This post is the revelatory teaching notes that Dr. Aikens taught from in the Bootcamp entitled “Persuaded & Surrendered; We Overcome!” Posted by Rev. Jane Babich after attending the Bootcamp.
Today consider our being surrendered to what “Becometh Us”; enables us to move with a persuaded sense of decorum enabling us to be led; so used by the Spirit to fulfill all righteousness; even in sacrificial hours spiritual protocols of Zoe life require of us as God’s spiritual-minded vessels.
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me, if any man enters in, he shall be saved and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10 7-9
God knows and is well pleased with His persuaded, yet discerning and still surrendered ones He knows will press into His way in hours as our times; as Jesus did in His. His led to His being revealed as the Door of His sheep; and usher believers into waiting realms of salvation.
Again in Matthew 3:15-17 (Apostle-aphrasing) It wasn’t until afterward of Jesus saying to John’s reluctance to baptize Him; “Suffer it to be so now: for thus “it becometh us” to fulfill all righteousness”; that John, finally relented to surrender to the hour before them. Thus, he yielded to suffer his performing Jesus baptism; to be so!
Now Jesus being fully persuaded and totally surrendered; not just to the hour; but to be the way, truth, and life; earned a witness none could deny came that hour. For as He was baptized and came straightway up out the water; the heavens opened above Him, and all saw the Spirit of God descend like a dove and light upon Him.
Also, a voice was heard that spoke from Heaven saying; “This is My Beloved Son; in whom I am well pleased!” And as wonderous a moment as all that had to be; Jesus wasn’t led to lingering in His demonstrated confirmation of Sonship.
Instead in a suddenly, He was gone; led up surrendered into an hour of testing!
Matthew 4:1-4 (Apostle-aphrasing) Jesus had immediately been led, guided by the Holy Spirit to leave the site of His baptism and confirmation and go persuaded into Jericho’s wilderness; knowing by the Spirit; a new hour had come for Him to now be tempted, tested and tried by the devil.
So, Jesus fasted from all food for His wilderness “hour”; but seemed enlarged to a season that lasted; forty long days and nights. What kept Jesus stayed through it all; was remaining totally surrendered; as is required of those who’d be Spirit-led!
Surrender was key in His preparation to endure hardness unto it’s appointed end. For Jesus knew any sifting temptation of the tempter must already have been permitted by God to come nigh to speak; thinking to disrupt His peace of mind!
Sifting
Sifting in Luke 22:31-32 signifies being put through a trial to prove; scrutinize and to so thoroughly examine; it’s like unto grain being pressed, ground through by sieving or milling; whole wheat pulverized down to fine flour; then set aside for higher purposes.
The revelatory is “sifting” signifies experiencing a spiritual buffeting of being tempted; in being continually harassed; made to feel endlessly offended by deep personal insult or made to endure derogatory questions, challenging integrity; a hardness all by itself.
This is also likened spiritually unto experiencing lawyers given legal power to utterly press in upon us. So, in their attempt to prove us; examine us by incessantly and abusively wielding that power they’re given; as a sifting weapon; formed against us.
Persuaded & Surrendered
Persuaded signifying convinced by the argument, testimony or experience. And that premise we base belief on; we judged to be sound reasoning; for it’s gained “according to all” that God as our foundational source or premise has given us.
The revelatory is we’re persuaded based upon extensive understanding gained experientially in God despite suffering, affliction or peril; thus, we believe; waxing confident to totally trust in, yield and surrender to what becomes a living to obey Him; or living our salvation out loud!
Persuaded also is an accepting, consenting, acquiescing to live in a binding agreement with God; based on evidence or authority causing us to begin relying on such an inward certainty; we completely surrender; with no further hesitation or explanation needed, or felt necessary.
Surrendered spiritually it signifies yielding ourselves unto God’s influence, possession, power and ultimately His ordered course of steps designed to lead us unto the expected ends of our lives when lived for Him.
The revelatory is; it is our choosing to live as if having willingly given ourselves away to be used by God. It’s choosing to forego living our own way; being consciously aware of God’s purpose; chosen to work His will through us, and will do so according to all He orders; not what we wish!
