Imitating Christ

Glory to God!

As we continue to learn about what it means to fear the Lord we are increasingly experiencing God's tangible presence! Hallelujah! Yesterday the Lord showed us how Jesus feared God while He was on earth.

• Jesus "made himself nothing" to model the life that the sons of God are to live on earth. Phil. 2:6-8; Heb. 2:14,17
• Jesus lived as a man on earth in complete dependency on God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Luke 4:14,18,19; John 5:19, 30; 8:27-29; John 14:9,10; Acts 10:38
• As followers of Christ, we are to be like Jesus. John 17:18; 1 John 2:6; 1 Cor. 11:1; 1 Peter 2:21; Eph. 5:1,2

• Jesus as the Son of man, feared God. Isaiah 11:1-3
• Jesus relied on the Father, responded to the Father and revered the Father.
• Jesus lived from the Father, because of the Father and for the Father.
• Jesus lived to reveal the Father (godliness) and to be in communion with the Father (fellowship) to do the Father’s work (co-labour).

1. Jesus spent time with the Father. He went to a solitary place. Luke 4:42; 6:12,13; Mt 6:6
2. Jesus communed with the Father continuously (Father-conscious). John 8:29; 11:41,42
3. Jesus never lived independently of the Father. John 8:42
4. Jesus watched what the Father was doing. John 5:19,20
5. Jesus listened to the Father. John 5:30; 8:26
6. Jesus only spoke the will of the Father. John 7:16-18; 14:24; John 12:49
7. Jesus obeyed the Father. John 8:55; Heb. 5:8-10; Matthew 26:39
8. Jesus lived to please the Father and not man. John 5:44; 8:29

Looking at the account of Jesus' raising Lazarus from the dead, the Lord showed us how Jesus lived in the fear of the Lord. John 11:1-44

• Jesus did not react to circumstances but depended on the Father's will and timing. John 11:4-8
• Jesus lived in the light of the presence and knowledge of the Father. John 11:9,10
• Martha had faith for the past and faith for the future but Jesus wanted her to have faith for the present to be able to see God's presence and glory. John 11:21-26
• Jesus said, "I am the Resurrection and the Life"; the One who is now! Jesus wants His people to be aware of His present reality and presence.
• Just as Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, so the believer is resurrected spiritually. John 11:43,44
• Even those who have been born again may still need to be released from bondage just as Lazarus had to be loosed from his grave clothes. John 11:44

• Jesus demonstrated a life that responded to the "invisible". Heb. 11:27
• Likewise, the believer who fears the Lord will have changed his life motive from self to God.
• To live in the fear of the Lord is to therefore live in God-consciousness rather than self consciousness and live in the awareness of God and His Kingdom (the invisible).

To grow in the fear of the Lord, the believer must follow the example of Christ and,

1. Spend time with God. Matthew 6:6
2. Grow in God-consciousness. Psalm 139
3. Stop living independently. 2 Cor. 5:15
4. Be alert to what God is doing. Eph. 5:15-18
5. Be alert to hear what God is saying. John 10:3
6. Find out God’s will to speak it. 1 Peter 4:11
7. Find out God’s word to obey it. Rom. 12:1,2; James 1:22
8. Live to please the Father. Eph. 5:10

God's presence was wonderful yesterday and people received life and were set free as the Holy Spirit ministered to us. Glory to God!

This Saturday, Voice in the City (Suzette Hattingh and Gayle Claxton) have organised a meeting to encourage and equip the saints and we are looking forward to a powerful time in God's presence. For more info click here...

We are also looking forward to an exciting seminar on prophecy and the prophetic that will be led by Alexander Blair on the 26th February. For more info click here...

Quote of the week:

"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him —
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD —
and he will delight in the fear of the LORD." Isaiah 11:1-3

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