There Is Power In His Word

It has been said, "Our attitude toward the Word of God determines the place that God holds in our daily life." Simply put, the more we get God's Word in us, the more God is able to work in and through us. Our approach to God's Word should always be "it is the Father speaking directly to us" because the Bible is not just an ordinary book, it is in fact, God speaking to us. It should be as real to us as though God Himself is in the room speaking directly to us. "Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14:23) If we love Jesus we will keep or love His Word. He and the Word are one, "The Word became Flesh." (John 1:14)

There are few words that man speaks that live from generation to generation, but God's Word is different. It is filled with the very life of God, "For the Logos of God is a living thing, active and more cutting than any sword with double edge, penetrating to the very division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow scrutinizing the very thoughts and conceptions of the heart. And no created thing is hidden from him; all things lie open and exposed before the eyes of him with whom we have to reckon." (Hebrews 4:12-13 Moffatt) Think of the words spoken here, especially that facts that God's Word is living  Jesus said, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63) God's Word is life, it feeds the believers spirit by imparting faith and life. 

God's Word is just as alive and powerful and has the same authority today as it had when it was first spoken. It talks to us. It changes us. It heals and delivers us. It has recreating power for the unsaved. When we say that we have faith in Christ or faith in God, it is the same as saying we have faith in His Word. Again, what ones attitude toward God's Word is, will determine what the Word will do in and through that one. If the Word dwells richly in you then you will be strong in the power of His might. Naturally, the opposite occurs if God's Word does not dwell in you richly.

The Apostle Peter tells us, "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." The Prophet Isaiah tells us, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8) The Word of God is incorruptible seed that lives and abides (continues) forever. It does not change because He does not change. (Malachi 3:6) The Apostle John tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." (John 1:1-3) Notice that the Word was in the beginning with God because the Word is God. This is very important for believers to comprehend. John goes on to say, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) God the Word put on flesh and was given the name Jesus. God the Word was personified in the person Jesus. This did not change the Word, its power and authority in the most infinitesimal amount.

The Apostle John tells us in his first epistle, "For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one." (1 John 5:7) Again, we see the Word is from everlasting to everlasting. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) So, Who is Jesus? The God the Word, the Word of God personified.Now let us look at another interesting point concerning God's Word. In Matthew Six Jesus gives His disciples a pattern for prayer that we call the Lord's Prayer. Look closely at the first portion. "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:9-10) "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is exactly what God meant. 

What the Word did or does in heaven, God proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Word would do the same on the earth. Jesus was the Word on earth in flesh. Jesus, the Word, healed, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead and overpowered every demon, including Satan himself. The Psalmist tells us, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.(Psalm 107:20) This is exactly what God means! There are two things that we need to be extremely cautions of; first we must be careful that we do not disassociate Jesus from the Word and secondly, we must be careful that we do not disassociate the Bible from the Word, when in fact the written Word, the living Word and Jesus are one, "For the Word of God is living and powerful…" (Hebrews 4:12); "...The Words that I speak to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63) 

The Word of God has not lost any of its power or authority. It is as powerful now as it was in the beginning, when "It" became flesh and when "It" returned to heaven, because the Word of God is incorruptible seed that lives and continues forever and He expects His Word to work no less today through those who believe. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:12-14) "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)

Notice, the only way God's Word works like it always has, one must believe. It is not the type of faith that every person has that operates through the five senses as we see revealed in the life of the Apostle Thomas (John 20:24-25) but unwavering faith like that of Abraham, "being fully convinced that what God had promised He was able to perform." (Romans 4:21) Finally, God tells us through the Prophet Isaiah, "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." (Isaiah 55:11) To paraphrase; God’s Word was never, nor will ever be void of power. So, let us believe what God has spoken so His power and authority can be released to save, heal, deliver, preserve and make whole, not only His children, but also those who do not Him His. PTL!!! 

Building On Christ Alone

The entire earth ministry of Jesus is one of the most exciting events in the history of man. It was completely focused on Jesus revealing the Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan to humanity. His ministry and what is revealed in the Gospel's is the foundation for all doctrine in the church. However, many of the doctrines accepted by many sectors of the church since the Protestant Reformation completely exclude the very things that Jesus said and did. This was not so in the early church. We must remember that the doctrine that the Apostle Paul referred to in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 was the revelation that God Himself gave to him from he Old Testament concerning Christ. He did not have the New Testament. It had not yet been written. Galatians 1:11-18 reveals Paul's previously advanced knowledge of the Old Testament scriptures and the revelation of Christ the he received directly from God during the three years that he spent in Arabia.

It was Paul himself that said, "According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."   (1 Corinthians 3:10-11) First, the apostle Paul warns us to "take heed how we build." He goes on to tell us that he builds upon Christ. So all doctrine must be built upon Christ. Any doctrine the circumvents Christ will always lead to error.

I mention the above in greater detail than in the last part of this series because of the importance of us fully understanding the ministry of Jesus as He reveals the Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan. If we do not see these facts, we can be drawn into believing the erroneous doctrines accepted in the church that promote sickness and disease as a part of God's will for His children. Remember, Jesus only spoke and did what was from the Father. He did not initiate any of His words or actions. They all came from the Father. Let us now look at addition scripture that reveals the Father's Will concerning healing as seen through the ministry of Christ.

The Apostle Peter was sent by God to preach Christ to Cornelius and His household and makes this statement, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38) If God does not change (Malachi 3:6) and Jesus Christ (the Word became flesh) is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) then we must accept the fact that Jesus is still doing good and healing all who are oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." How does He still do this? Through the church, His Body!

The Apostle John tells us, "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."  (1 John 3:8) Sin is the work of the devil and as we discovered in a previous part of this series, sin and sickness come from the same source, the devil and therefore they are synonymous.

Finally, the writer of Hebrews records, "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil." (Hebrews 2:14) Although this refers to spiritual death and eternal life, let us be honest, sickness and disease in any form steals life. It is death in progress. Jesus not only destroyed death, but took away the power of the one who had the power of death. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) It is the devil that brings sickness and disease upon people, not God. As we clearly see, Jesus brings life. There is absolutely no life in sickness and or disease. If we truly believe that God's Word is truth, and it most certainly is, then me must exercise faith and accept His truth. The grace of the Lord be with you...

