Tuesday, September 24th, 2019
By Pastor Chris Oyakhilome
"Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart" (Ephesians 4:18 KJV)
The Apostle Paul, by the Spirit, highlights the awful state of the non-Christian in our opening text. Let's read from the Amplified translation for further clarity: "Their moral understanding is darkened and their reasoning beclouded. [They are] alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the ignorance..." (AMPC).
What a deceitful state for anyone to be in! If ignorance of God and His Word could put man in such a state of hopelessness, hemmed in the domain of darkness, imagine then what the accurate knowledge of God would do!
Knowledge in this context isn't scientific or mental. Rather, it's a special kind of knowledge: "epignosis" (Greek). It refers to accurate, full and precise knowledge of God; experiential knowledge of God, acquired throught revelation and acquintaince.
After receiving salvation, yielding yourself to the ministry of the Word is crucial. Proverbs 11:9 declares, "...but through knowledge shall the just be delivered." You already have an inheritance bequethed to you in Christ, but through the knowledge of God, you're able to take a hold of what's rightfully yours in Christ.
Yield yourself to knowledge. Have a voracious appetite for the Word. Those who don't know the Word easily get overwhelmed by circumstances, and defeated by the crises of life. But through the knowledge of God, grace and power over crisis (peace) are multiplied in your life (2 Peter 1:1-3). Hallelujah!
CONFESSION
"Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for the unveiling of your Word to my spirit, and for filling me with the knowledge of your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. I'm built up, edified, and strengthened by your Word even now, for exploits, in Jesus' Name. Amen."
FURTHER STUDY
"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." (Acts 20:32 KJV).
"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God our Saviour Jesus Christ: grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord." (2 Peter 1:1-2 KJV).
"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:15-17 KJV).
1 YEAR BIBLE-READING PLAN:
Ephesians 1:15-21; Isaiah 13-14
2 YEAR BIBLE-READING PLAN:
Luke 24:40-53; 2 Samuel 21-22
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