Spiritual Warfare

Why Do We Not Hear the Voice of God?

Ken

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27 NKJV). Every born again, Spirit indwelt Christian must have had the life changing occasion of repenting of their sins, turning in faith to Jesus Christ, and committing their life to Jesus Christ to follow Him, which baptism epitomizes. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5 NKJV). 

If we began listening to Jesus, who is “the Word [that] became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14 NKJV), and we began following Him, then what has changed now? 

Nothing. 

Why Do We Not Hear the Voice of God? 

First, not just Professed Christianity, but humanity in general, we all have heard the Voice of God in the Natural World, whether we realize it or not, or we have acknowledged it or not. 

“1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard” (Psalms 19:1-3 NKJV). 

Second, if “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17 NKJV), indicating God has always been speaking and revealing Himself to everyone through the Natural World and more, then why doesn’t everyone thank Him? Ingratitude. 

“Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21 NKJV). 

Third, if we are to be “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2Corinthians 10:5 NKJV), then how could we not be continually hearing God’s Voice, unless we suddenly became thoughtless? 

Of course, this leaves us open to the ridicule of the humanists commenting on God’s Voice speaking to us. But, did not Paul warn us, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1Corinthians 2:14 NKJV)? Either we abandon this idea of God’s Word speaking to us, or we embrace it entirely and see what God will do. 

Fourth, any effort to gain the applause of the world for Christ without an overriding desire of converting them, would encourage us not to hear the Voice of God, and would discourage us from acting like God was speaking to us as a friend, because we would be losing credibility with the world. “So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11 NKJV). “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14 NKJV). 

Fifth, when we waver and apostatize in our heart, we will not hear God intelligibly speaking to us. “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word” (John 8:43 NKJV). Apostasy is not merely departing wholesale from the faith and being consigned to perdition, but it does mean to choose to stand away from a previously held, but correct position. We attempt to distance ourselves from being labeled apostate, because it carries theological baggage of an unpardonable sin. 

But, the only unpardonable sin is “he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation” (Mark 3:29 NKJV). If the Holy Spirit is our only means of repenting, then to obstinately resist His influence, makes the sin we will not repent of, the unpardonable sin. How do we know we will repent? We never can know we’ll repent, unless “God perhaps will grant [us] repentance, so that [we] may know the truth” (2Timothy 2:25 NKJV). Again, since our future repentance can never be certain, further resistance is not only futile, but immediate repentance is the greatest relief to our soul. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2Corinthians 6:2 NKJV). 

Sixth, many in the Church comprehend the concept of God speaking to us from the Word of God, but somehow divorce the Voice of God from comprehensively influencing everything, as if God cannot direct us absolutely about everything. How can this be? 

“18 Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him. 19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; You shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you. 20 And though the Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers. 21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it, Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:18-21 NKJV). 

Seventh, Is it better to not hear the Voice of God, or should we continue asking, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” (2Kings 2:14 NKJV). Or, should we join the scoffers, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2Peter 3:4 NKJV). If they don’t see anything different, should we disappoint them? Or, should we join with the prophet, “Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19 NKJV)? 

If we hear the Voice of God, do we suddenly have all our prayers answered, all of our problems suddenly become solved, and humanity immediately submits to Jesus? 

No. 

“When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8 NKJV).

What Does It Mean to Hear the Voice of God? 

First, we are only returning to where humanity was in the first place. “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat” (Genesis 2:16 NKJV). Adam heard the Voice of God from the beginning. 

Second, doubting the Voice of God is doubting God, which is what the Serpent intended. “Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1 NKJV). 

Third, separation from God and not hearing His voice, is a consequence of that first sin; but, most important humanity died (Genesis 2:17), and all of man’s capacities, such as the prodigious understanding and capacity of Adam to name all the animal kingdom (2:20) perished or was diminished. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12 NKJV). 

Fourth, unfamiliarity with the Voice of God now breeds thoughts in which God does not inhabit. “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” (Psalm 10:4 KJV). 

