We haven't really understood what happened to us when we were born again. When we were born again, we weren't just mere men who have been forgiven our sins. We were transfigured by the Holy Spirit into a new creature that the world had never seen before. That's what the enemy has tried to keep the Church from ever finding out. When Jesus rose from the dead, He had restored all things back to God that were lost in the Garden of Eden. Man had once again been restored to the likeness and image of our Father. We were restored back to the authority and dominion that was man's place from the beginning.
Jesus was the first man after Adam to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Even He performed no recorded miracles before He was filled with the Spirit in the Jordan River. Luke 4:1 (Amplified) says, "Then Jesus, full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by and in the Holy Spirit."
When the Holy Spirit took Jesus into the wilderness, it was a deliberate move to confront satan and his own realm and to show him what he was up against. No matter what had worked on mankind before, was useless on this Spirit filled man. The authority and power that was man's in the beginning, was now man's once again.
As of this time, there was only one man that satan had to deal with and he put everything he had into motion to stop him. Jesus, now operating in God's own authority, was ruling over everything that satan had built. Jesus operated by the power of the Word of God in Luke 4:3-13 (Amplified). Verse 14 (Amplified) says "then Jesus went back full of and under the power of the (Holy) Spirit into Galilee, and the fame of Him spread through the whole region round about."
What was the difference between this Jesus and the Jesus before the Jordan River? The Holy Spirit of God. John 16:13 (Amplified) tells us "Jesus said, '(When He, the Spirit of Truth, the truth giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the truth (the whole, full truth), for He will not speak His own message (on His own authority) but He will tell whatever He hears (from the Father;He will give the message that has been given Him) and He will declare and announce to you the things that are and to come (that will happen in the future).'" John 17:21-22 (Amplified) says "that they all may be one, (just) as you,Father, are in Me and I in You, that they may also be one of us so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me.'" Verse 22 (Amplified) continues, "I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one (even) as We are one."
In Acts 1:8 (Amplified) we read how just prior to Jesus ascending up to the Father, He told those who were present that,"But you shall receive power (ability,efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all of Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth."
In John 5:26-30 (Amplified), Jesus made some statements that we sometimes overlook. Verse 30 (Amplified) Jesus said that He can do nothing of Himself, but only as He was taught of God and gets His orders from Him. You and I can do nothing of ourselves but only as the Father tells us. As we watch Jesus in His walk, it is the Father speaking through Jesus to us. "As He was sent, He sends us."
You and I are to be conduits for God to flow through and reveal His Love for manking by breaking the devil's hold on their lives. Whatever that hold may be...sickness, demons, poverty, fear...that's what He did and that's sstill the work of the Holy Spirit on us.
Ephesians 3:16-19 (Amplified) reads "May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the (Holy Spirit, Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality). verse 17 goes on "May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in Love and founded securely on Love." Verse 18 (Amplified) "that you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints (God's devoted people) the experience of that love, what is the breadth and length and height and depth (of it)." Verse 19 (Amplified) "that you may really come to know (practically, through experience for yourselves) the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience) that you may be filled (through all your being) unto all the fullness of God (may have the richest measure of the divine presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself)."
This same God that moved through our Lord Jesus is now wanting to move through us. This same Holy Spirit who filled Jesus is now filling you. The same work Jesus did then is what He still wants to do now. This isn't some watered down version of the Holy Spirit, but the same Spirit that filled Jesus and raised Him from the dead. God still wants to heal the sick, cast out devils, set at liberty those who are bound and set the captives free. We need to know that what Jesus said in John 17:18 (Amplified). As the Father sent Him into the world, He has sent us.
We are His likeness and His image, His Temple, His children, and His dwelling place. All He needs for us to do is let Him live through us and do the same works as His firstborn Son, Jesus.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Lesson 4 In His Image
As we read through the Word of God, we find so many passages that identify us with Jesus and our Father. We find such a passage in Romans 8:29 (Amplified), "For those whom He fore knew (of whom He was aware and loved beforehand) He also destined from the beginning (fore ordaining them) to be molded into the image of His Son (and share inwardly His likeness) that He might become the firstborn among many brethren."
It was God's intent from the very first to have family. It only stands to reason that if Jesus is our brother,and God is our Father, then we must be born in His image.
Hebrews 2:11 (Amplified) says "for both He who sanctifies (making men holy) and those who are sanctified all have one (Father) for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren." Also, in the same chapter of Hebrews 2:17 (Amplified) we read "So it is evident that it was essential that He be made like His brethren in every respect, in order that He might become a merciful (sympathetic) and faithful High Priest in the thing related to God, to make atonement and propitiation for the people's sins."
Since we are spiritual children of the Most High God, our Father deals with us as spiritual children. In Hebrews 12:5-11 (Amplified), the Word speaks of God disciplining His children and correcting them. In verse 10 we see a comparison drawn between the Father of Spirits and our earthly fathers. Our earthly fathers deal with our flesh (they paddled our backsides) for discipline. Our Heavenly Father deals with our spirit.
In John 15:1-3 (Amplified) Jesus said, "I am the true vine and My Father is the vine dresser." Verse 2 continues, "any branch in Me that does not bear fruit (that stops bearing) He cuts away (trims off,takes away) and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit." Verse 3 says "You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the Word which I have given you (the teachings I have discussed with you)." Notice what He used to prune them with! The Word.
In Ephesians 4:12-13 (Amplified) He had been talking about the five fold ministry when he said in Verse 12, that His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the Saints (His consecrated people) (that they should do the work of ministering to Word building up Christ's body (the church). Verse 13 (Amplified) says" (that it might develop) until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the (full and accurate) knowledge of the Son of God, that (we might arrive) at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection) the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him."
Once again in II Timothy 3:16 (Amplified) we find God's way of dealing with His children. "Every scripture is God breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience (and) for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action." Verse 17 continues, "So that the mand of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work."
We as Christians of the New Covenant, try to be disciplined like those of the old covenant. God had to deal from the outside in the old covenant because they were spiritually dead men. Under our New Covenant, God deals with Spirit people by His Word (which is Spirit). If we were to spend more time in His Word, then we would learn to train our senses by the Word.
In Hebrews 5:11-14 (Amplified) Paul is speaking to the Church and declares, "Concerning this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in your (spiritual) hearing and sluggish (even slothful in achieving spiritual insight). Verse 12 continues "for even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God's Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food." Verse 13 (Amplified) says "For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine or righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought and action) for he is a mere infant (not able to talk yet)." Verse 14 (Amplified) says "But solid food is for full grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law."
We seem to prefer that God deal with us as He dealt with Old Testament people and blame every hardship in life by God disciplining us. If we would learn to listen to the Word and the Spirit, then we wouldn't have to deal with as many hardships as we presently deal with.
I don't recall God beating up on Jesus to get Him to do what's right. As a matter of fact, I don't recall God beating up on Adam to get him to do right. Until Adam fell from grace in the Garden, he and the Father walked in the Spirit together, named all the animals in the Garden together, and had unbroken fellowship until the transgression. Once sin came in and death separated them, then God had to begin dealing with him in a different way.
Since we have been born again by and of the Holy Spirit, we have the great privilege of being led by the Spirit and not the flesh. Romans 8:14 (Amplified) says "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are Sons of God."
Lesson 3 In His Image
We know according to the Word of God that Jesus was just like the Father. As a matter of fact, He was the Father who was made flesh in John 1:14 (Amplified).
God and His Word are still one and we have His Word today. Jesus and the Word are the same entity. So, when the Holy Spirit wrote in Hebrews 1:2 (Amplified), (But) in these last of these days He has spoken to us in (the person of a ) Son, whom He appointed Heir and lawful owner of all things, also by and through whom He created the worlds and reaches of space and the ages of time (He made,produced,built,operated,and arranged them in order).
According to Hebrews 1:2 (Amplified),when we read the Word, it's Jesus talking directly to us like He talked to the Apostles. God spoke to them and us in the person of His Son, so when we read this Word, it's Him who is speaking. If He and the Word are one, then everything that He did in His Word...we can do. When we speak forth His Word, we have actually touched them by Jesus Himself.
Mark 6:5-6 (Amplified) says "and He (Jesus) was not able to do even one work of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sickly people (and) cured them." verse 6 (Amplified) continues "And He marveled because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in Him) and He went among the surrounding villages and continued teaching."
When we read or hear the Word, It's Jesus speaking to us through the Word. Do we, like those in Mark refuse to believe? We have neglected the fact that we're also born out of this Word (or out of the very life of Jesus). We're like Him in every respect because we were born out of the same seed. There are many seeds in an apple. Each seed is an individual seed, but every one of them will produce the same apple just like the one it came from. You are not Jesus, but you are like Him because you are born from Him.
