While the title of this White Paper is Assurance of Salvation, Scripture presents many components to your spiritual condition, all of which are contributors to assuring you of where you will spend eternity, and I intend to cover the essentials. Soteriology is the nomenclature (term) for the doctrine of salvation (how one is saved). Many live pondering what lies ahead of them, perhaps one of mankind’s greatest questions. What awaits you when you step through death’s door to the world beyond? Scripture does not conceal the details about the two potential eternal dispositions. Scripture states repeatedly that souls are eternal, and death is the portal your soul either passes through from its physical abode, to a spiritual state with the Yahusha in a righteous environment void of sin, or separated from Him eternally in a place of unimaginable torment. Souls in both dispositions are exclusively spirit, yet the Rich Man of Luke 16:19-31 without a body thirsted, felt pain and hunger when he died and found himself in a deplorable plight, where his bad choices in life haunted him! This passage is often classified as a parable, but Lazarus by name transforms it into a true story, and those to whom Yahusha spoke likely knew both characters. The Author of the Hebrew letter indicates life is a spiritual training course, and I would remind you that you remain only one heartbeat removed from your final exam…
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Hebrews 9:27 (KJV)
The Rich Man of Luke 16 flunked his final exam! The passage text suggests the Rich Man knew what he should have done with Lazarus when he sat at his gate, but chose to disregard it. I wonder if Yahuah placed a ‘Lazarus’ at ‘your gate’ you may be disregarding? This is Scriptural fact, not supposition, and Yahusha clarified the consequences…
(13) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV)
Because the Rich Man apparently embraced the popular theology of his day that taught that health and wealth were the barometer of Yahuah’s approval and endorsement of his spiritual status, he lived in deception the Apostle Paul documented in II Corinthians 4:1-4, and disregarded his mission in Lazarus Yahuah placed at his gate, and his disregard cost him eternally! The wise learn from other’s negative examples, and strive to avoid their blunders! Do you learn from others’ blunders what to avoid, or do you try to see where their failure came and pursue their path intending not to fail? Yahuah further clarified this when He said…
(27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
John 10:27-28 (KJV)
Scripture identifies the place of destruction the broad way leads to as Hell. Growing numbers of Twenty-first Century contemporaries believe Hell is just a perverted fantasy, but Scripture describes both Heaven and Hell with physical attributes. Most people are conscious of this spiritual precept, but reason that since Yahuah is love, He would not create such a place and His love prohibits Him from sending anyone there, but those holding to this thesis disregard Yahushas’ Own words…
Then shall He (Yahusha) say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Matthew 25:41 (KJV)
As well as the Psalmist’s, comment...
Yahuah trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
Psalm 11:5 (KJV)
Liberal theology has mesmerized church people to think Yahusha is longing for more and more people to choose Him, and when they do, He will give them a life of ease, comfort and pleasure. There is no Scriptural support for this thesis. Trials and tribulation follow the new–birth experience (Matthew 16:24, Matthew 19:21, Luke 9:23, John 12:26 and John 16:33). In fact, concerning salvation, the King Yahusha Ha'Mashiach described just the converse…
All that the Father giveth Me (Yahusha) shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.
John 6:37 (KJV)
In addition, the negative counterpart…
No man can come to Me (Yahusha), except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:44 (KJV)
The Apostle John penned a, staggering comment in the Revelation of Yahusha Ha'Mashiach when he wrote…
The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Revelation 17:8 (KJV)
The Father recorded the name of every elect soul in the Lamb’s Book of Life and sealed the book before time was! This destroys the popular concept of a divine scribe with a pen and a bottle of Whiteout modifying the contents of the Lamb’s Book of Life as congregants experience pressing traumatic incidents that trigger insincere professions of faith. There is a tension here the righteous must learn to deal with. There will be souls you know, and feel burdens for, very likely family members that you pray for, and witness to, who will not respond. You must learn to disregard discouragement, while continuing to intercede when you feel the burden and witness when Yahuah avails you the opportunity! A chaste, virgin bride is the profile of the Church. The concept that Yahusha does not know who constitutes the Church is as ridiculous as a man planning to marry hanging-out at a church, waiting for a candidate bride to just appear. Just as men court the woman they plan to marry, the King Yahusha Ha'Mashiach is courting the elect using the Power of the Ruach Ha'Qodesh in progressive sanctification to do so!
Yahushas’ Glory is the object of His Redemptive Plan, which will culminate when every knee bows before Him, confessing that He is King to Alahiym the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). There is nothing in Scripture that remotely suggests that will happen on this side of eternity! The Twenty-First Century carnal culture has overlaid the Yahuah’s agape love with a reciprocal, and often sensual counterpart, disregarding the fact, that wrath is part of Yahuah’s agape love! Because of the fall and subsequent curse (Genesis 3), everyone ever born is separated from Yahuah (lost and on the broad way by default) (Romans 3:10-18, 23 and 6:23), except those regenerated to new life in the King Yahusha Ha'Mashiach (John 3:3 and Titus 3:5 - saved) by the Power of the Ruach Ha'Qodesh. American prosperity feeds the thought, ‘I’m in good shape. I do not need to be saved from anything except possibly the IRS, political corruption, the Deep State, financial collapse, or whatever else’ and yonder they go! Spiritual salvation is the threshold to exempt you from Hell, so there are two questions: how am I saved and how can I be assured of my salvation.
