King Jesus is mighty in His wisdom. He is the master in understanding our needs. He knows completely our weaknesses. He has examined our hearts that He might know the perfect avenue of victory in each and every moment of our existence. He knows how the Lord God has chosen for us to obtain and move in His will. The Lord knows what is best for us always. God has blessed man with the freedom of choice. We are the only part of creation that has been given the authority to choose our own. We were created this way that we might, by our own free will, choose the Lord and His will; to His glory. Because of this, the Lord God has ordained that by trial and triumph we move forward. When but His blessings are upon us, we are but standing still, bathing in His glory and praise. It is at the hand of tribulation that the victory of the Lord moves forward in triumph, through us, as His chosen. It is when by our free will we choose to be the vessels of His suffering, willing to allow the will of God in us to be tested by the forces of evil, that God moves mightily in the dispersion of victory. Listen to what the Lord says.

Jesus prays that the Father brings us not into temptation, but rescues us from the evil. Jesus is telling us that God does not bring temptation upon us. He does not have to. Satan knows exactly where we are. Satan always seeks to destroy us when we belong to the Father. Rather, the Lord asks that the Father rescue us from the evil. Jesus is saying to us, look to the Father for His will and He will provide. God will give us everything we need to escape the hold of evil. He has proven that to us through His son, for God has rescued Him from death and hell. God wants us to know His will that He might use us to win battles over evil. We are to become the ramparts of His kingdom. We are His chosen on the front lines of battle in the kingdom of heaven. We further the victory of the Lord. Why did Jesus say this?

The Lord asked the Father to rescue us from the evil because “for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Remember Hebrew parallelism? The Lord is showing us by whose authority and domain and power and purpose all things happen to us.

There is a problem among the believers that proposes our use of authority and power and purpose in dealing with evil. Some teach that we are the ones to rebuke and set straight the paths of righteousness. They teach that we may pray to, or boldly at, Satan with rebukes, bindings and settings loose of power and authority. They instruct that we establish what is bound and loosed on earth as in heaven. They say that the keys of the kingdom are ours to use in this manner. What does the Lord say? What does the Lord pray?

The interpretation of scripture cannot be used personally to teach anything which changes the meaning of the words of our Lord! The Lord says that the Father has this power. But some would answer that God’s will for me is that I do this or that by His authority. Some say that God gave us the authority to rebuke, bind or loose. And I say, you are brazen and full of childishness. That you are shallow and influenced by the teachings of men. The archangel Michael when arguing over the body of Moses did not bring railing against Satan but simply replied, “The Lord rebuke thee.” (Jude 9) Look to the word for your instruction. (Jude and 2 Peter 2)

I find it very necessary to return to further discussion of prayer. The spirit of the Lord has taught me that according to His word that it is blasphemy when anyone alone or in the assembly of the believers prays thus, “And Satan I say to you. . ” By whose authority and by what spirit do we choose to interrupt the Lord and pray to Satan himself? This is not exercising His authority; but, is an act that is found only in the occult. Should we pray to Satan? He has no place in our prayer to the Lord that we should do such things. The Lord prayed only that the Father would deliver Him from the evil. Jesus only prayed to the Father. Yes, He found it necessary to address Satan on a few occasions, but the Lord only addressed him with the word of the Lord God. Let us cut off this cancer lest we loose all. How can we ever put our “Amen” to such an abomination of prayer. Let the example of the Lord himself be sufficient for our instruction. Seek the Lord concerning these things. Continually test the spirit of instruction. Do not let the doctrines of men put your spirit under their bondage. We must seek the Lord for release from such evil. The Lord does not ignore our weaknesses, but implores us to remain fast to the truth of the spirit.

