THE LADDER:

To give truth to the commandments of Jesus Christ, to know Him and to love Him,

we must climb the ladder from the bottom, upwards to the top.

LOVE GOD                                      Sixth bar

BROTHERLY LOVE                         Fifth bar

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR                Fourth bar

LOVE YOURSELF                            Third bar

LOVE WITH A PURE HEART          Second bar       

KEEP JESUS COMMANDMENTS    First bar

It is impossible to try and love God, starting from the top and work our way downwards. Jesus definitely said in Matthew 22:37-38. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. But to love God with our everything, we must understand real love, and we must climb God’s ladder of love from the bottom to the top.

Real and pure love starts with yourself. First you must keep Jesus commandments. Then our love must come out of a clean and pure heart. If we look after ourselves, keep our heart, soul and body clean, live a holy lifestyle and look after our household, we will understand real love. This love will then flow out to love for your neighbor, love for the children of God and finally love for God. This statement synchronize with the word of God.

There is one more step in the ladder for men.    

Ephesians 5:28. Husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

If you are married and “love” another woman, you will not understand real love. Your foundation of love is wrong and your love for that woman is the lust of the flesh, and you harm another person. This love is a lie.

The purpose of the commandment of Jesus is, that love must come out of a pure heart. If that is the case, you can climb the ladder upwards and love Jesus perfectly. WOW!

LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN        

 

Prayer Child of God

Prayer of Faith and Thanksgiving 

       

 Jesus commands to love our brothers and sisters from the same faith, to pray for them and reach out to them for encouragement and help; that is what Jesus did for His disciples.

1 John 3:23. This is His commandment; that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment

John 13:34. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

James 5:1.6. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. Forgiveness brings forth love, love brings forth prayer and prayer bring forth healing. What a revelation!

1 Peter 1:22. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.

1 John 2:9-10. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.

1 John 3:17. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ lays down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

John 17:9. Father, I pray for them. Jesus prayed for His disciples and also prayed for Peter.

Luke 22:31-32. Simon, Simon! Satan has asked for you. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail.

PRAYER CHILD OF GOD

Child of God

Romans 8:15 b. You have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father.

John 1:12. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

God’s children can cry out! Abba, Father. My Lord and my God. John 20:28. Our Father in heaven. Matthew 6:9. 

Have a conversation with God the same way as to an earthly father.

 

Heirs of the Father

Romans 8:16-17. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.

Ephesians 3:6. That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.

 

Justification through Jesus Christ Righteousness Romans 4:25

Romans 5:18. As through one man’s offence judgement came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

Romans 6:6 & 13. Our old man was crucified with Jesus, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. Present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your body as an instrument of righteousness to God.

1 Corinthians 6:11 b. You are washed, you are sanctified and you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God.

 

Blessings and Promises of God in Jesus Christ

Ephesians 1:3. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

Ephesians 2:6. He raised us up and made us sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3:6. We are partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.

Galatians 3:14. The blessings of Abraham has come upon us in Christ Jesus that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I have received Jesus Christ, now I am your child. I am also an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Through the righteous deed of Jesus’ death at Calvary, I am now justified from all my sins according to your word. I am now completely yours and can be a partaker of all your blessings and promises through Christ Jesus. I can freely cry out. Abba Father! Because I am saved by your grace, I must deny myself, take up my cross and follow Jesus every day and life a victorious life through the power of the Holy Spirit. I thank you. Amen.

PRAYER OF FAITH AND THANKSGIVING

 

The Principal:

Luke 11:10. For everyone who asks, receive. This is the basic principle of prayer.

Faith is always in the NOW! Reaction on faith determines the outcome and answer. Some answers can come immediately and some later, but the principal never changes. God is a God of faith and trust!

The first reaction of receiving is to be thankful. Thanksgiving (thank you) is the greatest proof of receiving. There are two facts to proof this statement:

1. God has done what He promised.
2. What God has promised is the truth. He is a God of his word.

John 16:24. Ask and you shall receive, so that your joy may be full.

Our relationship with God is prayer, faith, thanksgiving and joy. This process must be a deep inner truth, irrespective of our circumstances, fears, emotions and feelings.

Hebrews 10:38. The just shall live by faith. The moment we say THANK YOU, is the greatest moment of faith. We cannot say thank you if we do not believe. After thank you, we should stand on God’s promises and be glued to His faithfulness.

 

How do we react on our prayers and faith:

Romans 4:20-24. Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. He was fully convinced that what God had promised, He was also able to perform. Therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. It was not written for his sake alone, but also for us who believed in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. Abraham could only rely on his faith in the almighty God, but he believed God who gives life to the dead. 

