HOW TO HEAR GOD SPEAK

Praying is you talking with God and God talking with you. But what if no conversation takes place? What if you do not hear God speak? Does that mean your praying is futile and useless? The answer is No. God hears every word you say; and because He hears, praying is never futile or useless. Submit to Him a petition and you can be assured that He will hear it and grant it.

However, wouldn’t it be great to hold a conversation with our Creator?

If He can hear you and you cannot hear Him, then the problem lies with you. We suggest that you do this:

Pray to be one with God, not to be one with men.

⁵ …do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. MATTHEW 6

Have faith, trust God.

³⁸ You have never heard [God’s] voice nor seen His form, nor does His Word dwell in you, for you do not believe the One He sent. JOHN 5

Prepare for your prayer appointment with God. Make an outline of the things you want to say. In your mind choose the right words to say, then say them from your heart. Not to make preparation is a sign of disrespect and contempt. 

² Let your words be few. ECCLESIASTES 5

⁷ Do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard [by their gods] because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. MATTHEW 6

Seek a quiet place and a quiet moment. Make sure it is quiet enough so you can hear God speak. The word l-i-s-t-e-n contains the same letters as s-i-l-e-n-t. (It goes without saying that no TV, radio , phone, pet or person should be allowed to disturb the silence.)

If your room is not quiet enough, go to a quieter place. The Son of Man did not hesitate to leave the crowd behind Him, even His disciples. He went up the mountains just so He could have quiet time with the Father. 

What if you have done the four steps above and still you cannot hear God speak?

Increase your wish to hear to desire; increase your desire to craving; increase your craving to intense craving. If intense craving is still not enough, add fasting to it. Show God your determination.

¹³ If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me. JEREMIAH 29 nlt

God does speak to men. He has done so in many occasions and in different ways. So wait, for He is just as excited to communicate with you.

² Listen! Listen to the roar of His voice, to the rumbling that comes from His mouth. ⁵ God’s voice thunders in a marvelous way. JOB 37

¹⁴ For God does speak—now one way, now another—though man may not perceive it. ¹⁵ In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds, ¹⁶ He may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, ¹⁷ to turn man from wrongdoings and keep him from pride, ¹⁸ to preserve his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword. ¹⁹ Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain… ²³ an angel on his side as a mediator, one of a thousand, to tell [him] what is right for him… JOB 33

DO YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO PRAY?

One way of praying is to count our blessings—past, present and future—and thank God for each of them. You are so blessed in ways you may never even know:

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the millions who won't survive the week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world. If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world. If you have food on your table, clothes to wear, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare. If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not. If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch. If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read anything at all. (emailed by Frank Bascos)

In happy moments, praise God. In difficult moments, seek God. In quiet moments, worship God. In painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God:

§  For our hands and feet can be moved.

§  For our health, strength and vitality.

§  For saving us from hunger and malnutrition, thirst and dehydration, nakedness and shame.

§  For sheltering us from predators and the elements.

§  For our safety even as we sleep and rest our tired bodies.

§  For extending our earthly life every time we awake.

§  For the plants are there to give us oxygen and food.

§  For the air is there to prevent us from suffocating and the heat, to spare us from the cold.

§  For the company of our family and relatives, friends and associates, and the blessings they impart to us.

§  For our knowledge and understanding, power and authority.

§  For our answered prayers, especially on occasions when strangers and angels are sent to help us. 

§  For Him dying on the cross that we might have life.  

§  For Him loving us more than anyone else can.

§  For His love remains constant even as we falter, fail and sin against Him.

James 5:13 tlb says, “Those who have reason to be thankful should continually be singing praises to the Lord.” Say: “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done marvelous things” (Isaiah 25:1).

What other advice can be given on how to pray?

