The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter describes the man’s spirit as “the inward man of the heart.” (1 Peter 3:4). It is the inward man who gives this outer man his appearance. Spiritual things are revealed to the "hidden man of the heart" not the mind, the intellect. The Holy Spirit makes His home in the "hidden man." It
is very important that we understand that it is our recreated spirit
that understands spiritual things, whereas it is our conscience that is
the voice speaking to our reasoning faculties. So when we read the words, in Him, in Whom, in Christ, it is God’s Word for us now.
Jesus said, "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) The branch is a part of the vine as the vine is a part of the branch. The two are one. This becomes a reality in us the moment we confess Christ as Lord and take Him as our Savior. We immediately receive eternal life, the Nature of the Father which makes us new creations. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "So that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old state of things has passed away; a new state of things has come into existence. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ."
(2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Weymouth) and "This we recognize, that our former self was nailed to His cross with Him, so that that body which was the instrument of sin might be made impotent for evil, so that we could not any longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:6 Ways Version)
Notice carefully that the part of us that was recreated, made new, was our spirit, which Peter calls "the hidden man of the heart" and Paul calls "the old man." This old man was nailed to the cross with Christ. It was not our physical body, not our soul, that is, the mind, will, emotions and intellect, our reasoning faculties, but our spirit. "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him." (Colossians 3:9-10) When Christ was raised from the dead a "new man" was raised with Him. That new self is the recreated human spirit, the hidden man of the heart. Now the physical body, which is the home of the five senses, and the soul, must be brought into conformity with Christ, who is the Head of the Body. As it was with Adam, before the fall, the body and soul must become subject to our recreated spirit.
The Apostle Paul says it this way, "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. 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 12:1-2) Let’s be honest, there is not much on going teaching on the subject in regard to devoting our bodies to God’s service and the necessity of a renewed mind. We need to understand that all the knowledge acquired prior to being born again comes from the five senses which are a part of the physical body and can never be renewed. They can be brought into subjection; they can be controlled, but they cannot be renewed. Our spirit is recreated, but the mind, our brain, receives its knowledge from the five senses, and can be brought into subjection to God’s Word. The mind slowly but surely as it feeds on the Word, meditates in the Word, practices and lives the Word, will eventually come into align with the recreated spirit.
Here in Romans 12:1-2 Paul is addressing what the believer must do concerning the two parts of our being, body and soul, that were not recreated when we became born again. The first thing is to bring our body, the five senses into subjection to the recreated human spirit. Next, renew our mind which is accomplished through the Word of God. Although a person becomes born again, he/she still possess the same mind and body that had been under the dominion of the devil. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother." (1 John 3:10) There are only two families on earth and every person is part of one or the other. If one is not born again, they are a child and under the dominion of the devil.
This is the reason that it is so important for believers to daily present their bodies to God and to continuously renew the mind and bring them into harmony and subjection with the recreated spirit, the new self. This is also the reason why many believers struggle with “the weights and sin that so easily ensnare.” They do not know who they are in Christ, who Christ is in them and how the Father sees them, Why? Their minds are not being or have never been renewed. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "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." (Hebrews 4:12 Moffatt)
It may be difficult for your mind to assimilate this, that is, to allow the Word to utterly dominate, but that must come or else believers are going to live in a sort of semi-spiritual darkness. But the more the mind is renewed, the better we will come to know the will of the Father and eventually we will not be satisfied with good and the acceptable will of God, but only want the perfect and the well-pleasing will of the Father. To God be all the glory, Amen...
Monday, May 6, 2019
Monday, April 29, 2019
Completely New
Becoming a New Creation in Christ is not the work of psychology, philosophy, theology or of any human ability. It is a work of God Himself. "Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." (1 Peter 1:23) "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:18) "Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:13) I labor this because most believers have been preached at for so many years that they are poor, miserable creatures that are unworthy and unfit to please God, because after all you are nothing more than a sinners saved by grace. It has created sin consciousness, a sense of unworthiness that has taken root to where God’s Word has little to no effect to transform the believer.
However, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) These things can only be believed when we look at God’s Word without prejudice and through a heart of faith. For example, "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." (Hebrews 11:3) We believe this simply because God’s Word says it is so. We do not question it with any prejudice, but fully accept it, though we were not present during creation.
Think about this way, if you are born again, do you wake up every morning and question whether or not you are saved? No! Why not? Because one day, you responded to the Holy Spirit and God's Word that says, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10) You have accepted this truth without prejudice, therefore you are saved. There is absolutely no difference when it comes to who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us. We simply accept these truths without prejudice because God’s Word says these things are so. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) "Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21)
Our approach towards God’s Word should always be the Father speaking to us. It should never be like the message from an ordinary book. It should be as real to us as though the Lord is standing in the room speaking to us personally. The Word is filled with the very life of God. The writer of Hebrews records, "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." (Hebrews 4:12 Moffatt)
Because God’s Word is a living thing, it feeds our recreated spirit and imparts faith to our recreated spirit also. To have faith in the Father and to have faith in Christ is to have faith in His Word. The Word has the authority of God in it then, now and forever. It has the Righteousness of God in it, it has the power to save the unsaved, heal the sick and feed our hungry spirit. 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) So, I want to admonish us as Paul did, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." (Colossians 3:16) Therefore, the more we apply faith to God's Word and act upon it, the more it will become real to us and the more freedom we will experience in Christ. "...man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 8:3) So, let us feed on God's Word daily...
However, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) These things can only be believed when we look at God’s Word without prejudice and through a heart of faith. For example, "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." (Hebrews 11:3) We believe this simply because God’s Word says it is so. We do not question it with any prejudice, but fully accept it, though we were not present during creation.
Think about this way, if you are born again, do you wake up every morning and question whether or not you are saved? No! Why not? Because one day, you responded to the Holy Spirit and God's Word that says, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10) You have accepted this truth without prejudice, therefore you are saved. There is absolutely no difference when it comes to who we are in Christ, who Christ is in us and how the Father truly sees us. We simply accept these truths without prejudice because God’s Word says these things are so. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) "Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21)
Our approach towards God’s Word should always be the Father speaking to us. It should never be like the message from an ordinary book. It should be as real to us as though the Lord is standing in the room speaking to us personally. The Word is filled with the very life of God. The writer of Hebrews records, "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." (Hebrews 4:12 Moffatt)
Because God’s Word is a living thing, it feeds our recreated spirit and imparts faith to our recreated spirit also. To have faith in the Father and to have faith in Christ is to have faith in His Word. The Word has the authority of God in it then, now and forever. It has the Righteousness of God in it, it has the power to save the unsaved, heal the sick and feed our hungry spirit. 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) So, I want to admonish us as Paul did, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." (Colossians 3:16) Therefore, the more we apply faith to God's Word and act upon it, the more it will become real to us and the more freedom we will experience in Christ. "...man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 8:3) So, let us feed on God's Word daily...
Monday, April 22, 2019
Never Forget
Though resurrection Sunday was celebrated yesterday, let us never forget the great price that our wonderful Savior paid to save humanity from the grips of the devil. Let's begin by turning to the four gospels, it is there we see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane pouring Himself out in prayer as He was about to face the most horrific event that He would ever face. We see Him arrested, taken to the High Priest Caiaphas; insulted and struck; He is taken before Pilate, then Herod; He was mocked; see Him scourged, His back laid open, blood flowing, His flesh torn as the cruel blows fall mercilessly upon His bared back by the awful Roman lictor. His own clothes replaced with the mock garment of kingly authority; a mock crown of thorns pressed deep upon His brow; more mocking comes and His own clothes are placed roughly about Him, and He is started out for Golgotha, staggering beneath His own Cross. We see Him fal1under its weight, and Simon of Cyrene is compelled to bear it.
Weakened by the loss of blood from the merciless beating, He staggers blindly up the mountain side, surrounded by soldiers who encircle Him. 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 a hole to support it. Jesus the Nazarene is crucified! We watch the mob as it surges backward and forward about the cross. We hear the chief priest's hurling their bitter taunts in the face of the suffering Son of God. We hear the mob in their bitter denunciation, led on by their priesthood. Such a horrific sight. It was not a sight for angels, or for men, but for demons only, and yet the worse was yet to come for the suffering Substitute.
