Life In The Spirit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Revelation Knowledge

Living by the senses neutralizes true faith. When I use the term true faith, I mean the only kind of faith that pleases God, revelation faith. The Apostle Paul tells us, "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (senses). For the flesh (senses) lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh (Senses); and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." (Galatians 5:16-18) (I added the word senses for clarity purposes)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It Makes No Sense

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Go Therefore

 If you were asked, "Why are you a Christian," what would be your answer? What if you were asked, "What is the purpose of the church?", what would your answer be? Now there are plenty of ways that these questions can be answered, but are your answers based solely on God's Word or what you have come to believe about yourself or what the local church teaches? Jesus gave very explicit direction to His disciples as to their purpose and the purpose of all those who would believe upon Jesus based on their words. 

Jesus told them, "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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." (Matthew 28:18-20) This is what has become known as "The Great Commission." When Jesus commissioned the disciples, He was granting the disciples certain powers and authority to carry out His message of redemption to all humanity. This was not an option but a command that the disciples fully understood. Jesus also tells us, "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14-15-17)

Not only would Jesus be with the disciples (all) in the person of the Holy Spirit, but He also tells them, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." Obeying the commandments of Christ is one way of showing our love for Him. To use any reason not to carry out the Great Commission both corporately and individually reflects the believers or churches lack of love for not only the Lord, but also others. Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

Now some who are reading this may feel that I am way off base, because you have been called to be a pastor, worship leader or some other ministry of the church, therefore you are not called to evangelize. This may true concerning your calling and or anointing from the Lord, but to neglect the great commission for any reason would indicate that you are special in God's eyes and do not have to obey some of His commands which are set forth in God's Word. God means what He says and shows no partiality (Romans 2:11). This in no way is to cause condemnation, but to bring us to the place where we become more engaged with the Lord and His business. Seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) will move us from churchianity to Christianity. 

Another thing to consider, is, due to Christ’s authority conferred upon the church, Jesus tells His disciples to make disciples, not to only have people make a so called profession of faith. Why? The reality is, many in the church today have never really experienced true conversion. This is evident in two ways. First, they can take Christianity or leave it. They were only interested in not facing hell when they passed from this life to the next. The second is similar, these are what the Apostle Paul calls "carnal Christians" acting like unsaved people. (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) In both cases, they live by their five senses. They let their feelings and emotions control them and never come to the place of growing in faith due to not knowing God’s Word, nor submitting to discipleship. "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32) To abide means to hold on to; to continue in.

Today many church building are filled with people who are not free, but bound by the things of the world and Satan himself because they do not hold on to or continue in God’s Word. They are not being made disciples, but are inundated with church programs that do not mature them spiritually. Temporal things are more important or have more place in their life than eternal things. This becomes very obvious in their life when a problem or trial arises. They flounder because they have built their life on sand and not the Rock, Jesus Christ. They have no foundation of the Word and therefore find it difficult at best to stand under the trials of life, under the schemes of the devil.   

Look at some of the what’s and how’s of making disciples, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." The Apostle Peter reveals, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) First, there needs to be repentance. Recognizing that all have sinned and fall short of God. (Romans 3:23) Repentance is a complete turning away from the direction one is going to the direction of God. To be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ is repentance. It is acknowledging Christ as Lord and that sins are remitted. Forgiven as though they never happened.   

Next, Jesus says, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. The disciples were to impart and instruct new disciples to attend to carefully, take care of; to guard; to keep, ALL THINGS that Jesus had commanded them. This was not in word only but in demonstration. In other words, the disciple were not only to teach God’s Word to the new disciples, as Jesus did to them, but how to function in the ministry that Jesus emulated before them to make more disciples.

I believe that one of the greatest needs of today is to realize what God has accomplished for us in Christ; who we are in Christ; how God sees us in Christ and all the legal rights and privileges that have been given to us in Christ. The disciples of Christ took the things that Christ had commanded very real and very serious. They knew that they were no longer natural people but supernatural and they showed us what that meant throughout the Book of Acts. Hosea the Prophet tells us, "My people are destroyed because they don’t know me (Hosea 4:6) However, Solomon tells us, "For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;" (Proverbs 2:6) 

So let the Holy Spirit rise up in our lives and go forth in the name of Jesus for, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few" (Matthew 9:37) because the sole purpose for being a Christian and the sole purpose of the church is to win souls and make disciples. There is nothing to fear in doing this because Jesus is with us, even to the end of the age. PTL   

I Have Faith

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

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

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

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

So what is the problem? The problem exists in two areas. First, the church has been very strong in teaching man his need of righteousness, but also teaches his weakness and his inability to please God, but has been sadly lacking in bringing the church forward to the truth of what and who the believer is in Christ. This is due to looking at the flesh (the five senses) rather than growing ones faith through the Word of God to believe God and not fleshly experiences. Secondly, it is coming to the knowledge that it is ones spirit that is born again and not the soul (mind, will and emotions) or the body. This is evidenced in many scriptures. For example, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1-2) The Apostle Paul tells us to present our bodies to God and renew our minds. Naturally, we renew our minds through the Word of God which builds our faith (Romans 10:17) and is able to save our soul (mind, will and emotions (James 1:21). 

