Running The Race Set Before Us

Racing on any level is defined as, competing with another or others to see who is fastest at covering a set course or achieving an objective; to move or progress swiftly or at full speed. Toward the end of the Apostle Paul's life on earth, he tells Timothy, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:6-7) "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering," conveys the idea that for Paul, there was nothing more remaining to be done but to leave this life and enter eternity in the LORDS presences. The fact that he was about to die, was his way to convey to Timothy the reason why Timothy should faithfully carry out the duties to which he was also called to fulfill in Christ. Paul was about to leave the work which he loved, to which he had devoted his life to, and he was anxious that they who were to succeed him should carry on the work with the same energy and zeal that he had for Christ and the work which Christ called him to. 

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering" also carries the idea that Paul was in the condition of a sacrifice on whose head the wine and oil had been already poured, and which was just about to be put to death. Every preparation had been made, and he waited for the blow which was to strike him down. Paul understood that Christ was the true sacrifice, he was simply saying that his death was about to occur and there was nothing more that remained for him to do but to die. Next, Paul says, "and the time of my departure is at hand." Departure; an unloosing (as of things woven); a dissolving (into separate parts). It is used as a metaphor drawn from loosing a ship from moorings in preparation to setting sail. The idea in the use of the word departure would be, that Paul had been bound to the present world, like a ship to its moorings, and that death would be a release. With such a view of death that Paul states, why should a Christian fear dying?

Next, Paul says, "I have fought a good fight." The believers life is often represented as a conflict, or warfare. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 6:10-13) Paul tells us that in the conflict with sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil, he was able to maintain a strong front over them all in and through Christ and the power of His might. ( Ephesians 6:10) Paul was likening the fight in the natural sense of the contests at the Grecian games; I have wrestled that good wrestling; I have struggled hard, and have overcome, in a most honorable cause. "I have finished the race." The Christian life is often represented as a race to be run. (Hebrews 12:1) In a sense, for Paul, his life for Christ was a personal race, a mission for Christ, outperforming all the competitors, crossing the goal line and winning the prize. He had completed the work that Christ had given him. "I have kept the faith." Paul was declaring that his course for Christ had no detours. That he steadfastly maintained his faith in Christ and his work of spreading the gospel, faithfully serving his LORD.

Like the Apostle Paul, all believers are in a conflict. The conflict is between two kingdoms that diametrically oppose one another. The Kingdom of God; the kingdom of Satan; The Kingdom of Light; the kingdom of darkness; The Kingdom of life; the kingdom of death and every person will be a servant to one of them. Can we say the same things that we see the Apostle Paul saying in the above verses? Is our service to Christ one of works to gain something from Him, or is it a work of faith working through love (Galatians 5:6) with a willingness to lose everything for Him. (Matthew 19:29) This was the heart of the Apostle Paul. Paul tells us, "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:7-8) 

Do we desire to gain Christ over all or as Paul states, "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? His answer is, "For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bond servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10) The Lord is once again calling to His people to faith, that is...
Forsaking, All, I, Take, Him. 

This is the very reason why the Apostle Paul could honestly say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." He let his life go, and identified solely with his LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. I want to encourage us to do the same. Jesus said, "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25) So, let us let go of this life, and remember, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." (Hebrews 12:1-2) In doing so, we will find the abundant life that Jesus has for us. (John 10:10) Amen!!!    

Speaking The Truth

The word "percolate" means to, "filter gradually through a porous surface or substance." Looking at the first part of this definition, "filter gradually through" we can, in a sense, apply this to the words that we hear and their affect on us. For instance, if a person grows up in a household where negative speech is common, then all the negativity that is heard will eventually "filter gradually through" and effect that person in some way, most likely in an adverse way. In the same manner, if a person grows up in a household where positive speech is common, this also will "filter gradually through" but will have a positive effect upon the hearer. This is to show us just how powerful words are, or can be.

