By Caleb Iboroma
(Sunday, September 20th, 2009)
[For a printable version click here.]
Quotable quotes:
The way to deal with a covering is to call upon the Lord.
Isa 30:1 “Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin”, Isa 30:22; “Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence”.
And when the coverings are dealt with, there is a release. God has promised us that the devil and his co-horts shall be bound. PRAISE GOD. Brethren, believe God and His prophet. Christ has set us free from every covering cast and from the yoke of bondage.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage”(Gal. 5:1).
Isa 17:12 Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! 13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. v14 And behold at evening tide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.
BRO CALEB IBOROMA
THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PROMISE THROUGH AN ALLEGORY OF LAW AND GRACE:
Through the working of the Law and Grace, the Promise is being fulfilled in us (all believers) through CHRIST.
God is giving a wake up call. He is calling us to rise up in spiritual warfare, not with physical arms but with spiritual arms to war against the Spirit of Islam. This is a call to rise up in prayer, to cast down every vain doctrine, custom, and imaginations of men and devils. Paul says in 2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: v 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) v5 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; v6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Brethren, their guns, bombs, bows and arrows are no match against our spiritual weapons which are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Once we have equipped ourselves as the Lord says in His nature of truth and with all the other spiritual armour outlined in the book of Ephesians, then we can be sure that no weapon formed against us will prosper. PRAISE GOD.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. v14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; v 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; v 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. v 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: v18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Jesus has set us free from the shackles and bondages from men and their devil inspired doctrines. At this point, it is good we spend a little time to understanding fully what our amour is, for without being adequately protected, it will be futile to go into war.
Truth
This is one nature of God and his Christ that we should always have to girt our loins with, in order to win the enemy of our soul. When we know and have the truth, we are set free from every yoke of bondage.
Righteousness
Righteousness provides a covering for you. The God we serve is righteous, so you can not expect to carry on in your evil ways and expect God to give righteous judgment against your enemies. Our God will not behold sin neither will any sinner tarry in His sight.
Sword of the spirit
The sword of the Spirit is the word of God which is a two edged sword. This is a call for prayer. When you pray things begin to happen in the heavens and it manifests on the earth. To this end, I say men ought always to pray and not to faint, as to spoil every work of darkness. The scriptures says “stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ has made us free and be not entangled again”. Note the word again. God does not desire that we go back again into bondage. We have been liberated by Jesus; therefore nothing should bring us under any yoke of bondage again.
THE PROMISE
The promise that was made to Abraham had an eternal purpose .The promise ran for a period of 430 years, before the law came. The law did not disannul the promise; it ran its own dispensation and brought us into Christ, the dispensation of grace.
THE ABRAHAMIC FAITH COVENANT CANNOT BE DISANNULLED BY THE LAW
Even in the physical when two people come into agreement in writing and that agreement is sealed legally it becomes legally binding on both parties. So also in the Spirit, the Mosaic Law had no power to disannul the promise that was made from the foundations of the earth to bring us into Christ. Ga 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. v 16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
v 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. v 18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
God is telling us that in Christ i.e. (those who are born again) the covenant He gave to Abraham was confirmed. So this promise is for those who belong to Christ. And Christ brought in grace, so we all by grace have inherited the promise. Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
It is only through Christ that we can benefit of this promise. And this promise comes to us through faith. Be encouraged brethren and rise up in faith. Ro 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. v 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
v 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. v 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW
The law was weak and it could not give life or righteousness; though it was put in place because of transgression, it had its limitations. The law was our school master, our trainer, our teacher, our guide, and it was supposed to be in force and run till the seed (Christ) came to those the promise was made for . (Gal v 22). The law was just an allegory pointing to the dispensation of Christ. Once John the Baptist pronounced “repent ye”, it’s power and influence ceased… (Ro 10:4), and grace came into full play. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Christ became the mediator for all mankind, both Jew and Gentiles alike. God’s intention was that by the time we enter into Christ, we ought to have learnt and forsaken all the rudiments of sin wherein we had entangled our selves.
Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise (Jesus Christ) was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. v20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. v 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. v 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
His promise as we can see was not just for Isaac but for all that believe in Christ. The moment a person denounces whatever they were worshipping and turns to believe in Christ, the person is given grace freely. v 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. v 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith..
Once in Christ, the reason for the law had been accomplished. We can not over emphasize this point. That is why Paul said in Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
The law had finished its course. It was now the time of grace where men were to approach God by faith, which expresses itself by acts of love in obedience to the instructions of a loving Creator. v25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one Mediator. Moses was the mediator of the law (the Old Testament) whereas Jesus Christ was and still is the mediator through which grace and truth came (the new testament/covenant).
“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” John1:17. “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” 1Tim 2:5.
Heb 9: 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
AN ALLEGORY OF LAW AND GRACE: GRACE COULD NOT CO-EXIST WITH THE LAW
Here we see the symbolic representation (allegory) of the Hagar and Sarah story, symbolizing the old and new covenants (testament) which could not co-exist.
- Hagar (the bond woman) symbolizes the Mosaic law (old covenant or testament) that gendered to bondage and which has been cast out and abolished (Gal 24:25).
- Sarah (the free woman) symbolizes the new covenant that gives freedom (salvation) from bondage and brings men to God through Christ (Gal 4:26 – 29).
The distinction between the natural and spiritual seeds of Abraham is clearly defined Gal 4: 22. For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bondmaid was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise.
Brother Paul explained further in Rom 9: 7 neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
- This means that they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: But the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
- For this is the word of promise. At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
- And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac.
Ro 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. v 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. v 9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. v 10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; v 11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
v 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. HAGAR here symbolizes the Mosaic Law to bondage (Gal4:24-25). V 21 the reasons why the two dispensations can not co exist is seen in this allegory. The problem we have is that we findit difficult to believe that Christ has paid every debt on our behalf, we are free from all our debts. He said IT IS FINISHED. Yet some of us still entangle ourselves in traditions and customs or rules and regulations of men and devils ,going back to bear yokes that the lord did not put us under V23 WE see two sons, one by normal birth ,then the second son came by a supernatural and spectacular birth ,by promise by grace by the spirit by a miracle ,no man could take glory it was by the spirit ,this was the difference between the two births. Ga 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar v 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
SARAH here symbolizes the New Covenant to freedom. (Gal 4: 26-29)
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem(the Messianic kingdom of Christ) which is above – which is the mother of us all.
Heb 12:22 but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, v 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, v 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that Ga 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. v 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. v 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
CONCLUSION
Gen 4 : 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. v 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. We need not be intimidated by this Spirit, for God has promised His children a covenant of peace. Isa 54:10 for the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.v11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. v12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. v 13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. v 14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. 15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. 16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work, and I have created the waster to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn: This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. AMEN.