May 16, 2011
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The flags unfurled ... Christ's eternal banner | Lloyd-Jones ~ a third type of assurance
... Letter 118 on assurance & fighting for joyThe Flags Unfurled ... Christ's Eternal Banner
The flags unfurled, the flags flew high
Waving scornfully in the darkening skyDoubts like lightning thundered violently
Crushing my heart, confounding my mindI picked up rock after rock, self condemning
Guilt my constant companion, failures tauntingSatan, the accuser, a liar, the father of lies
Seeking to devour, prowling to paralyzeOur adversary, the prince of the power of the air
The lion roared, my head I lowered, full of despairLike Jacob, I wrestled and petitioned God Almighty
I sought Habakkuk joy to replace my despondencyGod's Spirit blew, enlightened and raised my eyes
Grace lifted the gloom, made this simple babe wiseHeavenly truth revealed, no longer disguised
Not only on external tablets but on my heart circumcisedChrist's promised Spirit sent, He is not a liar
The Baptizer descended, theology set on fireChrist's eternal banner majestically unveiled
Assurance for my uncertainty, devil's plan derailedSet at God's table, brought to His banqueting house
His lovingkindness embraced me, removing my doubtsJoy once elusive, cleansing now spoken to my soul
Peace like a river, His forgiveness like billows rollsElected, chosen and loved in the Son before creation
Our Father's persevering love endures through all agesThe God who birthed me, surely He will feed me
The God who carries, surely He never leave meCovenant mercies secure, we will never be forsaken
We are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shakenThough the mountains may crumble and depart
Nothing can pluck us from our Father's heartThe Lamb's blood poured, sprinkled from all filthiness
Full propitiation, by faith imputed with Christ's righteousnessFear cast out, Spirit of adoption came sweeping
Hopeless lament transformed to tears of thanksgivingGod's glorious sealing, Spirit's breath descending
Bearing witness with us that we are God's childrenAccepted in the Beloved, we are God's holy nation
Robed in Christ's wedding garment, standing unashamedDoubting one, Jesus' banner over all His sheep has always been love
Ask Him, so His Spirit might pour into you assurance from aboveSong of Solomon 2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.”13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones on AssuranceIn Chapter 5 (The Sense of His Presence) in his book "Joy Unspeakable," Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones describes the three types of assurance which are available to the believer:
There are in the word of God three types of assurance possible to the Christian. The first type of assurance is the assurance that we get by deduction from the Scriptures. This is the commonly recognized form of assurance. . . .
The second form of assurance is the kind that is dealt with in the first epistle of John. John tells us there in chapter 5:13 that his whole object in writing to those people was 'That ye [who believe in the Son of God] might know that ye have eternal life'––assurance.
How, then, does he give it to them? Well, he says there are various tests which you can apply to yourselves. . . .
But there is a third type of assurance, which is the highest, the most absolute and glorious, and which differs essentially from the other two. How? Like this. You notice, in the first two types of assurance, that what we are doing is to draw deductions, as we read the Scriptures, perhaps. We arrive at the assurance by a process of reading, understanding, self-examination or self-analysis. It is a deduction that we draw from the premises given; and it is right and true. But the glory of this third and highest form of assurance is that it is neither anything we do, nor any deduction that we draw, but an assurance that is given to us by the blessed Spirit himself.
Now if you like, it is again the whole difference between Romans 8:15 and Romans 8:16. Romans 8:15 reads like this: 'For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father.' Then verse 16: 'The Spirit himself beareth witness with or spirit' (RV). Our spirit has been crying 'Abba, Father', but over and above that the Spirit now bears witness with our spirit––he confirms our saying to us: 'You are right.' The Spirit does it. Now this is neither our action, nor our deduction, but the immediate witness of the Spirit, and that is why it is both so absolute and certain. What the Spirit does is this: he tells us in the most unmistakable manner that we are the children of God, that God loves us with an everlasting love, and that is was because he so loved us that Christ gave himself for us.