Jesus warns us, in two important ways concerning words. First He say, "Take heed what you hear." (Mark 4:24) Take heed to what you hear, tells us, that we are to be selective, that is, use caution to what we hear. Why? The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul warns, "that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting." (Ephesians 4:14) Children (new believers) are very impressionable and can be drawn into various doctrines that are contrary to the unadulterated Word of God, which can "filter gradually through" and cause them to remain, "as to babes in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1) or as Paul also says, "Carnal and behaving like unsaved people." (1 Corinthians 3:3) It also implies, that we should make good use of every opportunity to learn. If we consider what we hear and make improvements or advancements in God's Kingdom, we shall be well rewarded. (Mark 4:24-25) 

We see a great example of this, "When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:13-14) Notice, the report of His disciples, "some say...others say." They were reporting what they had heard. But was what they heard true? No! We are not sure as to whether they believed these reports or not, but one thing is certain, out of the twelve disciples only one heard and spoke the truth, "Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16) How do we know that Peter heard and spoke truth? Jesus replies, "for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 16:17) It can be very easy to hear and speak, even when what we have heard is not the truth, which leads us to the next statement that Jesus made concerning words. Jesus also warns, "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37) 

Our words can either hold us in bondage and in constant defeat or they will put us over and we will live in victory. It is simply our choice. Jesus tells us, "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." (Mark 11:23) Basically, we can say what we have, problems, troubles, lack or put this verse into practice and have what we say, the promises of God. Of course to have what we say must be spoken with faith and it must be in line with God's Word. The simple truth is, as long as we say what we have, we will have exactly that. Saying what we have will produce nothing more than what has been said. Unfortunately, many believe fall short of what God has for them as they serve Him, due to hearing and speaking the wrong things.  

Believers must train themselves in these two realm. We are to take heed to what we hear and take heed to what we say, because words are that powerful. We can do this by studying the life of Jesus. In doing so, we will find some very important facts that caused Jesus to overcome the world, the flesh and Satan. He spent much of His time in prayer, (Luke 5:16); He never prayed the problem. He always prayed the solution, the truth. He never spoke idle words. He only spoke what God said, (John 12:49); He only and always spoke the desired results, God's will, (John 5:30); He used the written Word to defeat the devil, (Matthew 4;1-11) If we will become imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1) and speak the things that God said, we will rise to a new level of faith (Romans 10:17) and walk in the same level of life that Jesus walked in as the Son of Man. (John 14:12). So, let the Word of God percolate, filter gradually through our hearts and minds, always "speaking the truth in love and grow up into all things in Christ." (Ephesians 4:15)  May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ rule in our hearts...

Living In His Glory

In the beginning when God created, everything was in its finished, fully mature form. He also placed seed in every living thing so that it could reproduce after its own kind. (Genesis 1:1-31) Therefore, the essence of creation goes like this, God spoke, it was so, and it was a completed work. Out of all creation, man was the only thing created in the image and likeness of God. Man is God’s crown jewel of creation, "For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us]." (Ephesians 2:10 AMP) 

God created the Garden of Eden and placed Adam there to tend it. (Genesis 2:15). The word garden means, enclosure; to hedge about; It is something that protects, defends, covers, surrounds. Eden means, pleasure; delight. God’s design of Eden was the perfect setting for man, because it was the place of His glory and presence on earth. We get a glimpse of this, "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." (Genesis 3:8) Although this was after the fall, we see God’s presence, His glory, in the Garden with Adam and the woman. Before the fall, Adam and the woman were surrounded by, protected by and continuously lived in God’s glorious presence. It was never God's desire for man to live outside of His glorious presence. 

Look at the Psalmist portrayal of man, "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas." (Psalm 8:4-8) Notice that God is mindful of man and cares for him, "casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].(1 Peter 5:7 AMP) 

Next, take note that the word angel is the word "elohim." Verse five can be written this way, “For you have made man a little lower than yourself and you have crowned him with glory and honor.” The Hebrews word glory means weight. However, when used figuratively, it is in the sense of splendor; abundance; and honor. It is used to describe an individual’s wealth, power, majesty, fame, reputation, recognition, beauty, magnificence, strength, dignity, splendor, respect, excellence, holiness and greatness. Therefore, the glory of God, expresses the very attributes of God. God crowned man with His glory. In other words, man was created to be filled with and also to be continuously in God's presence, His glory. Not in some nebulous way, but in a real, tangible, experiential way.  

It was Adam's treason, the fall, that separated man from be continuously in the glory and presence of God. Adam did not know physical difficulties such as, pain, sickness, poverty or death. He did not know mental stresses, worry, anxiety, etc., because in God’s glorious presence, none of these things exist. In the glory of God, in His manifest presence, everything is complete. Every need of humanity is met. Jesus' ministry as the Son of Man was the first time that God's glory was present in a man on earth since prior to man's fall. In Jesus' prayer for all believers recorded in John's Gospel chapter seventeen, we find some incredibly good news, He says, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one." (John 17:22) Then Jesus says, "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me." (John 17:24) 

First, by virtue of being born again, we receive the same glory that Peter, James and John saw on the Mount of Transfiguration radiating forth from Jesus. The brightness of God's glory in Jesus was simply manifesting on the outside. Not only do we have God's glory within, but Jesus also tells us, "that they may behold (to look at; to see; to perceive with the eyes; to participate in and to enjoy the presence of) My glory…” The Greek word for glory means, splendor; brightness; magnificence; excellence; preeminence; dignity; grace; and majesty. Therefore, combining both the Hebrew and Greek words for glory, we find that, the glory of God is the total sum of His attributes, character, nature and virtues, that is, the very essence of God is His glory. The glory of God is the essence of all that He is. 