We've tried over the years to live like Him, to forgive like Him, to love and be merciful like Him. But, we've failed to walk in the power needed to operate like Him. We, for some reason, have not associated ourselves with the Power of Him. In Matthew 10:7-8 (Amplified), Jesus sent out His Disciples to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. These were not even born again men. They didn't have the Holy Spirit in them yet and they didn't have the Sonship rights that we have. They simply believed what Jesus said and it worked.
We talk about having the love of God in our lives and try to walk in it. These are things that we should do, but having love is more than being nice to people. Matthew 14:14 (Amplified), says that when "He went ashore and saw a great throng of people, He had compassion (pity and deep sympathy) for them and cured their sick." Could it be that just telling the people how bad we feel for them should be followed by His compassion to heal them. Even though we feel the compassion, we aren't always moved by it to actually do something about it.
This is just as much about being like the Master as preaching of being touched by their weaknesses. If we really believe that He's what He says He is. Why do we stop this side of His supernatural ability to actually set them free. Are we operating in unbelief to where His healing doesn't work for us?
Psalm 107:19-20 (Amplified) says "then they cry to the Lord in their trouble and He delivers them out of their distresses." verse 20 (Amplified) goes on "He sends forth His Word and heals them and rescues them from the pit of destruction." Matthew 8:8 (Amplified) says "the Centurian replied to Him, Lord, I am not worthy or fit to have you come under my roof; but only speak the Word and my servant boy will be cured." Jesus commented on this man's faith to recognize the authority of the spoken Word and the one who speaks it.
We have a problem in the Church about how we speak, even though there's been much teaching about it. We're as determined as others are about yielding our tongues and voices to God.
Psalms 12:3-4 (Amplified) says "May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongues that speak proud boasting." verse 4 (Amplified) continues "those who say, with our tongues we prevail; our lips are our own (to command at our will) who is Lord and Master over us?"
Do we, like those in His image and likeness, speak creative words or unprofitable words? Do we speak people's answer to the problem by saying what He says or do we speak the problem? If we are like them, then what we say can create or destroy. You may not speak a universe into a place of existence, but you can help keep the one He created the way it should be by the Words of God. Do we speak healing or have we come to the place where we think He's changed His mind and now wants people sick? Do we really believe that He uses sickness to touch and correct or have we become complacent as to allow it to go on instead of using what He gave us to set them free?
I remind you once again to what Jesus said in John 17:14-26 (especially verse 18) (Amplified), "Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." Read the entire chapter and then ask yourself, "If this is true, then we must be in His image because only those born into His image can do what He prayed in John 17. Dare to believe.
God and His Word are still one and we have His Word today. Jesus and the Word are the same entity. So, when the Holy Spirit wrote in Hebrews 1:2 (Amplified), (But) in these last of these days He has spoken to us in (the person of a ) Son, whom He appointed Heir and lawful owner of all things, also by and through whom He created the worlds and reaches of space and the ages of time (He made,produced,built,operated,and arranged them in order).
According to Hebrews 1:2 (Amplified),when we read the Word, it's Jesus talking directly to us like He talked to the Apostles. God spoke to them and us in the person of His Son, so when we read this Word, it's Him who is speaking. If He and the Word are one, then everything that He did in His Word...we can do. When we speak forth His Word, we have actually touched them by Jesus Himself.
Mark 6:5-6 (Amplified) says "and He (Jesus) was not able to do even one work of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sickly people (and) cured them." verse 6 (Amplified) continues "And He marveled because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in Him) and He went among the surrounding villages and continued teaching."
When we read or hear the Word, It's Jesus speaking to us through the Word. Do we, like those in Mark refuse to believe? We have neglected the fact that we're also born out of this Word (or out of the very life of Jesus). We're like Him in every respect because we were born out of the same seed. There are many seeds in an apple. Each seed is an individual seed, but every one of them will produce the same apple just like the one it came from. You are not Jesus, but you are like Him because you are born from Him.
We've tried over the years to live like Him, to forgive like Him, to love and be merciful like Him. But, we've failed to walk in the power needed to operate like Him. We, for some reason, have not associated ourselves with the Power of Him. In Matthew 10:7-8 (Amplified), Jesus sent out His Disciples to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. These were not even born again men. They didn't have the Holy Spirit in them yet and they didn't have the Sonship rights that we have. They simply believed what Jesus said and it worked.
We talk about having the love of God in our lives and try to walk in it. These are things that we should do, but having love is more than being nice to people. Matthew 14:14 (Amplified), says that when "He went ashore and saw a great throng of people, He had compassion (pity and deep sympathy) for them and cured their sick." Could it be that just telling the people how bad we feel for them should be followed by His compassion to heal them. Even though we feel the compassion, we aren't always moved by it to actually do something about it.
This is just as much about being like the Master as preaching of being touched by their weaknesses. If we really believe that He's what He says He is. Why do we stop this side of His supernatural ability to actually set them free. Are we operating in unbelief to where His healing doesn't work for us?
Psalm 107:19-20 (Amplified) says "then they cry to the Lord in their trouble and He delivers them out of their distresses." verse 20 (Amplified) goes on "He sends forth His Word and heals them and rescues them from the pit of destruction." Matthew 8:8 (Amplified) says "the Centurian replied to Him, Lord, I am not worthy or fit to have you come under my roof; but only speak the Word and my servant boy will be cured." Jesus commented on this man's faith to recognize the authority of the spoken Word and the one who speaks it.
We have a problem in the Church about how we speak, even though there's been much teaching about it. We're as determined as others are about yielding our tongues and voices to God.
Psalms 12:3-4 (Amplified) says "May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongues that speak proud boasting." verse 4 (Amplified) continues "those who say, with our tongues we prevail; our lips are our own (to command at our will) who is Lord and Master over us?"
Do we, like those in His image and likeness, speak creative words or unprofitable words? Do we speak people's answer to the problem by saying what He says or do we speak the problem? If we are like them, then what we say can create or destroy. You may not speak a universe into a place of existence, but you can help keep the one He created the way it should be by the Words of God. Do we speak healing or have we come to the place where we think He's changed His mind and now wants people sick? Do we really believe that He uses sickness to touch and correct or have we become complacent as to allow it to go on instead of using what He gave us to set them free?
I remind you once again to what Jesus said in John 17:14-26 (especially verse 18) (Amplified), "Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." Read the entire chapter and then ask yourself, "If this is true, then we must be in His image because only those born into His image can do what He prayed in John 17. Dare to believe.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Lesson 2 In His Image
We read what the Word of God says and we mentally ascent to what it says. We wouldn't dare say we don't believe it as Christian people. But, to actually believe what it says is almost sacrilegious in some circles.
In II Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified) there's a scripture that tests whether we really believe or not. verse 18 (Amplified) says "And all of us, as with unveiled face. (Because we) continued to behold (in the Word of God) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in an ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another (for this comes) from the Lord (who is) the Spirit."
This doesn't mean that you are or ever will be the Lord. It simply means that you are like Him. You are a spirit and were born again into His likeness. We have been given His Spirit and His name.
Hebrews 2:11 (Amplified) says "For both He who sanctifies (making men holy) and those who are sanctified all have one (Father). For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren." If Jesus is our brother and God is our Father, then how can we not be like Him? If we are in His image and likeness then we have His attributes just as Jesus does. Why we find this so hard to believe is something I don't understand. Jesus is called the last Adam. Luke 3:38 (Amplified) reads "the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God."
Adam (according to the scriptures) is called the son of God. When he transgressed in the Garden of Eden, Adam lost his identity, but he was still God's likeness. That is why satan wanted so badly to be able to control him. Once he could get control of those who had the attributes of God, satan could control the earth. In Genesis 2:26 (Amplified) God said, "Let us (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) make mankind in Our image, and after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the (tame) beasts, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. Once he had the usurped authority, he could control (and did control) everything except God. When Jesus was raised from the dead, He made a statement in Matthew 28:18 (Amplified) "Jesus approached and breaking the silence, said to them, 'All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'"
Once Jesus had all the authority back that had been given to God's family, He delegated that authority back to His brethren. Luke 10:19 (Amplified) says "Behold! I haven given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and (physical and mental strength and ability) over all the power that the enemy (possesses) and nothing shall in any way harm you."
As we read through the Word, we find so many scriptures about being restored back to the rightful place that God intended His family to be. Jesus went to the cross to bring us back to the Father in righteousness and holiness and perfect fellowship. We've been afraid of looking like we were prideful to say such a thing. So, by being what we believed to be humble, we actually refused to accept what was paid for on the cross. It was actually an act of our pride that's still keeping us out of His presence. By acting in this humility, we really (by false pride) were telling the Father that what Jesus had done wasn't enough to do the job. And. we still weren't what He called us to be.
By being in His likeness and His image through the sacrifice of Jesus, we have been reinstated to where we were always supposed to be.
If we are like Him (and He said we are), then some of the things we do or don't do have to change. Do we dare to take the land like Joshua and Caleb, or do we keep looking at the Giants that are still in the land? Do we want to stay in the wilderness as those with Moses did? Or will we take what Jesus died to give us and enter in? If we stay in the wilderness, then God will still take care of us as He did with them.