Jesus, who is God the Word who became flesh (John 1:1, 14) is now man's sin Substitute. He has taken Man's place. The whole human race is now represented in Him, as He hangs there under judgment on the accursed tree. (Galatians 3:13) God takes your sin and mine, yes, the sin of the whole world and places it upon Jesus until the sin of the world has entered into His very being. Jesus, nailed to the cross, suspended between heaven and earth, has become the outcast of heaven and earth. From the cross the Son of God cries out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me." (Matthew 27:46) Finally, the time had come when "Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last." (Mark 15:37) As mentioned before, when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane pouring Himself out in prayer as He was about to face the most horrific event that he would ever face, it was finally here.
Not only was it the Father's plan for His sinless Son to die on the cross and His blood be shed for all humanity, but he was to go to hell itself to pay the full penalty of man's sin. God in His justice could not have acquitted humanity so that he could stand in His presence through eternity, until every charge against him had been wiped off the books. (Isaiah 43:25) Only then could man stand before God as clean and as free as though he had never sinned. God could not pardon man until an adequate sacrifice had been made. Jesus tells us, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40) Peter quotes David the king, "For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." (Acts 2:27) The story unfolds.
Peter tells us, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:18) Notice that He was made alive in spirit. He would not have been made alive in spirit had not He died in spirit. As it was with Adam, so it was with Jesus. Jesus died in spirit on the cross, before He died in the flesh. Peter declares that Jesus not only died in the flesh, physically, but that He also died in spirit, spiritually, and therefore His resurrection was a double resurrection. He was made alive, first in spirit, and then in the flesh, His spirit being raised from the dead and re-united with His body. The Apostle Paul tells us, "He put off from Himself the principalities and the powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them." (Colossians 2:15) Here is a picture of Christ in hell, with the whole host of demons attempting to keep Him there, but when the penalty of our sin had been paid in full, Satan had no power to hold Him.
Paul tells us, "Jesus was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." (Romans 4:25) The very moment the sin problem was settled, the moment Jesus
Christ was legally justified, was made alive in spirit once more, He cast off the hosts of demons, and became the Master of hell by taking from Satan the keys of death and hell. (Revelation 1:8) Jesus died as our sacrificial Lamb, but He rose as Lord, as Master of death, of hell and of the grave. The matchless, mighty Son of God had gone into the strong mans house, bound him and took his spoils. (Matthew 12:29) Jesus has taken from Satan all his authority, his dominion and now offers it to fallen man through His matchless name and grace. What does this mean to humanity?
It means that every person who turns from their sin, confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and takes Him as their Savior, stands legally acquitted in the presence of God, free and clear of all charges against them. It means that God is vindicated, He has taken advantage of no one. He can now save believers and judge the sinners for rejecting His way to freedom. It means that Satan is defeated, and man can be free from sin, sickness, disease, poverty, death and all the works of the devil. (Romans 8:37) It means that man is legally justified, declared righteous (Romans 5:1) and is an heir of God and joint heir with Christ. (Romans 8:17). It means that man, through faith in Christ receive the promise of eternal life. (1 John 2:25) It means that man can become a child of God and have all the privileges as sons and daughters. (John 1:12-13) It means that heaven is legally the home of God's children. (John 14:1-4)
So, let us look beyond "Resurrection Sunday" and live in the triumphant, abundant life that Jesus has given to us. "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32) Remember, we are no longer imprisoned or enslaved by the god of this world. So, let us never forget the cross, that is, what Jesus has done for us!!! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always....
Weakened by the loss of blood from the merciless beating, He staggers blindly up the mountain side, surrounded by soldiers who encircle Him. 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 a hole to support it. Jesus the Nazarene is crucified! We watch the mob as it surges backward and forward about the cross. We hear the chief priest's hurling their bitter taunts in the face of the suffering Son of God. We hear the mob in their bitter denunciation, led on by their priesthood. Such a horrific sight. It was not a sight for angels, or for men, but for demons only, and yet the worse was yet to come for the suffering Substitute.
