Fearless Confidence

The apostle Paul tells us, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12) In other words, believers are engaged in combat with forces not seen by the natural eye and must come to realize some things concerning this battle. First and foremost, although these forces in the spiritual realm are mightier than any natural forces or what man can develop, believers must always keep in mind that these forces have been conquered and dethroned by Jesus Christ. "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil." (Hebrews 2:14) These forces of darkness only have power over man because most people do not recognize the fact that they have been set free from them.

When Jesus conquered Satan through His resurrection from the dead, He did it for humanity. His victory over the adversary was our victory. The believer is more than a conqueror today because of what Jesus did. Believers do not have to do a thing but simply uphold and enforce their victory in the Name of Jesus. Unfortunately, most believers, including many church leaders have never appreciated the fact that our enemy is defeated and that our fight is one of faith. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith..." (1 Peter 5:8-9) "Fight the good fight of faith..." (1 Timothy 6:12)

It is a fearless confidence or faith in the Word of God that actually does the conquering. Spiritual strength and courage are built up by our persistent confession of what God's Word declares and then acting upon it. James further tells us, "But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18) James is saying again in a different way, that one cannot say that they believe God's Word or have faith if they do not act upon it. You see, demons know that they are defeated. When believers know this as fact and act on that knowledge, they will see the results of their actions, through Christ.

My challenge to all believers is, dare to act on God's Word in the same manner that you act on the word of a doctor. Dare to act on God's Word the way you act on the word of a stranger who gives you direction when you are driving and have lost your way. Dare to act on God's Word when the circumstances of life and the world are speaking the opposite of what God's Word says. Dare to act on God's Word when you have absolutely zero evidence that things can get better. Always remember these words, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11) "My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips." (Psalm 89:34)  

"Forever, O LORD, your word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89) "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)

May we all grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, having the eyes of our understanding be enlightened so we will truly believe and act on God's Word, in Jesus' Name...

There Is Something About That Name

I would like to give you something to think about. "The measure of the Lord's ability to work in and through a believers life, is measured by the value that the believer places upon His name." Now at first glance most will begin to quote some scripture such as, Matthew 28:18 "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Acts 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." and  Philippians 2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name..." These are certainly true, but, what do verses of scripture like these really mean to you? What value do you truly place in and on the name of Jesus?

Observe the following scriptures, "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) "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."  (John 14:13-14) "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:23-24)

If you do not believe what Jesus said in these verses to be true, then and now, then the posiblitiy exists that you have placed little value on Matthew 28:18, Acts 4:12 and Philippians 4:9 not to mention most of the Bible. How can I make such a statement and know that what I am saying is true? Has Jesus lost His authority? Is there another name by which men can be saved? Is His name no longer above every other name? Absolutely not! In fact the promises that Jesus made concerning the believers use of His name is not only for the early church but also for all believers until His return. As staggering as that may seem, He has given the believe the power of attorney to use His name. It is ours to use and when you really meditate on that, the reality is, what is already ours does not require faith. With this in mind let's look at and consider these scriptures..."

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20) "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11) 

"Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

(Ephesians 5:20) "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17) "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." (James 5:14) "And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment." (1 John 3:23)

These are certainly not all the scriptures that emphasize the name of Jesus, but we can see that the name of Jesus touched every phase of the believers life in the early church. His name was upon their lips, in their hearts, it filled their thoughts, answered their prayers, it was in their preaching and teaching, it healed the sick, raised the dead and basically made what seemed impossible simply possible all the time. My prayer is that every believer begins to truly believe and act upon the Word of God. I pray that we permit the Lord to open the eyes of our hearts so that we may know the riches of His glory and that we operate in the power of the name that is above every other name, the name of JESUS.

The Truth Will Make You Free

As I meet with fellow ministers and listen to the words that come from their lips my heart sometimes sinks. It is almost as if Jesus only came to earth to forgive sin, and the results of life on the earth for the Christian is nothing more than a life of weakness, disappointment and misery. That Christians are nothing more than weak sinful church goer that God has saved from hell and some day when we pass from this life to the next we will finally have the victory.

Well, if you have been trained to think along these lines than I have some good news for you. The days of oppression are over (actually they were over when Jesus was raised from the dead). Satan has receive a paralyzing blow through the meritorious work of Jesus and has been rendered harmless and ineffective against the believer. How do I know this?  "No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. and then he will plunder his house." (Mark 3:27) Jesus has bound the strong man (Satan). Look at what the Word of God also says about these things...

