Dedication to God

People are often dedicated to something, such as their job, their children, their wives, their husbands, their public service, or even to sports. Soldiers are dedicated to their profession. They give themselves wholly or chiefly to these objects of their devotion. But the Scriptures teach us to be dedicated to the Lord.

The Firstborn Belongs to the Lord
The Scriptures say that the firstborn belongs to the Lord, including both the firstborn child as well as the firstborn animals.

"The Lord said to Moses, 'Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.'” (Ex 13:1-2, NIV).

Since the first fruits of every womb belong to the Lord, He requires that they be dedicated to Him.

Why should the firstborn belong to the Lord?

The Lord Always Gets the First Fruits
First of all, the firstborn belong to the Lord, because the Lord always gets the first fruits of everything. Just as tithing is required on our financial income, our crops, our livestock, and all our increase, and just as we give God the first day of each week and keep it holy to honor Him, we also give him the first fruits of the womb.

God Deserves Our Very Best
Secondly, the firstborn belong to the Lord, because God deserves our very best.

The apostle Paul wrote of Christ, "And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy." (Col 1:18). Another version says, "...that in everything He might have first place."

Matthew Henry states: "God, who is the first and best, should have the first and best, and to him we should resign that which is most dear to us, and most valuable. The firstborn were the joy and hope of their families. Therefore they shall be mine, says God. By this it will appear that we love God best (as we ought) if we are willing to part with that to him which we love best in this world."

Since the firstborn child is the very best, the Lord requires that we dedicate it to Him.

Dedicate That Which God Has Spared
Another reason behind dedicating the firstborn child to the Lord is that we should dedicate that which God has spared. Remember how in the Lord's judgment on Egypt, He had sent the death angel to kill the firstborn of every household in Egypt (Ex 11), but because of the blood of the lamb on the homes of the Israelites during Passover (Ex 12), He spared the firstborn children of every Israelite household. Likewise, when God has spared, rescued, or saved someone, it is fitting to dedicate that person to Him. Matthew Henry states: "That which is by special distinguishing mercy spared to us should be in a peculiar manner dedicated to God's honour."

Children Dedicated to the Lord Obligated to Serve Him
One example from Scripture of someone dedicating their child to the Lord is Hannah, who dedicated her son Samuel to the Lord while she was barren, before he was conceived.

"She made a vow and said, 'O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.'" (1Sa 1:11)

Later after the boy was born and weaned, she said, "For this boy I prayed, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD." (1Sa 1:27-28)

"Then Elkanah went to his home at Ramah. But the boy ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest." (1Sa 2:11)

My wife and I dedicated every one of our five children to the Lord when they were babies. They belonged to God in the first place, and we were simply giving them back to Him. In doing so, we were committing our children to Him. Matthew Henry states: "Parents have a right to dedicate their children to God, as living sacrifices and spiritual priests; and an obligation is thereby laid upon them to serve God faithfully all the days of their life." Whenever someone dedicates a child to the Lord, it should not be taken lightly, because God takes us at our word and expects us to follow through on what we have solemnly promised Him in His presence.

The Apostles Were Dedicated to the Lord's Service
In the gospels we discover that the apostles left everything and dedicated themselves to the Lord's service.

"And [Jesus] said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.' Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him." (Mat 4:19-22)

Later on, He promised them great reward for leaving everything and dedicating their lives to Him.

"Peter began to say to Him, 'Behold, we have left everything and followed You.' Jesus said, 'Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.'" (Mar 10:28-30)

cf., Mat 19:27-29; Luke 18 28-30

The apostles remained steadfast in their dedication to the Lord, even after His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Their devotion became apparent when it was challenged by the need to deliver food to the widows in the community. Scripture says, "So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, 'It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables....But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.'" (Act 6:2,4). Being devoted in this way to prayer and the ministry of the Word is a great picture of dedication to God.

All Disciples of Christ Are Consecrated to the Lord
However, dedication is not just something we should do with our firstborn children, because all disciples of Christ are actually consecrated to the Lord.

