One of the highlights of summer in the USA is the celebration of Independence Day. From 1776 until the present day, Independence Day has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues. Although the United States celebrates Independence Day as a day of freedom from Great Britain's oppression, there is a freedom that is far superior, far greater than any freedom that man can provide. In his first recorded preaching of the gospel, the Apostle Peter said, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) This is how one is born again. This is where and how true freedom comes.
It has been said, "To be born free is a privilege; to die free is an awesome responsibility," yet freedom is never free. It always and only comes at great price. The greatest price ever paid for freedom, was paid at Calvary nearly two thousand years ago by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. So, let's take a moment and look at some of the events that took place to purchase mans true freedom. We begin in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus is arrested and taken down to the hall of Caiaphas the High Priest. He is then blindfolded and spit upon, insulted and struck in the presence of the very High Priest of God, and then you witness the long, cold, weary hours until He is taken before Pilate and then eventually to Herod to be mocked and jeered, to be clothed with the mock garment of kingly authority, a mock crown of thorns placed upon His brow, the mock badge of kingly authority placed within His hand, and then the long weary march back to Pilate, where He faces the trial proceeding, with bitterness and jealousy.
We then find Jesus standing calm and quiet with no part in this unnatural scene, except that of the innocent victim of jealousy and hate. We see Him scourged, His back laid open by the awful Roman lictor. Blood flows, and flesh is torn as the cruel blows fall mercilessly upon His bare back. Then His clothes are thrown roughly about Him, and He is started out for Golgotha, staggering beneath His cross. We see Him fall under its weight, and Simon of Cyrene is compelled to bear it. Then we see Him staggering up the mountain side, surrounded by soldiers. He is laid roughly down upon the cross on His back, and the Roman soldiers with cruel hate drive the spikes into His hands and feet; then He is lifted up naked, and the cross is dropped into the socket in the rock. Jesus of Nazareth is crucified!
We watch the mob as it surges backward and forward about the cross. We hear the High Priest hurling his bitter taunts at Jesus, as He suffers unmercifully nailed to the cross suspended between heaven and earth. We hear the mob in their bitter denunciation, led on by their religious leaders, the very priesthood that was looking for their Messiah. It was a hideous and horrific thing that was taking place. The Son of God hanging on the cross was not a sight for angels, nor for men, but for demons only.
However, the vision I want you to have is not of the physical suffering of Jesus, not what man has done, as that is only a means to an end, but come behind the scenes and see the agony of the Son of God, and see Him smitten by God, His Father. The Apostle Peter tells us on the day of Pentecost that He was delivered up by the determinate counsel and the foreknowledge of God. (Acts 2:23) It is here that we see Father God taking our sin nature and spiritual death, and placing it all upon Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Jesus has taken man's place, and the whole human race is now represented in Him, as He hangs there under judgment on the accursed tree. God takes your sin and mine, yes, the sin of the whole world and lets it fall upon His Son and as God turns His back to Him, He cries out, "My God, Mu God why have you forsaken Me." (Matthew 27:46) Not only did Jesus go to the cross to acquire mans freedom, but also descend into hell itself to pay the penalty of Man's high treason. He took upon Himself the awful guilt to pay man's penalty, because God could not, nor would not pardon man until an adequate sacrifice had been made. (Romans 3:21-26)
He died as Jesus our Substitute, the Lamb of God who bore the sin of the world. But Peter tells us, (quoting David, Psalm 16:10) "For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." (Acts 2:27) After three days and nights in hell, Jesus arose as Lord, as Master of death, of hell and of the grave. He speaks to the Apostle John, "I was dead and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Hades and of Death." (Revelation 1:18) The matchless, mighty Christ had gone into the strong mans house and plundered his house and his goods. (Matthew 12:29; Luke 11:21-22) He had conquered Satan completely in honorable combat; He had taken from him his authority, his dominion; He brings it back and offers it to fallen man through His matchless name and grace.
