There is a Bible verse that is quoted many times.

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper. And every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn.”

This is a lovely exhortation from the LORD. However, it is sad that when people quote this verse, they slice half the verse out. When actually, the sliced half of that verse, is what makes the beginning of the verse binding.

Some times, we extract a verse or two from the Bible to share it on our social media pages, yet we never really take the time to read the whole chapter or even meditate on what it could be speaking to us about. We could be sharing the right messages but with the wrong motives. Which ends up being hawking of God’s Word for likes and comments.

The whole verse reads,

No weapon formed against you shall prosper. And every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:17

And the sad reality as well is that, that sliced verse cuts out so many people from that promise of God. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. Delving into this part of the verse we fully understand this promise of God to His children.

Servant Hood

Servanthood is not a popular word. For the work of a servant is to serve, or to wait on others. They carry out errands and do the will of their masters. When servants are given directives, they do not carry out those directives according to their own desires, but according to the specifications given to them by their masters. It therefore requires that a servant be submissive and obedient.

The verse says, This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD.

Luke 17

7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?
8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?
9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.

Many people are not servants of God but servants of money, of people, and of the possessions of the world. Multitudes of people today are serving their own lusts and desires. Being a servant of God means that no longer do the lusts of the flesh dominate a person’s life, or even the desire to please men. But the desire to please God and do what He commands in His Word.

God becomes the Master of one’s life and all service done either to man or unto God, must be directed by Him and in accordance to His word.

And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23

Being a servant is not something pleasing especially in this day and age where life has been made so simplified in that if I want to do my shopping, I only need to select the items I need from an app, and have them delivered at my doorstep.

However, in this world, being a servant is not an option. Every single person on earth is a servant/slave to something. And according to God, there are only two options.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold on to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24

Jesus demonstrated servanthood in accordance to God’s will in the most humbling way. Who being in the form of God, He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God; but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus was first called Master by His disciples. He was in layman’s language, the CEO. Yet He washed all their feet and told them, let him that is greatest among you be your servant.

Luke 17

10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ 

Inheritance

Supposing your parents have one child and they own these vast chunks of land and several other undisclosed properties. You (the one child), legally become the heir of those possessions. And were I to come and try to claim a share, I would have no entitlement to them because your parents owe me nothing! I am not their child. This means the inheritance is based on kinship.

Now, all things belong to God. However, we were all enemies of God, having no part in His Kingdom. We became children of the devil after the fall of Adam because Adam submitted himself to the will of Satan in the garden of Eden.

But God reconciled us to Himself through His dearly beloved son Jesus Christ of whom now, He has bestowed upon all His possessions and given Him dominion over all things.

Psalms 2

6 “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.”
7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Daniel 7

13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man (Jesus), Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days (God), And they brought Him near before Him.14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. 

And God, by redeeming us through the blood of His Son, we became no longer bastards/children of the devil but sons of God to them all that believe in Jesus. Who is the image of the invisible God, and the first born over all creation.

Colossians 1

16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Therefore, all who are children/sons of God are those who are in Christ Jesus. This may look like a contradiction because many people like to say, “we are all God’s children.” And yes we are. But there is a difference between being a child of God and being a legal heir child of God. For we become legal heirs and partakers of God’s possessions through our faith in Jesus Christ. For He purchased us legally by His blood. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians wrote,  “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you have been bought for a price, therefore glorify God in your bodies.”

Romans 8

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 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.
16 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Righteousness of God

And finally, the promise ends by saying, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.

The righteousness of God is a gift from God. For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Now, Muslims teach on having many good deeds which may possibly earn them a seat in heaven. This is a doctrine of dead works. There is no amount of good deeds one can ever do before God to become pleasing or acceptable by Him. God says our good works are like filthy rags before Him.

But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6

If we could approach God on good deeds, then many of us would boast from here to the ends of the galaxies.

So, God reconciled us to Himself, making it that no flesh could dare to glory or boast in His presence. And this reconciliation was through His only begotten son Jesus Christ; the gift of God, the gift of Grace.

And by this reconciliation, we acquire new garments — not of our good works, sincere, or sweet hearts, pretty righteous lifestyles, — but unspotted garments, as white as snow.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18

And hence did Jesus teach about the parable of the Wedding Feast. Those who were found not to have wedding garments were not welcome to the Feast.

Matthew 22

11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

And this statement, many are called, but few are chosen, as well, demonstrates the difference between a child of God and a legal heir, child of God.

In conclusion, all promises that God makes to all His children are Yes in Christ. There is no such thing as maybe, wait, or No! God is not confused and He is certainly not a liar.

And He has made a promise to all His children, that No weapon formed against them shall prosper. And every tongue which rises against them in judgment, they shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Him, saith the LORD.

It is surely a humbling call and privilege to be a child of God. For even being an heir of God’s promises is not of our own doing, but a gift of God as well. He chooses us and not we Him. He has drawn us to Himself by His grace, not by our own wisdom or understanding.

I pray, that He may draw, in the thousands all who are lost everyday, to be partakers of His Glorious Kingdom and Unsearchable Riches in Christ Jesus. And lead all who are already in His fold, in all righteousnesses for His Namesake.

Amen!

♣

Featured Image: Pinterest Images