Beloved in Christ,
Greetings in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Lord is One who gives us victory. A Christian's life is victorious. The life of anyone who has Jesus Christ is victorious because He swallowed up death and claimed victory on the cross. Since He has won the victory, let us also devote ourselves to a victorious life. He wants to prepare us for that successful life, He is preparing something for us and we will have to prepare ourselves in return.
Jesus went to the grave of Lazarus. He wanted to see his body and do a miracle. But he did not remove the stone from the entrance. He asked the others to do it for Him. We have to do certain things which we should, and He will do the things which we cannot do. He wants only this of us. Only when we are prepared we can have deliverance.
In the Bible, we read about different types of days. In Psalm 27:5 we read about 'the time of trouble', in Proverbs 21:31 there is a reference to 'the day of battle'; in Isaiah 60:20 the Lord talks about 'the day of your mourning'; II Peter 2:9 talks about 'the day of judgement'. In the life of a man there are days like birthdays, wedding day, the day of appointment, etc. Similarly there are days of agony, days of oppression and days of trouble. But during these days we have to prepare ourselves. These are the days of grace. These days may be days of disgrace, and disparagement in your life. You may be living in trouble or agony. But the Lord will not leave you in it. God who created you, and chose you in the womb will not leave you to linger in your troubles. In Exodus 3:7 the Lord said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people" In our daily life, the Lord who sees, and knows the pangs of our hearts, has prepared many things for us.
1. He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies:
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over." Psalm 23:5
The Lord has promised us this. Our enemies yearn for us to dwindle to nothing in life; But in their presence He prepares a big feast. Isaiah 25:6 speaks about the various items of that feast. "In this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well refined wines on the lees." Our God in this feast places all good items our heart might yearn. That is also healthy food. Thus the Lord prepares a feast for us.
In your life the Lord will restore to you days of happiness equivalent to the days of suffering and despisement, by preparing a feast and exalting you. When we receive a promotion or something good happens to us, we arrange a feast for our friends and relatives. But for us, the children of the Lord, He arranges a feast in the presence of our enemies.
2. He prepares for the Day of Judgement
“But the Lord shall endure forever; He has “prepared His throne for judgement.” Psalm 9:7
He prepares us for judgement. When we speak of Judgement, a sort of fear grips some people. This is because of a guilty heart. Judgement means that we would have blessing commensurate with the goodness in our life. If we had erred then there would be punishment. On the day of judgement He will judge righteously. It is not like the way of this world. In this world judgement can be manipulated with money. We can change the heart of the judge. But in Ecclesiastes 12:14, we read: "For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil". So on the day of Judgement the Lord will bring to light all the secret deeds and sins and judge accordingly.
At Thirukkoil, I prayed for a young sister. She had the desire to be a good singer. She also wanted to act and dance in the movies. She wanted to attract people towards her. When the Lord revealed her heart, I told it to her. Then she began to cry. In the sight of God, eveything is bare and explicit. Nothing is hidden. For all your deeds, for all the words spoken, there is a judgement waiting for you. If you do good things. God would exalt you; if you have done only evil things, don't forget that the Lord will give you the days of suffering in hell where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. He has prepared judgement for all our acts, good or evil. If you do good things in this life on earth, you would definitely enjoy the benefit on this earth and in the life to come in heaven. Blessings will follow you and all your generations in this life on earth. The judgement pertains to this life as well as the life to come. But when you do evil things, you will have to suffer for it accordingly. Dear brother/sister, you should guard yourself. Are you hiding yourself thinking who would know your misdeeds? God would bring to light all your secret acts before the seat of judgement.
3. He has prepared a great kingdom for us
"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matthew 25:34
Here we see that God is preparing a kingdom for us, To which kingdom do you belong? You belong to the Kingdom of God. The Bible says that you are the children of God's Kingdom. So one day you would enter this kingdom as its citizens. Here you will live rejoicing.This kingdom is prepared for you. It is not of this world. This worldly kingdom will perish. In this world, there were many kingdoms but all have become just stories. But the Lord's kingdom is a permanent one, an eternal one. God has prepared this permanent Kingdom. Not only that. He has prepared another kingdom too. In John 14:2 we read: "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so. I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you". Jesus Christ after His resurrection from death and ascension has gone to prepare a place for you and me. This is a place for man to rest.
Rich men build many houses instead of one. In this life of uncertainties, men quarrel with other men, plot against others, take matters to the court of law and indulge in so many things and finally lose their lives. But Our God has given His life for us and has also prepared a dwelling place for us. Man is happy if he can have a house in this life. If he has none, he is worried. But this is a perishable house. On the other hand. Our Lord has prepared a permanent house.
All these things God has prepared for us all as a blessing. But we have to prepare certain things.
What are the preparations we should make:
1. Preparation for Spiritual Warfare
“... and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace..." Ephesians 6:15
‘The horse is prepared for the day of battle. But deliverance is of the Lord.’ (Proverbs 21:31) On this earth, we have a great enemy. We must be prepared to fight against him. We must shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. When we leave our house we wear shoes, but we don't wear the same shoes to all places. We wear different footwear for different purposes. To the bathroom we wear one particular type and to use in the house we have another, and for games, we have yet another. But the Lord wants to prepare one type of footwear for us. It is the gospel.
