Our Covenant Of Faith Lesson 9

 
     We have tried and tried to do what we were taught and what we thought was required of us to be and  what we thought God expected us to be.  We have subjected ourselves to dress a certain way, to keep our hair a certain length, to abstain from wearing make-up, and we even tried to change the days we worship to correspond to what we thought God expected.  Many of us have put aside the things we eat or don't eat because of laws that regulate our food.

      There's nothing wrong with watching what you eat, but not because of law.  We have done some pretty foolish things because we thought that's what God was requiring of us.  So many people have been wounded and frustrated by following some of the rituals that man placed on them from the pulpit.  Most of these men thought they were doing right by what they did; but not at all.  Some of the things we believed would set us free simply placed us under a new bondage.  No matter what we did, it seemed we could never measure up to what was taught.

      I walk in a liberty that seems to almost frighten some people.  But, it's this very liberty that allows me to walk in the power of God.  I don't get involved in what people think, but only what my Father thinks.  I've put my hand to the plow and I don't look back.  Nobody knows better than I do where I came from or who I used to be.  I've put my faith in the truth of the sacrifice that God meant when He said in II Corinthians 5:17-21 (Amplified)  that  I "am a new creature in Christ."

      In the Gospel according to John 6:28-9 (Amplified) Jesus' disciples asked Him the question that ran through my heart for a long time.  Thus in verse 28  they asked, "What are we to do, that we may (habitually) be working the works of God?  What are we to do to carry out what God requires?"  In verse 29 (Amplified) Jesus answered, "This is the work (service) that God asks of you;  that believe in the One whom He has sent (that you cleave to, trust,rely upon, and have faith in the messenger)."

      Once I realized that my part was to have faith in His part, it became so simple to me.  My part of being righteous was to believe in His righteousness.  My part of being justified was to believe that He is my justification.  Everything I needed to be, He became for me.  There were no more dots to connect or hoops to jump through, but only to put my faith in Him and believe He did it all for me!

      I found that the answer to stopping the devil from tormenting me was to use the "shield of faith."  Ephesians 6:16 (Amplified) says to "lift up all over the (covering) shield of 'saving faith,'  upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked one."

     Ephesians 2:8 (Amplified) says "for this is by the free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment) and made partakers of Christ's salvation through your faith.  And, this (salvation) is not of yourselves (of your own doing),  it came not through your own striking bit it's the gift of God."

     In Galatians 5:6 (Amplified)  we get some insight into what John said about "Perfect love casting out fear."  1 John 4:18 (Amplified)  says" there is no fear in Love (dread doesn't exist) but full grown (complete,perfect) Love turns fear out of doors, and expels every trace of terror, for feqr brings with it the thought of punishment, and (so) he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of Love (is not yet grown into Love's complete perfection)."

     Now we what I was talking about Galatians 5:6 (Amplified) "for (if we are) in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through Love."

     If I put my faith in His Love for me, then I don't have to be thinking about whether God's mad at me or whether He's punishing me or whether I'm measuring up or whether I'm good enough or any other lies the devil can come up with to try and get me to drop my shield of faith (in His Love for me) nothing can get into me.  I don't worry about all the religious rules and reasons why the Word doesn't work.  I just put my faith in Him and it always works.

     All the rituals and religious rules have gone and I strive for one thing.  Romans 1:3 (Amplified) says "It is through Him that we have received grace (God's unmerited favor) and (our) apostleship to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for His namesake among the nations.'