What does this mean to us? It means that every person who repents, confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and takes Him as his Savior, stands legally acquitted in the presence of God. It means Satan is defeated, and man can be free. This is independence, this is freedom and there is no other freedom from the foundations of the world that has or will ever surpass the freedom the our Heavenly Father has provided for all mankind through Jesus Christ. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17) PTL. This is true liberty for all!
Monday, July 1, 2019
Monday, June 24, 2019
Assume the Position
The work that Jesus did for humanity as our Substitute, is the most thought provoking and even the most unimaginable reality that has ever taken place in the history of the world. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57) "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ." (2 Corinthians 2:14) Since the church of the Lord Jesus Christ has the triumph and victory over the devil, demons and evil spirits, then why does it seem so many believers are subject to the devil and his schemes? It is solely based on who, what and how believers view themselves corporately and especially individually. It all depends on how well they understand their position in Christ. For instance, if a believer’s view of the church is one of defeat, then most likely they face failure and defeat in their daily life. Due to a lack of understanding of their true position in Christ they have never used the authority they really possess.
Next, if a believer's view of the church as militant, then you will see yourself, in a sense, battling for position. Most likely, you have not received the revelation that you are seated in heavenly places in Christ, but are still battling to gain the victory over the enemy that you believe has not yet been defeated. However, if your view of the church is that of triumph and victory, which is the true biblical perspective of the Body of Christ, then you recognize your position and authority in and with Christ. You view things from the position of being far above all principality and power and might and dominion. The triumphant Church, in the truest sense, is a Body of believers who not only know, but exercise their authority in Christ and therefore “reign as kings or should live all their lives like kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)
In this age when demon activity is increasing around the world, it is vital that believers know what their redemption in Christ entitles them to. We need to be fully convinced of the position and authority that is ours because of the victory Jesus has already won for us over all the power of the enemy. "Christ has utterly wiped out the damning evidence of broken laws and commandments which always hung over our heads, and has completely annulled it by nailing it over his own head on the cross. And then having drawn the sting of all the powers ranged against us, he exposed them, shattered, empty and defeated, in his final glorious triumphant act!" (Colossians 2:14-15 (Phillips) "Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death—that is, the devil." (Hebrews 2:14 AMP) "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)
The reason Jesus came to this earth was to put to nought the works of the devil and reduce him and his kingdom to nothing. The only way we can have confidence in our authority over the enemy is to know and walk in the light of God’s Word. We need to be fully convinced as to who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us. We must be fully convinced of our identity, position and authority in Christ. We do this through faith in Christ and His meritorious work as our Substitute, from the cross to His seating at the right hand of the Majesty on High. Knowing these thing, by faith, the church will stand victorious over all the works of darkness and see more souls saved, healed and delivered than has ever happened before. The grace of our Lord be with you...
Next, if a believer's view of the church as militant, then you will see yourself, in a sense, battling for position. Most likely, you have not received the revelation that you are seated in heavenly places in Christ, but are still battling to gain the victory over the enemy that you believe has not yet been defeated. However, if your view of the church is that of triumph and victory, which is the true biblical perspective of the Body of Christ, then you recognize your position and authority in and with Christ. You view things from the position of being far above all principality and power and might and dominion. The triumphant Church, in the truest sense, is a Body of believers who not only know, but exercise their authority in Christ and therefore “reign as kings or should live all their lives like kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)
In this age when demon activity is increasing around the world, it is vital that believers know what their redemption in Christ entitles them to. We need to be fully convinced of the position and authority that is ours because of the victory Jesus has already won for us over all the power of the enemy. "Christ has utterly wiped out the damning evidence of broken laws and commandments which always hung over our heads, and has completely annulled it by nailing it over his own head on the cross. And then having drawn the sting of all the powers ranged against us, he exposed them, shattered, empty and defeated, in his final glorious triumphant act!" (Colossians 2:14-15 (Phillips) "Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death—that is, the devil." (Hebrews 2:14 AMP) "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)
The reason Jesus came to this earth was to put to nought the works of the devil and reduce him and his kingdom to nothing. The only way we can have confidence in our authority over the enemy is to know and walk in the light of God’s Word. We need to be fully convinced as to who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us. We must be fully convinced of our identity, position and authority in Christ. We do this through faith in Christ and His meritorious work as our Substitute, from the cross to His seating at the right hand of the Majesty on High. Knowing these thing, by faith, the church will stand victorious over all the works of darkness and see more souls saved, healed and delivered than has ever happened before. The grace of our Lord be with you...
