Secrets of Recovery
SECRETS OF RECOVERY
NOW there are two kinds of losses which we as human beings incur. The first kind of loss is caused when we do not have the experience of salvation and then no matter what we do everything is a failure and loss. [t was thus with that famous king, Alexander the Great, who, having conquered so many lands and having acquired much wealth, complained that there were no more lands to conquer. He died at the age of thirty years, leaving one request that both his hands should be left outside the coffin. He also asked that, when his funeral procession was taken around the city, someone should precede the box saying: "The great King Alexander came into the world empty handed, and is going out of the world empty handed.’ When he died they carried out his instructions proclaiming the fact that so great a king was unable to carry away with him what I he had acquired.
That is true of everyone. As a sinner, whatever you may achieve or accomplish, is only a waste. You will have to come under the condemnation of sin and bear your punishment for eternity. On the day of judgement no man can save you from punishment, whether relations or neighbours or friends. That is why men are afraid of death.
There was a famous writer called Voltaire, who was I also a great scholar. He did not believe the Bible and I professed himself an atheist. He did not believe in God, and ridiculed those who did. A time came when he I became very ill and no doctor could diagnose his disease. At night he would often cry out with great fear during the whole night. His face would be so terrible that no nurse would stay with him for more than one night; and that is how he died—in misery and darkness!
I How are you going to face death? One day you will have to give an account to God for all you have done. if you die in sin, then be prepared for God's judgement and for everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. God is a God of love, but at the same time He is a God of justice. He is a holy God and cannot behold sin.
I There are three great laws which we must take account of: (1) the law of holiness; (2) the law of justice; and (3) the law of love. If you live in sin, you break the law of holiness. If you die in your sin then the law of justice demands your punishment. But the God of love offers you the way of life and salvation. You can be freed from condemnation and have a life which will I yield abundance of fruit. The Lord Jesus Christ became man and died on the Cross to fulfil all these three laws.
?1 Those who receive Him have these three laws fulfilled in them when they are born again.
The second kind of loss is suffered even by those who are born again, perhaps because of lack of knowledge, or perhaps through their own folly or sin.
There can be much loss through lack of knowledge. I was in London one night about thirty-five years ago, on my first visit there. It was a very, very cold night. The next morning the landlady with whom I stayed enquired: 'Mr. Bakht Singh, did you sleep well?’ I said: ‘No Madam, I| shivered the whole night. It was so cold, that I put on my warm coat and also my socks. Yet I kept on shivering the whole night, because it was so. cold.’ She said to me, 'Why, did you not have any blankets on your bed?' 'No, Madam,’ I said, 'I did not I see any blankets.’
Then she said, 'Come, let us see.' She came to my I room and lifted my bedspread, then I saw not only one, but three brand new blankets, which were under the bedspread, I had never seen such nice blankets in my life. That was my first experience of such a bed. I. did not know how to get under blankets and there I was lying like a fool on top of the blankets and shivering ' the whole night, with three nice, brand new blankets under me. This loss was due to the lack of knowledge.
There are many born again people, who have nice Bibles, which are sealed and closed books to them. They put them away carefully, but do not know what is inside. They buy a nice gilt-edged Bible for about Rs, 25, but do not know how to use the Book, nor how to claim and enjoy the promises in God's Word.
A missionary came to Punjab many years ago. In the villages there, they bake a very nice flat bread about one foot diameter and one inch thick. This kind of bread has to be baked very slowly in the pan, Then they apply butter to it and eat it with vegetables. The missionary I was brought home one night and they placed before I him the flat circular bread with the vegetables on it. The missionary ate up all the vegetables and returned ) the bread saying, “Here, take away the plate!' He did not know it was bread. This is lack of knowledge.
I Because of lack of knowledge and understanding of: God's purpose and plan, you may suffer heavy loss even though you are a believer; or sometimes through your own mistakes and folly you may bring heavy loss, not only to your own life, but also to the whole Church.
God promised Abraham great blessing. in Genesis 12:1-3, God promised him and his seed many eternal blessings but it was only after forty years of affliction and trial in the wilderness, that the children of Israel understood their blessings. They could have I enjoyed the whole land of Canaan soon after they had left Egypt, but they did not obey God fully. In just a: small thing they failed right at the very beginning, and that same failure became a big failure. Little losses often become big lasses.
The God of love, however, did not change, nor His purposes. He went on dealing with them until they had recovered all their losses, In the story of Israel we see God's unchanging love and His unchanging law, which go on dealing with His people until every loss is recovered. No man can change this divine law. Whoever he may be, rich or poor, king or beggar, a preacher or an ordinary man; divine laws cannot be changed. If we try to change them through ignorance, one day we are sure to suffer heavy loss.
