Building On Christ Alone

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good and Perfect Things From God

Some of the misconception concerning God's will and sickness again arise out from, "Not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God." (Matthew 22:29) One of these comes from the life of Job. In short, many have taught that because God was present when Satan came before Him concerning Job, that it must have been Gods will for Job to suffer such great loss. But is this true? Let us look at what happened in the life of Job.

Many believe that God allows suffering and sickness to come on His children, believers, in the same or similar way that He allowed it on Job. First, we must keep in mind that Satan is the accuser. (Revelation 12:10) When we look at the account of Jobs life, we must keep this in mind. First, Satan accused God of protecting Job. Next, he accused Job in saying that Job would curse God to His face if he were permitted to assault him, his family and possessions (Job 1:6-22, 2:10) Most are taught that this was all part of God’s will for Job, yet why would God speak so highly of Job in both attacks of the devil if this were so?  "Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:8) "Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” (Job 2:3)

The fact of the matter is, these attacks on Job had absolutely nothing to do with Gods will nor some mysterious purpose of God for Job. Job himself had given Satan permission to do these things by his own words, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25) Fear is not from God, it is from Satan. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy, "God has not given you a spirit of fear…” (2 Timothy 1:7) We must also keep in mind that God is just. Look at what Elihu tells Job and his three friends concerning God, “As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, in judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress.” (Job 37:23)

Notice, God is abundant in justice; He does not oppress or afflict. If I may paraphrase in more modern terms what Elihu said, "Hey guys, none of these things that has happened to Job is from God nor a part of His will, He done not afflict, oppress, torment, torture or cause one to suffer." Another important thing to keep in mind is God is just, He is consistent with what is morally right; He is righteous; Everything He does is good and right. Do we honestly believe that what Job had experienced matches up even in the most minute way with God who is just?

The fact is, God who is just does not bend justice for anyone. He is just to Himself, man and even the Satan. If He did not hold His justice on an immovable plain, then man and Satan could accuse God of not being just, showing favoritism and or partiality to who he chooses. However, that is not consistent with scripture. "For there is no partiality with God." (Romans 2:11) No, Gods justice is so immovable that Perfect Deity had to become humanity to satisfy a broken law and the claims of justice. It was not God’s will, nor some mysterious purpose for these things to happen to Job, it was Satan who was given permission by Job's own words. Job gave place to the devil and when accused before God, Gods justice had to be upheld.

Another key factor in these events is revealed at the end of the book of Job. First Job repents before the Lord, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6) Repentance takes away all territory in ones life that Satan has laid claim to. Satan is no place in a believers life through repentance. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) the confessing of sin to God removes the unrighteousness which gives place to Satan in ones life.   

Next, we see what God was able to do, due to Job's repentance, “Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning…” (Job 42:12) Some have been led to believe that it was God's will for Job to suffer in the way he did so that God could bless him. I do not know about you, but that sounds sadistic to me. No, God’s will is to bless, especially those who are in Christ. (Galatians 3:29) There is not one sane person that can honestly say that what Job suffered was a blessing. God is a God of life (John 10:10) There is certainly no life in sickness and disease, on the contrary, sickness and disease is death in progress, but Jesus came to bring life and life more abundantly and James also tells us, "Every GOOD gift and every PERFECT gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17) PTL...

What Proof Do You Need

Trying to appropriate the blessings and promises of God in ones life has become a struggle for many believers today. The main reason is a lack of true Bible faith. I say, Bible faith, simply because, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) However, many have not been brought into a clear understanding of faith due to words that have created doubts wondering if it is God's will to continue giving gifts, promises and blessings for the church today. So, words that contradict God's Word create doubt not faith. With that said, it is impossible for anyone to receive the gifts, promises and or blessings from God if one is not certain God offers them. These things can only manifest where the will of God is known. When I say the will of God, it also means the Word of God. His will and His Word are one and the same. Let's look at an example of this...

It would be next to impossible to get a sinner to "believe unto righteousness" before he or she was fully convinced that it was God's will to save them. Therefore, faith begins where the will of God
is known. Faith must rest on the will of God alone, not on our desires or wishes. Appropriating faith is not believing that God is able, but that He is willing. In Matthew's gospel we see a leper ask Jesus,
"Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” The first thing that Jesus does is correct the lepers thinking, his belief, his theology. "Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed. Immediately his leprosy was cleansed." (Matthew 8:2-3) This very thing is what stops God from overflowing the church with blessings, that is, not only knowing God is able, but knowing that He is willing. 

