Striving In Prayer?

Question text:  Why did God wrestle with Jacob in Genesis 32? What was the point?

Answer text:  You have a very good question.  Many well meaning Christians do not understand the logic of prayer.  They say, rightly so, that God is loving and almighty and He knows all our needs even before we ask Him.  No loving parent who knows the need of children would ever wait for children to ask. But Jesus, after telling that our father knows  before we ask goes on to say, “Therefore pray in this way “(Mt.6:9).   Please note the last phrase of the verse in Mt. 7:11.  “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him?” (Matthew 7:11).  And James says, “you have not… because you ask not” (Js.4:2).

The Bible contains what is known as progressive revelation.  For example, if the Book of Revelation was not there, we would not have known who that serpent was who came to the garden of Eden to deceive Eve.  But Rev.12:9 makes it clear that it was the Devil who was that old servant.   Now, the OT can be understood  only in the light of the NT.  While OT is the shadow of things to come, NT makes things explicit.   In OT we read about men praying.  The NT makes it clear that with out prayer God would not do any thing spiritual in the world today (Mt.7:7; Js.4:2). The NT also goes on to say  that the will of God is achieved only through striving in prayer (Rom.15:30-32).  Striving in prayer is essential  not because God is unwilling to fulfill His promises but because Satan is against us enjoying God’s best for us.

One of the greatest truths of the Bible is that God does NOT fight the devil!   How can the infinite God fight against his own finite creature who rebelled against Him?  After all, when God became man in Christ our Lord,  He asked us to love our enemies.  How could He Himself fight against His own enemy?  Satan knows it and He prevents man from enjoying God’s best for them.  But we can resist the devil and remove Satanic hindrance for us to enter into the perfect will  of God.

This is the truth that is exemplified in the life of Jacob.  At Bethel God promised  Jacob that He would bless him (Gen.28).  Jacob, after 20 years of his sojourn,  became more miserable and helpless.  But then at Peniel (ch.32) Jaocb wrestles with the Lord and enters into the blessing that was promised at Bethel.  His name was changed now.  So wrestling in prayer is not trying to move an unwilling God but rather it is resisting against the devil to remove his hindrance  to obtain the promises of God.

Again this truth is exemplified in the life of Daniel.  In ch.9 Daniel learns that the captivity was to come to an end at the end of 70 years.  Living at the end of 70 years Daniel turns his face to God in fasting and in prayer asking God to fulfill His promises for His people.  In the tenth chapter of Daniel we see that Daniel had to fast and pray for 21 days (or wrestle in prayer) to remove Satanic hindrance before he could get answer from the Lord  (Dan.10:2,3  cf.vv.12,13).

Let us learn this truth clearly that all promises of God remain promises unless they are claimed in prayer.  There are areas where Satanic hindrance is heavy and we need to strive in prayer before we can enter into the promises of God.  May the Lord help us to learn this truth and may He give us grace to strive in prayer against Satan and his viles. If interested please read my small book on prayer from www.mathewpaul.org/category/book-on-prayer . God bless

 

Mercy of God and Hell!

Question Text:  Here is a question that has been asked to me and I haven`t had an answer, so maybe you can help me. The Bible says repeatedly that `his mercy endures forever`. Does this just apply to those who put their trust in him or everyone? If it is for everyone, then what about the people in hell?`

Answer Text:  Webster defines mercy as “that benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy. That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders. Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being. The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty. Num 14”.

Following is a part of a Bible Dictionary definition of the word mercy. “Mercy is an essential character of God and it is associated with forgiveness (Exo_34:7; Num_14:18; 1Ti_1:13, 1Ti_1:16); with His forbearance (Psa_145:8, “Yahweh is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great lovingkindness”; compare Roman Psa_2:4; Psa_11:1-7 :32); and with His covenant (1Ki_8:23; Neh_1:5), with His justice (Psa_101:1), with His faithfulness (Psa_89:24), with His truth (Psa_108:4); mercy and truth are united in Pro_3:3; Pro_14:22, etc. (in Psa_85:10 we have “Mercy and truth are met together”)”.

