INTRODUCTION
‘God’s Ways’, speaks to God’s personality as a Spirit, his character of holiness and truth, his power to do all things, and the means by which he accomplishes his purpose on the earth. God is a Spirit. He is Almighty, Holy, Righteous and Truth. Whereas mankind is flesh and worldly, ruled by sin and lusts. Also, God’s ways are ordained according to his purposes, seasons and times; and it is impossible for man to grasp carnally. The series ‘God’s way’, provides insights on how we may walk in God’s ways.
This message (Part 1) distinguishes the manner and ways of God. It provides some guidance on how to discern and align with God’s ways including, his strategies to accomplish his divine purposes.
- THE MANNER OF GOD AND MEN
God is a Spirit. He is Holy, righteous and truth. He is faithful to keep his word, which shall not return unto him void. “God is not a man, that he should lie…”. He will do what he says and make good what he has spoken. “… Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him”. (John 4:24; Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 55:11; Numbers 23:19; Ecclesiastes 3:14).
Mankind, on the other hand, is flesh and worldly, ruled by sin and lusts, in a sinful world. After Adam, all mankind is gone astray and turned each to his own way. There is none righteous. “[All] are gone out of the way… Destruction and misery are in their ways…”. (Isaiah 43:27-28; 53:6. Romans 3:10-17; Psalm 53:2-3). Therefore, man is prone to think and do things, driven by lusts, “vanity and vexation of spirit”. (Psalm 39:5-6; Ecclesiastes 1:14). Given the stark contrast in the manner of God and man, we need to understand the ways of Father God, to walk in them and enhance our spiritual relationship.
- GOD’S WAYS ARE NOT MAN’S WAYS
God’s ways are not man’s ways! The LORD declares: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways… 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).
God’s personality as a Spirit, his character of holiness and truth, his power to do all things, his righteous judgements, and the means by which he reasons and accomplishes his purposes on the earth is beyond human understanding. Paul exclaims: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11.33).
- GOD’S WAYS ARE IN SEASONS AND TIME
Brethren, God’s ways are past finding out because, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”. There is a time: to be born and to die; to plant and to pluck up the plant; to laugh and to weep; to dance and to mourn; to cast away stones, and to gather stones together; to embrace, and to refrain from embracing; to get and to lose; to sew and to rend; to speak and to be silent; to love and to hate; and time of peace and of war. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).
God’s ways are in seasons of pleasant and unpleasant events. So, for one’s thoughts and actions to be in God’s way, it should be in pursuit of a purpose that is of God, it should occur within the ordained season, and it should be manifest at the appointed time by righteous means.
- MAN’S WAY MUST ALIGN WITH GOD’S
“[God] hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end”. (Ecclesiastes 1:11). Brethren, if man cannot find out the work of God, how should one know whether the thing one desires is in God’s purpose; or that one’s actions to satisfy a desire is in God’s ordained season?
For example, how should one comprehend that the envy and conspiracy by your colleague that got another ‘to lose’ his job, is an opportunity ‘to get’ a new, higher paid job? Also, how can one know whether it is God’s appointed time to take the new job; or that the means to the new job is godly or worldly? The basic point of emphasis here is that, no one can understand the ways of God by carnal thoughts, and worldly ways.
- GOD ACHIEVES HIS PURPOSES
Brethren, although you may have God’s promise of a blessing, His promise should not be performed by you. “[God’s word] shall accomplish that which [God] please, and it shall prosper in the thing where to [God] sent it…” (Isaiah 55:11). “What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?” (Ecclesiastes 3:9).
God makes his own way to accomplish his purpose for the benefit of his people. For instance, God divided the Red Sea for Israel to go through on foot, but drowned their adversaries in it. And when God fulfils his word by his means and power, “… [his people] shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace”. (Isaiah 55:11; 51:10; Exodus 14).
- ACHIEVE DIVINE PURPOSE BY GODLY MEANS
The human inclination towards God’s word and promises, usually, is to act on it according to carnal understanding and worldly ways of doing things, to instantly gratify their lusts. One cannot achieve a godly purpose by an ungodly means.
For example, God promised Abraham to give him a son by Sarah, his wife in their old age; for a purpose to make Sarah “the mother of nations [and that] kings of peoples will descend from her”. (Genesis 17:16, 21). God told them specifically that: “… At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life and Sarah shall have a son”. (Genesis 18:10, 14; Romans 9:9).