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter tells us, "...the Lord is gracious." (1 Peter 2:3) That is, God is, favorable; kind; benevolent; merciful; disposed to forgive offenses and impart unmerited blessings. Therefore, to not know God's will, which is found in His Word will always hamper believers from walking in the promises of God. To take this one step further, to change or adjust God's Word, that is, saying that certain gifts, promises and or blessings that He has given to the church are not for the church today, is also to say that God is not as gracious to the church who "has a better covenant on better promises" (Hebrews 8:6) than He was to the children of Israel who were under a lesser covenant. Therefore, until a person knows God's will, he or she has no basis for faith. Faith is expecting God to do what we know it is His will to do. When we know it is God's will, it is not difficult for us to believe that He will do what we are sure He wants to do. 

Another example of this can be seen in a mother telling her six year old daughter on a Wednesday, "Honey mommy is going to take you to the store on Saturday and buy you a new dress." The little girl's faith for a new dress comes by hearing the words her mother spoke to her. Although the little girl has no physical proof that she will get a new dress, she is still excited and even tells her friends. Again, the only proof of the dress is her mothers words. The little girl could not, and would not be expected to have faith for the new dress until her mother  promised it. So, in the same way, believers cannot, nor are we expected, to have faith for the gifts, promises and or blessings of God, until faith comes by hearing the Word of God. However, the problem that tends to arise is when believers, unlike the little girl in the story, need proof that God's gifts, promises and blessings are for today. Unfortunately, for many, His Word is not enough proof as Thomas they need to see to believe. Of course this is not faith at all, because faith works independent of our senses. Also, one does not need faith if for something that they can see, taste, touch, hear or smell.   

Faith always blows the ram's horn, before, not after, the walls are down. (Joshua 6:1-20) Faith never judges according sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) It is the evidence of things not seen but promised. If you really think about it, faith rests on far more solid ground than the evidence of the senses, because it is the Word of God, "which abides forever" that our faith rests upon which also builds our faith. Our senses may deceive us, but God's Word will never fail us! (Isaiah 55:11) When the little girl in the above story is promised a new dress on Wednesday, faith is the actual expectation that she already has it before Saturday arrives. Real faith always has corresponding actions (James 2:18) as seen in the little girl telling her friends about a dress that she does not have in her possession. When Saturday comes and she sees the new dress, faith for the new dress stops. 

The little girl is not afraid to testify in advance that she is to have a new dress. When her friends say, "How do you know you are?" she confidently replies, "My mommy promised it!"  We believers should have even more faith and a better reason for expecting the gifts, promises and blessings of God to manifest in our lives than the little girl had for expecting a new dress. Why? What would have happened if something unexpected had come up and the mother could not get her daughter the dress? Simply put, whether the mother could have avoided the situation or not, the promise was broken and to the little girl, her mother lied. However, God never breaks a promise, because "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)

So, let us put our confidence in this. Our proof is God's Word alone not in the things seen or felt. Now, because you have not received God's gifts, promises and or blessings instantly, does not mean that God is not faithful to perform His Word. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) So, do not lose heart, but believe God's Word. It is His will for us, yesterday, today and forever...

Soing or Sowing

In Mark's Gospel chapter four, Jesus teaches us the Parable of the Soils. In it He talks about seed being sown on four type of soils. In His explanation of the Parable He tells us the seed sown is the Word. In other words, God's Word is the seed of the divine life. It is life giving. 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) Until one puts faith, unwavering trust in God's Word, he is trying to reap a harvest where there is no seed planted. It would be senseless for a farmer to have faith for a harvest before he has even planted the seed. In the same way, it is not God's will that there be a harvest without the planting of the seed, that is, without His will, His Word, being known and acted on.

For instance, for a sick person to know that it is God's will to heal him, it is necessary for the seed to be planted in his heart and mind. The seed is not planted until it is known, received and as I had mentioned, having unwavering trust that what God says is absolutely true and He is absolutely both willing and able to perform what He says. In the same way, no person can become a Christian before he or she knows that it is God's will to save. It is God's Word sown, trusted and acted upon which recreates the spirit and also heals both soul and body. God will always be limited in a persons life until he or she knows God's will in a matter. It is the Gospel, which the Holy Spirit says through the Apostle Paul, "is the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16) which applies to all its phases, both physical and spiritual.

Neither the spiritual nor the physical phase of the Gospel is to be applied by prayer alone. Seed is powerless until it is planted. So, if we are unsure of God's Will, instead of saying, "Pray for me" we should first say, "Teach me God's Word", so that we can intelligently cooperate with the Holy Spirit and receive the promises of God. Within the Apostle Paul's prayer for the church we see, "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 1:17-18) After the eyes of our understanding are sufficiently enlightened, our attitude toward sickness, disease, sin and all the works of the devil should be the same as the Lord Jesus', "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38) "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8)

We can be sufficiently enlightened by the promises of God by simply believing that our prayer is heard before we have experienced the answer, "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) God's promises work their wonders while we see and act on eternal realities, that is, on His promises, on His faithfulness, etc., but we must stand on His Word and refuse to be affected by temporal things to the contrary. God always fulfills His promises when He can get the right cooperation. (Hebrews 10:23, 11:6) He always accepts us and undertakes for us when we apply Mark 11:24 to our daily lives.