Hebrews 4:1-2 (Amplified) talks about those who have heard and still won't enter in. It says in Hebrews 4:2 (Amplified) "for indeed we have had the glad tiding (Gospel of God) proclaimed to us just as truly as they (the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them), but the message they heard did not benefit them them because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality of God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom and goodness) by those who heard it. Neither were they united in faith with the ones (Joshua and Caleb) who heard (and did believe)."
Romans 8:19 (Amplified) tells us "for (even the whole) creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God's sons to be made known (waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship)." Jesus did this when He stopped the storm, defied gravity by walking on water,caused the fish to come to Peter's net and many things that are waiting to be put back in order.
If we are like Him,. then some of the things we do are in direct opposition to Him. Do the words that we speak bring light or prolong darkness? Do they bring healing or excuses why God would want His children sick? Do we wait in the wilderness and ask like they did years ago,"Why did God bring us here to die?" Or. do we boldly enter in to take what Jesus died to give us?
In II Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified) there's a scripture that tests whether we really believe or not. verse 18 (Amplified) says "And all of us, as with unveiled face. (Because we) continued to behold (in the Word of God) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in an ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another (for this comes) from the Lord (who is) the Spirit."
This doesn't mean that you are or ever will be the Lord. It simply means that you are like Him. You are a spirit and were born again into His likeness. We have been given His Spirit and His name.
Hebrews 2:11 (Amplified) says "For both He who sanctifies (making men holy) and those who are sanctified all have one (Father). For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren." If Jesus is our brother and God is our Father, then how can we not be like Him? If we are in His image and likeness then we have His attributes just as Jesus does. Why we find this so hard to believe is something I don't understand. Jesus is called the last Adam. Luke 3:38 (Amplified) reads "the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God."
Adam (according to the scriptures) is called the son of God. When he transgressed in the Garden of Eden, Adam lost his identity, but he was still God's likeness. That is why satan wanted so badly to be able to control him. Once he could get control of those who had the attributes of God, satan could control the earth. In Genesis 2:26 (Amplified) God said, "Let us (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) make mankind in Our image, and after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the (tame) beasts, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. Once he had the usurped authority, he could control (and did control) everything except God. When Jesus was raised from the dead, He made a statement in Matthew 28:18 (Amplified) "Jesus approached and breaking the silence, said to them, 'All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'"
Once Jesus had all the authority back that had been given to God's family, He delegated that authority back to His brethren. Luke 10:19 (Amplified) says "Behold! I haven given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and (physical and mental strength and ability) over all the power that the enemy (possesses) and nothing shall in any way harm you."
As we read through the Word, we find so many scriptures about being restored back to the rightful place that God intended His family to be. Jesus went to the cross to bring us back to the Father in righteousness and holiness and perfect fellowship. We've been afraid of looking like we were prideful to say such a thing. So, by being what we believed to be humble, we actually refused to accept what was paid for on the cross. It was actually an act of our pride that's still keeping us out of His presence. By acting in this humility, we really (by false pride) were telling the Father that what Jesus had done wasn't enough to do the job. And. we still weren't what He called us to be.
By being in His likeness and His image through the sacrifice of Jesus, we have been reinstated to where we were always supposed to be.
If we are like Him (and He said we are), then some of the things we do or don't do have to change. Do we dare to take the land like Joshua and Caleb, or do we keep looking at the Giants that are still in the land? Do we want to stay in the wilderness as those with Moses did? Or will we take what Jesus died to give us and enter in? If we stay in the wilderness, then God will still take care of us as He did with them.
Hebrews 4:1-2 (Amplified) talks about those who have heard and still won't enter in. It says in Hebrews 4:2 (Amplified) "for indeed we have had the glad tiding (Gospel of God) proclaimed to us just as truly as they (the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them), but the message they heard did not benefit them them because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality of God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom and goodness) by those who heard it. Neither were they united in faith with the ones (Joshua and Caleb) who heard (and did believe)."
Romans 8:19 (Amplified) tells us "for (even the whole) creation (all nature) waits expectantly and longs earnestly for God's sons to be made known (waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship)." Jesus did this when He stopped the storm, defied gravity by walking on water,caused the fish to come to Peter's net and many things that are waiting to be put back in order.
If we are like Him,. then some of the things we do are in direct opposition to Him. Do the words that we speak bring light or prolong darkness? Do they bring healing or excuses why God would want His children sick? Do we wait in the wilderness and ask like they did years ago,"Why did God bring us here to die?" Or. do we boldly enter in to take what Jesus died to give us?
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Lesson 1 In His Image
In the book of Genesis, we find some very interesting things about who we are and who our Father is. In Genesis 1:26 (Amplified) God said, " Let us (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) make mankind in our image, after our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea,the birds of the air, the (tame) beasts, and over all the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth." verse 27(Amplified) "So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them."
We also find the "Law of Genesis" in Genesis 1:11-12(Amplified) where everything bears fruit after it's kind. The seed is in itself. Apples have apple seeds,oranges have orange seeds and so forth. Apple seeds never produce anything except apples. It is the law of Genesis, the law of creation by the Creator.
Jesus said in John 4:24 (Amplified) "God is a spirit (a spiritual being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth(reality). Also, in 1Peter 1:23 (Amplified) "You have been regenerated (born again) but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God."
So, according to what the Word of God says, we act produced after kind (or just like our Father). Jesus said in John 15:1-6(Amplified) "He is the vine and we are the branches, as we bear fruit (or get people born again) we are to reproduce 'by the Word, or the seed of God' or children of the Most High." Each time we get someone born again, we have born fruit from the Father. An apple tree doesn't bear fruit from the trunk, but from the branch. It draws it's life from the roots (or it's source of life) but you never see an apple growing on the trunk of the tree.
The fruit of the Spirit that we see in Galatians 5:22-23 (Amplified) is the part of our lives that make people want to be like us or "like Jesus." The meat of the apple only houses the seed. You only eat the meat of the apple; not the seed. The meat of the apple "or fruit," is to make it attractive so that the seed is revealed and sowed anew. The fruit of the seed is what we are to reproduce. Galatians 5:22-23 (Amplified) says that the fruit of the Spirit is to cause people to desire what we have in our lives.
If what the Word says is true (and you know it is), then we are the fruit that bears good seed by "preaching the Good News" that will bear more apple trees or more children of God by the seed, which is the Word.
When we were made in His image and likeness, we were Spirit beings. In Genesis 2:7 (Amplified) God formed a body for the spirit man to live in to meet the human elements He created. Man needed a flesh and blood body to be able to function in this physical realm. This flesh and blood body is like what my friend Tommy Williams calls "his earth suit." Just as you need a space suit to wear to the moon, you need an earth suit to function here. Have you ever noticed that when this body dies, you don't stay here?
We find in the Word, in John 1:1-5(Amplified), that "the Word was Jesus and Jesus is the Word." John 1:14(Amplified) says that "the Word became flesh." When the Word was "made flesh," we named the baby (the flesh and blood baby) Jesus, but He was still the Word. Only His body was named Jesus. The Word has always been.
This seed or this Word was responsible for the birth of Jesus. It's the same word or seed that produced you. You're not Jesus the Messiah, but you are like Him because everything produces after kind. It's the Law of Genesis; the law of creation. I have four children. They're not me, but they have the same attributes that I have. They look like me, they act like me, they have the same color hair, the same color eyes and the same amount of arms and legs. They're not me, but were produced from the same seed.
You are not the Father nor are you the Lord Jesus. But, you are of the same seed. All apples on a tree are the same kind of apple. If you pick a bushel of them, then they will all be the same kind of apple. In John 17:20-21(Amplified), Jesus said (prayed) that "we might be one even as He and the Father are one;" just alike; apples off the same tree. Like the old saying goes when someone sees a child and they know the father..."that apple didn't fall far from the tree." Well, that's what it should be like with us and our Heavenly Father. Jesus said that "When you see me, you have see the Father, we are just alike." That was the reason for the new birth, to be born again in His image.
We also find the "Law of Genesis" in Genesis 1:11-12(Amplified) where everything bears fruit after it's kind. The seed is in itself. Apples have apple seeds,oranges have orange seeds and so forth. Apple seeds never produce anything except apples. It is the law of Genesis, the law of creation by the Creator.
Jesus said in John 4:24 (Amplified) "God is a spirit (a spiritual being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth(reality). Also, in 1Peter 1:23 (Amplified) "You have been regenerated (born again) but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God."
So, according to what the Word of God says, we act produced after kind (or just like our Father). Jesus said in John 15:1-6(Amplified) "He is the vine and we are the branches, as we bear fruit (or get people born again) we are to reproduce 'by the Word, or the seed of God' or children of the Most High." Each time we get someone born again, we have born fruit from the Father. An apple tree doesn't bear fruit from the trunk, but from the branch. It draws it's life from the roots (or it's source of life) but you never see an apple growing on the trunk of the tree.