John 10:10 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.

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

Does any of this indicate that the devil has any authority or dominion over the believer? Absolutely not! Well if the devil has had his authority and dominion over the believer taken away then this means that everything that is of or from him also has been extinguished such as, fear, doubt, sickness, poverty, all manner of evil, etc. Jesus is now Lord and the believer is identified with Him...

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ…

Colossians 1:13-14 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified (declared righteous) by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. 

Do you see that? When one confesses with their mouth the LORD Jesus Christ, believes in their heart that God raised Him from the dead, they instantaneously are transformed into the very things the above scriptures tell us. Believers are no longer beggars and sinners, but as Paul tells us by the Holy Spirit, "...put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24) Isn't this great news. Understand that when Jesus said, "Therefore if the Son make you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36) that you are completely free of all the works of the devil? Makes you want to jump up and shout, "Thank You Jesus." So, let us exercise our faith and speak the Word of God knowing that the Word of God, the Words that Jesus spoke, have as much power today as they did when He spoke them... 

 Matthew 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 18:19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven
Matthew 17:20 for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you
Matthew 21:21-22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." 
Mark 11:23-24 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. 

 Finally, I want to leave you with this last thought, no word from God is void of power. Do you believe this?

Don't Miss Out

Did you ever have an event that you wanted to see or be a part of only to miss it. I am not one for high school reunions, but I remember when my 30th year high school reunion was coming up. I thought that it would be interesting to attend so I sent in the registration form stating that I would attend. The weekend before the event, I once again looked over the invitation but to my surprise the reunion was taking place that very moment. I had inadvertently placed in my mind, is was in one more week. Well, I was wrong and I missed the reunion. Needless to say I make it a point not to repeat the same mistake again.

This brings me to my point. How many times have we placed within our mind something that we thought was truth but in fact it was contrary to it (the thing is, we did not know it at the time). Maybe some pastor or other church leader had presented what they believed was true but it could not be substantiated by the Bible. Maybe it was something that the mainline church has accepted as truth for years or even centuries but we cannot find chapter and verse to prove that it is so. Honestly, this happens all to often and continues to plague Christians with much misunderstanding of the the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit.

Hosea says it this way, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." (Hosea 4:6) Another version of the Bible says it this way, "My people are destroyed because they don't know me..." This is certainly a sad commentary that God says that His people do not know Him and therefore suffer because of it. This is a prophecy concerning Israel but it is an unfortunate reality today. Look at what the apostle Paul states concerning the church and Israel, (for the sake of space I will narrow the scripture to the point) "Now these things became our examples...Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." (1 Corinthians 10:6-11) In other words, the things that Israel did or failed to do were written for the church so that we do not repeat their failures. But it is apparent that Hosea's prophecy (Hosea 4:6) is as real today as it was when it was spoken.

Today, many Christian leaders in colleges, universities and local churches are inoculating people with philosophies and psychology that have nothing to do with the knowledge of God. Many doctrines that the church still embraces are from the Mosaic economy, the Dark Ages or the old wine skin of the Protestant Reformation. Every now and then they are tweeted to make them seem like truth, but if we have to adjust doctrine then the chances are it is false doctrine. One example of many, concerns God's will, especially when it comes to healing. A great segment of the church does not believe that God heals today like He did in the early church. Many others believe that healing is entirely up to God, meaning that if He wants to heal, He will, if not, He won't.

The problem with this type of teaching, is that it is not found in the Bible. It is the product of church leaders lacking in understanding God's true nature, character, will, purposes and plan. It is a lack of knowledge that only comes by way of the Spirit by exercising faith. When I talk about faith, I mean the Bible or God kind of faith that comes from the heart, not the mystical kind of faith that comes from the head nor the natural kind of faith that comes from the senses. The only way to operate and understand true Bible faith is to do as Jesus did, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4) We must live on God's every Word.

This means letting go of mans wisdom, your own personal reasoning and using your senses to understand the things of the Spirit. The apostle Paul says it this way, "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." (1 Corinthians 2:14) Paul is not only referring to those who are spiritually dead, but he is also addressing Christians who are carnal. You cannot expect to know the things of God through the natural mind. 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) We can only discern or understand spiritual things through the Spirit which requires true Bible faith.

