This is an incomplete list of the things that you may bump into or may attempt to bump into you as you pursue God and some scriptural references to explain these briefly. We have discussed several if not all of these in our group times briefly but I thought a summary might be helpful. I will try to add to this list as we go and hit any other things that would try to prevent us from truly entering and living according to the Kingdom.
Before I jump in though.. just a reminder
1 John 4:4 King James Version (KJV) “4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
Galatians 4:8-9 New English Translation (NET Bible) ” 8 Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all. 9 But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless basic forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?”
Colossians 1:12-14 King James Version (KJV) “12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”
Jude 1:24 – 25″Jude 24-25 King James Version (KJV) “24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
- Sin
- The Appetites of the Flesh (vs 19)
- The cares and pleasures of the World / general busy-ness (vs 19)
- Satan- the adversary and
- Bad Company/Scoffers/Legalism
- accuser or the brethren (see vs 15 below)
- Traditions of man that displace the Word of God instead of glorifying it
- Grumbling and Complaining
- Relying on our own understanding / our rational/academic mind
- Persecution or hardship – see vs 17 (also see Job for examples of good responses to perspecution (the beginning and the end) and bad (the middle)
- Hardness of heart – comes when we grieve
- Envy and Jealousy / Comparison
Mark 4:10-20 King James Version (KJV)” 10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 14 The sower soweth the word. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.”
1. Sin
Hebrews 12:1 NKJV “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
Habakkuk 1:13 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE) “13 Your eyes are too pure to look upon wickedness, and the sight of evil you cannot endure. Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence while the wicked devour those more just than themselves?”
Isaiah 59:2 KJV “2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
2. The appetites of the flesh
Romans 6-9 outlines how the flesh wars against the spirit and can keep us from doing what the Father wills.
Romans 8:4-9 King James Version (KJV) “4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”
Galatians 5:24-25 King James Version (KJV) “24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ”
3. The Cares and Pre-Occupations with the world (mentioned in the parable)
James 1:11 English Standard Version (ESV) “11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.”
Titus 2:11-14 King James Version (KJV) “11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
1 John 2:15 American Standard Version (ASV) “15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
James 4:3-5 Contemporary English Version (CEV)”3 Yet even when you do pray, your prayers are not answered, because you pray just for selfish reasons. 4 You people aren’t faithful to God! Don’t you know that if you love the world, you are God’s enemies? And if you decide to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you doubt the Scriptures that say, “God truly cares about the Spirit he has put in us”?”
4. Satan / Demonic interference
1 Peter 5:8 King James Version (KJV) “8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
John 10:10 King James Version (KJV) “10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 New Living Translation (NLT) “3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”
There is an intelligent and conscious attack on our faith and on the Word of God that is happening all the time. We need not fear the things that God has publicly shamed and disarmed but we need to know that Satan and his demons are still in the world and still stirring up division, strife, emnity, confusion, despair and fear wherever we tolerate their presence
Ephesians 4:26-27 King James Version (KJV) “26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil.”
James 4:7 King James Version (KJV) “7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Revelation 12:10 King James Version (KJV) “10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”
John 8:44 New Century Version (NCV) “44 You belong to your father the devil, and you want to do what he wants. He was a murderer from the beginning and was against the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he shows what he is really like, because he is a liar and the father of lies.”
5.Bad Company/Scoffers/Legalism/Hypocricy
1 Corinthians 15:33 English Standard Version (ESV) “33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
Matthew 15:13-14 King James Version (KJV) “13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
Matthew 23:1-4 King James Version (KJV) 23 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”
A link to view many verses about the dangers of listening to the hypocrits https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?qs_version=KJV&quicksearch=hypocr&begin=47&end=73
Luke 12:1 New International Version (NIV) “12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”
6.Traditions of man that displace the Word of
Matthew 15:2-4 New Living Translation (NLT) 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” 3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’”
Mark 7:13 “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”
7.Grumbling and Complaining (block us from the Kingdom)
Jude 15-17 King James Version (KJV) ” To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
Galatians 5 ESVUK “16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God”
8.Relying on our own understanding / our rational/academic mind
Proverbs 3:5 King James Version (KJV) “5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
1 Corinthians 1:21-23 King James Version (KJV) “21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;”
God’s wisdom is foolishness to the analytical mind.
1 Corinthians 14:14 King James Version (KJV) “14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.”
9. Persecution –
following Jesus brings many blessings but with these, guaranteed persecutions. Remember from the parable of the sower, many fall away when the tribulations and persecutions come against them if they are unprepared.
Galatians 4:29 King James Version (KJV) “29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.”
Those who are not submitted to God as Lord but prefer to continue serving their own flesh and appetites will persecute those who choose to fully submit to the Lord… This is true within the church and outside of the church.
Mark 10:29-31 King James Version (KJV) “9 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. 31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.”
2 Timothy 3:12 King James Version (KJV) “12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”.
10. Hardness of Heart –
Often comes via willfull disobedience or denying the Truth and instead relying on our own understanding
i) via rebellion and disobedience
Isaiah 63:9-10 King James Version (KJV) “9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. 10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.”
