Does the “city” of our hearts, have “walls”?

Proverbs 25:28 “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”

This verse deals with our spirits…..

….we are to reject the will of the unholy spirit,….and yield to the the Holy Spirit within.

In the days of the Old Testament, each city was built with tall walls and gates. That was their protection.

Often houses were built right into the walls, adding stability and strength.

But, any city which did not have walls….was indefensible.

Without walls a city was subject to any and all marauding bands…which could come and loot and kill.

Without the “walls” of separation from the world,…..we are indefensible against it’s influence.

This influence comes in, at times…..like a blanket thrown over our joy…..or like a flood which drowns our light….or simply like thieves which rob us of our peace.

What are our “walls”?

First, let me explain that God has very definitely commanded us, to be separate from the world.

We are to be in the world, but not of it.

Our walk is to be through this world, but…not with it.

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

(The Name Lord Almighty means Sovereign….He is in charge of everything. Nothing takes Him by surprise. He has set aside all that is needed for every situation.

This name is important…..for as He called men to be Watchmen on the city walls of old…..so He watches for us…..if we separate ourselves to Him.)

Again, what are our walls?

The Holy Spirit is a wall around us:

John 16:13 “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.”

The Holy Spirit within leads us into truth….so we will be separated from the lies of the devil and the world.

The knowledge of God’s Word is a wall…..

….what it says….the stories that are in it….for it is a guide book in our walk through this life.

The same sort of people that we are….and that we will meet with…are there,….if we will hear what He is saying to us.

(I once heard a young man saying that the Bible was out of date. That the things contained in it….did not relate to this age!

I was a child,…we were at a family gathering….with cousins and aunts and uncles that you usually do not meet often….

…..and my grandmother asked him if he had read it.

He said, no he did not need to….he knew that what Abraham or Moses did….if they did….wasn’t any use to him.

My grandmother, was a firm believer that when God, or His Word was being challenged….you should say something. She loved the Lord, and was….(to my family)…outspoken for Him.

Well, my grandmother said….”he was probably right….the Bible would do him no good….because he was too dull to hear what it said.” (Like I said, she was pretty outspoken).

But then she said, and I will not forget it.

“What God has said, is for every age. Just because we have cars, and telephones, and TV…..does not change our hearts.

We are still lonely, greedy, angry, and discouraged.

Those are the people in the Bible. And though we may not have their names…..or situations, just like them….

…..still the basic message is to us….today.

Jesus Christ came ta save every sinner…..from the first to the last….even you.”

He walked away laughing….but….he stayed away from her all that day.

Later, he joined the Navy, and years later I heard that he had wrote home to his folks to tell grandma that he had gotten saved!)

There is also the wall of Christian fellowship. It should be in a good Bible believing Church…….and is is good to cultivate Christian friends.

They often encourage us and strengthen us….in good conversation and with their prayers for us.

Prayer is a wall.

We are rarely fooled, if we are praying about everything. If we are confessing our sins….and keeping them up-to-date….

….and we are bringing the things of our lives to Him….then we are kept from the traps of the devil…..in peace, even in storms:

Philippians 4:6-7 “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Each of these “walls” are there to help us to walk through this world, knowing our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20)…..enjoying all that the Lord gives us,….without holding on to all the world would offer us.

These “walls” separate us inside…..we do not keep distance from people as though they are lepers…..

….but we do not “join in” with them, for we belong to Christ Jesus….

We are to rule our own spirit, by rejecting the will of the unholy spirit, and yielding to the Holy Spirit in all our walk, here.

In Jerusalem, the gates were opened up to trade with all who brought goods….and before sunset, these were to go out, and the gates shut. On the Sabbath, the gates were never opened, to trade.

We are to keep a firm grasp on our spirits, yielding to the Holy Spirit,….so that all the influences that we feel from the world….are shut out from entering into our hearts.

When God says “all”…..He means “all”

Matthew 22:37 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

Deuteronomy 11:1 “Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep His charge, and His statues, and His judgements, and His commandments, alway.”

When the Bible speaks of love….it is speaking of a willed tendency and action of the heart toward something.

Love in the Bible is not just emotion….no, it is followed by action…which moves us closer to the Person loved.

We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart….we are to open our hearts to Him, and return the love He gives us. 1 John 4:19 “We love Him, because He first loved us.”