A Good, Good Father

The majority of people on earth tend to always blame disasters and or traumatic situations on God. This is not limited to those who are of the world, but unfortunately many who call themselves Christians. In contrast, you almost never hear people thank God when something good happens. Why is this? Although God told the Prophet Hosea to speak these words Israel, I believe the same words are an indictment against all people who blame God for disasters and or traumatic situations. "My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me." (Hosea 4:6 NLT) 

God's will, nature, character, purposes and plan is clearly revealed in the Bible, especially in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. But as Hosea tells us, a lack of knowing God has promoted the idea that He is the one responsible for disasters and traumatic situations happening. Jesus reveals some very important information concerning His connection with the Father in a conversation that He has with His disciples. "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves." (John 14:7-11) As we clearly see, Jesus entire life and ministry reveals the Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan. If we want to know God the Father, we simply study the life and ministry of Jesus. 

There is another reason why people blame God for bad things. It also deals with the area of having a lack of knowledge. This time, it deals with a lack knowing the schemes that the Bible reveals concerning God's enemy, Satan. The very names that Satan is associated with as revealed in the Bible (and they are many) are a direct reflection of his nature and actions. To discover how this all came about, we begin by using what is know as the Hermeneutical Law of Double Reference. It is speaking of or to one person in reference to another person beyond or behind them.  There are two main scripture references that we can look at to discover these events, Isaiah 14:4-23, Ezekiel 28:1-19. 

In short, Lucifer was a magnificent created being, a powerful Archangel that was at the throne of God. However, in the pureness and holiness of heaven he manifested self-will against God's will; I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. We see that he fell through pride and self-will, the very essence of sin; He wanted to be independent of God and be worship as God, so in his rebellion against God, he was cast down by God because iniquity (lawlessness) was found in him. 

Although the Bible does not reveal the actual origin of sin, we do find here that Lucifer, now Satan is  credited as the originator of all sin, the beginning of sin, sin personified, the first and original sinner. The Bible records Satan's nature and actions to be, the enemy (Matthew 13:39); Antichrist (1 John 2:18-22); the adversary (1 Peter 5:8); the accuser (Job 1:6-7); a liar and murderer (John 8:44); a thief (John 10:10); the opposer (Zechariah 1:3); the deceiver (Revelation 12:9). Although these are just a few, we can clearly see who he is which is what he does. Basically, he opposes God, people and everything good with his evil schemes.

As we see in the above, the two reasons why people blame God for bad things is through a lack of knowing God, that is, His will, nature, character, purposes and plan and also through a lack of knowing the schemes that Satan. Satan's lawless acts continuously oppose God, people and all that is good.  However, God is good and does good all of the time. (Psalm 119:68) Grace and peace be with you all.

Standing on Top of the Mountains

King David was what could be called a warring king. He, like everyone else was not free from the struggles of life. However, one thing he did know that many believers fail to take advantage of, he knew where to turn to be strengthened and encouraged. He knew the source for overcoming the struggles of life. "I will love You, O Lord my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies." (Psalms 18:1-3) No matter what David faced, he knew that the Lord was always with him and would never leave him to fend for himself. Many of the Psalms that David wrote reflected his struggles, yet he still knew where his source of life came from.

On one occasion, at a young age, David face what we might consider a mountain in his life. This mountain had a name, Goliath. Goliath was a champion warrior of the Philistines who was of great stature. The Bible shows us that he was almost ten feet tall. He wore a helmet and his body armor weighed one hundred twenty five pounds. He also carried a spear with a iron spearhead that weighed fifteen pounds. The sight of Goliath and the threats that he made were enough to cause the army of Israel under King Saul to become dismayed and greatly afraid. David's father Jesse called for David to take some provisions to his others son's who were with the army. David met with his brothers, saw Goliath and took courage in the Lord. He was not about to sit by and allow Goliath bring reproach upon God's people. With five smooth stones in his shepherds bag and a sling he faced Goliath.

David was not facing Goliath alone, no, the Lord was with him. "Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:45-47)

Every believer one time or another will face a situation that looks like a Goliath. The key to overcoming the Goliath is not to let worry, anxiety or fear have place because they compound the situation. Jesus tells us, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:34) We are not to worry because "...our heavenly Father knows that we have need..." (Matthew 6:32) The Apostle Paul tells us, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7) Paul also tells us, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

Although David lived one thousand years before Christ appeared on earth and was under the Mosaic Law, he still exercised faith in God for everything. The conclusion of David's encounter with Goliath shows us that David did not wait for the battle to come to him but, "when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it." (1 Samuel 17:48-51)

Faith in God's ability is what put David over. The writer of Hebrews records, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6) Without unwavering confidence in God, His Word, His wisdom, His ability and His promises it is impossible to please Him. The other way that we can say this is, God is not pleased with the person who has no confidence in Him; who doubts His Word, His ability and promises or does not believe that his ways are right.  Solomon tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." ( Proverbs 3:5-6) The Apostle Peter says it this way, "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." (1 Peter 5:7 AMP)

For many, faith seems to be somewhat obscure, unattainable and or limited to only a few believers. However, faith is quite simple. Also know that God has given it to every believer, "...God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3) That problem that most believers seem to experience, is they do not constantly feed on God's Word so their faith can grow. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17) For most, we feed our body multiple times each day for strength and nourishment but our recreated spirit is neglected because most believers do not feed on God's Word. This is one reason why so many believers have weak faith. Another problem is believers having a double confession. One confession is upon the absolute truth of God's Word and then when things do not immediately change, the confession turns the opposite way, refuting God's Word.

