The Power Of Confession

To confess means "to disclose; to make known; or to admit something." Confessing God's Word is admitting that God's Word is true. By confessing God's Word, it opens the door to possess the things God has already promised us which is revealed in His Word. However, many fail to grasp this Bible truth thereby never possessing the promises of God other than eternal life (1 John 2:25). Still others twist this principle and run into the ditch because they have never fully understood it. The fact is, this is God's principle of faith in action, sowing, that is, confessing God's word, which is one of the ways to possess the promises of God. 

A key to understanding the power behind confessing God's Word as well as the words that we speak in general, is found in what is known as the "Parable of the Soils" spoken and explained by Jesus. Let's keep in mind, as Jesus said, "the seed sown is the Word of God." Next He says, "And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts." (Mark 4:15) Before we go any further, we must look at what is revealed in Matthews gospel, because it sheds important light on what is taking place here. "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside." (Matthew 13:19) 

Mark says when the seed (God's Word) is sown, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. Notice that the Word was sown in the heart. The heart is described as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions; the spirit. Also notice that in this portion of the parable it would appear that Satan could just come along when God's Word is sown and steal it from your heart any time he wants to. However, taking a closer look at this parable, Matthew tells us, "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart." This is the reason why Satan steals God's Word from someone's heart. They heard it but they did not understand it. If you understand the Word of God when it is sown, then Satan cannot come along and steal it from you.

Jesus tells us, "...the words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63) God's Word is spirit and can only be understood by the recreated spirit. The Apostle Paul tells us, "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." (1 Corinthians 2:14) The natural man here denotes those who are governed and influenced by natural instincts, the carnal mind, and the sin nature, as opposed to those who are influenced by the Spirit of God. This not only refers to unregenerate people, but all who are influenced by the natural instincts, the carnal mind, and the sin nature, this includes Christians.  

The apostle Paul had dealings with the church at Corinth along the same lines, "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:1-4) As mentioned above, not only do  unregenerate people not understand the Word of God when it is sown, but this is also why many Christians find it so difficult to understand it also. They are not being led by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16) This then gives opportunity for Satan to come along and steal it from the heart.  

Look at what Jesus tells us about hearing and understanding the Word when it is sown, "Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42) Jesus assure us that when we hear and understand God's Word, no one, not even Satan can take it away from us!        

Another interesting fact concerning the Word of God when it is sown and whether or not one understands it, is seen in contrast between two of the many churches the Apostle Paul established in his journey's throughout Asia. The Apostle Paul spent a year and six months teaching in Corinth (Acts 18:11) and they were still carnal (1 Corinthians 3:1-4) and yet he only spent three Sabbaths (three weeks) at Thessalonica (Acts 17:2) and they became a witness of Christ in Macedonia and Achaia. (1 Thessalonians 1:6-8) The main reason why so many Christians do not understand God's Word when it is sown is due to one key element that may be missing. It must be received through faith. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it." (Hebrews 4:2) The writer of Hebrews also tells us, "By faith we understand..." (Hebrews 11:3) and "...without faith it is impossible to please God..." (Hebrews 11:6) God's Word mixed with faith and then spoken, will cause believers to act and speak just like our Heavenly Father. Why is this so? 

First, let us remember that Jesus said "...the words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." Paul tells us, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God..." (2 Timothy 3:16) The scriptures are the infusion or communication of ideas or thoughts from God to man; the revelation of God to man. The Apostle Paul's prayer for the church is, "Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 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..." (Ephesians 1:15-18) Paul understood that the faith the believers at Ephesus walked in was due to the revelation that they had received of and from God. The reason why Paul prayed this prayer for the church was that the eyes of their understanding (revelation of God) would be continually enlightened; that they would have a clear view of God, His will, nature, character, purpose and plan. 

Revelation is directly connected to what one believes about God. Without a continuous revelation of God, ones faith will never grow. When I use the phrase "continuous revelation of God" I am not talking about adding to the Bible or subtracting even one word from the Bible. Think about it this way. Did you ever read the same scripture numerous time and then this one particular time you received a greater understanding (a revelation) of that passage? You did not add to the scripture but now you have a greater reality of its meaning. This is a revelation of the scripture that strengthens or increases your faith.

So, let us not longer "give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:27) and permit him to steal God's Word from the heart because we may not understand it, but ask the Father to open the eyes of our understanding that we may receive a greater revelation, that is, a word from the Word that will increase our faith. Paul's desire for that church is, "that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:5) This only comes when we truly open our heart to the Word of God and close it to the doctrines of men. When this happens, you can rest assure that we will act, "Just like Dad, our Heavenly Father."

Let Love Loose

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul reveals to us a very important foundational truth concerning Christianity, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6) The Apostle John tells us, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." (1 John 3:18) Let us never forget the wonderful yet challenging words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35) 

Without faith, we will not be able to love as God loves, yet, without love we will not operate in the kind of faith that pleases God. This is why faith working through love is the quintessential of Christianity. I believe that faith without love or love without faith on the part of believers has been so lacking in the church, that it is the main cause of all the division. The love that was in Jesus revealed throughout the four gospels, is the love that is to rule the church, every believer. When believers are ruled by love; motivated by love; owned by love; they become imitators of the one who is love, "...God is love" (1 John 4:8) and as Jesus said, "...all will know that you are My disciples..."   

The Apostle John has some strong language for the church concerning love that we should not only think about but take to heart and act on. "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15) One of the things that John addresses is coming to grips with our love for the world and the things of world. This is not just toward material things, but the ungodly attitudes and actions of the the world. Let's be honest, most people who consider themselves to be Christian, would not admit just how much they are rooted in the world; How the cares of the world have become more important to them than the things of God. John tells us that one of the ways we can know how much the world has captured believers is revealed in the fact that they do not love as God loves, because God's love is not in them.

