Jesus lays out more than 55 distinct ways of righteousness in His Sermon on the Mount. As we transition from this age to the next, He is zealous that His Bride learn these ways of His heart. This is called “the Church making herself ready” (Revelation 19:7). It is also letting Jesus wash out every spot, wrinkle and blemish (of unrighteousness) from His Bride. (Ephesians 5:27)

“O Lord, when Your judgments are on the earth we, Your people, learn righteousness.” (Isaiah 26:9)

The judgments of the Lord (which are currently on the earth) are designed “to train the Church to walk in the righteous ways of the Lord”.

A. We will not give ourselves to the rigors of having to learn these ways without the increased pressure in our lives that only the judgments of the Lord can provide.

B. We need to hold the trouble that the judgments produce in our hearts before the open flame of the Word of God, in order to behold and embrace the revelation of Jesus and His ways.

C. We need spirits that are both humble and yielded to be crucified and conformed to His ways.

D. We need a dialoguing relationship with the living Spirit of God Who will speak and fashion these dynamic realities of Jesus into our souls.

E. We will not embrace the ways of our King without being a part of an honest, humble fellowship of believers who are living out lifestyles of corporate prayer together.

We need all of these elements in dynamic operation in our daily/weekly lives in order to become people who are vibrantly alive to our Lord in the last days.

There are undoubtably more, but here are 30 dynamics (1 for each day of the month) I see the Lord is specifically developing in the heart of His Bride through the trouble/judgments of COVID:

1. Are we learning how to pray in prophetic agreement with the Spirit of the Lord re: His judgments on the earth?

2. Are we learning to join the Lord in releasing supernatural relief, healing, deliverance and salvation upon the earth in the midst of His judgments?

3. Are we cultivating faith in, and testimonies of His protection/provision?

4. Are we cultivating the primacy of corporate lifestyles of prayer together?

5. Are we cultivating a spirit of the fear of the Lord?

6. Are we cultivating a hunger for our Lord to rule the nations?

7. Are we cultivating a spirit that refuses to determine its own way?

8. Are we cultivating spirits that yield our identity to God?

9. Are we cultivating spirits that refuse to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil so that we remain intimately and daily dependent upon the wisdom and direction of the Father?

10. Are we cultivating spirits that revel in exalting and giving the mercy of God?

11. Are we cultivating hearts that celebrate the Father’s vision for race and ethnos?

12. Are we cultivating lifestyles that champion the Father’s purposes for Israel?

13. Are we cultivating first-commandment love for the Lord and His ways?

14. Are we learning the way of humility and meekness?

15. Are we learning the way of compassion and mourning?

16. Will we forgive and even bless our enemies?

17. Are we cultivating spirits that crave purity?

18. Will we put away the curse that so easily infests our thinking and speaking and learn to bless?

19. Will we give ourselves to the daily rigors of repentance?

20. Will we learn to fuel our hearts and minds with the exhilarating nourishment of exalting, praising and kissing the Son?

21. Are we letting the Spirit of the Lord bring down the idols in our lives and culture, so the way of the Lord can be made smooth and unhindered?

22. Are we living the way of the cross?

23. Are we learning how to hear and receive the Word of the Lord through dynamic dialogue with the Holy Spirit of God?

24. Will we let the Lord cultivate a spirit within us that is vigilant to that which is antiChrist?

25. Are we learning how to exalt Jesus in all things?

26. Are we learning to detach our hearts from the demonic contentions of this world and live with unoffended hearts?

27. Are we learning to embrace the uniquely precious nature of the judgments of the Lord?

28. Are we learning how to test all things and hold fast to that which is good? (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

29. Are we learning the Lord’s definition of righteousness?

30. Are we binding ourselves to others who are committed to “learning and celebrating these ways of righteousness” ?

What else would you add to this list?

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JSB • November, 2021

One of the wisest endeavors we believers could engage in right now is to take the 55 injunctions in the Sermon on the Mount and pray them into our lives. At the end of our book, “Seek My Face” is a prayer guide to help you and your fellowship do just that. Blessings.

“Seek My Face: A Guide to Praying Through the Judgments of the Lord” by Jonathan Boegl