Against God’s appointed time and purpose, Abraham and Sarah decided to “help” God perform His promise. They devised a fleshly means, whereby, Abraham went into Sarah’s Egyptian maid Hagar, to bear a child. (Genesis 16:1-4, 15-16; Galatians 4:23). While their device did not alter God’s divine purpose in the promise of Isaac, it engendered strife among Abraham’s generations.
People of God, resist using lusts and carnal ways to perform the spiritual word and purpose of God.
- GOD WORKS BY HIS SPIRITUAL STRATEGY
God says: “I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass, I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them…” (Isaiah 48:5). God is a Spirit, so he declares his purpose and effects them in the spiritual realm, before they become a reality to men. And, he works by his spiritual strategy, to accomplish his purpose. But God’s spiritual strategy will not make sense to the carnal mind. This is because the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God: he cannot know them, because they are “spiritually discerned”. (1 Corinthians 2:14).
For example, the strategy of selecting the men of war not by their physical ability but by whether the men “bowed down upon their knees to drink water…” would not have made any sense to Gideon. But he believed God and followed his instructions. (Judges 7:3-7). Note that God’s strategy for winning wars does not always involve physical might or numbers. God may use less numbers in order to distract or confuse the adversary.
Consider also that: God can use someone that you might regard as an enemy to achieve his purpose to bless you. He can allow an affliction by the devil, as a means to sharpen one’s spiritual skill for warfare to defeat the devil. God might also allow a delay in the promotion one may seek, despite fervent prayers, to cultivate the spirit of faith and patience. He may also allow a strong opposition to one’s leadership to cultivate love and humility.
- GOD’S WAY REQUIRES FORSAKING OWN WAYS
Brethren, to walk according to God’s ways may seem impossible. But Jesus assures that, “With men is impossible; but with God all things are possible”. (Matthew 6:22). Therefore, the starting point to making one’s walk in God’s way possible, is to forsake own ways. It will require “…not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words”. This approach will increase one’s desire to delight in the LORD. (Isaiah 58:9-11).
One main impediment to pursuing God’s way is pride: God reveals that: “The people of God are prideful. When they cannot understand something, they give it a name or a definition”. Pride comes from mankind’s insatiable desire to control their affairs and destiny by carnal reasoning and might. And they seek to control abnormal situations and conducts by justifying or labelling them, using worldly views.
Brethren, when something does not make human sense, the chances are that it is spiritual. “Therefore, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God”. (1 Corinthians 4:5). Commit the issue to the spiritual realm of God’s control and direction, and he shall manifest the truth in his time.
- GODS’ WAY IS ABOUT HIS GLORY
Gods’ way is about his glory. If one’s actions does not glorify God, it cannot be Gods way. For example, if God promised you something and you do anything to bring that word to pass by means that contradict or undermine God’s word, it does not glorify God. And though you may fix things by human means, you are bound to sow thorns and to reap the pricks.
For instance, Moses, was used to accomplishing God’s purpose to deliver the Children of Israel with his miracle rod. But when the people needed water to drink, in the wilderness, God told moses to “speak” to the rock to bring water. Moses ignored God’s ‘time to speak’, and instead, struck the rock. Moses did not believe God, to sanctify him in the eyes of the Children and therefore God denied him entry into the promised land. (Numbers 20:8-12).
- COMMIT THY WAY UNTO THE LORD
Brethren, when you encounter opposition in your desire to walk in God’s way, or a challenge to the enjoyment of a manifest purpose of God, do not let fear overcome you. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”. Also, commit thy way, thy works and thy thoughts unto God, and he shall bring it to pass. For “the steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD…”. (Proverbs 3:5-6; 16:3; Psalm 37:5; 23-24).
Study God’s word and he will instruct you in discretion and teach you in the way you shall go. “…For by [one’s] own strength shall no man prevail”. (Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 28:23-29; 1 Samuel 2:9).
PRAYER
Almighty Father, we give thanks and praise for Your word.
Gracious LORD, open the eyes of thy people to know thy ways. Help them to forsake worldly ways and commit to learning thy ways. Lead them in the paths of righteousness.
Father, while they seek to walk in thy ways, grant them courage. Cause them to trust in you, when they are afraid.
Holy Father, make manifest all your good promises upon their lives, in the presence of their enemies. Reward their trust with thy goodness and mercy all the days of their lives.
I make this prayer in JESUS Name.
Have a blessed week and a fruitful month.
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG) 07/07/2024.
KEEP AN EYE FOR ‘GOD’S WAYS’ (PART II).
