The Spiritual Hope

Scripture:  1 John 3:4

“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”

BREAKING GOD’S COMMANDMENT

What is sin? Sin is the act of breaking God’s commandment. There are dos and don”ts in God’s commandments. When we do what God commands us not to do, we sin. When we do not do what God commands us to do, we sin. James the apostle wrote, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)

BEING IGNORANT, WEAK OR WICKED

When we sin, we are in one of the three spiritual states: Ignorant, weak, or wicked. When we sin in ignorance, it means we break God’s commandment but we are not aware of it. Paul the apostle wrote, “I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.” (Romans 7:9) In this case, we break God’s commandment, but we do not think we break it. When we sin in weakness, it means we break God’s commandment while we are trying to keep it. Paul the apostle wrote, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (Romans 7:19) In this case, we actually want to keep God’s commandment, but we do not have the strength to do so. When we sin in wickedness, it means we break God’s commandment willfully with wicked intention. It is written in the book of Hebrews, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” (Hebrews 10:26) In this case, we break God’s commandment on purpose even after we have already experienced the severity of its consequences. 

SIN AND DEATH

When we commit sin in ignorance, God will not immediately punish us. Instead He will convict us of the sin we have committed without being aware of it. Even though we do not think that what we have done is sin, death will still work in our lives because we have actually broken God’s commandment. When we commit sin in weakness, we realize that we sin because we have already known God’s commandment. God will not punish us as long as we repent of our sin immediately. Death will work in our lives until we truly repent. When we sin in wickedness, God will punish us because we openly rebel against His authority. Death will work in our lives in full force.

SIN NOT LEADING TO DEATH AND SIN LEADING TO DEATH

John the apostle wrote, “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.” (1 John 5:16) When we are still new believers, we often sin in ignorance because we still do not have much knowledge. When we have increased in knowledge, we are no longer ignorant. Nevertheless, we still often find ourselves weak when we are faced with certain temptations and we fall into sin. When we sin in ignorance or in weakness, our sin will not immediately lead to death. When we have grown up in knowledge and have found strength to overcome sin but then become proud, we will fall away and we will sin in wickedness. When we sin in wickedness, our sin will immediately lead to death.

THE ACT OF SIN AND THE SPIRITUAL STATE

The difference between sin which does not lead to death and sin which leads to death is not in the act of sin itself but in the spiritual state in which the act of sin is committed. Any sin which is committed in ignorance or in weakness will not lead to death, but any sin which is committed in wickedness will lead to death. He who commits sin not leading to death will still be able to find a place for repentance, but he who commits sin leading to death will no longer be able to find a place for repentance. He will be like Esau. It is written in the book of Hebrews, “lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.” (Hebrews 12:16-17)

THE WILLFUL SIN

The sin which leads to death is the sin which is committed when the heart that used to be gentle has become hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). So, the person who commits this sin has received the knowledge of the truth but willfully goes against it. He makes himself an enemy of God and puts himself under His judgment and indignation. It is written in the book of Hebrews, “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:26-27)

THE FALLING AWAY

Paul the apostle wrote, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,” (1 Timothy 4:1) In the last days before the second coming of the Lord Jesus, there will be a falling away in the church. Many believers will draw back from their faith and commit sin leading to death (Hebrews 10:37-39) It will happen to them what is written in the book of Hebrews, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6)

“The kingdom of heaven is like the kite, the pilot and the wind. The kite lies on the ground. It cannot fly by itself. The pilot takes the kite and flies it. It flies but not very high, because there is no wind. Then, the wind blows. Now, the kite flies higher and higher. The higher the kite flies, the less effort needed to control it. At some point, control is no longer needed because everything comes into rest.”

“The kite is our spirit and the ground is our soul. The pilot is the Word of God and the wind is the Spirit of God. Our spirit is in our soul. Our spirit cannot be free from our soul without the Word of God, because only the Word of God will separate our spirit from our soul (Hebrews 4:12). Therefore, we need to meditate on the Word of God day and night. After our spirit is separated from our soul, we need the Spirit of God to bring us to God’s presence in heaven. The Word of God detaches our spirit from our soul whereas the Spirit of God takes our spirit to heaven and joins it to God. Therefore, we need to always be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). The closer our spirit is to heaven, the less effort we need to give to control it. At some point, the Spirit of God will take over the control of our spirit. We will enter into His rest (Hebrews 4:10).”