I want to encourage you that as we have seen, every believer has been given faith from God. (Romans 12:3) Do not let discouragement try to over take you in the midst of what seems to be an insurmountable circumstance, instead, "...hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) PTL   

The Power of Words

Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, Jesus was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again. And His disciples heard it." (Mark 11:12-14) 

 Further into this situation as recorded in Mark 11:21, Peter says,  "...Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away."  The word "cursed," here does not imply that Jesus was angry or disappointment or that He spoke with malice. It means, devoting to destruction; causing to wither away. It has been commonly thought that Jesus spoke these words in reference to the destruction or the sudden withering away of the Jewish people. To the eye the fig tree full of leaves looked good. In a similar way, the Jews, especially the religious leaders, looked good on the outside but, as Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.." (Matthew 23:27-28) Both the fig tree and the Jews were equally barren and as the fig tree was destroyed or withered, so would the Jewish people be. Although this is a good illustration of the destruction of the Jewish people, and Jerusalem did fall in 70 AD, there is no evidence that Jesus intended it to be so. Without scriptural evidence of meaning such, it becomes just a good illustration.

As we continue looking at this incident we see the heart of the matter, "Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away. So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." (Mark 11:20-24) The lesson that we should take away from this is not only a lesson on faith, but also the power of our words.

The words that we speak have greater affect than what we believe. Many times we have neutralized our faith due to our words. "You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth." (Proverbs 6:2) When we look closely at the ministry of Jesus we will discover why He had such great faith. It's because He only spoke that which He heard the Father say. "For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak." (John 12:49-50)

Jesus only spoke the Father's Words. When He did, it caused faith to well up and be released. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." ( Romans 10:17) Notice that this says, "faith comes by hearing" not reading the Word of God quietly. God told Joshua, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8-9) Notice the specifics of God's Word to Joshua, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night." In other words, "Keep saying my Word and as you hear, meditate on it. This also was to be a continuous event, "day and night."

Although Jesus tells us, "...the words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63)  does not means that people believe or understand what He is saying. What we need to be certain of is, it is impossible to get faith from God's Word if we do not have faith in God's Word. As Paul tells us, faith comes by hearing God's Word. As we audibly speak God's Word, it is absorbed by our recreated spirit and in turn renews our mind. Notice what Jesus tells us in Mark 11:23. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. The words "say" or "says" appears three time and the word believe only once. This again points out the importance of our words.

Some people worry continually which causes them to think wrong things which in turn cause them to speak wrong things. They constantly think and talk doubt and unbelief. You will never build up your faith doing this. The more you talk about the problems, the bigger the problem seems to be. The Apostle Paul tells us, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8-9) So if things are not true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous or praiseworthy, then you shouldn't be thinking about it, because sooner or later the wrong things will come forth from your mouth. Instead, let us take seriously the words that Solomon spoke, "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22)  

Set Your Mind on Things Above

God has created man as a triune being.  The Apostle Paul reveals this to us, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23) The spirit is the faculty that relates to the spiritual realm. It is who we really are. The body is the vehicle that allows us to relate with the world around us. The soul is the part of man where we find the mind, will and emotions. To put this together in perspective, man is a spirit, he has a soul and they both dwell in a physical body. The soul is composed of the reasoning faculties. The physical body possesses the five senses which are the educators and teacher of the brain. The brain cannot function without the senses which means the mind cannot function without the senses. If a child is born without any of the five senses functioning the mind will not function.

It makes no difference whether one is "Born Again' or not, oft times people have many thoughts cruising back and forth through their mind. The mind can become so powerful in a sense that it will control a persons world whether in a good way or bad. Basically, what a person thinks is what they will believe. What they believer will manifest in their words, which in turn will be seen in their actions. So, whatever is on your mind, will basically govern your life. The Apostle Paul tells us, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)

One of the things that we see here is how much the world system influences the mind. It tries to conform people especially believers, into its standard. However, we must always keep in mind that the world has been completely corrupted by Satan. The Bible tells us that he is the god of this world, "...whose minds the god of this age has blinded..." (2 Corinthians 4:4) and that he is the prince of the power of the air "in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:2). The Apostle Paul also tells us, "and be renewed in the spirit of your mind." (Ephesians 4:23) In other words, the entire old way of living was to be abandoned; a new one to takes its place. The mind is to be renovated, renewed not only in a general sense, but the very spirit of it. All of its faculties and powers must be thoroughly and completely renewed.

When one is Born Again, their spirit is recreated. For many believers their Christian experience seems to rise and fall as time goes by. Let's be honest, your mind has been fashioned after the things of this world. The world's ideals probably have been yours. It stands to reason then, when believers do not spend daily time in God's Word the recreated spirit in a sense is starved. Unless ones spirit is cared for by feeding on God's Word it becomes difficult at best for the mind to be renewed. We need to understand that all the knowledge the mind had prior to being Born Again, came from :he senses and the senses can never be renewed because they are a part of the physical body. The next thing to be mindful of is the soul also was not recreated, only the spirit. However, both can be brought into subjection and they can be controlled so to speak, by the recreated spirit through the Word of God. The mind slowly but surely as it feeds on the Word, meditates in the Word, practices and lives the Word, comes into the fellowship of the recreated spirit. This is the place where all believers should have as a top priority in their life. When the mind comes under subjection of the recreated spirit, then the body will also follow.

The renewing of the mind with the Word of God has a direct correlation with the believers faith, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) Therefore, a believer with small faith is almost invariably a person whose mind has not yet been renewed. But we also must keep in mind, that the mind can't be renewed by simply believing the Bible. The Word of God must be acted upon. Many of our Bible teachers have never seen this because their senses govern their mind, meaning, their senses govern what they teach. Their recreated spirit has a very small place in their lives.

God spoke to Joshua and gave him the same principle that Paul reveals to the believer, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8) God tells Joshua to meditate on His Word day and night for a purpose, "For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." In other words as Joshua meditated on Gods Word his ways (acting upon the Word) would prosper and he would have success.

Paul also exhorts us with these words, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:1-2) So, what is on your mind? The things of God that bring peace and joy or the things of the world which steal away these very things. As Paul says, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8) So, let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly...