To take this out further, let's look at Proverbs 4:20-22. "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh." God's Word cannot be health to either soul or body before it is heard, received and attended to. Notice here that the Words of God, spoken through Solomon, are life only to those who find them. If one desires to receive life and healing from God, they must take time to find the words in the scriptures that promise these results. When God's Word becomes health to all your flesh, your sickness and or disease will be gone.  Unfortunately, because many believers today have failed to find and attend to God's Word for their need(s), the promises that the Father has and is willing and able to give His children do not manifest. 

As we see in this Proverb and when we respond to it, His Words are "Life and health to all our flesh." The Holy Spirit through the Apostle James tells us, "...receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:21-22) We also see that God tells us exactly how to attend to His Words, "Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart. Therefore, having your eyes on your circumstances and being occupied with them, will cause God's Word to "depart from your eyes." So, we are to look at, consider, meditate on God's Word and like Abraham, we also become strong in faith looking at the promises of God and nothing else.

As the only way a seed can do its work is by being kept in the ground, so the only way that God's imperishable seed can effectually work in us is by it being "kept in the midst of our heart." This does not mean occasionally, but continuously. This is most likely the main reason why many have failed to receive the wonderful promises of God. When we attend to God's Words by not letting them depart
from before our eyes and by keeping them in the midst of our heart, the seed takes root in good ground. This is the kind of ground in which, Jesus says, "But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” (Mark 4:20) This is the crux of the message revealed in the Parable of the Soils.

Therefore, after you have planted your seed, (God's Word which give promise and solution to your circumstances) you simply believe it is growing even though you do not see it growing. This is faith that is, as the writer of Hebrews says, "the evidence of things not seen." By looking to Christ, by looking to God's Word, we have perfect evidence for faith. Any person can get rid of his or her doubts by looking only at the evidence that God has given for our faith, His Word. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) Seeing only what God says will produce and increase faith.  By continuously, "giving attention to God's words; Inclining your ear to His sayings; not letting them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; we will find life, light, liberty, love, joy, guidance, wisdom, understanding, provision, perfect health and so much more. God's Word provides everything that we could ever possibly need in this life. (2 Peter 1:3)

So, let us take these final words to heart, as it has been said, "Don't doubt your faith; doubt your doubts, for they are unreliable." May the grace and peace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ flood your heart and mind. 

Thy Will Be Done

I believe one of the biggest problems that bothers most of God's people, is how to know the will of the Father. As difficult as knowing God's will can be to some, simply put, His will is found in His Word. Jesus said, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." (John 6:38) Jesus knew what the Father's will was. We see this when He says, "...for I always do those things that please Him (the Father)." (John 8:29) The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him (God)" (2 Corinthians 5:9) So, if Jesus could please the Father and do His will, if Paul
could please the Father, know His will and do it, then it is possible for believers to also know God's will.

What are the grounds for this assurance? In the first place we have His mind and His will in the Word. If we search the Word diligently, meditate on it, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in it, we will attain spiritual growth and come to the place to where His will, will be an unconscious consciousness in us. In other words, it will become normal for the believer to know and live in God's will in the same manner as Jesus and the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul tells us, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another ..." (Colossians 3:16) He also tells us, "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32) and, "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." (Colossians 1:9)   

The word "knowledge" above, comes from the Greek word n"epignosis" which means correct, full, complete, concise knowledge. We are to be filled with the knowledge of God in this manner and then He gives us the wisdom to use this perfect knowledge. For some, you may be thinking that it does not seem credible that we could have perfect knowledge of God's will. Well, why shouldn't we? Think about it. We have a perfect Revelation of His will (John 14:1-11) in a perfect book, the Bible. The Holy Spirit is a perfect teacher. (John 14:26) We are perfect new creations, created in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We have perfect righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21) We have a perfect relationship with the Father and the Son. (1 John 1:4) We are partakers of the very fullness of Christ. (John 1:16) We have a perfect and complete redemption. (Colossians 2:10) We are born again by the incorruptible Word of God. (1 Peter 1:23) So, it is only logical, it is only reasonable, to believe that God's children should have the ability to have a correct, full, complete, concise knowledge of God, His will. 

Unfortunately, many believers have been preached at for so many years as to being poor miserable creatures, who are unworthy and unfit to please God. However, freedom has come to you today that you can enjoy for the rest of your life on planet earth. The Word is a perfect message and you may have perfect knowledge of God's wi1l. Our great, loving, wonderful, heavenly Father has given us His ability to know His will to know what our share is in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:12) We have the ability. It is God-given ability. We have the Holy Spirit whom Jesus said would guide us into all truth. He is our teacher, our guide, our indwelling instructor. 

