He Must Increase And I Must Decrease.
What is this saying? How can we apply this to our lives now? This phrase is indicating that our relationship with God must deepen and that our egos, self-importance needs to diminish.
John the Baptist modeled this in John 3:30 as he remained humble and acknowledged Jesus’ growing influence as He came on the scene. John was taking a back seat in a diminishing role as forerunner before Jesus.
Humility is of great importance in the Kingdom of God.
It is written, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled…” Matthew 23:12
So, let’s remain humble, choose to exalt Jesus, and make ourselves ready.
“…His Bride has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7
I guess you can sense that I am passionate about this subject! Why? My entire website is wrapped around this theme. In fact, that’s why I named it My Beloved’s Voice.
Our Beloved is Jesus, and we are to listen to His voice.
So, how are we preparing and getting ready? How are we preparing for the return of the Lord? Are we listening to Him?
In my mind’s eye, I see a road, and we’re on a journey. I’m in a car traveling, and the road is long; it has some turns in it, and we’ve just made a right turn into the parking lot.
God wants us to park here for a while.
The name of the parking lot is “Prepare.”
Within the parking lot are individual parking spaces–each representing the ways of the Lord, with questions attached on how we can prepare.
Parking Space #1 is attached to Matthew 3:3.
Let’s stop and pull into this space. Here’s the scripture:
“A voice of one calling in the desert, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for Him.” Matthew 3:3
As we look at the scripture, whose voice is calling out?
It’s the voice of our Beloved, it’s Jesus.
Yes, here in the New Testament, it was the voice of John the Baptizer that was the voice of the Lord through him. John was the forerunner of the coming of Jesus upon the earth.
The voice of the Bridegroom, our Beloved, is still calling out:
Prepare! Prepare! Prepare!
I’m hearing this in my spirit, very loudly, three times with much emphasis on it.
My husband has taught me that whenever anything is mentioned three times in the Word it is of the utmost highest and of great importance.
For example, many times we hear Holy! Holy! Holy! In Hebrew, that word is Kadosh!, Kadosh! Kadosh!
The next phrase within our key scripture, Matthew 3:3, is “Prepare the way.” Here’s what I found out concerning this phrase:
Before a King made a journey to a distant country, the roads he would travel on would be improved.
Here’s Question #1:
1. On our personal life-journey roads, what do we need to make improvements on?
King Jesus gave John the Baptizer the keys to making improvements in the lives of those he was ministering to. He was preparing their hearts for moral and spiritual improvements.
That’s why John preached repentance and forgiveness of sin and their need for a Savior.
Let me take you a little deeper.
Here’s Question #2 And #3:
2. What needs to be not just improved in our lives (our lifestyle), but what needs to be radically changed in our lives?
3. What do we need to turn our back on?
These are some hard questions, I know, but they are necessary in making preparations and getting ready for the Lord’s return. We don’t know when that is, only God knows, but it’s time to prepare!
John’s message was, “Repent, the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Repentance simply means turning away from, turning in a different direction, and leaving that behavior, that lifestyle, that sin, and turning your back on it.
Why does John say, “The Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
As Jesus-followers, the place of Heaven should be near and dear to our hearts.
As the Bride of Christ, the church, we have to make ourselves ready. It’s in the last book of the Bible, called Revelation. God wants us to get revelation about it!
How Do We Get Ready?
I’m going to name just a few things in our lives that we may need to purge or remove.
You fill in the blanks of your own issues that need to be removed in your own space, as we are parked in our individual spaces, as Holy Spirit brings them to the surface.
This is just between you and God. He’s in that space with you, loving you and listening. He’s not condemning you; He’s embracing you.
The rings in the opening picture are a reminder of a marriage, a covenant with our Lord, as the Bride of Christ, His beloved.
Just as in a natural marriage covenant, faithfulness is very important.
- If that thing is an addiction, join a Celebrate Recovery group.
- If that thing is pornography–go talk with a pastor about lust and learn how to be free from that.
- If that thing is bitterness and anger–seek counsel about how to forgive.
Please, for goodness sake, FORGIVE YOURSELF.
Some folks are not able to forgive others because they have not forgiven themselves.
- Don’t forget, God has forgiven you; there’s no need to not forgive yourself.
- Don’t be held captive by the lie that keeps shouting in your ear, “God can’t forgive you!” It’s a lie!
Whatever that thing is that is controlling and ruining your life, let it go! Don’t let it prevent you from the best that God has for you!
On saying that, I am hearing some saying, “I can’t quit that. It’s too hard.”
Yes, you are taking the first step and coming into agreement with God; it IS too hard to do that on your own.
That’s why He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us.
One of His names is Helper.
Another name of His is Comforter.
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity, the Triune God.
- God the Father.
- God the Son.
- God the Holy Spirit.
Yield to Him–Yield to His Strength & Power.
Release that thing and allow the Lord to set you free.
Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on My Beloved’s Voice
KINGDOM ASSURANCE
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