Next, John says,"...Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother...he who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:10, 14-15) Unfortunately, there is extremely to much unforgiveness in the church. Let's face it, if you cannot forgive another believer, you have hatred in your heart. John says, hating another believer is spiritual death. In other words, the person who hates a brother or sister of Christ, proves by their hatred that they are not truly saved. 

Unfortunately, many people in the church will say, "But I confessed with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and Savior so how can you say that I am not saved?" I did not say that you are not saved, the Holy Spirit said it through John, plus we must also remember that though one confesses with their mouth, they must also believe in their heart. (Romans 10:9-10) John continues to reveal to us another problem that causes people to hate a brother or sister rather than love them. "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (1 John 4:8) Simply put, if a person hates, they do not know God.

So, how can we let go of any ill feelings that we may have toward a brother or sister. It is by simply remembering and acting on the following, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Remember, no matter how good you may think you were before making a confession of faith, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Jesus died for all even when we were antagonistic toward Him. "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:9-11) Put these scriptures together, we have, "faith working through love." The way we love as God loves, is applying faith and live through Christ, love personified. 

Finally, take at least two times every day for forty days without missing one day, and slowly read aloud to yourself the following, "Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]..." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMP)  Let the God kind of love dominate your life, "By this all will know that you are My (Jesus') disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) Amen....

Beginning Again

At the stroke of midnight on December 31st one year ends and then one second after midnight a new year begins. Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia. In the United States, the most iconic New Year’s tradition is the dropping of a giant ball in New York City’s Times Square at the stroke of midnight. Millions of people around the world watch the event, which has taken place almost every year since 1907. Over time, the ball itself has ballooned from a 700-pound iron-and-wood orb to a brightly patterned sphere 12 feet in diameter and weighing in at nearly 12,000 pounds. For many, celebrating New Years is similar to one celebrating their birthday. Like a birthday, for many, New Year’s Day provides the chance to celebrate having made it through another year. However, for many, New Years day means a new beginning. We see this played out through the many resolutions that people make on New Years.

A New Year's resolution is basically a decision to do or not do something in order to accomplish a personal goal or break a habit. It comes at a time when people look back at the past year and make an effort to improve themselves as the new year begins. Unfortunately, statistics reveal that only 8% of people who make New Years resolutions succeed in keeping them. This means that 92% of all New Years resolutions fail. Why? Mostly, people make unrealistic resolutions and or they are not really prepared mentally to fight off doubt and continue with their goals. But what about believers? Should they make New Years resolutions? There is certainly nothing wrong with making New Years resolutions, but the same conditions that bring failure still exist, unless believers put their trust fully in the Lord.

The Bible tells us, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) Even the Apostle Paul learned a lesson of trusting the Lord in a greater way while he was being buffeted by a messenger of Satan. The Lord revealed to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12: 9) Paul's response is quite interesting, "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10)

All believers, like the Apostle Paul must rely upon God's grace to get them through every area of life not only New Years resolutions. Grace is defined in Philippians 2:13 (AMPC) "[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." And in Ephesians 3:20 (AMPC) "Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]" in a condensed way, God's grace is the power, strength, ability and energy of God at work in the believer to accomplish His will.

Another area to consider is understanding who believers are in Christ. When believers come to a full knowledge of no longer being identified with who they were before they were born again and know who they are in Christ, then they will understand what Jesus meant when He said, "nothing is impossible to those who believe." (Mark 9:23) Knowing who one truly is in Christ sets believers free from shame, condemnation, guilt and inferiority. They will walk in a freedom that will cause them to not simply make a resolution(s) but find the grace and power in God's Word to overcome and live victorious. For instance, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ.." (2 Corinthians 5:17-18) The old nature, the old person that you were prior to your salvation is gone. You have been made completely new in Christ and have right standing with God. (Keep in mind that it is one's spirit, not their soul, ie, mind, will and emotions, and not their body that has been recreated)    

Finally, you must have and use your own faith. What does this mean? All believers one day must come to the place where their own faith has grown and has brought them to know without doubt, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." (1 John 5:14-15) This is actually a realm of Christianity that few believers come to. Not because they do not desire to have this level of faith, but, it is mostly due to a lack of studying and meditating on God's Word which builds the believers faith and renews their mind. (Romans 10:17, 12:2)

When believers apply these things in their life it will change their behavior and thought patterns which in turn will cause them to accomplish their personal goals, but moreover the goals and or vision that the LORD has given. These things are not self imposed, but Holy Spirit inspired. The apostle Paul tells us to, "...Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16) So, you see we do not have to make New Year resolutions to only have them fail. We can live in the power and ability of God everyday through faith in Jesus Christ to overcome every obstacle of life and do the impossible where others may fail. So this New Years, do not make a New Years resolution per se, but, "...lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of you." (Philippians 3:12) My prayer for you, as the Apostle John said, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 2) HAPPY NEW YEAR...  

By The Grace Of God

The Apostle Paul says of himself, "But by the grace of God I am what I am..." (1 Corinthians 15:10) Paul tells us that it is by the favor of God that he is all that he is. All of his success; all of his ability; all that he is can be traced to God alone. In other words, Paul no longer identifies himself as Saul of Tarsus, his old nature, but as an Apostle, not called and appointed by man, but by God himself, the new nature. (Galatians 1:1) Paul was in tune with God. He further tells us, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

This is a very powerful scripture and it is important for believers to comprehend its fullness.  As it was with Paul, it is the same for the believer. How we formerly identified ourselves no longer applies. We are to identify ourselves with Christ. For instance when a person is asked to describe themselves, they usually mention race, religion, cultural background or social distinctions. But Paul was not associating himself with those things anymore, although he did mention these things to show where he came from. (Philippians 3:5-6) This did not mean that he was not a Jew in the natural sense, but now the overriding factor in his life was his identification with Christ. His identity was no longer determined by his physical heritage, social standing or racial distinctions. It is the same with every believer. Our identity lies in the fact that believers are all children of God, we are in Christ and Christ is in us.

