With the key, you open a car door, you can even start it, but if you don't know how to drive or how to turn off the alarm, you won't go anywhere and, instead of being useful, it will cause you losses.
A car, besides driving it, needs some care:
1. Check the amount of fuel;
2. Check the engine oil, transmission and brake oil;
3. Check tire pressure;
4. If the brakes are working or not;
5. The engine and transmission must be in perfect condition;
6. Check the radiator water;
7. Headlights and turn signals;
In short, everything must be in perfect condition, as well as having a driver's license and vehicle documentation.
Solomon wrote:- “Comparing one thing with another to find the cause”. Ecclesiastes 07:27.
“And Jesus said:- If I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I speak to you of heavenly things?” Ev. Jo 03:12.
God's word teaches us that we must pray and watch. “Watch and pray so that you do not enter into temptation”. Marcos 14:38
We know that prayer is the key, but will just praying solve it?
How many times do we pray, ask God for something, without knowing if we have the conditions to use what we are asking God for. We must pray, but also watch.
When we pick up the car key, we must check its condition and what we are going to do with that key and, if we are going somewhere or not.
So it is with prayer, when we speak with God we have to know what we want, and what we are going to do with what the Lord gives us, that is, we must know what we are asking for and why we are asking for it. There lies the importance of watching, so as not to damage our faith, our communion with God by thinking that He does not hear us, or that He has abandoned us.
Vigilance means checking whether the brake is in perfect condition, so that we can stop before error, worldliness, the invitations that “friends” make to us and lead us to spiritual ruin, such as worldly parties, alcoholic beverages, drugs, nightclubs, etc.
The Bible teaches:- “Bad companions corrupt good character”. 1 Corinthians 15:33
Verifying that the brakes are not good, we must see the level of brake oil and immediately seek the oil of anointing, so that it may be poured out upon us. “Let your garments be always white, and never let oil be lacking on your head”. Ecclesiastes 09:08.
In the head are the thoughts, so you need this heavenly oil, so that no one “gets into your head” and you can brake before paths that do not lead to salvation. To brake is to have self-control. “Use the helmet of Salvation” (Ephesians 06:17) which will protect you from evil thoughts. Check the engine, the engine oil and the amount of fuel to know how far it can go and when we will need to refuel, so that we do not run the risk of being stranded.
The engine is our heart, this part involves our feelings, our faith, our strength, if oil is lacking the engine can melt, so we must fill ourselves with the Holy Spirit, let Him control our life, listening to the counsel of God's word; “Give me your heart, my son” – Proverbs 23:26. We must give our heart to Christ, (My heart is prepared, O God - Salmos 57:07 and 108:01), this requires renunciation, renounce ourselves and let Christ act. “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” – Galatians 02:20. “Do not get drunk with wine, in which there is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit” – Ephesians 05:18. The Spirit of God is the best fuel for us to walk, His anointing is the best oil. “Do not quench the Spirit” – 1 Thessalonians 05:19. Letting Him fill us, we will be strengthened. “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” – Ephesians 06:10. So you will be able to walk. “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me” – Philippians 04:13. “But in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” – Romanos 08:37.
Cleanliness is a very important factor, because if the glass is dirty for example, it hinders vision. In spiritual life it is the same, if we are not purified of our sins, our spiritual vision will be clouded and we will not be able to see God's hands extended in our favor, but “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin” – 1 Jo 01:07, so we must seek God's word, meditate on it day and night and not let it depart from our mouth (Joshua 01:08), and it is this word that purifies us. “You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” – Ev. Jo 15:03.
We must also check the headlights; high beam and low beam. The common thing is when it is brighter we use low beam and when it is darker we use high beam, when we are among Christians our light hardly shows, but among non-Christians it should show. Our testimony as a Christian is very important, because we were called to be the light of the world – Mateus 05:14. When the difficulties of life come, the trial, it is time to use high beam, accelerate more, that is, be more alert, have more vigilance, more prayer, more dedication and, automatically more acceleration, more is required of the engine, uses more fuel, so we must check all this, otherwise we cannot endure and stop midway.
We must not forget the turn signals, which indicate which way we should turn. Always be alert to this detail, so that we never turn towards the side of sin, the side of evil; if we begin to signal towards the side of evil, that is, begin to have worldly desires, we must immediately go to the Electrician so that He can fix it. This Electrician is the one who says: “Let there be light, and there was light” – Genesis 01:03. There is no problem that He does not solve, if your light is weak, if the lanterns are not working properly, the signals are leaning towards the side of error, study God's word and He will speak to you. David almost strayed his feet into deception, because he began to see the prosperity of the ungodly, but when he entered God's sanctuary, he came to the conclusion that God is good to those who are pure in heart, but the end of the ungodly will be terrible – Salmos 73: 01 and beyond. The Lord God will enlighten you and make your light shine in the right direction and in the right way, because His word is “A lamp to our feet and light to our paths” – Salmos 119:105.
