Over the last several months, the Lord has provided a gracious, and sure way for individuals, families, and fellowships to navigate His judgment upon Houses of Prayer, and His own evangelical household in the United States.
Those who have given themselves to
a.) the endless deprecation and devouring of others; or
b.) the gamesmanship of defensiveness and pretense, will only have an “expectation of punishment” (Hebrews 10:27) for their determination to avoid this way of the Lord’s mercy and purification.
At the same time, the judgments of the Lord are primarily about the Lord bringing rewards to the Church; rewards that will encourage radical, authentic Christlikeness. Those who have navigated these judgments in the soul-searching spirit of mutual humility, lament and repentance, allowing the Lord to purge their unrighteous ways, can expect to receive great rewards for their intensive labor of dethroning self, and appropriating the way of Christ.
Here are the 10 blessings for navigating the judgments of the Lord under the deep, purifying grace of the Lord:
1. The joy-filled blessing of beholding the Lord in the beauty of His holiness. With our sensors “cleansed”, we are able to behold Him with great perception, and tenderness of spirit.
2. The blessing of the fearless spirit that comes from having been clothed with the preeminent fear of the Lord. If our hearts are rooted in the fear of the Lord, we become confident, and emboldened in every other context. We know Who is holding all the cards. And we tremble at His perfect authority to bring those who are playing games with His righteousness, into alignment to the sovereign majesty of His Son.
3. The blessing of the unassailable conscience that comes from walking with Him in the light. Peace abounds within those who know they have been brought to lowest of lows – having let the Spirit illuminate and purge the deepest of their wicked ways.
4. The blessing of increased Christlikeness. As we submit to crucifixion of self, we become unhindered in our attainment of Christlikeness. We are fully liberated from impediments to the formation of His character and power within us.
5. The blessings that are attached to all 8 of the Beatitudes. (You couldn’t navigate the judgments of these last few months with the Lord without touching all 8 of the dynamics of Matthew 5:3-12)
6. The blessing of a clean conscience that comes from having built humble, loving relationships upon the redemptive grace of the Lord, and not upon law, pretense, or the fear of man.
7. The blessing (and honor) of increased authority in the place of intercessory partnership with the Lord.
8. The blessing of “witness”, knowing that the way you and your company navigated the judgments of the Lord is an example to others about the way to respond to future judgments of the Lord.
9. The blessing of “witness” (part 2), knowing that the way you and your company navigated the judgments of the Lord is a testimony to the perfect, good, and just leadership of the Lord.
10. The blessing and pleasure of living in vibrant righteousness; knowing your heart, mind, emotions, behavior and relationships are being aligned to the right order of the King, and are fully alive to the purposes of God in this hour.
The question remains: Why would any follower of Jesus Christ (much less any leader within the Body of Christ), see the judgments of Jesus Christ, and choose the route that Jesus Christ DIDN’T choose – namely to “save self” – and thus forfeit the glorious rewards that come from being purely, and wholeheartedly aligned with Jesus Christ?
____________________
JSB • May, 2024
SPIRIT WORD & CROSS 