Fifth, God must show us again how to hear His Voice, or we will miss what God is accomplishing in the world, just as Peter was taught by the Voice of God, how the Gentiles we’re now part of the Family of God. “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34 NKJV). 

Sixth, ignorance of the Word of God is a breeding ground for false prophets to misguide and abuse the Church of Christ about the Voice of God. If the Body of Christ is already this divided some 2,000 years after Christ ascended back into Heaven, then will the Tribulation Saints after the Rapture of the Church be deceived by the unifying, miracle working, death defying, charismatic, new leader? Will that Antichrist deceive them into accepting him as their messiah? They will not follow him and will be martyred for their lack of submission. “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed” (Revelation 6:9-11 NKJV).  

Seventh, so, the next time someone who calls themself a brother or sister in Christ says, The LORD told me… , allow the Spirit of God to show you whether or not they speak on their own authority, or whether or not they speak consistently with the Word of God. “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” (John 7:17 NKJV). According to Jesus, all you need is a willing heart to do the will of God, in order to discern if the doctrine, teaching, or prophetic declaration is truly from God. Are you ready to do it? This is exactly how the Early Church had to determine the canonicity of proposed books for NT Scripture. Do you have a willing heart to do the will of God?

Isn’t it about time to re-evaluate where we stand? 

Spiritual Discernment

Ken

Spiritual discernment is spiritual judgment, which is a capability of all those who have received the indwelling Holy Spirit. Our ability to act upon spiritual things is based upon our ability to discern and understand them. 

“14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned [Greek, anakrinō, discerned]. 15 But he who is spiritual judges [Greek, anakrinō, discerns] all things, yet he himself is rightly judged [Greek, anakrinō, discerned] by no one” (1Corinthians 2:14-15 NKJV). 

How do we discern the Voice of the Holy Spirit? 

First, God’s Voice must be consistent with His Word, for the Spirit of God is the author of Scripture. “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2Peter 1:21 NKJV). 

Second, God’s Voice must not be contradictory to already understood Scripture; otherwise, it is not God’s Voice, or we did not properly understand what we thought we already understood. “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35 NKJV). 

Third, God’s Voice must be discerned, or we will be deceived by false prophets. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1John 4:1 NKJV). 

Fourth, God’s Voice must be discerned, because we are supposed to be Christ’s sheep, and all of His sheep know His Voice. “4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:4, 5, 27 NKJV). 

Fifth, God’s Voice can be discerned by comparing spiritual things with spiritual things, that is, comparing everything to the already understood and discerned Word of God. Something may initially sound correct, but God’s Spirit may give us discomfort about receiving something as His Voice, until it becomes clear. “These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1Corinthians 2:13 NKJV). 

Sixth, we already were supposed to be searching the Scriptures to affirm whether anything being taught us was according to Scripture, determining the Voice of God. “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11 NKJV). 

Seventh, we need to be careful about receiving someone claiming to give us the Voice of God, since it may be a test from the LORD to see if we will hold true to what we already know He commanded us. 

The Sad But Cautionary Tale of the Disobedient Prophet (1Kings 13:1-34). This story is so alarming, it would seem to make the Almighty uncaring about His prophets, but it emphasizes how much He values obedience from us all. Yet, the LORD said, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm” (1Chronicles 16:22 NKJV). 

Father, we come before You, asking for the discernment You expect from us, that we may do the work You appointed for us. Allow not Your people to be deceived by the wicked one. Mark us as those, who cannot be deceived because we know Your Voice. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Your name, we pray. Amen.

How to Find God

Ken

“And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 KJV). God makes it sound so easy for something humanity has gone to extremes to achieve. “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). If God is more interested in our salvation than we are, then shouldn’t our salvation be a higher priority for Him than us? “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2Peter 3:9).  Even if we think we found Him, how do we think we are able to hold on until we come into His heavenly presence? “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2Peter 1:4). If God has been in the process of seeking us throughout the history of humanity, how has He equipped us not to be overcome by the adversary? “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). Just because we began our walk with Him, will we make it to the end? “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Hallelujah! Father, complete Your good work in me! Return quickly. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Latent Unbelief (You Can, But Won’t)

Ken

“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till He come and rain righteousness upon you” (Hosea 10:12 KJV). 