The fruit of the Spirit that we see in Galatians 5:22-23 (Amplified) is the part of our lives that make people want to be like us or "like Jesus." The meat of the apple only houses the seed. You only eat the meat of the apple; not the seed. The meat of the apple "or fruit," is to make it attractive so that the seed is revealed and sowed anew. The fruit of the seed is what we are to reproduce. Galatians 5:22-23 (Amplified) says that the fruit of the Spirit is to cause people to desire what we have in our lives.
If what the Word says is true (and you know it is), then we are the fruit that bears good seed by "preaching the Good News" that will bear more apple trees or more children of God by the seed, which is the Word.
When we were made in His image and likeness, we were Spirit beings. In Genesis 2:7 (Amplified) God formed a body for the spirit man to live in to meet the human elements He created. Man needed a flesh and blood body to be able to function in this physical realm. This flesh and blood body is like what my friend Tommy Williams calls "his earth suit." Just as you need a space suit to wear to the moon, you need an earth suit to function here. Have you ever noticed that when this body dies, you don't stay here?
We find in the Word, in John 1:1-5(Amplified), that "the Word was Jesus and Jesus is the Word." John 1:14(Amplified) says that "the Word became flesh." When the Word was "made flesh," we named the baby (the flesh and blood baby) Jesus, but He was still the Word. Only His body was named Jesus. The Word has always been.
This seed or this Word was responsible for the birth of Jesus. It's the same word or seed that produced you. You're not Jesus the Messiah, but you are like Him because everything produces after kind. It's the Law of Genesis; the law of creation. I have four children. They're not me, but they have the same attributes that I have. They look like me, they act like me, they have the same color hair, the same color eyes and the same amount of arms and legs. They're not me, but were produced from the same seed.
You are not the Father nor are you the Lord Jesus. But, you are of the same seed. All apples on a tree are the same kind of apple. If you pick a bushel of them, then they will all be the same kind of apple. In John 17:20-21(Amplified), Jesus said (prayed) that "we might be one even as He and the Father are one;" just alike; apples off the same tree. Like the old saying goes when someone sees a child and they know the father..."that apple didn't fall far from the tree." Well, that's what it should be like with us and our Heavenly Father. Jesus said that "When you see me, you have see the Father, we are just alike." That was the reason for the new birth, to be born again in His image.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Lesson 9 Ambassadors For Christ
I understand that to the average person, what I write sounds like I'm stretching the definition of what the Church is about. I the Bible is the true Word of God (and it is), then we aren't just average people who go to church on Sunday. We are a supernatural people who have the ability to function in a much higher realm than we see today. I believe there is a people in the Church today who are looking to enter into a place in a supernatural place in the Holy Spirit. For years we have only functioned in the same place of natural man that we have had for a thousand years.
I read in the Word of God that we have access to the wisdom and ability of the Holy Spirit that we have failed to accept today. We have a relationship with the Father, through Jesus that very few people have dared to believe today. Down through the years we have always had such men of God as John G. Lake, Smith Wigglesworth, A.A.Allen and many others who went the extra mile. I don't believe this power or ability was limited to these few men, but that only these few were willing to pursue the Lord to this degree. I find no place in the Word where Jesus said that we were left without the ability of the Holy Spirit at any time.
You might say that these things aren't for everyone and maybe that's true. I don't think that it's not for everyone, but only for those who pursue it. You and I may not walk where Smith Wigglesworth did, but we can walk in a place higher than we walk now. I believe this is available to all those who seek the deeper things of God. Jesus stated that "All things are possible to he who believes." No matter what you dare to step out in, you can at least step out.
What do you have to lose by simply laying your hands on someone who is sick? Do we have so little faith in the Word that we won't even attempt to do what it says? Jesus said in Mark 16 that "signs would follow those who believe in His name." Do we really believe in His name?
All He has asked us to do is enter into His rest or to simply stop looking to do things in our own way and enter into His way of doing. I don't believe in being foolish and going to the hospitals and empty them out. But I do believe that if we would listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, then we would get some people healed anywhere. Jesus said that He only did"what He saw the Father do." Have we stopped seeing the Father do anything in these last days? Jesus also said that "When you see Me, You have seen the Father." If we want to know what the Father wants done, then all we have to do is watch Jesus.
I don't want to just stay in the wilderness for 40 more years. I know that God can take care of me there, but I don't think that's where He wants me to stay. I don't want to see the giants like spies did in Numbers 13. I want to see my God as "bigger than the giants." It took another 40 years before Joshua could do what God said to do while he had to waited for the other people. Are we to be just another generation to wait for someone else to enter in or are we going to take the land that's been given to us?
Maybe everyone won't go with you into the "rest" that Hebrews talks about, but that doesn't mean we have to do nothing. Somewhere there are going to have to be those who will dare to believe God meant what He said when He sent us to go. It seems that for most of us, we have limited the power of the Holy Spirit to being for when we get to heaven.
We won't need authority over the devil when we get to heaven because he won't be there. We won't need to lay hands on the sick because there won't be any sickness in heaven. We won't need to comfort the brokenhearted or set the captives free or break the bonds of the enemy because everyone in heaven is already free. The power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers is for here.
God needs an avenue here to work through. Make yourself available to be used by God. Dare to step out into the realm of the supernatural. Enter into the "rest" and not your own ability.
After all, it's not you, but the Father in you who does the works. We need to start putting our faith once again, in the Father in us and not ourselves.
God has lost none of His ability to minister to His people. Mostly, He just needs us to let Him be God.
I read in the Word of God that we have access to the wisdom and ability of the Holy Spirit that we have failed to accept today. We have a relationship with the Father, through Jesus that very few people have dared to believe today. Down through the years we have always had such men of God as John G. Lake, Smith Wigglesworth, A.A.Allen and many others who went the extra mile. I don't believe this power or ability was limited to these few men, but that only these few were willing to pursue the Lord to this degree. I find no place in the Word where Jesus said that we were left without the ability of the Holy Spirit at any time.
You might say that these things aren't for everyone and maybe that's true. I don't think that it's not for everyone, but only for those who pursue it. You and I may not walk where Smith Wigglesworth did, but we can walk in a place higher than we walk now. I believe this is available to all those who seek the deeper things of God. Jesus stated that "All things are possible to he who believes." No matter what you dare to step out in, you can at least step out.
What do you have to lose by simply laying your hands on someone who is sick? Do we have so little faith in the Word that we won't even attempt to do what it says? Jesus said in Mark 16 that "signs would follow those who believe in His name." Do we really believe in His name?
All He has asked us to do is enter into His rest or to simply stop looking to do things in our own way and enter into His way of doing. I don't believe in being foolish and going to the hospitals and empty them out. But I do believe that if we would listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, then we would get some people healed anywhere. Jesus said that He only did"what He saw the Father do." Have we stopped seeing the Father do anything in these last days? Jesus also said that "When you see Me, You have seen the Father." If we want to know what the Father wants done, then all we have to do is watch Jesus.
I don't want to just stay in the wilderness for 40 more years. I know that God can take care of me there, but I don't think that's where He wants me to stay. I don't want to see the giants like spies did in Numbers 13. I want to see my God as "bigger than the giants." It took another 40 years before Joshua could do what God said to do while he had to waited for the other people. Are we to be just another generation to wait for someone else to enter in or are we going to take the land that's been given to us?
Maybe everyone won't go with you into the "rest" that Hebrews talks about, but that doesn't mean we have to do nothing. Somewhere there are going to have to be those who will dare to believe God meant what He said when He sent us to go. It seems that for most of us, we have limited the power of the Holy Spirit to being for when we get to heaven.
We won't need authority over the devil when we get to heaven because he won't be there. We won't need to lay hands on the sick because there won't be any sickness in heaven. We won't need to comfort the brokenhearted or set the captives free or break the bonds of the enemy because everyone in heaven is already free. The power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers is for here.
God needs an avenue here to work through. Make yourself available to be used by God. Dare to step out into the realm of the supernatural. Enter into the "rest" and not your own ability.
After all, it's not you, but the Father in you who does the works. We need to start putting our faith once again, in the Father in us and not ourselves.
God has lost none of His ability to minister to His people. Mostly, He just needs us to let Him be God.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Lesson 8 Ambassadors For Christ
In the few scriptures of 1Corinthians 1:1-9 (Amplified) we get a look into the body of Christ the way the Father sees it. Verse 5(Amplified) says "(So) that in Him in every respect you were enriched, in full power and readiness of speech (to speak of your faith) and complete knowledge and illumination (to give you full insight into it's meaning)." Verse 6 (Amplified) says "In this way (our) witnessing concerning Christ (the Messiah) was so confirmed and established and made sure in you." Verse 7 (Amplified) continues "That you are not (consciously) falling behind or lacking in any special spiritual endowment or Christian grace (the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating in your souls by the Holy Spirit) while you wait and watch (constantly living in hope) for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and (His) being made visible to all."
