Salvation: Grace to the Humble

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Script. Isaiah 57: 13- 15 “When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry all of them up, And a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in Me will inherit the land And will possess My holy mountain.” 14 And it will be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.” 15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.

I.   Broken & Contrite:

  • In verse 15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. (Emphasis mine)
  • Contrite in the Hebrew means to be crushed to dust, broken very small, humiliated.
  • Lowly in Hebrew means to be humble, deeply embedded, of little value, to be abased
  • How you ever been broken or crushed or devalued so small you feel like dust?
  • I’ve been there more times than not, it has literally driven me to my knees in prayer for help and guidance.
  • Jesus speaking in Luke 4: 18 the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed
  • Oppressed in the Greek means to one who is shattered or broken or defeated.
  • He will set you free.
  • During those times the one who lives on high is with you.
  • Take note He will always be there to revive you when you’re crushed to dust, broken very small, humiliated.
  • Matthew 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
  • He knows everything we go through because He has experienced it and yet without sin.
  • To be contrite and humble as Christians means to be continually needy of God.
  • To be driven to our knees daily.

II.   Hungering After God:

  • To be a man after God’s own heart
  • Psalms 42:1 as the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for you, O God.
  • Pants in Hebrew means to long for to crave.
  • Psalms 119:131 I opened my mouth wide and panted, (longed for, craved) for I longed for your commandments.
  • In Luke 6:21 blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied.
  • Hunger in the Greek literally means to desire strongly.
  • We must keep this state of mind.
  • For God will pour out more of His grace upon those who long for more of Him.
  • He dwells with the lowly or humble and the contrite to revive their hearts.
  • 2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
  • We all know the more we crave for more knowledge the more grace and peace is multiplied to us.
  • More knowledge of Jesus = outpouring of grace and peace.
  • So who doesn’t need this? Right!
  • Isaiah 66: 1-2 Thus says the LORD, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? 2 “For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the LORD. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word. (Emphasis mine)
  • God will always look to the humble and contrite of spirit, who trembles at my word.
  • Trembles in Hebrew means to follow, be anxious or uneasiness.
  • Since the Holy Spirit is against the flesh and the flesh is against the Spirit, there will be a great uneasiness in our lives following the word for the Spirit jealously desires to lead us in the path of righteousness.
  • To take great care in obeying the word of the lord.
  • James 4: 5- 7 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

III.   The Favor of God:

  • When the favor of God was upon the people because of their obedience He delivered them from all their enemies.
  • God favored Joshua and said to him no one will be able to stand before thee all the days of your life.
  • Wherever the soles of your feet stand on I will give it to you.
  • Exodus 33:13-14 now therefore, I pray you, if I have found favor in your sight, let me know your ways that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight. Consider too, that this nation is your people. 14 and He said, my presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.
  • Notice what Moses said let me know your ways that I may know you, SO I MAY FIND FAVOR in your sight.
  • So therefore knowing more knowledge of who God is, begets more grace or more favor with God.
  • Also God tells him that My presence shall go with you and I will give you rest.
  • For God’s presence to go with them and to be at rest from all enemies was a great incentive to follow the Lord and obey His word.
  • In Psalms 84: 11 for the Lord is a sun and shield: the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly
  • No good thing will He ever withhold from His people who walk is upright.
  • No good thing!!!!!!

IV.   Every Obstacle Removed:

  • Jesus removed every obstacle because He loves us.
  • Isaiah 57:14 And it will be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
  • When Jesus said it is finished He thereby removed every obstacle out of the way of His people.
  • So they could come to him freely with sins forgiven as long as they came to him with a contrite and lowly spirit.
  • A heart of a lowly servant who cannot make it without his or her master.
  • When Jesus said Tetelestai, it is finished, means to make happen, to complete, to accomplish.
  • The very Son of God removed every obstacle thereby making the connection between God and man possible.
  • Making it easier for him to pour out the grace we need to follow him in times of our brokenness.

V.   Our Allegiance:

  • At the begging of our salvation we are told to repent.
  • To put aside our previous way of thinking for an entirely new way.
  • Repent in the Greek in every place it is used whether repent or repentance means, “change of mind.”
  • If we do not change our mind by faith being born-again does not happen.
  • This state of mind must be a continual change of mind Bro. Brad Strand calls it keeping the eternal perspective. Strand Study Bible
  • Otherwise we will get lazy and complacent.
  • Resting so secure in our eternally security that we ease up on keeping the word of God.
  • However, In John 14:15 says, if you love me, you will keep my commandments.
  • In humbling ourselves before God He promises us to exalt us.
  • In Luke 14:15 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
  • If you exalt yourself by seeking your own way above God’s will, God WILL humble you.
  • If you humble yourself before God He will exalt you.
  • If God humbles you, you who are seeking your own way.
  • It’s not going to end well.
  • Better us to humble ourselves before God.
  • 1 Peter 2: 24 he himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 for you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. (Emphasis mine)
  • The group Peter is addressing were continually straying but then finally came to the shepherd the guardian of their souls.
  • They came under His management.
  • Allowed Him to be the supervisor of their daily routines.
  • Allowed Him to be the CEO 24/7.
  • For being needy before God doesn’t show you immaturity but rather shows your maturity.
  • When we are humble before God all of the promises of God belong to us.
  • Promises from addiction, demonic harassment, depression, for the family, fear, filling of Holy Spirit, finances, forgiveness, guidance, health, marriage, salvation or God’s love, strength to do God’s will.
  • You exalt yourself every time you go to another source other than God.
  • Like in Isaiah 57 let your idols deliver you.
  • Idol is anything we set higher than God.
  • If you go to your mom or dad before going to God first, or counselor, horoscope, they could be your idol.
  • What does Matthew 6:33 says, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
  • Always seek God first in all things by humbling yourself before him as a broken vessel in need of him.
  • In Matthew 18:3 -4 truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 whoever then humbles himself as this children, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
  • Children totally rely on their parents without thinking about it.
  • When they are hungry they come to you and you feed them.
  • They do not think or worry about the clothes they wear or where they will sleep.
  • When they get hurt they come immediately to you.
  • When they are in need they come immediately to you, first before anyone else.
  • So always be Broken and Contrite always Hungering After God so we can obtain The Favor of God who has Every Obstacle Removed from our pathway when Our Allegiance is fully His coming to Him as a little child.

Note:

If this series helps you or your new converts please feel free to use and copy. This is not an exhaustive research of scriptures on the subject I just used what I felt led of the Holy Spirit to use. If this helps in any way please email me.

Thank You findintimacywithchrist@gmail.com

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