Above all, my brothers, do not swear–not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.
Hebrews 6:13
When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,
Discussion
The first thing we need to establishis thesovereignty of God – that God is a sovereign God. He is the One who makes the rules and it doesn’t necessarily suggest that He is also subject to the rules He made for the things which He created.
So, the idea or understanding that suggests that whenever God sets a rule for man, He must also abide by that rule is a wrong one.
The laws of God are for men not for God.
For example, God gave a law that men should not kill, yet God kills.
God’s righteousness is not to gain man’s approval but man’s righteousness is to gain God’s approval – because man is NOT equal with God.
This is the first thing that must be established.
Secondly, it is very important to understand the reason why God instructed man not to swear. Man is a fallible being. Because we are not omnipotent, we have the fallibility of coming short, even on the things that we are most sincere about. And so, it becomes very dangerous for man to engage operations such as swearing – because when an oath is sworn, it becomes a covenant and covenants are binding without excuses. This is one of the reasons why men should not swear. The second reason is because God desires that man should operate in the simplicity of sincerity and truthfulness. That we should have the ability to say what we mean and mean what we say.
When we swear, we shift some of the responsibility of what we are swearing about on the thing we are swearing with. And this becomes a lazy or a deceptive way of dealings. And that is outrightly wrong.
Thirdly, men have the tendency and inclination to lie. And so when we swear a lie with the name of God, we mock God and insult Him. This is what that law in the ten commandments that says “do not use the name of God in vain” means. When we lie and swear on that lie using the name of God, then we use His Name in vain and that gets God angry.
Fourthly, man should not swear because man does not have any need or responsibility to prove to another man that he is something or anything – for all men are equal by creational standards. And it is not necessary for man to believe man or believe in man, so man has no need to employ any means (even that of swearing) to persuade another man to believe in him.
But as for God, He wants to be believed and it is necessary for man to believe in God. So, God is at liberty to employ any strategy He deems fit to stir up faith in man, even if that strategy is swearing.
So, it is not that swearing is an operation that is outside of God’s nature, rather it is that God has commanded man not to swear – and that command does NOT apply to Himself.
As I said earlier, the commandments of God are for men and NOT for God!
So, it is and will be outrightly disrespectful to try or desire to judge God by/with the commandments that He set for men.
If God decides to abide by a commandment He sets for men, it is His choice and NOT that it is compulsory for Him.
He is God, we are men. He made us, we didn’t make Him.
Note: It is called “The Commandments OF God” and not “The Commandments FOR God”.
Sanctification is a theological term that refers to the process of becoming holy or set apart for God’s work and purposes.
In Christian theology, it is often seen as a work of God’s grace in the life of a believer, enabling them to grow in righteousness and conformity to the image of Christ.
It is considered a lifelong process that involves the believer’s cooperation with the Holy Spirit to gradually become more like Christ in thoughts, words, and actions.
1 Peter 1:15-16 – “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.'”
2 Corinthians 3:18. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Types of Sanctification
Positional Sanctification:
This refers to the believer being set apart or made holy in God’s sight at the moment of salvation. This is not based on the believer’s own actions or merit but on the finished work of Christ on the cross. Verses like 1 Corinthians 6:11 (“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”) emphasize this aspect.
Progressive Sanctification:
This is the ongoing process by which the believer is gradually conformed to the image of Christ. It involves the believer’s cooperation with the Holy Spirit in growing in holiness and righteousness. This process is lifelong and involves disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and obedience to God’s Word. Verses like Philippians 2:12-13 (“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure”) highlight this aspect.
Ultimate Sanctification:
This refers to the believer’s final and complete sanctification, which will occur when they are glorified and fully transformed into the likeness of Christ. This will happen at the resurrection when believers receive their glorified bodies. Verses like 1 John 3:2 (“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is”) speak to this ultimate sanctification.
Note; sanctification encompasses both the initial setting apart of believers in Christ and the ongoing process of becoming more like Him, culminating in their ultimate glorification.
Major Enemy of Sanctification
Scripture teaches that sexual immorality hinders our relationship with God and damages our spiritual health.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20,“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3 – “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.”
Engaging in fornication can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and distance from God, all of which can hinder our sanctification process. It is important for believers to flee from sexual immorality and pursue purity in thought and action in order to grow in holiness and conformity to the image of Christ.
Fornication, which involves sexual activity outside the bounds of marriage, can have several negative effects on a Christian’s relationship with God:
Effects of fornication on Believer
1. Grieving the Holy Spirit:
Scripture teaches that the Holy Spirit dwells within believers (1 Corinthians 6:19). Engaging in fornication, which is contrary to God’s will, can grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), leading to a sense of distance from God’s presence.
2. Damage to the Temple of the Holy Spirit:
The Bible describes the body of a believer as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Engaging in sexual immorality can defile this temple, leading to a sense of uncleanness and separation from God.
3. Broken Fellowship with God:
Sin, including fornication, disrupts our fellowship with God. Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” This broken fellowship can lead to a sense of spiritual emptiness and a lack of God’s presence in our lives.
4. Loss of Spiritual Sensitivity:
Continual sin, such as persistent fornication, can dull our spiritual senses and make it harder to discern God’s voice and leading in our lives. This can lead to a feeling of spiritual dryness and a lack of intimacy with God.