You must go to a private place, alone with God, and have long talks with Him—yes, every day! Unburden your heart to Him. Take all your problems, your interests, your plans, your troubles to Him. Talk over everything with Him, continually. Then, even when going about your work—when walking down the street—when driving your car, or wherever you are or whatever you do, talk with God. Go to a private place, and kneel in prayer (on both knees) as often as you can, and at least once every day. But talk with God often in between. Pray without ceasing!  (Herbert Armstrong, Good News, October 1957)

Begin your prayer by addressing it to Y’shua, our Abba in heaven. (Of course, the presumption is that you acknowledge Him as your First Parent and submit to His parental authority over you. Otherwise, don’t call him Abba.)

After the address, confess your life direction on earth: “Holy be Your Name; Your kingdom come; Your will be done.” Then demand to be supplied your needs in relation to it.

⁹ This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,

¹⁰  Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹  Give us today our daily bread.                                                             

¹²  Forgive us our debts [sins], as we also have forgiven our debtors.

¹³  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” MATTHEW 6

Take note: Matthew 6:9-13 (better known as “the Lord’s Prayer”) is an outline-guide. Rise above parroting or reciting it. Prayer is nothing memorized or drawn from the intellect. Praying is talking with God, and God talking with you, from the heart.

The ACTS Method

You may add adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication (ACTS) to Matthew 6:9-13. Adoration is doing praise and worship. Confession is admitting to God the sins you committed during the day; it should be preceded by repentance and followed by begging for God’s forgiveness. Thanksgiving is acknowledging your blessings of the day and thanking God for them. Supplication is pouring out the burdens of your heart and petitioning God for help.

In doing supplication, you may resort to the Five-Finger Prayer. It is four parts making supplications for other people and one part making supplications for yourself. Take a look at your fingers now and be guided accordingly:

When you fold your hands, the thumb is nearest you. So begin by praying for those closest to you—your loved ones. And pray for those who helped you when you hurt.

The index finger is the pointer. Pray for the coworkers of God, that they may have wisdom, patience and perseverance (not to mention LOVE) in pointing others to the direction of God.

²⁵ Brothers, pray for us. 1 THESSALONIANS 5

The next finger is the tallest. Pray for those in authority over you (eg. your parents at home, parents in the Lord, public leaders, employer, work supervisors, school authorities).

⁶ That he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Messiah Y’shua. PHILIPPIANS 1

¹ I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 TIMOTHY 2

The fourth finger is the weakest. Pray for the weak, the suffering and those in trouble. 

¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. 1 JOHN 5

¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. JAMES 5

Then comes your little finger. Let it remind you of your smallness in relation to God’s greatness. Say: “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God” (Psalm 143:10).   

¹² [Pray] that God make you stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. COLOSSIANS 4

⁹ [Pray] that God… fill you with the knowledge of His will, with all spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ And… that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and… please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened by His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. COLOSSIANS 1

⁹ [Pray] that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the Day [the Second Coming] of the Messiah, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Y’shua the Messiah—to the glory and praise of God. PHILIPPIANS 1

Pray that God may cover (protect) you with His Holy Blood. Pray for light (enlightenment and advice) on what you are doing and will do.

³ Commit to God whatever you do and your plans will succeed. PROVERBS 16 

¹⁸ Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance. PROVERBS 20 

Demand to be given all your needs.

¹³ Is anyone of you suffering? He should keep on praying about it. JAMES 5 tlb

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. PHILIPPIANS 4 nlt

¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Messiah Y’shua. PHILIPPIANS 4

Wait for God’s Response

A popular malpractice in praying is turning our back on God after saying our piece to Him. We ask for forgiveness, for protection, for a blessing, for a solution to our problem… but just when God is about to speak to us, we turn our back on Him and leave. It is outrageously disrespectful. God is mocked. Stop it.

⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. PSALM 37

Praying is talking with God and God talking with us. Yes, that’s right, the Most Powerful Being in the universe talking with us! Prayer is a trustful, open and warm interaction with God. Interaction means He listens while you talk and you listen while He talks. If you have a question, He answers it and if He has a question, you answer it. There is an exchange.

We must dispose ourselves to hear God speak. Never be in a hurry to turn your back on God.  

