Prayer Service in Malang, January 31, 2012 (Tuesday Evening)

PRIEST and PRIEST-TO-BE UPGRADING II

Matthew 26:57-68 is about WITNESS AND TESTIMONY
.

There are two kinds of witness and testimony as follows:
  1. False witness; we can read in verse 59-63a.
  2. True witness; we can read in verse 63b-66.
Ad. 1. FALSE WITNESS
Matthew 26:59-63a

26:59 Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,
26:60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward
26:61 and said, "This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’"
26:62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?"
26:63 But Jesus kept silent.

John 2:18-21
2:18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?"
2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
2:20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty–six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
2:21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

The false witness testified about what Jesus Himself had spoken when He had sanctified the temple of God which had been full of trader, referring to spirit of selling and buying.
The definition of false witness is as follows:
  1. One who is in the house of God or one who serves and ministers God as priests and kings or as star.
  2. One who receives the true teaching Word but without any practice.
Thus, the false witness is priests and kings or the servants of God who hear the true teaching Word but not practicing it, so there is no sanctification and life renewal.

Consequently, one is conquered by the spirit of selling and buying or the spirit of antichrist and marked with 666. In such condition, he becomes as fallen star.

Matthew 21:12-14
21:12. Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
21:13 And He said to them, "It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’"
21:14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.

Soon after Jesus sanctified the temple from the spirit of selling and buying, the blind and the lame were healed.
Thus, one who is conquered by the spirit of selling and buying is blind and lame.

BEING SPIRITUAL BLIND equals to being hard-hearted.
The practice is as follows:
  1. Rejecting the true teaching Word.
    II Corinthians 4:3-4
    4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
    4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

    Such life is never touched by the Word.
    He always says “It is not me” when the Word points him. Consequently, he cannot repent.
    He always says “I CANNOT DO IT” when the teaching Word stirs him to do something for God. Consequently, someday he cannot minister God anymore.

  2. Forgetting the forgiveness from sin, one repeats the sins up to the peak and lives as dog and swine.
    II Peter 1:9
    1:9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
BEING SPIRITUAL LAME equals to faltering or doubting or being double-minded.
I Kings 18:20-21

18:20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.
18:21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.


The house of Israel doubted between worshiping God or Baal but Elijah never forced them.
Baal means bridegroom. Jesus is also Bridegroom. It seems similar but we must be firm in choosing one of them with our sincere heart.

James 1:6-8

1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
1:7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
1:8 he is a double–minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The one who doubts is being played by the wind blown by Satan as follows:
  1. The wind of temptation causing disappointment, hopelessness, and doubt to God, so one hopes in other people and takes solution outside the Word of God. Consequently, he leaves God and perishes. The solution outside God is dead end and perdition.

  2. The wind of false teaching that makes one consider all teachings are same. The false teaching contains death or perdition. Moreover, one considers that all religions are same. Consequently, he cannot hold fast the true teaching.
The consequence of being doubtful is as follows:
  1. Being unstable in life so one cannot worship God but being dry spiritually or the altar is broken down.

    I Kings 18:30
    18:30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

    If we cannot worship God, we must be meek as follows:
    • Confessing our sins.
    • Confessing the true teaching and holding fast it.

    We are repairing our altar when we are meek.

  2. Receiving nothing or one cannot do anything even he sins.
    Romans 14:23
    14:23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.
The blind and the lame could not enter the temple, meaning they cannot enter the building of Christ’s body.

II Samuel 5:8
5:8 Now David said on that day, "Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain." Therefore they say, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house."

Consequently, one enters the building of Babel’s body and becomes fallen star as Lucifer.
We have to become shining stars in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation in order not to become fallen star.

Philippians 2:12-16
2:12. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
2:15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
2:16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

The requirement of being shining stars in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation is as follows:
  1. Serving and ministering God with fear and trembling, meaning we are faithful and responsible to Him.
    It is especially proved when the pastor is not in the church.

  2. Not murmuring or disputing about the teaching but we always give thanks to God.
  3. Holding fast the Word of life, that is the true teaching Word we have experienced in our life. It is as a star which does not have any pillars, it does not hold to the world. We are obedient to the true teaching Word.

    As a result, we are hold by the right hand of God.
    Revelation 1:16a
    1:16 in His right hand seven stars,

    Isaiah 41:8-10
    41:8 "But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.
    41:9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its farthest regions, And said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
    41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’


    The result of being hold by the right hand of God is as follows:
    • The right hand of God firms us so we do not doubt facing anything. We do not be disappointed or desperate, and we do not leave God and the ministry.

    • The right hand of God helps us, meaning we are preserved and protected in the midst of difficulties in the world. The right hand of God settles all problems, even the impossible one.

    • The right hand of God gives us victory over these things:
      • Flesh influence with all its lusts that make one disobedient.
      • The world influence that tries to make the stars fall.
      • Death or sin.

      It continues until we are in the peak of victory that is we sit on the throne of God.

      Revelation 3:21
      3:21 "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
God blesses you.