Concerning salvation, two lines of thought prevail in religious circles. Liturgical theology says that one must earn a place in Heaven, through adherence to religious rules, charitable, compassionate, or righteous deeds done and/or measures of suffering (salvation by works). Adherents to this belief must disregard Scripture altogether, or remove focal passages from their context for support, and there are verses, which when removed from their context seem to support salvation by works. Matthew 7:13-14 is but one passage salvation-by-works advocates use to affirm their position that souls choose which of the two gates to pass through. This thinking springs from the idea that souls enter this life with a neutral spiritual report card, and then accrue good and bad marks on that ledger, which will be tallied by a divine accountant at some point in the future to determine eternal disposition. In this thesis, the broad-way-travelers are the ones who accrue all the bad marks. The problem with this view is one can never be sure you have done enough of the right things to escape Hell! Proponents of works-based salvation have expanded their error to claim there is no Hell and all one must do to get to Heaven is be committed to whatever religious persuasion you prefer. This is bogus counsel from false prophets, and false prophet messages continue to multiply like rodents as we near Yahushas’ return! In concert are growing numbers of gullible souls and diminishing discerning Believers willing to challenge the deception. Assurance of one’s salvation is not available in this soteriological construct! The Apostle Paul clarified the means to salvation when he wrote…
(8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of Yahuah: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Ha'Mashiach Yahusha unto good works, which Yahuah hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV)
Verse 10 certifies divine purpose in the salvation of every soul that are not saved by works, but saved to work for Yahuah! This process requires one’s total submission to Yahushas’ Kingship (James 4:7a), but this discipline continues to decline among contemporary church people, who see themselves as ‘Believers’ void of responsibility! While this may seem harsh, Yahusha Ha'Mashiach said ‘Ye shall know them by their fruits’ (Matthew 7:16), and there is very little spiritual fruit in the contemporary church, which has now degenerated into a religious social club. I have purposed to ask Church people who claim to be participating in Bible studies, what they are learning, but they cannot answer the question. I then ask them what was the last spiritual principle they learned and how long ago was it that they learned it, but they cannot answer those questions either. This resembles a marching band just marking time. People as mean as hungry, junkyard dogs can attend church and think they are serving Yahuah. The man Yahuah first ordained to disciple me told me, ‘Ken, you better pay attention to every sermon you hear preached and every Sunday school lesson you hear taught, because Yahuah expects you to obey.’ His exhortation put the fear of Alahiym in me to begin internalizing spiritual principles and heeding them in my actions and reactions. While there is no way you can determine anyone else’s spiritual condition, conservative theologians fear that the percentage of American Believers hovers around one percent. Believers in this context is one regenerated to new life in Yahusha Ha'Mashiach by the Power of the Ruach Ha'Qodesh, is a member in good standing of a local congregation, who knows their spiritual gifting, who is mindful of personal sinful tendencies and purposes to reel them in, and who remains pliable in Yahuah's Hand! The Apostle Matthew recorded Yahusha Ha'Mashiach’s correction of the growing misunderstanding about His sheep (John 10:3-5) when He said…
(21) Not every one that saith unto me, King, King, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, King, King, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:21-23 (KJV)
Avoidance of this dilemma is Scriptural knowledge together with obedience to it. Matthew 7:21-23 is one of the most somber passages in Scripture! It is hard to imagine the horror in someone’s soul hearing Yahuah say, ‘I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. They will be face-to-face with the memory of a wasted life based on lies!’ I have only witnessed to three people whom so hated Yahuah that they said they wanted to go to Hell. Most people do not want to go to Hell, but neither are they willing to submit themselves to Yahushas’ Kingship, the prerequisite to salvation (John 14:6). This should emphasize the importance of learning, understanding, embracing and obeying Scriptural principles!
At physical birth, everyone is on the broad way, having a living body, an eternal soul, but a dead spirit you were born with, which remains in that state until the Ruach Ha'Qodesh of Yahuah breathes life into your dead spirit, giving you new life in Yahusha Ha'Mashiach (John 3:3 and Titus 3:5). At that point, the Ruach Ha'Qodesh of Yahuah comes to indwell you and impart one, or more spiritual gifts (Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12), which you are to embrace, develop and pursue ways to invest in the lives of others for Yahuah's Glory. The New Testament refers candidly to this spiritual fruit! The indwelling Ruach Ha'Qodesh introduces the newly regenerated soul to two former unknowns: free will and double mindedness.
Souls enter life single minded, serving either self, or Satan (Ephesians 2:1-2). They have no desire, capacity, or will for spiritual matters. Many believe that humankind has free will, which is true in a limited sense. They can make temporal choices, but remain indifferent to spiritual matters until the Holy Spirit breathes life into their dead spirit, and comes to indwell them. The Apostle Paul provides this statement of reassurance…
(13) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the Besorah of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Ruach Ha'Qodesh of promise, (14) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14 (KJV)
The unregenerate may avoid carnal conduct by virtue of lack of opportunity, or fear of reprisal, criticism or consequences, but not because of concern of any spiritual impact. Regeneration introduces the new Believer to his or her desperate plight apart from Yahusha Ha'Mashiach, a concept it was formerly clueless about. Following this event, the Ruach Ha'Qodesh quickens them in the face of temptation that yielding to it is sin and enables them to resist. For the first time, the newly regenerated soul has the free will to disregard the Ruach Ha'Qodesh’s quickening and satisfy the flesh, which quenches the power of the Ruach Ha'Qodesh, or obey the Ruach, resist the temptation and crucify your flesh according to the Apostle Paul…
And they that are Mashiach's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Galatians 5:24 (KJV)
Spiritual free will is only present following regeneration. Here, you have a bold warning about the presence and danger of double mindedness! There are several Scriptural principles the Believer must discipline self to obey…
(17) Therefore if any man be in Mashiach, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (18) And all things are of Yahuah, who hath reconciled us to himself by Yahusha Ha'Mashiach, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
II Corinthians 5:17-18 (KJV)