We shouldn't be lacking in any of the gifts or part of our inheritance in being joint-heirs with Jesus. We have allowed the enemy to steal the truth of our inheritance from us and make us almost impotent in our ability to function in supernatural gifts.
1 Corinthians 11:29-30 (Amplified) concerns our understanding of the bread and wine at the communion table. We have allowed the status quo to take the power out of the blood and body to the point that it's just tradition. It was the power and the blood at the first Passover in Exodus 12:23 (Amplified) that protected all the Hebrew children from the destroyer. There must have been a miracle service that went on in the homes that night, because Psalms 105:37 (Amplified) says "He brought (Israel) forth also with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person among their tribes." If there was enough power and life in the blood of a lamb in Egypt, then how much power and life must there be in the blood of our Lamb Jesus.
Paul said in 1Corinthians 11:29-30 (Amplified) that "anyone who eats and drinks without discriminating and recognizing with due appreciation that (it is Christ's) body , eats and drinks a sentence (a verdict of judgement) upon himself." verse 30 (Amplified) that (careless and unworthy participation) is the reason many of you are weak and sickly, and quite enough of you have fallen into the sleep of death."
Can it be that we have lost sight of who we really are in Jesus, to the point that we've just become what Paul called "mere men?" When we partake of the bread and wine, we are to realize what it is and what it paid for. Putting everything in faith of our Lamb (sickness,fear,short comings, whatever) by faith in His sacrifice, we put it under the Blood and stand clean before our God. It's not just grape juice and crackers. There is still healing and deliverance in communion. As ambassadors, this is our connection with our Kingdom and our King.
Even in 1Corinthians 12 (Amplified) Paul talks to the church, these people (in spite of) the sin in the camp (1Corinthians 5) and the lack of understanding about communion. They still were walking in the gifts of the Spirit and power. They at least had the knowledge that they were a supernatural people with a supernatural Father.
In 1Corinthians 12:28 (Amplified) the Word tells us that God appoints some for His own use. Does this disqualify all of us? or is there a way to put yourself in position to be one of those appointed? The Word tells us in II Timothy 2:20-21 (Amplified) that " if we take the Word and allow it to cleanse us, then we can make ourselves vessels to be used of the Master."
I think that even in this world we must pursue higher goals and set our sights on the "prize of the high calling of God" in the Spirit.
We must always try to be ready to move forward with God. There must always be Joshuas and Moses and Abrahams. There must always be those who aren't afraid to push the envelope for the glory of God. Even in this world, not everyone is in positions of authority even though we could be. Some pursue more education to become better persons. We all as citizens of America, can have a better standing. It takes work to be a doctor or professional person, but that education is available to us all.
In the body of Christ, we all have been given everything that is needed to be what Jesus died to make us to be. If we're faithful in little things, then He will make us faithful over much.
We (as ambassadors) should show forth the Kingdom in everything to set at liberty those who are bound. You will see how in 1Corinthians 12 (Amplified) that "these gifts are spiritual weapons of the church against the enemy, to set the captives (of the world) free from the enemy." Jesus said "It's not the well who need a doctor, but the sick." These gifts that God has given us are for us, as ambassadors, to take to the world for their liberation. We have thought that these were gifts for the Church and not the world. These are gifts for the Church to take to the world.
As ambassadors, we are to reveal Jesus in all His glory to a dead and dark world
We shouldn't be lacking in any of the gifts or part of our inheritance in being joint-heirs with Jesus. We have allowed the enemy to steal the truth of our inheritance from us and make us almost impotent in our ability to function in supernatural gifts.
1 Corinthians 11:29-30 (Amplified) concerns our understanding of the bread and wine at the communion table. We have allowed the status quo to take the power out of the blood and body to the point that it's just tradition. It was the power and the blood at the first Passover in Exodus 12:23 (Amplified) that protected all the Hebrew children from the destroyer. There must have been a miracle service that went on in the homes that night, because Psalms 105:37 (Amplified) says "He brought (Israel) forth also with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person among their tribes." If there was enough power and life in the blood of a lamb in Egypt, then how much power and life must there be in the blood of our Lamb Jesus.
Paul said in 1Corinthians 11:29-30 (Amplified) that "anyone who eats and drinks without discriminating and recognizing with due appreciation that (it is Christ's) body , eats and drinks a sentence (a verdict of judgement) upon himself." verse 30 (Amplified) that (careless and unworthy participation) is the reason many of you are weak and sickly, and quite enough of you have fallen into the sleep of death."
Can it be that we have lost sight of who we really are in Jesus, to the point that we've just become what Paul called "mere men?" When we partake of the bread and wine, we are to realize what it is and what it paid for. Putting everything in faith of our Lamb (sickness,fear,short comings, whatever) by faith in His sacrifice, we put it under the Blood and stand clean before our God. It's not just grape juice and crackers. There is still healing and deliverance in communion. As ambassadors, this is our connection with our Kingdom and our King.
Even in 1Corinthians 12 (Amplified) Paul talks to the church, these people (in spite of) the sin in the camp (1Corinthians 5) and the lack of understanding about communion. They still were walking in the gifts of the Spirit and power. They at least had the knowledge that they were a supernatural people with a supernatural Father.
In 1Corinthians 12:28 (Amplified) the Word tells us that God appoints some for His own use. Does this disqualify all of us? or is there a way to put yourself in position to be one of those appointed? The Word tells us in II Timothy 2:20-21 (Amplified) that " if we take the Word and allow it to cleanse us, then we can make ourselves vessels to be used of the Master."
I think that even in this world we must pursue higher goals and set our sights on the "prize of the high calling of God" in the Spirit.
We must always try to be ready to move forward with God. There must always be Joshuas and Moses and Abrahams. There must always be those who aren't afraid to push the envelope for the glory of God. Even in this world, not everyone is in positions of authority even though we could be. Some pursue more education to become better persons. We all as citizens of America, can have a better standing. It takes work to be a doctor or professional person, but that education is available to us all.
In the body of Christ, we all have been given everything that is needed to be what Jesus died to make us to be. If we're faithful in little things, then He will make us faithful over much.
We (as ambassadors) should show forth the Kingdom in everything to set at liberty those who are bound. You will see how in 1Corinthians 12 (Amplified) that "these gifts are spiritual weapons of the church against the enemy, to set the captives (of the world) free from the enemy." Jesus said "It's not the well who need a doctor, but the sick." These gifts that God has given us are for us, as ambassadors, to take to the world for their liberation. We have thought that these were gifts for the Church and not the world. These are gifts for the Church to take to the world.
As ambassadors, we are to reveal Jesus in all His glory to a dead and dark world
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Lesson 7 Ambassadors For Christ
As we go through the Book of Acts, we see the power of the King of Heaven move on behalf of His Ambassadors as they go froth on the mission of revealing the King and the Kingdom of Heaven. We watch the King (God Himself) delivering and backing up His ambassadors by His own power that He gave them. Time after time we see the supernatural ability of an entirely different set of rules over the rules (or natural laws) that govern this planet.
As ambassadors from a place (the Kingdom of God) that has laws that are much higher than natural laws, we have the ability to function in a much higher realm than natural men.
In Acts 12:5-11 (Amplified) we see that Peter was locked in prison for the work he was doing for the Lord. He was chained and locked between two guards when God moved on his behalf supernaturally and set him free. In Acts 16:16-26 (Amplified) Paul and Silas were jailed for casting out a demon. While in jail, they began to sing and praise God (called upon their embassy through prayer and praise). As they sang, God sent and earthquake and broke down the jail and freed them.
God told Paul in Acts 20:9-12 (Amplified) to "not be afraid because He (God) had many people there and that God Himself would be with them." In Acts 20:29-32 (Amplified) Paul told the people, "Don't be afraid of those who would oppose the Word." verse 32 (Amplified) "And now (brethren), I commit you to God (I deposit you in His charge, entrusting you to His protection and care) and I commend you to the Word of His grace (to the commandments, counsels and promises of His unmerited favor). It is able to build you up and to give you (your rightful) inheritance among all God's set-apart ones (those consecrated, purified and transformed of Soul)."
We find Paul in Acts 28:1-5 (Amplified) after the shipwreck, building a fire when a poisonous snake bit bit him and hung onto his hand. Paul (who was walking in Kingdom authority) simply shook the snake into the fire and kept on about his task of building a fire.
In Acts 9:32-35 (Amplified) Peter healed a man who suffered from Palsy for eight years. Also, in Acts 9:36-42 (Amplified) Dorcas was raised from the dead.
These are all acts of men who walked in Kingdom authority and weren't held to simply natural laws. When we as ambassadors from and for the Kingdom of God are representing Him, He is faithful to use Kingdom authority to deliver and honor us.