Matthew 4:1-4 (Apostle-aphrasing continued) As a result of fasting, Jesus’ flesh was made weak with hunger; yet He stayed His course led to; so, determined to continue fulfilling all righteousness in this necessary God permitted season of testing.
He remained totally surrendered to do all He knew “it becometh Him”; for the Light shined on in Him from confirmation as being not only God’s beloved Son; but one He’d declared; well-pleasing!
Hearing such confirmations take the surrendered a long way when enduring unspeakable hours! So, it was at what seemed Jesus’ weakest point; when flesh seemed, it would no longer be denied food; and all His circumstances said; no one would blame Him if He didn’t remain “stayed” in no peace!
This is when the tempter came up suddenly; in what was his first attempt at temptation. As the tempter he came speaking to Jesus’ feeling weakness as if reading his mind; so suggestively proposed; “If you’re the Son of God; why not just command that these stones be made into Your bread”?
But Jesus wisely answered: “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, But by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.
Then as his second temptation; the devil took Jesus up into the holy city! As the devil he gave no break but set Him on a temple pinnacle saying; “If you’re the Son of God; cast yourself down from here; for it is written; “He shall give His angels charge concerning You and in their hands, they shall bear You up; lest at any time You should dash Your foot against a stone!”
Jesus said unto him; “But it is also written; “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God!”
So, then the devil moved into what was his third temptation. Like the devil, he gave no leeway but took Jesus up exceedingly high in a mountain to show Him worldly kingdoms and glory he claimed as his. And said; I give you all this if you fall down and worship me!
But Jesus turned immediately and said; “Get away from Me Sa’tan; for it is written; “You shall worship the Lord your God; and Him only, shall you serve!
What revelation if any can you see in this passage of scripture?
“The Tempter Came”
Came signifies the tempter approached Jesus furtively; stealthily; tentatively; was very sly in having ulterior motive and intent. The Tempter is signifying coming seeking to assay; to see if ways exist to adversely influence or challenge our change. He does so in hopes of frustrating some intended spiritual purpose; enabling us to please God.
- The revelatory in “the tempter came” is it signifies He comes moving, speaking with a subtility that’ll become increasingly dangerous to spiritual health; if it is not discerned.
- The tempter endeavors to test, examine and deeply scrutinize; all in hopes of finding or proposing other ways of enticing alternatives to cause us to break with a spiritual protocol or some discipline in God we were sure moments before we’d surrendered our way unto.
- Another spiritual key is; the tempter’s temptations always escalate, but the more intense they become; the more they reveal him for all he truly is, if we’d but be discerning; not reactive; or worse think to simply entertain his proposals; till we fail to cast them down.
- The tempter simply comes doing as he always has; transforming himself an angel of light; to slyly approach those surrendered to the Lord; and if not discerned; do all possible to try, tempt and totally frustrate purpose; and our sense of spiritual direction!
“Frustrate Purpose”
Frustrate Purpose appears in Ezra 4:4-5 as the tempter came in the form of hired lying counselors weakening hands God’s people; those who were supposed to be surrendered to rebuilding God’s temple.
These tempters not only troubled them; confounding ability to build; but continually drew in close to touch, to work against and did frustrate the purpose for 60 years. This was accomplished as leadership failed to discern and expose ulterior motives of voices speaking to God’s people who were still vulnerable and so unguarded they entertained uncertain sounds full of hidden intent; that only pretended to be one with them.
This concept of “frustrating purpose” transliterated in Greek to “peirazo” (pi-rad’-zo); or the same tempter that appeared to Jesus; still trying the same things. It again signifies to try; to tempt and to aggravate. It is also to irritate, exasperate and so disturb spiritually in areas we made it apparent we intended to be surrendered to. The tempter comes intending to easily beset, to vex and provoke in hopes we’ll become so vexed and frustrated by conflict we tire, turn off, around or shut down.
This “peirazo” or “tempter” is known by many names; takes on many forms whoever or whatever he can use to speak through all in order to deceive and frustrate the purpose of.
- The tempter spoke through the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
- The tempter spoke through Noah’s sons after the flood.
- The tempter, spoke through Hannah’s sister-wife Penninah provoking her to no end.