The old things that passed away are byproducts of repentance (II Timothy 2:24-25). I would challenge you to audit your life since the Ruach Ha'Qodesh of Yahuah regenerated you to new life in Yahusha Ha'Mashiach. If you detect no change, or changes are minimal, you might do well to check your spiritual pulse! Some classify this as legalism, or works-oriented salvation, but the Scriptural directive is for those regenerated to…
(7) Submit yourselves therefore to Yahuah. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (8) Draw nigh to Yahuah, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
James 4:7-8 (KJV)
James first warns of double mindedness in the eighth verse of his first chapter, and here, in this two-verse couplet, he identifies the required principles for spiritual growth. These are not suggestions, but commands as consistent as the Second Law of Thermal Dynamics! If you detect a spiritual problem, James 4:7-8 will enable you to identify the problem and correct it, but it is incumbent on you to pursue the correction prayerfully! Your mind is the seedbed of sin. Everybody develops a list of familiar sins (your flesh) prior to regeneration, which the Ruach Ha'Qodesh of Yahuah is in the process of conforming out of you (Romans 8:29 and Philippians 1:6). Double mindedness catalyzes spiritual drift, which if not corrected leads to a stronghold the Apostle Paul instructs you to correct in II Corinthians 10:3-5, and if not dealt with, will lead to the sin unto death (I John 5:16). Using James 4:7-8 as your metric, you must first submit yourself to Yahuah, which enables you to resist Satan and his demonic hordes. Resisting Satan positions you to draw near to Yahuah, with the promise that He will draw near to you. Now, having a close fellowship with Yahuah, you can recognize propensities in your sinful hands, cleanse them through the Power of the Ruach Ha'Qodesh, and become sensitive to that strength of your flesh through diligent, prayerful introspection, which equips you to purify your double-minded heart! You must understand that sins you allowed to become familiar, moved from conscious to subconscious, and then to instinctive, and instinctive actions are essentially strongholds. Because every Believer is prone to double mindedness, the maturing Believer must learn how to deal with your unique idiosyncrasies, which emphasizes the importance of frequent Called out assembly fellowship (Galatians 6:1). Having pursued these steps enables you to recognize the sinful thought patterns that prompted your sinful conduct and purify your thinking! Sensing spiritual drift, you can work through James 4:7-8 forward, or backward to correct your course and restore your compromised fellowship with Yahuah. The key here is developing sensitivity to the Ruach Ha'Qodesh’s voice in your life, because…
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Isaiah 30:21 (KJV)
Yahuah ordains life for every Believer. The question for you is, are you tracking with the Yahuah’s ordination for you? The Psalmist and Solomon both bring clarity to this precept, when they wrote…
The steps of a good man are ordered by YAHUAH: and he delighteth in his way.
Psalm 37:23 (KJV)
And
A man's heart deviseth his way: but YAHUAH directeth his steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (KJV)
The question for your consideration is if Yahuah delights in your way. This is a sobering thought to ponder! The voice Isaiah mentions is that of the Ruach Ha'Qodesh, but he does not speak audibly. When He speaks to you, it will be clear, what you need to do, but you must discipline yourself to obey Him in His timing. Confusion abounds about whether Yahuah still communicates with His people, and if so, how? The Ruach Ha'Qodesh’s communication mode is exclusively spiritual, which the recipient can, and does understand, but must follow the Apostle John’s directive…
Beloved, believe not every Ruach, but try the ruachoth whether they are of Yahuah: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
I John 4:1 (KJV)
Contemporary marketers claim the average American receives approximately ten thousand stimuli to buy products every day, and many of these come giftwrapped in sexual packaging that a convincing voice claims you need and deserve, and through this invasion of data overload come matters to derail the Believer from their spiritual mission. This is why I John 4:1 is so vitally important to memorize and deploy regularly. For the Believer to remain on track spiritually requires your priorities align with Yahuah’s will for your life every day. You spend your time according to your priorities, resting on the foundation of your doctrine, which is laid by what you internalize.
Scripture exhorts Believers to pray always (Luke 18:1) and without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17), and many people do express needs, but few ever develop the discipline of being thankful in, and for all things, including the struggles you encounter and the difficult people you deal with (Ephesians 5:20 and I Thessalonians 5:18), and even fewer even try to listen for His response with purpose to obey. It is crucial for the maturing Believer to develop a teachable ruach, because every struggle you encounter is a divine seminary class / course to instill a Spiritual principle you will need for future mission assignments. In this arena, Yahuah also gave instruction concerning your interface with others…
(43) Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. (44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Matthew 5:43-44 (KJV)
The bottom-line here is you will not embrace this command until you have a few difficult people to practice on. There is all sort of propaganda about this in religious circles, but the Apostle Paul passed the responsibility of being Yahuah’s ambassador to every Believer (Ephesians 6:20), which means it is important to have clear communication with Yahuah’s Throne Room continually!
Weak preaching in the Twentieth Century transformed spiritual birth to a mental exercise, by replacing ‘you must be born again’ with ‘just make a decision for Yahusha’, or ‘accept Yahusha into your heart’! Many people marched down aisles and signed cards indicating they had ‘decided for Yahusha’, and were led to believe they were saved. Only a small minority of these people were discipled to establish them spiritually. Parents generally spend two decades, or more preparing their children for life, but the Twentieth and Twenty-First Century churches effectively threw babes in Mashiach (I Corinthians 3:1) out with the bath water! In concert, Biblical doctrine became viewed as an anathema, as preachers avoided any mention of Heaven, Hell, sin, or the need for progressive sanctification, and discipleship disappeared like the Oldsmobile. This relax of Biblical directives, together with the divergence from Biblical preaching replaced Alahiym -centered theology, with a man-centered counterpart to glorify humanity, now known as ‘easy believism.’ While church numbers grew exponentially, spiritual maturity vanished. Growing numbers of congregants believing they were Believers confessed a dismal prayer life, together with uncertainty about where they will spend eternity (no assurance of salvation! While I never heard it preached, the popular application of decisional regeneration was, ‘I’m just hanging out with my seat belt fastened until Yahuah raptures me out of here!’ This was an evangelistic exercise for all to come join the church of Laodicea, which Yahuah condemned in Revelation 3:14-22. Yahuah criticized Laodicean congregants for being neither spiritually hot, nor spiritually cold, but lukewarm and spewed them from His mouth. In short, that congregation before Yahuah was spiritual vomit!