In His Unchanging Fulness

Unbelief is the greatest culprit behind a hardened heart and a hardened heart lowers the character, quality, and value of God's Word. Either way it has caused many in the church to suffer. They have been taught that somehow God has brought suffering upon them for some mysterious reason that only He knows and if He decides to heal, deliver or remove the suffering or not, well it's fine with me, God's will be done. Yet in the midst of the suffering that supposedly God has given they will seek relief from a physician or some other person that can help them alleviate the suffering. There is certainly nothing wrong with most physicians. They do help people and have saved lives. However, logic asks, if the suffering is from God, who is all powerful, all knowing, and sovereign, then why doesn't the person go to God for the deliverance? (When I speak of suffering, I am speaking of sickness, disease and pain)  

How it must grieve the heart of our heavenly Father when His children have been trained to believe that He would strike one of them with pain and suffering. How it must grieve the heart of our heavenly Father when His children blame Him for something Satan has done. How it must grieve the heart of our heavenly Father when His children do not believe His Word. A look at the prophet Isaiah and the apostle Peter will shed some light on these things, "In fact, it was our diseases he bore, our pains from which he suffered; yet we regarded him as punished, stricken and afflicted by God. But he was wounded because of our crimes, crushed because of our sins; the disciplining that makes us whole fell on him, and by his bruises we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5 CJB) "He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24 AMP)

Jesus was made sick with our sicknesses. He was made sin with our sin. This was God's method of dealing with suffering and sin that came upon humanity due to the fall of man. In the mind of God there is no sin problem. Christ put sin away and satisfied the claims of justice for man. The real problem is that there are sinners. In the mind of God, there is no sickness or suffering problem. The problem lies in the lack of believers understanding the fullness of redemption and a failure to act upon their rights, privileges and inheritance in Christ that is clearly shown in the Word of God. Of course this takes faith in the integrity of the Word of God.

Did you ever give someone your word? Did you ever tell someone, "I give you my word?" What did that mean to you? It meant that with everything in your power you would make good on what you gave your word for. Well, the Father has given us HIS WORD! Not only will He make it good, but I assure you that He has far greater power to make it good than any person. He also tells us or rather appeals to what we believe about Him, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19) Sin and suffering come from the same source, Satan, not the Lord.

It was the plan of the Father to lay mans sin and sickness upon Jesus, "It pleased the LORD to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief..." (Isaiah 53:10) He did this to free humanity from the tyrannical power of Satan. He did this "to open our eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. " (Acts 26:18) Notice that these things only become a reality to people when they receive them by faith, that is, believing and acting upon God's Word. God wants us to know that when He laid our sins and sicknesses on Jesus it was to the end that sin and disease should no longer have dominion over us. If there is any sickness in God's children, as I had previously mentioned, it is because of a lack of knowledge of our rights, privileges and inheritance in the redemption that we have in Christ.

Look at some passages that reveal the purpose and ministry of Jesus...

• Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 
• Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 
• 1 John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
• Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, TODAY, and forever.

Logic must ask, if this was God's purpose in Christ and Christ has not changed, then why would these things not be for today? Has the devil ceases to be? Has his evil stopped on the earth? Not at all. Jesus did His part of destroying the works of the devil and when He departed earth to sit at the right hand of the majesty on high, He sent the Holy Spirit, gave us His Word and the use of His name so that the church would uphold and enforce what Jesus did, that is, continuing to destroy the works of the devil. The sin, sickness and diseases that are in the church today are there because we are not taking our place in Christ, we are not using the Name of Jesus and we have little to no faith in God's Word. God has not changed! His Word has not changed! His power is still available to those who believe and as Jesus said, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23) "Do not be afraid; only believe..." (Luke 8:50)

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all...

God and His Word Are One

The Apostle John tells us, the Word became flesh (John 1:14) and His name is Jesus. The Word is God speaking. God and His Word are one. The Word is the will of the Father, just as Jesus, the Word made flesh was the will of the Father. What God says, is. What God says, will become. If He did not want it to be so, He would not have said it, He would not have sent it. The Word is always now, it is a present tense fact because God is always now. In this part we will see the reason why so many in the church struggle with the questions, as to whether or not what God says in His Word is for today? Does God really do today what He did through the early church? Is what God did in the early church to be expected in the church today?

In Matthew's gospel we see a scene where Jesus is with the twelve apostles and makes a statement concerning the events that awaited Him in Jerusalem, "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. (Matthew 16:21) After Jesus gives His apostles some final instructions, He once again tells them what is about to happen to Him, "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified." (Matthew 26:2) In the minds of the apostles they may not have been able to process this or they may wonder why Jesus would even want to go to Jerusalem if this were going to happen, nevertheless, what Jesus tells them, happens exactly as He said it would.

After the resurrection, Jesus appears to His apostles. John's gospel singles out the apostle Thomas and reveals why so many in the church today question whether or not what God says in His Word is for today? Does God really do today what He did through the early church? Is what God did in the early church to be expected in the church today? "Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." (John 20:24-25) Notice that the only way that Thomas was going to believe that Jesus rose from the dead was to see and touch Him. It did not matter to him that Jesus told him that it would happen and then reminded him again that it was about to happen and it did happen. The only way Thomas was going to believe the Words of Jesus was to physically see Him and touch Him.

Unbelief is one of the reasons why some many in the church today reject the fact that God and His Word (which are one) still do today what we see recorded in the New Testament. The power of God in the Body of Christ has not passed away with the apostles or in any dispensation. What most call faith today is no more that a mental assent to the Word of God. Mental assent acknowledges the truthfulness of God's Word, but never acts upon it. It's like standing outside of a bakery desiring to have some of the fresh baked goods but never going into the bakery to purchase or possess them. You see them, you smell them, you think just how great they will taste. Your brain acknowledges these things but you do not act upon the truthfulness that brain has made real through your senses. Just like Thomas, you can only believe God's Word based on sense knowledge, what your five senses can make real and never act on what God said. This is the kind of faith that every human has, but it is not the faith that pleases God (Hebrews 11:6)

John continues to record, "And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him,  "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." ( John 20:26-29) True Bible faith, the faith that please God, is to accept and act on God's Word regardless of the things in the natural. It is accepting and acting on God's Word only because God said and because He said, we do not need physical proof. This is the very way that one is saved. You accept Christ as Lord and Savior without physically seeing Him. It is the same principle across the board when it comes to everything else that God's Word says. We do not need physical proof, what God said is proof enough!