Jesus, who is God the Word who became flesh (John 1:1, 14) is now man's sin Substitute. He has taken Man's place. The whole human race is now represented in Him, as He hangs there under judgment on the accursed tree. (Galatians 3:13) God takes your sin and mine, yes, the sin of the whole world and places it upon Jesus until the sin of the world has entered into His very being. Jesus, nailed to the cross, suspended between heaven and earth, has become the outcast of heaven and earth. From the cross the Son of God cries out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me." (Matthew 27:46) Finally, the time had come when "Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last." (Mark 15:37) As mentioned before, when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane pouring Himself out in prayer as He was about to face the most horrific event that he would ever face, it was finally here.
Not only was it the Father's plan for His sinless Son to die on the cross and His blood be shed for all humanity, but he was to go to hell itself to pay the full penalty of man's sin. God in His justice could not have acquitted humanity so that he could stand in His presence through eternity, until every charge against him had been wiped off the books. (Isaiah 43:25) Only then could man stand before God as clean and as free as though he had never sinned. God could not pardon man until an adequate sacrifice had been made. Jesus tells us, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:40) Peter quotes David the king, "For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." (Acts 2:27) The story unfolds.
Peter tells us, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:18) Notice that He was made alive in spirit. He would not have been made alive in spirit had not He died in spirit. As it was with Adam, so it was with Jesus. Jesus died in spirit on the cross, before He died in the flesh. Peter declares that Jesus not only died in the flesh, physically, but that He also died in spirit, spiritually, and therefore His resurrection was a double resurrection. He was made alive, first in spirit, and then in the flesh, His spirit being raised from the dead and re-united with His body. The Apostle Paul tells us, "He put off from Himself the principalities and the powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them." (Colossians 2:15) Here is a picture of Christ in hell, with the whole host of demons attempting to keep Him there, but when the penalty of our sin had been paid in full, Satan had no power to hold Him.
Paul tells us, "Jesus was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification." (Romans 4:25) The very moment the sin problem was settled, the moment Jesus
Christ was legally justified, was made alive in spirit once more, He cast off the hosts of demons, and became the Master of hell by taking from Satan the keys of death and hell. (Revelation 1:8) Jesus died as our sacrificial Lamb, but He rose as Lord, as Master of death, of hell and of the grave. The matchless, mighty Son of God had gone into the strong mans house, bound him and took his spoils. (Matthew 12:29) Jesus has taken from Satan all his authority, his dominion and now offers it to fallen man through His matchless name and grace. What does this mean to humanity?
It means that every person who turns from their sin, confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and takes Him as their Savior, stands legally acquitted in the presence of God, free and clear of all charges against them. It means that God is vindicated, He has taken advantage of no one. He can now save believers and judge the sinners for rejecting His way to freedom. It means that Satan is defeated, and man can be free from sin, sickness, disease, poverty, death and all the works of the devil. (Romans 8:37) It means that man is legally justified, declared righteous (Romans 5:1) and is an heir of God and joint heir with Christ. (Romans 8:17). It means that man, through faith in Christ receive the promise of eternal life. (1 John 2:25) It means that man can become a child of God and have all the privileges as sons and daughters. (John 1:12-13) It means that heaven is legally the home of God's children. (John 14:1-4)
So, let us look beyond "Resurrection Sunday" and live in the triumphant, abundant life that Jesus has given to us. "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32) Remember, we are no longer imprisoned or enslaved by the god of this world. So, let us never forget the cross, that is, what Jesus has done for us!!! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always....