Pray the way a child talks to his father. Speak with Him not only in times of need or trouble. A child tells his father when his heart is heavy and when it is filled with joy and gladness. He consults his father on matters he does not understand; complains when he thinks an injustice is done; and shares his dreams and aspirations with him. He tells his father of the beautiful things he sees and enjoys—even of the funny jokes he hears. He expresses his gratefulness for the wonderful things his father has been doing for him. He does not hesitate to say in different ways, “I love you. You’re the best Daddy there is.”

There is nothing we can say that God has no prior knowledge of (Matthew 6:8, 1 John 3:20). In fact, God hears more than we say. He is not really after the things we tell Him but after the fellowship, the communion.

He is no different to an earthly father who appreciates it when his child puts in extra effort to come and spend time with him, to keep a LOVE-relationship with Him. God enjoys it when we make Him No. 1 among our priorities, when we desire to be with Him throughout the rest of eternity. God feels honored and accomplished when we seek a private appointment with Him to confide a situation, to ask for His help and counsel. God enjoys it when we come to be straightened in righteousness.

Nothing is sweeter to God than to see you overcome your battles and nothing more bitter than to know you were overcome by them. God likes it even more when you overcome a situation because you listened to His Word. Unfortunately, much as He wants to interfere in your affairs and help, He will not until asked. God is a respecter of the human freewill. He will never violate your freewill and private space. As John Wesley said, “God does nothing but in answer to prayer.”  

What has been said so far lays the foundation for the next study modules. If you reach this part without thoroughly understanding what has been said, please go back and read again.

⁷ Be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 1 PETER 4

WHY PRAY?

The angels of God rejoice when we pray. Physical eyes do not see it but they sing and worship with us. Why? Because praying to the Most Holy Name is the highest form of blessing it.

Praying acknowledges God’s existence and our dependence upon Him. Praying is an expression of humility, worship, obedience and gratitude. It manifests our heart desire to nurture a LOVE-relationship with God.   

The angels rejoice but the demons tremble when we pray. Allow us to paraphrase what Jonathan Edwards said, “The demons fear nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. They laugh at our toil, mock at our wisdom, but tremble when we pray.”

Nothing is more fearful to them than when we pray to the Most Holy Name. In one occasion, after this scribe did exorcism, the devil was overheard in saying, “Why must he learn that name?”

¹ One day Y’shua was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of his disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” LUKE 11

Y’shua said, “Your heart ought to be saying a prayer of thanksgiving every time your body receives breath.” (Gospel of Barnabas)

The Son of Man kept Himself in prayer mode 24/7, always mindful of God whatever His circumstances were and whatever He was doing. We are advised to do the same. 

¹⁷ Pray continually [without ceasing]. 1 THESSALONIANS 5

Our FB friend Lizetti Dcs said, "When you feel you can no longer stand, it's time to kneel. Make prayer a regulative and regular part of your daily life and it will change things that need changing."

Y’shua said, “Prayers are the hands of life; he who has no hands cannot receive. Prayer is the weapon of faith; it repels the evil empire. Prayer is the shield of the heart from evil touch. Prayer is the medicine of the soul; through it sin is forgiven. Prayer is the advocate of the soul; through it the end times can be delayed. Prayer is the salt that preserves the flesh from putrefaction. Prayer is the bridle that leads the mind into the path of righteousness. The man without prayer is like a sail without a rudder; or like a man who defends himself without any movement or attacks his enemy without any weapon.” (cf. Gospel of Barnabas)

We have to pray to improve our lot.                                                       

²⁰ But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. ²¹ Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Y’shua the Messiah to bring you to eternal life. JUDE tlb

²⁵ Pray sincerely that God will help you live a better life. SIRACH 17

In our journey called life we have physical, material, mental, emotional, financial and spiritual needs that must be satisfied before we can honestly say we are “fulfilled”. It is wise to satisfy them with the help of God, especially when it comes to our spiritual needs (soul-growth, salvation, restoration, inner joy and serenity). We must pray for God to satisfy them.

