There is power in WORDS. Many words are being spoken all around us right now, and many of them are lies.

From the beginning, the enemy has sought to make us doubt God’s character and His ways, and worship ourselves and our ways instead. He prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whomever he can devour. His goal is to steal, kill, and destroy all he can, and he steals, kills, and destroys everything we let him. This is important to know. Once we know his tactics, we can stand against them.

We each must SEEK GOD’S FACE for ourselves. Our only hope to not be deceived, is to be able to hear GOD’S VOICE and be led by His HOLY SPIRIT. Without the Holy Spirit, many are going to be deceived and lost. Many have been, and are being deceived and lost now.

God is calling His people to wake up from the matrix we’ve been living in. He’s inviting us to break away from all we think we know, to actually get to know HIM for Who He truly is, and to join with Him in HIS Kingdom, HIS plan, HIS way, while there’s still time. The way to know God and His ways is to dive into His Word, the Bible, and ask Him to teach us. The only way to cut through all the deception around us, is to go to the Truth of the ONLY WORD that is sure and steadfast…. GOD’S WORD.

In the wilderness, Jesus defeated the devil’s lies with the Word of God… “IT IS WRITTEN…. IT IS WRITTEN…. IT IS WRITTEN.” We must do the same.

My son, if you will receive My words and treasure up My commandments within you, making your ear attentive to skillful and godly Wisdom and inclining and directing your heart and mind to understanding [applying all your powers to the quest for it]; yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek [Wisdom] as for silver and search for skillful and godly Wisdom as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of [our omniscient] God.

For the LORD gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He hides away sound and godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with Him); He is a shield to those who walk uprightly and in integrity, that He may guard the paths of justice; yes, He preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and fair dealing [in every area and relation]; yes, you will understand every good path.

For skillful and godly Wisdom shall enter into your heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant to you. Discretion shall watch over you, understanding shall keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil and the evil men, from men who speak perverse things and are liars, men who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice to do evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, who are crooked in their ways, wayward and devious in their paths…. So you may walk in the way of good men, and keep to the paths of the [consistently] righteous (the upright, in right standing with God). For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the men of integrity, blameless and complete [in God’s sight], shall remain in it; but the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the treacherous shall be rooted out of it. (Proverbs 2:1-15,20-22)

WE WERE CREATED TO FOLLOW GOD HIS WAY

There is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death. (Proverbs 16:25)

Many false words have created many false paths being taught and walked by many. A large number of people believe they’re following God, but in reality don’t even know Him. There is only ONE WAY to follow God – HIS WAY. The way to follow God is found in the Bible.

Therefore let the whole house of Israel recognize beyond all doubt and acknowledge assuredly that God has made Him both LORD and Christ (the Messiah) – this Jesus Whom you crucified. Now when they heard this they were stung (cut) to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles (special messengers), “Brethren, what shall we do?” And Peter answered them, “Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to and for you and your children, and to and for all that are far away, [even] to and for as many as the LORD our God invites and bids to come to Himself.” And [Peter] solemnly and earnestly witnessed (testified) and admonished (exhorted) with much more continuous speaking and warned (reproved, advised, encouraged) them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked (perverse, wicked, unjust) generation.” Therefore those who accepted and welcomed his message were baptized, and there were added that day about 3,000 souls. (Acts 2:36-41)

Afterward He (Jesus) appeared to the Eleven [apostles themselves] as they reclined at table; and He reproved and reproached them for their unbelief (their lack of faith) and their hardness of heart, because they had refused to believe those who had seen Him and looked at Him attentively after He had risen [from death]. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race]. He who believes [who adheres to and trusts in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] and is baptized will be saved [from the penalty of eternal death]; but he who does not believe [who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth] will be condemned. And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe; in My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages; they will pick up serpents; and [even] if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will get well.” So then the LORD Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the LORD kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it). (Mark 16:14-20)

One very destructive false path the enemy has laid before the feet of many is a watered-down, powerless gospel. Nowhere in the Bible does it say to “ask Jesus into your heart” in order to follow God. You can’t in fact ask Jesus to come into your heart because He’s in heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father. Instead, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit down to be our Comforter and Helper. We definitely need the Holy Spirit to fill us in order to follow God.

“I have told you these things while I am still with you. But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.” (John 14:25-26)

“But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Starting with Jesus’ example and command, then exhibited in the lives of His disciples, the command to follow God is to REPENT, BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, and BE FILLED WITH HIS HOLY SPIRIT. This is how everyone in the New Testament followed God. This is how we follow God.

Unfortunately, many of us were taught that the way to follow God is to repeat a simple prayer asking Jesus to save us, but this is not in the Bible. Following God is not a religion, tradition, intellectual exercise, or attempt to add God to the life we’re living for ourselves.

Following God is coming completely to the end of ourselves. It’s realizing we’re not God and He is. It’s becoming aware of His HOLINESS and our own DEPRAVITY, and becoming heart-wrenchingly sorry for all we’ve ever done to grieve Him. It’s pouring out in brokenness all the sin we’ve committed, choosing to forgive all who’ve hurt us, and casting down all other gods. It’s understanding our need to follow Jesus in baptism (full immersion in water), and in doing so to die to our own life and rise up for Him to live His life through us. It’s handing over complete rule and reign of our life to God, the only One worthy and able to rule and reign it. It’s the transfer of citizenship from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of God.

Along with a powerless gospel, many of us were taught that the signs Jesus said would follow those who believe in Him have ceased, but this is not in the Bible either. The truth is, when we die to self, surrender to God through Jesus Christ, and He fills us with His Holy Spirit, we no longer walk according to the flesh but now according to the Spirit. The same power which raised Jesus from the grave now dwells inside of us, and the LORD now works in us, with His power and strength, to will and to do His good pleasure.

For our Gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance… (I Thessalonians 1:5a)

And they went out and preached everywhere, the LORD working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. (Mark 16:20)

Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. (I John 3:24)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater [works] than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do [it].” (John 14:12-14)

The first time Jesus came down, it was as humble Servant. He’s coming again soon – this time as GLORIOUS KING!!

After that I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse [appeared]! The One Who was riding it is called Faithful (Trustworthy, Loyal, Incorruptible, Steady) and True, and He passes judgment and wages war in righteousness (holiness, justice, and uprightness.) His eyes [blaze] like a flame of fire, and on His head are many kingly crowns (diadems); and He has a title (name) inscribed which He alone knows or can understand. He is dressed in a robe dyed by dipping in blood, and the title by which He is called is The Word of God. And the troops of heaven, clothed in fine linen, dazzling and clean, followed Him on white horses. From His mouth goes forth a sharp sword with which He can smite (afflict, strike) the nations; and He will shepherd and control them with a staff (scepter, rod) of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath and indignation of God the All-Ruler (the Almighty, the Omnipotent). And on His garment (robe) and on His thigh He has a name (title) inscribed, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:11-16)

Is He your King?