Prayer Service in Malang, October 11, 2011 (Tuesday Evening)
Matthew 26:26-29
26:26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
26:27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
26:28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
26:29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
Eating Holy Communion equals to eating the body of Christ and the blood of Christ.
The function of Jesus' blood.
Revelation 1:5-6
1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
1:6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
The function of Jesus' blood is to set us free from sins as well as to lift us up as priests and kings, namely people who serve and minister God.
Exodus 29:1
29:1. "And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams without blemish,
The requirement of being priests and kings or the requirement of serving and ministering God is holiness, because the One we serve is the holy God.
What can sanctify us?
Hebrews 4:12-13
4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
We are sanctified by the Word sharper than any two-edged sword, by the true teaching Word.
The sword of the Word of God will sanctify our heart and mind from flesh lusts, namely wicked lust and unclean lust, the source of sins up to the peak of sin, that is the sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage.
Mark 7:21-23
7:21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
7:22 "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
7:23 "All these evil things come from within and defile a man."
If our heart is filled with the wicked lust and unclean lust, we will surely become foolish. It relates to Babel. The foolishness means one cannot be advised, even he blames and fights against other people.
If our heart and mind are sanctified by the sword of the Word, our deeds and words will be sanctified also, up to our whole life will be sanctified too.
Exodus 32:25-28
32:25 Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies),
32:26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the LORD's side -- come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
32:27 And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' "
32:28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day.
We, the servant of God, have to put the sword on our side, meaning we have to hold fast the true teaching Word and to obey it, whatever risk may come.
If we do not want to put the sword on our side, we will become wild horse which is full of wicked lusts and unclean lusts, until we resist God and enter the building of Babel's body.
On the contrary, if we put the sword on our side, we will be sanctified from the wicked lusts and unclean lusts, and we can become on God's side. We are shepherded in earnest.
If we want to be sanctified and to live in holiness, we will be equipped with three kinds of equipments as follows:
- The ministry given by the Son of God (Jesus).
Ephesians 4:11-12
4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Jesus must descend to the lower part of the earth and ascend to heaven to give us ministry.
The ministry is our place in the body of Christ. If we do not have any ministry or if we leave the ministry, we will have no place in the body of Christ, meaning we are in the body of Babel.
- The gifts of Holy Spirit God (Christ).
Ephesians 4:7
4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.
The gifts of Holy Spirit are the miraculous ability of Holy Spirit to make us able to minister God according to the ministry He has given us.
- The love of Father God (The Lord).
Ephesians 4:15
4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ--
The motor or activator in ministering God is His love.
All matters without the love of God are meaningless, useless, even they will perish. If we minister God because we are encouraged by the love of God, our ministry will be eternal.
If we are equipped with the ministry, the gifts of Holy Spirit, and the love of God, we will be in these conditions:
- We are employed in the ministry of building the perfect Christ's body or Heavenly Bride.
- Our body, soul, and spirit will be accompanied by the trinity of God, the Lord Jesus Christ or Heavenly Bridegroom.
It refers to the Ark of Covenant in Tabernacle where the mercy seat on it cannot be replaced at all.
Do not touch the life who is as the ark, meaning the one who is holy and employed by God, or else the consequence is spiritual dryness as Uzzah who touched the Ark of Covenant.
Being accompanied by God, we become as John leaning on Jesus' bosom. He loved Jesus more than anything and he obeyed Him. There was no distance between him and Jesus when he leaned on Jesus' bosom.
The result of leaning on Jesus' bosom is as follows:
- Our life and death are in the hand of God's mercy, meaning the hand of God's mercy is able to preserve our life in the midst of many difficulties in the world. The hand of God's mercy is able to protect us from all disasters. The hand of God's mercy also gives us beautiful and joyful future life, and none may charge against us.
John 21:20-22
21:20. Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?"
21:21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"
21:22 Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."
- The hand of God's mercy is able to give us victory although we are powerless. The hand of God's mercy is able to settle all our problems in His time.
2 Chronicles 14:9-11
14:9. Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah.
14:10 So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.
14:11 And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, "LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!"
- We will never stumble and leave our ministry but we are faithful ministering God until Jesus comes a second time.
Proverbs 3:26
3:26 For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.
The hand of God's mercy also sanctifies and renews our life as well as to make us far from the snare of sins until we are made perfect as He is.
God blesses you.