Just as the Apostle Peter’s mission was to the Jews and the Apostle Paul’s mission was to the Gentiles, if you are saved, Yahuah assigned you to a specific task, or mission. Do you know what your mission is, and if so, are you working your mission field. If you are a Believer, you should avoid being someone else’s mission! In the regeneration process, the Ruach Ha'Qodesh of Yahuah breathes life into your dead spirit and you become cognitively, and spiritually aware that your sin separates you from Yahuah, and you repent (II Timothy 2:24-25). While repentance is the prerequisite to salvation, it should not be viewed as a singular event, because while Yahusha atoned for all of Believer’s sins on Calvary, every Believer is prone to transgress. Sin does not end your salvation, but it does stifle your fellowship with Yahuah, which repentance repairs (I John 1:9). I would call your attention to several relevant passages you would do well to memorize and embrace…
If I regard iniquity in my heart, Yahuah will not hear me:
Psalm 66:18 (KJV)
And
(23) Search me, O Alahiym, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: (24) And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV)
And
(12) Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. (13) Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. (14) Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O YAHUAH, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:12-14 (KJV)
I pause here for you to ponder the personal depth of the Psalmist’s petition; that you do not know the magnitude of your own evil potential. You may have some measure of success in hiding it from others, and even deny its existence, but if you fail to identify and contain it, it will strike like a werewolf on a full moon when you least expect it. The Psalmist’s words are compelling! It would be well worth your while to mentally bookmark this passage and review it regularly. The concept of secret sin is yet another virus in the Church. While you may think your actions are camouflaged from prying eyes, Yahuah knows you better than you know yourself, and I would remind you of a constant cited earlier…
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)
This includes you! The fact is that none of us knows the depth of our own depravity, which should evoke thanksgiving in you for Yahuah’s grace that saved your soul! In the Besorah of Mark’s second chapter, we find Yahusha in a private Capernaum home among a crowd, when several locals brought a man with palsy wanting Yahusha to heal him. Because the press of people prevented them from getting to Yahusha, they carried him on the roof above where they knew Yahusha was, removed the ceiling tiles and lowered the man with palsy down in front of Yahusha Ha'Mashiach …
(5) When Yahusha saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. (6) But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, (7) Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but Yahuah only? (8) And immediately when Yahusha perceived in his ruach that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? (9) Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? (10) But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) (11) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. (12) And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified Yahuah, saying, We never saw it on this fashion
Mark 2:5-12 (KJV)
This passage documents that when Yahusha saw the faith of the men carrying the crippled friend, he forgave the man’s sins of the focal passage but the key here is that Yahusha both saw the faith of those who brought him, and the contempt of others in the crowd. What is interesting about this account is that the miracle the Jewish legalists witnessed seemed to soften their hardened hearts, which was rare. The fact is that in most cases, the unregenerate do not like being confused with facts, Scripture or divine intervention! All that to remind you that if Yahusha knew the spiritual condition of those gathered that day, He knows your every perceived secret thought!
When the Ruach Ha'Qodesh of Yahuah regenerates you to new life in Yahusha Ha'Mashiach, He comes to indwell you, and gives you one, or more spiritual gifts (Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12), and begins conforming you to Yahushas’ image
(28) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love Alahiym, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (29) 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. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 8:28-30 (KJV)
And
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Yahusha Ha'Mashiach:
Philippians 1:6 (KJV)
From the moment you were regenerated to new life in the Yahusha Ha'Mashiach, the Ruach Ha'Qodesh began purging you of sin to conform you to Yahushas’ Image, a process that will not complete until you stand before Him! While most humans resist change, it is important that you accept the Ruach’s changes in your life and embrace them. This will include difficult and painful events and interface with despicable people, who you see as despiteful users (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:28). You must understand that these seasons are needful for good, according to Romans 8:28, and these are the things you are to be thankful for (Ephesians 5:20 and I Thessalonians 5:18). You may not perceive these matters as pleasant, but they are necessary, and therefore beneficially good! It is important to remain pliable in Yahuah’s Hand, since you will be in a constant state of flux until you step through death’s door. From the time of your regeneration, you are to seek to understand your gifting, and prayerfully develop it to glorify Yahuah by investing it in souls Yahuah places on your mission field. This is what the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30) and the Parable of the Pounds (Luke 19:12–27) addresses, that you will be required to give an account how you used His resources when you stand before Him (Romans 14:10 and I Corinthians 5:10). The Apostle Paul documented the mechanics of this judgment in a metaphor he penned for believers at Corinth…
(10) According to the grace of Yahuah which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. (11) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Yahusha Ha'Mashiach. (12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
I Corinthians 3:10-15 (KJV)
Here, the Apostle Paul paralleled the Believer’s life with the components of a building consisting of six materials, showing that Yahuah will examine the sum of your life at the Judgment Seat of Mashiach. Your life’s worth will be represented by either precious metal including stones, or combustible materials such as gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay and stubble, or straw, which will be subjected to fire. The fire will purify the precious metal and stones, but consume the combustible material, and the Apostle John identifies the source of this fire…
(13) And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (14) His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; (15) And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. (16) And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
Revelation 1:13-16 (KJV)
Here, the Apostle John describes Yahusha Ha'Mashiach in His Glorified Body, before Whom you will stand. The bottom line here is that Yahuah will audit your existence to depths you cannot imagine to assign Kingdom Worth to them! Personal matters to be tried include your time, your Scriptural knowledge and spiritual obedience to His Word, your money your priorities and your investment of His resources for Yahushas’ Glory. In preparation for this, you must learn who you are before Yahuah. Everyone develops a litany of sinful thoughts and actions prior to regeneration you must identify and renounce. This takes diligent, prayerful introspection, which is the platform of progressive sanctification, as well as the foundation of your assurance of salvation.