Monday, June 17, 2019
Far Above
What a wonderful life that has been provided for humanity in the Father's brilliant plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. Let us look at how it unfolds. "and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 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 1:19-23)
"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 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, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:1-10)
There is certainly a lot in these passages of scripture that we need to embrace as part of our inheritance in Christ. We see that, Christ was raised from the dead and the Father seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 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. Notice that Christ is not seated above all principality and power and might and dominion, but seated FAR ABOVE all principality and power and might and dominion. Next, we see the Father made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Believers are seated with Christ in heavenly places, and as Christ is, believers are also far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
In other words, in our position in Christ, no demon, evil spirit nor the devil himself can deter us, unless we give them our consent. Our seating with Christ not only puts us far above all principality and power and might and dominion, but also means we reign with Christ from that position. The position of triumph! "For if one man’s offense meant that men should be slaves to death all their lives, it is a far greater thing that through another man, Jesus Christ, men by their acceptance of his more than sufficient grace and righteousness, should live all their lives like kings!" (Romans 5:17 Phillips) Notice, our position in Christ is a position of authority, honor, and triumph, not failure, weakness and defeat. We are in Christ, period! It is not a question of education or ordination but merely a question of believers apprehending our true position in Christ.
God reveals these truths to be so, "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) "Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89) "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8) God’s Word cannot fail any more than God Himself can fail. He and His Word are one. However, our faith in God’s Word will dictate our confession of it, and our confession of God’s Word is gauged by what we believe. I am not talking about the confession of sin, it is the confession of our position in Christ, of our legal rights, that is, what the Father has done for us in Christ, and what the Holy Spirit has done and is doing in us through the Word. May God help us by the power of the Holy Spirit to enter into the riches of our inheritance in Christ as we sit with Him far above everything that would attempt to lie and or deceive us of our place in Christ. So, stand fast on God's Word and confess our position in Christ. Grace and peace be with you...
"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 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, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:1-10)
There is certainly a lot in these passages of scripture that we need to embrace as part of our inheritance in Christ. We see that, Christ was raised from the dead and the Father seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 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. Notice that Christ is not seated above all principality and power and might and dominion, but seated FAR ABOVE all principality and power and might and dominion. Next, we see the Father made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Believers are seated with Christ in heavenly places, and as Christ is, believers are also far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
In other words, in our position in Christ, no demon, evil spirit nor the devil himself can deter us, unless we give them our consent. Our seating with Christ not only puts us far above all principality and power and might and dominion, but also means we reign with Christ from that position. The position of triumph! "For if one man’s offense meant that men should be slaves to death all their lives, it is a far greater thing that through another man, Jesus Christ, men by their acceptance of his more than sufficient grace and righteousness, should live all their lives like kings!" (Romans 5:17 Phillips) Notice, our position in Christ is a position of authority, honor, and triumph, not failure, weakness and defeat. We are in Christ, period! It is not a question of education or ordination but merely a question of believers apprehending our true position in Christ.
God reveals these truths to be so, "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) "Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89) "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:8) God’s Word cannot fail any more than God Himself can fail. He and His Word are one. However, our faith in God’s Word will dictate our confession of it, and our confession of God’s Word is gauged by what we believe. I am not talking about the confession of sin, it is the confession of our position in Christ, of our legal rights, that is, what the Father has done for us in Christ, and what the Holy Spirit has done and is doing in us through the Word. May God help us by the power of the Holy Spirit to enter into the riches of our inheritance in Christ as we sit with Him far above everything that would attempt to lie and or deceive us of our place in Christ. So, stand fast on God's Word and confess our position in Christ. Grace and peace be with you...