“When we are new with God, we are like the kite. Like the kite that cannot fly by itself, we cannot experience God by ourselves. We need people to help us experience Him. We need somebody to lay hand on us or we need to be among the church to experience God. When we have grown in our spiritual life, we are like the pilot. Like the pilot who can fly the kite by himself, we can experience God by ourselves, because we  have known how to get connected with God directly. We do not need anybody to lay hand on us nor do we need to be among the church to experience God. We can experience God ourselves anywhere and anytime. When we have become spiritually mature and become like God, we are like the wind. Like the wind that can help the pilot fly the kite higher or make the kite fly by itself, we can help people who have grown in their spiritual life experience God more and even give the experience of God to the people who are new with God or do not know God at all.”

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:18

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

What is worship? It is coming to the presence of the Lord to see Him. Worship is different from prayer, which is coming to the presence of the Lord to ask from Him. When we worship, we do not expect the Lord to give or do something for us. We simply want to see Him in His glory. Isaiah the prophet wrote, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1) David the king wrote, “So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.” (Psalms 63:2)

What do we seek when we come to the presence of the Lord? Do we seek His hand or His face. If we seek His hand, it means we want Him to show His strength to us. But, if we seek His face, it means we want Him to show His glory to us. The Lord’s strength will change our situation whereas the Lord’s glory will change ourselves. How can we experience the Lord’s strength that will change our situation? By the prayer of faith. How can we experience the Lord’s glory that will change ourselves? By the true worship.

When we behold the Lord’s glory, we will be transformed into His image. His glory will make us partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter1:4). Being transformed into the Lord’s image is not becoming a better person but becoming a completely different person. It is not like a kitten growing into a cat but rather like a caterpillar changing into a butterfly. This transformation is supernatural, from glory to glory. And, it is done by the Spirit of the Lord.

Paul the apostle wrote, “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) The glory of God is in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is this glory like? John the apostle wrote, “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” (Revelation 1:14, 16)

The glory of God in the face of the Lord Jesus is shown in His head and hair, His eyes, His mouth, and His countenance. His head and hair are white like wool, as white as snow. This is purity and holiness. Peter the apostle quoted the Lord Himself who said, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) His eyes are like a flame of fire. This is the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning. Isaiah the prophet wrote, “When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning,” (Isaiah 4:4) Out of His mouth goes a sharp two-edged sword. This is the word of God as the sword of the Spirit. Paul the apostle wrote, “And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;”

(Ephesians 6:17) His countenance is like the sun shining in its strength. This is the brightness of His glory. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “who being the brightness of His glory.” (Hebrews 1:3)

When we behold the Lord’s head and hair, which are white like wool, and as white as snow, we will see His purity and holiness. We will be made pure and holy. When we behold the Lord’s eyes which are like a flame of fire, we will experience His spirit of judgment and His spirit of burning. Our filth will be burned and our life will be purged. When we behold the Lord’s mouth, we will see a sharp two edged sword which is the word of God and we will receive His living and powerful word. This word will pierce us, dividing our soul and our spirit, our joints and our marrow, as well as discerning the thoughts and intents of our heart. When we behold the Lord’s countenance, which is like the sun shining in its strength, we will see the brightness of His glory. The Lord’s glory will be risen upon us and we will arise and shine as His light.

How can we always behold the Lord’s glory when we worship? We must come to the Lord’s presence with an unveiled face. First, we must believe that the veil on our face has been taken away in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:14). Second, we must always turn our heart to the Lord. Paul the apostle wrote, “Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” (2 Corinthians 3:16) Third, we must give ourselves as the Lord’s mirror, so that our lives will become the reflection of His glory.

The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews said, “by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.” (Heb 7:22) This better covenant is the new covenant, compared to the old one. What makes the new covenant better than the old covenant?

Firstly, the new covenant was established on better promises than those of the old covenant (Heb 8:6). What are these better promises? God will put His laws in the mind of His people and write them on their hearts; and He will be their God, and they shall be His people. And, none of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Him, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For God will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds He will remember no more.(Heb 8:10-12)

Secondly, in the new covenant, the surety of the promises is not based on the obedience of the people of God, but on the obedience of the Son of God, Jesus. That is not how it worked in the old covenant. In the old covenant, the surety of the promises was based on the obedience of God’s people. If they obeyed, then they received the promises. But, if they did not obey, then they could not receive the promises. In the new covenant, the surety of the promises is no longer based on the obedience of God’s people, but on the name of Jesus, because He has obeyed. Though the people do not obey, they can still receive the promises because the surety of the new covenant is not them, but Jesus; is not in themselves, but in Christ Jesus.