Many Bible scholars think it is best to translate the Hebrew word “chesed” as “covenant love” rather than “mercy” as it is usually done. The Bible is very clear that hell is not prepared for man (Mt.25:41). But those who reject God’s love and His forgiveness reach there as there is no other place for them to go. Till man’s last breath on this earth, the Lord is waiting for him to come to Him. God will accept the final “no” of man with tears as He is rejected by him. That is why through Ezekiel God would say, “”Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? “(Eze 33:11).

 God is helpless when some one rejects His love and forgiveness. That is why He would say, “why should my people die?” Read the last few verses of Eze.18.

People go to hell because God does NOT want to force any one to accept Him and His ways. Thus hell is the negative result of the mercy and love of God. Let us never be guilty of rejecting the love of an all loving God. It hurts Him more than it hurts the one who rejects Him. I hope this understanding of the mercy of God helps. God bless!

 

Casting Out Demons!

 

Question Text:  How is it possible that people from different religions drive out demons in the name of other gods? Exorcism is performed by many people today of various religions and beliefs.  Jesus said that Satan could not be against Satan.

 Answer Text:  You have given a very good and a very practical question. As you said, there are people in various religions who are able to ‘cast out devils’ form possessed people. It really looks contradictory to what Jesus said in Mt.12:26. So how shall we understand this situation? Have you ever witnessed some one other than a follower of Christ casting out demons from possessed people? If there is ever a chance, you must go and witness it for yourself. They never ever cast out using some one’s name or authority. They do it own their own power or in the power of the one in whom they work with, often torturing the possessed person. No demon ever goes out if some one tells them to get out from the possessed person in the name any man or any gods.

For example, no one can tell the demon, “I command you in the name of Hitler to get out of that person” or even to say, “I command you in the name of any god/s to come out”. They actually use force for casting out demons. And all that they can do is to keep the demons in the possessed persons under suppression. Demons are still in the possessed persons but they won’t exhibit their presence fearing the ones who suppressed them or “cast them out”.

This I know from my experience. I had a person brought to me who was possessed and was suffering for long years. The person suffering was the mother of three kids and the youngest was an infant. When she got possessed, she would fall flat irrespective of the place where she is. Being a tea leaves plucker in an estate, while engaged in the work she would fall flat and exhibit signs like that of an epileptic patient. She had fallen like this while cooking and at other times. But since her case was one of black magic and the demons could not even be suppressed by several Hindu poojaries and others. Finally, she was brought to me as a preacher of the gospel.

The demons were fooling me at first. Whenever I was with them, she would be normal and when ever I came out of their house demons would come back with more force and give more trouble. This went of for more than a week and I did not know what to do, that being my first ever exposure to a demon possessed person. Then I went and consulted a senior brother who told me a tremendous secret. This is the secret which helps all other exorcists to do their job. When a person is possessed, if we catch hold of that person, we are in fact catching hold of the demons who have possessed that person. Till we keep our hold on that person, demons are in our hands. If we torture the possessed person, the demons get tortured. If we have the mental stamina to face demons in this way, any strong person can suppress demons. And mostly exorcists use the power of their god/s to suppress demons in a possessed person.

When I learnt this secret, I fasted and prayed the whole of the following day I went and brought that person under possession and caught hold of the demons and that was the end of it. They started shivering like leaves in wind and promised never to come back to that person again as I commanded them in the name of Christ.

I hope you got the answer to your question. Others do not cast out using any name. They suppress demons by force, often by torturing them. Sometimes demons leave the person fearing torture but mostly they remain suppressed. You can read my interesting conversation with the demons from http://mathewpaul.org/tag/evil-spirits/ . Only at the name of Christ every knee shall bow. To His name be all glory. Amen

 

Bible Meddled With?!

Question Text :  they claim the documents are under the archives of the vatican and the church is said to have mixed up and edited that suits their own purposes?

do u think after all they are part of gnosticism?

what will happen just in case if the alleged noto scrolls emerged? will it destroy christianity? will it disprove jesus christ` divinity?

so far as i read the chapters clearly a fake jesus went to india he taught panthesism mixxed with biblical and buddhistic doctrines but more disturbing it stressed man find spirituality and perfection within?