Natural men don't lay hands on sick people and have them get well. In Mark 16:15-20 (Amplified) this command was given to Jesus' disciples, but verse 17 says if we believe what they say (becoming ambassadors as well), then these signs would follow us."God (through the Holy Spirit) went with them, and confirmed 'His Word' by attesting signs (Kingdom authority)."
Everything that the Father told us to do, has to be done by His authority on behalf of His Kingdom. even prayer is a divine accomplishment. Only those who believe in Jesus have access to the Father.
Every ambassador from any country has the backing (or at least should have) of full power of the government that they represent. When it comes to our Heavenly government bringing all of it's power to hear our opposition, we need not worry.
Our's has been a lack of teaching (or not hearing) what our Heavenly Government is willing to do on our behalf. We have been willing to allow the earthly laws to govern our heavenly authority. As long as we play by earthly laws, we will never walk in the supernatural laws that govern our lives. We are called to walk naturally supernatural. We are in this world, but we are not of it. That means that there are different and higher laws that govern our lives than natural men do not have at their disposal.
We need to understand who we are instead of who we were. Jesus didn't leave us as we were, nor did He abandon us until we get to heaven.
Air Force One is just another plane until the President comes on board. When he boards any plane, it becomes Air Force One because he's on board. Wherever the Spirit of God is resident, it becomes the Kingdom of God. Jesus said that "the Kingdom is in you."
As ambassadors from a place (the Kingdom of God) that has laws that are much higher than natural laws, we have the ability to function in a much higher realm than natural men.
In Acts 12:5-11 (Amplified) we see that Peter was locked in prison for the work he was doing for the Lord. He was chained and locked between two guards when God moved on his behalf supernaturally and set him free. In Acts 16:16-26 (Amplified) Paul and Silas were jailed for casting out a demon. While in jail, they began to sing and praise God (called upon their embassy through prayer and praise). As they sang, God sent and earthquake and broke down the jail and freed them.
God told Paul in Acts 20:9-12 (Amplified) to "not be afraid because He (God) had many people there and that God Himself would be with them." In Acts 20:29-32 (Amplified) Paul told the people, "Don't be afraid of those who would oppose the Word." verse 32 (Amplified) "And now (brethren), I commit you to God (I deposit you in His charge, entrusting you to His protection and care) and I commend you to the Word of His grace (to the commandments, counsels and promises of His unmerited favor). It is able to build you up and to give you (your rightful) inheritance among all God's set-apart ones (those consecrated, purified and transformed of Soul)."
We find Paul in Acts 28:1-5 (Amplified) after the shipwreck, building a fire when a poisonous snake bit bit him and hung onto his hand. Paul (who was walking in Kingdom authority) simply shook the snake into the fire and kept on about his task of building a fire.
In Acts 9:32-35 (Amplified) Peter healed a man who suffered from Palsy for eight years. Also, in Acts 9:36-42 (Amplified) Dorcas was raised from the dead.
These are all acts of men who walked in Kingdom authority and weren't held to simply natural laws. When we as ambassadors from and for the Kingdom of God are representing Him, He is faithful to use Kingdom authority to deliver and honor us.
Natural men don't lay hands on sick people and have them get well. In Mark 16:15-20 (Amplified) this command was given to Jesus' disciples, but verse 17 says if we believe what they say (becoming ambassadors as well), then these signs would follow us."God (through the Holy Spirit) went with them, and confirmed 'His Word' by attesting signs (Kingdom authority)."
Everything that the Father told us to do, has to be done by His authority on behalf of His Kingdom. even prayer is a divine accomplishment. Only those who believe in Jesus have access to the Father.
Every ambassador from any country has the backing (or at least should have) of full power of the government that they represent. When it comes to our Heavenly government bringing all of it's power to hear our opposition, we need not worry.
Our's has been a lack of teaching (or not hearing) what our Heavenly Government is willing to do on our behalf. We have been willing to allow the earthly laws to govern our heavenly authority. As long as we play by earthly laws, we will never walk in the supernatural laws that govern our lives. We are called to walk naturally supernatural. We are in this world, but we are not of it. That means that there are different and higher laws that govern our lives than natural men do not have at their disposal.
We need to understand who we are instead of who we were. Jesus didn't leave us as we were, nor did He abandon us until we get to heaven.
Air Force One is just another plane until the President comes on board. When he boards any plane, it becomes Air Force One because he's on board. Wherever the Spirit of God is resident, it becomes the Kingdom of God. Jesus said that "the Kingdom is in you."
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Lesson 6 Ambassadors For Christ
In Mark 16:15-20 (Ambassador) Jesus gave a commission to His disciples to go into the world and preach this message of total deliverance to everyone. This included the diplomatic immunity from the "god of this world." In this commission, Jesus declared that these signs would follow those who believed in His name. Jesus didn't say the signs would just follow those who preached, but those who believed what was preached. This commission not only gave them authority for themselves, but authority on behalf of others who were bound by satan. verse 20 said that "Jesus went with them (in the presence of the Holy Spirit) and confirmed His Word by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied it."
Could it be that we don't see "or do" these miracles and signs today because we don't preach them and that the Holy spirit has no words to confirm? Or is it because the Holy Spirit will not confirm this "passed away" mentality that we preach today? If that's what is preached today is "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," then we as the church are in big trouble.
There are some things that we as Jesus' representatives need to learn from 1 John 1:1-10 (Amplified) where John writes that "if we say we haven't sinned, then we won't receive Jesus for the sacrifice for our sins; If we admit we have sinned, then we can receive forgiveness and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
So, John says the first step is Jesus! Then he says in chapter 2 that "not holding our neighbor in his sin but loving him and walking in the same forgiveness towards him as we received when He forgave us (this is staying in the light)." This love that we received is to go out of us to the world by the same way it did in our Lord, by setting them free as we are free.
In Chapter 4:4 (Amplified) John writes to the church these words "Little children, you are of God (you belong to Him) and have (already) defeated and overcome them (the agents of the anti-Christ) because He who lives in you if greater (mightier) than he who is in the world." verses 16-18 (Amplified) John tells us that our maturity is based on our understanding of the love of God. " If we don't understand the completeness of our salvation based on His love for us, then we have no longer any fear of our being punished or shut out of His grace. We understand by faith, that our Lamb has paid the full price and we are exempted from the dread of having slipped of fallen, we are still in His Love and need not fear." Once you know this you are free from the lie of the enemy and can go into more maturity instead of retreating into condemnation again.
We begin to have boldness as Paul had in Jesus in II Corinthians 2:7-11 (Amplified). Paul said that we are to pray and forgive. verse 10 says "if you forgive anyone anything, I too forgive that one, and what I have forgiven, If I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence (and with the approval) of Christ the Messiah." Now we understand as Ambassadors, what John said in 1 John 5:14-16 (Amplified) about "confidence in Jesus, knowing His will and praying in boldness, knowing we receive what we ask verse 16 we have ability to forgive sin, to allow grace to flow (not the sin of rejecting Jesus unto salvation) but forgiveness to loose them from the trap of the devil to receive the light of the gospel of Grace."
Paul said in IICorinthians 2:11 (Amplified) about the power of forgiveness, that releasing them by faith in Jesus "keeps satan from getting an advantage over us, for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions."
Since we haven't understood and haven't been walking in this light as an ambassadors should do, we have walked right into the trap the enemy has laid down. Now in 1 John 5:18 (Amplified) we come to the conclusion of what John was saying, "if we can build on 'the rock of Truth' instead of only hearing what someone else says, the one who was begotten of God carefully watches over and preserves him against the evil and the wicked one does not lay hold (get a grip) on him or touch (him)."
The enemy has been so good at keeping our eyes on ourselves instead of on what Jesus has done and keeping us aware of our failures instead of His success. We're trying to perform and earn by lies of the devil, what God has already given us by faith. We spend so much time trying to keep ourselves right that we don't have time for anyone else.
I don't want you to just "get to heaven," but I want to bring heaven to you and from you and to all people for the Glory of the Lord.
Could it be that we don't see "or do" these miracles and signs today because we don't preach them and that the Holy spirit has no words to confirm? Or is it because the Holy Spirit will not confirm this "passed away" mentality that we preach today? If that's what is preached today is "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," then we as the church are in big trouble.
There are some things that we as Jesus' representatives need to learn from 1 John 1:1-10 (Amplified) where John writes that "if we say we haven't sinned, then we won't receive Jesus for the sacrifice for our sins; If we admit we have sinned, then we can receive forgiveness and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
So, John says the first step is Jesus! Then he says in chapter 2 that "not holding our neighbor in his sin but loving him and walking in the same forgiveness towards him as we received when He forgave us (this is staying in the light)." This love that we received is to go out of us to the world by the same way it did in our Lord, by setting them free as we are free.