Although we can be thankful for our physical heritage, we must be far more grateful for our  spiritual heritage in Christ. The significance of this highly essential truth cannot be overstated. When a person becomes born again, they are completely forgiven and are immediately given a new nature, the very nature of God (Ephesians 4:24; 2 Peter 1:4) Furthermore, Paul tells us, "For we are His workmanship, (masterpiece) created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) Believers are now citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) Peter tells us that believers, "...are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Unfortunately, many people have had a very difficult childhood. Many are raised in a dysfunctional family. Their identity and perception of themselves were formed and programmed into their minds through the natural orders of this world. But for many, even when they receive the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, and are elated with this good news, generally, are never led away from associating with the old self. They are never brought to a place of seeing themselves how God the Father truly sees them. They tend to struggle in this new life as a Christian not knowing this simple but very important truth, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) They are no longer products of their past, but made completely new in Christ. Note, "...old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." Not renovated, not patch up, not a hybrid, but are completely made new, a new creation like Christ Himself.

So, how can one come to the place of being set free from their past and live a victorious life in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2) Believers are to be transformed (metamorphosed) by the renewing of their mind. Renewing the mind does not come naturally. There is no delete button that erases the past programming of the mind. We have to consciously come to know God's Word so that we can truly understand and know who we are from God's perspective. This does not come by-way-of intellectual knowledge, but by applying faith in the integrity of God's Word, that is, believing and acting on what God says in His Word. Of course to believe and act on God's Word requires revelation.

The renewing of the mind is a process. Changing the old way of thinking that has been constantly rehearsed in the mind does not go away because we wish it away. Knowing who we are in Christ and knowing how the Father sees us is not theology or theory nor the power of positive thinking. It come by-way-of a revelation of truth (God's Word) through the Holy Spirit and then exercising faith in this new revealed knowledge. Reason being, a persons faith will not exceed the revelation that they have. 

If you are struggling with your past, who you were before you became born again, then all you need to do is, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 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 7:7-11) God has some wonderful things that He has for you. All you need to do is believe and receive them, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." (Mark 11:24) PTL   

Desires Of The Heart

Out of all the people of the Bible, there are three men that stand out who had an insatiable desire to know God. Moses, who met God at the burning bush and spoke with God face to face, "So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend..." (Exodus 33:11) He desired to know God more intimately, "And Moses said, “Please, show me Your glory." (Exodus 33:18) The second of these three men was David. David was also a man who loved God and had an insatiable to know Him. We see this reflected in the Psalms that he wrote as well as what God Himself said about David, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will." (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) The third is Paul. Paul was willing to all for Christ. He walked out his Christian life through great success and yet most likely with more trials then any other believer in the history of the church. (2 Corinthian 11:24-28) However, even through his continuous trials he said, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." (Philippians 3:10)  

Unfortunately, for most believers, there initial encounter with God, the day they receive Christ as Lord and Savior, was the most intimate encounter that they have ever experienced. But, believers cannot be content with only their born again experience. We must know Him. God is and has so much for us. Sadly, believers miss out on divine experiences and encounters with His presence. They are satisfied with the theory, theology, and knowledge they have, but that should never be enough. Jesus promised that He would be with us always. (Matthew 28:20) Affirming this truth should not be just a doctrinal declaration on our part, but see and receive this promise by faith every day, knowing that He is indeed with us.

For instance, Jesus tells us, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."..."But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." (John 14:16-18, 26) If you are born again, the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit dwells with you and is in you! He is our Helper; He is our Teacher; He gives us revelation through God's Word. Although this is true, how many believers truly rely on the Holy Spirit for these things?   

The church today has many resources such as, study Bibles, books, teachings on CD's and DVD's, computer programs, the internet with Bible studies, and the preaching of the Word. Basically, believers have access to countless resources to help them grow and mature spiritually and even though for-the-most-part this is good, all it has provided is intellectual knowledge that has not transformed lives. We have so much knowledge that we have become selective to the point that some of us place our personal interests above the living and transforming Word of God. As a result, many church leaders often reject revealed knowledge from God and adopt beliefs that seem to be more acceptable to their own lifestyles or worse yet, the lifestyles of the world.

Proverbs 27:7 declares, "A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." That is to say, that we have become so self-satisfied that we "loathe the honeycomb" that is, reject God's Word, especially the revelation that the Holy Spirit brings. The proof of this is seen in the church today, regardless of denomination. In order to justify a lack of faith and revelation of truth, church leaders develop doctrines and creeds as disclaimers that disagree with God's Word. Jesus experienced the same in His day as the Son of man, "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."..."making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down..." (Mark 7:6-7, 13) 

The good news is, there is a generation of people of all ages and nations who genuinely hunger and thirst to know God more intimately. They are no longer interested in the ritual of church as usual nor the church programs that are focused on training the natural person and do nothing for ones spiritual condition. They are not satisfied with teachings that only please the flesh and tickle the ears, nor doctrines of men that are contrary to God's Word which do not build faith, but actually erode it. These believers yearn to learn more of Him through revelation by the Holy Spirit and not the knowledge that come through the five senses that only increases the intellect. This hunger to know the deep things of God, to have daily encounters with Him, has made even "that which is bitter a sweet tasting thing."  In other words, those who hunger and thirst after God may face ridicule and even persecution from other believers, but to them it is worth it, it is "a sweet tasting thing" because they are receiving the wonderful things of God which come by being in His presence.  