Finally, in searching the scriptures, I cannot see where there is any ground for us to live in weakness, failure and or ignorance of the Father's will. I cannot see where there is any ground for us to live outside of our true place and standing in Christ or of our rights and privileges that are freely ours through Jesus Christ. We are the sons and daughters of God as well as heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:14-17) Know this day and forever, God has and is revealing His perfect will to you and as Jesus said, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) can be accomplished through you...PTL

On Earth as it is in Heaven

The prayer that Jesus revealed in Matthew 6 was never meant to be simply quoted or made into a formula for prayer. His Words carry great revelation that the Holy Spirit desires to make known to all believers. In the prayer, Jesus says, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) This was not some, oh well, hopefully, whatever, concerning God's Will being done on earth as it is in heaven, but a reality, it is exactly what Jesus meant. Not only did He mean this literally, but in fact, He came to earth in human form to prove it to be true and that God's will can manifest on earth as it is in heaven through anyone who can believe. However, we must come to understand and walk in the authority that all believers have through Jesus Christ.

Jesus tells us, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matthew 28:18) So, think about these words. Did Jesus need to be given "All authority?" He was God. He already had all authority. So why would He say "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." The Apostle Paul describes the church as "the Body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:27) and also by revelation of the Holy Spirit he tells us, "And He (The Father) put all things under His (Jesus') feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:22-23) When Christ ascended to heaven, He transferred His authority to the Church. He is the Head of the Church, and believers make up the Body. Christ's authority continues to fill His Body, the church, today, as it did in the early church. His authority has been given to His Body, His church, all believers!  

The translators of the King James Version translated many words consistently, but in some cases, they did not use the correct definition of the Greek words for power and authority. For example, in the King James Version, Jesus says, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) Although the word power is used twice in this verse, two different words are found in the original Greek. What Jesus actually said was, "I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." In speaking about serpents and scorpions, Jesus is talking about the power of the devil, demons, evil spirits, and all the powers of darkness. Believers need to realize that we have authority over them all.

Now honestly, does the church need any less authority today than it had in the early church? Of course not and it would be foolish to think so, wouldn't it? The value of our authority rests on the power that is behind that authority. Jesus Christ Himself is the power behind our authority. The devil and his forces are obliged to recognize our authority in the same way they recognize God's authority. The Apostle John tells us, "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, (devil, demons, evil spirits, and all the powers of darkness) because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4) The believer who thoroughly understands that the power of God is backing him can exercise his authority and face the enemy fearlessly.

Authority is defined as, the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience; the right to control, command, or determine. God's authority has been vested in every believer through the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells us to, "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might."  (Ephesians 6:10). That means that believers can step out in the authority of Christ and stop the devil, demons, evil spirits, and all the powers of darkness from manifesting their evil schemes at all times. Look what Paul tells us concerning the resurrection of Jesus, "and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." (Ephesians 1:19-21)

Notice the nineteenth verse. This is telling us that there was such an overwhelming display of God's power in raising Jesus from the dead, that it was the mightiest work that God had performed.  Satan as well as every demons, evil spirits, and all the powers of darkness were defeated by our Lord
Jesus Christ, who arose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and is now seated at the right of the Father, far above them. Paul tells us concerning the resurrection, "Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them." (Colossians 2:15) These are the same demonic powers we deal with today, but, thanks be to God, Jesus has completely defeated them and stripped them of their authority and power. God wants every believer to come to know what happened in the death, burial, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ. He wants us to know that He has seated Christ "far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." (Ephesians 1:21)

Believers will never understand their authority if they rely on their intellect. Understanding and walking in authority comes by revelation through the Holy Spirit and by the believer receiving it by faith. Some believers do exercise more authority over the powers of darkness than others, simply because they have received a greater revelation, spiritual comprehension, but keep in mind, God wants all believers to have spiritual comprehension. 

John Alexander Dowie, a man of God who ministered at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, received great revelation from the Holy Spirit concerning healing. Many times in his ministry he had to cross an ocean. Oft times he encountered storms, but said every time a storm came up, he did what Jesus did, He rebuked the storm and it always ceased. We should not be amazed by this. Jesus tells us, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." (John 14:12) Jesus  did not say that only a select few would do these works. He said those who believe on Him would do the same works and even greater. 

As believers study and meditate on what the Word of God teaches, it will produce faith (Romans 10:17) and educate our recreated spirits concerning our authority in Christ. In doing this, the Holy Spirit will reveal to us our position in Christ, which is, "far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." As this revelation grows in us, I believe we will see exactly what Jesus said, "God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven." PTL   

Had You Known Me

For centuries, many in the church have come to know God, that is, His will, nature, character, purpose and plan in a very non-biblical fashion. Many believers today also misunderstand or have a limited knowledge of God in this way, therefore, they miss out on the wonderful promises and manifestation of His Kingdom, Power and Glory that come through Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews records, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person (nature)..." (Hebrews 1:1-3) 

In and throughout the Old Testament, God used various methods in communicating his will, nature, character, purpose and plan to humanity. At times it was by direct communication and at times by dreams and visions. He did this mostly through the prophets. Although the prophets, were in a sense, great in God, the day came when God sent His only begotten Son into the world where He spoke to us in a way that brought the greatest revelation of His will, nature, character, purpose and plan. The writer goes on to say, that God's Son was the "brightness of His glory and the express image of His person." In other words, when Jesus was revealed in the flesh He was the "exact representation" of Father God's "nature."

