“GOD COMMANDED” by Karen A Roth
Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you. ~1 KINGS 17:9
After delivering the Word of the Lord to Ahab that proclaimed no rain in Israel, God told Elijah that He ‘COMMANDED’ ravens to bring him bread and meat twice a day and to hide by a brook near the Jordan River. When the brook dried up, God moved Elijah outside of Israel to Sidon, saying He’d ‘COMMANDED’ a gentile widow to feed him.
Surprisingly, she didn’t even know God commanded her—yet she’s fulfilling her purpose because God commanded it to happen.
After a brief time, the widow’s son dies. Elijah prays for him three times. When the child’s life is restored, she makes an unusual statement: “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.” (1 KINGS 17:24)
She’s made cakes twice-a-day for weeks. Is it possible she missed seeing it as miraculous because she had ‘just enough’ flour and oil to make each meal? Elijah prophesied that God ‘COMMANDED’ provision for her. Even though she heard the promise, it’s possible she still worried each day whether she’d really have enough.
It’s difficult to measure ‘more or less’ of something without questioning how much there really was in the container before we made the cake. It’s easier to measure life and death. She knew her son died. Elijah prayed, and the power of God raised her son back to life. Now, she’s aware that whatever God COMMANDED happens.
= IF JESUS COMMANDS ANYTHING—IT HAPPENED!
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. ~ IS 55:11
Jesus and the disciples heard John the Baptist had been beheaded. He sent the grieving disciples ahead in a boat, telling them He’d meet them later after saying farewell to the crowds. Jesus found a place on the mountain to pray before He’s seen in the fourth watch of the night walking on water to meet the disciples. Fierce winds and turbulent waves kept the boat stalled in the middle of the sea. Everyone is fearful. Jesus spoke: “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Peter answered Him, “Lord, if it is You, COMMAND me to come to You on the water.” Jesus said, “Come.” (MT 14)
Peter observed that if Jesus COMMANDED anything—it happened. He’d witnessed blind eyes see, deaf ears hear, the lame walk, and a dead son come back to life. He heard a trusting centurion say to Jesus: “Speak the word and my servant shall be healed”—and it happened.
That night, Jesus never rebuked the wind or calmed the sea—He simply spoke one COMMAND: “Come.” Peter trusted the COMMAND, jumped out the boat, and walked on water. Most of us would be intimidated by the storm and remain in the boat. It’s only after Peter’s already walking on the water that he questions why the waves are still crashing down on him. How often do we question if it’s really God because we think the opposition must be eliminated?
= IMPRINT OF GOD’S LOVE
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. ~MARK 12:30
Before God ever intended for us to obey His COMMANDS—He sealed the imprint of His love on our mind, heart, soul and strength. We know we’ve been imprinted with love because the next COMMAND is to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” We can only give from what’s been sealed in us. That’s why later Peter would say, “Such as I have, I give” …and extending his arm, he raised a lame man up to walk in Jesus Name.
Imprinting can be illustrated by how horses are tamed. The trainer will imprint each of the horse’s senses. The horse feels his hand rubbing every inch of his body…smells/tastes as he eats out of the hand … hears the sound of his voice … sees and learns to recognize his master/trainer. A trained horse understands communication—responds to reigns pulled left or right, or the words, giddy-up, etc.
Likewise, God does our imprinting individually. He trains us to trust Him and surrender to His judgement, His love, His direction—He wants the best for us. He communicates His Will through our spiritual senses. The imprinting is irreversible—things are not forgotten, they are fixed in us. The apostle Paul says, “the gifting and calling of God are irrevocable.” (RM 11:29)
= SPIRITUAL IMPRINTING
And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… ~ GN 1:26 26
Jesus was made in the ‘express image’ of God. (HB 1:3) God’s character is stamped/sealed in Jesus. He testified that He only did what He saw the Father doing/speaking and said, “if you see Me, you’ve seen the Father.” He breathed on the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit… He touched people, and they are healed … He feeds them … the blind eyes see, etc.