Monday, June 10, 2019
Are You Struggling
The two greatest struggles for most believers is
believing and receiving our inheritance now. Many of the songs in congregations today, whether hymns or contemporary songs, either put off our inheritance until we get to heaven or beg God for them now. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places
in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3 ) Notice, "has blessed us." This is neither future nor are believers to beg. He "has" blessed us with every spiritual
blessing. Romans 8:32 gives us the same now reality, "He
who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He
not with Him also freely give us all things?" Everything that Christ accomplished in His redemptive
work belongs to the believer now. You do not need to beg God for it, simply do as Jesus has
instructed, "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 11:22-24)
Philippians 4:6-7 gives us another angle concerning our inheritance in Christ. "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." When we know what our redemption in Christ truly means, and what it means to the Father, not simply a place in heaven, then we pass out of the realm of worry, fear, doubt, unworthiness and inferiority and into the rest that God has provided in Christ. The Apostle Paul recognized this so much that he tells us, "Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therein to be independent of circumstances." (Philippians 4:11 TCT) Why can we be independent of circumstances? Faith! "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) It is intellectualism, reasoning in the mind, needing to see evidence in order to believe, or as Paul reveals, "...arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God..." (2 Corinthians 10:5), that robs believers of the things that the Father has freely given through Jesus Christ.
You see, redemption in the mind of the Father means a new creation, not a new renovation or a hybrid, but al1the privileges as the children of God, sons and daughters. It means that we have come into God’s family and have all the family rights and privileges now. "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…" (Romans 8:15-17) "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God…" (1 John 3:1-2) Scripture like these should be enough to cause us to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), free from the old nature (Romans 6:6) but, again, it takes faith!
"For if, through the transgression of one individual, death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty, all the more shall those who receive God's overflowing grace and gift of righteousness reign as kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17 WNT) We are now reigning as kings in the realm of life through Jesus Christ. We have become masters. We are more than conquerors. We are set free, we are no longer held in captivity. We were slaves, defeated, conquered, held in bondage, but we are seated with Him on His throne. (Ephesians 2:6) And in the name of Jesus we become the bondage breakers for the rest of the human race. So, if you are struggling in any area of life, I have a simply suggestion for you, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom..." (Colossians 3:16) Why? "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) The grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all...
Philippians 4:6-7 gives us another angle concerning our inheritance in Christ. "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." When we know what our redemption in Christ truly means, and what it means to the Father, not simply a place in heaven, then we pass out of the realm of worry, fear, doubt, unworthiness and inferiority and into the rest that God has provided in Christ. The Apostle Paul recognized this so much that he tells us, "Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therein to be independent of circumstances." (Philippians 4:11 TCT) Why can we be independent of circumstances? Faith! "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) It is intellectualism, reasoning in the mind, needing to see evidence in order to believe, or as Paul reveals, "...arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God..." (2 Corinthians 10:5), that robs believers of the things that the Father has freely given through Jesus Christ.
You see, redemption in the mind of the Father means a new creation, not a new renovation or a hybrid, but al1the privileges as the children of God, sons and daughters. It means that we have come into God’s family and have all the family rights and privileges now. "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…" (Romans 8:15-17) "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God…" (1 John 3:1-2) Scripture like these should be enough to cause us to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), free from the old nature (Romans 6:6) but, again, it takes faith!
"For if, through the transgression of one individual, death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty, all the more shall those who receive God's overflowing grace and gift of righteousness reign as kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17 WNT) We are now reigning as kings in the realm of life through Jesus Christ. We have become masters. We are more than conquerors. We are set free, we are no longer held in captivity. We were slaves, defeated, conquered, held in bondage, but we are seated with Him on His throne. (Ephesians 2:6) And in the name of Jesus we become the bondage breakers for the rest of the human race. So, if you are struggling in any area of life, I have a simply suggestion for you, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom..." (Colossians 3:16) Why? "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) The grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all...