Scripture : 1 Peter 2:9-10

“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.”

A Chosen Generation

One of the most important definitions of the church is a chosen generation of God’s people. A generation is not only a people who live in the same period of time, but a people who pursue the same calling during that period of time as well. The church is a people chosen by God whose calling is to proclaim the praises of Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

The Specific Calling of a Generation

The church has been around on this earth for about two thousand years since her birth on the day of Pentecost and has been going through many generations. While the ultimate and general calling of the church remains the same throughout all generations, the specific fulfillment of that calling is different in each generation. While the ultimate calling of an individual believer does not change throughout the church age, that is, to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29), the specific fulfillment of that calling is different in each generation. For example, the specific calling of the 16th century generation of the church is to be justified by faith (Romans 1:17), which is the first step to be conformed to the image of Christ. It is know as the reformation period or the generation of reformers.

A Prophetic Picture of the Church

The journey of the children of Israel going out of Egypt through the wilderness into the land of Canaan in the Old Testament is a prophetic picture of the church’s journey on this earth. Egypt represents the world where we are enslaved by sin and the flesh, wilderness represents the place where we are humbled and tested through trials and temptations, where we learn to depend on God in our daily life ; whereas Canaan represents the kingdom of heaven where we experience abundant life and the fullness of Christ.

The Crossing Over and the Fulfillment of A Prophecy

Where are we now as the church in the 21st century? What kind of generation that God would like us to be? At this moment, God is raising up  a new generation of His church who possess a different spirit (Numbers 14:24), a people who dare to be different from the majority for His sake and for His cause. This new generation will be different because they have crossed over from the wilderness to the land of Canaan in their consciousness. They are ready to fulfill the prophecy spoken by the officers of the children of Israel who commanded the people when they were about to cross over the Jordan:

“When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”  (Joshua 3:3-4)

From the Wilderness to the Land of Canaan.

In the prophecy of the officers of the children of Israel, the ark of the covenant represents the Lord Jesus and two thousand cubits represents two thousand years. As the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus received the Spirit without measure from His Father (John 3:34) that enabled Him to manifest the fullness of His Father and took dominion over all things on this earth two thousand years ago. Now, thousand years after the Lord Jesus, for the first time, the church with a new generation of believers, will follow Him, crossing over from the wilderness to the land of Canaan to receive the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13) by the Spirit and take dominion over all things on this earth. The wilderness consciousness is a state where we struggle with our needs and wants, and where God tries to remove our love for the world completely from our heart. The Canaan consciousness is a state where we no longer struggle with our needs and wants because we have seen that God truly supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19) and that by delighting ourselves in the Lord, He gives us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4). We are ready to go into the world and take dominion of the world by the kingdom of heaven because the love of the world is no longer in us.

Remembering the Spiritual Basics

The new generation of the church will not forget the spiritual basic, which is the covenant of circumcision (Joshua 5:2-3). Circumcision is the cutting off of the flesh of the foreskin. For the church, this circumcision is not that which is outward in the flesh, but that which is inward in the heart (Romans 2:28-29). This new generation will let the cross of Christ cut deep inside their heart that they are able to put off the body of the sins of the flesh (Colossians 2:11). Moreover, in regards to lawful things, they will not allow themselves to be brought under the power of any nor will they allow just anything in their lives, but only those that are helpful and edifying (1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23). 

Living by the Wealth of the Word of God

When the second generation of the children of Israel had entered the land of Canaan, which was described as a land flowing with milk and honey (Joshua 5:6), they no longer had manna as their food, but they ate the the produce of the land (Joshua 5:12). Manna was the children of Israel’s food given in portion for their daily survival in their wilderness whereas the produce of the land was the children of Israel’s food available in abundance for their nourishment and enjoyment. The new generation of the church will no longer live just by the little portion of the word of God everyday for their spiritual survival, but by the wealth and abundance of the word of God for their spiritual nourishment and enjoyment (Jeremiah 15:16).

In his epistle, the apostle James wrote, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (Jms 5:16) For us as the just or the righteous, our prayer avails much when we pray effectively and fervently. What does it mean to be effective in our prayer? It means we pray correctly in a manner that will cause results. What does it mean to fervent in our prayer? It means we pray with passion and intensity of our emotion.