Monday, April 15, 2019
We Can Know
One of the greatest problems that bothers most of God's people is, how to know the will of the Father. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "For this reason we also, from the day we heard of
it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking]
that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His
will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and
purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual
things." (Colossians 1:9 AMP) Simply put, the will of the Father is found in His Word and personified in Jesus, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." ( John 6:38) "He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." (John 8:29)
The Apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:9) If Jesus could please the Father and do His will, if Paul could please the Father know His will and do it, then it is possible for us to do it also, because we have His Word which is His will. When Paul was saying farewell to the believers at Ephesian, he said, "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:30)
Looking back to Colossians 1:9 Some may say, "It does not seem credible that we could have a full, deep clear knowledge of God’s will.” But why shouldn't we? His Word is a perfect revelation of His will. The Bible is a perfect book. The Holy Spirit is a perfect teacher. We are perfect New Creations, created in Christ Jesus. We have perfect Righteousness. We have a perfect relationship with the Father and the Son. We have a complete and perfect redemption. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "...and of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace." (John 1:12) and the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter tells us, "...we are partakers of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4)
So, if these things are true, which they are, then it should be obvious that we can have complete knowledge of His will. Fear, doubt and unbelief from dogma and doctrines that have held believers in bondage for centuries have thwarted faith from believing God's Word. The Apostle Paul tells us, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:14-16) "We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up." (1 Corinthians 1:8)
Wait a minute. First you are saying that we can have the concise, complete knowledge of God’s will and now, knowledge puffs up. This shows us two type of knowledge. First, in 1 Corinthians 1:8 the Greek word for knowledge is "gnosis" which means intellectual knowledge; mental assent; sense knowledge. In Colossians 1:9 the Greek word for knowledge is "epignosis" which means precise and correct knowledge, revelation knowledge. The first is carnal and comes via the five senses. The latter is spiritual and comes via the recreated spirit. Paul also tells us, "giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light." (Colossians 1:12) and "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your 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." (Ephesians 1:17-18 )
We have an enormous inheritance. The Father wants to open the eyes of our understanding and enlighten us to all these things that are legally and vitally ours through faith in Jesus Christ. He has given us His ability to know His will and to know what our share is in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth, therefore the believer should not be ignorant of the Father's will, our place and standing in Christ and of our rights and privileges that we have been given through faith in Jesus Christ. We are the sons and daughters of God. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. So, let us believe and receive all that He has for us. Amen?
The Apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:9) If Jesus could please the Father and do His will, if Paul could please the Father know His will and do it, then it is possible for us to do it also, because we have His Word which is His will. When Paul was saying farewell to the believers at Ephesian, he said, "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:30)
Looking back to Colossians 1:9 Some may say, "It does not seem credible that we could have a full, deep clear knowledge of God’s will.” But why shouldn't we? His Word is a perfect revelation of His will. The Bible is a perfect book. The Holy Spirit is a perfect teacher. We are perfect New Creations, created in Christ Jesus. We have perfect Righteousness. We have a perfect relationship with the Father and the Son. We have a complete and perfect redemption. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "...and of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace." (John 1:12) and the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter tells us, "...we are partakers of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4)
So, if these things are true, which they are, then it should be obvious that we can have complete knowledge of His will. Fear, doubt and unbelief from dogma and doctrines that have held believers in bondage for centuries have thwarted faith from believing God's Word. The Apostle Paul tells us, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:14-16) "We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up." (1 Corinthians 1:8)
Wait a minute. First you are saying that we can have the concise, complete knowledge of God’s will and now, knowledge puffs up. This shows us two type of knowledge. First, in 1 Corinthians 1:8 the Greek word for knowledge is "gnosis" which means intellectual knowledge; mental assent; sense knowledge. In Colossians 1:9 the Greek word for knowledge is "epignosis" which means precise and correct knowledge, revelation knowledge. The first is carnal and comes via the five senses. The latter is spiritual and comes via the recreated spirit. Paul also tells us, "giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light." (Colossians 1:12) and "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your 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." (Ephesians 1:17-18 )
We have an enormous inheritance. The Father wants to open the eyes of our understanding and enlighten us to all these things that are legally and vitally ours through faith in Jesus Christ. He has given us His ability to know His will and to know what our share is in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth, therefore the believer should not be ignorant of the Father's will, our place and standing in Christ and of our rights and privileges that we have been given through faith in Jesus Christ. We are the sons and daughters of God. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. So, let us believe and receive all that He has for us. Amen?