With that said, we need to understand that God’s Glory is infinite, boundless, having no restrictions. It is beyond human comprehension and the imagination. His manifested glory on earth is the supernatural, experienced in the natural that makes everything complete and meets every need of humanity. For some this may be hard to comprehend, but that is where faith comes in. Many believers are settling for far less in their relationship with God as they serve Him. So, let me ask you, "Did the Father through Jesus, fully restore humanity or not? Has Christ completely redeemed us or not? Has God recreated us or not? The answer to these three questions is absolutely, yes! 

The final objective of redemption through Christ was to restore humanity to the realm of God’s glory, for which we were created as we saw in the Garden with Adam and now we see in Jesus' prayer in John seventeen. Believers have a complete redemption. Again, this means that the same glory that was and is in Jesus, is in the believer by virtue of being born again by the Holy Spirit. The great news is, God wants us to participate in and to enjoy His glory. This is not to be a once and a while experience, but a continuous one as it was with Adam, and moreover, with Jesus. Believers are in fact carriers of God’s glory and presence through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. However, we will never realize such an wonderful fact without faith. The Lord desires to manifest His glory and presence continuously and tangibly in His church, that is, in every believer, both corporately and individually. "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory..." (Hebrews 2:10) This is the objective of redemption through Christ! Glory, Hallelujah...  

Believing Is Seeing

Throughout church history, giants in the faith have always risen up to continue the ministry of Christ on the earth. Jesus tells us, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18) "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." (John 14:12) In these two scriptures, I want to point out two very important words, "who believe." Although Jesus is talking to His disciples, the term "who believe" applies across the board for everyone, anyone, all who believe, anytime and anywhere. How do we know that this applies to the church today?

First and foremost, there is absolutely not one verse or passage of scripture that tells us that miracles, signs and wonders are not to be apart of the daily lives of believers today, unless we take scripture out of context and or not permit scripture to confirm scripture. Just prior to Jesus' departure from earth to return to heaven, He tells His disciples, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20) He plainly tells the eleven to go make disciples, to instruct them to attend to carefully, ALL THINGS that He (Jesus) commanded them (the apostles). 

Let us look at one of the commands that Jesus gave to the twelve apostles, "These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:5-8) In this passage we find Jesus giving the twelve apostles a command to do some very specific things, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons." So, if this is a command from Jesus, which it is, and if He commanded the eleven to, "make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you," which He did, then it only stands to reason, it is only logical, that the command to, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons" has not been relinquished, dismissed, taken away from, or cease to operate in the church by Jesus ever! This is a command that all who believe have been commissioned (commanded) to do!

If the church, all who believe, are commanded to continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth, then why do so many believers reject the full extent of the great commission, which is not only preaching regeneration to the lost, but also includes, miracles, signs and wonders? The answer is quite simple, "these signs will follow those who believe: Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me." Walking in the supernatural, powered by the Holy Spirit, in the Name of Jesus takes faith. To have faith, is to have complete trust or confidence in the Lord and His Word. Faith has absolutely nothing to do with our five senses, which are the vehicles from where most of our knowledge comes from as we live and operate in the natural realm. However, faith transcends the natural realm to believe God (His Word) when it seems foolish, ridiculous, absurd, impossible or just too hard to believe. 

Throughout church history, even more recently, there are men and women who went beyond a mere religious Christianity, to true Christianity that reveals our Lord Jesus Christ through miracles, signs and wonders. Some of these fellow believers are, John Alexander Dowie, Maria Woodworth-Etter, John G. Lake, Smith Wigglesworth, Aimee Semple McPherson, Kathryn Kuhlman, William Branham, A. A. Allen, K.W. Kenyon and Oral Roberts. They were not perfect people, nor were they special to God above any other believer. They simply believed. They believed the very thing that Jesus said "whoever believes" could do, release the supernatural, that is, do the things that Jesus did. These men and women believers are some of the giants of the faith. People that we can admire and glean from or sit back and criticize. Remember, "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

The Apostle Paul tells us, "For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power." (1 Corinthians 4:20) He also reveals to us, "Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15:17-19) Paul proved Jesus not in word but in power. His ministry revealed Jesus through not only his preaching of the gospel, but through mighty signs and wonders. He discloses an important message for us all to hear when he says, "I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." In other words, Paul tells us in this passage, that the full gospel is not complete without mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God. 