We are to love the Lord our God with all our soul, or will….willingly obeying everything He Wills for us.

We are to love the Lord our God with all our mind….thinking as He does about things…1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him.”

When we do not do “all” for God, we get hurt, and so do others.

The example I am going to use is a very Godly king,…..this is an example of denying ourselves in some things….yet not in others….to our hurt.

Jehoshaphat came to power, and “sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in His commandments,”.

He took away the “high places and most of the groves”, which were places of great wickedness, that Judah had made (1 Kings 14:22-23)….following the worship of people around them…

….”for a long season”….My people….”hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.” (2 Chronicles 15:3)

Then he sent princes, Levites, and priests out among the cities of Judah:

2 Chronicles 17:9 “And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.”

Judah was coming back to God.

Because of Jehoshaphat’s diligence and obedience, the Lord blessed him.

2 Chronicles 17:10 “And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war with Jehoshaphat.”

But Jehoshaphat had a weakness….he believed the two nations, Judah and Israel, were brothers (which they were,…yet God had separated them)…

…..and so, when he was at rest and the law was being taught….thinking everything was established in the Lord….

…..he allowed his first born son to marry the king of Israel’s daughter (2 Kings 8:18)…which was Jezebel’s daughter….

….not good.

(How did this happen? Jezebel was a schemer….seeing Jehoshaphat’s wealth and prosperity….she would have wanted to get her hands on it….or ruin it for Judah.)

This was terrible for the son, who began to follow the “ways” of Israel, which were idolatry…..instead of the way of the Lord…

Terrible for Jehoshaphat, for it turned blessing into judgement….for both himself and his kingdom.

2 Chronicles 19:2-3 “And….the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.

Nevertheless, there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.”

You see, there is never a time when we can sit down and say…..”I have done all….I have accomplished all….I do not have to be watchful for evil, any more.”

This son, that Jehoshaphat allowed to marry into Jezebel’s family, became king….and was a wicked one….turning all Judah back to idolatry.

2 Chronicles 21:5-6, 11 “Jehoram (Jehoshaphat’s son) was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord.

Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.”

So much good, ruined…..because Jehoshaphat had not done “all” for the Lord.

Instead he had allowed what he thought was a good idea, to corrupt his godliness.

And that ruined the blessing God had for him, his family, and his nation.

His son was ruined,….and he, in turned ruined God’s people for years….with the wicked influence and direction, of Jezebel’s daughter.

Mark 12: 30 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”

When God says “all”….He means “all”.

We are to watch ourselves….”Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 21

“Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.” 2 John 8

…and for others. “Jude 22-23 “And of some have compassion, making a difference:

And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

If Jehoshaphat had done “all”……his son would not have married into one of the most wicked families….nor been turned to wickedness….which led to his ruin.

Let us watch….and love the Lord our God first….and with “all”.

The Just shall live by Faith.

Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”

And just how do you live by faith? It is not I hope so, or I believe, I believe; but it is, I know…. Faith grounds you in God, and you know,….even if you do not know how you know.

Faith is an active, vibrant, force within….for it is always growing stronger….or it is becoming silent…..not gone, but still:

“….Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14)

Faith is a gift from God. When the Holy Spirit comes within our spirit, and we are born again,….we are given faith…..and we can know.

Faith is the eyesight of our spiritual lives.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Faith says,….I am….born again, my sins are forgiven.

I am…a child of a King….the Almighty God.

I am…the object of God’s love and light.

I am…standing on a Rock that can not move.

I am…a reciever of His promises.

Faith is the substance within us, that makes real the things of God, especially salvation. So as I have faith….I am to acquire virtue.

2 Peter 1:5 “And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;”

Virtue is an old English word, and it means the ability as a virtuous soldier. One you could count on to do the job.

This ability is all of the Holy Spirit, within. When we are walking in faith….seeing God and His Word….being obedient,

…then the Holy Spirit is a force within us for good…..our good, for He “pushes” here or there, to say this or be quiet…..

….and the good of others, as we are lights to the world….

…then we gain knowledge. Knowledge, by experience, of what God will do for me, His child. (How much we will need that knowledge in the days ahead!)

The just shall live by faith.

Now whether we are talking about past sins, or present sins….if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.