The Greek word translated "exact representation" finds its origin in the making of coins by striking them, thus creating an impression upon them. This word can be translated as coined impression or
exact reproduction. The Greek word translated "nature" can be translated as real substance or essence. In other words, what these opening verses in Hebrews are telling us, is, that Jesus Christ is the exact representation, the coined impression, the exact reproduction of the nature, character, real substance, and essence of the Father. No one had ever revealed the Father so perfectly in every way until Jesus. This is one of the most important things that believer must fully understand if we want to know the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of God.

The Gospel of John expresses this fundamental, but most important truth concerning Jesus more often than any other book. The truth presented by the writer of Hebrews and, as we will see revealed by the Apostle John in his Gospel, can be easily taken for granted because at first glance it seems so apparent. Because it is so apparent, so obvious, it can be easily underestimated in significance. However, overlooking and underestimating the significance of this truth continues to be the main reason why so many believers have such a non-biblical perspective of God, in regard to His will, nature, character, purpose and plan, that is, who He truly and really is. We begin with the conversation that Jesus has with the eleven apostles (Judas Iscariot having left them to go and betray Jesus). Although the eleven are present, Jesus' conversation is directed towards Thomas and Philip.

"Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6-7) Jesus tells them that He is "the way, the truth and the life." Jesus is the only access to the Father and He is the source of Truth and life. There is hardly a believer anywhere that would object to these rather obvious truths. He goes on, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Notice that Jesus says, "if you had known Me, you would have known My Father also." In other words, to know Christ is to know the Father.  The word "known" in this passage, by definition, carries the same meaning as, "Now Adam "knew" Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain..." (Genesis 4:1) It is to have an intimate relationship, and intimate connection with Jesus as a man with his wife. 

Studying the life of Jesus will reveal the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father. If believers fail to believe that Jesus knows and reveals the Father in this way in all matters, their knowledge of God will be filled with misconceptions of who He truly is. Mysteries that were once hidden in the Old Testament, are now revealed in Jesus, through His words and actions. The conversation continues, "Philip said to Jesus, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works." (John 14:8-10)

This conversation reveals some important truths. Jesus tells Philip that when He is seen, the Father is also seen. Every word and every action of Jesus reveals the will of the Father. Jesus also reveals the special nature of the relationship between Himself and the Father. The fact is, Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus. The Father in Jesus gives Him the words to speak. The implication is that the teaching and commands of Jesus reveals the Father's perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan in all matters. Jesus gives credit to the Father for His works. The miracles and healing in the life of Jesus were expressions of the divine purpose of the Father. Finally, in this conversation, Jesus reveals what this special relationship between Him and His Father will mean to His disciples in the future, if believers want to do the same kind of works. Jesus continues...

"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:11-14) Faith in Jesus includes believing that He was and is in the Father. This phrase is of great importance. In context of these verses, Jesus has been teaching the importance of believing that He has been revealing the Father. In fact, Jesus commands His followers to believe that very thing. If believers fail to believe that Jesus reveals the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father, they will find that faith will be difficult for many of the things that Jesus did for humanity through His death, resurrection and glorification. They will also fail to understand and walk out in this life, the fact that Jesus calls upon all believers to replicate His ministry and do even greater things.

This great promise, "the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do" is conditioned on the earlier statement that believers must believe that Jesus is in the Father and the Father in Him. That Jesus is an exact reproduction of the Father revealing the Father's perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan in all matters. Believers must believe that the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father was finding absolute perfect expression in the actions, attitudes, teaching and commands of Jesus. Now that Jesus has gone to be with the Father, the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father can now be expressed through believers empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

We can now draw this important conclusion from what has been revealed in the above. Believing that God the Father was in Jesus expressing His perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan through everything that Jesus said and did, has opened the door for believers to do similar and even greater works than Jesus. While many believes would be quick to agree with these things, if they fail to grasp the significance of this highly important matter discussed here, they will fail to experience the miraculous works that Jesus promised those who believe, would do. Simply put, this is not a matter of the intellect, but of revelation. Without seeking God for a revelation of these things, we will see Christianity as no more than any other powerless world religion. We will continue to develop doctrinal disclaimers that disagree with the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of God and possibly never come to see God as who He really is. 

So, let us be as Abraham, "Who did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:20-21) Amen?