Jesus has made us promises as to what we can expect if we truly desire Him above all else, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8) "He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6:35) "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you." (John 16:13-15) Of course this takes faith in the integrity of God's Word. Hebrews 11:6 declares, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently (make a pain staking effort) seek Him."   

So, let us no longer seek for knowledge that only increases our intellect, but let us have an insatiable desire to know Him like Moses, David and Paul. Let us pray everyday the prayer that Paul prayed for the church and receive it through faith, "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 (Epignosis; precise and correct knowledge) of Him." (Ephesians 1:17) Let us desire to have an encounter with the Father everyday. Let us no long put God on our schedules, and try to fit Him in, but let us "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness..." (Matthew 6:33) "For man does not live on bread alone, but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) Grace and peace be with you

Right Standing With God

Since the fall of man, the desire within him has been to have right standing before God. This is evidences through the world religions of paganism, metaphysics, as well as all the philosophical religions of today. Basically, people want to feel good about themselves, when in fact none of mans best efforts to appease his conscience from sin will ever bring him to the place of right standing before God. There is only one way for man to have right standing before God, "...having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1) Man is justified, made righteousness, given right standing only by faith in Jesus Christ.

Righteousness restores to man all that was lost at the fall of man. It restores his standing before God giving him the same ground that Jesus enjoyed with the Father during His earth walk. (1 John 4:17) Being made righteous through faith in Christ takes away sin consciousness, that is, the feeling of guilt, condemnation, shame and inferiority that has robbed man of coming with confidence into God's presence. (Romans 8:1) It assures man of his standing before the Father, because in Christ he now has a legal right to come into the Father's presence. (Hebrews 4:16) It positions man as the master of Satan and all his forces. (Luke 10:19) It gives man boldness to stand in the presences of sickness, disease and even death without fear. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Righteousness restores to man his lost relationship and fellowship with the Father. It gives him the same confidence to approach the Father in the same way that Jesus approached the Father. We can approach the Father with the freedom that a child has approaching his own parent(s). (1 John 1:3) It restores to man his lost faith, not the faith that Thomas exhibited after the resurrection, which was rooted in his five senses, (John 20:25) but the faith that pleases God and moves mountains. (Mark 11:23; Hebrews 11:6) It restores peace with God. (Romans 5:1) It restores quietness and rest to the spirit. (Philippians 4:6-7) We are no longer afraid of bills, no longer afraid of circumstances. Faith rises unconsciously and we face the most adverse conditions with unwavering resolve.

Righteousness restores freedom to man. (John 8:36; Galatians 5:1) It is the freedom that is only found in Christ. His freedom gives the courage never to fear Satan again as well as freedom from the fear of man because we trust in God with all our hearts and do not lean on our own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Righteousness give us one of the most incredible things, it restores sonship with God. (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1) God is our Father and we are His sons (and daughters). We are His children. We are in His family and we know that our Father loves us. (Romans 8:38-39;1 John 4:10) Knowing these truths in our heart releases unspeakable joy and we come to truly understand what it means to walk in freedom.

But we must keep in mind, this all comes about only one way as stated above, "...having been declared righteousness by faith...through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1) In other words, God made Jesus sin with our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) He was made unrighteous with our unrighteousness. As man's substitute for sin, He suffered until every crime against humanity had been met and justice had been satisfied. It was Deity suffering for humanity because this was the only way that man's sin debt could be paid. When God declared that man's sin had been paid in Christ, and every demand of justice was satisfied, Jesus was justified or made Righteous. (Romans 4:25) He was "justified in the spirit" (1 Timothy 3:16) He was "made alive in the spirit" (1 Peter 3:18) He was "the first born from the dead." (Colossians 1:18) 

When a person confesses Jesus as lord and receives Him as their Savior, God then declares that one to be righteous solely on the grounds of what Jesus did. This is called being born again and what scripture calls the "New Creation" in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) The believer also becomes a partaker of the divine nature of God. (2 Peter 1:4) In this, the believer becomes righteous by nature and by faith. God declares that we were made righteous freely by His grace through the redemption that He made possible through Jesus Christ. Now we can stand in His presence without any sin consciousness. When believers come to truly understand and act upon these truths, they will experience tremendous growth in their faith and will step into the Father's presence without any trepidation, because we fully know that "there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus..." (Romans 8:1) Therefore, let us stop looking for what is right and put our faith in Jesus Christ the righteous and be free of guilt, condemnation, shame and inferiority. Let us make our confession sure. Let us make our confession bold, "I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

I Am Identified With Christ

Identity theft is defined as the fraudulent acquisition and use of a person's private identifying information, usually for financial gain. Although this definition describes what is taking place in our world today, identity theft has actually been taking place since the fall of man. Jesus tells us, "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) From the Garden of Eden the thief has been stealing from humanity all the God has freely given him.

For centuries, man has been working hard to regain his standing before God. The religions of the world as well as the so called Christian cults, such as Russellism and Mormonism have worked to no avail to correct what Adam's act of disobedience had brought upon humanity. Naturally, it begins and ends with the person of the God man, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This also includes the various sects of Catholicism and the many denominations within Protestantism. Although Catholicism and Protestantism have a similar fundamental belief of the incarnate birth of Christ as well as His vicarious death, resurrection, ascension and glorification, the majority still present a beggarly redemption in Christ.