So, if we do not want to miss the wonderful things that God has for His children, then we must come to grips with what faith really is and shed all of the doubts that have been entertained in the mind. We must embrace God's Word with all of our heart. We must "...believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6) and remember, "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) 

Remembering

Today, throughout 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 also for others throughout the world in efforts to bring an end to demonized dictators who, like Satan their father, have only one desire, power over humanity. Their objective is to steal, kill, destroy and or hold in bondage to slavery their fellow man in efforts to promote their tyrannical reign.

Although people may have many thing to remember, for Christians the greatest Memorial Day for them should be, the day that we "confessed with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believed in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead, and were saved." (Romans 10:9) We celebrate the fact the 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. We should remember as Paul said, "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." (Ephesians 2:1-2)

Notice that before one confesses Christ they "were dead in trespasses and sin" not spiritually sick, but spiritually dead. Cut off from and unable to communicate with God. This was due to the fact that before one is born again, they walk according to the world, according to the ways of the devil. Paul tells us that the devil, "The god of this age had blinded your mind from the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ..." (2 Corinthians 4:4) However, one day in the history of man, God took it upon Himself the fix the problem, "He  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) Then a glorious thing happened. Jesus said, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him..." (John 6:44) Our heavenly Father drew us to Jesus, gave us the grace and faith to confess Christ. Then God immediately "delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13-14)

When we consider what Jesus did for us and all mankind, the mind can hardly comprehend it. The apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:18-19)   This means that not one person in all of humanity had the ability to provide redemption. God Himself became a man and provided man’s redemption. (John 1:14) It was God who redeemed man from the dominion of Satan. (1 John 3:8) It was God who destroyed death. (Hebrews 2:14) It was God who restored man’s authority over the Satan (Luke 10:19) It was God who adopted us through Jesus Christ and made us His children (Romans 8:15-16) It is God who gives us all things that pertain to life and godliness. (2 Peter 2:3) It is God who gives us exceedingly great and precious promises. (2 Peter 1:4) It is God who gives us the victory at all times (1 Corinthians 15:57) and it is God who gave us eternal life (1 John 2:25) all through Jesus Christ.

I could go on and on concerning what scripture says as to what God Himself did for humanity through Jesus Christ and what He gives to those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord. When we look to the promises that God has made throughout the Bible, there are several estimations. They range from 3000 to 7000 promises. Many of these promises were spoken by the Prophets and have been fulfilled through Jesus Christ. However, in the New Testament there is an estimated 750 promises that God has bestowed upon the believer. PTL Although today is Memorial Day, for the believer remembering what God did for us and what he has given to us, should be a Memorial Day celebration everyday. 

Well What Do You Know

Throughout the ages, man has accumulated great amounts of knowledge. We have experienced advancements in the sciences that have led to many technological achievements. The majority of these advancements have come by way of mans ability to reason. In reality it comes down to the knowledge that his five senses can understand which I call sense knowledge. However, anything outside of the five senses that cannot be explained becomes a guess. For instance, Charles Darwin could not fully understand the reason for creation. He did not truly know the reason or origin of man, nor the origin of life, motion, matter or light. Therefore, at the end of what his senses could make tangible, he developed a system of nothing more than ideas, theories, that were unproven and today many accept as fact. The theory of evolution is a product of Darwin's lack of knowledge of the aforementioned things due to his rejection of a revelation of the Creator. His limitation was then transformed into nothing more than the great guess that has deceived man for over a century and a half.

Although man has advanced in many fields, he is still limited to what his senses can achieve. Many today refuse to step beyond the sense realm which keeps man in darkness and come into the light of revelation knowledge. It is the lack of the revelation of God that keeps man in this impassable chasm causing him to make one guess after another. This is not God's doing, For it is God, "who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4) If Charles Darwin would have sought the Lord, he would have found Him and would have received the revelation knowledge that would have supplemented his limited sense knowledge. This would have brought him to a real conclusion of creation.

Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) This is the only way that man can escape from his own thinking and see the things of God. Unfortunately, many church leaders today look to senses knowledge and have missed the freedom that comes with revelation knowledge. They say the Bible is the Word of God but totally deny it through their words and lack of action. The Bible stands alone among all of the books of the world as the book of a revelation from God to man. It presents a revelation of the origin and reason for man and creation as well as the origin of sin and mans redemption. It provides a revelation of the new creation in man through Jesus Christ and most important, it provides a revelation of God Himself, His nature, character, will, purposes and plan.

Many reject the reality of God because they say that they cannot see Him, hear Him or touch Him so He is not real. Well, think about this. Silent movies mean nothing to a person who is blind, but it does not mean that they are not real. Radio means nothing to a person who is deaf but it does not mean that it is not real. In the same manner, God may mean nothing to the person of sense knowledge but in the same way it does not mean that He is not real. Many Christians today also operate in the same realm of sense knowledge. They do indeed say that all things have been created by God, but when it comes to His nature, character, will, purposes and plan, they tend to balk. They quickly return to reasoning and in doing so have limited God in their lives. God is not out of reach, He is not out of touch nor has He or His Word changed (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8) So, it stands to reason that if Christians are struggling in this life (apart from persecution for Christ's sake) then chances are they too are operating through their senses and not through revelation knowledge.

To grasp revelation knowledge is to let go of the senses and hold on to another intangible, faith. The writer of Hebrews says it this way, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) In other words having the assured confidence that the things you want to happen, which are inline with God's Word, will indeed happen even though there is no tangible evidence. This is the realm that makes the impossible, possible (Matthew 17:20) This is the only realm where God responds (Hebrews 11:6) and it is the realm that every Christian can walk in (Mark 9:23). So if you want to come into the realm of revelation knowledge, you must yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, believe God's Word has not changed nor will it change and then act upon His Word. Grace and peace be multiplied to you...        

No Worries

There are numerous human frailties that the Bible deals with. Most of them rob Christians of the abundant life the Jesus promised. (John 10:10) One of these is worry. Jesus says it this way...
"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25)  The first thing we see is Jesus dealing with human necessities which cause most people to worry. He finishes His statement with a question that we must truly consider, "Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"

To answer that question, one must decide who it is that is master of their life. Jesus tells us, "No one can serve two masters..." (Matthew 6:24) Although Jesus is talking about serving God or wealth it still applies to each person when it comes to worrying. Worry allow one's mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles as well as excessive concern or uncertainty over actual or potential problems. Although the following statement will probably not go over well with some, the bottom line is, for a Christian, worry is sin. Why? It is an actual rejection of God's Word as the truth and the acceptance of what the world or the devil say is true. When we think about it, the world is filled with the ways of the devil and Jesus tells us that, "...there is no truth in him (the devil). When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8:44) Trusting in what the world has to say rather than what God's Word says, not only promotes worry but again it is sin. We may want to deny that worry is sin but Paul tells us, "...for whatever is not from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23)

Jesus uncovers the reason why worry takes hold of the Christians life, "...O you of little faith." (Matthew 6:30) Well you may say "I have faith" and you would be absolutely correct. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans, "...God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3) But what have you done with the faith that God has given to you? If you still deal with worry it is obvious that you have not permitted God's Word to take hold of your recreated spirit, to grow your faith, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) nor have you acted upon God's Word, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves...I will show you my faith by my works." (James 1:22, 2:18)

You may be thinking, "well how can I rid myself of worry?" It is a training process that every Christian (if you worry) must work through. We begin with the obvious, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2); "Be renewed in the spirit of your mind." (Ephesians 4:23) Renewing our minds with God's Word will cause us to speak about our circumstances completely different. The writer of Hebrews says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23).

Basically, a mind renewed in God's Word, changes what we think, what we think changes what we believe, what we believe is what we speak and what we speak is how we will act. By giving the Word of God the dominion over our life, we will learn to confess and stand on His Word not the circumstances of life. This will eliminate worry because we learn to let go of our ability and trust in God's ability. We learn to place our faith in and on God's Word. In doing so we will do as Peter tells us, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) There is no sense in us worrying if God says that He is going to handle the problem.

Finally, Jesus also tells us that we are of more value to our heavenly Father than all the rest of creation and that the Father knows everything that we need. (Matthew 6:26-32) Take some time and meditate on this fact. You are of more value to the Father than ALL of creation. Mix this with faith and you will see worry flee as well as seeing the works of God manifest in your life. (John 5:20) .