The apostle Paul wrote that we should always pray with all kinds of prayers and supplications in the Spirit (Eph 6:18). There many different types of prayers for different occasions. To know which type of prayer is right at any given situation, and to pray effectively and fervently, we must be in the Spirit. The prayer of faith (Jms 5:15) and the prayer of agreement (Mat 18:19) are two examples of different types of prayers.

The prayer of faith is the prayer that expresses faith, believing that what is asked has been received before it is actually received. In the words of the Lord Jesus, “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you have receive them, and you will have them.” (Mrk 11:24) This type of prayer is the one that the elders of the church are supposed to pray when they are called to pray for the sick (Jms 5:14-15).

The prayer of agreement is the prayer that expresses agreement of at least two believers concerning anything that they ask (Mat 18:19). The Lord Jesus Himself is in the midst of the believers who pray this prayer, because where two or three of them are gathered together in His name, He is there in the midst of them (Mat 18:20). This type of prayer is the one that the church is supposed to pray whenever they gather together.

Praying fervently normally means praying out loud. However, this is not always possible, especially when we pray in public places. How should we pray fervently when it is not possible to pray out loud? We focus on the intent of our prayer because the power of God always follows our intent. Then, we direct our words forcefully without having to raise our voice.

There are many good things that we can receive from God. The Lord Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him.” (Mat 7:11). The best of these good things is the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luk 11:13)

Why is the Holy Spirit the greatest and the best gift we can possibly receive from God? Because the Holy Spirit is God. He is not some power from God, but is the personality of God. He is not a thing from God, but is the Person of God. If you receive the Holy Spirit, you receive God Himself. There is no greater or better gift than that.

The Holy Spirit is the Person of God. Simon Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” (Acts 5;3-4) Lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God because the Holy Spirit is God.

God wants to dwell with us and in us. God Himself has said :

“I will dwell in them

And walk among them.

I will be their God,

And they shall be My people.” (2 Cor 6:16)

When God gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, He dwelt with us. When God gives His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, He dwells in us.

When God gives the Holy Spirit, He actually gives Himself. God does not only want to dwell with us, but in us as well. The Lord Jesus could only dwell with us because He was a flesh. The Holy Spirit can dwell in us because He is a spirit and a spirit can enter us. The Lord Jesus is God with us while the Holy Spirit is God in us.

Why does God give the Holy Spirit to dwell in us? Because God wants us to become like Him. If God only dwells with us, we can experience His presence, but we cannot be like Him in person. If God dwells in us, then we can be like Him in person. God can use our spirit, our soul and our body to express His person; His nature, His personality and His attributes.

The purpose of God giving us the Holy Spirit is to transform us into the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus. He is the express image of the Person of God (Heb 1:3). The apostle Paul wrote, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor 3:18)

Most Christians are familiar with the verse, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) It is the great verse of God’s love and the salvation of men through faith in His Son. But, what is salvation? What does it mean to be saved? From that verse and the verse that follows it which says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved,” (Jhn 3:17), we can say that to be saved is to not be condemned by God; to not perish, but have everlasting life.

The meaning of salvation understood by most Christians is just having eternal security. We are saved from the punishment of sin which is eternal death and are given eternal life. So, when we die we will not go to hell, but to heaven to be with God. It is true that salvation includes eternal security, but the essence of salvation is not salvation from eternal punishment, but salvation from the power of sin and from ourselves.

Because of sin, our nature is corrupt. We become slaves of sin and creatures of selfishness. Consequently, death is working in our lives because the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). Whether we realize it or not, we are destroying ourselves and are perishing. If God wants to save us, He must save us from this power of sin and death which is actively working in our lives. He must also save us from our corrupt and selfish nature. And, that is exactly what He does in saving us. He changes our nature through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Tit 3:5). We are born again and become a new creation when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:17). Our old sinful nature is replaced by the new nature from God, which is Christ’s own nature. This new nature was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:24) and has the life of God in it.

“Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging.” (Luk 18:35)

A blind man cannot move freely to do work or activity. Therefore, he will spend most of his time just to sit. Nevertheless, he needs food to survive, so he will be forced to beg. A spiritually blind person cannot move freely with God to do His work. So, he will become spiritually passive and poor. He will be like a beggar, always asking or begging from God.