God has made us His co-workers. He wants to fulfil His purposes in and through us. We have an example in the story of Eli. He was the high priest, but he failed God. God wanted to rebuke and punish him, but He had no one through whom He could do it. He had to wait for many years until He found Samuel to use as His mouthpiece. God spoke to Samuel when he was a little boy. He called to him ‘Samuel! Samuel!
At first Samuel thought it was a human voice, but the third time he learned it was God's voice. God could ' have spoken directly to Eli and have told him: 'You have sinned; lam going to punish you'; but He did not do so. He waited many years and then rebuked Eli through Samuel. That was God's plan. God wants to have partners and co-workers with Him, but this is a great responsibility and privilege for which we have to be prepared.
Through all the stories recorded in the Bible we learn this lesson, that God's chosen people kept on grieving, Him again and again. God had told them from the very beginning: 'You are my peculiar treasure—a peculiar treasure above all nations' (Exodus 19:5); yet; they were blind and kept on grieving Him. Still God ' did not give them up. He kept on dealing with them by sending His prophets to prepare them to become coworkers with Him. God may take many years, but He will not change His divine laws.
We have been seeing from God's Word the nature and causes of our loss. Now let us study the weapons and the means by which we can recover every loss. As we have already seen there are two great means which God uses to recover our losses, that is, I Hebron and Zion. Through these two instruments God recovered every loss which came upon His people.
Abraham suffered Joss through his human sympathy with Lot, but after he had separated from Lot God appeared to him. As long as Lot was with him, God could not appear to Abraham nor talk with him, and in the same way many believers have lost the privilege of talking with God.
Hebron means fellowship: firstly, fellowship with God, that is with the Father and the Son, and secondly, fellowship among ourselves, as we see in I John 1:3,4,7. A sinner cannot talk with God, nor be indwelt by Him. A sinner cannot find the will of God, nor can he understand God's plan, or purpose, or mysteries. God's life cannot be poured into him, and, even though he may see miracles and God may answer his prayers, yet he wall be far away from Him.
In the life of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth, when He performed miracles, many began to say of Him, 'He is Christ! He is Christ! He is our Messiah!’ Even so, we see in John 2:23-27 that the Lord Jesus Christ did not commit Himself to them. They were saying: ‘Lord, we believe in you,' but the Lord Jesus Christ was saying: 'I don't believe in you.' He knew that their hearts were full of sin and that they were not prepared to give up their sinful life. They wanted only exciting things. Unless we feel sorry for our sins and believe from our heart in Lord Jesus Christ, His life cannot flow into us.
When you walk in the street, you may see a beggar and he may call you, 'Father!' But you will not call him, 'My dear son,’ because you know he only wants your I money. They say in Hindustani, 'When a man wants to get something, he will even call a donkey his father.’ I
So some people when they want something from God, will call Him, 'Father!' Such people are living in darkness, they de not know what true fellowship is.
When our sins are forgiven and our hearts are cleansed, there is a longing in our hearts to be in the presence of God. That fellowship with God enables us to have real spiritual fellowship with His people. In these days many prefer ‘coffee fellowship' or ‘tea fellowship’. If we offer them tea, they will come; but if there is no tea or coffee, some friends refuse to come. They will say, 'Tt is so far away, how can we go there for a meeting?', but for a tea party, even though it may be ten miles away, they are ready to go. If that is true of you, you don’t know what true fellowship is. The more we walk with God and the nearer we live to God, so much the more we long to enjoy fellowship both with God and with His people; the two go together, they cannot be separated.
There are many who despise such fellowship with God's people. Some people because of pride of wealth say, ‘How can I have fellowship with such and such a person? He is a low-caste Christian and I am a high-caste Christian,’ while others say proudly, ‘lama B.A. (perhaps failed!)' or 'l am earning so much money!’
Once there was a man named Charles in a certain city, He was earning Rs. 55 per month. He married a nurse, who was getting Rs. 120 per month, so together they earned Rs. 175. One day a man saw him in the street and said: ‘Will you please come to the Gospel meeting?’ He replied, 'Meeting? We have no time for such meetings!’ In his heart he thought, 'I am earning Rs. 55, and my wife Rs. 120, how can we go over to the meetings of these poor Christians? Those who are poor can go there. We will only go to the Church.’
But after five days I got a message from Mr. Charles: ‘Please come and pray for my wife,' he said. I went there and saw him in tears. His wife was very il. Her teeth had got stuck into her tongue and the tongue was swelling rapidly. The doctors had tried all kinds of treatment, but it was in vain. He said to me, ‘Kindly pray for my wife. Look, these are my children. What will happen to them?’ and he wept. I was thinking in my heart, 'Now you won't say: "I am earning Rs. 55, and my wife Rs. 120.” You will say rather, "Can Rs. 175 save me? Can my Rs. 55 save me? Can my wife's Rs. 120 save me?”