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
II Peter 1:10 (KJV)
The fall is not loss of salvation, but a damaged testimony and broken fellowship with Yahuah. The discipline for this is to be more holy today than you were yesterday, and plan to be more holy tomorrow than you are right now! Are you doing that? Every Believer struggles with double mindedness, or familiar sin, including the Apostle Paul, who commented how he dealt with personal propensities…
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
I Corinthians 9:27 (KJV)
The Apostle Paul gave more detail of his struggle in Romans 7 and II Corinthians 12, and if he struggled, so will you! Yahusha Ha'Mashiach provided the means to succeed when He said…
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Matthew 5:6 (KJV)
Here you have both a personal exhortation and a promise, but it is incumbent on you to follow through! The most pressing question for every Believer is: where am I before Yahuah? Your priorities determine the spiritual sum` of your life before Yahuah. The gold, silver and precious stones are things you accomplish for Yahuah in the Power of the Ruach Ha'Qodesh. The wood, hay and stubble are things you spend time on that are of no value to Kingdom Work, and your priorities determine both. It will be an unimaginable tragedy to see your life’s work reduced to an ash heap before Yahuah! When the late J. Vernon McGee preached on I Corinthians 3:10-15, he commented that he expected to see many saints in Heaven with ‘singed frocks’! While his comment may strike a humorous note, it is a solemn possibility every Believer should be aware of. Here I plan to delve into specifics that contribute to your assurance of salvation.
Prayer
Prayer is too often reduced to a petition to some higher power to satisfy a desire. For the record, Yahuah is not a cosmic Genie! There is a tendency among Believers to pray as though Yahuah is a cosmic Genie. They encounter an unpleasant situation, and ask Yahuah for deliverance from it, expecting that He will respond to their petition, but if, and when He does not, frustration enters your countenance. It should be noted that Yahuah responds to our petitions in one of three ways: yes, no, or cool it, meaning not right now. You must remember that difficulties are divine seminary classes to either test you on something the Ruach Ha'Qodesh taught you, or your ongoing progressive sanctification. Take the time to read II Corinthians 12, where the Apostle Paul says he prayed three times for Yahuah to remove a ‘thorn in the flesh’ from him, but He did not. Apparently, there was a private communique between Yahuah and the Apostle Paul where Yahuah told him ‘His grace was sufficient,’ and that the source and purpose of the ‘thorn’ was a ‘messenger of Satan sent to buffet him to keep him humble.’ This is an ongoing divine principle of operation in sanctification, because pride heads the list of seven abominations Yahuah hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). The normal progression following frustration is anger, which draws you into spiritual drift and places you on another Believer’s mission field (Galatians 6:1). I hasten to note here that anger in, and of itself is not sin, but…
(26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: (27) Neither give place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:26-27 (KJV)
I would call your attention to the account of Yahusha Ha'Mashiach driving the moneychangers from the Temple in Matthew 21 and Mark 11. You see an example of righteous indignation demonstrated here, which is not sin, but anger with Yahuah is counter-productive! You stifle your prayer-life and paint a target on your back for the demons of Hell to take another shot at you. When Yahuah allows tribulation in your life, He expects you to tribulate! On a personal note, I was having trouble and grumbling about my circumstance, which placed me on a friend’s mission field. After praying about the matter, he requested an audience with me where he told me, ‘Ken, if you do not quit griping about this situation, Yahuah is going to keep leading you around Mount Sinai until you do!’ I got the message, quit complaining and learned what the Ruach Ha'Qodesh of Yahuah was teaching me. I wonder if you are hovering around Mount Sinai right now?
Prayer originates in Heaven and proceeds to Earth on the wings of a burden to one, or more Believers, who volley the burden, back Heavenward on the wings of intercessory prayer, but the Ruach Ha'Qodesh intercepts the petition…
Likewise the Ruach also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Ruach itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:26 (KJV)
In addition, this promise builds our confidence in prayer because…
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
I John 5:14 (KJV)
Once the Ruach sorts out your petition, He forwards it on, where…
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Revelation 5:8 (KJV)
For qualification, saints always appear in Scripture in the plural form, and a saint is not one occupying a carnally recognized religious status, but a soul regenerated to new life in Yahusha Ha'Mashiach by the Power of the Ruach Ha'Qodesh! Then, the four beasts and twenty-four elders transfer the prayers of the saints to one of the seven angels responsible for the Trumpet Judgments where…
(3) And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. (4) And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before Yahuah out of the angel's hand.