For the most part, the church in all of it divisions has been very strong in teaching man his need of righteousness, but has also taught his weakness and inability to please God. It preaches the denunciation of sins, against unbelief, world conformity, and lack of faith, but has been sadly lacking in presenting the truth of what and who believers are in Christ. It has lacked in teaching how righteousness and faith are available to all who put their faith in Christ. This type of teaching puts redemption off until after death and therefore raises many questions.

• Is it after death and in heaven when we will find rest?
• Is it after death and in heaven when we will have victory?
• Is it after death and in heaven when we become overcomers?
• Is it after death and in heaven when we will have peace with God?
• Is it after death and in heaven when we will have no more failings?
• Is it after death and in heaven when we are complete? 
• Is all we have to look forward to on this side of heaven, failure, misery, disappointment and weakness?

Unfortunately, today, most have never come to understand the distinction between saint and sinner. Many have come to believe that as long as a believer lives on the earth in these bodies, he will always be a hopeless sinner that does not have the ability to please God. They acknowledge the fact that God has provided a "new birth" but that His new birth only provides eternal life and forgiveness. But is this a Biblical perspective of redemption? Will relief only come when we pass from this life to the next? Scripture is very clear that we live in His presence now and if God cannot present us before His presence now, in this life, then what the Bible teaches concerning redemption is all future and physical death is where one finally experiences redemption. However, if it requires death to cleanse us from sin and make the believer free, then we are left in quite a dilemma, because death is of the Devil. (Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 1:18)

This would indicate that God in His plan of redemption was unable to give us victory, but that He needed the devil to complete His redemptive work. This sounds far-fetched, but when you think about how redemption is presented in most of Christendom today this would be the conclusion. The truth is, God Himself is now our very righteousness, and that we are the righteousness of God in Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21) We also are partakers of God's very nature. (Ephesians 4:24; 2 Peter 1:4) Therefore, the believer does have rest (Hebrews 4:3); victory (1 Corinthians 15:57; 2 Corinthians 2:14); is an overcomer (Romans 8:37); has peace with God (Romans 5:1); is no longer a failure (Philippians 4:13); and is complete in Christ (Colossians 2:9-10); which means that believers no longer have to live this life in failure, misery, disappointment and weakness. PTL

The fact is "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ..." (2 Corinthians 5:17) A person cannot be in Christ and have the devil's nature in him at the same time. He is either in the family of God or in the family of Satan. There is no dual nature. It's one or the other, "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest..." (1 John 3:10) There can be no real development of faith, no strong, victorious Christian life with this mixed conception of the believer in Christ. We are either new creations or we are not. We have either passed from death into life or not. (John 5:24)

When Paul says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you..." (Romans 6:14) he means exactly what he says. If you live a life of weakness and defeat, it is because you do not know what and who you are in Christ and how the Father see you, which, I believe is the greatest need of the church at this hour. Look at this incredible truth, "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight." (Colossians 1:21-22) Does this sound like failure, misery, disappointment and weakness? Absolutely not! This is a present reality. Believers stand before God complete in Christ.

If God was unable to take the sin nature out of us when we are born again, if the blood of Jesus was not sufficient to wipe it out, then preaching from the Bible gives no hope in this life and God's Word is reduced to nothing more than philosophy, which enlightens, but does not bring life. Also, keep in mind that unrighteousness prevents one from coming into the presence of God, yet God's Word tells us, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:12)

Remember, "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) Jesus came to bring, not only the after life (eternal life) but life now to those who can believe. It has been the devil who has and is constantly working at stealing the believers identity in Christ and leaving him with a sin consciousness, that is, the feeling of guilt, condemnation and inferiority before God. But thanks be to God who has justified us freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus and Who is the Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:24, 26) PTL  

Life In The Spirit

Before the fall, man had perfect fellowship with God. He lived in the realm of the spirit, but when he disobeyed God's command, he was driven from the presence of God and became dependent upon
his senses for his protection and 1ife. His spirit became the slave of his senses. When this happened man lost all real knowledge of spiritual things. As the history moved forward and although the senses gained supremacy over man, we see recorded in Hebrews 11 that there were people who did have spiritual discernment. One in particular was Abraham, because He believed God. (Genesis 15:6) Abraham's faith is one of the greatest example of the true type of the faith that believers can and should have. When I refer to the phrase "true type faith or true kind of faith" I mean the type of faith that pleases God. (Hebrews 11:6)

When Jesus left eternity and broke into time, all men lived in the realm of the senses. When reading the four gospels carefully you will notice that all the people (which includes the religious leaders) were not discerning of spiritual things. They believed only what their senses could comprehend. Jesus said to them, "...You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times." (Matthew 16:3) . Their spirit had no place in their daily life. In Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus He says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:3, 6) Unless one is born again from above, they are unable to discern or understand the spiritual things of God.

Faith comes by getting acquainted with the Father through the Word. Not in studying the Word alone, but by actually living the Word; doing the Word; practicing the Word, and letting the Word live in us. James tells us, "...receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21) God's Word is able to save (to keep safe and sound; to rescue from danger or destruction; to make well, heal, restore to health) the soul (the mind, will, emotions and intellect). We see in John gospel the people asking Jesus, "...What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?" (John 6:30 ) Interestingly enough, that generation is not any different than our generation. Like that generation, this generation does not believe God's Word either unless it sees signs and wonders and even then as Jesus said, "...neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead" (Luke 16:31) will most hardly believe.