“If we had more prayers,” said W. Len Tucker, “we would have fewer cares.”      

In the kingdom war, we are up against an enemy with a large, well-organized army. There is no way flesh and blood can overcome it, moreso as individuals. We need to be helped. If we link up with God, we get access to His omnipotence and omniscience. In war that matters a lot. At least we can find out where our enemy is, what he is up to and where lies his vulnerable points; and we can crush him with God’s might. God knows what is happening all around us; He can coach us on what best to do. Not to consult with Him is to miss the mark.

³⁶ Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. LUKE 21

Many people do not pray because they have little (if not zero) faith in God. That’s understandable. Romans 10:14 says: “How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? How can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard?”

Ironically though, the best solution to little or lack of faith is prayer itself!

Praying is like seating by a fireplace. Seat near the fire and you feel more warmth. You touch base with God and get a taste of His loving qualities and sh’khinah (light-pulsating presence) the more. Your soul is enveloped in serenity and your heart, in overwhelming joy. You experience an unparalleled high. You might not see God but you become certain that He exists. This sets in motion the process that leads to faith.

¹ Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ⁶ [God] rewards those who earnestly seek Him. HEBREWS 11

The more fervent you pray, the hotter your LOVE-relationship with God gets. The bonding grows stronger and the communion turns warmer. It is no different when two humans break the wall of silence between them and speak to one another with affection and sincerity. They build intimacy which increases as they reach the point of confiding to one another their personal moments and concerns. Conversely, often where communication is absent or superficial, coldness seeps in to replace the warmth. It can happen that the two end up being distant and indifferent to one another.

A. W. Tozer said, “The man who would know God must give time to Him.”

He who does not pray violates four instructions of God (Luke 21:36, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Romans 12:12, Colossians 4:2)—five if Sirach 7:10 is included. He who violates an instruction of God makes himself impure and a son of the devil (1 John 3:8). In effect he tells God: “I am not really interested in keeping a relationship with you. I have no faith in what you can do for me! I can win my battles alone. I don’t need any unsolicited advice from you! I can take care of myself. Now get lost! I’m busy. Praying is such a waste of time.”

Impliedly he thinks he is smarter than God and his ways are better than His.

¹² Pride has its beginning when a person abandons the Lord, his Maker. ¹³ Pride is like a fountain pouring out sin, and whoever persists in it will be full of wickedness. SIRACH 10

²² Stop trusting in man. ISAIAH 2

⁶ I will destroy those who have turned and no longer follow Me, those who do not come to Me or ask Me to guide them. ZEPAHNIAH 1 tev

We have to pray to be held a child of God.

“Acknowledge God's sovereignty over your stressful situation. Declare that He is still in control even if the situation is out of your hands. Believe in your heart that His hand has not been shortened to the extent that it cannot save you (Isaiah 59:1), and confess with your mouth that your problematic situation is not too big for Him to solve or too stressful for Him to resolve,” said Dr. Miriam Kinai in Managing Stress with the Word of God. “If you are suffering from a physical illness, prayerfully declare and believe that since God is the One who created your body, He is also able to heal it. If there is a rift in your marriage, proclaim and believe that since He is the One who joined you to your spouse, He is also able to keep you together. If your children are going astray, believe and decree that since He is the One who gave them to you, He is also able to help you keep them on the straight and narrow path to heaven.”

William B. Girao said, “Relying on our own strength to accomplish things is worldliness. True spirituality is constant dependence on God for everything, from the mundane to the earthshaking (Philippians 4:6-7).”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, “The Christian should work as if all depended on him, and pray as if all depended on God.”

Point to Ponder: Do we really understand the power of prayer?