All Those in Christ are Considered Firstborn
Since Christ is the firstborn and His disciples are in Him, then in essence all those in Christ are considered firstborn. Matthew Henry puts it this way: "It is the church of the firstborn that is sanctified to God, Heb 12:23. Christ is the firstborn among many brethren (Rom 8:29), and, by virtue of their union with him, all that are born again, and born from above, are accounted as firstborn. There is an excellency of dignity and power belonging to them; and, if children, then heirs."

We are Called to Holiness and Separated unto God 
Indeed dedication is not only for certain followers of Christ, but we are all called to holiness and separation unto God. For Paul wrote, "For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." (1 Thes 4:7, NIV). Since we are called to live a holy life, and holiness is being set apart for God or consecrated to Him, then we are all called to a life of devotion to Him. Peter wrote, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;" (1 Pet 1:15, NIV)

We Are to Live for the Lord, Not Ourselves
Moreover, we are all supposed to live for the Lord, not ourselves. Paul wrote, "And He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf." (2Co 5:15)

You Are Not Your Own
Scripture teaches that your life is not your own. Paul said, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1Co 6:19-20)

Offer Your Body as a Living Sacrifice to God
We as followers of Christ are supposed to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God. Paul said, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." (Rom 12:1). As we know, any sacrifice that was laid upon the altar under the Law was left there until it was fully consumed. A sacrifice was not taken back by the one offering it, so when we offer our bodies to God as living sacrifices, they are dedicated to Him.

Putting it All Together
As we have seen from the Word of God dedication -- also known as devotion or consecration -- is an important aspect of our worship of God and service to Him. The first fruits of the womb belong to the Lord, so He expects us to dedicate the firstborn to Him, and that is what we should do. For He deserves our very best. Parents also have the right to dedicate not only their firstborn, but all of their children to the Lord, if they wish, which in turn obligates those children to faithfully serve the Lord.

The devotion of the apostles to the Word of God and prayer demonstrated their devotion to the Lord, which is an example for all of us who are called to be ministers of the New Covenant. Then we in turn become examples for every disciple of Christ we touch to also live a life of sincere and pure devotion to the Lord. For we are all called to live a holy life that is separated to God. Since we are all in Christ the firstborn, we are all coheirs with Him, sharing in all the rights and privileges that this affords, as if we, too, were the firstborn. But with that status comes the responsibility to live a life of holiness and separation to God, to live our lives for the Lord and not for ourselves, and to offer our bodies to God as living sacrifices, since our lives are not our own. Let it be a reminder to us all of the life of dedication to God, to which we have been called.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB copyright the Lockman Foundation, used by permission. Other Scriptures where noted as NIV, taken from the Holy Bible New International Version, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. Dedication to God image by Charity V. Lacroix, from A Brush with Life.
 
Author's note: You are invited to read Holy Living in a Perverted World, Separation from the World, The Straight and Narrow Path, Whatever You Do, Do All Like This, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, Aim for Perfection, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?, Tattoos and Body Piercing, Keeping Your Body Pure and Holy, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Three Divine Revelations, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, and Called to be Blameless. You may access the Main Directory for this Seeking the Lord blog for more articles like this, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness

The sin of worldliness is something you rarely hear anything about any more.  It’s as if this sin has vanished, because you don’t hear anyone preaching against it these days like they used to.  That's why I've called it the forgotten sin. Yet the Word of God has many warnings for us about worldliness, and we would do well to pay attention to them. 

Benson Idahosa

I recently heard a Nigerian boy named Samuel Oghenetega testify that when the Lord took him to hell and back, he saw a famous Nigerian preacher there in hell, named Benson Idahosa (see video beginning at 12:00).  This man had been a Pentecostal, power-and-prosperity preacher that started a denomination, a primary school, a secondary school, Benson Idahosa university, a hospital, and a television ministry with a potential viewing audience of 50 million people. He helped many people, preached in 125 nations, and had many followers.  He claimed to have raised nine people from the dead, and was said to be the leader of over seven million Jesus people worldwide.

