God Straining Program

God’sTraining Program

for Believers

Preparation for Living

byWilliam Gibbs

God’sTraining Program for Believers:

Preparation for Living

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®, NIV ®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Dedicated to all believers everywhere

who want to grow in knowledge

and grace.

God’sTraining Program for Believers:

Preparation for Living

Table of Contents

Excerpt from an Article by J. Hampton Keathley, III...... iv

Chapter 1: Introduction ...... 1

Section A: First Remarks...... 2

Section B: Seeking God First...... 2

Chapter 2: Knowing the Plan of God and theWill of God...... 7

Section A: God Controls Everything...... 8

Section B: Knowing God’sWill...... 9

Section C: God’s SpecificWill for Each Believer...... 11

Section D: FreeWill and Liberty...... 13

Section E.TheTruthWill SetYou Free...... 16

Chapter 3:Training in theWord...... 19

Section A: Introduction toTraining in theWord...... 20

Section B:The Purpose of theWord...... 21

Section C: Jesus’ Growth Pattern...... 23

Section D:The Command to Grow...... 24

Section E:Avoid FalseTeachers...... 25

Section F:The Holy Spirit in Learning...... 27

Section G:The Results of Learning...... 29

Section H:The Results of Not Learning...... 32

Section I: Having a Love for theWord...... 33

Section J: Getting and ApplyingWisdom...... 34

Section K: Guidelines for Studying...... 37

Chapter 4: Growing Faith ...... 41

Section A: FaithWorks...... 42

Section B: Living by Faith...... 45

Section C: Faith forTraining...... 49

Section D: FaithVerses...... 52

Chapter 5:TheWar Against God ...... 55

Section A: Satan’s Fall...... 56

Section B: Earth: Creation, Spoilage, and Restoration...... 58

Section C:Angels areWatching...... 63

Section D:The Fall of Man and the Fall of Angels ...... 66

Section E: Satan’sTactics...... 68

Section F: Satan’s Objectives...... 74

Section G: Satan’s Mission...... 80

Section H:WhoseWorld is It?...... 83

Section I: Christ Defeated Satan...... 86

Section J: Dealing with Satan...... 90

Chapter 6:TheWorld.. / .95
Section A: Pride and theWorld...... / 96
Section B:We are Foreigners Here...... / 99
Section C:TheWorld Opposes Us...... / 101
Section D: Chasing After theWind...... / 103
Section E: Seeking Fulfillment in theWorld...... / 107
Section F:TheWorld Promises Success...... / 110
Section G:TheWorld is Satan’s Kingdom...... / 114
Section H:TheWicked May Prosper in theWorld...... / 115
Chapter 7: Our Nature...... / ...... 119
Section A: Human Good vs Divine Good...... / 120
Section B: Sin vsWorks...... / 123
Section C: Our Sinful Nature...... / 127
Section D:The Forgiveness of Sin...... / 131
Section E: Consequences for Unforgiven Sin...... / 141
Section F: StopTrying...... / 149

Chapter 8: Our SpiritualWalk ..153

Section A: Maturity and Spirituality...... 154

Section B: God’s Provision...... 167

Section C: Jesus and the Holy Spirit...... 171

Section D: Christ our Example...... 173

Section E: Glorifying God...... 175

Section F:The Holy Spirit in the OldTestament...... 176

Section G: Functions of the Holy Spirit...... 180

Section H:TheWord vs the Holy Spirit...... 182

Section I: Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit...... 183

Chapter 9: Position and Condition. ..191

Section A: Distinguishing Position and Condition...... 192

Section B:The New Man...... 194

Chapter 10: Outcomes of Spirituality and Maturity ...... 197

Section A: Exaltation of God...... 198

Section B: Changes in the Heart...... 200

Section C: Operation of Spiritual Gifts...... 202

Section D: Benefits of Spirituality and Maturity...... 204

Chapter 11:TheTraining Program ...... 211

Section A: Prosperity and Suffering for the Righteous and for theWicked....212

Section B: Do Miracles Strengthen Us?...... 214

Section C: Responses to Suffering...... 216

Section D: Grace Before Judgment...... 220

Section E:Temptation...... 222

Section F:The Gifts and the Giver...... 225

Section G:The Lessons of Life...... 227

Section H: Revisiting Discipline...... 240

Section I: Perfection through Suffering...... 241

Section J: Scriptures onTraining...... 246

Final Statement ...... 251

Endnotes...... 252

About the Author...... 255

Excerpt from an Article by

J. Hampton Keathley, III

Why me? Why now? What is God doing? Suffering is a tool God uses to get our attention and to accomplish His purposes in our lives. It is designed to build our trust in the Almighty, but suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. Suffering forces us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources.