In Chapter 4:4 (Amplified) John writes to the church these words "Little children, you are of God (you belong to Him) and have (already) defeated and overcome them (the agents of the anti-Christ) because He who lives in you if greater (mightier) than he who is in the world." verses 16-18 (Amplified) John tells us that our maturity is based on our understanding of the love of God. " If we don't understand the completeness of our salvation based on His love for us, then we have no longer any fear of our being punished or shut out of His grace. We understand by faith, that our Lamb has paid the full price and we are exempted from the dread of having slipped of fallen, we are still in His Love and need not fear." Once you know this you are free from the lie of the enemy and can go into more maturity instead of retreating into condemnation again.
We begin to have boldness as Paul had in Jesus in II Corinthians 2:7-11 (Amplified). Paul said that we are to pray and forgive. verse 10 says "if you forgive anyone anything, I too forgive that one, and what I have forgiven, If I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence (and with the approval) of Christ the Messiah." Now we understand as Ambassadors, what John said in 1 John 5:14-16 (Amplified) about "confidence in Jesus, knowing His will and praying in boldness, knowing we receive what we ask verse 16 we have ability to forgive sin, to allow grace to flow (not the sin of rejecting Jesus unto salvation) but forgiveness to loose them from the trap of the devil to receive the light of the gospel of Grace."
Paul said in IICorinthians 2:11 (Amplified) about the power of forgiveness, that releasing them by faith in Jesus "keeps satan from getting an advantage over us, for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions."
Since we haven't understood and haven't been walking in this light as an ambassadors should do, we have walked right into the trap the enemy has laid down. Now in 1 John 5:18 (Amplified) we come to the conclusion of what John was saying, "if we can build on 'the rock of Truth' instead of only hearing what someone else says, the one who was begotten of God carefully watches over and preserves him against the evil and the wicked one does not lay hold (get a grip) on him or touch (him)."
The enemy has been so good at keeping our eyes on ourselves instead of on what Jesus has done and keeping us aware of our failures instead of His success. We're trying to perform and earn by lies of the devil, what God has already given us by faith. We spend so much time trying to keep ourselves right that we don't have time for anyone else.
I don't want you to just "get to heaven," but I want to bring heaven to you and from you and to all people for the Glory of the Lord.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Lesson 5 Ambassadors For Christ
A long held teaching is that we were to just "struggle through" until Jesus returns. And, that for some reason or another , we were just here to "suffer as He suffered," and that sickness, poverty and hard times would be what showed the world as "representatives" what God is like. Some still teach that and believe that "some day it'll all be worth it." I've never been one who is satisfied with the status quo,but have always pressed on into the depth of what I've heard and read.
As I walked with God and became more familiar with His word, I found that the apostles endured a lot of things to get the truth to us. In II Corinthians 6:1-10 (Amplified) you find they endured many things so that we would know differently. At the time of Peter and Paul, there were only so many (few) men who knew the truth of the gospel. Satan had to destroy the men (like he had to destroy Jesus) before the truth of the gospel could reach the world. At that time, the Apostle Paul was one of the few men on the planet who knew the truth of the New birth.
In II Corinthians 12:1-13 (Amplified) Paul was speaking to the Church of Corinth about the time Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus 14 years earlier. When the Lord actually took him into heaven (whether in the body or out of the body) he wasn't sure,but he was sure of one thing; that Jesus Himself gave
him the revelation of what the cross had really done. Some say that God gave Paul a sickness because of his pride and some say that Paul's thorn in the flesh was God given to keep him from being exalted. Paul said the Word of God would exalt him and that the thorn in his flesh was a "messenger of satan sent to buffet and harass" him to keep him from preaching the revelation.
Why would the Lord give Paul the revelation and commission him to preach it and then try to keep him from going by making him sick or beating him up all the time? The revelation of the new birth was a mystery hidden in God. Nobody knew about what happened on the cross except Paul who learned it from Jesus Himself.
Being made the righteousness of God in Jesus, wasn't revealed until Paul preached it. Jesus' being made sin for our sake wasn't something that the people knew about. That was part of this revelation given him. Being made sons and daughters, being raised up together with Him and being set free from condemnation are all things we know about today because of Paul's preaching. No wonder satan attacked him like he did. The suffering that Paul endured would be for nothing if we ignored what he said.
I have never understood why people would rather see themselves as victims rather than victors. We as Christian people should of all people live above the world and not under it. Even in the old covenant in Deuteronomy 28:13 (Amplified) God declared that we would be the " head and not the tail and that we would be above only, and not beneath."
If the old covenant made such a promise, then we have a way better chance now. Why would we be just
someone for the world and satan to kick around? If God has given us Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Word, the Blood, the grace of God, redemption, the angels, the glory, the blessing (not the curse), Wisdom, the Son ship rights, one spirit with Him, the authority of Jesus' Name, the forgiveness of all our sins, the promise of His not even remembering our sins anymore, and even a new language to be able to speak to Him without any interference, then what will it take to make us victorious?
For too long we've heard that we're just "beggars on a dung heap" and not a delight in Him. We've accepted as fact that we can't win.
In 1Corinthians 3:1-3 (Amplified) Paul said he still had to speak to God's people as if they hadn't been born again. Paul had to speak to them not as spiritual, but as mere unchanged men, feeding them milk and not meat. If you read 1Corinthians 3 then you will find that what Paul was preaching was foundational words to build on. Whatever you build on this is by what you receive by faith in what you hear.
Jesus taught a parable about two men who built houses in Luke 6:47-49 (Amplified). One man built on the sand and the other on the rock. Both men heard (1Corinthians 3:13 (Amplified) ,but one heard as a mere unchanged man" and one heard as a spiritual man. One man took the word and walked it; the other did not. Both men were saved as far as going to heaven, but both didn't walk in victory while they were here.
As I walked with God and became more familiar with His word, I found that the apostles endured a lot of things to get the truth to us. In II Corinthians 6:1-10 (Amplified) you find they endured many things so that we would know differently. At the time of Peter and Paul, there were only so many (few) men who knew the truth of the gospel. Satan had to destroy the men (like he had to destroy Jesus) before the truth of the gospel could reach the world. At that time, the Apostle Paul was one of the few men on the planet who knew the truth of the New birth.
In II Corinthians 12:1-13 (Amplified) Paul was speaking to the Church of Corinth about the time Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus 14 years earlier. When the Lord actually took him into heaven (whether in the body or out of the body) he wasn't sure,but he was sure of one thing; that Jesus Himself gave
him the revelation of what the cross had really done. Some say that God gave Paul a sickness because of his pride and some say that Paul's thorn in the flesh was God given to keep him from being exalted. Paul said the Word of God would exalt him and that the thorn in his flesh was a "messenger of satan sent to buffet and harass" him to keep him from preaching the revelation.
Why would the Lord give Paul the revelation and commission him to preach it and then try to keep him from going by making him sick or beating him up all the time? The revelation of the new birth was a mystery hidden in God. Nobody knew about what happened on the cross except Paul who learned it from Jesus Himself.
Being made the righteousness of God in Jesus, wasn't revealed until Paul preached it. Jesus' being made sin for our sake wasn't something that the people knew about. That was part of this revelation given him. Being made sons and daughters, being raised up together with Him and being set free from condemnation are all things we know about today because of Paul's preaching. No wonder satan attacked him like he did. The suffering that Paul endured would be for nothing if we ignored what he said.
I have never understood why people would rather see themselves as victims rather than victors. We as Christian people should of all people live above the world and not under it. Even in the old covenant in Deuteronomy 28:13 (Amplified) God declared that we would be the " head and not the tail and that we would be above only, and not beneath."
If the old covenant made such a promise, then we have a way better chance now. Why would we be just
someone for the world and satan to kick around? If God has given us Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Word, the Blood, the grace of God, redemption, the angels, the glory, the blessing (not the curse), Wisdom, the Son ship rights, one spirit with Him, the authority of Jesus' Name, the forgiveness of all our sins, the promise of His not even remembering our sins anymore, and even a new language to be able to speak to Him without any interference, then what will it take to make us victorious?
For too long we've heard that we're just "beggars on a dung heap" and not a delight in Him. We've accepted as fact that we can't win.
In 1Corinthians 3:1-3 (Amplified) Paul said he still had to speak to God's people as if they hadn't been born again. Paul had to speak to them not as spiritual, but as mere unchanged men, feeding them milk and not meat. If you read 1Corinthians 3 then you will find that what Paul was preaching was foundational words to build on. Whatever you build on this is by what you receive by faith in what you hear.
Jesus taught a parable about two men who built houses in Luke 6:47-49 (Amplified). One man built on the sand and the other on the rock. Both men heard (1Corinthians 3:13 (Amplified) ,but one heard as a mere unchanged man" and one heard as a spiritual man. One man took the word and walked it; the other did not. Both men were saved as far as going to heaven, but both didn't walk in victory while they were here.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Lesson 4 Ambassadors for Christ
We read in John 5:19 (Amplified) where Jesus tells His followers "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, The Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way (in His turn)."
I wonder...do we still see the Father doing these things that Jesus did as He walked on earth as a man? We hear about the things that "have passed away," and how they were only for the "early church" and about many other great things that "used to be." Do we still see our Father in the same way that Jesus did?