When troubles come, you want God, but when you are prosperous and earning good money, you despise God's fellowship and keep away from God's house saying: How can we rich people mix with poor people.’ Because of this attitude many believers have become spiritually poor and as beggars and paupers before God, because they do not know the value and power of fellowship. That is why you find so many Christians are happier among worldly friends than among God's people. They do not know how much spiritual loss they are incurring. To enjoy true fellowship you must be freed from every 'Lot' of every kind: worldly friendship must be utterly given up.
Hebron also means faith. We saw from the book of Joshua how a man called Caleb asked for Hebron, even though he knew that there were giants living there. He had faith in God, that He would give him the victory over every giant. To live in Hebron we must have strong faith in God; a faith that cannot be frightened by giants on our path. According to Mark 11:23, through faith even mountains can be removed.
Again, Hebron was a place of refuge. In Joshua 21:10, 11,27 we read that there were six cities of refuge set apart by the people of God. If any man killed a person unawares and unwittingly, he could flee to the nearest city of refuge, lest he be killed by the dead man's friends or relations. Hebron was one of those cities of refuge (Josh. 20:3). When people were in difficulties of that nature, they could find refuge or protection there.
There are so many people in the world who sin unwittingly in their foolishness. Somehow because of situations and unavoidable circumstances they are tempted to do wrong, maybe through their friends or evil neighbours or because of being in a lonely place, or because of poverty, or difficulty. Or perhaps, because of their folly they suffer much unhappiness and misery through their unkind neighbours. Wherever they go fingers are pointed at them, ‘See that man or woman, that is what he or she did.’ Thus they suffer. Such people find relief through Hebron. They are being mocked at because they have fallen under temptation unwittingly, but in Hebron, through love, kindness and prayer, they can recover all things.
Let us not be proud. All of us can make mistakes. All of us can be deceived by the devil. If you see a weaker believer falling into sin then do not condemn him. Do not leave him or forsake him, but by love, sympathy and fellowship lift him up and restore him (Galatians 6:1-3).
That is the third meaning of Hebron. We have to bear the burden of those who are weak spiritually, when they fall or are in danger, by travailing and persevering prayer, and lift them up by love and kindness.
Many years ago a man came to me and said, 'Please pray for my wife and daughter.’ He told me that when he was away on duty, they both had left the house. Then he began to weep and said, 'My home is broken up. Please pray for me.' So I prayed for him and he went away. After he left, a thought came to me that though that man came to me in great sorrow and with a very heavy heart, I only prayed for him in a casual way. I felt convicted and began to pray, '0 God, give me a real burden of prayer for those who have been deceived by the devil. They must be rescued.' I went on praying for three hours, then God showed me that my prayer would be answered.
The very next morning after the meeting, I got a message that two sisters wished to see me. They were the very same sisters for whom I had been praying. They had come to me for prayer and said to me in tears, ‘Brother, we were deceived by the devil. We had gone so far away from home, and suddenly the thought came to us to go to you for prayer. So, we have come to you. Please pray that God may forgive us for our folly and sin.' The broken home was mended.
It is not by condemnation that we can recover lost souls. We believers are sometimes very, very hardhearted. When we see weak believers we condemn them and start scandalizing and telling tales about them as well. We turn our faces away from them, too, and will not even smile at them. Many, many souls have gone astray, because strong believers have been hardhearted towards them. Our Lord is the good shepherd, He goes after lost sheep. He carries the weak sheep on His shoulders. If you want to recover all, then be a refuge to those who have fallen. By prayer, strengthen them and by love lift them.
Fourthly, Hebron stands for utter dependence on God. David made a great mistake. Without consulting God he wanted to join the Philistines and the result was that Ziklag was burnt; he had lost his wives, children and stuff. Then when he repented and encouraged himself in the Lord, he consulted God as to whether he could pursue the Amalekites or not. The Lord said, Pursue’. He obeyed God and he recovered all.
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From that day onwards, he began to consult God for everything. 'Lord, shall I go to any of the cities of Judah?' and the Lord said, 'Go up.' Then he asked again, I ‘Lord, where shall i go up?! God said, 'To Hebron.’ So
David went to Hebron. In every small detail he was ) seeking the guidance of the Lord (2 Samuel 5:19, 23 and 24). For every minor thing he was enquiring of the ’ Lord, ‘Shall I, shall L, shall I?) Thus David returned to: Hebron, God kept him there for seven years and six months, that David might thoroughly learn not to! depend upon his own brain nor anyone else's brain, I but upon the Lord.
