2 Peter 1:3 “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,”
“The promises to those who are partakers of a Divine nature, will cause us to inquire whether we are really renewed in the spirit of our minds; let us turn all these promises into prayers for the transforming and purifying grace of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew Henry
When I consider the majesty and magnitude of God’s glory, the promises in His Word, and the hope that Jesus provided to all who trust in Him, I consider the potential we have at our fingertips.
The Path to Provision
When reading scripture, it is good to dwell upon the nature of God as it conveys a deeper measure of truth. True life and pure godliness are drawn from the well of God’s infinite grace, the question is how do we tap into the resource He has provided?
Peter revealed through the anointing of the Holy Spirit the path to provision offered to all who seek.
2 Peter 1:4 “by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
The connection to God’s great and precious promises is revealed through the means by which to acquire them.
*Knowledge: To draw from God’s power requires the knowledge of where to look and knowledge comes only by way of the Holy Spirit. If God’s people quench the Spirit of God by sinning, they walk in reproach before Him and not in the fullness of His Spirit.
James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."
It is through the knowledge of God by which christians learn to walk in His divine power, but then remembering why He imparted this in the first place gives purpose.
God’s Glory Revealed
God doesn’t supply His people for just any reason, He always has a purpose in mind. It is through His supply they are given the ability to fulfill His call upon their lives. It is through His church that His purposes bring Him glory and reveals His virtue.
The acquiring of knowledge first requires understanding.
Proverbs 15:14 “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.”
A lack of good sense is found among the ignorant. They cannot know truth unless they inquire at the source and that is found only in God’s Word. The ignorant don’t know where to look.
Proverbs 24:15 “A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might,”
When a believer understands the necessity of growing in knowledge and walking in truth, attributes of wisdom are beginning to form.
God’s Strength and Might
A mighty man of valor knows where his strength lies. I’m not talking about physical strength, Goliath was terribly powerful and yet was brought down by a sling and a stone. It was God’s might that rested upon a young David who trusted more in God’s provision than he did His own life.
Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Now that we know the means by which God supplies, the question as to why it is necessary for God to give this provision comes into view.
God’s divine nature is not a distant philosophical entity for us to discuss in classes in order to doctrinalize God’s personhood. Believers have been invited to partake of His nature, which implies that it exists here and now for people to receive. If a man or woman of God has been lifted up by Christ, they will find that all worldly reason is replaced by godly understanding.
Godly provision is supplied to those who walk in His way. If a person isn’t going the way God is leading, they don’t need spiritual provision for the journey they are on, worldly wisdom will do. But if a person earnestly desires to follow the Lord, they will need to be supplied with equipping that God provides.
We know God’s reason for acting, we see His response in various situations, we can read His reaction when people are in turmoil, and we witness His ability to navigate seemingly difficult circumstances when people feel lost. It is by understanding God’s nature that faithful men and women can follow in His footsteps and not fear whether God will remain faithful—He always remains faithful.
Peace
This corrupt world will try to upset people’s balance and order of walking in the confidence of God’s mercy, which makes it more imperative to keep your eyes on Him. As the Lord directs, all worldly reason is brought low before the manifold purpose that He commands.
Philippians 3:8 “More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
Walking in victory in God’s Kingdom is a process of letting go of the things of this world and embracing what God has provided. It’s one thing to acquire these things but you aren’t holding onto them as your own……they are His. The more we recognize the value we have in knowing Christ as our Lord and Savior, the more this world diminishes in value.
Godly riches look different that worldly riches.
2 Peter 1:5-8 “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
When a person makes a decision for Christ, their change of perspective leads them in a different direction than where they were going. The new believer realizes the worth in seeking after all that is aligned with God’s nature. What we hold dear to our hearts should be what God values—it is these things that are worth seeking after.
The more you gain in God’s abundance, the happier you will be. The more you attempt to gain of the world you’ll find the less satisfying it becomes.
We must change our values if we want to grow in our faith. It is a change of mind and this takes submitting to His Spirit in our lives.
U.T. 