Ephesians 4:29-32 King James Version (KJV) “29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
1 Samuel 16:13-15 King James Version (KJV) “13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. 15 And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.”
Please look into the why of why the Spirit departed from Saul. Saul partially obeyed God and specifically broke his commands as he allowed his own understanding and reasoning to explain away and justify doing so.
1 Timothy 1:19 New Living Translation (NLT) “19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.”
1 Timothy 4:1-6 King James Version (KJV) “4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”
11. Envy and Jealousy / Comparison
James 3:15-17 King James Version (KJV) “15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
Matthew 27 Berean Study Bible “17So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over. 19While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”
12. Fear of the Supernatural, the gifts of the Spirit, the Counterfeits and the Power of the Kingdom
We are in a war…. Like it or not, we have a devious and subtle enemy whose main tactic is to disarm us via deception. Actually, he needs to disarm us to have any chance of defeating us as scripture records he was publicly shamed and disarmed by Christ [Colossians 2:15]. Could you imagine what would happen to our society if we decided to burn every monetary bill (including the legit ones) as a means of removing the false ones from circulation. What scripture calls us to do is learn to differentiate between the false and the real and only heed the real.
Psalm 18:34 King James Version (KJV) “34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 King James Version (KJV) ” 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 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;”
Ephesians 6 KJV “11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 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. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
I was reminded this week of the warfare that comes against the gifts of the Spirit via the many counterfeits and false teachers etc that abound. The thing is, that Corinthians makes it very clear that all of these gifts are necessary for equipping the believers
1 Corinthians 4:19-21 King James Version (KJV) “19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?”
Mark 16:16-20 King James Version (KJV)”16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”
Yes absolutely there is a counterfeit version of this, yes absolutely there are people who get out of balance and perpetually seek for the signs and miss God…. These things in no way change the biblical fact that signs (both new and known) follow the preaching of the Word. The enemy loves to discredit and disarm those operating in spiritual gifts as these are essential to the operation of the Kingdom.
1 Corinthians 12 King James Version (KJV) “12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 5 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked. 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”
Scripture refers to these supernatural elements of the Kingdom as gifts from God, distributed at His will for the good of all, and states that each one has different gifts so that the whole body will benefit. We are also warned that when one body part suffers, the whole suffers… When we silence the gifts of the Spirit we are quenching God and literally harming the larger body of Christ. Ephesians 6 says our weapons of warfare are for disarming things of spiritual nature. God has provided spiritual weapons for the task. We could consider it insane to send soldiers bare handed with no training into a warzone…. Is it wise therefore to leave God’s bereft of the gifts God has given us for the good of all? The end of Matthew specifically commissioned the disciples to teach the believers to observe all that he taught them to do (see Matthew below). Mark 16 (above) says all believers can operate in certain giftings, not all giftings but some are available to all. So these are things that all can do, not saying what all will do.
Ephesians 4:10-12 King James Version (KJV) “10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
Matthew 28:”18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Note here that Matthew is saying that the apostles were to teach them to obey/do ALL things whatsoever that He commanded them to do. We have to read the gospels understanding that any assignment given to the apostles has been given to us as well.
Matthew 10:7-8 King James Version (KJV) “7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”
I believe right here we see the true Great Commission that the disciples were to pass onto all believers… I see these as a package deal. Jesus equipped His disciples in all of these things and then sent them out. How can we hope to represent the Kingdom without having freely received all so that we can in turn freely give all that we are called to give?
2 Timothy 3:2-5 King James Version (KJV) “2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
In the forefront of my mind, I try to always remember that Satan defeated Adam in the garden by getting him to take his mind off of what God said and listen to his own reasoning instead. Adam had dominion over every thing that crawled including the serpent but he was undone by the appetites of the flesh, the desire for being like God (especially in wisdom) and by the cunning lies spoken by the serpent. In contrast, it is equally etched on my mind that Jesus completely disarmed the snake and booted him out of the situation after their exchange exerting His dominion by standing immovably on exactly what God said and not giving the slightest room for the serpent to twist it.
Ezekiel 34 King James Version (KJV) 34 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. 7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; 8 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord; 10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. 11 For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. 16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. 17 And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. 18 Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? 19 And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. 20 Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. 21 Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; 22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. 23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 24 And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it. 25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. 26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. 27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. 28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. 29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. 30 Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord God. 31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.”
I love this verse as it reminds me of how much our God, the Good Shepherd longs to strengthen those who were formerly sick and restore them to safe pastures. Without the gifts of the Spirit, and the supernatural elements of the Kingdom at work, how can we in our human effort accomplish these mighty and beyond natural feats? Do take note of the rebuke that came against the shepherds who failed to do these things for their sheep. Our natural selves were not made for the Kingdom life (scripture records that self resists the Spirit and vice versa) so they squirm and get uncomfortable when the announcement of the Kingdom arriving comes… Instinctively self knows that it must die for the Kingdom to fully come and express itself in and through us. If we are mindful of this, we can do as Paul did and discipline ourselves in the skill of dying to self daily and crucifying our flesh driven selves.
Healing and Discipleship 