Answer Text : 

Your first question whether the church is said to have mixed up and edited the documents of the NT as we have them today is based on pure misunderstandings about things in the past.  You must remember that the church was a persecuted minority in the Roman empire till Constantine changed his attitude towards the church in the beginning of the 4th century.  It is true that the full Bible as we have it now in manuscript form is found from the 4th century AD.  But there are hundreds of manuscript fragments which confirm the fact that the NT writings, as we have them today,  have NEVER been meddled with at all. Please read about the NT manuscripts in http://biblefacts.org/history/oldtext.html .

http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/papyri_bruce.pdf

Your second question whether they are part of Gnosticism is thoroughly to be thrown out because NT writings are AGAIST Gnostic teachings!  It is true that Gnosticism was prevalent in the NT world and the church had to FIGHT against it for its pure doctrine. And 1John clearly speaks against Gnostic concepts in clearest terms. 

Your question about noto scrolls is interesting, as if one piece of obscure writing could destroy all that was written about Christ and His redeeming work!! You asked whether Christianity could be destroyed.  If it was ever possible for it to be destroyed, it would have been done in the first two centuries of its existence.  If none could do it then, NO FORCE ON EARTH CAN EVER DO IT AS JESUS SAID, “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH”.  Any one who tried to destroy this faith got destroyed themselves eventually.  The last major attempt was done by the Communist regimes and you know what happened.  Let any one else come up.  I guarantee THEIR destruction and NOT the destruction of this faith which is delivered to saints once and for all. 

Dear friend, you asked whether it will disprove the divinity of Jesus.  His divinity does NOT depend on a few manuscripts any where in the world.  It is Eternal, unchallengeable, and unchallenged.  His divinity was made manifest to us mortals by a few parchments.  But it DOES NOT DEPEND ON HUMAN WRITINGS AT ALL.   

Then your last question that some found spirituality and perfection elsewhere is NOT surprising at all.  From time immemorial, the Enemy has been trying to blind the minds of people all over, so that the light of the gospel may not be visible to them.  He has been supplying them with duplicate material all over.  One of the greatest lies of the Devil is Islam where millions are said to have found “spiritual solace”.  Is there any wonder that some find it else where in some other spurious writings?  God bless!!

 

Praying for others

Question Text :  If you feel led to pray for someone, do you need their permission to so?

Answer Text :  That prayer is a big mystery is indisputable. That God carries out His purposes in this world through answered prayers of His people is some thing the Scriptures teach again and again (cf. Dan.9:1-3; Lk.24:49; Acts.2:1). So if I feel led to pray for someone this means that God is at work within me (Phil,2:13). Since everyone does not have this kind of burden to pray for others, we must definitely cash in on this and do the needful immediately.

I wish to bring two examples from the Scriptures of people who were led to pray for others. In Gen. 18 the angel of the Lord appears to Abraham and tells him what was going to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah where Lot and family were staying. And this led Abraham to intercede for the cities of the plains. The cities were not spared, but Lot and family were spared; we are told in 19:29 that it was because the Lord remembered Abraham. Another example is found in 1Sam. 15. Here in vv.10-11 we are told that the Lord told Samuel of the behavior of Saul and his disobedience and this led Samuel to pray the whole night before the Lord and the result was that Samuel was shown David as the next one to be anointed as king instead of Saul (1sam.16:1).

 On both these occasions the Lord gave a burden to pray for someone else and they prayed without the permission of the ones for whom they prayed. I think it is a general principle taught in the Scriptures about praying for others. We are asked to pray for all men(1Tim.2:1). Naturally it is impossible for us to get everyone’s permission to pray for them.

But if we were led to pray for someone close to us, we might get into contact with them and find out the actual situation in which they are found so that we could meaningfully intercede for their needs. When prayers are specific answers are specific as well. When general prayers are done, answers are usually in general categories. So if we need specific answers it is essential to pray in specific terms.

