LIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD 1

14 THE sinners in Jerusalem shake with fear. Terror seizes the godless. “WHO CAN LIVE WITH THIS DEVOURING FIRE?” they cry. “WHO CAN SURVIVE THIS ALL-CONSUMING FIRE?”
15 THOSE WHO ARE HONEST AND FAIR, WHO REFUSE TO PROFIT BY FRAUD, WHO STAY FAR AWAY FROM BRIBES, WHO REFUSE TO LISTEN TO THOSE WHO PLOT MURDER, WHO SHUT THEIR EYES TO ALL ENTICEMENT TO DO WRONG."
Isaiah 33:14,15 (NLT)

• Walking with God is not without a price. Many who come to Christ Jesus want to walk with God without a change in their ways of life and character, and they also want His blessings.

• God was described as a devouring fire and all-consuming fire in the passage of the Bible used as the text of this teaching (Isaiah 33:14).
• This was also reiterated in the Book of Hebrews 12:29: "FOR OUR GOD IS A DEVOURING FIRE" (NLT).
• Though we live at the dispensation or time of Grace, but that does not change the person of God, that is, who He is.
• The substitutionary sacrifice or death of Jesus Christ gives us a lot of benefits (Ephesians 2:12,13; Colossians 2:11-14).
• Things done in the old testament that could lead to instant Judgement, like death, are done today without any remorse by many who claimed to be of God (1 John 2:1,2).
• Living right, a holy life, or a consecrated life, is still expected of whoever claimed to have given his or her life to Christ Jesus (1 Peter 1:15,16).

• Whoever has received Christ Jesus as his or her Lord and Saviour is crucified with Christ: "WE KNOW THAT OUR OLD SINFUL SELVES WERE CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST SO THAT SIN MIGHT LOSE ITS POWER IN OUR LIVES. WE ARE NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN" (Romans 6:6 NLT).

• Positionally the reborn person is seen as a saint, someone without a sin. That sin has no hold on him or her again. Thus, the person should reckon or consider himself or herself to be dead to sin, but alive to God (Romans 6:11).
• Having done the reckoning, and had the firm conviction, the person would afterwards work on the experiential part of it. The crucifixion of the flesh should be an ongoing process in the life of a believer throughout his or her life time.
  a. The passions and desires of the flesh which had been crucified potentially, had to be exercised daily. That is, you crucify, mortify, or subdue the flesh daily: "AND THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST'S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH WITH ITS PASSIONS AND DESIRES" (Galatians 5:24 NKJV).
  b. You regularly put your flesh, the body, under the Cross. The passions and desires for sin would always be in your body as long as you remain on the earth.
  But you have a responsibility to constantly put to death, or mortify, or silence, the cravings or longings; the affections and lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:24; Colossians 3:5,8).
  c. Doing this entails that a believer walks in the spirit, that is, be submissive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. It is when you walk in the Spirit that you would not fulfil the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
• Note: the flesh would always strive with the human spirit to have dominance, but a believer who allows the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them would put the flesh to silence:
  16 I SAY THEN: WALK IN THE SPIRIT, AND YOU SHALL NOT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH. 17 FOR THE FLESH LUSTS AGAINST THE SPIRIT, AND THE SPIRIT AGAINST THE FLESH; AND THESE ARE CONTRARY TO ONE ANOTHER, SO THAT YOU DO NOT DO THE THINGS THAT YOU WISH" (Galatians 5:16,17 NKJV).

• Thus, whoever would live in the presence of God, walk with God, had to daily crucify, mortify or subdue the flesh; in order to be able to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:24).

• It is those who walk in the Spirit that can worship and serve God in the Spirit (John 4:24). A number of believers are worshipping and serving God in the flesh.
• Worshipping God in the flesh might not be bad in the sight of man, but in God's sight, It is detested and unacceptable.
• A lot of good works done by believers are done in the flesh. And whatever is done in the flesh cannot receive God's approval or blessings, because they are never His Will and cannot please Him (Romans 8:7,8).
• Thus whoever wants to walk with God,
  according to our text (Isaiah 33:15), would be those:
  a. who are honest and fair (Isaiah 33:15),
  b. who refuse to make profit by fraud (Isaiah 33:15),
  c. who stay far away from bribery (Isaiah 33:15),
  d. who refuse to listen to those who plot murder (Isaiah 33:15),
  e. who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong (Isaiah 33:15).
• God still chastises, thus, If you being chastised, turn and change a new leaf. Know that, the end of those who live in sins is destruction. His wrath is on those who practiced and got entrenched in the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21), and refused to change:
  5 THEREFORE PUT TO DEATH [mortify] YOUR MEMBERS WHICH ARE ON THE EARTH: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS THE WRATH OF GOD IS COMING UPON THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE" (Colossians 3:5,6 NKJV).

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• Whatever is not planted in your body that is working against your health and wellness, such is cursed and uprooted completely in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• Your deliverance is made permanent in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  Peace!
  TO BE CONTINUED.

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!