Notes on Understanding the Ways of God (part 2) – Francis Ng

WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS CONTRADICTORY

Heb 6:11-12
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Our carnal mind, the voice of reasoning is always seeking for solutions even to a point of helping God fulfill His promise. But we must realize that God Himself is able.

Eph 3:20
Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of-- infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.

He does not need anyone to help Him. He will fulfill all that He promised according to His faithfulness.  In seasons of delay in our lives, we not only have to overcome the reasoning test, we will also have to face the test of contradiction.

Heb 12:3
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

What does contradiction mean?

To contradict means to assert the opposite of what someone has said, or to have someone oppose you.

Most of God’s people in the bible who had received a promise, vision or dream were tested and challenged with contradictions.

Biblical Examples:

• Abraham and Sarah received the promise of a miracle son but she was still barren for many years.

• Joseph dreamt of being a man of power and fame but ended up as a slave and prisoner.

• Moses received a word that he would be a deliverer but was rejected and sent into the wilderness.

• David was anointed to be king but was driven into hiding by the jealousy of King Saul.

• Stephen was stoned for preaching and died, Paul was also stoned for preaching and lived.

• Philip was supernaturally transported but Paul was shipwrecked and bitten by a snake.

• Peter walked on water. Paul floated in the water for 3 days.

• James was beheaded in prison while Peter was released from prison.

Likewise, whenever God gives you a promise, you will be tested before you see the promise being fulfilled. The higher your call, the greater the test. The bigger the dream, the lower you go.

Contradictions in life and ministry are part of God’s sovereign school of shaping great leaders. Contradictions are crosses we have to bear as disciples.

Jesus already gives the answer. Deny yourself. Deny your thoughts, deny your will.  God sends contradictions to break us and to bring us to our knees.

Heb 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

When we encounter contradiction, our confession wavers.

In times of contradiction, there are 3 things we must do:

1. Stop.

Stop what you are doing. Our lives and ministry can be driven like a machine but we need to be still and know that He is God.

Ps 27:14
Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD!

Isa 40:31
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

1. Seek.

Seek His face.

1 Chronicles 16:10 (New International Version)
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

1. See.

See not the contradiction but His promises. See that He is able. See that He is faithful.

Josh 6:2
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.

What we see will affect us.

Hebrews 12:2 (New International Version)
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

A Few Notes on Understanding the Ways of God (Part 1) – Francis Ng

Heb 6:11-12
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Faith and patience are needed if we desire to inherit God’s promises. One of the ways God teaches us about Himself is through an encounter of delay. Delay means to cause to be late, to move slowly so that progress is hindered.
Let us look at a couple in the bible called Abraham and Sarah.

Gen 11:30
But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

Gen 12:1-4
God had told Abram, "Leave your own country behind you, and your own people, and go to the land I will guide you to.
If you do, I will cause you to become the father of a great nation; I will bless you and make your name famous, and you will be a blessing to many others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and the entire world will be blessed because of you." So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed him, and Lot went too; Abram was seventy-five years old at that time.

Gen 17:17
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"

Gen 21:1-2
Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised.
Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.

From Genesis 12 when God promised them a child to Genesis 21 when Isaac was born, they had waited 25 years.

The situation may look impossible. God’s Word has the power to overshadow every hopeless situation we face and bring life to it.

Their examples were written in scripture for 2 reasons:

1. To remind us that God is faithful.

Phil 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

The faithfulness of God is a character trait of Himself that cannot be changed. Nothing in heaven or earth can change the faithful nature of God.
This is where we need to remind ourselves that whatever God has promised, he is faithful to fulfill it.

2. To encourage all of us to walk uprightly during seasons of delay.

It is during such times that we are most tempted to give up on God and are bombarded by the lie of the enemy. For every promise, there is a test. For every test, there is grace to see us through.

Like Abraham and Sarah, when we encounter delay in seeing God’s promises, the first test we will encounter is the:

1. Reasoning test.

Gen 16:2
So she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai said.