Although John's gospel singles out Thomas, Mark's gospel reveals another issue that keeps most in the church today in bondage to these erroneous teachings that what God did in the ministry of Jesus and the early church passed away with the apostles because we have the Bible and do not need these things today. Mark records, "Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen." (Mark 16:14) Notice that not one of the apostles believed what Jesus told them concerning what would happen to Him in Jerusalem.

We saw in the life of Thomas that unbelief was why he would not believe the Lord's Word. Here in Mark's gospel not only is unbelief a problem but the other reason why so many in the church today do not believe and act upon God's Word is due to hardness of heart. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) and "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man." (Mark 7:21-23) To defile means to debase the pureness or excellence of something. A hard heart lowers the character, quality, and value of God's Word. Unbelief is the culprit behind a hard heart.

Now that the reasons why so many in the church today doubt the integrity of God's Word has been exposed, my prayer is that you no longer let the doctrines of man sway you from truly believing that God's Word is God speaking, now. God and His Word are one! The Word is the will of the Father, just as Jesus, the Word made flesh was the will of the Father. What God says, is. What God says, will become. If He did not want it to be so, He would not have said it, He would not have sent it. The Word is always now, it is a present tense fact because God is always now. Amen... 

The Same Forever

One of the greatest hindrances that most people struggle with in the church today is believing whether or not what God says in His Word is for today. Does God really do today what He did through the early church? Is what God did in the early church to be expected in the church today? Well, I want to start by answering YES to both of these questions. How do we know this to be true? Through His Word. Here are some passages of scripture that we must consider...

• Psalms 89:34 No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said. 
• Psalms 119:89 Forever, O LORD, your word stands firm in heaven.
• Psalms 138:2 I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I will give thanks to your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness, because your Word is backed by all the honor of your name
• Isaiah 55:11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
• Jeremiah 1:12 Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word."
• Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I do not change...
• Romans 4:17 Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who brings into existence what didn't exist before.
• Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful…
• Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds came into being, and still exist, by the Word of God.
• Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever…

All of the above passages show us something very specific concerning God and His Word. Time does not change Him or His Word! The only thing that we can remotely consider changing for a lack of better words is that God spoke His Word in a progression of revelation to man. In other word, He revealed His will, character, nature, purposes and plan in a progressive manner. This does not change His Word, it is only the manner in which God chose to reveal Himself to man. We also see this in His Word, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Hebrews 1:1-3) 

God revealed His will, character, nature, purposes and plan in a progressive manner.though the Old Testament, but now has revealed Himself in full revelation through Jesus Christ. Keeping in mind the above passages, let's look deeper as to what this means. To do this we will consider the following passages of scripture...

• John 5:19-21 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
• John 6:38-39 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
• John 8:28-29 Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.
• John 10:37-38 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.
• John 12:49-50 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."

We can clearly see in these passages that Jesus only said and did the will of the Father. He even gets a little more personal as He reveals the unique and special relationship that He has with the Father, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves." (John 14:7-11)

The Bible clearly shows us that God and His Word does not change. We also see that Jesus perfectly reveals the Father's will, character, nature, purposes and plan through everything that He says and does. If we read the gospels, we will also find that there is absolutely no evidence that Jesus ever said that what He was doing and saying would ever come to an end or that it would only be for a specific dispensation. On the contrary Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (Luke 21:33) Another thing that we can see revealed in scripture is...

• 1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
• John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
• John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 
• John 10:30 I and My Father are one.   

With all we have seen through God's Word, we can clearly see that the living Word became flesh. His name is Jesus. The Word is God speaking. God and His Word are one. The Word is the will of the Father, just as Jesus, the Word made flesh was the will of the Father. What God says, is. What God says, will become. If He did not want it to be so, He would not have said it nor would He have sent it. The Word is always now, it is a present tense fact because God is always now. Let us simply apply our faith to His Word and watch it accomplish what is was sent to do. Amen...

More Than a Conqueror

A Gladiator was a man during the time of ancient Rome who was trained to fight with various weapons  for two purposes. One purpose was to fight against other men or wild animals in an arena and the other purpose was for defending or opposing a cause. On May 5, 2000 an epic historical drama film entitled "Gladiator" was released in the United States. In short, the film portrays a fictional character, a Roman general who was loyal to the emperor, who is betrayed when the emperor's ambitious son who murders his father the emperor, seizes the throne, has the generals family murdered and attempts to have the general killed also. However, the general escapes certain death, is taken into custody by slave traders, sold and forced to fight in the Colosseum in Rome as a gladiator Through all of this, the general had a cause, to make right all that had been stolen from Him. 

The Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul gives us some great insight in the letter written to the church at Ephesus concerning the dress of a Roman soldier whose dress was also worn by gladiators. Paul uses the natural to reveal an application for the believer to use in the spiritual, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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." (Ephesians 6:10-12) 

The believer is not to rely on his own abilities but must fully rely upon Gods ability in order to withstand the schemes of the devil, "...that we should not trust in ourselves but in God..." (2 Corinthians 1:9). Paul reminds us that the wrestling that is set against believers is not in the natural realm but in the spiritual. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, the word wrestle means "to sway."  This is very key to understanding what Paul is presenting, because most believers are under the influence that they are to war or fight against the devil. In fact, to sway sheds much light on the believers position as he/she withstands the schemes of the devil. In other words, if we let him, the devil will come against us and try to sway us away from faith and into fear, doubt and unbelief. However, look what Paul continues to tells us,  "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:13) Believers are to stand their ground in faith. When we do, the devil cannot sway us from trusting God nor cause us to question the integrity of God's Word. 