I have come to believe that if one spends time in fellowship with God in His Word, under the illumination of the Holy Spirit, they will not require a sign to believe. In fact, they will actually live the Christian life used of God to perform signs and wonders. (Mark 16:17-18; John 14:12) God's Word is the food and life of the spirit. (Matthew 4:4; John 6:63) Through God's Word, we can come to know His will, nature, character, purpose and plan. His Word is the only avenue that we can come to know and understand God's most potent characteristic, love. (1 John 4:7-8, 16) If we walk in love, the spirit has perfect freedom to guide us because faith and love are a product of the recreated spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) Faith grows through God's Word (Romans 10:17) as we practice love. (Galatians 5:6) As we practice love the Father becomes more and more real to us, because again, He is love (1 John 4:16). The reality is, God's love is already in our recreated spirit. (Romans 5:5) It is no longer something that we ask for, but simple act upon. But like everything else, the things of God come by revelation to our spirit, not knowledge through the five senses.

1 Corinthians 2:12 declares, "Now we received, not the spirit of the world, (the spirit of the natural man) but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given us by God." The believers recreated spirit, is able to know the things of God, while the natural mind that is dominated by the senses, is unable to know the things that are freely given in the Redemptive work of Christ. The natural man cannot understand the expressions "in Christ" or "in Whom" because their sense driven mind will not grasp the full meaning of such which prohibits them from receiving with joy their legal position in Christ.

Now we can understand why the Apostle Paul tells us "to renew the mind." (Romans 12:2) This is most likely the greatest need of the present day church, renewing of the believers mind through God's Word. It is God's Word which renews the mind and develops the recreated spirit to have dominion once again. Let's be honest, the average Christian today is carnal, that is, ruled by their senses. The sad thing concerning this, is, they are babes due to a lack of spiritual food given to them by church leaders who should be mature. (Hebrews 5:11-14) Although most say they believe God's Word is infallible and that scripture is the authority of the church, yet they are not doers of the Word, therefore never growing their faith, but remain completely dependent on their senses. They are ever striving, but never arriving. There is only one way to help these people (those who are mature and skilled in rightly dividing the Word of Truth, should) is to teach them how to take their place in Christ and do as James tells us, "be doers of the Word, and not hearers only." (James 1:22)

This can seem simple, but at the same time be a difficult task. But we must believe that God's Word is just as powerful today as it was when it was first spoken. Paul tells us, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:1-5) Let us help others in the faith as Paul, through humility, not relying on the wisdom of man, not trying to prove how much we know, but by letting the Holy Spirit do the work through us so the people we help will not place their faith on the senses, but on the power of God.  

Revelation Knowledge

Living by the senses neutralizes true faith. When I use the term true faith, I mean the only kind of faith that pleases God, revelation faith. The Apostle Paul tells us, "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (senses). For the flesh (senses) lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh (Senses); 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) (I added the word senses for clarity purposes)

We can see that a battle exists between the senses, which are the natural things, and the spirit which are the eternal things. Paul also tells us, "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." (1 Corinthians 2:14) Again, we see that the senses, the natural man, cannot discern spiritual things. Sense knowledge does not know God, nor can it ever know God, for He and His Word are Spirit. (John 4:24; John 6:63) This is a very important key to understanding why so many believers struggle and battle with things in their lives. These very things that some many believers struggle with, have been set aside, overcome and destroyed by Jesus Christ through the redemption provided by faith in Him.

Let us look at how the Apostle Paul came to know spiritual things, especially concerning Christ and all that He has provided for those who put their faith in Him. "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:11-12) To truly know God and things of the spirit, it must come by revelation through the Holy Spirit. (John 14:26) Paul's epistle to the Romans also sheds much light, in contracting the flesh (senses) with the spirit. "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." (Romans 8:5)

This is speaking of our recreated spirit coming to understand the things of God through the Holy Spirit. Paul goes on, "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Romans 8:6) To be ruled by the senses is death. It does not become more plain than that. But why is this so, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." (Romans 8:7) In other words, the mind of the flesh, that is, the thinking that derives its evidences from the senses, is enmity, the state of hatred or animosity against God. When Paul is addressing the flesh he does not mean the physical body as the physical body, but the physical body as the vehicle in which the five senses are contained. It is through the five senses that knowledge comes to our intellect. The body is but the vehicle of the five senses through which all the knowledge of material things has come and comes to our brain.  

So then, those who are in the flesh, letting their senses have dominion, cannot please God. In fact, as spoken above, they are in a state of hatred or animosity against God. Unfortunately, man has failed to get the knowledge of God, though he has given himself to study and searching, because he has relied upon his senses. The senses have taken such a stronghold on most, they have come to equate mental ascent as faith. Paul warns, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." (1 Timothy 4:1) Who expressly says? The Holy Spirit! What does the Holy Spirit expressly say? "...some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." The departure of true faith, that is, believing and acting on God's Word, opens the senses to deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons! 

Keep in mind that the devil's lies and deception against humanity is through the senses (Genesis 3:1-6; 1 John 2:1516) He attacks God's Word, as well as His character, nature, purpose and plan, by getting people to use their soul (mind, will, emotions, intellect, that is, the five senses) to reason, which, if not immediately cast down, creates "...arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God." (1 Corinthians 10:5) (And we wonder why there is so much division and erroneous doctrine in the church) Paul's prayer for the church reveals that it is through "the spirit of wisdom and revelation" (Ephesians 1:17) that we come to know spiritual things, that is, the knowledge of God.  Paul also tells us where all true knowledge and wisdom are found, "...attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:2-3)

Although Paul had had the advantages of all the scholarship, all the knowledge of his age in which he had gathered, he shows us the true riches, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:1-5) We can clearly see that the sense knowledge, educated, Paul, gave up sense knowledge, which is limited, for revelation knowledge that knows no bounds. His desire was the same for the church, so they (we) could walk in true faith.

What happened at Lazarus tomb is a reflection of what takes place in most congregations today. "Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:39-40) Sense knowledge limited Martha to the natural realm and although Martha did see the glory of God, it makes one wonder if she truly appreciated it, or was only happy to see her brother alive again.  