Revelation 8:3-4 (KJV)
Scripture does not disclose the disposition of prayer after they ascend as sweet odors before Yahuah, but we realize from experience that Yahuah must dispatch His response back to Earth in His timing for the Yahuah's Glory, and the response will accomplish Yahuah’s will. Those offering the initial intercessory petition may, or may not know how Yahuah responded, but there are two passages I bring to your attention…
(8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Yahuah. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV)
And
The secret things belong unto YAHUAH our ALAHIYM: but those things, which are revealed, belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Deuteronomy 29:29 (KJV)
When you intercede with a burden, and Yahuah allows you to know how He responded, it is a blessing beyond description. You know the intensity of the burden and how you prayed, and when Yahuah allows you in on His Plan, which is not publically disclosed, it is a motivator to you to pray even more fervently, and it is something you can pass to your children as a spiritual motivator to them, as well. Secondarily, answered prayer motivates you to greater obedience to Scriptural directives and the platform to speak to your children about the matter that may also motivate them to more diligent obedience. Here, I call your attention to an exhortation that needs some clarification.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 (KJV)
There is a fine line between boldness and presumption, which must be avoided. May I remind you that presumption is one item the Psalmist sought to avoid in Psalm 19:12-14? Specifically,there are some television preachers I have heard telling listeners they can demand that Yahuah meet their request. This is flawed and must be discarded based on I John 4:1. Late in his ministry, George Müller was traveling on a passenger ship from England to Canada when the ship stopped. George Müller asked the captain why the ship stopped and the captain told him it was because of the dense fog surrounding the ship. George Müller told the captain he had an appointment to preach in Canada, that he had never been late for an appointment, and did not intend to be late for this one, and asked the captain if he could use the chart room in the belly of the ship for the word of prayer. The two men descended to the chart room, where George Müller knelt and simply asked Yahuah to clear the fog. The captain attempted to follow his lead, but George Müller interrupted him, and the captain asked why? George Müller responded, ‘because you don’t believe and besides that, the fog has lifted.’ There was no way in the belly of that ship, that either of these men had any visible evidence of atmospheric change, yet George Müller spoke confidently that the fog had cleared! The two men climbed several flights of stairs back to the deck, where there was not even a cloud in the sky. This is a keen example of bold praying void of presumption. An interviewer asked George Müller if he had a special gift of prayer, and George Müller’s response was shocking. He denied that he had any special gifting in prayer, but the way he prayed was the way every Believer should pray! Do you pray, as did George Müller?
Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual Gifts are divine deposits from the Ruach Ha'Qodesh in the lives of those He regenerates to new life in Yahusha Ha'Mashiach, for use in your mission. They most often differ from natural abilities or tendencies, which mean you must give attention to understand, develop and prayerfully use them to edify others, and in so doing, glorify Yahuah. Now there are Spiritual Gift evaluation tests you can get to help you identify your Spiritual Gifts, but these are only suggestions you must prayerfully validate the results of. I would warn that many of these evaluations suggest there are more than twenty different Spiritual Gifts, which I do not concur with. My view is that there are seven predominant Spiritual Gifts:
• Administration
• Exhortation
• Giving
• Mercy
• Ministry or Service
• Prophecy
• Teaching
Please note that while the Ruach Ha'Qodesh may give only one gift to an individual, He more often gives more than one, and even allow some to use all of the above on different mission assignments. Knowing when and how to use any or all of these requires discernment on your part. Many of the Spiritual Gift evaluations classify manifestations of Spiritual Gifts as actual Spiritual Gifts, but I would make a distinction. No two Believers have identical mixes of any of these, so it is impractical to compare your Spiritual Gifting with that of anyone else. Any comparison you make should be against Yahusha Ha'Mashiach as your Standard. For Scriptural support, I draw your attention to a parable Yahusha Ha'Mashiach gave…
(12) He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. (13) And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. (14) But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. (15) And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. (16) Then came the first, saying, King, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. (17) And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. (18) And the second came, saying, King , thy pound hath gained five pounds. (19) And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. (20) And another came, saying, King , behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: (21) For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. (22) And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: (23) Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? (24) And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (25) (And they said unto him, King, he hath ten pounds.) (26) For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. (27) But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
Luke 19:12-27 (KJV)
We must be careful not to over interpret any parable, and while in this text, the first two servants knew their rate of return on the master’s money, there is no way we know on this side of eternity what our return rate is, but there are essential truths we glean from the Parable of the Pounds. The traveling master we can understand to be Yahusha, Who gave each of his servant’s equal sums of money, which they were to invest for his benefit in his absence, with the expectation that the master would require them to account for their action in his absence when he returned. The parable gives examples of three servants. The first had a ten-to-one return on the master’s money. The second had a five-to-one return, but the third failed to invest the master’s money at all, having nothing to show for his effort, or lack thereof! The master commended the first two for their effort, but condemned the third for his lethargy and indifference. What I find interesting about their rewards that they would rule over the number of cities equivalent to their return on the master’s investment. In preparation for this event, Yahusha Ha'Mashiach commands the Believer…
(19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: (20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Matthew 6:19-20 (KJV)
Hope in Americanized English conveys an uncertainty; “I hope it doesn’t rain today”, whereas New Testament hope conveys no such ambiguity, as it rests on Yahuah’s faithfulness, which is by Scriptural definition, definite, but not yet realized (Hebrews 10:23). Therefore, the believer moves through the struggles of life confident he or she will share in the very Glory of Yahuah (Romans 8:29–30, John 17:22, II Corinthians 3:18, Philippians 3:20–21 and I John 3:1–2). In addition, the Apostle Paul tells you why…
(11) It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: (12) If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: (13) If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
II Timothy 2:11-13 (KJV)
The Jews of Yahushas’ Incarnation believed their Messiah would come twice; first as the Messiah ben Joseph, and secondly as the Messiah ben David. Rabbinic tradition developed the idea of Joseph as a Messiah from Obadiah 1:18. While I cannot explain, or justify it, this is what the record says. The Rabbinic tradition of Messiah ben David is derived from the Davidic Covenant (II Samuel 7:8–15), which forms the basis for the future earthly Kingdom of Yahusha HaMashiach, the Messiah,". The Jews alive during Yahushas’ Incarnation were not wanting anything like Joseph, but were expecting Yahusha to defeat the Romans and reestablish the Davidic Kingdom, and they maintained this expectation until Yahusha ascended back to Heaven…
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, King, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
Acts 1:6 (KJV)
Those with any knowledge of the Eight Old Testament Covenants and who put any stock in the Yahuah’s Redemptive Plan are still anticipating that event in our priorities! How are you doing in your preparation for Yahushas’ return?