Monday, June 3, 2019
It's All Grace
We can define grace as, the free unmerited favor of God to the undeserving and ill-deserving. Grace cannot be earned, it cannot be worked for, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8) The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8) God is able to make His favor, His strength, His ability, His energy, His grace, flow in abundance in and through us, and that we are being so perfectly supplied by Him that we have all sufficiency in all things.
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter says it this way, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:2-4 ) Therefore, let’s rid ourselves of reasoning and exercise our faith giving God’s Word the right-of-way in all things.
Paul also tells us, "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God." (2 Corinthians 9:10-11) The fruits of righteousness are not only right conduct, that’s a given, the fruits of righteousness are also the very same kind of fruit that we see in the four gospels which reveal the ministry of Jesus in His Words and actions. For believers to increase the fruits of your righteousness in their lives they must have a superiority complex rather than an inferiority complex meaning. This means letting go of all guilt, condemnation, unworthiness, and inferiority and letting God’s Word loose in us to transform us. As God's Word is loosed in us, it will reveal who we truly are in the mind and eyes of our heavenly Father. It will free us from the old things, the old ungodly habits, thoughts and actions and we will live in true freedom, as His New Creation sons and daughters.
Our Heavenly Father desires, “the eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 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 1:18-23)
Everything God did in Christ is ultimately for the benefit of the church, every believer. The Apostle John tells us, "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace." (John 1:16) Our confession is no longer of weakness, lack and or failure which is contrary to what God has made us when He recreated us. Instead, we confess, God is my Father and I am His child; Satan's dominion over me has been broken and I have the very Nature and Life of the Son of God in me now; I am a partaker of the Divine Nature; I have passed out of death into Life; I know I am a child of God which makes me an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ; I can stand in Gods presences without guilt, shame, condemnation, unworthiness and or inferiority because He has declared me the righteousness of Himself in Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
The Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews encourages us in saying, "Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21) What a tremendous Word of encouragement. How liberating this can become to the one who dares to confess what he is in Christ; what Christ is in him/her and knows without wavering, just how wonderful the Father truly see us. Our Heavenly Father has a exceedingly great inheritance for His children, so let Him live His Life in and through us so we can enjoy our share of our inheritance in Christ. Shout, THANK YOU LORD!!!
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter says it this way, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:2-4 ) Therefore, let’s rid ourselves of reasoning and exercise our faith giving God’s Word the right-of-way in all things.
Paul also tells us, "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God." (2 Corinthians 9:10-11) The fruits of righteousness are not only right conduct, that’s a given, the fruits of righteousness are also the very same kind of fruit that we see in the four gospels which reveal the ministry of Jesus in His Words and actions. For believers to increase the fruits of your righteousness in their lives they must have a superiority complex rather than an inferiority complex meaning. This means letting go of all guilt, condemnation, unworthiness, and inferiority and letting God’s Word loose in us to transform us. As God's Word is loosed in us, it will reveal who we truly are in the mind and eyes of our heavenly Father. It will free us from the old things, the old ungodly habits, thoughts and actions and we will live in true freedom, as His New Creation sons and daughters.
Our Heavenly Father desires, “the eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 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 1:18-23)
Everything God did in Christ is ultimately for the benefit of the church, every believer. The Apostle John tells us, "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace." (John 1:16) Our confession is no longer of weakness, lack and or failure which is contrary to what God has made us when He recreated us. Instead, we confess, God is my Father and I am His child; Satan's dominion over me has been broken and I have the very Nature and Life of the Son of God in me now; I am a partaker of the Divine Nature; I have passed out of death into Life; I know I am a child of God which makes me an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ; I can stand in Gods presences without guilt, shame, condemnation, unworthiness and or inferiority because He has declared me the righteousness of Himself in Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
The Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews encourages us in saying, "Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21) What a tremendous Word of encouragement. How liberating this can become to the one who dares to confess what he is in Christ; what Christ is in him/her and knows without wavering, just how wonderful the Father truly see us. Our Heavenly Father has a exceedingly great inheritance for His children, so let Him live His Life in and through us so we can enjoy our share of our inheritance in Christ. Shout, THANK YOU LORD!!!