This gospel footwear pertains to the preparation for the experience of being set apart. As we live in this world we have to prepare ourselves to live a separated life so that we may not be spoilt by this world. This world is a cursed place. It is full of sins. Therefore, we must wear this footwear. As many people do not have this foot-wear of preparation, they live tainted by this world repeatedly. You must wash your clothing in the blood of Jesus Christ and live a spotless holy life. That is why He is described as One "Who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy" in the epistle of Jude verse 24. Thus this separation unto holiness is the footwear.
To have this footwear, first you should repent of your sins. "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet" (Luke 15:22) When we realise our sins and repent of them and confess 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, we go back to God with a contrite heart and get ourselves cleansed. Then we wear the sandals. So you must be shod with this footwear. You must be delivered from sin and redeemed with His blood.
2. The Preparation to Win over the Devil:
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12
Why should your feet be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace? You need it to live a separated life and to be victorious in this life on earth. ‘In the world you will have tribulation’ (John 16:33). Today many people think ‘I have become a christian. Hereafter I will have no problems in life.’ I would only have an exalted peaceful life. Never think like that. The day you accept Jesus Christ. Satan begins to work against you. The very day you come near Jesus Christ, you become His enemy. From that day you will have tribulations. Untill then he was your friend. To overcome this struggle you should be prepared. In the army, they prepare the soldiers very well before warfare. They get up as early as at '5 O'clock itself. But in their houses, they won't get up at 8 or 9 O' clock even if woken up by their mothers for the bed coffee. In the army, if they don't get up at 5 O'clock itself they will have to run one more round. So they get up even earlier by say, 4 O'clock itself. The preparation is very difficult. So also the Lord prepares us for the spiritual warfare. In this world, to be victorious you need this preparation.
3. Preparation for Good Work
Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work."
II Timothy 2:21
Here we read the preparation for good work. In a master's house, there are vessels for honour as well as vessels for dishonour. In his house, there are vessels made of earth, wood and silver. When earth is shaped and moulded into a vessel, it becomes an honourable vessel. Similarly, we, who are made of earth, are transformed into honourable vessels when the Lord purges us and moulds us.
In a blacksmith's forge, if you watch him make a wedge that breaks stones, you will see that the blacksmith puts it in fire and makes its edge sharp by beating it. That is the way you should be prepared. Our conscience has lost its sharpness. It has become blunt because of our lying, stealing and other sinful activities. You should cleanse yourself to prepare yourself for good works. The Lord expects this preparation from us and you need it. To be an honourable vessel in the Kingdom of God, prepare yourself in the presence of God.
The Lord's ministry is a good work. To do it you should prepare yourself. When you go to a place, you should be prepared in the hands of God to utter peace, to bring happiness and to work deliverance there. To be prepared to do such good works, you should be sanctified. The blood of Jesus Christ sanctifies us. You are made holy by the word of God and by prayer. For this sanctification, you need the Holy Spirit. When you are thus sanctified you become prepared for good works. The Bible says our good works should be ratified by God in His presence. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16). You have been created to do such good works.
Your words and actions should bring peace and happiness in your family. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them". (Ephesians 2:10) When you do good works, you are His creation, When you go to a house. do you do things useful to them good works or do things harmful to them? You should do good works before God.
In our life we are called upon to do good works for the Lord. You know the things you should do. What is good, what is useful, do it. When one gets married, they are called upon to enter the world and do good things and to learn good things. But when some people get married and enter a family, the family gets divided by infighting. We should not be so. Because we have come into a family there should be peace and happiness and victory in the family. We are called for this. Let us prepare ourselves for these good works.
4. Preparation for the Lord's coming:
"Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him". Matthew 24:44
Jesus Christ said the parable of the rich fool in Luke Chapter 12. The rich man said that he would pull down his barns and build greater ones and store all his crops and goods. God said to him "You fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?". (Luke 12:20) Today many people do not think at all about Christ's second coming. One man jokingly said at a place where two women were quarrelling that Jesus Christ is going to come and so they should not quarrel. They said they didn't care about anyone. Today many people are like that.
We have no fear regarding the coming of Jesus Christ. Our heart is not holy and isn't prepared for it. Jesus Christ would come at an unexpected time. He will come like a thief. No one knows when He will come. He will not inform us before he comes. When he comes and what he steals, we do not know. An unknown person comes to our house. They would speak and move well with us. But only after they leave, we find that some goods are missing. Then we search for them. We do not know when and how it happened. So will be the coming of Christ at an unexpected time.
Of the ten virgins, only five who were prepared for the bridegroom's arrival could go with him to the wedding. The other five were forsaken. This we read in Matthew:25. Dear people of God, because all men of God say that His coming is very near, let us prepare ourselves to be ready and worthy to welcome Him.
Let us prepare ourselves, not only to overcome the devil and to do good works but also to be ready for the Lord's coming that would happen unexpectedly.
May the Lord bless us.
In the service of Christ Jesus,
Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul
(Message originally published in May 1994)