The gospel according to Mark also shows us, "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs." Amen. (Mark 16:19-20) Notice that the Lord confirmed His Word through accompanying signs. Some may say, "Well that was the apostles, therefore, now that they are gone, we do not need signs and wonders because we have the Bible" or "God does not do signs and wonders through believers today because they were only needed back in the days of the early church." Believing statements like these are why so many people in the church have more faith in what man can do than what God has done through Christ and what believers are to do through the Holy Spirit. When people in the church come to such a conclusion that miracles, signs and wonders are not part of the church today, it is simply due to relying on what their five senses can apprehend. To get beyond this, they simply need to believe God and act upon His Word.  

For the Apostle Thomas, seeing was believing, (John 20:24-25), for all the giants of the faith, believing is seeing. When we truly believe that God and His Word are not void of power at anytime, we will see the supernatural of God moving across the earth, even greater than it did in the early church. So, let us stop looking at the weakness of our flesh, stop listening to the lies of devil, and let God arise in His mighty immeasurable power at work in us (Ephesians 3:20) as a testimony of Jesus, the Lord and Savior of all and walk with giants.

Christ Has Set Us Free

Today marks the one hundred and fifty sixth Memorial Day in the USA. Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. It is a day of remembrance, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally established in 1868 and known as Decoration Day, it became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Memorial Day also marks the unofficial beginning of summer. Although many have mixed feeling concerning Memorial Day, let us never forget the reason why we remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. They fought and died to secure the freedoms that our fore-father's also fought and died for. Without doubt, the United States of America was established as "One Nation Under God" so let us never forget those who lost their lives defending this nation.

History also shows us the greatest struggle for freedom had taken place. This was a war that was not fought against flesh and blood, but a spiritual battle fought against the one who has brought nothing but destruction upon the entire history of humanity. This foe had stolen freedom from every person born on the earth and has held them in such bondage that murder, pestilence, disease and death seems to be a way of life in which no one can escape. This foe is known by many names, which are a reflection of his nature. His name is Satan. He is the worst, cruelest and most destructive tyrannical power ever set against humanity.

Not one person from the creation of man had ever been able to fight against Satan and rise the victor. All humanity was helpless and hopeless in this world, until the greatest warrior that ever walked on this planet emerged. His name, Jesus, the Son of God. Unfortunately, there are billions of people that  have not recognized the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus paid to set humanity free. Many of them have heard the story of Jesus, "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 "the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them." (2 Corinthians 4:4)

Before Jesus gave His life to set humanity free, He sat with His disciples and in a sense, set up a Memorial Day for all who would call upon His Name to be set free. "When the hour had come, Jesus sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you." (Luke 22:14-20)

The Apostle Paul tells us, "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes." (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) As we can see, believers are to participate in "Holy Communion" as a deep, intimate connection with the One, Jesus Christ, who has given humanity more freedom than any nation(s) or army(s) could possible provide.  

Paul instructs us, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes." Believers are encouraged to celebrate our Memorial Day every day in remembrance of Jesus Christ and the tremendous freedom that He gave His life for. Although, Jesus had become a fallen warrior in the battle for freedom, He rose victoriously from the dead, completely liberating humanity, never to fall again. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." (John 11:25-26) So, let us take time every day and give the highest honor to Jesus Christ, the One who has given all humanity the greatest of all freedoms, abundant life! PTL...

Simply Ask

In the gospels, Jesus mentions several time to "ask." For instance, "Ask, and it will be given to you..." (Matthew 7:7)..."And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:13-14) The term "ask" has many definitions. One which is, "to demand something due." This is not putting a demand on the Lord to do something, but to release the manifestation of what is already available to believers. It is like going to the bank where you have deposited five hundred dollars in an account. You fill out a withdraw slip for two hundred dollars. What you are doing is making a demand to receive what is already yours. When Jesus says to "ask" He means to ask. But there are specific ways that believers are to ask in order to see the manifestation of the thing asked.