But we must believe that we are forgiven….no, we must know that we are!

How much distress and discouragement comes from not knowing….what God plainly tells us to know…..

…..and we are definitely to know Him….in all the areas of our life.

2 Peter 1:3 “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness; through the knowledge of Him that hath called us unto glory and virtue.”

God does not say, “Here is your life’s work”….then go off and leave us to figure it out ourselves.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Ordained means that He has made full provision for us.

He does not leave us to struggle along…..

No,…He gives us faith…that substance that points to God in every aspect of our lives.

He gives us a Way,…..that is the path every Christians treads from being babes to full grown sons of God. (Different circumstances for each….same Way.)

He gives us a Word….His unchanging Word, that we may count on it.

He gives us His Holy Spirit….to guide, empower by grace, and teach us in the things of God.

Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His Purpose.

For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

All that are called, are called…..and conformed to the Image of His Son.

Now to be conformed to His Image, is to remain yourself,…..but you acquire the personality and character of the Lord Jesus.

How?

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.”

Everyday, in my life, Christ is lifted up or I am lifted up.

Is Christ being lifted up in my attitudes?

Is Christ being lifted up in my words?

Is Christ being lifted up in my thoughts?

Are we living our lives in faith? Faith always sees God.

It is not a Sunday faith, which praises, but does not obey the rest of the week.

It is a faith which commands me to “Look to Jesus to live”,…..everyday.

I am saved,

I am a child of the King,

I am on the Rock,

I am living by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.

I am receiving the promises He has given me.

This is to live by faith…..are we?

To Pray is:

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”

         Prayer is just talking to God.  It is letting Him know how things are with you…….whether by request for needs;

direction for our path…..Psalm 143:8 “Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust:  cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;  for I lift up my soul unto thee.”

and confession of sin.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

 We can pour out our hearts thoughts before Him. He feels everything that we experience, and  sharing these things with Him,  is like talking to our best Friend.

Prayer is supplicating for others:  their needs, whether spiritual or material.   

And, yes,  prayer is complaining to God;   David says,  “I poured out my complaint before Him” (Psalm 142:2).

For often, as we complain, we can get a clearer seeing of the true picture of what is really going on: with us and in the situation.

Prayer is Praise.  And it is good to pray our praise;  to tell Him how wonderful we think He, and His works are.

When it says “pray without ceasing”,  it means to always have the Lord Jesus before us, so that anytime, we can send up our prayer to Him.

It also means that we are to keep praying for the requests we have made, till we receive an answer.

The Church, is to keep a prayer continually before  Him.  The dawn begins in the east,  so should the prayers of the Christians there.     And as the sun moves west,  so should the prayers of  His people begin,  till the whole earth, at every time of day and night is continuing to pray.

God loves to hear us.  His ear is not heavy.

Isaiah 59:1 “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save:  neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:”

He tells us to come boldly to the throne of grace.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Prayer is an acknowledgement that we need Him.  Our dependence is shown in our prayer,  for He is our Father in Heaven (Matthew 6:9),  

He is our Friend and Lord (John 14:27),

and He is our Comforter (John 14:26).

Christ prayed often all night (Mark 1:35, Mark 6:46)…..and as the children of God, we should follow His example and come to Him with everything we do.

An excited child wants to tell the parent everything (sometimes with great detail) about what happened to them.

We, too, should stir up our affections for fellowship with Christ, and talk to Him.

For by grace are ye saved

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

This is surely, the testimony of Saul, who would become Paul.

Yet he was not a man who sought out the truth….but he was an enemy….relentless in his hatred of “this Way”….who found grace from the Lord of this Way.

Saul, a self-righteous Pharisee….a man determined to seek out and destroy all who believed in Jesus of Nazareth…

…yet, his testimony was….

“Touching the righteousness of the law, blameless”.

In all things concerning his love of his religion, and his good character….his zeal for God….that God was the true God…

…he was righteous.

Yet he was fighting against God,…..and knew it not.

Saul had “made havoc of the church” (Acts 8:3), “committed them to prison”.

But their blood was not enough….”yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1)…..

….so he took his campaign of destruction to Damascus.

Till…”suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:” (Acts 9:3)

(Later, Saul/Paul would give this testimony:

1 Timothy 1:16 “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.”

Saul/Paul was really the preacher of the grace of God.