It is always good to remember to check the pressure and condition of the tires, because empty tires cannot roll and, not rolling they will not go anywhere, so the believer empty of God's word, empty of God's Grace, does not go anywhere. “We must put on our feet the preparation of the Gospel of Peace” – Ephesians 06:15. The tires cannot be “bald” if it is not easy to burst, so God's word must always be present in the believer's life, because the path is narrow and full of thorns that can hurt our feet, if we are unprepared, but if we are prepared we will be able to walk. “How beautiful are the feet of those who announce good news” – Romanos 10:15.
Another part that should be on the inspection list is the transmission, because it is the one that must be handled to change gears, according to the speed we are going. “Let us run with perseverance the race set before us” – Hebrews 12:01. Many run in the stadium, but only one takes the prize, run in such a way that you obtain it “– 1 Corinthians 09:24. We must know what condition the transmission is in and how it works, to use it correctly and at the right time to change gear. It is no use wanting ”“to go all out”, but also you cannot stand still (“Rise and walk! because your rest is not here” – Micah 02:10), you have to go gradually, changing gears as speed increases, you cannot stay in one gear only, you must grow gradually. “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” – 2 Pedro 03:18. “Let us know and press on to know the Lord” – Hosea 06:03. You should check if there is not enough oil in the transmission, you must seek from God the oil and refill it. “It is like precious oil on the head, that runs down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, and that runs down to the edge of his garments” Salmos 133:02 Note that the beard does not grow overnight, it grows gradually, and when you put the oil on it it goes down and lubricates the entire gear, so God's anointing lubricates the entire being of the Christian, from his mind (head) even to his garments. God transforms the interior, and this is reflected on the outside.
Water is a very important factor, because if there is no water in the radiator, the engine will not cool and may crack the head and melt. So the problems of life can come to heat us up and, many times, with a “hot head”, we despair and act thoughtlessly, but the Lord is the one who guides us and “refreshes our soul” – Salmo 23:03. “If anyone is thirsty, come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scriptures say, rivers of living water will flow from within them” – Ev. Jo 07: 37 and 38.
And finally we check if we have the necessary documentation to be able to drive. We must have the vehicle documentation and the driver's license. To obtain a driver's license it is necessary to have personal documents (ID), study traffic laws, take tests and pass these tests. In spiritual life, to be licensed, one must also study God's word and know His commandments. “Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth, but meditate on it day and night” – Joshua 01:08. You have to go through the tests. “First let them be tested, then let them serve, if they are blameless” – 1 Timothy 03:10. “An approved worker...” – 2 Timothy 2:15. Have personal documents (Baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ – Atos 02:37 and 38), that is, the birth certificate, “born of water and of the Spirit” Ev. Jo 03:05. These are the first requirements and they are personal, the person himself must seek them.
After having the driver's license (Atos 06:03) it is necessary to have the vehicle documentation, and this in the spiritual sense is provided by the Church. “And they prayed and the Holy Spirit showed Paul and Barnabas” – Atos 13:02 to 04.
The Church through the Pastor (who is the Angel of the Church) or the board of Pastors (Atos 06:03 and 15:25), who have the authority to give this document and it cannot be given to those who are not qualified to perform the function, because if you give a license to someone who is not qualified, even if they think they are, there is a risk of being fined and the fine is on the vehicle not personal; whoever pays the fine or suffers the damage is the Church. If any “accident” occurs, both the Church and whoever received the order from the Church without being ready to perform the function suffer, but who suffers the greater part of the damage? Is it not the Church? That is why the Church must pray seeking God's direction before separating someone, be it for whatever position. After checking all these items, and making sure that everything is OK, then you can pick up the key, but remember:
Do not speed and respect the signals. There are believers who, because they have received a position in the Church, feel that they can do anything, that they already command everything, that they do not need to respect anyone, that the Pastor no longer knows anything, and some even have the courage to say: I am also anointed.
Be careful! Your driver's license can lose points and even be suspended; then you will have to start all over again.
To help you with the general check-up, there is the vehicle dashboard, which shows some vehicle data (oil, fuel, battery, speed, how far it has traveled, etc.), so below we will show some Biblical teachings, which will serve as a panel, where you can check the conditions of your vehicle, that is, your Christian life.
Do not forget the secret of the alarm, OK?
“Remain in communion with God, because without Him you will not go anywhere”.
“Without me you can do nothing” Ev. Jo 15:05.
Meditate: Ephesians 06:10 and beyond.
“Put on the full armor of God... And after you have done everything, stand firm”
Pray on our behalf, so that God may always give us words to transmit.
Study written on 21/10/2005, by Pr. William César de Lima Salustiano.