According to an article by a Nigerian Baptist minister named Israel Oluwole Olofinjana, "[Idahosa] dressed flamboyantly, used the best cars and pursued big projects with big budgets."  I have listened to some of his messages and read that Idahosa used to say "If your Jesus is poor, my Jesus is rich."

When Jesus showed this man to Samuel in hell, he referred to him as His son. But Samuel said part of the reason he ended up in hell was covetousness and worldliness.  He was not the only person to see Archbishop Idahosa in hell.  Another pastor named John Noah from Bayelsa, Nigeria also saw him there (see video).  Still another Nigerian brother, named Ibrahim, a born again believer in Jesus Christ, who was shown a vision of hell after a forty-day fast, saw Idahosa along with other top Nigerian pastors in hell (see article). Another pastor named David Agorye also saw Idahosa in hell (see article). Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses (see 2 Cor 13:1; Mt 18:16; Deut 19:15), and four credible witnesses have duly established this matter.

Archbishop Margaret Benson Idahosa

That should wake us up!  If worldliness can cause you to miss heaven, then we’d better know what it is and avoid it by the power of the Spirit.  Let’s first look at what the Scriptures teach us about the world, and then define worldliness on that basis.

In the Bible, the Greek word for "world" is "kosmos," meaning “orderly arrangement, that is, decoration; by implication the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively [morally]): - adorning, world.” (Strongs).  Here are some Scriptures where that word is used:

No Profit in Gaining the World
Jesus said, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mat 16:26)

"For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?” (Luk 9:25)

"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (Mar 8:36)

Religious People of this World
He once spoke to the Jews who did not believe in Him.  And He was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." (Joh 8:23-24)

Even today there are religious people who consider themselves children of God, but they are of this world.  Therefore, they will die in their sins unless they believe that Jesus in the Christ, and follow Him as their Lord and Savior.

Hate Your Life in this World
Have you ever heard anyone say, "I'm lovin' life!"  Others may not say that, but they are still seeking to make an enjoyable life for themselves.

Jesus said, "He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. (Joh 12:25)

The World Cannot Receive the Spirit of Truth
“That is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” (Joh 14:17)

We Are in the World by Not of this World
"If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.” (Joh 15:19)

"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."  (Joh 17:14-16)

The Kingdoms of this World
"Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;" (Mat 4:8)

At the appointed time, the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

"Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.'"  (Rev 11:15)

Until then, the kingdoms of this world belong to satan.

God’s Kingdom is Not of this World
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."  (Joh 18:36)

The Wisdom of the World
Paul said the world in its wisdom did not come to know God:

“Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” (1Co 1:20-21)

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, "He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS";  (1Co 3:19)

The spirit of the World
Many times people talk about catching the spirit of something like a holiday or a sporting event or a celebration.  They are talking about the spirit of the world.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,”  (1Co 2:12)

The Ruler of this World
Jesus said that satan is the ruler of this world, who has been judged, and he will be cast out of the world he rules:

"Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.  (Joh 12:31)

"I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me;  (Joh 14:30)

“And concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.”  (Joh 16:11)

The World is in the Power of the Evil One
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.  (1Jn 5:19)

Using the world
Sometimes we have to use the world, such as a laptop, a phone, or a car.  Paul said those who use the world should do so as if they did not make full use of it.

“And those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.”  (1Co 7:31)

Concerned for Worldly Things
“But one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.” (1Co 7:33-34)

Paul warned against becoming worldly in your concern about how you can please your spouse. If you are married, please see A Warning for Married Christian Couples.

The Sorrow of the World
"For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death."  (2Co 7:10)

Many songs express the sorrow of the world, but the Bible says that kind of sorrow produces death.  Likewise the funerals of those who are spiritually dead also express worldly sorrow.   The same is true of many novels and secular TV programs.  The one kind of sorrow that is good is repentance from sin, which leads to salvation!