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?” (Mat 23:16-17)

Scribes and Pharisees were not people without knowledge. They studied the law so they had knowledge. However, the Lord Jesus called them blinds guides. Why? Because the knowledge that they had are not according to the truth. So they were in fact blinds and fools. People who are spiritually blind can study the Bible and have knowledge of the Bible, and even teach it. But, their knowledge will not be according to God’s truth. They will interpret the Bible according to their own understanding. The wisdom that they will have comes from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, not from the tree of life.

“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Rev 3:17)

The Laodicean church did not realize that they were spiritually wretched, miserable and poor. They thought they were spiritually rich because they were materially rich had become wealthy. They measured spiritual riches by material riches. Why? Because they were spiritually blind. Likewise, people who are spiritually blind will not realize that they are spiritually poor. They think they are spiritually rich, especially if they are materially rich and have become wealthy.

Sinners are people who are spiritually blind, while believers are people whose eyes are spiritually open. Nevertheless, a believer can become spiritually blind again if he does not take care of his spiritual life. He may not become spiritually blind immediately, but become short sighted first. This condition is the result of the intensity of God’s light diminishing in his life. When a believer is not full of the Holy Spirit, the light of God in his life will diminish (Mat 25:8).

The Lord Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

(Mat 6:22-24) Pursuing and serving money will make our eyes bad and eventually we will be blind to spiritial things. Pursuing and serving God will make our eyes good and eventually our eyes will be open to spiritual things.

Acquiring knowledge for the mind, including knowledge from the Bible, without continuously being filled with the Holy Spirit will make the eyes of a believer become short sighted. The word of God that he hears or reads will not produce light because it will not be revealed. Even though his knowledge increases, he will still be a fool spiritually, like the Scribes and Pharisees (Psa 119:130)

There are three plans that can be at work in our lives :

1. Our own plans. 

2. Other people’s plans toward us

3. God’s plans for us.

If we are without God, we will do our own plans, we will do whatever we want to do. Also, others will do their own plans to us, they will do whatever they want to do to us, and we will be easily influenced or affected by them.

If we are with God, instead of doing our own plans, that is, whatever we want to do, we can allow God to do whatever He wants to do in our lives. Also, though others may still do whatever they want to do to us, but with God we will not be easily influenced or affected by them if we know how to respond to them.

Our own plans are very limited, God’s plans are without limit and other people’s plans are generally against God’s plans because the devil is often behind them.

What is the purpose of God being with us? That we may know His plans for us and  that we may give up our own plans and work with God so that His plans will be fulfilled in our lives. Fulfilling the plans of God means we become what God wants us to be in our lives.

If we want to become what God wants us to become in our lives, the first thing that we need to do is to give up our own plans. When we are willing to give up our own plans,  God will begin to reveal His plans for us. The Lord Jesus said, “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Mat 16:25) If we are not willing to give up our own plans, we will never know and find God’s plans for us. God’ plans for Joseph is greatness, that he would  become so great that even his father, his mother and his brothers would bow down before him.

After we have given up our own plans and have found God’s plans for our lives, the devil will begin to use other people to destroy those plans. After Joseph had a dream of God’s plan for his greatness, his brothers planned to kill him and he was thrown into a pit and eventually sold as a slave in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh.

The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord  was with him and that the Lord  made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. However, one day, he was accused of trying to rape Potiphar’s wife and consequently was thrown into prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.

Even though his brothers as well as Potiphar’s wife tried to destroy him, the Lord was with Joseph because he did not commit any wickedness or sin. Moreover, Joseph also kept his heart undefiled, he was not angry with God nor with his brothers nor with Potiphar’s wife. He could see the hand of God behind what happened to him. After God set him free from the prison and made him a ruler of Egypt, he told his brothers, “So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Gen 45:8) He understood that whatever men did to him after he embraced God’s plans for his life was God’s hand in making him what God wanted him to become.

The second thing that we need to do if we want to become what God wants us to become is to treat to whatever other people do to us as God’s process. We see what other people are doing to us as parts of what God is making us to become. Therefore, we do not resist or rebel against the people, but we surrender to God and love them. By doing so, whatever people mean evil against us; God will turn it around to  mean it for good (Gen 50:20). In Joseph’s case, his brothers threw him into the pit, Potiphar’s wife put him into prison, but since God’s plan was for him to be in the palace, everything evil done by people toward Joseph was just God’s process of making him a ruler. Both pit and prison are the places that brought him to the palace.