When dealing with the forces of darkness believers must keep in mind what Jesus did through His death, burial and resurrection, "The hostile princes and rulers He (Jesus) shook off from Himself, and boldly displayed them as His conquests, when by the Cross He triumphed over them." (Colossians 2:15) and, "Since then the children referred to are all alike sharers in perishable human nature, He (Jesus) Himself also, in the same way, took on Him a share of it, in order that through death He might render powerless him who had authority over death, that is, the Devil." (Hebrews 2:14) Jesus has conquered the devil and his gang. He has rendered them powerless. Yes, we are in a battle. Yes, we are to put on the armor of God, but it is against principalities and powers that Jesus has defeated through His death, burial and resurrection, "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:22-23) 

The church is the Body of Christ and the principalities and powers are under the believers feet! So the believers focus is not fighting with a defeated enemy, but focus is to be on building and strengthening our relationship with Christ as we stand in victory over the adversary. The believers position when standing against the schemes of the devil is one of victory, "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57) The believer should see himself as one who stands triumphant in Christ, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ..." (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Paul tells us what the real fight believes are to engaged, "Fight the good fight of faith..." (1 Timothy 6:12) When believers understand what the real battle is and begin to appropriate what Jesus did between the cross and being seated at the right hand of Majesty on high, we will understand that we wrestle the forces of darkness by our faith in God's Word preventing them from trying to sway us from faith into living in doubt, fear and unbelief. Why is this a high priority on the devils list of lies and deception? He want to keep us in the the realm where we exercise sense knowledge faith, that is, relying on our senses and not revelation faith, that is, the kind of faith that is spiritual that believes even when there is no physical evidence. Sense knowledge faith relies solely upon what our senses can understand which is the thing hat has kept most believers (including most church leaders) believing things that is contrary to the Word of God. This is the very thing that the apostle Thomas did, even after living and traveling with Jesus for three years. He could only believe what his sense could understand. (John 20:24-25) 

Now concerning the armor of God, Paul continues, "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:14-17) Every piece of armor is important and has its place, but notice that Paul use the words "above all" in describing the last three pieces of armor. First, the "shield of faith." Faith is the channel that quenches, extinguishes, suppresses ALL the schemes of the devil. A gladiator would use his shield to suppress his opponents aggression toward him. Faith not only pleases God (Hebrews 11:6) but it also releases the power of God for the believer to do the impossible. (Matthew 17:20) 

Next, Paul tells us to "take the helmet of salvation." Naturally, the helmet would protect a gladiators head from death dealing blows, but think of the helmet of salvation for the believer from this perspective, "That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting." (Ephesians 4:14) Paul also tells us, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) Believers must keep renewing their minds with the Word of God. (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23). The Word of God will separate false doctrine from sound doctrine as well as expose arguments and renegade thoughts that are contrary to the truth. 

Finally, Paul tells us to take, "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." This was the gladiators only offense against his opponent. The believer is to use the Word of God, to uphold and enforce everything that Jesus has accomplished through His death, burial and resurrection. "For the Word of God is living and powerful..." (Hebrews 4:12) Jesus knew this and shows us the standard for striking down the schemes of the Devil. In Matthew 4 and Luke 4 Jesus is tempted for forty days and night by the devil. Jesus did not war against the devil, He simply stood His ground and use the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. In the three temptations recorded, Jesus put the devil in his place by saying, "It is written." After the forty days of being tempted of the devil were completed, the Bible records, "Then the devil departed from Him..." (Matthew 4:11) 

If you are struggling with any issue that the devil is trying to hold you in bondage to, you can be free from every one of them and walk in the liberty that Jesus has purchased for you. Be a gladiator with a cause. No longer let the devil cheat you out of your inheritance in Christ. Begin to exercise your faith, stand your ground and "hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) God's Word never fails!!!

Affirmed Forever

From the time that the Lord first called Abram (Genesis 12:1-4) at age seventy five and for the next twenty five years the Lord continued to affirm and reaffirm him. (Genesis 13:14-18, 15:1-5, 17:1-27, 22:11-18) To affirm someone is to, assert strongly and publicly by declaring as a fact, one's support for another by validating, upholding and defending them. Everyone needs affirmation. Even Jesus Christ the Son of God was affirmed, "When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying,"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17) Jesus was affirmed by His Father at the launch of His ministry on earth as the Son of Man and "We declare to you glad tidings, that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: You are My Son, today I have begotten You." (Acts 13:32-33) He was affirmed again by the Father at the fulfilling of His ministry on earth when He was resurrected from the dead. 

Many in the church today struggle with their identity and affirmation. I myself also have struggled with the same because my natural father passed away when I was young and I did not become a believer until twelve years later. However, at a conference in 2002 the Holy Spirit spoke to me to go forward and receive a father's affirmation from a well known man of God who was thirty years my senior and had been in the ministry for fifty years. When I received the father's affirmation I truly felt validated and from that point forward was able to receive my Heavenly Father's affirmation through His Word as to how He truly sees me and my identification with Him through Jesus Christ. It is truly liberating when you absolutely know with out wavering that, "...He made us accepted in the Beloved." (Ephesians 2:10) 

So, why do believers struggle with who they truly are in Christ.  Look what happen to the Lord after the Father affirmed Him, "Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  and when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread....Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down..." (Matthew 4:1-3, 5) Satan attacked Jesus’ affirmation or identity by basically saying, "If you really are who you say you are then prove it." Jesus knew who He was so He did not have to prove it to Satan.  

Paul tells us, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes) of the devil. 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." (Ephesians 6:10-12) To define what a scheme of the devil is from a biblical perspective, it is a large-scale systematic plan or arrangement for attaining some particular object or putting a particular idea into effect in a devious way with the intent to do something illegal or wrong. Paul encourages the believer to be strong and courageous by totally relying on God’s strength, abilities and promises. Believers are not to rely on natural things for the warfare at hand, but God has spiritual armament to triumph over the devious, illegal systematic plans and ideas of the devil. 