Suffering is not in itself virtuous, nor is it a sign of holiness. It is also not a means of gaining points with God, or of subduing the flesh (as in asceticism). When it is possible, suffering is to be avoided. Christ avoided suffering unless it meant acting in disobedience to the Father’s will.

“In the day of prosperity be happy. But in the day of adversity consider—God has made the one as well as the other so that men may not discover anything that will be after him.” (Eccl. 7:14)

The following questions are designed to help us “consider” in the day of adver

sity:

(1)How am I responding to it?

(2)How should I respond to it? (emphasis mine)

(3)Am I learning from it?

(4)Does my response demonstrate faith, love for God and for others, Christ-like character, values, commitment, priorities, etc.?

(5)How can God use it in my life? (Endnote 1)

And the God of grace,

who called you to his eternal glory

in Christ,

after you have suffered

a little while,

will himself restore you

and make you strong,

firm and steadfast.

—1 Peter 5:10—

Chapter 1

Introduction

InThis Chapter...

A.First Remarks

B.Seeking God’s Blessings

A.First Remarks

We take our view of life largely from the world. We see things in a superficial light, distorted by this thing we call “reality”. The world’s reality is not the same as God’s, and Satan wants us to incorporate the world’s perspective into our thinking and assume that “what we see is what we get”. The best things in creation are not seen, and may go with only a whisper of sensation to us, but their importance to us is paramount. The purpose of this book is to promote a divine view of events so that we can see what God is doing in the world and in our lives as He prepares us for service in His kingdom.

Our perception of suffering and blessings has been confused by the world’s view that pain and loss are completely bad, and ease and wealth are inherently good. This is one of the biggest lies Satan has ever perpetrated on the human race. Our goal is to reframe our concepts of “good” experience and “bad” experience, so that we will be able to endure God’s rigorous training and receive maximum benefit from it.

By the time we are through with this book, you will be able to understand the reason for tests and trials, and you will see events in your life as opportunities to grow and advance. Your confidence in God’s plan will be increased, and your fellowship with the Holy Spirit of Christ will be more consistent. This will curtail any temptation you may have to become bitter and resentful underneath God’s intense training. God’s life-prep program is not easy, but the resources He provides to help you get through it can actually make it a time of joy and peace, despite the hardships and difficulties. And the outcome following the training is unimaginably great.

If we want God and His truth and His life, we will enter God’s training with hope and enthusiasm. Still, we must acknowledge the free-fall feeling that happens with intense drill and training, so—at the outset—it may be good for us to recall that familiar warning that is heard before a crash landing: BRACE!!

B.Seeking God First

We want blessings from God, sometimes more than we want God Himself. We want what He offers, and hope to find any shortcut to blessings, without developing a close relationship with the Provider of them. Both believers and unbelievers are at some stage of awareness of God, and there are certain processes for each of them that enable them to reach the point of experiencing God’s benevolent and gracious provision. Unbelievers must first of all become believers, and then all believers must follow a protocol for entering and maintaining a close relationship with God. To receive what God wants to give, we must believe in the ONE who gives, not only at salvation, but throughout the new life we get when we are saved. Without following the protocol for receiving God’s best (described in this book), we will not experience the abundant life He promises.

We begin early in life with an awareness of God, and then we approach this awareness with either a negative or positive response. Ecclesiastes 3:11 gives us this: “He has made everything beautiful in its

time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” We see right away that God has placed within the hearts of every human being a clear yearning for eternity...for God. He has made us curious about His own reality, and caused us to be aware of His existence. Whenever we encounter this awareness of eternity, we make a decision at some core level to either seek to know more about God, or to walk away from our own inclination to learn more about Him. Romans 1:18-21 describes this condition perfectly, saying this:

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Whenever we confront our own awareness of God, which is “plain” to us, we exercise our volition and express our own desires by deciding to either pursue what we recognize, or to squelch it and suppress any tendency to invite God into our lives. This is the point at which we will choose to move toward God or away from Him, and if we persist in a reluctance to embrace what we sense within ourselves—that God is real—the awareness of God will subside until it is completely gone, and then nothing will change our minds about Him. We will be without God and without hope in the world, and we can blame no one for this condition except ourselves.