The author remembers an occasion when he was led to pray for a pioneer missionary in an alien field. From four o’clock early in the morning till 12 noon the burden was so heavy on his heart that he spent the whole time interceding for that missionary. But he did not know what exactly was the situation there. So he prayed that the Lord would be gracious to him and protect the missionary. There were very few words in that prayer. It was like sending SMS after SMS to heaven at an SOS level (cf.Mt.26:44).

When at noon the burden was relieved, a letter was sent to the missionary in the field asking him what exactly was happening there. His response was awesome. He began his reply this way, “That you wrote to me on the 2nd of Feb. is remarkable. It is a red letter day in our lives when the Lord saved us from our enemies…”. The one who prayed did not know that the missionary in the field was planned to be attacked on that day. But the Lord placed a burden to pray for the missionary. And the result was, before the enemies came together on that day, the ring leader among them had an accidental death on his way! Remember we are asked to pray that the Lord would deliver His people from the hands of evil men (2The.3:1-2).

So if any one has a burden to pray for someone else, it is essential to pray through till the burden is over. One need not wait till permission is received. Let us remember that the Lord does nothing spiritual in the world today except in answer to prayers of His saints. It is a very clear teaching of the Scriptures and is seldom recognized and understood even by many well-meaning believers today(MT.7:2; Js.4:2: Eze.36:37; Isa.64:3; Is.62:6,7). So if you are led to pray for someone, try and stop doing every thing else and get on your knees and pray till the burden is lifted!

 

Walking by faith and not by sight

Question Text : How is the believer to walk by faith and not by sight when most of what we encounter is seen?

Answer Text : Oxford Dictionary defines faith as 1. complete trust or confidence 2. strong belief in a religion 3. a system of religious belief. The basic meaning of the word thus is complete trust or confidence. It is not a religious word at all in that sense.

Human society survives by faith and trust. We trust each other. We trust our milkman. We trust our railroad timetable. With out faith and trust the human society can not go on. But we all trust people and things which are physical and visible.

But when it comes to faith and trust in God, since God is not physical and visible, we are called up on to walk by faith and not by sight(2Cor.5:7). Though God is not visible, He is an ever present reality. The Bible declares that `the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen (God) are eternal` (2Cor.4:18). The physical things that we put our trust in might fail any time.

For example the milkman might never show up or the train might have an accident. But this could never happen with God and His Word. We could be absolutely sure about some thing if the Scriptures declare it to be so. No one knows what the next minute might bring to us. But we could be absolutely sure that what ever is predicted in the Word of would come true.

It is true that God uses physical people and things around us for His glory. But we could never ever trust them as we could trust in God and His Word.Thus we walk by faith(in the invisible God) and not by sight. Ps.138:2 declares `thou hast exalted above everything thy name and thy word`. So even though God is invisible we could put our faith and trust in Him and in His Word much more than we could do it on people and things around us.

 

The Holy Spirit and Prayer

Question Text:  What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our prayer life?

Answer Text: The very desire we have to pray is given by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit within us whoThe very desire we have to pray is given by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit within us who prompts us to pray (Rom.8:26,27).

As His very name suggests (Jn.14:16,26) {paraclete (comforter) means the one who is called along side} the Spirit of God stands along with us and helps us to pray in the will of God.

Our Lord told His disciples that when the Holy Spirit shall come, He will lead them into all truth (Jn.16:13). So it is the Spirit of God who teaches us every thing, even including how and what should pray. Cf.1Jn.2:27 where it says you have no need for any one teach you, as the anointing within you will teach you every thing.

Then Eph.2:18 we are told we have access to the Father by the Spirit. The word access is interesting as it suggests the idea of an escort. When we go to God in prayer, we do not go alone there, as we are escorted by the Holy Spirit to the very presence of God!

Then, we have in our hands a visiting card, that of the Son of of God, because we approach the Father in the name of the Son. And the Father will look at us as He would look at His own Son! Truly we are privileged to pray in this manner. Praise be to His Holy Name. Ok.