Monday, May 27, 2019
Complete Freedom
Today, is the fourth Monday of the month of May and in the United States it is a national holiday entitled, Memorial Day. It is a day in which Americans remember the service men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives so that others may have freedom. They did not give their lives for the United States alone, but as they fought and died in the numerous conflicts throughout the world, they did it to bring an end to demonized dictators who enjoy(ed) killing, like Satan their father, have only one desire, to have power. They fought and died to turn back these satanic ruled people whose only objective was to steal, kill, destroy and or hold in bondage to slavery their fellow man in efforts to promote their tyrannical reign. Let us never forget those in the armed forces who have gone before and those today who are ready to do what it takes to defend and protect the citizens of the United States of America.
In a similar way, believers celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ also paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving His life to save (redeem, heal, deliver, make whole) all humanity from Satan, the most evil, murderous tyrant known to man. The Bible reveals to us, "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) and "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)
When we consider what Jesus did for mankind the mind can hardly comprehend it. The apostle Paul reveals to us through the Holy Spirit, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." (Romans 5:12) and speaking of the state of all men since the fall, “…having no hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12) This means that not one person in all of mankind had the ability to provide redemption. God Himself must provide man’s redemption. God must redeem man from the dominion of Satan. Death must be destroyed and man’s authority over the Satan must also be restored. We also must keep in mind that God is just, "…God is abundant in justice…” (Job 37:23) and therefore mankind could only be redeemed on absolute legal grounds. Even though God's love for man is unfathomable and the fact that He is also sovereign, He could not redeem man outside the realm of justice.
God would have to provide a substitute who would not have man’s satanic fallen nature but would be like Adam. He could not be mortal or immortal, but a perfect man as Adam was before the fall. He must fulfill the entire Mosaic Law, withstand the onslaught of all the devils attacks without sin, meet the demands of justice, (meaning that He would have to pay the penalty for man’s crimes against God) by suffering in man's place by becoming sin, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us..." (2 Corinthians 5:21) Being make sin the Redeemer would be separated from the presence of God by going to hell, which is the ultimate penalty for sin, until mankind had been fully and legally acquitted for their crime. In other words, Deity must suffer for humanity.
As Adam die both spiritually and physically ("a death you shall die," or, "dying you shall die." Genesis 2:17 Hebrew) and "and they made His grave with the wicked, but with the rich at His death..."(Isaiah 53:3 deaths, plural, in the Hebrew) Jesus too would have to experience both to reverse Adam's transgression. If Jesus' physical death was all that was required to redeem humanity, then sin is nothing more than a physical condition. If physical death deals with the sin issue, then every person that physically dies pays the penalty of his/her own sin. If sin is only a physical condition and can be dealt with through physical death, then we must conclude that God has no right to send someone to hell (although He really doesn't, it is an individuals choice to receive or reject Jesus) because the physical death of every person would be sufficient to satisfy justice and give them a pass to eternal life.
However, we know that this is not true. Jesus must suffer in both realms, physically and spiritually. Physically because that is the only way that spiritually dead humanity could eliminate the Son of God; spiritually, because it’s the only way that God could legally redeem man taking away Satan’s claim to humanity. It also stops man from accusing God of being unjust when they reject His way of redemption. Jesus indeed went to hell and suffered as a substitute for all mankind. His physical death was infinitesimal to what He suffered in the spiritual realm. If humanity could have been redeemed apart from Christ, then Jesus becoming a substitute for humanity and being sent to hell would have become the most heinous crime ever committed in all of creation.
But thanks be to God who was willing to take upon Himself man's liability by suffering an incomprehensible death in two realms as man's substitute. So, let us never forget what the Father did through Jesus to give humanity complete freedom from Satan's power. Let us never forget and rejoice continually on our Memorial Day, the day you and I were born again. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you...
