[Feature Story] Keys to Receiving Answers and Blessings in the View of Seven Spirits of God
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January 08, 2012 |
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Celebrating the New Year, we will study the law to receive answers and blessings from God. He gives answers and blessing to those who meet the standard in their hearts and deeds by examining seven aspects through the seven Spirits recorded in Revelation 5:6. The seven Spirits refer to the heart of God who is spirit. The number 'seven' spiritually indicates 'perfection'. What do the seven Spirits measure?
1. Do you have 'spiritual faith'?
Fleshly faith is faith as knowledge while spiritual faith is accompanied by deeds. Even if the Word of God doesn't agree with your thoughts and knowledge, the faith that is spiritual believes without doubt and trusts in the creation of something out of nothing. Spiritual faith is given by God from above to the extent that you obey the Word of God, cast away evil, and become sanctified.
Faith is the first standard among seven Spirits because all other standards will be decided based on faith. God of justice establishes the standard of the seven Spirits to give answers according to each person's measure of faith.
2. Do you have 'joy' in your heart all the time?
The joy in you proves that you have faith. This is because only when you put complete trust in God and believe in the upcoming answers can you rejoice under any circumstances. Spiritual joy comes from peace of the heart. Joy will never leave you as long as you do not make wall of sins against God.
3. Do you 'pray' according to the will of God?
The seven Spirits of God check if we pray according to the heart and will of God. The prayer that is in accordance with the will of God is prayer that is regular, fervent, on the knees, and crying out while in prayer. God doesn't look at the outward appearance but at the heart of men, so we have to pray with faith and love in accordance with the will of God. In other words, we have to pray with love for Him and with faith that God will answer our prayers.
4. Do you give 'thanks' from the bottom of your heart?
We can't help but give thanks to God when we believe that He saved us and He answers our prayers. In addition, if we believe the God of love is our Father and leads us in our lives, it's very natural we give thanks to Him all the time. Therefore, one with faith gives thanks to God under any circumstances and conditions. If you give thanks when conditions are good but complain and grumble about difficulties you face, it is not true faith and it will delay receiving your answers that are coming. Only when we give prayers of thanksgiving with faith will God cause all things to work for the good.
5. Do you keep the 'commandments' written in the Bible?
In the Bible God's commandments are largely divided into four: 'Do's, 'Don't's, 'Keep's, and 'Throw away's. The Ten Commandments include and summarize all the commandments written in the Bible. The seven Spirits check how well the commandments are kept. 1 John 5:3 says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." To keep God's commandments is one of the proofs that you love God. Just as you like to do whatever your beloved wants, you will keep the commandments with joy if you really love God. But although you have been a Christian for a long time and have been thought to have faith, it can't be said you have kept His commandments when it is by coercion that you keep them.
6. Do you 'work faithfully' in all God's household?
Here, 'work faithfully' means not only to work for the kingdom of God, but also to work diligently in the home, workplace, and other places. A person with faith naturally puts top priority on works of the Lord. But, that does not mean a person can neglect his family and his job. He has to work earnestly everywhere he belongs. So, together with faith the most important standard is spiritual faithfulness. It is the process of circumcising the heart and casting off sins. Only when you resemble the Lord by working faithfully even to the point of giving your life can your faithfulness be recognized as spiritual faithfulness. If a person gives up on their duties in the middle for one reason or another, it can't be said to be perfect faithfulness.
7. Do you have 'spiritual love'?
Love is the standard that perfects the six standards above acting like a cord tying them all together. No matter how fervently you pray and how diligently you work, only when you pray and work with the love for God and brothers can your deeds have true meaning. Of course, faith is more important than anything else since only with faith can a person rejoice, give thanks, pray, keep God's commandments, work faithfully, and change into His true child. But even if one has met the six standards above including that of faith, all of them profit him nothing if he doesn't have love. That's why 'love' is the last of the standards.
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