Paul reiterates this very thing in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 but reveals something else, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." Paul tells us again that God has spiritual armament for pulling down strongholds (fortress, or strong fortification) These strongholds are everything that opposes God's Word, such as philosophies, fantasies, reasoning and false doctrines. These things are all demonically influenced and if unchecked will attach themselves to our soul (mind, will and emotions) When a person thinks about something long enough or has repetitive thoughts, a belief system is  formed. These beliefs when held on to long enough become mental strongholds. Mental strongholds are powerful because they hide the truth and can shape a person into a false identity. 

One of Satan’s primary schemes is to keep believers from knowing who they truly are in Christ which keeps them from the call of God in their life, thereby defeating their purpose. This scheme also causes believers to feel inadequate or inferior because it fills the mind with sin consciousness. The following are some examples of how this diabolical scheme can get place with believers....

• Being hurt in any relationship;
• Being abandoned by a parent, spouse, loved one or close friend; 
• Physical or mental abuse; 
• Hurt by another believer especially a church leader; 
• Receive(d) constant criticism; 
• Have faced a traumatic situation;
• Experience numerous failures; etc.

All of these can become thoughts that produce feelings of condemnation, guilt, shame, inferiority, or inadequacy. If you are dealing with any of the things mentioned above and they are producing these feelings, condemnation, guilt, shame, inferiority, or inadequacy, then know that God's Word has exceedingly abundant great news for you! Proverbs 4:22 tells us that God's Word is, "life and health (medicine) to all our flesh." So begin a daily time of reading and meditating on God's Word. Declare what God has done for you in Christ; How the Father see you in Christ; What the Holy Spirit through God's Word is doing in you; and what God can do through you by His Holy Spirit who is in you. When we come to truly know who we are in Christ we will have no problem accepting ourselves with all of our flaws, our strengths and weaknesses, our successes and failures without condemnation, guilt, shame or inferiority because through God's Word we will see that our heavenly Father truly loves us and is not ashamed to call us His children.

Hold Fast to Your Confession

Word games are a favorite among many. They not only provide fun entertainment, but they also provide a learning experience. Some of the top word games today are, Scrabble, Boggle, Typo, Balderdash, Upword, Word Search and the ever favorite, Crosswords. Though word game may provide various benefits, how we use our words has a great impact upon ourselves and others. Solomon says it this way, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21). 

Many believers today live with a sense of defeat and failure not realizing that the words coming from their mouth are most likely the reason for this, especially if their words are negative in content. Look what the writer of Hebrews says concerning God's Word, "who (Jesus) being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, (the Father) and upholding all things by the word of His power..." (Hebrews 1:3) Notice that it does not say "the power of His word" but "the word of His power." In other words, God's Word is His power or as Hebrews also say, "For the word of God is living and powerful..." (Hebrews 4:12) 

It has been said by many, that Christianity is called "the great confession" However, far to many believers are defeated in life because they believe and confess the wrong things. Again, looking to the Book of Hebrews it  says, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession." and "Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 4:14, 10:23) Believers are to "hold fast our confession." But what confession are we to hold fast to? We are to hold fast to our confession of the absolute integrity of God's Word as well as hold fast to the confession of the finished redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Concerning holding fast our confession to the absolute integrity of God's Word, let's consider the following...

• Psalms 89:34 My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. 
• Psalms 119:89 Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.
• Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
• Isaiah 55:11 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.
• John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth
• Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

These are but a few passages of scripture that reveal the power that is released when believers stand on the integrity of God's Word. God has promised to make His Word come to pass, all we have to do is speak it and believe that it will never fail but get the job done every time. Concerning holding fast to the confession of the finished redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ let us consider the following...

• Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, having been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
• Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
• 1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed.

These too are but a few passages of scripture revealing the finished redemptive work of Christ and the believers legal right to these incredible promises. Both of these areas of making confession require only one thing, faith, the rest is up to God. Let's face it, every person who walks by faith will have testing, but keep in mind they do not come from the Father, they come from the adversary, (James 1:13, 1 Peter5:8) The devil does not want the Word of God to have the ascendancy in your life. He knows that when believers live by the Word of God, they know how to resist him on every level of life in the same manner that Jesus did. This is freedom, this is life, this is rest, because this is Christianity. 

"My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health (medicine) to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you."  (Proverbs 4:20-24)

A Religion Based on Theory

Throughout the history of man, many have refused to believe in "Elohim", God the Creator and Judge of the universe. As the world population increases, so does the propaganda of lies increase that say there in no God, no Creator. This lie has increase much more since the publishing of "The Origin of Species" in 1859 by Charles Darwin, then any other time in history. The Origin of Species is one of the greatest wrong guesses in the world of science, we call it "Evolution". Sadly, evolution is taught and accepted as scientific fact in high schools and universities throughout the world and yet due to modern advances in technology, evolution has been consistently proven scientifically, to be a fallacy. Even Charles Darwin two years after he wrote "The Origins of Species," shared his doubts that evolution could ever produce something as complex as the human eye. 

To fully understand evolution we must distinguish between micro-evolution and macro-evolution. In short, micro-evolution is when gradual changes take place causing some variations in a particular species due to cross-breeding, climate or environmental changes. This is also called "adaptation." However, although these changes take place, the species remains "its kind." It does not transform into a different species plus it does not conflict with what God said at the time of creation, "...Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so." (Genesis 1:24)

Macro-evolution claims that after an astronomical number of random mutations take place over an astronomical number of years, finally a major change takes place and an entirely new and different species evolves that had never existed. Although micro-evolution does exist, there is absolutely no scientific evidence that macro-evolution has ever occurred. In other words, one of the proofs of evolution was to be observed by fossils and or observed in a laboratory that would show this random mutation to be so. The problem, there is absolutely no evidence to prove this at all.

So, why do educators still promote these lies and teach them as facts? Without mentioning any names, the following are quotes (only a very few) from some of the top leading evolution scientists in the world...