The name of Jesus carries with it the power to release and manifest our request to the Father. Jesus tells us, "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 stands between us and the Father doing His work as our Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate and Lord. There is no place in scripture that Jesus tells us to pray to Him; For Jesus sake; or simply ask the Father. He tells us to pray to the Father in His Name. There is also an overflowing joy in knowing that the Father will answer our prayer when asked in Jesus' Name. 

When we ask of the Lord, we need to be specific. The Apostle James tells us, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 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 1:5-8) Although James is targeting a request for wisdom, the principle of being specific still applies. It would be better to pray for two or three minutes and know what we are praying about than to pray aimlessly for two or three hours.

Speak God's Word that promises the answer that we need. In the above scripture, James says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God..." So, if one lacks wisdom then being specific in our asking would naturally be to ask the Lord for wisdom. The Apostle Paul states, "But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God..." (1 Corinthians 1:30) This would be a good scripture to speak concerning receiving wisdom. The believer is in Christ, therefore, they have the wisdom of God. To make a demand on something due would be something like this, "Father I thank you that I am in Christ and have Your wisdom dwelling within me." Because Christ is our wisdom, the believer is in essence agreeing that His wisdom has already been given and they are believing for the manifestation of such. Again, we are not demanding the Lord to do something, only receiving what is already ours by making a demand on its manifestation.

When asking, we must "ask in faith." To understand this better, we need to realize that there are two kinds of faith; sense-knowledge faith and and revelation faith. Sense knowledge faith is also what can be deemed "natural faith." Every person whether a believer or not has this kind of faith. It believes only what the five senses are capable of understanding. However, this is not true Bible faith. Although all the apostles doubted the resurrection (Mark 16:13-14) we see sense knowledge faith exhibited in the life of the Apostle Thomas when told that Jesus was raised from the dead. He says, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger (touch) into the print of the nails, and put my hand (touch) into His side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)

Revelation faith transcends the five senses. In Matthew 16 Jesus asks His disciple who people say He is. But when He asks, "who do you say that I am" Peter responds, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Notice, "Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 16:16-17) Peter had received a revelation from the Father and responded by making a faith confession on that revelation. As we see, it was not upon any of Peter's five senses that he confessed Jesus as the Son of God, but upon the revelation from the Father. The wonderful doctrines that we have in the Pauline Epistles are ours due to the revelation given to the Apostle Paul, "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations..." (2 Corinthians 12:7) 

James continues, "with no doubting." Believers must not only ask in faith but we must resist doubt. A situation that reveals this takes place after the transfiguration of Jesus, "Jesus led Peter, James, and John his brother, up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them." (Matthew 17:1-2) When they had come down from the mountain they found the other nine disciple having difficulty casting a demon out of a boy. Keep in mind that all the disciples had previously been commissioned to, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead,  cast out demons." (Matthew 10:8) However, nine of them could not cast the demon out of a boy. "Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, "because of your unbelief..."  (Matthew 17:17-20) Unbelief, doubt, will always neutralize faith and render it ineffective.

Another situation that deals with doubt neutralizing faith is revealed in Jesus walking on the water to meet the disciple who were in a boat being tossed about by a storm in the middle of the sea. The disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, supposed it to be a ghost and were afraid. Jesus reassures them that it was He, then Peter says, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:22-29) Notice, Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water. In other words at this point Peter was exercising faith above his senses. Now notice what happens next, "And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him..." Now take careful note to what Jesus says to Peter (us), “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased." (Matthew 14:31-32)

Although Peter started this miraculous adventure with revelation faith, he allowed his senses to dictate the circumstance and immediately doubt neutralized his faith. Often, believers "ask" with genuine revelation faith, but like Peter, allow their senses to neutralize their faith, which causes the thing in which they had asked not to manifest. Notice, that Jesus did not tell Peter that he did not have any faith, but that doubt was the reason why his faith failed. This certainly is not to discourage us, but to encourage us to "hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) 

After we have asked in faith, with no doubting, now we are to believe that we have received what we have asked for. Keep in mind, if what we have asked for is a promise of God, such as asking for wisdom shown in the example above, then it is actually already ours. Jesus said, "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) In other words, as previously stated, resist doubt no matter what the circumstances may dictate and as Jesus tells us, "believe that you receive them." 