Monday, April 8, 2019
It's In The Word
Jesus said, "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) Every believer has received Eternal life, which is the nature of the Father as unveiled in Christ. Jesus also tells us, "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) This is the believers utter oneness in and with Christ. As a branch of the vine, the same life that is manifested in the vine is flowing out through you and bearing fruit. It is the vine's life in every believer that produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22)
The reality of who we are in Christ; who Christ is in us; and how the Father truly sees us, lies in our desire to "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly...admonishing, educating, training, correcting, transforming and building faith and love into our spirit." (Colossians 3:16) "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6) “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32) It is the Word that builds us up. It is the Word that makes us know of our inheritance. It is the Word that shows us our relationship with the Godhead. It is the Word that makes us know our rights and privileges in Christ. It is the Word that sets us free. It is the Word that heals. It is the Word that sanctifies. It is the Word that is life, because the Word is God. (John 1:1)
It has been said, "Our attitude towards God’s Word determines the place that God holds in our daily life." When believers step out into their rights as the righteousness of God in Christ, and begin to bear fruit, it will be the same kind of fruit Jesus bore in His earth walk. "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." (2 Corinthians 9:10) Righteousness means the ability to stand in the Father's presence without the sense of guilt, shame, condemnation or inferiority. The righteousness of God in Christ become yours through the finished work of Christ. There is no begging for it, doing works to obtain it, but simply believing, receiving and acting on God’s Word. It’s not about feelings, it’s about believing, period!
Knowing our true identity in Christ and walking in it, also gives us the legal right to the use of the Name of Jesus. It gives us ability to stand in the presence of diseases of all kinds without fear and in the presence of Satan as an absolute master. "If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him." (1 John 2:29) How few believers have ever practiced righteousness, simply because most have been taught that practicing righteousness only meant godly conduct. That is implied, but it goes even further. Practicing righteousness is also doing the works that Jesus did and even greater. (John 14:12)
"God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin." (1 Corinthians 1:30 NLT) "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." (Philippians 2:13 AMP) Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge. If you understand who we are in Christ, who Christ is us and how the Father truly sees us, then you have the knowledge of the life of God that is in you.
Therefore, you have the knowledge of the power and authority of the Word. You have the knowledge of your legal right to use the Name of Jesus in your combat with darkness. You have the knowledge of the fact that God is actually in your body. The question is, are we going to use these mighty facts to bless humanity. If believers would exercise faith in God’s Word and recognize that they have God’s ability and His wisdom and let them loose, what limitlessness there will be to your life and ministry. Give God the praise!!!
The reality of who we are in Christ; who Christ is in us; and how the Father truly sees us, lies in our desire to "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly...admonishing, educating, training, correcting, transforming and building faith and love into our spirit." (Colossians 3:16) "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6) “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32) It is the Word that builds us up. It is the Word that makes us know of our inheritance. It is the Word that shows us our relationship with the Godhead. It is the Word that makes us know our rights and privileges in Christ. It is the Word that sets us free. It is the Word that heals. It is the Word that sanctifies. It is the Word that is life, because the Word is God. (John 1:1)
It has been said, "Our attitude towards God’s Word determines the place that God holds in our daily life." When believers step out into their rights as the righteousness of God in Christ, and begin to bear fruit, it will be the same kind of fruit Jesus bore in His earth walk. "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." (2 Corinthians 9:10) Righteousness means the ability to stand in the Father's presence without the sense of guilt, shame, condemnation or inferiority. The righteousness of God in Christ become yours through the finished work of Christ. There is no begging for it, doing works to obtain it, but simply believing, receiving and acting on God’s Word. It’s not about feelings, it’s about believing, period!
Knowing our true identity in Christ and walking in it, also gives us the legal right to the use of the Name of Jesus. It gives us ability to stand in the presence of diseases of all kinds without fear and in the presence of Satan as an absolute master. "If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him." (1 John 2:29) How few believers have ever practiced righteousness, simply because most have been taught that practicing righteousness only meant godly conduct. That is implied, but it goes even further. Practicing righteousness is also doing the works that Jesus did and even greater. (John 14:12)
"God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin." (1 Corinthians 1:30 NLT) "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." (Philippians 2:13 AMP) Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge. If you understand who we are in Christ, who Christ is us and how the Father truly sees us, then you have the knowledge of the life of God that is in you.
