs that were outside the city; and they helped him. A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?" He set to work resolutely and built up all the wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it, and outside it he built another wall, and he strengthened the Millo in the city of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance. And he set combat commanders over the people and gathered them together to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah."
Nehemiah 4:15-2 "When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that GOD had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God Will fight for us."
Psalm 24:7-10 "Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of Glory may come in. Who is this King of Glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! (I might say that this is reserved for Israel as a people after GOD's Family has left Israel as a nation and indeed the world behind.) Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of Glory may come in. Who is this King of Glory? The LORD of Hosts, He is the King of Glory!"
Zechariah 14:1-3 "Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD Will go out and fight against those nations as when He fights on a day of battle."
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