Author: lettherebelife17

Psalms 23:6 “…and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” This displays full confidence that he will be with the Good Shepherd forever. He has no doubt or question about it, but full assurance and great security. This is part of the inheritance of all God’s true sheep.

The Good Shepherd told us in John 14:1-3 that we should not let our heart be troubled. He said He will go and prepare a place for us and later come back to take us home with Him to this place He prepared for us. This is the inheritance that He has for His people and it will be forever.

I Peter 1:3-5 This also speaks of the inheritance and it says it is incorruptible and undefiled, and it never fades away and that it is reserved in heaven for us. This is for those who have their sins forgiven by the blood of Jesus and are kept by the power of God through faith. This gives us great reason to rejoice even when going through trials and temptations. We do well to fasten our eyes on that which is to come. This will give us the courage to face all of life.

We see then in Psalms 23 a wonderful picture of the love, care and provision of the Good Shepherd. Then in conlusion to have the assurance of His presence always from now and forever and forever without end is the most wonderful and glorious truth ever revealed to man. As we walk with the Good Shepherd, we will know Him better and better and love Him more and more. The more that we love Him, the more we will trust Him, and the more real and sure these promises become.

What follows you? What effect do you leave in the places you have been; your place of work, your community, your church? We leave an influence wherever we go. Are we those who leave behind us goodness, blessing and mercy. It was said of Jesus that He went about doing good. Scripture also says even a child is known by his doings. What are we known by? Some people leave behind them discouragement, gossip and promote fear by their words, attitudes and actions. Something follows us, and sometimes it is good to take inventory what it is.

Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: …”. When we walk in the goodness, mercy and blessing of the Good Shepherd, then this is the effect we will leave wherever we go. When we experience the blessing of God, we can then bless others. This is what the world needs.

Regardless of our past and no matter what others have done or not done to us, we have the privilege of experiencing this goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. No person on earth can keep you from it. The devil himself cannot keep you from it. This is because the Good Shepherd is greater then all. He has in His hands the rod and staff. All power is given unto Him. He loves you as much as anyone else. Be His sheep and then surely goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.

As you look ahead to the coming days, weeks, months and years, what is your expectation? Do you expect blessing, favor, prosperity and peace? Or do you expect afflictions, hardship, trials and adversity? While we all experience some of the latter, the expectation for goodness and mercy to follow us is a gift from God. Romans 15:13 says, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” When our head is anointed with oil and our cup runneth over (Psalms 23:5), then it can become a reality that we trust and anticipate goodness and mercy to follow us. After experiencing the love, mercy and provision of the Good Shepherd, we will trust His faithfulness for the future. Our life is filled with hope even in adverse circumstances. We see in the above verse that hope, joy and peace are all together and it comes through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Now we have an expectation of good.

One aspect of this hope and assurance is expressed in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” When we belong to the Good Shepherd, we know that all aspects of life, the good and the adverse, all work together for something good and profitable, even though we may not understand it at the time. This assurance is a tremendous foundation for faith and hope.

Jesus instructed His followers before His ascension back to heaven to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father which was the Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1:4, 5). He told them that they would receive power after the Holy Ghost came upon them (Acts 1:8). They were faithful and obedient. They realized they would never be able to make it without this promise being fulfilled.

And what a difference this made in the disciples of Christ. We no longer read where they argued about who would be the greatest after this. After the Holy Spirit came on them in Acts 2, they were different men. All the things Jesus had taught them now came to their remembrance by the Holy Spirit. They overcame fear and preached boldly the resurrection of Christ. Only weeks before, they were hiding away in a room that was locked for fear of the Jews.

Their cup was running over because the scripture says they were full of joy and the Holy Spirit. Acts 4 tells us they were full of grace and boldness. The Psalmist says in 23:5, “…thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” The same can be true for us and the same provision is there for us as it was for the disciples. The Good Shepherd says in John 7:37-39 “…Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: …” This is how our cup runneth over. Are you thirsty? Come to the Good Shepherd and drink.

“…the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie,”. This is part of verse 27 in I John 2. The Holy Spirit is God. He cannot lie. He is truth. He is very willing to teach you whatever you need to know. It is then of utmost importance that we have this anointing and that we are teachable. It takes humility to be teachable. Pride works against the Holy Spirit and blinds people.

We find a very important word in Luke 11:9-13 that was spoken by Jesus Himself. He says, “Ask and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth;” and so on He gives a tremendous promise. Then he concludes verse 13 with, “how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

Self discipline is right and necessary in life in our walk with the Lord. Good teaching and sermons can be helpful. However, none of those things replace the need for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We cannot just learn our way to the victory that Christ offers us. It takes the Holy Spirit and His anointing upon us. This is the Good Shepherd’s plan from the beginning. Many try to improve on the plan of God by their own programs, methods and self-improvement teachings.

In the true Church of Jesus Christ there is no replacement for the Holy Spirit. It is He that reveals the Good Shepherd to us and teaches us all things.