But we, who live after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, know that God’s word is true, He has raised Jesus from the dead, and this fact strengthens our faith in God’s power and that all His promises will come to pass for us. If we ask in prayer, we receive in faith.

Reaction: Believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, pray and say thank you and give the glory to God. The moment we say thank you, the heart opens up, faith is present and God will do the impossible.

 

Hebrews 11:6. Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

 

God wants to reward and bless his own children. Hebrews 11:24. By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ’s greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

 

Philippians 4:6. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 4:2. Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

God – prayer – faith – thanksgiving – reward – joy full

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

Prayer of Intercession

Prayer of Identification

 

Luke 23:33-39. When they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said:

“Father forgives them for they do not know what they do”.

And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God”. The soldiers also mocked Him and saying, if you are the King of the Jews, save yourself”. Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us”.

 

The unbelievers:

If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us: What this criminal didn’t know, is that Jesus wasn’t lost. Jesus was busy to fulfill His destiny and was through His death busy to save him and the whole world from hell. But this criminal was representing the multitude of unbelievers and sinners that live from the creation and will live to the end of this world that will always reject and blaspheme Jesus the Christ. These are the multitudes of unsaved people through the ages, who are lost and will go to hell.

Acts 4:26. Why did the nations rage and the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:18. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.

1 Corinthians 2:8. None of the rulers of this age knew the wisdom of God, for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Jesus did not say anything to this criminal. He did not answer him at all. He just died for him and for all the sinners. This is the true love of God.

 

The work of Jesus:

2 Corinthians 5:19. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

1 John 3:8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

1 Timothy 1:15. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.  

 

The work of Jesus children:

•    Ambassadors:

2 Corinthians 5:19. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 2:15. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

Matthew 28:19. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Matthew 9:38. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. The sinful nature of this world separates human beings from God. It has always been necessary for righteous individuals to go before God to seek reconciliation between Him and His fallen creation.

Isaiah was a man with unclean lips. One of the angels flew to him having in his hand a live coal from the altar and touched his mouth. Isaiah 6:6-8. His iniquity was taken away, and his sin purged. Then the Lord asked; whom shall I send, and who will go for us. Isaiah answered: Here am I, send me.

 

•      To love the unbelievers:

Matthew 22:39. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Romans 13:8-10. Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. All commandments are all summed up in this saying, namely, “you shall

love your neighbor as yourself”. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.

We are now at the heartbeat of Jesus ministry. It might be easy to love the brethren, and even love your neighbor. But Jesus goes a step further.

Matthew 5:44-48. I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what rewards have you? If you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect”.

This strips us from all self-righteousness, thinking that we are better than other people. Our enemies are the evil and unjust people. The fact is that to be like Jesus is; we must pray for our enemies and forgive them because they do not know what they are doing. They are blinded by the enemy of this world. 1 Corinthians 2:8. None of the rulers of this age knew the wisdom of God, for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

We will never understand the love of God for this sinful world from Adam to the end, but if we can get this commandment right and live it, we will know Jesus.

 

•      To Identified with those who are perishing:

Luke 10:25-37. Jesus asked, who do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? And Jesus said; he who showed mercy to him. Go and do likewise. Be like the Good Samaritan.

Matt 25:35-36. I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was in prison and you came to Me. I say to you, in as much as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.

Matthew 9:36. When He saw the multitude, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. We cannot pray and have no compassion for this lost world that is going to eternal damnation.

Philippians 2:7. God made Jesus of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. Jesus came to serve, and identify Himself with this world. So must we also pray, serve and give ourselves to this world

 

•      To do Intercession for those who are perishing:

Intercession is the spiritual work of prayer. It is when we collaborate with Jesus Christ in order for the Kingdom to become visible. Intercession needs to accomplish the following:

Ø              To establish God’s rule and kingdom, bringing forth His blessings and life

Ø              To deliver, save man and creation

Ø              To be reconciled to God and restored to full relationship with Him

Ø              The holy believing, persevering prayer and petitioning, that pleads with God on behalf of a person, people, place or circumstance that desperately needs Gods intervention

Ø              Intercession is when you stand with one hand on the problem and one hand on God’s throne, bringing them together 

 

Latin – Intercedo. Inter = between, involved, in between. Cedo = to go, to move, to pay a price.

 

God’s people are called to practice intercession:

1 Timothy 2:1-5. Therefore, I exhort first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.

• Abraham intercedes for a city: (50;45;40;30;20;10)

Genesis 18:22-33.  The way of the Lord is that people, cities and kingdoms must do righteousness and justice. This was not the case with Sodom and Gomorrah; there was an outcry against the cities because their sin was very great. God decided to destroy the two cities, but Abraham stood before the Lord and intercedes for the cities not to pour out His wrath against them. Because there was not 10 righteous people, God fulfilled His plan to destroy the cities but not before Abraham has interceded for them.