Therefore, you have the knowledge of the power and authority of the Word. You have the knowledge of your legal right to use the Name of Jesus in your combat with darkness. You have the knowledge of the fact that God is actually in your body. The question is, are we going to use these mighty facts to bless humanity. If believers would exercise faith in God’s Word and recognize that they have God’s ability and His wisdom and let them loose, what limitlessness there will be to your life and ministry. Give God the praise!!!
Monday, April 1, 2019
Please Be Seated
The climax of Redemption was the seating of the Lord Jesus. After He had been made sin, after He had satisfied the claims of justice, after fully paying the penalty of our sin which tied us to a relationship with Satan, a debt in which we could not pay, then Christ, with us, rose from the dead. Now God declares, "And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6 ) This was the highest honor that God had ever awarded man. God the Word became a man, identified Himself with the human race, delivered the human race from the authority of Satan and carried His own blood into the Holy of Holies of heaven as Hebrews tells us, "After He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God." (Hebrews 10:12) Thus, making redemption eternal, complete, comprehensive and available to all who confess Jesus as Lord and receive Him as Savior.
We have the man Jesus Christ the righteous, seated at God's right hand as our representative to represent us before the Father, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5) "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25) "For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." (Hebrews 9:24) "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John 2:1)
This is the highlight of redemption. Not only is every believer completely identified with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection and newness of life, (Romans 6:1-5), but Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand, as the head of the new body, the Church, and we also are seated with Him, "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." (Ephesians 1:21) This is not only identification, but now we see our position. We can see that our redemption is a completed, finished thing. If Christ sat down at God's right hand, it is because the Father accepted Him and accepted what He did for us. The fact that He is seated there is the seal of our acceptance in the Beloved, "to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)
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) Faith says, not only are we seated in the highest position in the universe, but we are also blessed with every spiritual blessing. Another wonderful point to consider, the Apostle Paul tells us, "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3) Faith also says, we are hidden from Satan, but we are visible to the Father, that is, not our physical bodies, the real us, our recreated spirit. The fact of the New Creation should be a nonnegotiable revelation in us. What I mean by a nonnegotiable revelation in us, is, no one, no person, no angel, no demon, not even Satan himself should ever again be permitted to rob us of who and what we truly are.
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 ) "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith." (1 John 5:4) The Apostle Paul tells us, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) So, let faith arise in us and say aloud, "I am of God...God, the greater One lives in me...I have the victory because I have world overcoming faith in me." Let us hold fast to this most wonderful redemption that we have in Christ as we sit with Him on His throne in the heavenly places. The grace of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ be with you all...
We have the man Jesus Christ the righteous, seated at God's right hand as our representative to represent us before the Father, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5) "Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25) "For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." (Hebrews 9:24) "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John 2:1)
This is the highlight of redemption. Not only is every believer completely identified with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection and newness of life, (Romans 6:1-5), but Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand, as the head of the new body, the Church, and we also are seated with Him, "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." (Ephesians 1:21) This is not only identification, but now we see our position. We can see that our redemption is a completed, finished thing. If Christ sat down at God's right hand, it is because the Father accepted Him and accepted what He did for us. The fact that He is seated there is the seal of our acceptance in the Beloved, "to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)
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) Faith says, not only are we seated in the highest position in the universe, but we are also blessed with every spiritual blessing. Another wonderful point to consider, the Apostle Paul tells us, "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3) Faith also says, we are hidden from Satan, but we are visible to the Father, that is, not our physical bodies, the real us, our recreated spirit. The fact of the New Creation should be a nonnegotiable revelation in us. What I mean by a nonnegotiable revelation in us, is, no one, no person, no angel, no demon, not even Satan himself should ever again be permitted to rob us of who and what we truly are.