The Spirit does this in many ways. Sometimes he will do it through a verse of Scripture, a verse you may have read a thousand times before but which suddenly seems to stand out––it is for you, he is speaking to you. Sometimes it is without a verse of Scripture; it is an impression upon the mind and in the heart. You do not hear an audible voice, or see anything, but you just know with an absolute certainty. That is the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.(My emphasis here is on that third type of assurance, but first you must ask yourself if you have those first two forms of assurance.)
Do you know what God did in sending His only begotten Son to be the Savior of the world? Do you know why He had to do this? Do you know of God setting forth Christ to be a propitiation and Christ's atoning work for sinners? Do you understand that salvation is received by grace through faith and not by works – that Christ's righteousness is credited to all who believe? Do you understand that the entire Old Testament was but a shadow of what was to come – that it all pointed to Jesus Christ? Have you ever read the Scripture for yourself? Have you been born again by the Spirit – or have you only made an outward profession of your own flesh? Have you been raised in the church and always considered yourself a Christian? Remember that no one is born a Christian. Our unregenerate minds are enmity against God. We are all born into Adam, we are all dead in our sins and transgressions, and we must be born again. (See John 3.)
And then, have you examined your mind and heart and actions in light of God's Word? Are you being conformed into the image of Christ? Are you bearing fruit worthy of repentance? Are you growing in your love for God and His people? Are you growing in love for God's Word and God's truth? Have you seen God as light and with that, begun to see the abomination of your sin? Are you seeking to be holy and to purify yourself as God is pure? Are you loving holiness and are you hating your sin more and more? Are you regularly brought to repentance and confession of sin? (Please read I John.)
In addition to those first two types of assurance, do you have that third type of assurance? Have you ever known such an assurance was available to the believer? Have you ever sought it?
The poem above represents some of the journey God has had me on over the past few years.Over twenty years after I was saved, I experienced great conviction over my sin. As I began to see the holiness of God and my exceeding sinfulness in great contrast, along with that came paralyzing guilt, depression, doubt, fear and despair. I began to see how unassured I was, how I was held captive to doubt and bound up by guilt over my past sins and failures, and how ineffectual, impotent, stagnant and miserable I was in my Christian life. During that time, God strengthened me to remain in His Word and examine Christ's work more thoroughly (to be shored up in the first type of assurance which Lloyd-Jones spoke of), and in 2008 I began writing my series of posts on dealing with past sins & guilt.
Finally, there came a time when God's Spirit gave me an inner assurance of forgiveness and cleansing of sin and guilt, that third type of assurance Dr. Lloyd-Jones wrote about. (Several months later I wrote about it here.)
In October 2009, though I had received that full assurance of faith, as I read the words of Habakkuk's hymn (end of chapter 3), I knew I was lacking the joy of the Lord to sustain me in my pilgrimage so I might be strengthened to walk in the works He'd ordained for me. Once again I began to ask, and the sovereign God had pity on me and heard my cries. Since my journey of knowing the Lord and His joy is not yet complete, by the grace of God, like the apostle Paul, I press on. (Please my series of letters on assurance and fighting for joy.)
Children of God, let us stop minimizing and marginalizing and mocking what God in Christ has done for us. May we no longer see prayer as a cosmic vending machine – as a means to make our lives easier, to fix our problems and to heap up for ourselves material blessings.Let us set our minds on things above and press hard after Him, to seek the face of the living God so we might receive the spiritual blessings our blessed Lord died to give us. Jesus Christ died to bear our sins in His body on the tree so we might be set free from sin to enter inside the veil with Him and have intimate fellowship with the living God: to know Him so we might make Him known to the glory of God!
May God give us grace to seek His face continually so we might have the eyes of our hearts opened to the unsearchable riches of Christ, to know the love of God for us in Christ in greater measure, to be filled by the God of hope with joy and peace in believing, to know the peace of Christ that passes understanding, to know joy unspeakable and full of glory, to be able to glory in tribulations as the love of God is shed abroad into our hearts, to have full assurance of faith – so we might rejoice in the Lord always, no matter the circumstances. How often have you prayed for such things? Have you ever prayed for such blessings? Brothers and sisters, don't waste your prayers! Don't waste His precious blood poured out and His body broken for you!
