When Jesus comes into our lives and recreates and changes the foundation, which most of us have been walking on, we discover that He is a sure anchor that is an ever present help in the time of need. Jesus has made us His dwelling place and what was just an abode, becomes a mansion because of His presence. Our new foundation is the substance of faith and our new direction is to please God. For Afaith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen@¹ and Awithout faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.@² >Diligently= in the Greek, EKZETEO, means >to search, investigate, crave or inquire=. Most of us have not because we ask not, or we ask in a wrong direction. The way of truth is a narrow way, often evil spoken of and Jesus says that few find it. ABecause strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.@³ The word >narrow= in this passage, THLIBO in the Greek, means >afflict or suffer tribulation and trouble=. Most of us want to avoid anything that deals with suffering, affliction or trouble. The strait gate of faith will never be popular in the eyes of the world. Those, that take up this cross to follow Jesus, are the real church that has carried faith from generation to generation. They are men and women who have loved, not their own lives, unto the death.

Jesus said, Aask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?@⁴ The good things received from God are the rewards that we diligently seek. They are located behind the spiritual doors that God reveals unto us as we approach Him with our faith. To enter these doors of the kingdom require doing the will of the Father. Jesus warned that Anot every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.@⁵ Working outside of the will of God, regardless of how good it seems to be, won=t bring the rewards of righteousness. Those that Ahave a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God=s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.@⁶ Trying to approach God with the works of the law can bring the curse of the law. For those that choose law rather than grace have the rewards of the law, as well as the commitment. The blood of sheep and goats that cleansed, for a time, and the ordinances of Moses must all be observed by the people who choose this form of righteousness. ABut the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.@⁷

AFaith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.@⁸ Jesus, the living word of God, has quickened our hearing with His words. His anointed words produce faith, and faith mixed with love produces results - or substance. Not every shout or >thus saith the Lord= is an anointed word. There are many called but few chosen to proclaim the promises of God. The called are instructed to be qualified by the Spirit of God in order to be chosen as a proclaimer of righteousness. The walls of form and fashion capture many that are truly called and sends them forth anointed by religion rather than by Jesus. The early church was almost strangled by the established Jewish traditions with washings,rituals, times and seasons. These conditions of the law were imposed upon the backs of unsuspecting believers. Many today are still unknowingly bound by traditions of religion. They say, Abut I=ve got the Holy Ghost, the gifts of the spirit and I=ve separated myself.@ In the eye of the Spirit, they still bear the image of the harlot. The leavening has not been repented of. Her influence, that has claimed the blood (life) of many prophets and saints, has only grown as she has ridden the Red Dragon into this generation. But God has ordained a word that Awhen the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.@⁹

God has ordained a level of faith among his children that will put the enemy to flight, at this time of tribulation. The overcomers seen by John in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 will receive the rod of authority from the throne realm of Jesus to manifest this work of faith. These caught up ones are the standard of faith spoken by the prophets. This >standard=, which in the Hebrew means >cause to vanish away=, have the power to consume with fire the flood of darkness. This is the high calling spoken of by Paul in II Thessalonians 1:11. But somebody will have to believe Paul=s testimony regarding the presence of the Lord in this day. AWho shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired [=admired= in the Greek is THAUMAZO, which means >wonder, marvel=] in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.@¹⁰

The enemy has created delusion and confusion to try and prevent this Awork of faith with power@¹¹, but the overcomers now have this rod of authority and are seeing the manifested glory of Jesus.

Jesus had spoken to the church Alet your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.@¹² Paul called this a time of rest, Awhen the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.@¹³

Woe unto those on milk in these days as the >light of the knowledge of the glory of God= will be the strong meat that those of this faith will need to manifest. Jesus will come forth from the continuing marriage to be one with his sons at this consuming. When the Lord and the faith and the baptism become fully one, the glory of His power will shine forth.