Crucified to the World
"But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."  (Gal 6:14)

The Age of this World
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. (Eph 2:1-2)

The Elementary Principles of the World
There is something known as the elementary principles of this world, which are manmade rules and traditions, based on their philosophy.  We don’t live by these empty deceptions, or submit ourselves to them, but have died to them.  We live according to Christ and are captive to Him.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”  (Col 2:8)

“If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,”  (Col 2:20)

Keep Yourself Unstained by the World
There is such a thing as pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God.  It involves keeping yourself from becoming polluted by the world.

“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”  (Jas 1:27)

Escaping The Corruption in the World
The apostle Peter spoke about escaping the corruption that is in the world: “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”  (2Pe 1:4)

“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.”  (2Pe 2:20)

Friendship with the World
Unfortunately many Christians today have become adulterers, because they were betrothed to Christ alone as His Bride, but they are in bed with the world. They have become friends with the world.  “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”  (Jas 4:4)

Do Not Be Conformed to the World
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom 12:2)

Do Not Love the World
“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”  (1Jn 2:15-16)

The World Doesn’t Know Us, It Hates Us
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”  (1Jn 3:1)

“Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.”  (1Jn 3:13)

Since the world did not know Jesus, it does not know us, but hates us. Everyone who seeks to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.  If you are not being persecuted and the world doesn’t hate you, then you need to examine yourself to see if you have become a friend of the world.  Woe to you when all men speak well of you.

Greater is He that is in You Than He That is in the World
“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”  (1Jn 4:4)

From the World
“They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.”  (1Jn 4:5)

Overcome the World
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”  (1Jn 5:4-5)

Defining Worldliness
The modern term “worldliness” comes from the biblical expression “of the world.”  That is a very broad term -- as broad as the world is, since it means being friends with the world or being like the world or loving the world or the things of the world.  It may involve going along with the spirit of the world, catching that spirit, agreeing with it, and living in accordance with it.  It may involve making full use the things of the world.

Anytime a disciple of Christ becomes concerned with the things of this world, their interests are divided between Christ’s interests and the world’s.  So we must be very careful not to let those concerns take us away from serving the Lord. It is best not to be divided in our interests, but to be devoted.

Jesus was in the world but He was not of this world.  And he said the same about His disciples, too.  We are in this world but not of it.  Others are from the world, and they speak as from the world.  Therefore the world listens to them.

It would be impossible to list every thing that is in the world that one could possibly love.  But some of the things it includes are what we call society and culture, along with its language – both verbal and non-verbal, its expressions, arts, entertainment, recreational activities, sports, competitions, hobbies, leisurely pastimes, politics, wealth and riches, images, icons, idols, literature, fables, fairy tales, myths, legends, educational institutions and programs, other institutions, networks, clubs, technology, social and other media, websites, fashions, styles, decorations, adornments, costumes, world order, thrones, titles, organizations, arrangements, values, principles, ideas, concepts, structures, systems, fraternal orders, secret societies, pursuits, holidays, parties, celebrations, festivals, events, awards, ceremonies, customs, religions, rituals, and rites.

There are simply too many specific things to possibly list in those general categories, but they include secular movies, secular television, cartoons, video games, recreational use of alcoholic beverages, smoking cigarettes and using other tobacco products, idealism, omnism, liberalism, racism, humanism, individualism, intellectualism, universalism, hedonism, tourism, commercialism, materialism, wealth, luxury, jewelry, gambling, tattoos, body piercing, worldly hairstyles and clothing, as well as dancing and secular music, such as rock, rap, and reggae.  Even vehicles can be considered worldly treasures, and can even become idols. Therefore it is impossible to fully define the sin of worldliness.

