The Lord God manifests Himself in our lives. He is not visible to our naked eye, yet by faith He reveals Himself to our hearts. Our God is a God who longs to be in every move, way and manner of our lives. When we have come to this knowledge, He becomes to us a weapon, a help and sustenance. He fights for us, rescues and keeps us. We no longer live our lives by what we see, but by what God has in store for us. It becomes our nature to search for the things of God. The faith that God placed in us guides us to His things. In fact, we do not have to see, since it is God who sees and delivers for us. In other words, He decides our course of life. He chooses our battles and our victories; He becomes our mentor. God made us His children, because He longed to be our Father.
A father’s nature is to fulfill every call of his child. God the Father is no different. And, He being much greater than our earthly fathers fulfills our calls rather perfectly and in a timely manner. You know He is the Almighty! For this reason, the faithful have always had a triumphant life. However, the secret to receive from God is our holiness and trust in Him. By these we understand the mystery of God manifesting Himself to us. In every walk of our life we ought to be as those that found God. God manifesting Himself to us is proof of our finding Him. This further reveals the God in us to the world. What a delight it is to depend overtly on God almighty! As every move, way and direction comes from Him, we will not have the need to see. We rather not see lest we fall. We call or inquire Him by the faith He instills in us and He responds to us by the faith we display in Him. “David inquired of the LORD, saying, ‘Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?’ And He said to him, ‘Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all’” (1 Sam. 30:8).
To have a triumphant life means to overcome every obstacle, suffering and pain in life. No man born in the flesh is free from them. Yet, not all triumph. One may seek ways to overcome obstacles, but it will not yield the fruitful result that comes by God manifesting Himself to His sons. For the manner in which God manifests Himself is entirely different to what man seeks. Hence, He is able to bring about a perfect result. No doubt we ought to be overwhelmed by His working manner. He manifests to us in ways that are not our ways and by thoughts that are not our thoughts. David was wise enough to acknowledge this very early in life. This produced a marked difference between him and Saul, who was also anointed by God. And, the name David became a constant reference in God’s kingdom in as much as Christ too was called the Son of David. Though there are many called and even anointed, not all have kept their knowing of God. Some like Saul have lost their calling.
David became king at the age of thirty, because of His knowing God. God manifested Himself to Him on many occasions. Israel having accepted that God was with him in his going out and coming in made him king. God prepared Him for His purpose. David too, unlike Saul, held on to the manner in which God manifests Himself to His people. God was with him continually. An example of his knowing God is seen in the book of first Samuel. The intimate relationship that God owns with His children is unrivaled. He always desires it, but it is His children that must come to grasps. God is ever present to mentor with His word the sons that call upon Him. His word has His ways and thoughts. When God said to David that he would rescue all, it was His thoughts. God sanctioned to him the course of his battle. The word became to David, the believer, the power of God. Such power removes fear and doubt. It is this mentoring that God desires to give to those who inquire Him. And David said, “For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield” (Ps. 5:12).
Yes, truly, it is God alone who can surround us with His favor, if we desire it from Him. God always listens to the prayers that are offered righteously. For righteous prayers to fall from our lips our holiness and trust in Him are essential. As we incessantly ask God to be our shield, we completely walk the way to eternal life. God has given us Christ as the way. He who follows Him has known the manner in which God manifests Himself to His sons. For because of the Son we are the sons of God. In Him we overcome all obstacles, sufferings and pain. He lays the course of our lives. We inquire Him and He shows us the way. He manifests Himself to us. Then, we are blessed having been saved by the mighty hand of God. For the lack of such blessings many are entangled in suffering, pain and obstacles in more ways than they realize. Had not God revealed that Christ must die on the cross for our redemption, we would not have known the way to eternal life. Equally, if God does not manifest Himself to us we cannot overcome the matters of the flesh. So, inquire God for every work you seek to do; you will be surrounded by His favor. You will notice your burden lessened by many times than when you pressed to fulfill your desire without inquiring Him.
The Word is God. Jesus is the Word. Jesus is the Way. The Word is the Way. Whichever manner you begin the word is the exact embodiment of God. David was mentored by the word and Christians too are called for the same purpose. God must mentor us so that we retain the great salvation. “For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely” (Jer. 6:13). They rejected Him as their mentor. But, we must seek Him that desires to mentor us. Observe and note how God describes to us the men that dealt with Him. They sought their own ways. So are many that speak of God in the present days. Inquire God for yourself regarding them and He will reveal them to you. The one in the low position as well as the one in the high position are falsifying the word that desires to save men. If this is the case, where is the opportunity for the church to overcome the matters of the flesh? Is God indifferent to us, since we are under Christ? Or, was He a God only to those with the Law? On the contrary, He is neither indifferent nor was He a God only to those with the Law. He is a shield to all that seek Him.
When God sent His word, the power, through the prophet there remained no escape for them. He manifested Himself to the prophet that those who falsely spoke in His name might know that He has weighed them and found them inadequate. At one time He led David to save a people; at another time a prophet to punish a nation. God is just, whether with grace or with punishment. “Then I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the LORD was standing by” (Zech. 3:5). This was regarding one priest of God, who walked in His ways. Imagine the desire God has toward the church, who is the priests of God. And, the Lord manifested it to Zechariah, the prophet. He showed him His intention. Joshua, the high priest, was shown as a sign to him.
Zechariah understood what God is about to do for people in the days to come when He raises for Him His Servant, the Branch. He will lead them in His zeal i.e. He will mentor them. Because they walk in His ways they will be like the brand plucked from fire. He removes their filthy garments i.e. He will cleanse their sins. He clothes them with festal robes i.e. He will make them new and honor them. They perform His service. This mystery many churches have not realized. They failed to understand that God Himself, in His Son, has taken the initiative to mentor His sons to eternity. Holiness and trust did not appear in them. So, they also do not inquire Him. But rather like those that dealt falsely with Him, they reject Him. “Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy’” (Luke 12:1).
How true is the way of Christ! In order the churches understand the mystery of God manifesting Himself to sons they must first shy away from hypocrisy. Hypocrisy diverts them from the Way of God. And, they also indulge in hypocrisy with those that do not speak of what pertains to God. They deal falsely with Him. What is the outcome? They are not entrusted with the word. “Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?” (Rom. 3:1). Grasp the trueness of the sons of God. He who is a Jew outwardly does not benefit from circumcision. But, is not circumcision of the flesh? Then, how does being a Jew outwardly have no benefit? It is because circumcision is of the heart, i.e. inward, by the Spirit. For it was a sign given to Abraham as a seal of the righteousness of the faith. In other words, his heart was previously circumcised by the Spirit through faith and circumcision of the flesh indicated it. So, every Jew circumcised in the flesh without possessing righteousness by faith did not benefit from it. They walked by sight and did not have the utterances of God.
But to those who were Jews inwardly, circumcision greatly benefited. They were entrusted with the utterances of God. Even so will those clothed by God with festal robes. They have circumcised hearts. They receive His ways. God is in every walk of their life. They inquire Him. He manifests Himself to them. Such intimate relationship is past the basic things of Christ. And, since you have been hearing the word that leads you to the Savior, consider Him that manifests Himself to you. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).