A person may be a child of God and yet never have his mind renewed, because he lives in the realm of  the senses. Sense knowledge has closed the doors against the teaching of the Holy Spirit who is the promise of the Father and gives revelation to us through God's Word. (John 16:13) As long as you listen to the voice of the senses, you will never believe God's Word and never walk by faith. Sense knowledge leads us invariably away from God to trust in what man can do, whereas revelation knowledge leads us to trust in the Lord and see His glory. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit...

It Makes No Sense

Few of us have come to realize that almost all knowledge that has been accumulated through the ages has come by-way-of the five senses. Due to this, there will always be a conflict between our five senses and God's Word. God's Word demands that we walk by faith, (2 Corinthians 5:7) whereas the senses demand that we walk by sight. (John 20:24-25) God's Word demands absolute obedience, (John 14:15) whereas the senses rise in rebellion against it. (Galatians 5:17) Walking by faith is simply acting on God's Word. 

However, the senses have dominated for so long that it is hard to yield their dominion over us to God's Word. To walk by faith, one must believe God's Word and act upon it regardless of any circumstances that dictate otherwise. (James 2:17) Jesus said, "...The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63) Therefore, God's Word leads us out of the realm of the senses into the realm of the spirit. The Apostle Paul tells us, "while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18)

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul reveals several provocative scriptures connected to the spiritual and physical (sense) realm. Here are two, "For though we walk in the flesh, (senses) we do not war according to the flesh (senses). For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) (I added the word senses for clarity purposes)

To walk in the flesh is to walk according to the senses. However, for the believer, our walk is in the spirit and the weapons of our warfare are spiritual weapons, especially God's Word. The strongholds are reasonings created by the senses which produce knowledge contrary to God's Word that men use to defend themselves against God's Word. Some of the strongholds of the senses are the denying of the supernatural for today and denying the integrity and authority of God's Word. These come in the form of church doctrine and creeds. These reasonings and vain thoughts are the enemies of faith. These by far are the main stronghold that has crippled most believers today. They exalt themselves against the Word of God.

Believers are to bring every sense knowledge reasoning (thought) "into captivity to the obedience of Christ." When we are tempted to believe our senses, we must turn resolutely to God's Word.  We are to, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) We are to hold on to His Word. Put our complete trust in Him, knowing that "Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." (Matthew 6:32) We are to "Hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) Our confession will always take sides either for God's Word or against it.

Every time that we confess weakness, lack, failure or that our wants have not been met, we
are unconsciously taking sides against God's Word. When we confess things such as these, we are confessing Satan's supremacy over us which gives him permission to thwart the will of the Father in our lives. We need to stand in the power of His might and know that "No Word from God is void of Power." (Isaiah 55:11) When we let our senses cause us to confess our weakness, lack and failures instead of "looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2)  we have lost the battle.

However, if on the other hand, we declare by faith such things as, "The Lord is my light and my salvation...The Lord is the strength of my life (Psalm 27:1)...God shall supply all of my need (Philippians 4:19)...I am complete in Him (Colossians 2:10)...Yet in all these things I am more than a conqueror in Christ (Romans 8:37)...then we are putting our trust in Him. In doing this, we can stand on what He has promised, "He shall direct your paths." PTL

I Have Faith

The Gospel according to Luke shows us an important story that concerns faith. This same incident is also shown in Matthew 8:23-27 and Mark 4:35-41. I am sharing it from Luke due to how Jesus challenges the disciples with a simple yet powerful question. "Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!” (Luke 8:22-25)

Jesus' question, "Where is your faith" should provoke every believer, everyday. Why? Recently it came to my attention through a Christian social media discussion group, a discussion concerning the Christian life beyond conversion. This was due to the common belief among most Evangelicals. Evangelical meaning, a Christian church believing in the Bible as the sole source of authority for the church. The major focus is in salvation only through conversion and spiritual regeneration. I believe this to be true for Bible believing churches, but once one is converted the majority believe and teach, "We are all sinners and even as born-again believers, we sin every day in thought, word and deed. Yes, we should strive for spiritual perfection, but we will never achieve it as long as we are in our earthly body." Is this statement in alignment with the scriptures? Well, if you are a typical Evangelical, then this is true. But if this is true, then that would mean that once one is converted that they have a dual nature. The nature of God and the nature of the devil, the sin nature.

Few have realized what the believer's legal position in Christ is; who they are in Christ; and how the Father sees them in Christ. I have posted only a very small number of scriptures to help you understand that once you are born again you are no longer a sinner in God's eyes. The apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (Corinthians 5:17) First, we need to see that God says that the believer is a New Creation. What does that mean? The Apostle Peter tells us, "God has 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 2:4) The believer, through the born again experience immediately becomes a partaker of God's nature for a purpose. To escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. To escape sin and its author, Satan, the god of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:4)  

The apostle Paul continues, "old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." This means that the old man (old satanic, sinful nature) has died, has been put away, and now the believe has a new nature, "...the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24) If the believers new nature is the divine nature created according to God in true righteousness and holiness, then how can the believe be a sinner any longer? According to the Apostle John, "Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." (1 John 3:9) How can this be? You have been told your entire Christian life that you are a born again sinner and will always be a sinner as long as you live on planet earth. But this is not what the Bible teaches through the Apostles Paul, Peter and John' writings.