In a similar way, believers celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ also paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving His life to save (redeem, heal, deliver, make whole) all humanity from Satan, the most evil, murderous tyrant known to man. The Bible reveals to us, "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) and "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)
When we consider what Jesus did for mankind the mind can hardly comprehend it. The apostle Paul reveals to us through the Holy Spirit, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." (Romans 5:12) and speaking of the state of all men since the fall, “…having no hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12) This means that not one person in all of mankind had the ability to provide redemption. God Himself must provide man’s redemption. God must redeem man from the dominion of Satan. Death must be destroyed and man’s authority over the Satan must also be restored. We also must keep in mind that God is just, "…God is abundant in justice…” (Job 37:23) and therefore mankind could only be redeemed on absolute legal grounds. Even though God's love for man is unfathomable and the fact that He is also sovereign, He could not redeem man outside the realm of justice.
God would have to provide a substitute who would not have man’s satanic fallen nature but would be like Adam. He could not be mortal or immortal, but a perfect man as Adam was before the fall. He must fulfill the entire Mosaic Law, withstand the onslaught of all the devils attacks without sin, meet the demands of justice, (meaning that He would have to pay the penalty for man’s crimes against God) by suffering in man's place by becoming sin, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us..." (2 Corinthians 5:21) Being make sin the Redeemer would be separated from the presence of God by going to hell, which is the ultimate penalty for sin, until mankind had been fully and legally acquitted for their crime. In other words, Deity must suffer for humanity.
As Adam die both spiritually and physically ("a death you shall die," or, "dying you shall die." Genesis 2:17 Hebrew) and "and they made His grave with the wicked, but with the rich at His death..."(Isaiah 53:3 deaths, plural, in the Hebrew) Jesus too would have to experience both to reverse Adam's transgression. If Jesus' physical death was all that was required to redeem humanity, then sin is nothing more than a physical condition. If physical death deals with the sin issue, then every person that physically dies pays the penalty of his/her own sin. If sin is only a physical condition and can be dealt with through physical death, then we must conclude that God has no right to send someone to hell (although He really doesn't, it is an individuals choice to receive or reject Jesus) because the physical death of every person would be sufficient to satisfy justice and give them a pass to eternal life.
However, we know that this is not true. Jesus must suffer in both realms, physically and spiritually. Physically because that is the only way that spiritually dead humanity could eliminate the Son of God; spiritually, because it’s the only way that God could legally redeem man taking away Satan’s claim to humanity. It also stops man from accusing God of being unjust when they reject His way of redemption. Jesus indeed went to hell and suffered as a substitute for all mankind. His physical death was infinitesimal to what He suffered in the spiritual realm. If humanity could have been redeemed apart from Christ, then Jesus becoming a substitute for humanity and being sent to hell would have become the most heinous crime ever committed in all of creation.
But thanks be to God who was willing to take upon Himself man's liability by suffering an incomprehensible death in two realms as man's substitute. So, let us never forget what the Father did through Jesus to give humanity complete freedom from Satan's power. Let us never forget and rejoice continually on our Memorial Day, the day you and I were born again. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you...
Monday, May 20, 2019
Let's Be Imitators
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "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. But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law." (Galatians 5:16-18) This is the struggle that exists within every believer who does not dedicate their body for God’s service and renew their mind. (Romans 12:1-2) It is the struggle that goes on and on between the believers recreated spirit with their unregenerate soul, (mind, will, emotions) and body, until and unless they apply faith and rely on the Holy Spirits guiding.
Paul goes on and tells us, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-25) These nine wonderful attributes are instantly downloaded, if you will, into our recreated spirit the moment one is born again. Look closely at what Paul tells us, "and those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Walking in the spirit and living in the realm of the fruit of the spirit has absolutely nothing to do with self will or feelings, but recognizing our new identity in and with Christ. Of course this takes faith.