Warning: This is the lie we tell ourselves. 

LORD, I believe You can save, heal, or deliver this person I’m concerned about, but I really don’t think You will, because I don’t think You care as much about my concerns than for the obviously dire circumstances of others faraway. 

Whenever the people of God become weary in well doing, we begin to see prayer as only a way to change God’s mind about what we want Him to do, instead of prayer conforming us better to His Perfect Will. 

“Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied Him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?” (Malachi 2:17). 

When we are concerned about anything more than His glory, then we are gradually and insidiously building up resistance against the Most High. This is the fallow ground of our hearts that must again be broken up, in order for the Almighty to manifest His righteousness in us. His timing is always the right timing, and His actions are always right. 

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (1Peter 5:7). 

Father, forgive me for my unbelief, for now I understand You love me more than I ever knew. Come, Holy Spirit, and fill Your Church with a powerful revelation of Jesus. Almighty God, create in me a new heart of faith and love. Justify Yourself, for You are right in all You do. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Opposition Research

Ken

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44 KJV). The devil is a liar and murderer. Satan would kill us all, if he could. The best way for him to hurt God is to hurt us. “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of Thy wings” (Psalm 17:8). Deliver the world from sin and sinning is the best way to thwart the devil. The Gospel is the most efficient way to snatch sinners out of the clutches of the devil. “Through death He [Christ] might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). Teaching the Church to abide in Christ is the most effective means of keeping the Church out of the snares of the wicked one. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25 NIV).

How Not to Sin (Abide in Christ)

Ken

“Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come” (Matthew 18:7 NET). Sin was never a necessity. Ever since angels and humanity made their choice against the Almighty, the stumbling blocks of sin have been present in the world. For God to prevent all sin, moral agents would no longer have choice. God cannot always wisely prevent sin; however, where Jesus is, sin is not, and where sin is, Jesus is not. “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him” (1John 3:6 KJV). 

What a minute! 

Whoever continues and abides in Him is not sinning. 

Okay, that is logical and reasonable. 

But, “whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him” (1John 3:6). 

Isn’t that extreme? 

Not really. 

The Holy Spirit testifies we are not sinning, when we are abiding and continuing with Him. That is a comfort to us. 

However, when we are presently sinning and in rebellion against Him, for sin is the transgressing of God’s law (1John 3:4), then why should the Holy Spirit comfort us? He instead says I never knew you. 

Can you blame Him? 

“Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him” (1John 3:6). 

Abiding in Jesus prevents sin. 

And, that is only a byproduct of our need to see Jesus as the foundation and source of our faith. 

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). 

We need only to explore the vastness and importance of dwelling in Christ. 

“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). 

“According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2Peter 1:3-4). 

Father, we desire to be like Jesus. Help us to abide in Christ. May our pursuit of Jesus yield the peaceable fruit of holiness. Cause Your Spirit to work in us to produce the character and image of Christ. Keep us from pursuing an Accidental or Incidental Christianity. May our pursuit of Jesus be stronger than even our hatred of sinning. Work in us to will and to do of Your good pleasure. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Your name, we pray. Amen. 

Promise of Food, Clothing, and Shelter

Ken

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33 KJV). Food and clothing (6:26, 30) are here secured, by the Lord Jesus, who had already promised, “My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places” (Isaiah 32:18). What good thing has he withheld from those, who trust Him? “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). How can we withhold anything from such a God? 

Light Overwhelms the Darkness of Sin

Ken

“According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2Peter 1:3 KJV). Everything necessary for life and godliness is presently ours through Christ Jesus. If this is true, we have no excuse for living in ungodliness, even for a moment, because of our understanding of Jesus. “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). Was not this the world changing significance of Christ proclaiming Himself the Source of All Light, which dispels all the darkness of sin? “This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1John 1:5-7).