Putting it All Together
From these Scriptures we’ve learned many things. I trust that the sin of worldliness will no longer be a forgotten one for those who read this post and take to heart the things written in it.  The devil who is satan is the ruler of this world, and he doesn't want you to know or believe that the sin of worldliness exists.  He is the prince of the power of the air, and the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. His kingdom is of this world, and the glory he has is the glory of those kingdoms. He already stands condemned and will one day be cast out.

There is a spirit of this world, which the world embraces.  They have their wisdom, their elementary principles, and vain philosophies.  They may hate certain aspects of the evil empires, and seek to avoid involvement in those things.  But they do not accept the Spirit of Truth.  In fact, they cannot receive Him.

This world is full of corruption.  Just as surely as it’s iron gates and pipes and vehicles are rusting away, so too the world itself is undergoing decay from it’s corruption.  That’s why we need the Lord Jesus Christ in order to escape the corruption in the world, since the world will be condemned with its ruler and destroyed.

Worldliness is a deadly sin!  What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and yet loses his own soul? So many believers today have become friends with the world.  They have become so enamored with the world that they have lost their first love for the Lord Jesus Christ.  In fact, they don't even realize any more what they are doing that is actually worldly or what it means to be worldly. 

We need to keep ourselves from being stained by these things.  We need to hate our lives in this world and follow Jesus. Rather than being of the world, we are supposed to overcome the world by our faith.

If you will ask the Lord, He will expose any worldliness that you have allowed to creep into your life.  If you have committed adultery with the world, then repent.  Cry out to Him for mercy and forgiveness.  Ask Him to draw you back to Himself and deliver you from those traps of the devil.

Come out from among them and be separate from the world.  Let us return to the Lord and He will heal us.

"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." (Is 55:6-7, NIV)

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.
 
Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Separation from the World, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Come Out of Her, What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel?, Garments of Godliness, Keeping Your Body Pure and Holy, Keeping Sundays Holy, Faith Works!, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Three Divine Revelations, Tattoos and Body Piercing, Visitation of Jesus to Samuel Oghenetega, Ibrahim's Experience in Hell, David Agorye's Revelation of Heaven and Hell, Demonology 301, and One Thing. You may find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Flaming Sword

Flaming Sword, by Amanda Labrie

I have written previously about the Lord's holy fire in my article, Holy Fire Baptism, and now I would like to show you something you may not have seen before in Scripture. I want to first prove from the Bible that the Lord Jesus Christ carries a flaming sword, and then share a testimony of a divine revelation that confirms this.

The Word of God is a Sword
The Holy Spirit spoke through the apostle describing the Word of God as being sharper than any double-edged sword: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb 4:12).  The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, penetrates further than any other sword.  It reaches places that no open-heart surgeon can ever reach. It actually pierces between soul and spirit, and judges the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts.

Jesus is Called the Word of God
Jesus is the Word of God, according to the apostle John.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (Joh 1:1) and “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (Joh 1:14)

A Sharp Sword Proceeds from His Mouth
When John saw the risen Lord Jesus Christ on the Isle of Patmos, he said, “In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.” (Rev 1:16)

Jesus said, "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: (Rev 2:12)

Jesus said, “Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.” (Rev 2:16)

The Lord fulfills what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah, who said, "He made My mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of His hand He hid Me; He made Me into a polished arrow and concealed Me in his quiver." (Is 49:2).

The Lord Slays the Wicked with the Fiery Breath of His Mouth

The apostle said that Jesus would overthrow the evil, antichrist ruler with the fiery breath of His mouth.  "And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming."  (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

The fact that He is able to overthrow the lawless one with His breath implies that it is fiery breath, which the prophet Isaiah explicitly declared. As I have written about in my article, The Holy Fires of Hell, the prophet Isaiah described the Lord in his wrath with flames coming forth from his mouth.  He said, "His lips are filled with indignation And His tongue is like a consuming fire; His breath is like an overflowing torrent..." (Is 30:27-28).  Jesus slays the wicked with His lips! “He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked” (Isa. Isa. 11:4). 