Myles Munroe said, “God, God Almighty, God the Creator of the heavens and the earth, God the Beginning and the End, God the Source of all that is, God the Creator of man—the same God, in all His power and all His majesty, stops and listens when you pray… Prayer is man giving God permission or license to interfere in earth's affairs… All that God is—and all that God has—may be received through prayer. Everything you need to fulfill your purpose on earth is available to you through prayer. Whether you know it or not, you have the authority to change the world through prayer.” (Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer)

⁶ And now just as you trusted in the Messiah to save you, trust Him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with Him. ⁷ Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all He has done. COLOSSIANS 2 tlb   

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: ⁶ He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. PSALM 37

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. PROVERBS 3

 “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His highest willingness,” said a French archbishop. (125 Quotes and Illustrations, p. 3)

Andrew Bonar said, “O brother, pray; in spite of Satan, pray; spend hours in prayer; rather neglect friends than not pray; rather fast, and forget food—and sleep too—than not pray. And we must not talk about prayer, we must pray.”

WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO CHILDREN OF GOD?

  
At the Last Supper table were the Twelve. The Son of God was honest and straight-forward. He bared to them the baptism of fire that every new covenanter would have to go through.

³⁴ If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. ³⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me and for the Gospel will save it. MARK 8

Baptism of fire is the reason why bad things happen to the children of God. It is a refinement process, similar to the way precious metal is subjected to intense heat to melt away all its impurities.

The baptism is a series of LOVE-sacrifices, with the new covenanter needing to shed his old polluted self, donning a new self, striving hard to reach Christian maturity, and helping his neighbors to become new covenanters themselves. As he go through the process, difficulties, frustrations, hurts and sorrows will confront him. If he endures to the end, he will come out of it holy and pure.

⁷ I will refine [tsaw-raf, make pure, purge] them and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of My people. JEREMIAH 9

⁹ I will bring them into the fire. I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. ZECHARIAH 13

²⁵ I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. ISAIAH 1

It is common to hear nowadays of children of God complaining of the breaks of life going against them. They must be told that the demonic forces have become terribly sore at them for  several reasons. First, for enlisting as soldiers of God in the kingdom war. Second, for  the once reliable loyalists of the evil empire are now turning into traitorous renegades. Third, for the number of its enemies will increase and the number of its human agents will decrease. Fourth, for the demonic spirits will be ejected from the hearts of their human agents and that will mean loss of territory for the evil empire.

In his book Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren spoke of the children of God being given to “impossible problems, delayed promises, major changes, unanswered prayers, underserved criticism, and even senseless tragedies”. The demonic forces are the culprits. They are putting the children into the fire hoping they would get frustrated and angry with the testing, and quit on God. 

God is allowing it to determine who among the children will deny themselves. take up their crosses and endure to the end. 

¹⁶ If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 1 PETER 4

The Book of Job gives three insights on what the demonic forces can do.

First, the new covenanter would be isolated and stripped of covering and support (Job 1:11). He would be deprived of his talents, treasures and sources of income. People dear to him and supportive of him would be disabled and or separated from him through poverty, ailment, conflict, accident and death. In the case of the prophet Job, he lost his sons and daughters, his servants and great wealth, all in one day (Job 1:13-22).

Second, the flesh of the new covenanter would be afflicted. Job was afflicted with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head (Job 2:7).

Third, intrigues, conflicts, persecutions, anxiety, failures, frustrations, and disappointments would plague the new covenanter. To convince him that he is a loser, that what he is doing were an exercise in futility, and that it would better for him to kill himself or return to his old wicked ways than to endure.

There is a fourth insight which the Book of Job did not give. The new covenanter would be seeing demons—elemental spirits, mermaids, angels of death (“yamadutas”), demons of the air (“yandavas”), guardian spirits (“devas” and “devates”), demigods, and guardians of the flame (“abhodevendas,” cosmic teachers, ascended masters)—and would be attacked by them. (Occult Grand Master Now In Christ, Part 2: Seven Occult Kingdoms)

¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. EPHESIANS 6

In the beginning a demon or two would attack. The elemental spirits would disguise themselves in the form of insects, snakes, and strange-looking creatures—even in the form of persons, both dead and living, who are familiar to the new covenanter. Eventually the disguise would be dropped.