According to John 1:9 the light of Jesus Christ shines throughout humanity, and is available to every man. The gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news that we can have eternal life simply by believing in Him, is offered to all, and no one who seeks God will be denied access to this gospel. Salvation is open to all who desire it. But each person must first acknowledge God and recognize his need for Him. When God sees this condition in one’s volition, God is then obligated to get the gospel to him, so he can believe in Jesus Christ, and join the royal family of God.

We will have much to say about what happens after salvation, but as a preview of these studies, it seems appropriate to cite a condition that exists after salvation: When we are saved by believing in Christ, thus becoming a child of God, we are still at choice, and we will—as believers—either want more of God, or drift into apathy and indifference to our heavenly Father. This will result in our lapsing into a state known as “reversionism”, and even into apostasy and unbelief. There are ways to prevent this, as we will examine thoroughly at some point. It must be made clear that we will never lose our salvation, but we can lose the “life” that it offers.

It is right to seek God, and to anticipate His blessings when we do, because He wants us to seek Him. Matthew 6:33 tells us to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness”, and that all the things we need to function and grow will be provided. These things come to us, not because we are pure or strong or competent, but because we SEEK God. God wants us to want Him, and He will not enter where He is not invited. The place where we seek God is in His Word, whereby we listen and learn and become wise, with the prospect that we will ultimately apply His truth to make our lives rich and meaningful. Proverbs 8:32-36 tells us that we will be blessed with “favor” when we seek Him. (This is what you are

doing as you read these words.) Consider this passage which enunciates the process clearly:

Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord. But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death.

There is no blessing without seeking God. On the other hand, when we seek God, the blessings of heaven open to us. This is confirmed in Ps. 37:4, which says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” When we “seek” we want to get closer to God, to grow in His wisdom and draw strength and comfort from Him. But the process for this is specific, as we shall see. We gain LIFE from closeness to God, as per Prov. 3:1-2, and 7-8, which we present here:

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

This passage contains more than a superficial reading suggests, but suffice it to say that seeking God in His Word and in prayer will bring to us the blessings we seek. There is no other way to access the blessings that are approved by God for dispensation to us...and these are the only ones that are truly worth having. Later we will see how understanding and applying Scripture, and following the prescriptions for fellowship and maturity, qualify us for unimagined benefits from God’s grace. It all begins with a desire...a decision...to search for God. The object of our search is God Himself, and not just blessings, but when we move closer to Him, blessings will come...in a form and at a time that is designed by God, and that will be the ultimate best for us.

The meaning of “blessings” and how these are distributed will be a topic seen throughout this book. You may be surprised at God’s definition of “blessings”, and may have—by the time we are finished—a completely revised notion of what it means to be “blessed”.

Special Note to Readers
It is important for you to understand at the outset that you, as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, have the Holy Spirit inside of you. He is your Teacher. I believe that there is one truth from that Spirit, and that one interpretation of Scripture is correct. But MY interpretation of the Bible has no corner on God’s truth. As long as you, or I, or anyone else, is genuinely seeking God and His truth, I believe we will find its core, and we will grow by learning what we see. Unfortunately, human energy, imagination, and, in short, our sinful natures...not to mention Satan and His world system...convene to conspire against the truth, and this explains the distortions and faulty conclusions that occur. Pride also plays a part in our embracing and holding on to concepts, especially after they have taken root. This is because—once we have articulated what we believe—we tend to coddle our own notions as if they were our own children.
All we can do is study diligently and prayerfully and seek answers in the Word. Each of us has an equal shot at understanding Scripture; I do not believe that high-level scholarship or sophisticated hermeneutics always provides the best understanding, even if great knowledge of one sort or another amasses. If academics alone perfected understanding, scholars would all be in agreement, which they clearly aren’t. I believe it is our wish for the truth...our truly wanting God...that opens our hearts to the truth. Put simply: If you want God, you will find the truth.
In any case, screen everything you read here with a prayerful eye toward the whole of Scripture, and meticulously challenge what you read. God bless your studies and your search for wisdom. I pray that this material will increase your understanding and improve your spiritual walk.
Chapter 2
Knowing the Plan of God
and theWill of God

InThis Chapter...

A.God Controls Everything

B.Knowing God’sWill

C.God’s SpecificWillfor Each Believer

D.FreeWill and Liberty E.TheTruth will SetYou Free

A.God Controls Everything