• Moses pray for a nation:

Exodus 32:30-32. Moses said to the people, you have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin. Then Moses returned to the Lord and said: If You will forgive their sin – but if not, I pray, blot me out of your book which you have written.
Numbers 14:20. Moses said; Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray according to the greatness of your mercy. Then the Lord said” “I have pardoned, according to your word”.

• Church prayed for Peter:

Hand 12:12. Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the early church. He killed James (the brother of John) with the sword, arrested Peter and put him in prison. But at the house of Mary, the mother of John, many were gathered praying. An angel of the Lord freed Peter from prison and he went to the house where the church was praying for him.

• Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 1:10. Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.

To be a true intercessor, you have to have a humble spirit, a heart to understand the circumstances and the perseverance to get an answer and breakthrough and willingly wait for the answer.

Jude verse 22. Be merciful to those who doubt, save others by snatching them from the fire, to others show mercy, mixed with fear – hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

 

We just study that the way to know Jesus is to fulfill His two love commandments. We cannot be a good and faithful servant of Jesus if we do not understand His love and that we must act the same way, for a servant cannot be better than His Master. We must pray like Jesus prayed and forgive like Jesus forgives. James 4:3. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

 

We have opened a window to understand the basics of love like Jesus did. But there is more for the child of God. Paul called it the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. These Bible verses show us that God wants us to know Him better.

PRAYER OF INTERCESSION

Intercession is the spiritual work of prayer. It is when we collaborate with Jesus Christ in order for the Kingdom to become visible. Intercession needs to accomplish the following:

• To establish God’s rule and kingdom, bringing forth His blessings and life
• To deliver, save man and creation
• To be reconciled to God and restored to full relationship with Him
• The holy believing, persevering prayer and petitioning, that pleads with God on behalf of a person, people, place or circumstance that desperately needs Gods intervention
• Intercession is when you stand with one hand on the problem and one hand on God’s throne, bringing them together 

Latin – Intercedo. Inter = between, involved, in between. Cedo = to go, to move, to pay a price.

• Thus intercedo (intercession) means, to come between, to go between, to mediate, move in between preventatively
• Intercession is the same as mediation
• Mediator means to stand between two extremes, to interpose between parties as the equal friend of both, to negotiate between persons at variance with a view to reconcile, to mediate peace

Greek – Entunchano

• To go to or meet a person, in order to converse, especially for the purpose of consultation or supplication
• To entreat, make intercession, to plead or request
• To hit the mark, to reach, obtain, to take a case, to meet one

Hebrew – Paga

• To meet someone, to pressure or urge someone strongly
• Falling upon someone in battle, to meet the enemy with hostile intent

Jesus the Intercessor:

Jesus our High Priest entered the Most Holy Place once for all with His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption and He sat down at the right hand of God. He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for us, for such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens. Hebrews 9:12, 10:12, & 7:25-26.

Isaiah 53:12. He bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Romans 8:34. It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Holy Spirit fulfills a ministry of intercession:

Romans 8:26-27. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

God’s people are called to practice intercession:

1 Timothy 2:1-5. Therefore I exhort first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.

Reconciliation:

Intercession is the same as mediation, and mediation brings reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:20. We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

The sinful nature of this world separates human beings from God. It has always been necessary for righteous individuals to go before God to seek reconciliation between Him and His fallen creation.

• Abraham intercedes for a city:   (50;45;40;30;20;10)

Genesis 18:22-33.  The way of the Lord is that people, cities and kingdoms must do righteousness and justice. This was not the case with Sodom and Gomorrah; there was an outcry against the cities because their sin was very great. God decided to destroy the two cities, but Abraham stood before the Lord and intercedes for the cities not to pour out His wrath against them. Because there was not 10 righteous people, God fulfilled His plan to destroy the cities but not before Abraham has interceded for them.

• Moses pray for a nation:

Exodus 32:30-32. Moses said to the people, you have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin. Then Moses returned to the Lord and said: If You will forgive their sin – but if not, I pray, blot me out of your book which you have written.
Numbers 14:20. Moses said; Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray according to the greatness of your mercy. Then the Lord said” “I have pardoned, according to your word”.

• Church prayed for Peter:

Acts 12:12. Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the early church. He killed James (the brother of John) with the sword, arrested Peter and put him in prison. But at the house of Mary, the mother of John, many were gathered praying. An angel of the Lord freed Peter from prison and he went to the house where the church was praying for him.

