John 10:27
says ‘my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me.’’ Matthew 7:23
says ‘’and I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity.’’
Do you know
Jesus? If you know Jesus, does Jesus know you as one of his sheep? Those who
know Jesus and believe in Him must also love Him by obedience to His Word and
commands. It is possible to claim that we know Jesus and believe in Him without
loving Him practically through obedience.
Belief in
Jesus should not be limited to a mere mental acceptance of the historical fact
that He died, was buried and rose again and is coming back again. The demons
also know and believe these facts but have been condemned already. The demons’
knowing and believing these facts cannot reverse their fate.
One of the
messages of the Gospel is its strong emphasis on obedience to God and His Word
both in the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament in Deuteronomy 5:29 says
‘O that there was a heart in them that they would fear me and obey my
commandments always…’’
In the New
Testament, Luke 6:46 says ‘And why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not the
things which I say?
Matthew 19:17
says ‘…but if thou will enter into life, keep the commandments.’’
John14:15 say
‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.’’
John 14:21
say ‘he that hath my commandments and keeps them is he that loves me.’’
John 15:10
say ‘if ye keep my commandments, ye shall dwell in my love.’’
Therefore,
if we claim to know God but do not abide by His commands, then we do not really
know Him. if we speak in tongues, prophesy and cast out devils but are not
obeying His commands, then Jesus does not recognize us as his sheep (John
10:27).
Those who
claim or profess to know Jesus but do not keep His commands are liars who lack
the truth and all liars shall be cast into the lake of fire ( Revelations
21:8). The commandments
of God have not changed and will never change because the Word of God stands
forever (Isaiah 40:8) (2 John 1:6). The command that God gave to Abraham in
Genesis 17:1 to walk before Him blamelessly is the same command given to us
today.
The true
sheep are they who keep the commandments of God. Revelations 14:12 say ‘here is
the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God,
and the faith of Jesus.’’
God cannot
dwell in anyone who is not keeping His commands. One can call himself a Man of
God but in reality is not a Man with God anymore. There are many who claim to
be Men of God and men see them so because they have strong prophetic anointing
and miraculous powers. However, they are not Men with God if they do not abide
by God’s commandments and are not walking in His will.
The Spirit
of God may have departed them and another contrary spirit could have taken
over. God may not withdraw their anointing because the gifts of God are usually
without repentance (Romans 11:29). God did not withdraw the Devil’s powers when
he fell out of His favour and while King Solomon backslid, his gift of wisdom
remained with him.
Ecclesiastes
12:13 says ‘let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and obey
His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.’’ In Matthew 28:20 Jesus
says we should teach the congregation to observe ALL THINGS that he commanded.
Are we teaching
all things that Jesus commanded or are we teaching a watered down, one-sided
gospel that benefits the mortal body on earth but neglects and jeopardizes the
eternal destination of the immortal soul of man? Are we
determined to obey all things as commanded or are we selecting some and
throwing out the rest as impractical commands?
Prayers:
Ø Power to obey God all the days of my
life, possess me in Jesus name
Ø Anything in my life that is not of
God, dragging me to Hell, be uprooted in Jesus name
Ø Lord, break me down and remould me to
your taste in Jesus name
Ø Holy Spirit purge me afresh and
refill me with your spirit
Ø Lord, deliver me from the power of presumptuous
sinning in Jesus name
Ø Lord, give me a new heart and a new
spirit in Jesus name
Ayodele Adegbulugbe
Lagos, Nigeria
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