The attacks would come by sundown and end before sunrise. But later the attacks would come at any time of the day and appear endless.

The new covenanter would have to evade and parry the attacks for he could be killed, paralyzed or dismembered if hit. Should he win the battle, the number of his attackers would increase in the next battle. 

The attacks would intensify. If the lowly elemental spirits fail to overcome the new covenanter, Lucifer would send his “living grand masters” along with the rulers of the seven occult kingdoms—Seraphim Visel (earth kingdom), Lord Kaliya (water kingdom), Lord Naga (fire kingdom), Lord Sagna (astral kingdom), Lord Shohang (terrestrial kingdom), Sat Kumara (Azura) and Chitanam (Kalami)—to confront and gang him up. If still they fail to overcome him, Lucifer himself would attack.  

The new covenanter could be chained, taken prisoner and brought to an astral or terrestrial dungeon so dark and eerie, where the angels of God could not rescue him for they are forbidden to come near the place.

His family and neighbors might not be able to cope with his situation. They would likely presume that he has lost touch with reality. Medical doctors might diagnose him as schizophrenic, paranoid, psychotic, or simply mentally ill. His own churchmates might think he’s demon-possessed (not demonized which is the real case) and might not want to sit on the same pew with him. Instead of helping him, they might ostracize and ridicule him—even think of him as someone being punished by God.    

In the four insights above, the new covenanter would have to cling to his faith. Instead of being perplexed or panicky or losing hope, he should pray for help. Prayer is his only link to God. As soon as he prays, God will come to neutralize his enemies, free him if taken captive, restore his losses, and wake him up—alive and whole. The attack will all seem to be a “nightmare”.     

¹⁴ I will rescue those who love Me. I will protect those who trust in My name. ¹⁵ When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. ¹⁶ I will reward them with a long life and give them My salvation. PSALM 91 nlt

Baptism of fire is a series of battles progressively intensifying and terribly exhausting. We speak from experience. Our first battles made us sleepless for almost nine months. Lucifer himself was our opponent mostly. Today the attacks have waned but still come—even in the middle of a sea trip or a business conference, while crossing the street or while sleeping.

The truth is, the demonic forces will not give up until the new covenanter quits on God. Thus, he must always be on battle station. Good for him to stay on prayer mode 24/7 and resist the attacks with the help of God and other God-worshipers.

And so at the Last Supper, Y’shua essentially told the Twelve: “Those of you who have the heart desire to be a new covenanter must prepare for testing. Prepare for a treacherous, protracted war, one to last the rest of your lives. Baptism of fire will not be easy for you. But just as I carry My cross, so you must carry yours. You will stumble but do not stay down. Stand firm to the end and your original blessed state will be restored.”

What was said to the Twelve is also said to us.

³³ In this world you will have trouble. JOHN 16

⁸ Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers [in faith] throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 PETER 5

Do Not Be Afraid

Baptism of fire means eating the bread of adversity and drinking the water of affliction. It sounds dreadful but fear not. Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to be thrown into the blazing furnace yet no harm came to them. The Son of God came to untie them and enabled them to “walk around in the fire unharmed” (Daniel 3:19-30).

¹⁰ Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. ISAIAH 41

¹⁵ Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s… ¹⁷ Go out and face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you. 2 CHRONICLES 20

¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you, and all you have to do is keep still. EXODUS 14 tev

¹⁰ Be still and know that I am God. PSALM 46

²⁹ The Lord Himself is your shield and your sword to defend you and give you victory. DEUTERONOMY 33 tev

² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. ³ For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Isra’el, your Savior. ISAIAH 43 

²⁰ Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. ²¹ Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” ISAIAH 30

⁵ No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you. JOSHUA 1

²⁰ And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. MATTHEW 28

⁴ Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. ISAIAH 46

St. Paul gave a testimony of how God protected him:

⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 CORINTHIANS 4

You will take hits in the course of your baptism but not beyond your capacity to take.

¹³ God… will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, He will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you a way out. 1 CORINTHIANS 10 tev

You will face unpleasantries but how else should you be refined? 