I will also give you also two related answers which are already in our site. http://www.gotquestions.mobi/pray-Father-Son-Spirit-mobi.html http://www.gotquestions.mobi/praying-Spirit-mobi.html May the Lord give us grace to pray in His will and for His glory. Amen.

 

License To Sin?!

Question Text:   I was a Hindu, saved at the age of 14. I backslid many times and then I repented. I had a horrible childhood of abuse etc, never had a childhood or teen years as a normal kid even unto adulthood. When i was 22 i committed fornication once, also drank and smoked. I repented. I stopped then I committed fornication again although a bit unwillingly. I read Heb. Chap. 10. Am i saved?

Answer Text:  You said you were saved at the age of 14, though a Hindu. Praise God for the grace given to you. Then you talked about your backslidings and coming back again and again. You talked about your reluctant sins in your life and wonder whether you are saved. Truly you need to wonder about it. The Bible teaches that a child of God can NOT continue in sin (1Jn.3:9). The very fact that you are reluctant shows that the Spirit of God is within you. That you are concerned about your salvation is an indication that you are indeed a saved person! People of the world not only commit these sins but they enjoy doing it and want to have more and more of it. The Bible teaches that God can not tolerate sin where ever it is found. There is NO forgiveness for willful sins either in the OT or in the NT (Num.15:30,31; Heb.10:26). Sin in the life of a believer is punished here and now while we are in the body (1Cor.5:5). To a sinning child of God there is NO condemnation; but there WILL BE chastisement (1Cor.11:32). The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is a gift from God (Eph.2:8). All that we can DO to get this salvation is to receive it by faith. Since you can not DO any thing to get it, you can NOT do any thing to lose it either. The Bible teaches that once you are saved you are always saved. But that does NOT give you license to live in sin. Sin will be punished where ever it is found. I am going to give you one or two links from where you can go to many other related links and learn all about being saved and the need for a holy life. May the Lord give you grace to live a life pleasing to Him so that you may not be ashamed at His coming (1Jn.2:28). May His name be glorified. Amen. Please study the following links thoroughly and live a life acceptable to Him.  http://www.gotquestions.org/once-saved-always-saved.html ,  http://www.gotquestions.org/license-sin.html .  Praise His Holy Name.  Amen

 

Destined To Hell?!

Question Text: I am a fairly new Christian and struggle with predestination. Can I ask for Jesus to be lord of my life, read his word, desire to know truth, God, and apply what I learn to my life? I trust God’s word is truth, even though I don’t` understand all of it. Will I stand before him to hear him say, “I did not choose you ` and be gone to hell’ . I do not want to go to hell. I deserve it but I want to be with God. I have been praying for people in my life that are family and crossed my path for the conviction of the Holy Spirit to lead them to repentance and saving faith. Should I not do this because God chose those he knew would be His and he loses none of them? I am so disturbed over this. Please help!

Answer Text: I was so moved as I read your question. Your sincere desire to be in heaven and be in presence of the Lord for ever after you leave this world WILL NEVER EVER be denied by the Lord by any means as the Bible NEVER teaches that God has chosen certain people to go to hell. God loved the whole world (Jn.3:16). Christ died for sins of the whole world (1Jn.2:2). That surely includes you and me with out a question. Praise be to His Holy Name!

But the doctrine of divine election is a subject which is CLEARLY taught in the Bible. You can not read the Bible and miss that subject. If any one denies divine election, that person is guilty of denying a clear teaching of the Word of God.

While positive election is clearly taught in the Bible, the Bible NEVER teaches that God has elected some people TO GO TO HELL. In fact hell is NOT prepared for man. HELL IS PREPARED FOR SATAN AND HIS ANGELS (Mt. 25:41). The Bible clearly teaches that God is NOT willing that any should perish (1Tim.2:4; 2Pet.3:9). So if some one goes to hell, it is happening against God`s perfect will. That is why when Jesus, our Lord, taught His disciples to pray, He asked them to pray, `thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven` (Mt.6:10).