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 ) "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith." (1 John 5:4) The Apostle Paul tells us, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) So, let faith arise in us and say aloud, "I am of God...God, the greater One lives in me...I have the victory because I have world overcoming faith in me." Let us hold fast to this most wonderful redemption that we have in Christ as we sit with Him on His throne in the heavenly places. The grace of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ be with you all...
Monday, March 25, 2019
The New Frontier
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle John tells us, "And this is the promise that He has promised us, eternal life." (1 John 2:25) Eternal life or in other words, is, life as God is life; the Nature of God. Jesus said of Himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) Contrary to what many have been taught, eternal life is not a destination, but the reality of God’s life in us now. The same eternal life or nature of God that made Jesus righteous has been imparted to a person the moment one is born again. Was it any wonder that the Holy Spirit said through the Apostle John, "As He is, so are we in this world?" As the Father became the righteousness of Jesus, so He becomes the righteousness of every believer. (2 Corinthians 5:21) As the Father became the life of Jesus, He becomes the life of every believer. This truth will revolutionize every believer when we grasps this by faith.
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6) This could not be true unless believers were as righteous as Jesus was. This is the reason why the writer of Hebrews tells us, "Let us therefore come boldly (free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, with full assurance) to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)
The sense of oneness with Him in His righteousness is as real as His sense of oneness was with us when He was made sin, sickness and became a curse.
This should give us the unwavering confidence in Him to take our place as victors, as conquerors to go out, uphold, enforce and continue to do the work that Jesus began to do when He was here on earth as the Son of Man. Why? Not only have we been commissioned to do so, but, "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) Christ victory is the believers victory. He did not need to fight that battle; He did it for us. When He conquered the adversary and stripped him of his authority, in the mind of the Father it was as though we had done it. The reality is, before we became born again, we were slaves to sin and Satan. But now in Christ we are Satan's master, just as Jesus was when He arose from the dead.
Next we see, "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) Just as Jesus conquered the works of the devil during His earth walk, every believer can conquer him today. Jesus tells us, "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) "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) "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." (John 14:12) This means that every believer is expected to continue the works that Jesus began.
Therefore, the end of defeat and failure is now. This is the beginning of a new era for all believers. It is time that the church truly and deeply appreciate what God has done for us in Christ. It is time that we truly and deeply appreciate what it means to be a member of the body of Christ. We are now the righteous victors. Satan can no longer place on us, guilt, condemnation, unworthiness or inferiority. We are New Creation sons and daughters. We are God's children. So, let us thank Him and go out and enjoy the fullness of this marvelous Redemption.
The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6) This could not be true unless believers were as righteous as Jesus was. This is the reason why the writer of Hebrews tells us, "Let us therefore come boldly (free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, with full assurance) to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)
The sense of oneness with Him in His righteousness is as real as His sense of oneness was with us when He was made sin, sickness and became a curse.
This should give us the unwavering confidence in Him to take our place as victors, as conquerors to go out, uphold, enforce and continue to do the work that Jesus began to do when He was here on earth as the Son of Man. Why? Not only have we been commissioned to do so, but, "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) Christ victory is the believers victory. He did not need to fight that battle; He did it for us. When He conquered the adversary and stripped him of his authority, in the mind of the Father it was as though we had done it. The reality is, before we became born again, we were slaves to sin and Satan. But now in Christ we are Satan's master, just as Jesus was when He arose from the dead.
Next we see, "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) Just as Jesus conquered the works of the devil during His earth walk, every believer can conquer him today. Jesus tells us, "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) "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) "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." (John 14:12) This means that every believer is expected to continue the works that Jesus began.
Therefore, the end of defeat and failure is now. This is the beginning of a new era for all believers. It is time that the church truly and deeply appreciate what God has done for us in Christ. It is time that we truly and deeply appreciate what it means to be a member of the body of Christ. We are now the righteous victors. Satan can no longer place on us, guilt, condemnation, unworthiness or inferiority. We are New Creation sons and daughters. We are God's children. So, let us thank Him and go out and enjoy the fullness of this marvelous Redemption.
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