The Lord alone is mighty and sufficient in His word for my instruction in truth. I personally stand confident in His way and find no fear of letting Him take care of me. I wish not for my weaknesses to be my protection, regardless of the authority of whose name I might use in defense. I choose the Lord Jesus as my defender and He alone is my king. I must make perfectly clear that this is a spiritual stand. Each and every day, without exception, my fleshly nature wrestles with my spirit over these things. My body wishes not for me by faith to be dependent upon Jesus to be my rock and defense. My flesh wants to guard it’s reputation and to strike back when hit and to fight back when attacked. This battle must be won each day so that the spirit of the Lord, in me, might reign over the territory of me. The Lord can then speak and I will be able to listen and simply obey. Never assume that this internal battle is ever over. Let the winning edge of Jesus within you truly be in control of your life each and every day!

If you are married then let me use an allegory, if you are not married then please try to understand. Do you find it necessary to illustrate acts of love toward your mate in public to let your mate know you love them and for others to know your love? Must you perform acts of love with your mate in the street to boast of the intent of your heart? Would you perform acts of deep intimacy with your lover in full view of the public to make sure they knew how much you cared for each other? The point is clear. The Lord God also wishes for our intimacy with Him to be in secret. The way we display our affection for our king, and the place we choose for our devotion are an indication of the level of our love toward God. Let us love Him with respect.

Matthew 6:
16. When you fast, do not be like the gloomy hypocrites; for they
disfigure their faces so that men may see them fasting; truthfully I tell you, they have their reward.
17. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18. so that men do not see you fasting but the Father will reward you for seeing you in secret.

The Lord’s illustration here concerns fasting. Fasting in the American culture is easily confused with dieting. They both are essentially the same act except for one thing. By whose will is it done? If we choose to fast, then we diet. If He chooses that we should fast and we obey, then we fast. I am not saying there is no place for dieting. Each of us is responsible for the maintenance of our body. However, fasting is the spirit of the Lord exercising authority over the flesh. Fasting is the Lord’s decision and when He says so, we should obey.

Jesus gives us further instruction concerning fasting. He says that we must do what is necessary to keep our fasting in secret. Please refer to the verse concerning keeping our appearance as normal. As the Lord asks us to do His will we learn more and more of His ways. Much the same as time goes on, in our marriage with our individual mate, we learn the do’s and don’ts of each other’s mannerisms. Isn’t it wonderful how individual and intimate our relationship with the Lord becomes. Jesus is so desirous of being very close. Please enjoy the Lord.

Matthew 6:
19. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust remove it, and where thieves will dig it up and steal it;
20. but, lay up your treasures in heaven, where neither moths or rust can remove it, or where thieves cannot dig it up and steal it;
21. for where your treasure is there is where also will be your heart.

We have been admonished by the Lord to not lay up our treasures upon the earth. These treasures are corruptible and have no value, they cannot last. We are to lay up our treasures in heaven. Where is this treasure? What is this treasure? How do I lay it up in heaven? Listen to the Lord. The treasure of the Lord is found in the heart. If you are finding the will of the Father and His perfect plan for you, you have found a treasure. The treasures of heaven are the plans of the Lord made known to you by the spirit in your heart. His will, given to you, must be lain up as a treasure in heaven. If we but listen to God and hear His voice individually in obedience, then we have lain up in heaven a glory that is everlasting. This is the mighty way of the Lord that where our hearts are so is our treasure. We must have a heart full of glory. A heart founded within the boundaries of obedience. A heart led by the spirit of the living God. Treasure filled hearts are full of the will of God created for them to deliver in obedience as vessels of glory (great treasure) to heaven. For if our heart is full of worldly things then we have but treasures of moth eaten nothingness. The choice is ours. Praise God! We will and do know the Father and will listen to Him.

Matthew 6:
22. The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore if your eye be single, all of your body will be shining;
23. but if your eye be evil, all of your body will be darkness.
24. No one can serve two lords; for either he will hate one and love the other, or one he will hold to and the other he will despise. You cannot serve God and money.

This is why the Lord says we cannot serve two masters. Our eye must be single. Then we will know the light of the Lord upon our path. He will point the way in light. Open your heart in singleness and look only to the will of the Lord. We will then see, in understanding, for His light will shine upon us to direct us. Our sight will be enhanced, by His light, to direct us clearly and with assurance. Then we begin to feel the presence of the Lord in the confidence of His leading. Our independence is made manifest in the assurance of the king’s light. We steadily become more filled with the testimony of our answered faith. Let us therefore lay up our treasures in heaven. Our freedom of choice is again exercised by our choice of returning to the Lord the blessing His will has made manifest in our hearts.