Then you are absolutely right about the role of grace even for accepting Christ as savior. Jesus clearly says `unless the Father draws, no one can come to me` (Jn.6:44). From these verses it is clear that when we pray for the salvation of our loved ones and friends, God gives them the grace to accept Christ even as we pray. Because we are clearly taught in the Bible that if we pray in the will of God, God will surely listen to us (1Jn.5:14).

So from now on please make your prayers for the conversion of your friends more intense and more specific and soon you will find the Lord touching them. There is one prayer to which God will never say “no” for an answer. It is when we pray for the salvation of others. Surely there will be struggle as Satan will not easily give up on certain people. But if we strive in prayer as we are taught in Rom.15:30-32, surely answer is bound to come.

When we read the biography of George Mueller of Bristol, we will come to know that he prayed for the conversion of a friend of his for 53 long years! But Mueller, who was a mighty man of prayer, could not see his friend’s conversion when Mueller was still alive. But the biographer of Mueller reports that the friend for whom Mueller was praying for 53 years accepted the Lord at the funeral service of Mueller! So be fervent in prayers for your friends and be sure that answer is bound to come sooner or later.

The question of the sovereignty of God and the freedom of man can not be easily solved by us. It is like the doctrine of Trinity. How could you explain that God is One yet there are three persons who have all the qualities of Godhead? The Bible calls it the mystery of God (Rev.10:6). What we have to do is to take the Bible verses at its face value and believe them and teach them as it is found there. If we emphasis one against the other we get in to all sorts of wrong teachings which are common among many Christians. May God bless you as you try to seek after Him whole heartedly. To His name be all glory. Amen.

 

Why We Should Worship God?

Question Text:  I hate being a slave to anybody.  So why does God make us worship him like we are just his slaves?  I think we were born to be free and if he just makes us worship Him, I think he is so selfish.

 

Answer Text:   Truly worship is beneficial to the one who worships God and not to God Himself.  Now read on.

 

The question of worship is a very interesting one.  Our atheist friends have misunderstood worship and they blame God for being selfish or they think He is a tyrant.   But if you understand worship in its proper context, I am sure you will want to be one of the best worshippers.

Let us look at worship in this way. Now, we all know that man is a very heavily dependent being. For example, we depend on the air that we breathe, the water that we drink and the food that we eat to maintain our physical bodies. Can you imagine living without depending on any of these for your physical life? Then, man has a mind which also has to be fed regularly. Imagine someone who has never been to school and never tried to train and maintain his mind. What kind of a life would he be living on this earth? So we depend on our society, our education, entertainment, etc. to maintain our minds in a healthy manner. Now,  the Bible teaches us that man is more than just body and soul and that man has body, soul and spirit (1 Thes. 5:23). The spirit element is man is the god-element in him. And this spirit also needs to be nourished and cherished regularly in order for man to enjoy the best that life offers. God who is the Eternal Spirit has allowed us to feed on Him to nourish our spirits and this is what we do when we worship God.

So when we worship God, please understand that we are doing the greatest favor for ourselves by feeding our weak and ill-nourished spirits by being in contact with the eternal and self-existing almighty power of God.   So, when you worship God, you are the beneficiary of worship and NOT God. The bible says God has life in Himself ( Jn. 5:26).  Just as for our physical life we depend of physical things, for the metaphysical we depend on the metaphysical and for our spiritual existence we MUST DEPEND on the source of all life who is God and God has permitted us to draw from Him as much as we want and be the healthiest people around.

When we praise and worship Him the power of God charges our spirits like weak batteries are recharged by electricity. When we pray, we use the power of God to achieve things for us and for others for whom we pray. These are the days of battery operated cars. We are very similar to these batteries which need constant recharging. Oh, yes, without electric power you could do a lot of things. Sure, you could do a lot of things without being in contact with God.  You know that electricity will make a big difference in any industry.   Just like that your connection with God will do much more than electricity would to any industry. This is for sure. Would you rather be a tread mill or be an electrified mill? I have chosen to be an electrified one and I know it has made a world of difference to me.