So what is the problem? The problem exists in two areas. First, the church has been very strong in teaching man his need of righteousness, but also teaches his weakness and his inability to please God, but has been sadly lacking in bringing the church forward to the truth of what and who the believer is in Christ. This is due to looking at the flesh (the five senses) rather than growing ones faith through the Word of God to believe God and not fleshly experiences. Secondly, it is coming to the knowledge that it is ones spirit that is born again and not the soul (mind, will and emotions) or the body. This is evidenced in many scriptures. For example, "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) The Apostle Paul tells us to present our bodies to God and renew our minds. Naturally, we renew our minds through the Word of God which builds our faith (Romans 10:17) and is able to save our soul (mind, will and emotions (James 1:21). 

The body does not sin in and of its self. The body responds to sin as an act of the will, a result of the unregenerate soul, a mind the is not being renewed with God's Word. Therefore, a mind that is not being renewed with the Word of God, results in ungodly thoughts which will be acted upon in the body, which translates into sin. (James 1:14-15) When believers are constantly told that they are still sinners, they will continue to sin because they become filled with a sin consciousness. Trying not to sin, they always think of not sinning, becoming more cognizant of sin than righteousness. They let their thoughts rule their lives rather then their recreated spirit have the ascendancy over their soul and body. This is not grace at work, but the works of the law. Even if a believer thinks or acts out in sin, it no way means that they have a dual nature, one of God and one of the devil (sin). As a matter of fact, it is a believers choice to sin. (Romans 6:11-14) However, if they do, they can be forgiven and have the unrighteousness removed by God through repentance. (1 John 1:9)

Many have come to believe that the Apostle Paul was a sinner due to poor interpretation of Romans 7:15-23. In order to believe that Paul was a born again sinner based on this one passage of misinterpreted scripture, we would have to eliminate everything that he spoke in the seven and one half previous chapters of the Book of Romans, the rest of Romans, not to mentioned everything else that he spoke that is contrary to this erroneous belief in his other letters to the church. The Holy Spirit reveals to Paul and he records for us one of the most monumental things that refutes such teaching and sets the believer free, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

The old sinful, satanic nature of Paul (actually Saul before his conversion) was crucified with Christ, when Christ was crucified. Christ, not sin lived in Paul. Then he drives the point home, "the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Although Paul still lived in a body of flesh, he was more than a conqueror, (Romans 8:37); the body of sin was done away with (Romans 6:6); sin did not have dominion over him (Romans 6:14); he was recreated in the image of God (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24). So, how could he say these things, which are true, and live free of sin? He lived by faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. If you go back and carefully read the Book of Romans, you will no longer live in the realm of defeat due to sin. Instead you will live in victory through Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Corinthians 15:57) You will truly understand what Paul meant when he said, "For freedom, Christ has set us free. Now walk in it." (Galatians 5:1) You will also begin to see how God sees you in Christ, not in your flesh. Because the real you, is your spirit. 

This is called "identification." Identification scriptures are throughout the New Testament and can be found in all the verses of scripture that say, "In Him"; In Christ"; In Whom"; and "Through Christ." Please take time to search the scriptures for these wonderful nuggets of truth and find your true identification as the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21), not a sinner with no hope or no ability to please God our Father. Keep in mind, to believe Gods Word takes faith. The faith that pleases God (Hebrews 11:6) is spiritual and comes from a recreated spirit, not reasoning or intellectualism from a unregenerate mind. (The above barely touches the tip of the ice burg, if you will, when it come to who and what the believer is in Christ and how the Father truly sees them). Enjoy your freedom in Christ!!! 

Let Us Pray

Prayer is a very important aspect of the Christian life. Simply put, prayer is communication or communing with God. The Bible reveal various types of prayer, prayers, supplication, intercession and thanksgiving. Each type has its own place, but we should always expect our prayers to be heard and answered anytime we pray . The Apostle John tells us, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." (1 John 5:14-15) God's Word is His will, so to be effective in prayer, we should decide what we are going to pray and then pray according to His Will (Word).

The Apostle James also tells us, "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:6-8) There are two main ideas that we should glean from this. First, we must always pray in faith. To pray in faith is to be fully convinced that what God's Word says is absolutely true and then act upon it even when the circumstances are completely contrary. You must resist doubt and believe that you have God's answer. Next, we need to have our mind made up as to what we desire from God. We must be decisive and not waver. James tells us that when a person wavers they are double minded and unstable in ALL his ways, (ouch), and should not expect to have the prayer(s) answered.   

Jesus gives us an important key that unlocks the doors of heaven and grants our every need. "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) Jesus is the believers Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), Intercessor (Hebrews 7:25), Advocate (1 John 2:2) and He is Lord (Philippians 2:10). He stands between us and the Father. Therefore if we want to be sure our prayers reach the Father's ears we must prayer according to the conditions that we find in His Word.

When Jesus said, "And in that day you will ask Me nothing" He was referring to the day when He would be seated at the right hand of God as our Mediator, Intercessor and Advocate. It is from this position that believers are to ask the Father in the Name of Jesus. Also notice that Jesus says, "Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." So, can believers be filled with joy when they have a financial burden lurking over them or some other need that needs to be met? Well, according to Jesus if we ask the Father in His name "you will receive, that your joy may be full." Let us remember that we must also exercise faith when asking and ask according to God's Will.

The Father's desire is to meet every need of His children because He wants them to be full of joy. However, if we are going to worry or fret over the situation, we will find ourselves hindering God from helping us and be rob of the joy He wants for us. The Apostle Peter tells us, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) The Apostle Paul tells us, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7) The fact is, if we are going to worry instead of letting the Lord have the problem, it will do little good to pray because we will not be praying in faith. 

There are many things to pray about, but in our prayers let us not forget to pray for Israel and especially, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem..." (Psalm 122:6) As we apply the principle shown hereon to our prayers do not be surprised when you are filled with the joy of the Lord even when the circumstances look mountainous. So do not lose heart, for Nehemiah said, "Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) PTL