The apostle John wrote: “He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, ‘Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.’ And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.” (Rev 19:13-21)

Fire from the Mouths of the Two Witnesses
During the 42 month period of Great Tribulation, the Lord will give His two witnesses power to destroy their enemies who try to harm them, which they will do with fire that comes from their mouths. "If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die." (Rev 11:5).  If He gives such power to His witnesses, don't you realize that He Himself possesses even greater fire power?

Fire From Heaven Consumes the Wicked
The apostle John received a revelation of the future, final battle against satan and his evil hordes.  He wrote:

"When the thousand years are over, satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Rev 20:7-10)

The Lord's Fiery Countenance
Although the Bible does not say explicitly that the Lord's sword is a flaming one, here are some more reasons why we might assume it is. 

The apostle John described His fiery countenance like this: "I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance." (Rev 1:12-16).

Since His eyes are like blazing fire, His face is like the sun shining in all its brilliance, and His feet are like bronze glowing in a furnace, we see a definite continuity of the fire theme from His head to His feet.  Every aspect of Him shining brilliantly and He even holds seven stars in His right hand.  So it would be consistent for the sword that proceeds from His mouth to have the same aspect to it.

The Lord's Flashing Sword
In the Song of Moses, he sang about the flashing sword of the Lord: "I lift My hand to heaven and solemnly swear: As surely as I live forever, when I sharpen My flashing sword and My hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on My adversaries and repay those who hate Me. I will make My arrows drunk with blood, while My sword devours flesh: the blood of the slain and the captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.” (Dt 32:40-42, NIV). 

Some other Bible versions refer to it as "My lightning sword," since the Hebrew word baraq means "bright, lightning, or glittering." (Strongs). The Lord grasps His flaming sword that flashes brightly like lightning. He grasps it in judgment. And with it He will take vengeance on His enemies and repay those who hate Him.

The Flaming Sword That Turns in Every Direction
The flaming sword was originally stationed near the garden of Eden to keep fallen man from partaking of the tree of life:  “So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Gen 3:24).

Since Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords, He would never give a sword to any created being that was greater than His own sword.  We know from Scripture that fiery breath and a sharp sword both proceed from His mouth.  Therefore, it is my sincere belief that Jesus has a flaming, two-edged sword that turns every which way.  If you do not believe it is a flaming sword of fire, then you must suppose that our Lord has a metal sword sticking out of His mouth.

Lord Jesus, You are El Gibor
You are a mighty Man of War
Arise now with your flaming sword
Eternal praise shall be yours forever more.

-- Anonymous adult, Verses to the King

Confirmation from Revelation to Samuel

Samuel Oghenetega

I have written in a separate post about the Visitation of Jesus to Samuel Oghenetega, a fourteen year old Nigerian boy, which happened in June and July of 2013.  In that visitation, the Lord referred to His flaming sword of fire a few times as follows:

Prepare for the rapture
The Lord gave Samuel a message for His Bride. "Prepare for the rapture. It will be like a dream."  The Lord gave him Mt 24:29-31, and he saw a picture of the people being caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and the caption said, “Come, My faithful servants.”

The Lord said, "There shall be wars and earthquakes before I come. I will heal the sick. Keep on praising me and I will rise with my flaming sword to fight."

Hell shall not prevail
"I shall hear and answer the cry of my very elect. I shall stand with my flaming sword against the darts of the devil, and satan and hell shall not prevail over you. The grace that thou seekest shall I deliver unto thee."

Pray for the salvation of your soul and other souls
"If you want me to save others, keep on praying for them and I shall arise with my flaming sword. And I and Michael the archangel and his hosts shall war and fight and shall deliver them."

