"Living Sacrifice"

"Living Sacrifice"

"Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice - alive, holy, and pleasing to God - which is your reasonable service.  Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God - what is good and well-pleasing and perfect."  (Romans 12:1-2)  To test and approve, to determine the mind of Christ, to walk in His will, to be Holy in an unholy world, requires one powerfully important thing: Become a "Living Sacrifice."

The word sacrifice means: "a giving up of something valuable or important for somebody or something else to be considered of more value or importance."  You say, "What does sacrifice have to do with knowing the will of God?"  Everything!  We first must be totally surrendered to God in order to ever ascertain His will.  Our initial step is repentance, baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and being filled with His Spirit and speaking in other tongues as the Bible states.  Then, we go on to maturity, learning to hear Him in our spirits.  He said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."  (John 10:27)  The only time a sheep will not follow His Lord is when he is sick, and then he will follow anyone! 

"Therefore do not be foolish, but

understand what the Lord's will is."

(Ephesians 5:17)

Without knowing the Word of God, it is virtually impossible to know the will of God.  Everything God IS can be found in the Bible.  The Lord Jesus Christ will never say anything different than what is in the Bible.  If someone says they have a "new revelation," RUN!  There is nothing new under the "Son!"  When Jesus Christ said, "It is finished."  It Was!  When He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life;" He IS; when He said, "He will come again to receive us unto to Himself that where He is, we may be also;" He will!  Paul said it, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned."  (Galatians 1:8)

Elijah and the prophets of Baal

 People serve many Gods in this world, but have they proved their Gods?  The God of Elijah came through for him; the God of Daniel came through for him; the God of Job came through for him; the God of Moses came through for him  ...  and guess what?  Elijah, Daniel, Job, and Moses' God is THE SAME and only true God; His name is the Lord Jesus Christ!  The ONE true God said, "Prove me!"  (Genesis 1:28)  Knowing God's will is knowing Him intimately, and in such a deep relationship that "you know" He will come through for you.  That does not mean that you can "tempt Him;" motive is everything!

         What makes the will of God difficult to know:

            A.  Lack of surrender to the Holy Spirit's control  (Romans 6:13)

            B.  Tolerating sin in my life, lack of confession and forsaking sin 

(Proverbs 28:13

C.  Lack of a spiritual motive - wanting to know the will of

God to consider it, rather than to do it.

(Bible.org/how to know the will of God)

The will of God  ...  something we all seek; Preachers search for it; Saints look for it; and Bible scholars want to discern it.  Do we all get it right l00% of the time?  No.  But, it was a trial and a test for all the noted figures of the Bible, as well.  It's all about Trust!  

Abraham and Isaac

Abraham trusted His God so much that he knew if he "did" have to slay his only son, that God was able to raise him up again; the three Hebrew children thrown in the fiery furnace refused to bow to earthly men setting themselves up as God and they believed God would deliver them from the fire  ...  but even if He didn't deliver them  ...  key words: even if He didn't, they still would not bow.  God did deliver them!  God delivers, but He's God; it's the eternal God's decision  ... our position is to obey Him, consecrate ourselves to Him, humble ourselves before Him, and present ourselves Holy to Him  ...

We KNOW what the essential will of God is:  It is to present ourselves as a "Living Sacrifice," Pure and Holy, acceptable in His sight.  After that, His will in all of our decisions and life's matters?  It's fasting, serious effectual, fervent  prayer, and then, it requires a walk on the water  ...

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)