¹³ Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 CORINTHIANS 16  

⁹ If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. ISAIAH 7

¹³ But he who stands firm to the end will be saved. MATTHEW 24

The demonic forces can kill (Hebrews 2:14), they are murderers (John 8:44), but do not fear them. Y’shua has given them the authority to test you but not to kill you (Job 2:6). They cannot kill you unless you permit them or unless you entertain a negativity (eg. anger or fear). You will eventually exit this world, as we all must, but not to satisfy the purpose of the enemy. God will see to it that your death will satisfy His kingdom purpose.

¹² Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. PSALM 2

¹⁸ The One who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. 1 JOHN 5 

St. Paul wrote of Lucifer’s unsuccessful attempts to kill him:     

²³ I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger at sea; in danger from false brothers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 2 CORINTHIANS 11

Fear not because whatever you lose in the course of your testing will be returned to you one hundred times (Matthew 19:29). Job received from God much more than what he lost in the beginning (Job 42:12).

Do not be afraid but rather embrace your baptism of fire with joy and gladness because the evil empire's opposition is your assurance that you are on the right track.

⁷ These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. 1 PETER 1 nlt

Embrace your baptism of fire with joy and gladness because God is fair and just. The suffering of the non-covenanters will be seven times worse.    

13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 1 CORINTHIANS 10

49 Everyone will be salted with fire. MARK 9

8 Here is what all creatures, both human and animal, must face (but it is seven times worse for sinners): 9 death, violence, conflict, murder, disaster, famine, sickness, epidemic. SIRACH 40

Take the Cup

¹⁴ When the hour came, Y’shua and His apostles reclined at the table… ¹⁷ After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸ For I tell you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹ He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁰ In the same way, after the supper, He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.” LUKE 22

²⁷ Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ This is My blood of the Covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. MATTHEW 26

The Most Holy Body was about to be broken, the Most Holy Blood about to be spilled. The culmination of the Son of Man’s baptism of fire was about to come. Three times He prophesied it. Everyone at the table had an inkling of what He was talking about.

⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. ⁵⁰ But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the Living Bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world… ⁵³ I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. JOHN 6

God leads by example. He does not command anyone to do something that He Himself did not do. In giving the symbolic bread and wine for the apostles to eat and drink, He was virtually saying to the Church, “As your God, Master and Teacher, I will do it first. But do I have your commitment to follow in My footsteps?”

Earlier, He asked two of the apostles: “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38)

In effect God asked, “Will you be My coworkers?”

²³ And they all drank from it. MARK 14      

Yes! The Twelve partook of the bread and wine, hallelu-yah! It was a sacred affirmation of the Church’s commitment, and of the Twelve’s personal commitment, to become new covenanters and go through baptism of fire.

Trumpet Call. Now, whenever and wherever the Passover meal is commemorated (Catholics call it "holy communion"), our participation in it—eating the bread and drinking the wine—should be a sacred affirmation not only of our oneness with the Church but also of our personal commitment to go through our baptism of fire and to contribute our share of LOVE-sacrifices to the collective cause.  

Whenever and wherever the Passover Feast is celebrated, the baptism of fire of our ancestors in faith—especially that of Y’shua—should ring in our minds. For there would be no true spirituality for us to celebrate today if they shied away from it. Thank God for their LOVE and faithfulness. 

The Passover is about LOVE. The New Covenant is about LOVE. The Ten Commandments are about LOVE. Because of LOVE God bore the penalty meant for us. Now He is looking for new covenanters. People to work on your family… your friends… your schoolmates… your workmates… your churchmates… People to begin the work on their own selves.

God hopes you would be one of them. He is calling you to imitate His sacrifice, to offer your body and blood for LOVE.

¹⁵ And He said, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶ For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” LUKE 22

²⁹ I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom. MATTHEW 26

An annual rite was proclaimed to commemorate His death and the commitment of the Church to follow suit.

¹⁹ Do this in memory of Me. LUKE 22