• All of us who study the origin of life find that the more we look into it, the more we feel it is too complex to have evolved anywhere and yet we all believe as an article of faith that life evolved from dead matter on this planet.
• Our faith in the doctrine of evolution depends upon our reluctance to accept the antagonistic doctrine of special creation.
• The theory of evolution has survived despite the lack of scientific evidence because the theory is considered socially desirable and even essential to the peace of mind of the body politic.
• Evolution is unproved and not provable. We believe it only because the only other alternative is special creation which is unthinkable
• It is therefore a matter of faith on the part of the biologist that evolution did occur and he can choose whatever method of evolution that suits him personally; the evidence for what did happen is not available.

All of these quotes by evolutionists say the same thing. Forget about scientific evidence because evolution is a matter of faith and there is no evidence to prove it. We call this higher education, hummm. The reality of evolution is plain and simply. It is not the "Theory of Evolution" but "The Religion of Evolution," and yet how many educators today throw out the "separation of church and state" card. If educators were really honest, they would stop teaching such an idiotic religion and see the the very proponents of evolution say that they have absolutely zero proof of it. 

I want to finish by sharing one more (though there are many) ditch effort that evolutionist purpose as they feverishly try to keep their religion alive. Keep in mind that evolutionist consider themselves highly intellectual people. Another guess goes like this, "evolution could never have developed life by chance on our Earth, in our solar system or in our universe. For life to have originated on Earth it would be necessary that quite explicit instructions should have provided for it's assembly." Now this sounds like the admission that there is a Creator. However, the guess goes on to say, "that life was purposely seeded upon the earth in the distant past by some intergalactic space aliens who themselves were created in another galaxy by some super-intelligent, super-being, that is, a higher intelligence. Furthermore, because these aliens seeded the earth with life they have a responsibility to serve the higher intelligence, but we do not because we are a secondary life form."

Now this may sound somewhat hilarious, but these thing are serious. David goes on to say, "...They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good." (Psalm 14:1) The church has a mandate not to lobby against evolution, but to win souls and make disciples. Our failure in fulfilling our mandate, has opened the door for these atheistic teachings to fill our world and be taught as truth when in fact the church is the vehicle of truth to the lost world. If you think about it, it take more faith to believe such an outrageous religion as evolution than to believe in the one and only Creator, Elohim. So, let us rise up, through off the slumber and get down to business magnifying the Lord in all sectors of society and letting His Word prevail over all the corrupt words of the world. Let's lead people away from darkness and tell them the good news. LET'S GET PEOPLE SAVED! The lost world is counting on us!!!    

The Dominating Factor

One of the most wonderful things that Jesus did for humanity was to become a substitute and redeem humanity by "...opening their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ." (Acts 26:18)  The word redeem means, to compensate for the faults, poor performance or behavior of another; to rescue; to buy back; to ransom. In other words, God took upon Himself the liability of man's sin by deity and humanity coming together in Jesus Christ. Jesus became mans substitute by paying the price with His own life for the crimes of man thereby satisfying the demands of justice for man's crimes.  But it goes much deeper than this. 

If Jesus only paid for man's sin, then man would still be faced with a dilemma. He would still be spiritually dead and the fallen, satanic nature would still be present within. But the reality of redemption is that God has made a way for humanity to receive His divine nature (2 Peter 1:2-4) thereby putting to death the old fallen, satanic nature. Jesus calls this transformation, "Being born again, being born of the Spirit." (John 3:3-8) The Holy Spirit speaking through the apostle Paul says it this way, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ..." (2 Corinthians 5:17-18) 

The old spiritual nature that linked humanity with Satan has ceased being and a new nature, God's nature, is imparted to him. In destroying man's old nature and giving him a new nature, man has now been given the position as a child of God (John 1:12) with all of its rights and privileges. (Ephesians 1:1-23) This is great news but there is something that many believers have not fully understood. The believes spirit is born again, that is, recreated, becomes a new creation, not their soul (mind, will and emotions) or their flesh. This means that a struggle as to who is in charge, the mind and flesh or the recreated spirit is present. This no way indicates that man now has a dual nature, one of righteousness, the new nature and one of sin, the old nature. What this does mean is that man must let his recreated spirit dominate his soul and flesh.

The apostle Paul tells us, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."  (Romans 8:5-8) and "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." (Galatians 5:16-17) As we can plainly see, the flesh and soul are not recreated and need to be brought under subjection of the recreated spirit. They are enemy's to God because they want to acts out against God. 

Believe it or not, there is a very simple way to bring ones flesh and soul under subjection to the recreated spirit. The Holy Spirit through Paul tells us, "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:12-14 and, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1) Believers are to offer their bodies to God for His service and not for their self seeking desires. They do this by, "...not being conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2) and by "being renewed in the spirit of your mind." (Ephesians 4:23) Through constantly studying and meditating on the Word of God, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17) which builds the believers faith and also by rely on God's grace "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13) which gives the believer the ability and desire to do God's Will. 

James sheds some light on this very thing, "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21) The word implanted means to, firmly set, insert or embed as seed in the ground that takes root and causes growth. So, the Word of God implanted into the soul of man has the ability and power to save, heal, preserve, deliver and make whole the soul. The saving of the soul will bring the flesh under control because the recreated spirit will once again be the dominating factor in the believers life in the same manner that it was in Adam before the fall. 

Now you may be thinking, "I do read, study and meditate on God's Word but I still struggle with poor thinking and the works of the flesh." Well James continues to tells us, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was." (James 1:22-25) Certainly, reading, studying and meditating on the Word of God is of the utmost importance, but it is only when we believe and act on God's Word that faith is built, grace abounds and the works of the flesh and arguments and renegade thoughts of the mind come under the dominion of the recreated spirit. 

This is not at all difficult to the believer who truly wants to be and "Imitator of God as a dear child" who act on God's Word because they know that He is faithful and performs His Word. However, this is very difficult and almost unattainable to the believer who does not believe and act upon God's Word. Unfortunately, some believers have either never been truly set free by the truth or they only expect God's love and favor to be upon them if they do enough good works. If this is you, then know this. God has already given you a measure of faith (Romans 12:3) and His grace (Ephesians 4:7) so all that is required is to believe His word and act on it. It will transform your life. 

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)