Spiritual Warfare
Scripture portrays Yahuah’s Redemptive Plan as a battle between good and evil, where Yahuah will prevail, and Yahuah declared the rules of engagement…
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 (KJV)
Within that scope, the Believer is not a volunteer in a sorority or fraternity, but a draftee in a strategic battle, which the Apostle Paul qualifies…
(3) Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Yahusha Ha'Mashiach. (4) No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
II Timothy 2:3-4 (KJV)
In addition, the Apostle Paul gives the battle strategy in his Ephesian letter
(10) Finally, my brethren, be strong in Yahuah, and in the power of his might. (11) Put on the whole armour of Yahuah, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of Yahuah , that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the Besorah of peace; (16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Ruach, which is the word of Yahuah: (`18) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Ruach, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (19) And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Besorah, (20) For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Ephesians 6:10-20 (KJV)
Now it may be helpful to define the rules of engagement. Scripture commands Believers to stand and resist demonic assaults, but does not give Believers any authority or instruction to attack or assault the spirit realm with any weapon except Scripture. While Yahusha and the Apostles had the authority to rebuke demons, it was to designate their authority, or authenticity, but Scripture does not grant that level of authority to Believers beyond the Apostles. Halloween and Hollywood have transformed spiritual warfare into a box office boom, causing preachers and Believers to misunderstand our responsibility.
Revelation 12 tells you that when Satan rebelled, one third of the angelic host followed him, and Scripture identifies them as demons, or devils. Satan has attempted to copy and counterfeit everything in the Yahuah’s Redemptive Plan. The Apostle Paul categorizes the ranks in Ephesians 6:12 as follows: principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. The probability that any of us have encountered Satan one-on-one is unlikely, but committed Believers may very well have encountered one of Satan’s lieutenants! This may seem overwhelming at the outset, which is why the Apostle Paul identified the armor the Believer is to adorn himself, or herself with at all times:
• Belt of Truth.
• Breastplate of Righteousness.
• Feet shod with the preparation of the Besorah of Peace.
• Helmet of Salvation.
• Shield of Faith.
• Sword of the Ruach.
There is teaching that regeneration is the singular incident of putting on the whole armor of Yahuah, but that is flawed! The Apostle Paul used the Roman soldier’s equipment as the model to follow. The Roman soldier either remained adorned in his uniform, or had it nearby at all times.
The Belt of Truth. The Roman soldier’s belt was a platform to hang tools, or weapons on. For the Believer, your belt of truth is your credibility, and is essential for your testimony to others. People calling themselves Believers who are untruthful, either through ignorance or pride, forfeit their witness credibility, being classified as hypocrites, and hypocrisy in the Church is rampant! The Believer must learn to speak Scriptural truth and stifle your opinions.
The Breastplate of Righteousness is closely associated with the belt of truth. The Roman soldier’s breastplate was either heavy leather, or metal, to protect them from enemy weapons, or projectiles. For the Believer, the breastplate of righteousness is your holy countenance, being the result of embraced Scripture and prayerful preparation for mission assignments. Church people calling themselves Believers, who align their conduct with the unholy bring shame on the cause of Mashiach, and are not fooling anyone, but themselves. Having on the breastplate of righteousness enables those you encounter to see the Yahusha Ha'Mashiach in you, not forgetting that if you are a Believer, you are Yahuah’s ambassador (Ephesians 6:20).
Feet Shod With the Gospel of Peace. The Roman soldier’s footwear provided comfort and traction. Application of this in the spiritual arena is for the Believer to strive toward peace and not argumentation. Scripture is authoritative, whereas opinions are like armpits. Everybody has two of them, and they both stink! Yahusha did not express opinions in any confrontation, but quoted Scripture, and much of what He quoted was from Deuteronomy. How much of Deuteronomy have you memorized? While Yahushas’ presence brought conviction, peace emanated from him, as it should from you, if you are a Believer. The reason this is in short supply is because, few Believers take the time to memorize Scripture with purpose to use it in conversation. When Yahusha encountered a stressed situation, He injected peace into the situation, which enabled Him to bridge into His mission’s spiritual condition, and you should use Yahushas’ technique as your model for witness.
The Helmet of Salvation is an exhortation to guard your mind. Satan’s most effective weapon in is bag of tricks is deception, having not had an original thought since the Garden of Eden. The Roman helmet was designed to protect the soldier from blows to his head. The helmet of salvation is to protect your mind from unrighteous blows to your thinking. Scripture teaches that what you become, and the way you act and react reflects the condition of your heart. Sin with your members begins with regarding iniquity in your heart (Psalm 66:18), that is to ponder sinful thoughts. Unchecked carnal thinking will cause you to seek ways to satisfy the lust, which deters you from the righteous path Yahuah ordained for you, onto a course headed for destruction. This is what James 4:7-8 addresses, but it is incumbent on you to guard what you ponder! You have the helmet of salvation on at all times to protect your assurance of your salvation!
While we are bound by time, Satan and his imps are not. As created beings that cannot procreate, nor are they subject to death, they have a complete inventory of your background, your likes, your dislikes and your passions, which they can, and do use against you. They know your reaction to temptation, and what ‘pushes your buttons,’ and often orchestrate familiar temptations you have yielded-to before for the expressed purpose of derailing you spiritually, which is why James exhorts you to purify your double mindedness!
Double mindedness is a condition that only can exist in one having knowledge of righteous truth, but maintains a measure of commitment to the world, the harbinger of internal conflict. Concerning this, Yahusha Ha'Mashiach said…
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve Yahuah and mammon.
Matthew 6:24 (KJV)
This is the result of divided thinking within oneself, not merely because of mental indecision, but because of an inner moral conflict, or distrust in Yahuah. This condition is characteristic in one whose thinking is split between Yahuah and the world: a hypocrite. These persons may give mental ascent to Yahuah, but fail to trust Him in the face of trials.
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with Yahuah? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of Yahuah.
James 4:4 (KJV)
This malady is prevalent in churches preaching decisional regeneration, as opposed to salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Mashiach alone!
