:comfort: "And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
In Your Grace, and in Your love, Abba Father, may this wounded soul receive power in the revelation of Your living Word to set him free from every false doctrine, and the philosophies of men - that he may Rejoice! and Be Glad, Giving You, Only, the Praise and Glory You deserve.
May he absorb Your Light, Lord, Your Word of Truth, and be free of every ungodly yoke, and every form of bondage. Lord, sovereignly perform his deliverance and set him free from every weight, every hindrance, every stumbling block, every lie, every doctrine of demons that might have influenced his heart and blinded his eyes to Your Light. Grant him a new mind, and new heart, to see, to hear, to understand, to comprehend, Your Truth That Will Set Him Free. Your Truth that will Restore him with a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind, in Christ Jesus.
We can be confident of this, Lord, we know we are not left to ourselves to overcome the obstacles to our salvation but rather we work out our salvation in the Spirit of God who is at work in us to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Phil. 2:12,13.
The people who will experience the fulfillment of the promises are the ones who "Seek the Lord Jesus Christ and HIS righteousness, and His humility,… Therefore, humility which takes refuge in God - or as we should say today, humility which takes refuge in the death of Jesus Christ for our sins; is not only the way of escape from divine wrath, it is even more the way of entrance into divine joy.
But the most amazing promise of all is: "The Lord will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love - he will be silent, i.e., make no accusations, in his love, he will exult over you with loud singing - a shout of joy." Zephaniah 3:17
Jesus said, "There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." And Zephaniah tell us that when all those repentant sinners gather before God -- what will He do? Will he look down with disapproval, and glower at our guilt, and frown with malevolence? Will he ignore us and look over our heads in sublime indifference? Will he grieve that His flock is so shabby? NO! "He will rejoice over you with gladness … he will exult over you with a shout of joy." "As a bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you" (Is. 62:5).
We must banish from our minds forever any thought that God admits us begrudgingly into his Kingdom, as though Christ found a loophole in the law, did some fancy plea-bargaining and squeaked us by the Judge. No way! God Himself, the Judge, put Christ forward as our substitutionary sacrifice, and when we trust Him, God welcomes us with bells on. He puts a ring on our finger, kills the fatted calf, throws a party, shouts a shout that shakes the ends of creation and leads in the festal dance.
Someone may ask: Isn't that a bit unseemly and undignified of God to get so excited and shout and carry on this way? But I answer: Remember David's wife, Michal. When David danced with joy before the Lord with all his might, Michal despised this immoderate display of emotion. And the Lord struck her barren for the rest of her life! For He Intends To Be Mightily Enjoyed.
I pray that you will invite the Spirit of God now, my brother, to show you how to rejoice with all His Might!
“For God takes pleasure in His Children: He will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the high praises of the LORD be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand…” Psalm 149:4-6
Amen and Amen! HALLELUJAH!