Are You Fully Convinced

One of the greatest examples of faith is exhibited in the life of Abraham. According to the Bible, "Now the Lord had said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you....So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran." (Genesis 12:1, 4) Notice that Abram was seventy-five years old when the Lord called him. He did not have a Bible filled with God's Word that he could look to, to build his faith. (Romans 10:17) He only had the Word that God spoke to him. This in itself should challenge our faith to go beyond the faith that Abram exhibited because we have a greater revelation from God in His Word. Abram lived out the Word of the Lord for another twenty-four years before God spoke to him to bring forth His Word, "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless." (Genesis 17:1) Then finally a year later, God's promise to Abram, now Abraham, had manifested, "Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him." (Genesis 21:5) Abraham had to stretch his faith to the limits for twenty-five years believing that God's Word would come to past.  

The faith that Abraham exhibited was so impressive that he is spoken of throughout the New Testament. Romans tells us, "And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:19-21)  Noticed that Abraham was strengthened in faith. As a human being, Abraham did not have the faith he needed. God's supernatural power had to come upon him to give him the faith needed to strengthen him. God filled him with His faith (Romans 12:3) to help him wait for the son he was promised. After Abraham had received strengthening from God, he was persuaded, fully convinced and had the conviction to wait for the manifestation of what God had promised by His Word. 

God wants to do the same with us. He wants to use His power to blow apart our doubt and unbelief and to fil1 us with His faith to receive the miracles He has prepared for us. Like Abraham, when we are persuaded, or totally convinced, nothing can make us waver or doubt. Regardless of what people say, or what the circumstances may dictate, we know that nothing can change what God has spoken. (Psalm 89:34; Isaiah 40:8; Mark 13:31) Some people doubt that God's promises will come to pass because they are not fully convinced. It is the God kind of faith that brings the conviction needed to see His promises manifest. Remember, Jesus said, "...Have faith in God." (Mark 11:22) A more literal translation of this verse is, "Have God's faith" or "Have the God kind of faith." 

Jesus said, “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) We receive faith to believe as God believes by simply and humbly asking Him something like this, "Heavenly Father, I open my heart so You can fil1 it with Your own faith. Destroy in me a1l doubt, fear, unbelief, human reasoning, and arguments so that I may receive the miracles You promised me, as well as ministering your promises to others through the faith You have imparted into my life. I thank you and ask this in Jesus Name."  
 

James tells us that when we ask God for something, to, "ask in faith, with no doubting." Jesus tells us, "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) The key is "ask without doubt and believe that you receive."  God wants to give us explosive faith today to continue the ministry of Jesus on earth until He returns, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19) But we must be fully convinced that He is willing and able to work through us supernaturally to once again turn this world upside down for His glory.   

All Through Love

The life and ministry of Jesus Christ while He was physically on earth was nothing less the the operation of the surrounding, abounding, infinite love of God. This is clearly revealing throughout scripture. We see the revelation of the God of love more clearly portrayed in the New Testament.  ^"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) "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." (1 John 4:10) These are just a few scriptures among many, but they do express God's great unwavering, incredible  love for sinful man.

We only have to look at verses of scripture like these to realize that everything that God does toward humanity is all through love. Even at the treason committed by Adam in the Garden, did not arouse God's wrath toward Adam or the woman. Yes, judgment was past, but it was the result of Adam's transgression not God's wrath. In other words, Adam made the decision, he made the choice to rebel against the one command that God gave to him. The result was what God said would happen, "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17) The literal translation says, "In dying you will die." In other words, Adam died spiritually the moment he broke God's commandment and then he died physically 930 years later. God did not bring this upon Adam, he chose it for himself. It was not God's will! It was Adam's choice. I labor this because many believers have been trained to believe that things like sickness, disease, poverty, premature death, natural disasters, etc., are God's will when they are not.

Not only do scriptures like John 3:16, Romans 5:8 and 1 John 4:10 clearly show us God's loves towards fallen man, we must also keep in mind scripture like John 3:17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."  God's love is to save humanity not condemn or destroy humanity. If sickness, disease, poverty, premature death, natural disasters, etc., are God's will for humanity, they why did he set in motion before the foundation of the world the redemption of man?  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." (Ephesians 1:3-4) In fact, His redemption for man began at the fall of man, "So the Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)

God did not stop there, He shed innocent blood to cover mans sin, "Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21) This points to innocent blood that would be shed by God again. This time, His own blood. The ultimate sacrifice that would not cover sin but take it away forever. The sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. However, prior to the death of Jesus we see the love of God in action through Him. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19) "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."  (Acts 10:38)

It should not take much faith to see that love has no part in sickness, disease, poverty, premature death, natural disasters, etc. All of these things are the result of the fall of man, the actions of the devil and the poor choices that people constantly make, not God. In fact, God describes love this way, "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails..." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) Let's be not only honest but logical. If sickness, disease, poverty, premature death, natural disasters, etc. is the will of God, who is love, then we either have no idea how loves works; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is a misprint and should not be part of the Bible; or love is hatred in disguise. Because we know in our heart that none of these three ideas are true, we also know that sickness, disease, poverty, premature death, natural disasters, etc. are not the work of God nor are they His Will. He is love and all that He does is through love. 