Reasoning caused Sarah to take matters into her own hands and to devise a plan to bring God’s promise to past. Her plan to help God ended up with an Ishmael. To Sarah, Ishmael was also a son from Abraham’s seed but what God wanted from Abraham and Sarah was to have faith in Him. The delay was to help them develop faith in God.

Reasoning will cause us to come up with something to help bring God’s promise to fulfillment.

1 Sam 13: 5-13
The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 6 When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter. 9 So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings. " And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 "What have you done?" asked Samuel. Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, 12 I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD's favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering." 13 "You acted foolishly," Samuel said.

How did Abraham handle the delay of God’s promise to him?

Rom 4:20-21
Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Abraham was not double minded. He did not allow the circumstances to discourage him. He stayed on God’s promises, giving glory to God for what He was about to do. God will often bring us to the end of our resources. In His time and in His way, He will make all things beautiful. His promise is as certain as his existence.

We must have a faith attitude.
What is a faith attitude?

1. A thorough persuasion that nothing in life happens by chance and all things good and bad happen with God’s permission.

Job 2:10
But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?"

2. A peace of mind that all things even the most bitter and sad accidents, do work together for our good according to God’s purpose.

Gen 45:5
But don't be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it! He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.

3. An entire submission and resignation of our wills to the will of God.

Matt 26:39
He went forward a little, and fell face downward on the ground, and prayed, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup be taken away from me. But I want your will, not mine."

4. Bearing adversities calmly, cheerfully and courageously.

James 1:2
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…

The Law of Separation In the Course of Destiny - Francis Ng

Destiny is where God ultimately wants to bring us. A place called finished. A place where like Apostle Paul, we can say I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept my faith.

To reach our destiny, we are bound to experience the law of separation in the course of destiny.  Not every person we meet in our lives is meant to fulfil destiny with us.  Some are there to help us for a season, some can actually be a hindrance to us but there will be some who will finish destiny with us.

Gen 12

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.” I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him.

Gen 13:14-15

The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.

Here we see the law of separation taking place in Abraham’s life.  Abraham was actually walking upon the land of promise and yet had no power to see it and possess it until Lot and him separated.

Deut 33: 13-16

And of Joseph he said: “ Blessed of the LORD is his land, With the precious things of heaven, with the dew, And the deep lying beneath, With the precious fruits of the sun, With the precious produce of the months, With the best things of the ancient mountains, With the precious things of the everlasting hills, With the precious things of the earth and its fullness, And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush.
Let the blessing come ‘on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers

From the above verses we have just read, the word “separation” is intertwined with the destiny of an individual. A person who is determined to fulfil his God given destiny will have to go through different stages of separation in this journey. There is a connection between separation and the path that leads to destiny fulfilment.

Joseph would not have fulfilled his God-given dream if the law of separation had not taken place in his life.

The first manifestation of the law of separation in the life of Joseph was in the area of his character.

Gen 37 records that Joseph brought a bad report of his brothers to his father. Joseph would not have had the audacity to complain about his brothers’ bad behaviour if he had been guilty of it himself. It was because of the dream God had given to him, Joseph chose to live right as wrong behaviour patterns could have destroyed his dreams and God’s assignment for his life.

That means that the law of separation begins first by us having the understanding of our destiny.

Whatever attitude we demonstrate today will have either positive or negative impact on our tomorrow—Our past has a way of tainting our future, even though God does not hold us to our past, people do. We cannot do what we like, when we like, how we like, and believe we can fulfil our God given destiny,

Joseph did not only separate himself from his brothers in regard to their ungodly living but he was also physically separated from them by God.

It was God who drove Joseph to his place of assignment on a vehicle of slavery in order for Joseph to fulfil the dream God gave him. Like Joseph, God sometimes physically separates us from our environment or removes people that we are connected to, so that we can fulfil our God given dream.

If we desire to fulfill God’s dream for our lives, we must learn how to allow this law of separation to work in us so that we will not allow ourselves to be derailed on our journey. Apostle Paul said:

1 Cor 15:33

Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character.

Prov 13:20

Walk with the wise and become wise;
associate with fools and get in trouble.

In this journey of preparation, Joseph was tested in 3 areas:

> He was tested in the area of integrity.

>  He was tested in the area of morality.

> He was tested in the area of authority.

Phi 2:13

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

The law of separation simply means a decisive disengagement from those who can destroy your dreams– you must detach yourself from men and women who will not help you in fulfilling destiny. However, you must be connected to destiny partners – men and women appointed by God before the foundation of the earth to help you in your challenges in the course of destiny. They consistently encourage you in tough times in fulfilling your God-given assignment. God has given to each one of us, men and women divinely appointed that would be connected with us at certain paths of our lives in order to fulfill destiny.

1. 1. The HOW of Divine Connections:

Divine connection means the bringing together of two or more people orchestrated by God for the purpose of fulfilling destiny.

Acts 2:23

This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

a) Recognise those who desire to contribute without ulterior motive.

Destiny partners are men and women who contribute meaningfully in whatever form or ways to help you fulfill God’s plan for your life. They have no ulterior motive and only desire to see you succeed. They will do everything they can to help you.

1 Chronicles 12:1, 8, 16-19

These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle. Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.
Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to

David in his stronghold. David went out to meet them and said to them, "If you have come to me in peace, to help me, I am ready to have you unite with me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you." Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said:

"We are yours, O David!  We are with you, O son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you." So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.

b) Recognise those who hearts are joined with you.

2 Kings 10:15-17

Now when he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he greeted him and said to him, "Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?" And Jehonadab answered, "It is " Jehu said, "If it is, give me your hand." And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. He said, "Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD." So he made him ride in his chariot. When he came to Samaria, he killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to Elijah.

For Jehu, he was on an assignment to destroy the house of Ahab and Jezebel. Johonadab being a destiny partner came to participate with him.

c) Destiny partners are found in times of adversity.

Destiny partners are those men and women appointed by God who will show up in your time of crisis to stand with you. Such people will stay with you in hard times, even when other people reject you. When you live a life of separation from destiny destroyers, you will also have to live a life of divine connection with destiny partners.

How To Allow God’s Word To Fulfill Its Purpose In Your Life - Francis Ng

 Read Isaiah 55:11-12
Isaiah says that God sends His Word to His people for a purpose. God’s Word accomplishes and achieves the purpose for which the Word was sent.

God sends His Word to His people or to nations through His prophets and ministers who preach and teach the Word of God.  God’s Word has the power to transform people and they in turn can impact circumstances, cities and nations to be transformed into the Kingdom of God.  Jesus says that he who acts on His Word is a wise man.

We must learn to create a conducive environment to receive God’s Word afresh consistently and continually.  Before we start reading the Bible, let us ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes of understanding and revelation.

According to Jeremiah 1, the Word of God has power over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.

When will the Word of God come?

1. Our Priestly Function Allows the Entrance of the prophetic word
Read Rev 1:6

We have to diligent and passionate in our priestly function.  We have to minister unto God daily through devoted and passionate worship; exalting Him and asking Him to rule and reign over us.  As we do this daily, we walk in priestly anointing and God will respond to us with fresh Word from heaven for our life and circumstances.

When God’s Word comes to us in the church through the sermon, it will convict us to the core.  This conviction will enable us to transform and change our mindset and challenge us to live our life for God.  When we are strong in the priestly anointing, we are strong in our devotional life and the prophetic Word is also strong in our life.

2. The Prophetic Word will establish government in our lives

It realigns our thinking pattern and renews our mind with the Word of God.  It corrects our behavior and puts priorities in right things of life.  It replaces fear with faith in God.  So the Word of God establishes government in our life and becomes an extension of God’s government on earth. 

Example: God gave the 10 commandments to Israel to bring law and order in their lives (government).

To lead a life of victory, we need:

a. Divine Order

b. Consistency

 

We have to live our life according to the Word of God.  Our spirit, soul and body must be subjected to the Word of God and in Divine Order.  Our faith in God should be consistent and not affected by circumstances.  Our eyes must be focused on the Lord and His Purpose.

3. The Prophetic word will come in every season of our lives

As long as we minister unto God with thanksgiving in our hearts, the Holy Spirit will speak to us in bad times and in good times.  The Word of God will remain constant and carry us through in all circumstances.  Do not change course because of circumstances.  Whatever God has asked you to do, just go on doing it until the Word becomes the reality.  Do not lean on your own understanding to lead your own lives and make your own decisions.

At times the Word of God will seem to be inactive, just like Jesus was asleep in the boat when the storm arose and the disciples became very fearful ( Matthew 8:24). 

Then we lose our focus and faith in God and change according to the circumstances.  We should not do that, for when God partners with you, great things will happen.

4. The Prophetic Word Comes To Bring Personal Transformation

Our life must be affected by God’s Word daily, so we can have personal transformation in our behavior, speech, thinking pattern and quality and character.  God cannot appoint us to do greater things if we are not willing to be shaped by God.

Jesus said he who hears these words of mine and acts upon it, wise is that man.  When we obey God’s Word, the spirit of wisdom will start operating in us.  Just obey His Word and He will prosper us.

 

The Word that Jesus speaks to us will transform us progressively into a vessel of His design to achieve His purpose.  If we are to be the carrier and deliverer of God’s message then we must yield to His Word to transform us continually.  Then the Word will achieve God’s purpose in people’s lives.

If we desire to walk in progressive revelation or present Truth of God, our mindset has to be rid of traditions and traditional teachings.  It has to be filled with new wine. 

1. 1.   We must stay on course to do God has said.    

 

Jeremiah 1:5 (New International Version)
 ⁵ "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

 

Jeremiah’s primary assignment was to be a prophet to the nations. The dream, the desire and the passion that God has placed in us for His Kingdom will determine the course that we have to take.

When difficulties arise during our course, we pray and trust God to enable us to persevere, overcome, stay on course and fulfil our destiny in God.

 

2.  We must rise above self and it’s limitation.

Jeremiah 1:6-7
"Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child."  ⁷ But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.

God encouraged and enabled Jeremiah to rise above his age and flaws in his life.  So in the same way, when God tells us to do something, He will enable us to rise above our facts of life, if it be weaknesses, shortcomings, lack of education.  Let us be yielded to God and He will enable us to rise above self and limitations.

3.  We must be courageous and free from the fear of man.

Jeremiah 1: 8
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.

 

God told Jeremiah to be courageous because God was with him.  Knowing God and knowing that God’s Presence is with us and in us will make us courageous and be free from the fear of man.  So we must know God intimately and then we can do great exploits for God.

4.  We must be able to see into the spirit world.

     Jeremiah 1:11-15
     The word of the LORD came to me: "What do
     you see, Jeremiah?"  "I see the branch of an
   almond tree," I replied. ¹² The LORD said to me
   "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to
    see that my word is fulfilled." ¹³ The word of the
    LORD came to me again: "What do you see?"  "I
    see a boiling pot, tilting away from the north," I
    answered. ¹⁴ The LORD said to me, "From the
    north disaster will be poured out on all who live in
    the land. ¹⁵ I am about to summon all the
    peoples of the northern kingdoms," declares the
    LORD.

Jeremiah was able to see into the spirit and also able to hear from God.  Similarly, we should be able to see into the spirit and listen to what God is saying currently for this season.  This is called the power of sight.  When Jesus was on the earth, he always did only what His father did and said what His Father wanted Jesus to say.  Only through the power of sight, we will be able to pray and speak in faith.