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

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

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

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

Words

Did you ever notice that when you are around a person or group of people who talk negative, how it seems to weigh on you? For the most part, negative speech comes from people whose heart, their most inner person, has been either hurt or has been inundated most of their life with negative speech from those around them. Jesus tells us, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)

Negative speech usually comes in three forms, blaming, murmuring and or complaining. People who continuously play the "blame game" blame everyone else for the problems in life that they experience. Basically, one goes through life not taking responsibility for anything. All they do is blame someone or something. This certainly is nothing new. As a matter of fact, the blame game started in the Garden of Eden immediately after the fall of man. "Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:9-13) Notice that the Adam blamed the woman and God and the woman blamed the serpent.

Murmuring is very similar to complaining. The difference is that one who murmurs speaks their distress, displeasure or discontentment in a low voice so that they are the only one that can hear clearly, whereas one who complains voices their distress, displeasure or discontentment loud and clear. The children of Israel were notorious for their murmuring and complaining against God, especially His way of doing things. "Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord..." (Numbers 11:1) "And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron..." (Numbers 14:2)

In the incidences shown above, we see that blaming, murmuring and or complaining come with consequences. Solomon tells us, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21) For Adam and the woman, they lost their perfect and pure standing before God; were banished from the Garden; lost their spiritual dominion to their soul (mind, will and emotions); became spiritually dead and eventually died physically. (Genesis 3) For Israel, they took themselves out from Gods provision, protection and blessings and became prey for their enemies, both natural and spiritual, to have their way with them. (Deuteronomy 28)

It is very important that believers stand watch over their tongue for the same reason. Our words will either takes us captive, "You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth" (Proverbs 6:2) "A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul." (Proverbs 18:7) or they will put us over, "A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth," (Proverbs 12:14) "He who guards his mouth preserves his life" (Proverbs 13:3) "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit." (Proverbs 15:4) As we can see, negative speech has serious consequences whereas wholesome speak releases blessings.

The Apostle Peter tells us, "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing" (1 Peter 3:8-9) Unfortunately, many believers never receive the blessings (promises) of God due their their constant blaming, murmuring and complaining. If you find yourself in the position of always looking at something or someone to blame, always murmuring and or complaining due to your distress, displeasure or discontentment, then it is time for you to have heart surgery. Not with a surgeons scalpel, but with the Word of God.

The Bible tells us, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." (Psalm 107:20)  "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) God's Word is so powerful that it heals the heart by revealing to us the things that are of the mind, will and emotions, which have not been born again, and the spirit, which has been recreated in the image of God in righteousness and true holiness. So. let the Word of God rule and reign in our heart so that we no longer "Let corrupt words proceed out of our mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29) May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all...        
   

Laboring Through Love

According to the United States Department of Labor, Labor Day, which falls on the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. From a life perspective, Labor Day for most means, summer vacation is over, students return to school, college and universities to begin a new year of learning, which labels Labor Day as the unofficial end of summer.

In a similar way, believers are called also too celebrate Labor Day but for more than one day a year. The Apostle Paul tells us, "And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves." (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13) Who they were is not mentioned. However, it is evident that the church was not left without appointed persons to equip the saints for the work of ministry. We know that there were elders ordained over the church at Ephesus, and over the churches in Crete (Acts 20:17; Titus 1:5), and that there were bishops and deacons at Philippi (Philemon 1:1), and here, "who are over you in the Lord" would lead us to believe that similar leaders would have been appointed in every newly organized church. 

In the King James Version of the Bible the phrase "recognize those who labor among you" is "know them which labor among you." This gives the idea of not only church leaders, but also those who labor as coordinators or head over ministries, those active in ministry, as well as elders, bishops and deacons. The word “know” carries with it the idea that the believers in the local church were not to make themselves strangers toward those who labor in ministry or to be ignorant of their needs. They should also seek to be personally acquainted with them and trust them concerning their own personal life as well as spiritual matters.  

"And admonish you" means, to put in mind; and then to warn, entreat, exhort. It is a part of the duty of church leaders to put the people in whom they serve and lead in mind of the truth; to warn them of danger; to exhort them to perform their duty; to admonish them if they go astray. As those who labor perform these duties, believers are to respond by "esteeming them very highly in love." Church leaders who are faithful in their office and function, can expect high regard from the believers they lead and serve, not because they deserve it, per se, but because of their unwavering labors. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy something similar, "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine." (1 Timothy 5:17)

Paul tells, of these laborers, "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you." (Galatians 4:19) Here is a striking illustration of what church leaders are to do concerning the people they lead and serve. Church leaders are to labor over the people until Christ reigns wholly in their hearts. Church leaders who are truly called into the ministry will labor over the people they lead and serve not as a labor of struggle or because it is their "job," but as a labor of love. Paul tells us, "We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves." (Romans 15:1) The phrase "who are strong" means the strong “in faith” not limited to, but most likely church leaders who should not be novices, but be mature, strong in faith. They ought to bear; to lift up; to bear away; to remove; to bear with; to endure patiently, the weaknesses of the weaker believers. Church leaders should be willing to deny themselves to promote the happiness of others. 

So, this Labor Day let us be mindful, that as Christians, especially those called into the ministry, we are not to observe a day free of labor, but we are called to labor with one another in love, until Christ is formed in you. Happy Labor Days...