• Gethsemane:

Jesus intercedes for Himself at the Father. Matthew 26:36-46. My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. Luke 22: 41, 44. Jesus knelt down and prayed. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like big drops of blood falling down on the ground. The fact is that Jesus was interceding for Himself, but He is also God, thus He was actually interceding for the whole wide world and was on His way to lay down His life on the cross to save every human being that believes in Him.

This is actually a wonderful example how we also can intercede for ourselves, going into your inner room and pray to God the Father till we get the answer and victory. In most cases it will be an alone wrestling with God, just like Jacob.

Genesis 32:26.  A Man wrestled with Jacob and he said, I will not let You go unless You bless me!

• Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 1:10. Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.

To be a true intercessor, you have to have a humble spirit, a heart to understand the circumstances and the perseverance to get an answer and breakthrough and willingly wait for the answer.

Some of this information was given by: Unlimited Prayer Frontiers.

PRAYER OF IDENTIFICATION

One of Jesus’ strongest characteristics is that He identified Himself with the people.

 

Identified with Jesus in prayer:

Romans 6:5. If we have been united in the likeness of Jesus’ death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. To identify with Jesus is to crucify our old man with Him, so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. To deny yourself and the sin nature and take up your cross is to be united in the likeness of His death. Matt 16:24. To be conformable to His resurrection is to live a victorious life and be transformed into His likeness.

1 Peter 5:6. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

To humble yourself every day in humiliation before God, deny yourself and take up your cross and be victorious over sin, you are identifying with Christ and can make a difference in life around you and be like Jesus for other people. 

 

Identified with brothers in prayer:

Galatians 6:2. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 

James 5:16. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. If someone says I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar. This commandment we have from Jesus; that he who loves God must love his brother also. 1 John 4:20-21. Identify yourself with the children of God’s pain, suffering and sickness in your prayers and handling towards them. Do good to everyone but first and foremost to the children of God.

Matthew 25:35-36. I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was in prison and you came to Me. I say to you, in as much as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.

 

Identified with sinners in prayer:

Matthew 9:36. When He saw the multitude, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. We cannot pray and have no compassion for this lost world that is going to eternal damnation.

 John 3:16. God so loved the world that He sent Jesus to this world, to die on the cross for their sin, that everyone who believes in Him shall be saved, healed, cleansed and have everlasting life.

Philippians 2:7. God made Jesus of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men. Jesus came to serve, and identify Himself with this world. So must we also pray, serve and give ourselves to this world. Matthew 9:38. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Isaiah was a man with unclean lips. One of the angels flew to him having in his hand a live coal from the altar and touched his mouth. Isaiah 6:6-8. His iniquity was taken away, and his sin purged. Then the Lord asked; whom shall I send, and who will go for us. Isaiah answered: Here am I, send me.

 

Let your heart be on fire for the Lord Jesus Christ. Identify yourself with the need of the brothers and the world. Pray for them, help them and let your life be an extended hand of Jesus’ hand to this world.

KNOW CHRIST

 

Philippians 3:10. That I may know Jesus and the power of His resurrection?

2 Peter 1:2. Grace & peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

2 Peter 3:18. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:17. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and the revelation in the knowledge of Him.

Ephesians 3:19. Know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 4:13. Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Philippians 3:8. Indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as

rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

777

 

There are actually seven hindrances in our way to grow into the fullness of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

To overcome these hindrances, we must add on seven riches to our faith. Then there are seven wonderful rewards for a child of God to know, serve and follow Jesus Christ.

Rewards

Firstly, there are seven advantages, rewards or gifts to receive when we know Jesus. We get the seven gifts first to give us an appetite to go all the way in the knowledge of our Savior. It is to run for a price and know beforehand what the price will be.

Add to your basic faith

Secondly, for this very reason, giving all diligence (carrying out action), we must add-on seven things to our Christian faith.

Hindrances

     Thirdly, there are seven hindrances in a child of God’s way that are hindering us to know Christ in His fullness. This is to test ourselves and see what our standing with God is.

 

2 Peter 1:2-11. Grace & peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

We do this study in 3 colours to understand it better.  

                  

7 REWARDS

Seven rewards that we will receive on earth in knowing Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11:6. Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

GRACE & PEACE
Grace and peace be multiplied to you, abundantly.
Grace: 2 Corinthians 9:8. God is able to make all grace abound towards you.
Peace: Philippians 4:7. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.

GIVEN US ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO LIFE AND GODLINESS

Philippians 4:19. My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 9:8. God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have a abundance for every good work.

