Divine Arithmetic
"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you. ... According as His Divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness." (2 Peter 1:2-3)
Have we, then, all things that pertain to life and godliness? If we believe that, there isn't the like of it anywhere in the world as to possession. It discounts everything. "All the things that pertain unto life and godliness." They are all ours.
I can claim it all, and note it is mine, and yet not rob you in the least. It is all yours too. Grace is not divided; it is multiplied, the apostle says. It is not, "Grace and peace be divided among you." The Lord's arithmetic is always in progressive ratio. Having His grace and righteousness, we may take for the multiplier just as many people as there are in the world, so that everyone of us has the whole of it.
Not only so, but it is multiplied to every individual as well. How can anybody believe that and be gloomy, or despondent and discouraged? He has given to you by His power all things that pertain to life and godliness. If you believe that, and always believed it, there will be steady progress in Divine life.
Prayer with Thanksgiving
All the time is the time to believe the Scriptures. But many professed Christians do not believe the Scriptures when they pray. They go to the place of prayer, and leave the promises behind. They go to the bank, and leave the cheque book at home, and then wonder that they get nothing. "He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that seek after Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
His Divine power has given unto us all things, and they are ours to possess now. He who believes that he has been given all things, righteousness and life, and holds to that belief, finds in it righteousness. That is our victory; for: "This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4)
The man who believes this word will never go to the Lord and be disappointed. All that he has to do is to take, and take, and keep taking. By this we can understand what the apostle says, "In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)
How can a person who believes the word of God contain himself for thankfulness? It cannot be otherwise than that thanksgiving will accompany every prayer of faith; and that which is not a prayer of faith is useless.
We have as good a title to life and godliness as the Lord Jesus Christ himself, because it is His by divine right, and He gives it to us. He has as good a right to give it to us as He has to possess it. Then we have as good a right to it as He has. No one can convey to another a better title that he himself has; but in this case the Lord has given us himself, and so we have His right and title.
We do not come to the Lord, then, in an uncertain, halting way, to ask for we know not what; not as the Samaritans, of whom Jesus said to the woman, "You worship you know not what. We know what we worship." (John 4:22)
Instead of coming to the Lord, and praying and going away without knowing that we have received anything, feeling as in a fog, we can walk in the sunlight all the time, thanking God in all of our petitions that He has given us all things, and finding strength in our knowledge of the fact.
But there are so many professed Christians who are always living in a fog bank. Clouds are always over them. They do not know whether they have anything or not, and are always talking about how needy and helpless they are.
But it is a true and faithful saying that God's Divine power has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) Then take of the Lord's free gift.
Exceeding Great and Precious Promises
The Apostle Peter goes on from the words with which we began, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the Divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4)
Oh, the wonder of the promises of God! We take the promises and by them become partakers of the Divine nature. All we have to do to be partakers of the Divine nature is to believe that He has given it to us.
How can there be any dull thankless prayers? How can there be any half-hearted lifeless testimonies? Every heart that believes must sing for joy, for this same apostle says that, "believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory." (1 Peter 1:8)
We have been groping in darkness, wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and He comes to us with all things, and says, "All are yours. Take them. Buy without money."
It is because the things that He gives cannot be purchased with money. They have been bought by the precious blood of Christ. "Unto you that believe He is precious." (1 Peter 2:7)
Because His promises are precious. All the promises of God are in Him; and so believing His promises we are simply laying hold upon Christ. Christ dwells in the word. "Christ lives in me," is the cry of the believer.
There is power in that to put the devil to flight. Maintain it in the face of the enemy, and that Name that is above every name--that power that has spoiled principalities and powers--dwelling in you will accomplish the same thing for you that it did before the world. That is resisting the devil steadfast in the faith; and when we resist, he flees. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." (1 Peter 5:8-9) "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)--Present Truth, March 29, 1894.