We are told to not let our eye become the follower of the path of darkness. It is a fact that in the absence of light there is darkness. The Lord is so simple in His explanation of the most fundamental truth. God is light. When we choose to not listen or to look to the Father there is no light. No light means darkness. The Father has planned a perfect way for each of us to follow. We cannot, and will not ever know what great glories are ours to lay up as treasures in heaven, if we will not allow him to direct us in the light. We cannot discover the will of God by accident; or, stumble upon it in darkness! Where we are looking is what fills us. So let us be single in our sight. Let us choose to only look to Him for our direction.

Do not let your heart be possibly filled with the presence of the evil one! Please seek to understand. Do not open your eye to the pleasures of this world. Heed not the call of the world in it’s false glory. For there is nothingness and darkness for them that do. They will be lead as the blind, through the very door of hell, into the pit of eternal darkness (complete and permanent absence of God). This is the true death from which there is no escape. If we would turn to the light. Jesus will disclose to us His ways. Then the whims and callings of this world become so insignificant. When we stand bathing in the light of God, our previous ways become as a void. We truly realize how, by using darkness, Satan had planned for us to waste our existence – unto our deaths.

Matthew 6:
25. Therefore I tell you: Be not anxious for your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor for your body in what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than raiment?
26. Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them; do you not excel more than them?
27. But who of you can be anxious enough to add to his stature a foot?
28. What in clothing is there to be anxious for? Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow; they labor not nor do they spin;
29. for I tell you that Solomon in all of his glory was not clothed as one of these lilies.
30. If the grass of the field is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven – shall God not all the more clothe you, you little-faith?
31. So do not be excited about and talk of what we are going to eat. or, what will we drink? or, what will I have to wear.
32. For all of these things the nations have sought after; your heavenly Father knows of all these things that you need.

Heed the plea of the Lord Jesus. Do not be anxious for the things of this world. Do we find ourselves asking for food, or drink, or clothing? Do we find ourselves asking for money, cars, furniture, etc.? Please do not follow these ways. I implore you in the name of the Lord, put off these prayers and desires. Why should we stand in the light and then pray for the desires of darkness? (NOTE: I am not saying we cannot mention these things in prayer. For the Lord thanked God for the daily bread. He did not pray for bread, rather He acknowledged God’s blessing. There is a distinct difference of the intent of the heart shown here. The Lord is not asking for us to establish priorities. He wants us to seek the kingdom and let Him take care of the carnal things.) God loves you. He knows much better than we can imagine what we really need. Remember, God made everything. He knows the purpose of all things. Do not allow for a moment that we should think God is not competent to care for us! God will never abandon us. Let God and His son Jesus do your worrying for you.

Matthew 6:
33. Seek first the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness, and these things will then be added to you.
34. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough troubles of it’s own and sufficient is it’s evil.

Praise God! The most significant answer to understanding the kingdom of heaven is in the next words Jesus speaks. Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and the righteousness of Him and then all of these things will be added unto you. The will of the Lord concerning His kingdom is gospel (good news). The kingdom of heaven is within you, so do not look outward for your strength. The Lord is within you. Seek the king in your heart and all other things will be given. Seek the will of God in your hearts and He will answer to you the things you also need. The perfect love of the Father will cast out all fear of living in the world. If we fear for the existance of food, drink, and clothing; we have never yet come to fully know His love within us. Tomorrow has enough problems of it’s own without us, in our doubting of the power of God, to add to them. Let God show you His will and live within it. You will have the blessings of His presence in everything you truly need spiritually; and, by His promise, even those things of necessity in this life as well.

A point to stimulate your thoughts: Our individual societies tell us what we need. We call this the standard of living. May it be that what God deems we need might be different that these standards given by man? Look to the Lord’s life. Never judge the spiritualness of another by the measure of his success according to the standards of darkness!

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Kenneth D. Davis

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