The life and ministry and life of Jesus is the greatest revelation of the Father's will, nature, character, purposes and plan that the Bible records. "Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them..." (Matthew 9:35-36) This again is only one incident of many, revealing the love of Father God operating through the life and ministry of Jesus. God has not limited these things from operating today. It is the faithless doctrines of the so called religious wise who have taken the same position of the Pharisees and Sadducee's as recorded in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. "Jesus answered and said to them, well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 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. For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men...making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:6-8, 13)   

Food for thought: Is there any parent among you that can say it is your will that your child or children should suffer from sickness or disease? That somehow sickness and disease would be a good and loving thing for your child or children because it has a mysterious purpose to teach them something? That if your child is disobedient, you would like sickness or disease to ravage their body or mind to disciple them? Of course you would not. In fact if your children do become sick or injured your heart cries out for relief so they do not have to suffer. Jesus said, "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 7:11) "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) Praise the Lord for His surrounding, abounding love for His Children!!!       

Who Dunn It? - Part 7

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who Dunn It? - Part 5

God's incredible plan of redemption is so far reaching, but unfortunately the majority of Christians have limited to regeneration and a trip to heaven at the end of this life.  The word redemption itself means, deliverance upon payment of ransom; to rescue. For Christians it carries with it, deliverance from sin through the incarnation, sufferings, and death of Christ. Deliverance means, to rescue from bondage; to rescue from moral corruption or evil. This is the price that Jesus paid for humanity. The hope of heaven is just that, it is future. But while we are on this earth we have been delivered, we have been set free from all the bondage, corruption and evil that has come upon the earth through Satan.

Sickness and disease is bondage! To be in bondage is to be bound by, subjected to, or under the influence of an external power. That external power is Satan. How did Satan get this power to hold humanity in bondage? It started in the Garden of Eden when Satan approached the woman as a serpent and deliberately challenged God's Word to deceive her. (Genesis 3:1) Once she allowed her mind to reason, it was all but over for her. The Bible records that the woman was deceived (I Timothy 2:13-15) She believed the lie of Satan instead of God’s Word. However, Adam sin was a deliberate choice. He sinned knowingly. (Genesis 3:6) Due to his position as the representative of all mankind, his sin was therefore charged to the entire human race. (Romans 5:12-21)

In both Genesis 1:26-30 and Psalm 8:3-8 we see that God gave Adam control over creation. In a sense, Adam was the god of the world. However, the Gospel according to Luke records the temptations of Christ. It is here that we see the result of Adam's treason concerning God's original plan for man in man's God given responsibility to have dominion over God's work of creation. "Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” (Luke 4:5-7) Notice that the kingdom's of the world had been delivered to Satan. Adam's act of treason was just that. He forfeited his dominion, authority and control of "The work of God's hands" into the hands of Satan. The Bible tells us that now Satan is the god of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:4) Although Satan is the God of this world, God's incredible plan of redemption came to earth. The Word of God, God the Word became flesh (John 1:1, 14) to save the world, to bring salvation. (John 3:16)

However, taking a closer look at the words save, saved and salvation that we find in the Bible, we see that they have far greater meaning that most believers have come to know. The Greek Words that are translated salvation and saved in most English versions of the Bible are a form of the Greek word sozo. Various forms of this word are used more than 100 times in the New Testament. Although most churches and ministries tend to limit the words salvation and saved to the rebirth experience. However, the full meaning of this word goes beyond just being born again and going to heaven. A more complete meaning of sozo is; to save; deliver; protect; preserve; be made whole; to cure; to be made well; to heal. PTL

As we can see, sickness and disease have been dealt with through the redemption that God has brought to humanity through Jesus Christ. In the next part of this series will will look at the ministry of Jesus when He walked on the earth as the Son of Man and how He approached sickness and disease.

Who Dunn It? - Part 4

As we saw in part three in the life of Job, it was Satan exercising his right into Jobs life through Job's own words that gave him the permission to afflict Job, "For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me." (Job 3:25) It was fear that opened the door for Satan to afflict Job. It had absolutely nothing to do with God's will for Job, but God's justice.