Grace is God’s uplifting and sustaining power given to sinners, through the merits of Christ. “By grace are we saved”….it is the unmerited favor of power.

Saul had made his own “light” out of his knowledge of the law, and his zeal for it….there are many instances of God as light in the scriptures….and that knowledge is light….

…but he was refusing the Light God had showed him of Jesus of Nazareth as His Son……as Lord and Christ.

….until God knocked him down by light. God made him bow….but what would he do after?

Voluntarily submit or continue in blind darkness?

(How much light do we need to see, before we acknowledge God’s Will?)

The conversation is remarkable:

Saul is on his knees, practically holding his breath,….wondering…

….and God repeats his name twice….”Saul, Saul”…showing him how hard of hearing he was…..

“Why persecutest thou Me?”

Though there is acknowledgement of a wrong (he felt it clear through him)…

……yet he did not know “Who” was judging him in His light.

“Who art Thou, Lord?”

“I am Jesus, Whom thou persecutest”…..Saul knew that name….he had caused many to blaspheme that name,…or die for it…..

…but now he is made to bow to Him….”a light above the brightness of the sun” (Acts 26:13)

In that Light, by Jesus Voice,….Saul is made to see that he had been fighting against Jesus….not just his believers.

And that he was blood-guilty…..he had sinned….and what a sinner he was! A murderer.

“It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks”. Jesus shows him the many times He had “pricked” his spirit with the light of the works of the Holy Spirit….had “pricked” his mind with the truth.

And Saul trembles (Acts 9:6)…..

…he is astonished. His mind is whirling….he should have known….he should have seen…..what has he done!

How much blood is on his hands!

What will this Jesus do to him,….

What could he do,….what could he say….he was guilty…

“Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?”

Grace is God’s uplifting and sustaining power given to sinners, through the merits of Christ. “By grace are we saved”

And the great change by our salvation, is worked on our will,….

….and shows (evidences) itself in the subjection of our will to Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

He has been made to bow,…..made to see the Light….made to see himself as a sinner….

….but now grace bows his heart….”Lord, What wilt Thou have me to do?”

“Lord, what can I possible do to get this terrible blood-guiltiness forgiven? What can I do to amend my life?”

What Jesus says here is amazing….and worthy to note.

The real battle was over…..Saul, bowed to Jesus Christ, now, of his own free will.

So Christ Jesus speaks now to his servant….”Arise, Go, and it will be told you.”

“Leave your life now in My hands….My grace….My light….

….I will lead you from now on.” And Saul obeys, but is blind, needing help to get there.

Grace has been offered….and received.

For three days (number of resurrection)…..in blindness, Saul prays. He is shut up unto complete dependence upon Christ to finish what He started with him on the road to Damascus.

The Lord sends a believer to him to pray for him…..the mighty persecutor, turned brother/believer in Christ,….waiting, waiting,…for a prayer by a simple fellow believer.

(No wonder Paul’s epistles exclaim the beauty of the body of Christ….each believer in their place, doing their job….for God, and for each other.)

Saul’s sight restored…..

….the grace that saved Saul…..empowers him to immediately go into the synagogue and preaches Christ….as the Son of God.

This is a title of authority, and power. And Saul preaches Him to all who would hear of the mighty grace from God’s Son to us.

Saul / Paul’s testimony, from that time on:

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or with wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

1 Timothy 1:12-15 “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, Who hath enabled me, for that He counted me worthy, putting me into the ministry;

Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

Saul/Paul’s dependence, from that time on,…..was not on anything, or anyone…..but Christ Jesus….”Who loved me and gave Himself for me.”(Galatians 2:20)

In Christ Jesus

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

In Christ Jesus, we have all blessings. And he wants us to have them, in our circumstances, here. (Ephesians 1:3)

He has for us: wisdom.

This is special light for those times we need it. (Light in scripture is knowledge. It is showing us what is real. God turns on the light, so to speak, so we can see the truth)

Wisdom is empowering light.

Wisdom is not only seeing things as they affect ourselves, but also, as they affect others we may be responsible for, in some way. It is special light for special times.

Proverbs 3:21-23 “My son, let them not depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.”

Christ has for us: righteousness.