- The tempter spoke through Job’s wife and three friends.
- The tempter spoke through Delilah who was used to wear Samson down and set Him up to be taken out.
- The tempter spoke through the sons of prophets who got Elisha to waste three days looking for what He knew God had given him a revelation of when He took Elijah up into heaven.
- The tempter operates by any means necessary; even to transforming himself to appear an angel of light if to get close enough to whisper his subtility into the ears of God’s surrendered ones. The same tempter appeared to speak to Jesus in His wilderness testing of Matthew 4:1-10.
This same tempter came; after God’s voiced approval and the lighting of the Holy Spirit lighting upon Jesus like a dove after He surrendered Himself unto baptism.
The tempter had also heard the voice of God publicly affirm Jesus sanctification and ordination for ministry; as not just His own beloved Son; but one who was well-pleasing to Him.
The tempter heard it, and set out to challenge that reported change of status in this suddenly appearing character; named what? Jesus? According to his familiar spirits reporting in; Jesus was that same whiz kid from 18 years ago; an overnight wonder that totally amazed everyone in the temple three days; so, they thought He might have been the “one”!
But; once they’d witnessed Him be embarrassingly busted snatched away by His parents; nothing was heard about or from Him in all this time. So, He couldn’t be the Son of God they’d incited king Herod to expend so much energy searching for to destroy so many years ago; could He?? He surely couldn’t have survived 30 years without a word being heard about Him until being baptized by John?
And what really made the tempter livid in feeling his cohorts had failed him was the question; “If He was the Son of God what the heck had He accomplished without them noticing; that caused God to announce He was well pleased with Him?
What didn’t He know about since he is the prince of this world and its present darkness? Not one spy had brought in a report that hinted to the Son of God surviving?
So, when the tempter heard Jesus was wandering about in the wilderness as if lost and rejected instead of trying to reclaim dominion in the earth; he set out to go check Him out; himself; cause if anyone could frustrate purpose; he was king of it.
He was but a poor carpenter from the wretched city of Nazareth; wasn’t He? He obviously didn’t have any superpower; did He?
Had He really received power, authority and the Word He’d need to be able to step out of obscurity and walk in the “ordered change” of Word heard, and somewhere had received from God. Mark 4:14-20
The revelatory is the tempter does not have the power to read our minds; he reads our circumstances; reads our body language; reads our struggles; drew near to Jesus as if in all humility; appearing as if he was approaching ready to consent to worship Him once he’d ascertain if He really was who God had publicly declared; the Son of God!
Matthew 4:11 (Apostle-aphrasing!) Then the devil left Him and behold; angels came and ministered unto Him! Sa’tan had thought himself able to wear Him down; to take Him out. But not so! For as Jesus resisted the Devil; he had to leave Him; on account of his being overcome. And this is when we’re told; angels then came and ministered unto Him.
Ministered Unto:
Minister unto signifies angels were sent to serve, attend to, so strengthen Jesus. They moved as loving caretakers to Him; God assigned, to keep their minds contentedly stayed on; in a specific being with Him.
The revelatory here are these angels; were originally created by Him as the Word and Light of God; by which all things were made. Therefore, they ministered unto Jesus the same Word and Light John 1:5 says was the life and light of men; the increasing strength of their substance given them to be ministering angels. and providing all the more than He’d need; thus, minister unto Him out of their substance; until He began to increase.
The revelatory is in this angelic ministering to out of their substance; that strengthening actually is a converting of our souls; as they not only supply our wants and needs but comfort us with their perfect peace.
Also, consider; no one is so holy that their integrity will not be tempted before being released to minister out of their substance; for as we see; even the Son of God was sorely tempted before He could be released to go and increase in ministry.
As we Selah, remember this truth.
God permits fiery sifting to come; but if we’ll trust and look to Him; He also gives us more grace to resist and overcome; and sends His angels to minister to, strengthen and refill our substance; converting us, to in turn be used to go strengthen our brethren.
Hebrews 1:14 (Apostle-aphrasing)! Are not the angels all ministering spirits; servants sent out in the service of God; for the assistance of those of His, who inherit salvation? Amen!