As we begin to receive such blessings, like Habakkuk, we will be strengthened to sing at all times – in plenty or in want – to rejoice in the Lord always and joy in the God of our salvation, to have an assurance that upholds us and steadies us in the storms of life, so we might boldly proclaim: "It is well with my soul!" "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day!"
Even as the devil's flags continue to unfurl (and they will!), even as our flesh rises up to lust against the Spirit (and it will!), even as the world throws temptations in our way (and it will!), even as trials come (and they will!) – may our God grant us full assurance that Christ's banner is eternal – that it is and has been and will always be love because our Savior, the Lord Christ is the Alpha and Omega, who is and was and who is to come, the Almighty.
We have not because we ask not.
This post is a tribute to the Lord my God – an expression of my thanksgiving and praise to Him for His love that sent Jesus to die for me while I was a sinner, and for His continuing goodnesses and mercies to me, and in particular these gifts of assurance and joy, gifts which I treasure and do not take for granted and wish to steward to His glory and honor. My writing these things to you is a part of that stewardship.
These are gifts which our Father makes available to all His children. Whosoever will may come and drink. If you are thirsty, come! Our Lord will not cast you out! The children of God can ask, seek and knock for we can trust Jesus' words to us: that our Father in heaven wants to give good gifts to His children.
Our God does not want us to continue to languish in the mire of doubt and absorbed by fear and locked away in the dungeon of despair but be free to enjoy our God and joy in Him and His salvation, to be assured of His love, to come boldly to His throne and walk with assurance in a fallen world, having a godly confidence that raises us above the winds of circumstances, and be empowered to witness boldly of the living God and His great salvation to a dead world. (How can we witness boldly to that which we doubt?)
If you have further questions, please comment below and/or message me.. I'd also encourage you to look through my series of letters on assurance and fighting for joy. You may find these particularly helpful:the laborer's lamentation and affirmation
Letter 1 on assurance and fighting for joy
Letter 3 on assurance and fighting for joy (Jesus' desire vs. Satan's desire)
Letter 17 on assurance and fighting for joy (Philippians 4)
Letter 18 on assurance and fighting for joy (my testimony of joy)
letter 42 on assurance & fighting for joy: "Blessed Assurance" - You are a child of God!
"I thirst! I thirst!" Whitefield's experience of joy (letter 51 on assurance & fighting for joy)
dear devil/dear flock of God (day in, day out): Letter 63 on assurance & joy
"give me also springs of water" - Will you be an Achsah? (letter 66 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Remembering the pit & bog so I might rejoice in Him & you might also! (Psalm 40:1-3) | letter 74
"But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish." Isaiah 9:1-7 | letter 92 on assurance & joy
He will abundantly pardon for your joy (Isaiah 55) | Letter 102 on assurance & fighting for joy
the pilgrim's Assurance ~ His Sovereign pouring | letter 110 on assurance & fighting for joy
Are you keeping calm & carrying on? Do you react or respond? ~ Isaiah 7:1-9 | letter 112
Can there be more? | letter 113 on assurance & fighting for joy
Pleasures abounding, pleasures from above | letter 117 on assurance & fighting for joyWhy not pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
this earthly manna ~ the Christian hedonist's pleaJesus is asking you: "What do you want me to do for you?"
Do My Prayers Glorify God?
some reflections about prayer
may we learn to value the blood-bought privilege of prayer
Considering Jesus: (2) Why do we do quiet time anyhow?As a deer pants ... Is your soul panting for God? (Psalms 42 & 43)
Links to my "Conversations with God about failure"
"Failure!"
my new song: "My soul is clean"
Why do I write poetry?
Series Links: The Present of Pentecost (and other posts on the Holy Spirit)Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Comments (4)
In our study of Isaiah in chapter 54 where God promises some of these same things, He follows in chapter 55 calling it an "Everlasting Covenant!"
