TODAY’S DEVOTION (THURSDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 2023)
“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Hebrews 11:7 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 40TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF SIGNS AND WONDERS!
A song writer says, “God of wonders beyond the galaxies! You are holy! The Universe declares your majesty! You are holy. God of wonders!” His wonders are beyond human description. He is speaking that already in our lives. To Him belong all the glory!
Indeed, one of the hallmarks of this God, is captured in the phrase of that song that says “You are Holy.”
Yes, He is holy! That is why if you find, anyone living a Holy Life (I mean a holy life by God’s definition of holiness, not head gears holiness, or religion induce piousness, called holiness: I mean holiness that is beautiful, majestic, royal, powerful and convicts’ sinners of sins), just know the person has succeeded, in eliminating any distance that exist between him, or her, and God.
There is something called the Holiness of God. It is not a religion induced, outward holiness, or a head gear thing.
It is not a holiness that is only considered holiness, when you as a woman, do not use make ups or premium creams, earrings, but use head and body coverings, and all that. If that is holiness, then an average Muslim woman is the most holy on earth. I like how beautifully some cover themselves, with some looking so great in those coverings. But that is not holiness by God’s definition.
A holiness that is reduced to head coverings, elimination of earrings, non-use of fashionable cream or perfumes, is man-made. They took scriptures out of context, and out of dispensational application, and twist them to fit their religious definition of holiness; reducing very beautiful women into Egyptian mummies.
Sadly, you find some of them oppressed of demons, not being able to get or stay married, suppressed, poor, with deep sadness in their hearts and not even able to put up a smile.
If you ask me, I will say it is the devil’s version of holiness because he hates women, and will either defy them or make sure their God given beauty is hidden from view. So, when he meets one who wants to serve God, he makes sure she is reduced to an Egyptian mummy in the name of holiness, and when he meets one who is unsaved, he makes sure she appears like a harlot or like a man, to defy her.
THE DEVIL’S KIND OF HOLINESS IS NOT THE WILL OF GOD FOR US.
The holiness of GOD is the will of God for us. It is glorious, majestic, beautiful on us, powerful, royal, and radiant. It is a piece of GOD’s glory in our lives, and makes us walk in the supernatural of GOD. In fact, the supernatural of God is the beauty of God’s holiness.
In other words, if you are holy by God’s definition of it, you break forth into the realm of power from above. The Bible says;
“Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, you have the dew of Your youth.” Psalm 110:3 NKJV
From this scripture, it is clear that walking in God’s power (the supernatural of God) is a major beauty of Holiness (the Holiness of God), and power is the birth place of the economic prosperity, of the righteous.
If we therefore, see anyone who appear to be holy, not walking in God’s power (the supernatural of God) and possessing the economic prosperity of the righteous (not the wicked), is a sign that the holiness the person claims to be walking in, is the holiness of religious rules and man-made doctrines, not the holiness of God.
The Holiness of God has a beauty, and the power of God; resulting in purity of heart and life, economic prosperity, blessings, righteousness, walking in favor like Queen Esther did, and all that God has to offer for His own on earth, is a capsule of its beauty.
The Holiness of God is not something you achieve by obeying some religious rules, it is not a product of man-made doctrines, or some church dogmas.
The Holiness of God is a product of a spiritual infection; yes, it is something God infects us with when we become very close to Him. It does not come through the application of some stringent spiritual or religious rules and regulations. It comes through intimacy with the LORD.
TO ALL WHO WANT TO WALK IN THE HOLINESS OF GOD, THE BIBLE SAYS;
“So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.
Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].
[As you draw near to God] be deeply penitent and grieve, even weep [over your disloyalty]. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame [for your sins].
Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant].” James 4:7-10 AMPC
It can never be clearer than this. I love the rendering of this portion of the scripture. If we want to walk in the Holiness of God, the steps are embedded in this scripture.
We have to draw near or come close to Him; we have to eliminate any distances that exist between us and Him. That begins with being subjected to His will, ways, and commandments, which will give us the capacity to resist the devil, resulting in a break in any tie or closeness with him, and his evil works.
Yes, as we begin to get close to God and He in turn get close to us, we will begin to see our flaws and imperfections, and submit them to Him to deal with them. He deals with them by infecting us with His perfection and flawlessness, bringing us to the place where be become perfect like He is, and flawless like He is. That is the secret of walking in the Holiness of God.
Child of God, Christianity is a call to live in Christ, who is hidden in God, especially through intimacy with Him. Once that call has been fully obeyed, the holiness of God will be the result in our lives. That brings us to the ultimate secret of walking in the supernatural of God, which we have been discussing – consecration.
Living a consecrated life, is all about separating from anything that is impure and filthy, and clinging to who is pure and Holy – God Himself. All we saw in James 4:7-10 is a call for consecrated living. That tells us, the Holiness of God is achieved through consecration. That is why it beautifies one with the supernatural of God.
WE HAVE BEEN SHARING ABOUT CONSECRATION PATTERNS.
Let us wrap this up with a revelation of the consecration pattern of another ancient man who walked in the supernatural of God when He was here on earth; the man Noah. Our devotional text says;
“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Hebrews 11:7 NKJV
You will never get the details of how this happened until you go read the book of Genesis chapter 6 to 8. It took him walking in the supernatural of God for him to be able to build an ark that survived a terrible flood; a flood with capacity to sink high tech ships of today. It also took his walk in the supernatural of God, for him to be able to gather all the animals that were with him in the ark.
It took his walk in the supernatural of God, for him to survive 150 days in the ark with all the animals, without any feeding on him and his family. Even the food that they, and the animals fed on, was preserve supernaturally.
Everything about Noah’s successful transition, from a pre flooded earth to a post flooded earth, was as a result of a partnership between his Spirit controlled human might and strength, and the Supernatural of God. He walked in the supernatural, and there was a secret to that; that secret is called consecration. The Bible says;
“Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:5-8 NKJV
You discover in this scripture, how Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. It was not that he was wicked like others, then God made a sovereign judicial decision to spare him, as the final arbiter of the earth. No! He did not find grace automatically, neither.
HE FOUND GRACE BECAUSE HE WALKED IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD WHILE OTHERS DID NOT.
That is a consecration pattern there. The Bible said;
“This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” Genesis 6:9-10 NKJV
In this scripture, we found Noah adjudged by God as a just man, and perfect in his generation. That was what made him to find grace in the sight of God. That is the very testimony we will earn with God if we yield to His Holy Spirit, and live a life that is separate from the life of the men of this sinful and morally sick world.
Consecration involves, not following the flesh, the influence of the devil on human system and culture, or the ways of the evil and corrupt system of this world, no matter the cost. It is knowing you are not of this world, and living your life that way.
It is using the grace of the LORD upon your life, to stay away from the filthiness of this world, and the flood of corruption it is swimming in. It will bring us to the realm of the supernatural of God. That is what we can glean from the life of Noah.
It is my prayer that God will use these words, and continue to build us up, and give us an inheritance, among they that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, Amen!
MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR THE DAY!
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:9-12 NKJV