Jesus rebukes satan to his face
Samuel said: “Then from 11:00 to 11:54 PM, He gave me the diagram of Lucifer himself.  And this is what he’s saying: ‘No! Humanity cannot be saved from my hand.  I am Lucifer! No, no, no!  Linda (Ngaujah) did her own damage.  Ezekiel Moses did his own.  Michael Sambo did his own.  Abraham Yakubu did his own.  And…No, no, no! This little boy, Tega Samuel Immanuel wants to cause (cost) me more damage.  Beelzebok and Jozebok, prepare the army for battle.  This must not happen.  Prepare for battle. No, no! I was cast out from heaven.  Now I am in my kingdom, which is hell fire. What have I done to deserve this damage.  It was only humanity that chose hell. No, no!  I shall be prepared for battle. I am Lucifer, and no one can take away humanity from my hand!’

“So after that, Jesus Christ now answered. Jesus said with anger (at that time his eyes were red), ‘I, the Lord of hosts, rebuke you, satan! Did you shed your blood for their souls? You wicked and unfaithful servant of My Father’s house! Because you want to overthrow My Father, and you did not succeed, then you are cast away.  Why are you now complaining?  I shall kill you with my flaming sword of fire.  In our last battle I will, at the last day of My Father’s judgment. And My Father shall be seated in heaven, and watch I and you and your armies fighting, and I shall prevail over thee, and the name of My Father shall be glorified.’”

When Samuel heard the Lord say to satan, "I shall kill you with my flaming sword of fire -- in our last battle I will, at the last day of My Father’s judgment," it seems to agree with the passage of Scripture I have already quoted in Revelation 20:7-10.

Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Be not afraid, son, I am with thee, and Lucifer shall not overcome thee, because I have chosen you.”

Samuel says, “After I finished drawing the diagram of Lucifer, I fainted. They could not carry me. I became as heavy as sand.”

Putting it All Together
The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and Jesus' name is called the Word of God. Furthermore, the Scripture teaches that He will destroy the lawless one with the fiery breath of His mouth, and His wicked enemies with the sharp, two-edged sword that proceeds from His mouth.  I believe it is a flaming sword that turns every which way, burning with His holy fire, which the Lord clearly revealed to Samuel Oghenetega.

The Lord instructed us to keep on praising Him, and to keep on praying for the salvation of others' souls.  He reassured us that He would hear and answer the cry of His very elect.  He promised to arise with His flaming sword and fight against the devil and his demons on our behalf.  He shall deliver His chosen ones from the enemy.  satan and hell shall not prevail over us. And He shall deliver unto us the grace that we seek.

The Lord said, there shall be wars and earthquakes before He comes. He is going to shake this world one last time.  He is coming right away.  He has sent His angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Behold, the day of our Lord’s wedding is at hand." Repent! The Lord has spoken. Only the ones who are truly seeking the Lord with all their heart will be spared from the coming judgment.  The Lord is coming only for a holy people, ready, without blemish, without wrinkle and without defilement.  He is not coming for those who have walked away from Him.

As the Scripture says, "Every Word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar." (Pro 30:5-6) For there are "those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth." (Pr 30:12).

The only way we can have purity and holiness in our lives in these last and evil days is through repentance, the blood of Jesus, and the holy fire.  The third and final baptism with which He’s going to clean up His Church is the baptism of fire.  He’s going to make us ready to turn loose this world.  It is a holy fire, because it is not produced by man. It is produced by the one, true, holy God.  It is a promise for the believer, according to Mt 3:11.

If you love the holy fire of God, then you are wise.  Ask the Lord to purify you with His holy fire from everything that will not pass through the fire as purely from Him.  Ask Him today for the Holy Fire Baptism.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. "Flaming sword" graphic by Amanda Rae Labrie.

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, please see Opportunities to Serve the Body of Christ.  You may also enjoy Holy Fire Baptism, Michael Thomas Sambo's Revelation of Heaven and Hell, Visitation of Jesus to Samuel Oghenetaga, Linda Ngaujah Revelation of Heaven and Hell, The Refiner's Fire, The Three Elijahs, The Burning Ones, The Holy Fires of Hell, and The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer. You find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and you can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."  Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.