When we surrender to God—we are tamed. Imprinting is learning to trust God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Imprinted/sealed with God’s love, means we trust the hand that feeds us and leads us. How we are stamped/imprinted will influence how we minister to others. We follow His lead…we exemplify the things we learn.
Everyone is imprinted or stamped as copies, replicas, or images of Christ. God literally replicates Himself in terms of His nature and character in us. We are made in the “image of God” means we have God-like abilities of thought, reasoning, the capacity to create and build—we reveal/manifest His character and love.
= GOD IMPRINTED JOB
Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” ~JOB 1:6
God stamped or imprinted Job and testified of his righteousness. The wicked one alleges Job only trusts God because He’s ‘hedged’ him in—protected him, his possessions and family…that if God removed His hedge—Job would curse God. God accepts the challenge but won’t allow Job’s person to be touched.
Job’s family and possessions are destroyed, but his loyalty remains intact. God declared to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” (JB 2:3)
- INGEGRITY—trustworthiness and incorruptibility to the degree that he’s incapable of being false to his trust, responsibility or pledge to God.
Later God allowed Satan to touch Job’s flesh. He suffered with painful boils. His wife is part of his heart and also suffered the loss of children… and now her husband is ill. In her anguish, she spoke foolishly. But Job remained responsible as head of his family and comforts her by speaking truth: “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”
= SPIRITUAL OPPOSITION
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ~ EPH 6:12
God took full responsibility for what happened to Job saying, “(Satan) incited Me against (Job), to destroy him without cause.” The scripture implies God removed His protection from Job because He wanted to make known: nothing happens to us unless God allows it—unless God COMMANDS it to happen. Even though He allowed it to happen to Job, God’s command strengthened Job in his integrity. Job’s friends accuse him of not being righteous, but Job knew it’s not true—that he didn’t bring this upon himself from something he did. Job wants an audience with God to prove his innocence from their false accusations.
Job felt spiritual warfare—persecution and rejection of friends in the guise of godly counsel. Everything and everyone stood against him. Even today, some scholars believe his trial happened because he was fearful. Others believe he’s self-righteous. But God called him blameless and righteous. Job trusted God—God called it integrity.
Many of us likewise misjudge Job’s integrity if we believe contrary thoughts—that Job caused the trial he experienced. God’s word changes everything. God vindicated Job proclaiming: “(Satan) incited Me against (Job), to destroy him without cause.” God COMMANDED Job to pray for his friends or He’d “deal with them according to their folly because they have not spoken of God what is right, as His servant Job has.”
= GOD COMMANDED…
I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. ~ JOB 42:2
Sometimes, we experience trials because we’re called to manifest what God COMMANDED. The widow suffered the death of her son until God COMMANDED breath to return into him. Peter endured the wind and waves and walked on water as Jesus COMMANDED —and Jesus pulled Peter out of the water and into the boat in the moment of lost trust.
God already sealed us and imprinted His COMMAND upon us before we were born. We’re written epistles and just like Job—nothing can harm us or hurt us unless God allows it—unless God COMMANDS it to happen… and then He’ll still do something even better than we could ever think possible … something abundantly better according to His highest and greatest good for us.
God our Provider always works everything out together for our good. There will be challenges but God imprinted/sealed our identity and purpose for each of us saying, “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” ~JER 29:11NIV
God imprinted us with His-story. The purpose God commanded and called over us must come to pass. It’s irrevocable. And, we have evidence that we’ve been imprinted/commanded—God’s sealed us with His Holy Spirit!
______________________________________________________________________
Karen Roth is the wife of Dr. Roger Roth Sr., and a ministry son of Dr. Mark Hanby. They are the set ministry of a local church in Northeastern Wisconsin, and oversee the Bloodline Network Newsletter. They consider it an honor to work with Dr. Hanby for many years, helping to oversee the ministry of Papa Mark’s extended family—”The Father’s Heart.”
Any questions or comments please contact them at rogerandkaren@live.com