Hi Karen, lol I had to wait before I tried to read this. MIL is sleeping. The dog is sleeping. My wife is out of the house on Aunty business. I am reasonably calm. So I decided to give it a try. I have mentioned before, that I am not a reader of anything hard, difficult or long. My wife is even picking up a new book that I ordered that is fluff and easy to read. The author is wrong, but he says things that I like and can check out easily. loll
I read this post just now, an can say several things help me. The things that help me are not my highly educated brain, deep spiritual devotion, etc.
Two things help me and you mentioned both of them--actually three.
I recall being born again on Feb. 13, 1965. It was a great moment for me. It is not that exciting for many Believers, but it was for me. That memory is very wonderful to me.
The second thing is since 1965 for very personal reasons, I started reading the Bible through at least once a year. Scripture in the morning is just fascinating. I read 1 Corinthians1 today, and it was just like I read it for the first time. I only used 2 verses in my carnal Xanga post, but I felt like including the entire chapter. I love that chapter. God actually uses old, stupid men like me to make a difference. I love reading an atheist's post in Xanga. He is right. The Bible is ridiculous, but it is all true--all of it. It cracks me up reading his criticism of Christians and the Bible.
The third thing is that once in awhile the Holy Spirit just speaks to my heart---usually through the Word, and it just ignites me.
I really is not a support of what you are writing, but it is so heart wrenching to read the private Messages that I received from really nice people in so much pain due to some very bad choices. In privacy and confidential, I am able to encourage them.
Anyway, this post was way over my head, but I enjoyed reading it. I am not advanced enough to apply all of it, but I did pick up some good thoughts. Thanks Karen!!
blessings
frank
@quest4god@revelife - Amen! Everlasting.
In this post I was attempting to make the distinction between our head knowledge and heart knowledge. I think many Christians would agree that God's covenant is everlasting - however ... How many Christians continue to be plagued with doubts and despair? How many continue to question God's love & forgiveness for them even though they know Jesus died on the cross for their sins? How many Christians have really experienced joy and peace in believing and full assurance of faith? I was stuck in that state, and it's absolutely miserable! And then we miss out on the abundant life Jesus came to give us. So many of the members of the Body of Christ live no differently than the world. This ought not to be. We are to be salt and light. The more I look around at the state of the Church, the more I see people with this same struggle. No wonder the Church is so ineffectual at this point in time.
We can read God's promises and know them in our head, we can recite the doctrinal truths, and yes, we should be doing those things. You know that I want people to dig into the Word and study doctrine, but I also want to encourage all Christians to continue to pursue the LIVING God and ask Him to continue to reveal Himself to them, so in His sovereign way and time, He might make those Biblical truths and promises and doctrines begin to come alive to them and inflame the heart, much like Jesus did w/ the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Part of our calling as Christians is to continue to seek hard after God, to seek His face ("one thing I have asked, one thing I seek..."), and it is also the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer: to lead us into all truth and to bring us comfort and assurance.
@ANVRSADDAY - Yes, just like reading it for the first time! That's wonderful! The Word of God is living and active! And I loved how you said that once in awhile the Holy Spirit just speaks to my heart---usually through the Word, and it just ignites me. - Yes! That's the mystery and wonder of God's sovereign workings! Once in awhile! We can't predict when that might happen, we can't conjure it or work it up, because God is sovereign – but then all of a sudden, the wind blows where it wills – and the Holy Spirit of God falls fresh and our hearts are strangely warmed! And it's simply wonderful when God chooses to rend the heavens in that way, to come alongside us so intimately.
It's really astounding that God uses any of us to make a difference, that He entrusts us to take His Gospel to the ends of the earth! There are so many people out there that are hurting and in need of the comfort only Christ can provide. So often we are challenged as we try to communicate Christ w/ others, and we should be challenged – for that pushes us back to total reliance on Christ and His Spirit – and then when we ask Him, He can trust He will provide what we need. I Thes. 5:23-24, Heb. 13:20-21.
II Cor. 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us!
Ii Cor. 3:5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.