This is, of course, His righteousness imparted to us; giving us a right standing before God.

He also works within us righteousness which is obedience to His Will. This is good protection in this world, against the tricks of the devil.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect (living up to the light that he has been given in the Word), throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Christ has for us: sanctification.

This is when we set ourselves aside to God in thought, word, and deed, for sacred use, in our everyday living.

We deny ourselves, and yield to the Holy Spirit within us, and be obedient.

Jude 1 “Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:”

1 Corinthians 1:2 “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified by Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.”

1 Peter 1:2 “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace unto you, and peace be multiplied.”

All the Godhead is at work in our sanctification.

The Father chose it for us.

The Son, through His merits, won it for us.

And the Holy Spirit works it within us, everyday. It is His power within us to enable us to work it out.

Christ has for us: redemption.

This is a wonderfully complete word. For it means…”completely brought out from, by the ransomed price being paid.” (Hallelujah! What a Savior we have.)

It speaks of now,…..for we are His purchased possession;……never to have to be in bondage to anything or anyone, again.

Colossians 1:14 “In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

1 Peter 1:18-19 “For as much as ye know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by your tradition by your fathers;

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

And He works His redemption within us, being faithful to us.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.”

(Blameless is an interesting word: it does not mean sinless…..nor does it only mean, that the sins we commit are forgiven by Him….they all are.

But it means that the sins we commit were not “meant to”.

Did we mean to lie? Then the sin, and it’s consequences are blameworthy. We did, what we knew should not be done….but we did it; putting our interests first.

But God brings us to the point in our lives, where we do not sin, willfully.

Yes, we will always sin….either in error, or speaking out of turn [Colossians 4:6], or anger [Ephesians 4:26]….but these are trips, not denying self,….and not willful sin against our loving Lord.)

This redemption speaks, also, of the coming transformation of our spirit, soul, and body, to heaven forever.

1 Corinthians 15:42-43 “So also is the resurrection from the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption:

It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power:”

In Christ Jesus, we have, and will have, all these things.

Are we getting them into us?

The Woman at the Well

John 4:3-4, 6-7 “He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. For he must needs go through Samaria.

Now Jacobs’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.”

Why is the woman at the well important?

1. the Salvation of every person is important.

2. She became a light which brought her city to Christ, though she was an adulteress.

3. Because Jesus lets us know that it is not in a place, or because you are a particular people….but He tells that anyone must worship God in Spirit and in truth.

Jesus is passing through Samaria, and was tired, hungry and thirsty. His disciples went into the city to buy some food. And Jesus sat on the well, waiting.

She had come to the well when no one was around, because of what she was; and yet wanted the truth of God’s Word…..even though she was, what she was.

(I am stressing this, because we all begin our journey with the Lord the same way: We are sinners. Maybe we have never done what she did, but sin places us on the same plain….on the way to death.)

“Why do you a Jew ask a drink of me, a Samaritan?” (John 4:9)

It seemed a good question, for the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans,….thinking them defiled.

(The Samaritans were the descendants of the inter marriages of Hebrew and the other nations. Ezra 9:1-2,12)

But Jesus came to save all those who would believe and receive His life.

So, instead of pressing His right to a drink again;…….Jesus speaks to her about “living water”.

John 4:10, 13-14 “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knowest the gift of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosever drinkers of this water shall thirst again:

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall grave him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Her reply was very practical: “Give me that water so I won’t have to come and draw from this well.”

So Jesus brings her a step further toward real life, by dealing with her real problem: “Go get your husband.”

Would she tell the truth?

She replied, “I have no husband”.

John 4:17-18 “….Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said I have no husband:

For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.”

What would she do now? Run away? Spit on Him? Throw water on Him?

But instead she considered the truth,…….instead of her feelings,….and spoke to this man of something which was on her heart: worship,….for she knew He was a prophet.

She wanted to know, what was right, in God sight.

This is amazing…..she was being shown for what she was….yet…she is drawn out of herself….because she sees He is a prophet (she still does not see Who He is as Lord and Savior)….but she is being drawn toward more of the truth…

Let me say, that Jesus does this within us….He draws us out of ourselves….our circumstances….toward Him.

“Were they right to worship in this mountain, as their fathers did? Or were the Jews right in saying Jerusalem was the only place to worship God?”