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children." (Ephesians 5:1) Our heavenly Father's desire is not to simply dwell in us but to reproduce Himself in us. When you think about it, the very genius of Christianity is the ability of God to build Himself into us through His Word, so that in our daily walk we live like Jesus did when He walked this earth. "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you." (Galatians 4:19) Although the process of building Christ into us may be slower than we desire, nevertheless, it makes Jesus men and women out of us. We must not only keep in mind, but also confess that, we are created in Christ Jesus. We are His Creation, and until Christ is formed in us, the world cannot see anything but religion in us.
The fact is, the Father is actually building His Love, His righteousness, His strength, His wisdom, His very self into our spirits. But are we letting Him do it. Are we convinced in our oneness with Him. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Are we convinced that, "...as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17) As we study and meditate on the tremendous revelation given to Paul revealed in His Epistles, we become convinced that the ultimate quest of every one of those Epistles is the building of the life of Jesus in every believer. If you are not absolutely sure that the Father is at work in us, then takes some time and meditate on these facts. Know that the Father loves us more than we love ourselves. He is more ambitious for our success than we are and He is, “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20) We are made fruitful when we come to the reality that His ability is at work in us. Again, God's Word only becomes a reality when we receive it and act upon it through faith.
For many it has been somewhat difficult to comprehend that God is at work in us. Therefore we need to practice being God inside minded. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4) We need to remind ourselves daily that we have God in us, and that He is there to build Christ into us, to build His Word in us, transforming us to be more like Him. If we simply accept His Word without prejudice, let it take root, be implanted, become a part of us, remembering that Hebrews 4:12 tells us that God's Word is living and powerful, then we will not struggle with who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us and be imitators of God. As believers apply faith to these realities, they will never again talk doubt, fear, unbelief, sickness, lack or failure. Grace be with you...
Paul goes on and tells us, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-25) These nine wonderful attributes are instantly downloaded, if you will, into our recreated spirit the moment one is born again. Look closely at what Paul tells us, "and those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Walking in the spirit and living in the realm of the fruit of the spirit has absolutely nothing to do with self will or feelings, but recognizing our new identity in and with Christ. Of course this takes faith.
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children." (Ephesians 5:1) Our heavenly Father's desire is not to simply dwell in us but to reproduce Himself in us. When you think about it, the very genius of Christianity is the ability of God to build Himself into us through His Word, so that in our daily walk we live like Jesus did when He walked this earth. "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you." (Galatians 4:19) Although the process of building Christ into us may be slower than we desire, nevertheless, it makes Jesus men and women out of us. We must not only keep in mind, but also confess that, we are created in Christ Jesus. We are His Creation, and until Christ is formed in us, the world cannot see anything but religion in us.
The fact is, the Father is actually building His Love, His righteousness, His strength, His wisdom, His very self into our spirits. But are we letting Him do it. Are we convinced in our oneness with Him. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Are we convinced that, "...as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17) As we study and meditate on the tremendous revelation given to Paul revealed in His Epistles, we become convinced that the ultimate quest of every one of those Epistles is the building of the life of Jesus in every believer. If you are not absolutely sure that the Father is at work in us, then takes some time and meditate on these facts. Know that the Father loves us more than we love ourselves. He is more ambitious for our success than we are and He is, “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20) We are made fruitful when we come to the reality that His ability is at work in us. Again, God's Word only becomes a reality when we receive it and act upon it through faith.
For many it has been somewhat difficult to comprehend that God is at work in us. Therefore we need to practice being God inside minded. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4) We need to remind ourselves daily that we have God in us, and that He is there to build Christ into us, to build His Word in us, transforming us to be more like Him. If we simply accept His Word without prejudice, let it take root, be implanted, become a part of us, remembering that Hebrews 4:12 tells us that God's Word is living and powerful, then we will not struggle with who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us and be imitators of God. As believers apply faith to these realities, they will never again talk doubt, fear, unbelief, sickness, lack or failure. Grace be with you...
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