God supply everyday in all our earthly needs. And He also supply in all our spiritual needs. We have the Blood, the Word, the Holy Spirit, prayer, communion, baptism, angels, the church, brothers and sisters, etc to pertain holiness.

HE CALLED US BY GLORY AND VIRTUE

Called: 1 Peter 2:9. You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Glory: 2 Corinthians 3:18. We are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Virtue: Behavior, showing high moral standards, goodness, righteousness, uprightness, integrity, dignity, honesty, respectability. We are eagles.

GIVEN TO US EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES

Ephesians 3:6. The Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel.
Galatians 3:14. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of The Spirit through faith.
2 Corinthians 1:20. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

WE MAY BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE

John 11:25. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
1 John 5:1. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.
John 3 :5. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

HAVING ESCAPED THE CORRUPTION THAT IS IN THE WORLD THROUGH LUST

The gift of escaping all the corruption, rat race, pleasure and sickness of this world.

Philippians 3:20. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:13. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

SUPPLIED AN ENTRANCE ABUNDANTLY INTO THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST

2 Timothy 4:18. The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

7 ADD-ON’S TO OUR FAITH

Seven things to add-on to your faith on a daily basis.

2 Peter 1:5-7. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, ADD to your FAITH,

James 2:17. Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

VIRTUE

Behaviour, showing high moral standards, goodness, righteousness, uprightness, integrity, dignity, honesty, respectability.
1 Timothy 4:12. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
1 Timothy 3:1-2. This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous.

KNOWLEDGE

Facts, information and skills acquired through experience. Understanding. Knowledge of Jesus, God’s Word.

2 Peter 1:2-11. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 4:13. Till we all come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man.

SELF-CONTROL

Control one’s emotions and desires in difficult situations.

Ephesians 4:25. Putting away lying, speak the truth with your neighbour. Give no place to the devil. Let him who stole, steal no longer. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking and malice be put away.
Galatians 5:23. The fruit of the Spirit is, self-control.

Say NO to a sinful lifestyle.

PERSEVERANCE

Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success, determination, staying power.

Matthew 24:13. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Put on the armour of God.

Hebrews 12:12. Strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

GODLINESS

The quality of being devoutly religious; piety

God say, be holy for I am holy

1 Peter 1:15. But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy”.

BROTHERLY KINDNESS

If you do not love your brother you are a liar. Epistles of John.

1 John 3:23. This is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us a commandment. 
John 15:12. This is My commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.
1 John 2:9-10. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brothers and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.

LOVE

James 2:8. If you really fulfill the ROYAL Law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”.

Deep affection, fondness, tenderness, warmth, intimacy, endearment

If these seven things are yours and abound, not one of the following hindrances will stand in your way.

 7 HINDRANCES

Seven hindrances that will take us off track to know Jesus better.

BARREN

Desolate, empty, unproductive, dry, waste.
To poor to produce anything. Desert, waste, dead, desolate, sterile, of no use for the Kingdom. No fire inside your spirit, absolutely cold. Revelation 3:15.

UNFRUITFUL

Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Matthew 3:8.

Galatians 5:22. Fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

1 Corinthians 12:8. Gifts of the Spirit: Word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healings, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues.

We do not give the Spirit of God a chance at all to work in and through our lives. Ezekiel. Do you know that there is also different standings in the fullness of the Spirit. (Toes, ankle, knees, heaps, swimming)

SHORTSIGHTED

Narrow, small-minded.

See only your own needs. Do not see the harvest fields, and the need of the plenty.

John 4:35. Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest.

Mathew 9:38. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.

BLINDNESS

Darkness, vision-less. 

Do not see the truth of God. Walk after every false teaching.

Ephesians 4:14. We should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ.

FORGETFULNESS

Forget the divine nature receiving at the new birthing.

Forget all your benefits and blessings in Jesus Christ. Winner, overcomer, heirs & child of God.

Sit with Jesus Christ in heavenly places.

OLD SINS

Continuously looked back to the past and still bounded by the sins of the past.

Still living in your old sins. Bitter, unforgiveness, sinning.

2 Corinthians 5:17. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Ephesians 4:21. The truth is in Jesus; that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness

STUMBLING

Fall, hesitate, trip, wobble, swing, and limp.

Up and down Christian life

2 Peter 1:10. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble. 

2 Peter 2:20. If you have escaped the pollution’s of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and are again entangled in them, it is like a dog returns to his own vomit and a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.

It is definitely worthwhile to love, worship and know the Lord Jesus Christ in His fullness. The seven rewards are so huge that we cannot take the chance to be a lukewarm Christian and just hope to make it. Matthew 25:34. Then the King will say to those on his right; “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world”.