Odd conversation for a woman who had been looking for satisfaction in sexual and romantic emotions.

John 4:21-22 “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship;…

…But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:….

God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

Right here, could have been a problem; if she did not really want the truth.

(Maybe this was what she had been searching for in those five husbands she’d had.

But to want the truth,….generally, and to face the truth for yourself, is two different things.)

Yet, here again, she does not back away from getting the truth,……of getting that living water;……even when it came to what He would say about herself.

John 4:25-26 “The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when He is come, He will teach us all things.

Jesus saith unto her, I that speaketh unto thee am He.”

Jesus had revealed Himself to very few people; but to this woman who wanted the truth, He did.

This shows us the great value the Lord Jesus puts on truth,….and those that seek it.

(John 1:17 “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

When truth is faced, grace is always given….no matter what our background)

This woman was afraid of people….and how they treated her….

Because of that she had come to the well at this time…..and met Jesus.

But hearing the Truth, and the Messiah……sent her into that same town, to tell all that she would meet, about Christ Jesus.

John 4:29 “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?”

By her witness, many came to believe on Jesus, too:

John 4:39-42 “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified , He told me all that ever I did.

So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

And many more believed because of his own word.

And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

What of us? How much do we value the truth, especially for ourselves?

Have we hidden lives we do not want to admit to?

Or are we believing in a doctrine, and that is enough?

The truth is that everyone who comes to Jesus can find the water of life……

……real satisfaction…..and know for themselves that He is Lord and Savior, for themselves….and show Him to others.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

“Direct” here is to “make straight, or right”, “to make prosperous”.

My husband received these verses years ago when praying about how to receive direction, for the work he was called to do at the time.

It is of the heart not the head….

…what this means is, that we have to want to hear what the Lord is telling us…..we have to incline our ear…..lean toward Him, so we can really hear what the Lord is saying to us.

Again, this is of the heart.

(Jeremiah 25:4 “And the Lord hath sent unto you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.”)

He told me the story of when he was first brought into the ministry of tract passing and soul winning….even before he was called to preach.

He was always praying for opportunities to be used…and as he prayed, he learned how to get guidance for this work…..to yield to the Holy Spirit’s promptings….where people was concerned, and for the words to say.

But after a while, when he prayed……the Lord would impress him, with this one person he should speak to….

….but he did not want to speak to this particular person.

Finally, the Lord told my husband…..this person….or none.

And that settled it…..he spoke to this man.

You see, we can not pick and choose…..who, or where, or how…..if we are to let the Lord direct us.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

But the real secret to this direction from the Holy Spirit for our walk (our conversation, our calling, our ministry, our life)….is:

To acknowledge Him…..in all our ways…..and then He will direct our paths.

But to have this direction aright, we must do this in everything,….

…..not just the big, important things….but the little, everyday things as well.

It is seeking Him in our “paths”…..it is our everyday walk that matters.

And that is where the “trust in the Lord” comes in.

Trust is hanging on to Jesus….to hold Him….and not to let Him go….for His felt Presence with us, by the Holy Spirit, is our power.

Acknowledge comes from the root word “know”….and that is what it is all about.

What do we know about our God….

….that is what we tell Him….and ask Him, in accordance to that knowledge, to do for us.

Examples:

David after his sin with Bathsheba….

….David cried for mercy…getting honest with God……for he knew God was merciful:

Psalm 51:1, 6 “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”

Jeremiah’s lamentation when Josiah, the last godly king, died…and he knew that terrible judgement which would come on Jerusalem and Judah…

….for they had forsaken God,and His commandments……even while they pretended to attend the sacrifices:

Lamentations 3:16-17, 47 “He (God) hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, He hath covered me with ashes.

And Thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forget prosperity,

Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.”

Here was the cry of the Lord’s prophet knowing what would come to His people….

…but He also knows God….so he prays….

Lamentations 3:48-50 “Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughters of my people.

My eye tricketh down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission,

Till the Lord looked down, and behold from heaven.”

Lamentations 3:22-23, 25 “It is of the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness.

The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.”

And then Peter:

Peter had denied the Lord three times….after he had said he would “lay down his life” for Jesus (John 13:37)

But then Peter is given the opportunity to confess and get forgiveness….