The Shield of Faith. Rome equipped its soldiers with a shield large enough to kneel behind, made from either metal or wood covered with a thick leather skin. The First Century battle strategy was to dip arrows in poisonous, flammable pitch, which the soldier or a helper would set ablaze before the arrow left the bow. The objective was just to break the skin of one of the enemy combatants. The hot pitch was painful, and the poison would enter his blood stream and suspend his ability to fight. Since faith is a gift, the Believer must learn to use it in every spiritual battle you find yourself in. While faith is spiritual, it is also mental, in that you must remind yourself regularly that Yahusha atoned for your sins, which grants you eternal life. When negative information arrives, you must process the news spiritually, not carnally. The underworld technique is to present enough negative information to you to derail your spiritual mission. You must first ask Yahuah for wisdom to receive the information clearly and process it correctly, meaning ask Yahuah to allow you to see the matter from His perspective, and honor Him in your response. The worst thing you can do is allow discouragement to gain a footing in your spiritual life, and discouragement arrives when you allow emotion to overlay Spiritual disciplines! When you allow your emotions to rule, Satan’s imps will hit you with more fiery darts to expand your discouragement into anxiety and/or depression, and unchecked depression leads to suicide. A wise man once told me to not be offended at enemy insults, for if you listen objectively, you can learn much about yourself, which is important to every Believer.
The shield of faith is to protect you from dwelling on negative information. Faith is both a spiritual and a mental component you must learn to govern. Scripture tells you that both faith and discernment are gifts from the Ruach Ha'Qodesh, which you must learn how to use defensively, because whether you like it or not, you are in a spiritual battle, and the Believer must remain behind your shield of faith at all times. Either those who lay their shield of faith down, or move from behind its protection, get hit with one, or more wicked fiery darts. The objective of fiery darts is to rob you of joy, which Romans 5:10-11 exhorts you to in all circumstances.
The Sword of the Ruach, which is the word of Yahuah. Using Yahusha as an example once again, He never argued with opposition, but quoted Scripture, which left them defenseless. The Sword of the Ruach is the only one of the six whole armor of Yahuah components that is both defensive and offensive. The memorization of Scripture is a major deficiency in the contemporary Church. Muslims who have memorized the entire Koran in contrast to most Church people calling themselves Believers who cannot quote one verse or Scripture for the number of the years of their age. What a tragic report for the contemporary Church!
Conclusion
The text so far overviews the Scriptural account of salvation, but I failed to show you how to be assured of your salvation. For this, we look to the Apostle John, who wrote…
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of Yahuah; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of Yahuah.
I John 5:13 (KJV)
The knowledge the Apostle John refers to is equivalent to the confidence you have of the nose on your face. He details how you may appropriate this in the previous four chapters and twelve verses, which I will leave to you to pursue on your time in your Bible. It is quite extensive, requiring diligent introspection at each juncture. In motivation, the Apostle Paul documents a spiritual matter that demands your heightened sensitivity to the Ruach Ha'Qodesh’s presence…
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of Yahuah:”
Romans 8:16
I would also present other Scripture verses for your reference to assure you of your salvation…
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 5:24 (KJV)
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of Yahuah abideth on him.
John 3:36 (KJV)
(26) Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. (27) What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
Matthew 10:26-27 (KJV)
(11) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.(12) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:11-13 (KJV)
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
John 10:28 (KJV)
(26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, (27) But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Hebrews 10:26-27 (KJV)
(31) Then said Yahusha to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; (32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:31-32 (KJV)
(11) And this is the record, that Yahuah hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (12) He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of Yahuah hath not life. (13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of Yahuah; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of Yahuah.
John 8:31-32 (KJV)
(4) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Ruach Ha'Qodesh, (5) And have tasted the good word of Yahuah, and the powers of the world to come, (6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of Yahuah afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Hebrews 6:4-6 (KJV)
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the King shall be saved.
Romans 10:13 (KJV)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Mashiach Yahusha, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Ruach.
Romans 8:1 (KJV)
(10) Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Mashiach Yahusha with eternal glory. (11) It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: (12) If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: (13) If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
II Timothy 2:10-13 (KJV)
(27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no manis able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (30) I and my Father are one.
John 10:27-30 (KJV)
The Ruach itself beareth witness with our ruach, that we are the children of Yahuah:
Romans 8:16 (KJV)
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Acts 4:12 (KJV)
But these are written, that ye might believe that Yahusha the Mashiach, the Son of Yahuah; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
John 20:31 (KJV)
(7) I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: (8) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which Yahuah, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
II Timothy 4:7-8 (KJV)
For if our heart condemn us, Yahuah is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
I John 3:20 (KJV)
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Yahusha Ha'Mashiach is in you, except ye be reprobates?
II Corinthians 13:5 (KJV)
I also want to leave you with a suggested model for praying…
Father, I come to Your Throne to hallow You with praise in Yahushas’ Holy Name. I come seeking Your Face, desiring that my priorities align with Your Will for me today, and where they do not, they are Yours to modify. In obedience to I John 4:1, I ask that Your Ruach make clear to me any changes He ordains for me today. Yahuah, that You would grant me at least one divine appointment today. Bridle my tongue from critical or argumentative commentary, but loose my tongue to declare Your Whole Counsel clearly, in love, and enable me to meet all of Your Expectations of me today.
Yahuah, I thank You for sustaining my family and me through the night and this a new day You allowed us to step into. Yahuah, allow me to see myself from Your Perspective today, and give me victory over my double mindedness, that I may represent You well to anyone You ordain me to meet.
Take the time to thank Yahuah for His many blessings, for His Sustaining Grace, for the transforming work the Ruach Ha'Qodesh has completed and pray to be pliable in the days to come. Thank Yahuah for the difficult circumstances He has borne you through, and for the ministry opportunities He availed to you in each one.
Spend the time in intercessory prayer for burdens He ordained for you and for personal petitions.
I pray the text above is instructive to you, and that these suggestions are helpful.
Writing Credit: Kenneth M. Axelson