The Bible records another incident in which some teach as being God's Will concerning sickness and disease. It states that the Apostle Paul dealt with sickness in his body. However, a closer look at this reveals something entirely different.  This incident deals with what the Bible records as Paul’s thorn in the flesh. “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 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 12:7-10)

For many, the thought that is widely accepted is that Paul had a sickness which God refused to heal. So let us look at this and see if this thinking is scriptural. First, the expression “thorn in the flesh” is used elsewhere in the Bible. It refers to what God said would happen to the Israelites if they failed to obey Him by not driving out the inhabitants of the land which the Lord had given to them. “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.” (Numbers 33:55) 

Next, Paul says, “…a messenger of Satan to buffet me…” The word messenger is the same word most often transliterated as “angel” elsewhere in the New Testament. Paul is saying that the thorn in the flesh was an angel of Satan that buffeted him. To buffet means to strike with a fist. Paul never says that the buffeting was sickness. After Gods response, Paul then says that he would rather boast in his infirmities. The word infirmity in this scripture does not mean sickness, but weakness. This is why God’s response is as such, “… for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Again, not sickness but weakness. Therefore, we conclude that Paul’s thorn in the flesh was a satanic angel that stirred up persecution against Paul wherever he went.

Let's look at some of the things that Paul dealt with for the gospel's sake that reveals the persecution that he faced. "Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool, I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness, besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches." (2 Corinthians 11:22-28)

Can any one of us honestly say that they have suffered what Paul had suffered for Christ? No! He was not sick or sickly but persecuted. He understood something that most in the church cannot even comprehend, Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, (weakness) that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, (weakness) in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Paul understood that weakness was nothing more than the place where the power of God could come upon him. Honestly, if God's power is going to come upon a person, sickness and or disease will certainly be dispossessed. PTL 

In the next part of this series we will look at what redemption that God brought to earth through Christ and what it has accomplished for all humanity.  

How Dunn It? - Part 3

Now that we have seen the extreme contrast between God and Satan, we are seeing clearly that sickness and disease is not from God nor is it His will. Some of the misconception concerning God's will and sickness again arise out from, "Not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God." (Matthew 22:29) One of these comes from the life of Job. In short, many have taught that because God was present when Satan came before Him concerning Job, that it must have been Gods will for Job to suffer such great loss. But is this true? Let us look at what happened in the life of Job.

Many believe that God allows suffering and sickness to come on His children, believers, in the same or similar way that He allowed it on Job. First, we must keep in mind that Satan is the accuser. (Revelation 12:10) When we look at the account of Jobs life, we must keep this in mind. First, Satan accused God of protecting Job. Next, he accused Job in saying that Job would curse God to His face if he were permitted to assault him, his family and possessions (Job 1:6-22, 2:10) Most are taught that this was all part of God’s will for Job, yet why would God speak so highly of Job in both attacks of the devil if this were so?  "Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1:8) "Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” (Job 2:3)

The fact of the matter is, these attacks on Job had absolutely nothing to do with Gods will nor some mysterious purpose of God for Job. Job himself had given Satan permission to do these things by his own words, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25) Fear is not from God, it is from Satan. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy, "God has not given you a spirit of fear…” (2 Timothy 1:7) We must also keep in mind that God is just. Look at what Elihu tells Job and his three friends concerning God, “As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, in judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress.” (Job 37:23)

Notice, God is abundant in justice; He does not oppress or afflict. If I may paraphrase in more modern terms what Elihu said, "Hey guys, none of these things that has happened to Job is from God nor a part of His will, He done not afflict, oppress, torment, torture or cause one to suffer." Another important thing to keep in mind is God is just, He is consistent with what is morally right; He is righteous; Everything He does is good and right. Do we honestly believe that what Job had experienced matches up even in the most minute way with God who is just?

The fact is, God who is just does not bend justice for anyone. He is just to Himself, man and even the Satan. If He did not hold His justice on an immovable plain, then man and Satan could accuse God of not being just, showing favoritism and or partiality to who he chooses. However, that is not consistent with scripture. "For there is no partiality with God." (Romans 2:11) No, Gods justice is so immovable that Perfect Deity had to become humanity to satisfy a broken law and the claims of justice. It was not God’s will, nor some mysterious purpose for these things to happen to Job, it was Satan who was given permission by Job's own words. Job gave place to the devil and when accused before God, Gods justice had to be upheld.

Another key factor in these events is revealed at the end of the book of Job. First Job repents before the Lord, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6) Repentance takes away all territory in ones life that Satan has laid claim to. Satan is no place in a believers life through repentance. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) the confessing of sin to God removes the unrighteousness which gives place to Satan in ones life.   

Next, we see what God was able to do due to Job's repentance, “Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning…” (Job 42:12) Some have been led to believe that it was God's will for Job to suffer in the way he did so that God could bless him. I do not know about you, but that sounds sadistic to me. No, God’s will is to bless, especially those who are in Christ. (Galatians 3:29) There is not one sane person that can honestly say that what Job suffered was a blessing. God is a God of life (John 10:10) There is certainly no life in sickness and disease, on the contrary, sickness and disease is death in progress.

In the next part of this series we will look at the Apostles thorn in the flesh, which is another case where God's Word has been taken out of context and meaning to say that sickness and disease is from God or that they are His will. 

Is Seeing Believing? Part 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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