But the subject is not sin…..although that was there….but love.

John 21:15-17 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith unto Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My Sheep.

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?

Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me?

And he said unto Him, Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed My Sheep.”

Why did Peter deny the Lord? Fear.

Why would Peter go on and do the Lord’s Will, feeding His lambs and sheep, now….against all that would come up? Love.

Love must be the motivating factor to our lives….love for Jesus. Peter would be empowered by the Holy Spirit when He was given on the day of Pentecost….but love must wave the banner over our lives.

“…And when He (Jesus) had spoken this, He saith unto him (Peter), Follow Me.” (John 21:19)

Peter must love the Lord (so must we)….if we are to “Trust in the Lord”….and get direction.

It must be love…..to trust and obey.

It is our privilege and duty to seek His direction in our paths….our everyday walk in this world….even when we have failed….

And He is more than willing to give it.

Let us….Trust in the Lord,….stop leaning on our own opinions….and since we know Him….and love Him….

…..let us go to Him in all our ways, and seek Him according to our knowledge of Him…..and He will guide us.

To reign in real life

Roman 5:17 “For if by one man’s offense (Adam’s sin), death reigned by one;

much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”

But how to reign in real life?

We know that Christ reigns as Sovereign over all….

….and that in Him we reign as “a royal priesthood” 1 Peter 2:9….spiritually.

But how do we get that into our real life?….the life I live at home, at work, with friends,…

….in real life.

Paul wrote about his experience, after his conversion on the road to Damascus….

…..the battle Paul had with himself.

He said he saw in the Law, that he was covetous….

Paul had been a Pharisee, a very religious man…..knowing the scriptures well…but when he was born again….the Holy Spirit used that knowledge of the law….

….to “slay” (Romans 7:9, 11) in Paul some part of himself….his desire for self-glory.

He saw that no matter how he willed to do good in the things he was doing for God….that self sin was there….making his good works and obediences…..corrupt.

For it is our attitude toward the things we do that gives them value…..do we do them out of love for Christ….or out of love for Christ and myself (even a little)?

Romans 7:18-19 “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

For the good that I would, I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.”

This has been my experience….I will to be different….

….but how to do what is good, I find not.

I will to do Your Will, O Lord…..but every time I begin, I seem to trip over myself…

Lord, I am weary of all this covetousness…

…my mind looks for another way of doing Your will…

…my heart yearns for some praise for myself.

Paul cries out for deliverance from himself!….from his “body of death”

Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

If there is anything that can be done about it….I want to do it!

The first step in deliverance from “the body of this death”…..is to admit complete defeat.

We could not defeat our sin…..Christ’s cross and sacrificial death does that.

And we can not defeat ourselves….Christ’s life through the Holy Spirit in us, does that.

Romans 7:25 “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind (my determination) I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh (my old nature) the law of sin.”

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

(You will notice, that in Romans 7:7-25, which is Paul’s own testimony……”I” is mentioned thirty-one times.

But in Romans 8, the Spirit is mentioned nineteen times….and “I”, only twice.

It is interesting to note….that the Holy Spirit is only once named before this ….Romans 5:5 “….because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

There Paul talks of conversion….being “justified by faith”…”though our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 5:1-5.

But in Romans 7 and 8, Paul is speaking about the battle with self sins….the battle to bring everything we are, into subjection to Christ…..through the Spirit.

That is why “I” is prominent in Romans 7;…..and “the Spirit” is prominent in Romans 8…

….and why the connection between the two is Romans 7:25-8:1.

It is through Christ Jesus’ merit that the Holy Spirit is given! Praise God for His wonderful works!)

So how do we reign in “real life”?

We continue…..to receive the grace given….and yield to the Holy Spirit in our life.

But how do we cease or hinder this abundance of grace?

We quench the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 “Quench not the Spirit”

Paul’s self-sin was quenching the Spirit….he was being defeated, because the power of Christ’s life, was being overshadowed by his desire for glory.

What are our self-sins? Well, the Spirit can have the victory over us, and them…and give us grace to live…abundant grace.

John 15:7 “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

If we are born again,…then we are abiding in Him….we are “in Christ Jesus”

And My words abide in you…..are we being obedient to the light we have received?

Are we doing His Words to us? Doing what we are told?