5. Distorted View of God:
Engaging in fornication can distort our view of God, leading us to see Him as distant, judgmental, or unconcerned with our lives. This distorted view can hinder our ability to experience the fullness of God’s presence and love.
Fornication can deprive a Christian of the presence of God by damaging their spiritual life, disrupting their fellowship with God, and distorting their view of Him. It is important for believers to repent of sin, seek forgiveness, and pursue purity in order to experience the fullness of God’s presence in their lives.
How to secure your Sanctification
Securing sanctification involves actively pursuing a life of holiness and growth in Christlikeness. Here are some key ways believers can do this:
1. Daily Surrender to God: Submitting your will to God daily, seeking His guidance, and relying on His strength through prayer and meditation on His Word.
2. Obedience to God’s Word: Studying and applying the teachings of the Bible in your life, allowing it to transform your thoughts, attitudes, and actions.
3. Fellowship with other believers: Regularly meeting with and being accountable to other believers for encouragement, support, and spiritual growth.
4. Avoiding Sin: Fleeing from temptation and sin, including fornication and other behaviors that are contrary to God’s will.
5. Renewing the mind: Continually renewing your mind through the Word of God, replacing worldly thinking with God’s perspective (Romans 12:2).
6. Practicing Spiritual Disciplines: Engaging in practices such as prayer, fasting, worship, and serving others, which help cultivate a deeper relationship with God.
7. Dependence on the Holy Spirit: Relying on the Holy Spirit’s power and guidance to live a life that honors God and bears fruit (Galatians 5:16).
8. Confession and Repentance: Regularly confessing sin and repenting, turning away from sinful behaviors and attitudes.
9. Perseverance: Continuing to press on in the Christian walk, even in the face of challenges and setbacks, trusting in God’s faithfulness to complete the work He has begun in you (Philippians 1:6).
By actively pursuing these practices, believers can secure their sanctification and grow in their relationship with God, becoming more like Christ in character and conduct.
In conclusion, sanctification is a process by which believers are set apart for God’s purposes and gradually transformed into the likeness of Christ. It involves both an initial setting apart (positional sanctification) and an ongoing process of growth (progressive sanctification).
To secure sanctification, believers should daily surrender to God, obey His Word, fellowship with other believers, avoid sin, renew their minds, practice spiritual disciplines, depend on the Holy Spirit, confess and repent of sin, and persevere in their walk with God. By actively pursuing these practices, believers can grow in holiness, experience the presence of God, and fulfill His purposes for their lives.
Text: Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: For the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. Psalm 102:13 KJV
God is a god of time and Season. Man operates in the frame of time and season.
And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. 1 Chronicles 12:32 KJV
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV
Two types of Time
1. Chronos: it is a sequential time (seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and years)
2. Kairus: it is an opportune time defining the Prophetic season in a man’s life. It is a time that you as a Christian need not miss.
There is a dimension of Grace and Beauty that works with time and season.
He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV
Christian, know it that Wisdom has a relationship with time and season.
So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12 KJV
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. John 9:4 KJV.
God gave us the gift of Chronus to prepare for the blessing of Kiarus’s moment to come. God has already programmed it.
Note: During your trial time that is the time of preparation. You learn in the wilderness not on the stage. And whatever God used in training in the wilderness (trial time ) will be what will announce or stand you out during ur Kiarus moment.
How to Maximize Kairus moments 1. Have an active discernment Spirit to help you know the end of seasons. How can you know end of seasons a. Unusual desire to pray b. Unusual desire to give c. Unusual demonic attacks d. Unusual desire to be alone
2. Obtain grace to take action and avoid procrastination.
This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the complete standard of Christ.
Life is Dynamic, not static.
– Being a voice in our world, there should be continuous improvement. Note: The principle of God is universal
Factors for continuous improvement
– Conquer arrival mentality: the largest room is room for improvement.
– Keep pressing: Refuse to be unstable.
Luke 16:16
The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
– Always update your information bank.
Pro. 18:15
The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
– Invest in yourself: John 7:15, and be willing to improve yourself. 2Tim 4: 13, invest in books
– Think out of the box: no man excels thinking conventionally. Think of how to succeed.
– Refuse to give up: Philippians 4:13, Avoid fear, avoid intimidation
Reasons why people don’t improve themselves
1. Laziness and mental dormancy: Any work that won’t challenge you will drain your life. Hebrew 5:14.
You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.
Brain not Exercise depreciates. Any work you will not use your brain will destroy you and it will drain your life. Task your brain so that your potential can come out
2. Ignorance (is what u don’t know)
EPH 4:18
Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.
Knowledge brings man out of poverty.
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Enemies of continuous improvement
Fixed mindset
2. Tradition, refusing to change. Mark 7:13. 3. Excuses can limit you. Gal 3:28
4. Settling for average
5. Refusing to change
6. Excuses Luke 14:16
Benefits of continuous improvement
– You will stand out
– You will be in high demand Mark 1:35-37
– You will earn more math 25:28
– You will earn the favor of the people in the authority. Dan 6: 2-3
The future is bright for people that keep improving themselves
PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE 