The 5-Fold Necessity

John 14:12-14
[12] Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
[13] And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
[14] If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

We must remember here that Jesus is saying that those who truly believe in Him will do the same works that He did. In fact, He continues to work His work in and through and by those who truly believe. 1 John 4:17 says: Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. If I am truly as He is then surely I am doing His work in this world. I should join with Him in the same Spirit and say: My meat [my purpose for living --- even more important to me than natural food] is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work [John 4:34]. Jesus said: As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you [John 20:21]. In His "Upper Room Discourse" with the disciples the night He was betrayed, Jesus gave us a clear understanding of the life of the Victorious Christian in this world. It would behoove us to regularly re-visit Him there in John 13-17 in order to be renewed in our Christian mind and spirit as to who we really are and how we are to live and work in this present world. Only then are we truly able to come to a genuine and sincere understanding of how we are to carry out the "Great Commission" He gave us after His resurrection and before He ascended to the Father. Here we can see our relationship with Him in glory and His relationship with us on earth. Mark 16:19-20 says: So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.

It is the Work of Christ to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom in all the world for a witness unto all nations [Matthew 24:14]. Read the Great Commission of Christ to His Church [Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:45-49; John 20:21; Acts 1:8] and 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. The Message of the New Testament is "Repent ye: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." John the Baptist first preached it [Matthew 3:1], Jesus continued it [Matthew 4:17], and the Church today is still preaching it.

It is the purpose of every Christian to be a part of this great work, and here is where it begins to slow down, because too many of us are copping-out. The Command hasn't changed, the message is still the same today. The Power is still there, but only to those who believe.

Ok, so where do we begin? First we must STOP right where we are at this moment and desire a total renewing of our understanding. It's one thing to read Romans 12:1, and another thing to understand what it is saying. It is one thing to read it with the understanding, and another thing to truly desire to obey it. It is one thing to desire to obey it, and quite another thing to see it fulfilled in me. It will never be fulfilled in me until I (with all that I am) submit to it and obey it by actually DOING IT! I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. God is not asking me for more than I have to give but He is commanding me to give all that I have, and that is my reasonable service. It only stands to reason that I should render unto Him that which is His, and I am His, bought with a price, I am not my own [1 Corinthians 6:20]. God will not take, but He desires that we give Him that which is His, if not we are robbing God and we will be the greater losers in the end. This is not just some mere outward religious exercise, but something that must be from the heart.

Now, with this in mind, look with me at some Words of Jesus in the Gospel of John [Read it slowly and carefully]:
John 15:12-17
[12] This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
[13] Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
[14] Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
[15] Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
[16] Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
[17] These things I command you, that ye love one another.

In John 13:34-35 Jesus says: A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. The greatest work we will ever do is to truly love one another. This is the greatest evidence to the world that we belong to Jesus. But this is not "love" in the sense of the world's terms, this is "agape" love of the Father for each one of us. If you would keep His commandment, then you would love me as He does (and vice versa). Now look at verses 13-15 and see the word "friends" mentioned three times. In John 14:15, Jesus says: If ye love me, keep my commandments. In 1 John 3:16 we read: Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Now, here's where the Victorious Life begins. Jesus loves you. You love Him. He lays down His life for you and you lay down your life for Him. He calls you His friend because you love Him and keep His Commandments, and because you keep His Commandments, He reveals to you all that He has received from the Father. We should truly consider this before we go on:

John 14:15-17
[15] If ye love me, keep my commandments.
[16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
[17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 16:13-15
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
[14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
[15] All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us [2 Corinthians 4:7]. Although we must by necessity walk in this physical, natural world in physical, natural bodies, we do not live according to the dictates or desires of the physical, natural world or our own fleshly bodies. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God [Romans 12:2]. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ [2 Corinthians 10:3-5].

We cannot truly move on into the fullness of the joy of Christ in Victorious Christian Living until we genuinely give ourselves to "hear and obey" the Voice of the Word of God. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves [James 1:22]. Now listen to Him speak to whosoever hath an ear to hear: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty [2 Corinthians 6:14-18]. No wonder Paul followed that exhortation with: Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God [2 Corinthians 7:1].

I remember when I was praying for some guidance in the area of " personal fruit" in my Christian life and the Lord showed me 5 things that would keep me victoriously in His will. I call these THE 5-FOLD NECESSITY OF THE DISCIPLINED LIFESTYLE OF THE VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN. If we would continue in these five things we will continue in victory. This is not a 5-Step Plan to Spiritual Growth, this is a 5-Fold Outgrowth of the Mature Christian. You can't just begin at point one and try to master it before you move to point two. These are a complete work together, each one complementing the other. However, for simplicity in understanding, they are listed in a sure-priority order: PRAYER / BIBLE / CHURCH / FELLOWSHIP / WITNESS. We all know that our Main Work is to be Witnesses for Christ, and until we are we'll not realize the full joy that comes from being fruit-bearing to the glory of our Lord. However, in order to be an effective witness we must be joyously bearing the fruit of Victorious Christians. In other words, these elements cannot be separated. Each one is like a flame in the same fire with all the rest or like a drop of water in the one water they all are. You really can't be successful in one without being successful in all.

I would like each of us to prayerfully consider the following Scripture verses as the Holy Spirit speaking to whosoever has the ears to hear Him as He speaks to His Church: . . . I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it . . . [1 Corinthians 3:1-2]. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permit [Hebrews 5:12-6:3].

It is time for us to grow up past the foundational truths into mature serving Christian Disciples. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves [James 1:22]. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap [Galatians 6:7]. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed [James 1:25]. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be [Revelation 22:12]. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting [Galatians 6:8]. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city [Revelation 22:14]. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God [Romans 8:14].

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