Then His Words should be abiding in us….

Then we can ask what we will,….this covers a lot….

…and it shall be done…

….unto us.

Not unto others, not unto circumstances,…..but unto us!

This is the life of the Vine entering into the branches…..peace in trouble….hope in times of darkness…joy in the face of anger….order in chaos….love to Christ in the face of persecution.

These are not from ourselves….

Where do we get these? From the overflow….the abundance of grace by the Holy Spirit! To abide….to live….in the Spirit of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:18-19 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Quench not the Spirit.”

This gets right down into today….with all those I live with, work with, talk to, go to school with, or drive around….

Are you letting the Spirit reign in you?

Are you letting Christ’s Words abide….be worked out by obedience in you?

Later, Paul wrote to the Galatians

Galatians 2:20-21a “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: for the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.

I do not frustrate the grace of God:…”

Paul learned that he had to…..with all his learning, speech, direction, everything….he had to yield this day….this time to the Holy Spirit….and keep receiving His abundant grace.

I Will, will you?

This is God speaking, and when He says, “I will”, nothing can hinder Him, except what He allows.

And in His people, which should know and believe Him; He allows their unbelief to hinder His works.

And why does He allow this?

Hebrews 3:10,12 “Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their hearts, and they have not known My ways.

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”

For unbelief is departing from the living God….however that departing is….in heart, or in life.

The example I want to talk about is in Ezekiel.

Ezekiel is an interesting prophet. Exiled with many of Judah’s people in the second captivity under Nebuchadnezzar (there were three times people were taken away.), Ezekiel’s ministry was:

To tell the captives the reason of their captivity.

He tells them of their forsaking of God, and the terrible iniquity that was still going on in Judah and Jerusalem. He tells them that God will judge Judah, destroying the Temple, and the kingdom, because of their continued wickedness.

Ezekiel 33:28-29 “For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through. Then shall they know that I am the Lord, when I have laid the land most desolate, because of all their abominations which they have committed.”

And he encouraged the captives to accept the chastening of the Lord, and build houses and take care of their families.

To do the commandments of the Lord, till God was pleased to bring them back into the land.

For after God had chastened them, He would remember His covenant with Abraham, and bring them back.

Ezekiel 36:28 “And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God.”

This is a great promise, for it deals not just with the outward inheritance, but the inward heart.

Ezekiel 36: 32-36 “Not for your sakes do I do this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.

Thus saith the Lord God; in the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded.

And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by.

And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the wastes and the desolate and ruined cities become fenced, and are inhabited.

Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruin places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it.”

“I have spoken it, and I will do it.” But it would not be for their sakes.

I was not a matter of merit. But God would do it, for His Word’s sake.

This should have caused the people to praise God, and pray and pray for it.

To get right with God, and seek the good of their brethren.

But what did they do?

Ezekiel 36:37 “Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them,…”

They did nothing.

God had promised. He would do it. Great!

And then:

Forget about it, till we actually see it.

Unbelief abounded:

Not the “I don’t believe in God”, unbelief.

But the “I will believe, only when I see it”, unbelief.

For unbelief is departing from the living God.

Ezekiel spoke and warned them that God required righteousness from them. To do what they, as His people, should do, even in a foreign land.

Not for merit, but to show their belief in Him, as their God.

(Ezekiel 33:14-15 “…if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;

If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statues of life, with out committing iniquity; he shall surely live,…”)

They could pine away, wishing for better days; Or turn from their sins of idolatry and rebellion against God’s dealings, and “live”.

Again, and again Ezekiel spoke to them; but they mocked him. Listening, but still refusing to “hear and obey.”

Ezekiel 33:31-32 “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit thee before thee as My people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.”

God says, “I will”. And nothing can hinder God, but what He allows. And with His own people, who should know Him; He refuses to bless our unbelief (whatever kind it is).

He rebukes us to get our attention, so we will hear His Word to us.

He chastens us, to awaken us to the seriousness of our way. To draw us back into the right way.

Real life is in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. It is by faith.

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

Now let me ask you: Which really lived? Ezekiel or the people who “pined” away in their sins?

Ezekiel’s way was hard. But God was with him.

What do you consider “life” to you? Life with Christ Jesus? Or life here and now?

God says, “I will”. Will we believe Him, and live?