Meditation 105
Contend for the Faith
Jude 3–4 (ESV) Beloved,
although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found
it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once
for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who
long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the
grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus
Christ.
Jude appeals to his
readers, who were living in times of increased apostasy, to contend or fight
for the faith that was originally delivered to them and he warns them of the
false teachers and ungodly people that had come into their circle and are
perverting the grace of God into a license to sin.
Jude 17–21 (ESV) But
you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus
Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following
their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause
divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most
holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep
yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
that leads to eternal life.
Today we are living in the
last times and many are walking away from true Christianity to follow doctrines
of devils and their own ungodly passions. However, Jude encouraged the readers
to pray in the Holy Spirit and thereby build themselves up in the faith and
keep themselves in the love of God while they wait for the mercy of Jesus
Christ that will bring them eternal life.
I once asked an elderly
prophet, who spent hours in prayer daily, to teach me to pray. He responded to
me with a smile and said, “I don’t pray. I ask Holy Spirit to pray through me.”
There is tremendous power to keep us in the love of God when we allow the Holy
Spirit to pray through us. So, take Jude’s advice and build yourself up in your
faith by praying in the Holy Spirit (by praying in tongues).
Ending
Thoughts
If you have never prayed in
the Holy Spirit just ask Him to pray through you and start praying. It won’t be
long and He will began praying through you.