I He was a great king and had many mighty men.
\ When his enemies, the Philistines, came against him, I he could have said, ‘What shall we do? Shall we go?’
I But no; he consulted God in everything. That is the fourth way of recovering every loss.
I Many believers and servants of God suffer heavy losses because they do not know how to consult God I for their plans. Only occasionally they will consult God
I and call upon Him. On other occasions they depend upon their own brain, and their wives who can easily change their husband's minds. The husband may come home and tell his wife: 'My dear wife, the Lord spoke to me in the meeting.’ But she says, ‘Don't be a fool; you forget your wife and children. God does not speak like that.’ That is why many foolish husbands have disobeyed God, They are hen-pecked husbands who listened to their wives.
In this way many believers have lost out. Rather than consult God, they have consulted their wives or friends or neighbours or their own brains. One may say, ‘lama graduate, and know Greek and Hebrew, and so many other things. Why should I waste my time in prayer? I will use my common sense!’ That is how people make many mistakes.
Bul when he came to Hebron in [1 Samuel 2:1, he had become emptied, humble, and broken. In everything he enquired of God: 'Shall I go up? Shall I go up? Where shall I go? When shall I go up?’ That is the fourth way of recovering every loss. Do not depend upon your wisdom or your physical strength or human resources. Empty yourself of every self-confidence and find time to go to God for everything. Ask Him even how you should spend your money!
There are many husbands who when they get their salary, bring it to their wives, saying: "Madam, here is my salary.' When later the husband asks for Rs. 5, she, says, ‘What has happened to the Rs. 5 I gave you a few days ago?' and he is not able to answer. He is depending upon his wife; she is like a god to him, Whatever she says, he must do. When you ask such husbands: 'Why do you give all your money to your wife?’ they will say: ‘If I don't give her the money she won't leave me in peace. She will be searching my pockets. Then, finally, I will have to give everything to her.’ Such men do not know how to find God's will. You must learn to come to God about everything: about the use of time, money, energy, strength and everything else.
Similarly, God must be consulted in every church matter. We touched briefly on this subject in an earlier chapter. There are many men who wish to be church elders, who for many months quarrel and fight to win votes. In one city I saw a young man asking for votes. He was saying: 'Please vote for me to be an elder.’ I questioned him: 'Why do you want to be a church elder?’ He said to me, ‘These elders who are old men are no good; they must be turned out. If I am elected I will push them out.' Then I said to him, 'Can you tell me from the Bible the spiritual qualifications for an elder, how they are made and who they are?’ He kept quiet.
Then I said to him, 'Get your Bible.’ So he went inside. I was sitting on the veranda. Five minutes passed, ten minutes passed, twenty minutes and he was still inside. Then his sister came to me and whispered: 'He has no Bible.’ Yet this was the man who wanted to be an elder,.--a man without a Bible, and who knew nothing whatsoever about the Bible.
Now when such committee members and elders meet once a month, they have a short prayer at the beginning of their meeting. They say, ‘Pastor, will you please pray briefly?’ After prayer they say in effect: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, we are now going to quarrel about things we would not like you to know, so please go outside. You should not know anything about our money matters! When we want You again, we will call You.' Then for three hours they go on quarrelling: 'How did you spend that 5 rupees, or 2 rupees or I rupee? Kindly account for it. Show us the bill for that 3 rupees' etc. When they have finished quarrelling, they say, 'Lord Jesus, now please come inside. We are ready to go home. Lord, bless us! What mockery!
That is why you find barrenness and death in so many congregations. The so-called church elders do not know how to pray. They do not know how to find God's will. Yet, they want to govern and lead the church. They want honour, name, fame and money, that is all!
At Hebron, you learn that you must inquire from God, individually and collectively, concerning every action, every movement, saying: What shall we do? Where shall we go?"
Again, as we have seen, many people do not know how to find God's will concerning marriage. It is only after they have decided on the bride or bridegroom that they say: ‘Pastor, please come and pray!' While searching for a bride they draw up a long list of qualifications.
The boy may be a matric failed, but when he looks for a wife, he demands that she must be a graduate. She must be a teacher and able to earn for him, though he himself may not have a job. She must be very fair, though he may be dark. She must know how to play music, and so on. In other places they may not look at the face or beauty; but the thing that matters is the amount of dowry, whether, Rs. 5,000 or Rs. 10,000 and soon. They want only money, they do not want Gou's will. This is how many believers are ruined, and have unhappy ruined homes, because they have never learned that lesson of how-to enquire from the Lord. Even with David, it was only after many years of suffering that he learned that lesson: 'Lord, shall I ga? Shall I go?"
Chapter 11