The command of the Lord

Today's lead Word is from Matthew 11:1 (NKJV)

"Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities".

Amen, thank you LORD.

When God is saying I have given you commandments, He is speaking from His nature which is to legislate. The LORD says in Isaiah 55:11, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the things for which I sent it." This tells that God's words are not suggestions and the above Word portrays it well. The Word, the command of the Lord is powerful because it must be and as it is released, God releases the resources, the divine enablement that is necessary for the fulfilment of that Word. For instance, in yesterday's post, we looked at the willingness and compassion that Jesus displayed when it came to healing the sick. However, the Lord Jesus also displayed His compassion to the multitude during His day by sending out laborers in the field because He realized that the harvest was plenty but the laborers were few (Matthew 9:36-37). Matthew 10:1 NKJV, tells us, "And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of diseases." So as the disciples went out into the harvest according to the command of the Lord, they had the power of God to do the works of His Kingdom. Today, Jesus' heart to equip laborers out into the harvest just like it was then because His ministry here on earth continues.

The command also known as the Word of the Lord is easy, it is light and it is refreshing as well in the name of Jesus. Doing the LORD's work as a minister is refreshing. You career is refreshing. Going to school is refreshing. Your marriage is refreshing. Your business is refreshing. Raising and taking care of children is refreshing because the command of the LORD is not burdensome. The command of the LORD is restful, it is light and gentle filled with His grace, peace, joy, righteousness and freedom. Matthew 11:29-30 NKJV, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light." The LORD's work is not hard because it is His work and not ours. When you look at everything as coming from the LORD, it becomes light because there is a special grace that comes with it.

On the other hand, if you look at the blessings that the LORD has given you from a place of striving or using your own ability to acquire them, then they will become a burden. This is what happened when Abram tried to 'help God' by acquiring a child through Hagar, his wife's maid (Genesis 16:2-4). Now this does not mean that everything is automatically easy because it is the LORD's command. On the contrary, you may face opposition from the enemy and this is where it becomes important to be patient by receiving God's peace and grace, that is, the divine enablement that comes with the command or the word of the LORD. When the disciples returned from their trip, they were filled with joy and said to Jesus, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." And He said to them, I saw satan fall like lightning from heaven." (Luke 10:17-18). At the same time, the Lord Jesus continued to say, "Behold I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:19-20). The command of the Lord was refreshing to the disciples as it brought them joy and fulfilment firstly because they walked in obedience to the command which enabled them to access the Lord's strength and authority as opposed to doing the work based on their own strength and abilities.

There is also another side to the command of the LORD which in this case is the law of God. In Exodus 34:1-2, Moses is instructed by God to take tablets of stone with him to Mount Sinai as the LORD God desired to re-write the law of the ten commandments with His own handwriting. The law contained God's instruction that was to be obeyed by the children of Israel when they arrived in the promised land.

After Jesus died, resurrected and ascended to heaven, He left us with a new covenant where the LORD has put His laws into our hearts and has written them in our minds. In addition, the LORD says our sins and unrighteous deeds He will remember no more (Hebrews 10:16-17). So in the Old testament, the command of the Lord was written by the finger of God on tablets of stone but in the New Testament, the command of the Lord is written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit. As a result, the command of the Lord may come through a direct word or instruction from the LORD as seen with the disciples above; it may come through a prompting in your heart by the Holy Spirit or through reading and meditating on the Word of God.

Ultimately, 1 John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." The command of the Lord is usually for your well-being and for your prosperity which is the reason your obedience is important. This is not by power, it is not by might but by the Spirit of the LORD of hosts (Zechariah 4:6).

I'll end with this Word found in Psalm 92:12-15 (AMP)

12. "The righteous will flourish like the date palm [long-lived, upright, and useful];

13. Planted in the house of the of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.

14. [Growing in grace] they will still thrive and bear fruit and prosper in old age; they will flourish and be vital and fresh [rich in trust and love and contentment];

15. [They are living memorials] to declare that the LORD is upright and faithful [to His promises]; He is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him."

    
    

Amen, thank you LORD.

Invitation to salvation: If you would like to know and experience this love of God that is found in His Son Christ who forgives your sins, cleanses you and makes you whole, I invite you to a personal relationship with Him where He is no longer only God to you but also Father. If this sounds like you, please confess the prayer below,

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins so that I could have a new life where I am dead to sin and alive to God. I repent of my past sins and enter the Kingdom of light where I choose Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour today and forever." AMEN!