No Excuse for Sinning

Ken

The promise for overcoming sin leaves us with no excuse for sinning. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer [literally, allow] you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1Corinthians 10:13 KJV). Jesus warned us, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34), as if any follower of His would no longer be a servant or slave of sin nor indeed had any necessity to sin, as if truly, “the truth shall make you free” (8:32). Why would we think it strange, if Paul supports Jesus’ claim that Christ’s followers should be free from the bondage of sinning, since God’s faithfulness always makes escape from sinning possible? 1Corinthians 10:13 is a promise because overcoming sin is not automatic or without our participation. We must fully participate in trusting Jesus to deliver us from any necessity to sin, just as Jesus trusted His Father to work with Him. “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). We have no excuse for sinning.

Pleasing God

Ken

“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5 KJV). Some would say Enoch was raptured or caught up to God. “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [Greek, harpazō] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1Thessalonians 4:17). Without speculating whether Professed Christianity is following the pattern of Enoch, his testimony of pleasing God is walking with Jesus. “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). And, nothing short of continual, heartfelt pisteuō commitment to Jesus can be acceptable to God. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). 

Can God sustain His people in a continual state of pleasing Himself? Yes, even in the OT, God’s people were kept by God in a continual state of peace, when they were trusting Him. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee” (Isaiah 26:3). Examine God’s interactions with us, even now. Look for His provisions for sustaining us. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22). Pleasing God cannot be any inherent quality about us, i.e., physical, social, racial, economic, political, but must be entirely moral and volitional. “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him” (2Chronicles 16:9). 

Should we think it too much not to descend into the pit of despondency being overcome by passion for impatience, anger, fear, bewilderment, attractions of the flesh, desires of the eyes, or the pride of life? Jesus set our example. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps” (1Peter 2:21). It would be unwise to estimate our capacity to please God by measuring others’ success or failure in doing so. “Comparing themselves among themselves, [they] are not wise” (2Corinthians 10:12). Wouldn’t it be strange, if the Creator could not design a system in which His people could not please Himself without their retreating to a Heavenly circumstance? 

Do our NT circumstances give us better opportunity to please God? Yes. And, “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48). The promised Holy Spirit is the inspiration for our obedience, not the mechanical trigger to force it. “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). Since the Spirit is “given to them that obey Him” (Acts 5:32), any predisposition to repent, believe, and obey cannot be separated from our necessity to do so. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13). Believing gives us the Spirit, who in turn, gives us the inspiration to obey. “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). 

Ours is to keep our eyes on Jesus. 

What is the most important thing? 

Focus squarely on Jesus. He is at the intersection of our doing everything we are supposed to be doing (on one hand), while not being concerned about what anyone else thinks we should or should not be doing (on the other hand). “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

On one hand, the Pharisees made keeping the law their objective. It is true that we need to walk in obedience to God, but we should not attribute our obedience to our goodness. “1 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. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:1-12).

On the other hand, the antinomians — the other extreme, which rejected the restrictions of the law — attempted to emphasize their lack of necessity of keeping the law as a goal; but instead, to concentrate on being happy. “Let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die” (Isaiah 22:13). It is also true that we are not under the law. “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). But, Paul anticipated the natural tendency of disregarding the law, which is to sin and continue in it. “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” (6:15). If we are truly in Jesus, how can we live in sin? 

As we get closer to the end, we shall see a paradox of more signs of God’s people understanding what is going on — “them that look for Him” (Hebrews 9:28) — while we shall also see signs of Professed Christians entirely without a clue about truly focusing on Jesus. “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). 

Father, we desire to be like Jesus and Enoch, that we would please You. Guide us by Your Spirit how not to walk in the flesh, for “they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8). Help us not to become prideful as the Pharisees in our conforming to your Law of Love. Teach us not to be like the antinomians, and more like the Thessalonians, “how [we] ought to walk and to please God, so [we] would abound more and more” (1Thessalonians 4:1). Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Your name, we pray. Amen.