Finally, when we ask, let us thank the Lord for the answer although it may not have manifested yet. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:6) "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18) For some, these things may be a difficult task. However, let us always keep in mind that God desires to give to His children. Jesus tells us, "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 Apostle Paul tells us, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

So, when we ask, ask the Father in the Name of Jesus; be specific; Speak God's Word that promise the answer to that which is needed; Ask in faith; Do not doubt; Believe that we have received what we have asked for; give the Lord thanks and keep in mind that the devil wants to discourage you in any way that he can, through lies and deception. Jesus tells us that "...there is no truth in the devil. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8:44) But also keep in mind, "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) The fact is, He will do it and He will make it good!!!   

A Complete Redemption

When we ponder the wonderful, brilliant, plan of redemption that was in the mind of God the Father before creation (Ephesians 1:3-6), it staggers the mind. Why would the one and only true, holy, righteous, perfect, all knowing, almighty God the Word, (John 1:1, 14) choose to leave the glory of heaven, put on flesh, knowing that He would be rejected, beaten, mocked, and put to death, and go to the place of torment, and yet still come to earth to save humanity? Humanity, the only creature in all creation that chose to rebel against Him, serve His enemy, continuously commit all manner of evil and ultimately hate Him, so, why would God do such a thing? Because He wanted to share all that He is and has with the only creature in all of creation that He made in His image and likeness. God wanted a family.

Before Jesus rose from the dead, He was "justified in spirit" (1 Timothy 3:16), "made alive in spirit" (1 Peter 3:18), conquered Satan and stripped him of the authority of which he had robbed man in the Garden. We see the defeat of Satan and Christ's triumph as revealed in Colossians 2:15 "Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them." The margin reads, "Having put off from himself the principalities and the powers." You see, Jesus when to Sheol (Psalm 16:10), Hades (Acts 2:17) to pay the price required by justice for man's redemption. Only God the Father knew what Jesus suffered until He had satisfied the claims of justice, had been made Righteous, and made a New Creation, the first born of all creation. (Colossians 1:15)

In that moment, Satan's dominion over Him ended. He hurled back the hosts of Hades. He crushed their death-dealing ability. He stripped Satan of his authority and left him paralyzed and broken. ( Matthew 12:29; Luke 11:21-22; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John  3:8) Then God raised Him from the dead, having taken from Satan the keys of hell and death. (Revelation 1:17-18) Try to imagine if we can, what was happening in the spiritual realm when Jesus rose from the dead, holding in His hand the keys of hell and of death having defeated Satan before his own cohorts. Hebrews tells us, "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) Another version says it this way, "Seeing therefore the children have received a fellowship of blood and flesh, He also, in like manner, took partnership in the same, in order that, through death, He might paralyze him that held the dominion of death, that is, the Adversary."

Redemption had come. Satan was defeated and the Father "has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love." (Colossians 1:13) That was the greatest moment in human history. That was a moment that will be remembered through all eternity. I believe that the angels must have celebrated before the Father's throne in greater jubilee than on the day Christ was born. Christ rising from the throes of hell in triumph meant the end of Satan's tyranny over humanity, man was now completely redeemed, and the claims of Justice were satisfied. God had legally and completely redeemed man. All the ages throughout eternity will remember the heroic battle that Jesus fought in order to prove to Satan and humanity that God was just. Now, on legal grounds, God has justified the ungodly, because His only begotten Son had redeemed them with His own blood and now offers all men, people, everywhere eternal life. The Apostle John tells us, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life." (John 5:24) 

The old spiritual nature that linked man to Satan has ceased being, and a new nature, God's own nature, is imparted to everyone who believes. (2 Peter 1:2-4) Now, all believers are the children of God in the same manner that Jesus was His son in His earth walk. (John 1:12-13) The Apostle Paul tells us, "For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)." (Romans 5:17 AMP) At one time, we were defeated, conquered, and held in bondage. Now, we are set free and in the name of Jesus we become the bondage-breakers for the rest of the human race. He has made us Masters where fear held us in captivity. We are now reigning as kings in this this life. The Father through Jesus Christ has taken us from slavery to the Throne. 

Have you freely received? Are you living in the abundant life that Jesus made possible? Are you free from shame, guilt, condemnation, and unworthiness? If not, take some time right now and ask the Father to touch you with His love. Ask Him to wash away the shame, guilt, condemnation, and unworthiness. Receive the freedom that comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. No longer let your past anchor you to your old nature, but live in the newness of life that is only found in Christ. Jesus has made redemption eternal, comprehensive, complete and available to all who come to Him. (Romans 10:13). The redemption He has accomplished is perfect and complete, providing a freedom in every sense of the word. "It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed]." (Galatians 5:1 AMP) May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you all your days.