I hear scriptures about how "many are called, but few are chosen" quoted as a reason for the works of God being limited to just a few. For the most part, each may feel they happen to be ones of the not chosen to do these works. Let me set your heart at rest with a verse from 1Peter 2:9 (Amplified) "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, (God's) own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
You see, we are all a part of this chosen people of the Father. II Corinthians 5:20 (Amplified) bears this our for all of us as ambassadors to this marvelous God we serve.
We read throughout the Bible and are always saying, "Yes, but that was Paul," or "Yes, but that was Peter" and so on. In Acts 3:16 (Amplified) after Peter and John had healed the man at the gates of the temple Beautiful, Peter made a statement that should encourage all who believe when he said, "His name (the name of Jesus) through and by faith in His name has made this man whole." Do we still have this name? Peter made voice to the people in verse 12 and in essence said "don't look to us as though we are special; Jesus did this."
Ephesians 3:20-21 (Amplified) says "Now to Him who, by (in consequence of) the (action of His) power that is at work within us, is able to (carry out His purpose) and do super abundantly far over and above all that we (dare) to ask or think (infinitely, beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams) to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever, Amen."
Peter made it quite clear when he preached his first Spirit filled sermon in Acts 2:16-18 (Amplified) "But (instead) this is (the beginning of) what was spoken by the prophet Joel." verse 17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy (telling forth the divine counsel) and your young men shall see visions (divinely granted appearances) and your old men shall dream dreams (divinely suggested) dreams." verse 18"Yes, and on my men servants also and on my maidservants in those days I will pour out of My Spirit. And they shall prophesy (telling forth the divine counsels) and predicting future events pertaining especially to God's Kingdom."
Are we (the Church) not still a part of this prophecy? And if we are, then has God changed His mind?
As we read through the book of Acts (the acts of the Holy Spirit), we read not only about the acts of the Apostles, but about the wonderful things they did. It wasn't just Peter and John, but such men as Philip, Stephen and Ananias who heard God speak to him about praying for Paul. Acts 9:10-18 (Amplified) tells us that Ananias prior to hearing God speak to him about praying for Paul wasn't an Apostle or deacon. I never read about him before this time nor after that time. He was just a man who God knew He could trust. He was a man who knew the Master's voice and someone who God knew intimately. Ananias was just a spirit filled man who was an ambassador for Christ and a representative of the Kingdom of God.
Don't count out what God has told us to do because you think we don;t need to do these things anymore. Press on!
I wonder...do we still see the Father doing these things that Jesus did as He walked on earth as a man? We hear about the things that "have passed away," and how they were only for the "early church" and about many other great things that "used to be." Do we still see our Father in the same way that Jesus did?
I hear scriptures about how "many are called, but few are chosen" quoted as a reason for the works of God being limited to just a few. For the most part, each may feel they happen to be ones of the not chosen to do these works. Let me set your heart at rest with a verse from 1Peter 2:9 (Amplified) "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, (God's) own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
You see, we are all a part of this chosen people of the Father. II Corinthians 5:20 (Amplified) bears this our for all of us as ambassadors to this marvelous God we serve.
We read throughout the Bible and are always saying, "Yes, but that was Paul," or "Yes, but that was Peter" and so on. In Acts 3:16 (Amplified) after Peter and John had healed the man at the gates of the temple Beautiful, Peter made a statement that should encourage all who believe when he said, "His name (the name of Jesus) through and by faith in His name has made this man whole." Do we still have this name? Peter made voice to the people in verse 12 and in essence said "don't look to us as though we are special; Jesus did this."
Ephesians 3:20-21 (Amplified) says "Now to Him who, by (in consequence of) the (action of His) power that is at work within us, is able to (carry out His purpose) and do super abundantly far over and above all that we (dare) to ask or think (infinitely, beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams) to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever, Amen."
Peter made it quite clear when he preached his first Spirit filled sermon in Acts 2:16-18 (Amplified) "But (instead) this is (the beginning of) what was spoken by the prophet Joel." verse 17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy (telling forth the divine counsel) and your young men shall see visions (divinely granted appearances) and your old men shall dream dreams (divinely suggested) dreams." verse 18"Yes, and on my men servants also and on my maidservants in those days I will pour out of My Spirit. And they shall prophesy (telling forth the divine counsels) and predicting future events pertaining especially to God's Kingdom."
Are we (the Church) not still a part of this prophecy? And if we are, then has God changed His mind?
As we read through the book of Acts (the acts of the Holy Spirit), we read not only about the acts of the Apostles, but about the wonderful things they did. It wasn't just Peter and John, but such men as Philip, Stephen and Ananias who heard God speak to him about praying for Paul. Acts 9:10-18 (Amplified) tells us that Ananias prior to hearing God speak to him about praying for Paul wasn't an Apostle or deacon. I never read about him before this time nor after that time. He was just a man who God knew He could trust. He was a man who knew the Master's voice and someone who God knew intimately. Ananias was just a spirit filled man who was an ambassador for Christ and a representative of the Kingdom of God.
Don't count out what God has told us to do because you think we don;t need to do these things anymore. Press on!
Our Covenant of Faith, Part 6
In this day and age we've only heard the word concerning eternal life. This word has gone out to most of the world, that Jesus died so that we might have eternal life. This word is truly good news (gospel) but is still only a portion of what the whole gospel is all about. Romans 10:13-17 (Amplified) states that we can only believe what we hear, and asks how can we hear without someone to preach the Word? verse 16 (Amplified) says "But they have not all heeded the gospel; for Isaiah says says 'Lord, who has believed (had faith in) what he has heard from us?'" Isaiah 53:1 (Amplified) sums it all up saying, "so faith comes by hearing (what is told) and what is heard comes by preaching (of the message that came from the lips) of Christ (the Messiah Himself)."
It's nearly impossible for the people to believe in the power of the resurrected Christ if they don't hear it preached. In the last message we read Hebrews 4:2 (Amplified) "for we have had the glad tidings )gospel of God) proclaimed to us just as truly as they (the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them) but the message they heard didn't benefit them because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality of God in absolute trust and confidence in His power,wisdom and goodness) by those who heard it: neither were they united in faith with the ones (Joshua and Caleb) who heard and believed.
Hebrews 10:8-9 (Amplified) mentions a rest ( that was not a reference to the Israelites entering into Canaan) because if Joshua had given them rest, then He (God) would not speak afterward for another day.
verse 9 (Amplified) says "So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath rest reserved for the (true) people of God." verse 10 (Amplified). Genesis 2:2 (Amplified) says "For he who has once entered into (God's) rest also has ceased from (the weariness and pain) of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly his own."
This rest that he speaks of in Hebrews is the gospel that Jesus preached in Luke 4:18-19 (Amplified) "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the anointed One, the Messiah) to preach the Good News (the gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed (who are down trodden,bruised,crushed and broken down by calamity) verse 19 (Amplified) "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound). Isaiah 61:1-2 (Amplified).
How are we to have faith in that which we have not heard? And, how are we to hear unless someone will preach it?
In this day and age we have become afraid to preach this to the people because either we're afraid it doesn't work or we're afraid we will upset the people. We have been content to allow the enemy to ride roughshod over God's people and to watch them become broken rather than teach the place to rest. Most people don't rest (even in the fact that they're righteous) because we keep preaching sin and recommitment instead of faith in the righteousness of Jesus. We still walk under condemnation from the past instead of liberty in the new man.
If we preach the whole truth in Jesus, then it will upset some of the people that is true, but it will set free the other part which still holds out hope of God's deliverance here.
If we learn to put our faith in the same Jesus who gave us eternal life, we can also put our faith in the rest of what He paid for on our behalf.
Hebrews 113:8-10 (Amplified) tells us that "Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is (always) the same; yesterday, today, and (yes) forever (to the ages)." verse 9 (Amplified) "Do not be carried away by different and varied and alien teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established and enabled and strengthened by means of grace (God's favor and spiritual blessing) and not to be devoted to foods (rules of diet and ritual meals) which bring no profit to those who observe them." verse 10 (Amplified) "We have an altar from which those who serve and worship in the tabernacle have no right to eat."
If you think that we were the first to doubt, then read Matthew 28:17 (Amplified) after Jesus had risen from the dead, He came and talked with the people verse 17 "when they saw Him, they fell down and worshiped Him; but some doubted."
Just preach it! " God will confirm His Word by the signs following." Mark 16:20 (Amplified)
It's nearly impossible for the people to believe in the power of the resurrected Christ if they don't hear it preached. In the last message we read Hebrews 4:2 (Amplified) "for we have had the glad tidings )gospel of God) proclaimed to us just as truly as they (the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them) but the message they heard didn't benefit them because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality of God in absolute trust and confidence in His power,wisdom and goodness) by those who heard it: neither were they united in faith with the ones (Joshua and Caleb) who heard and believed.
Hebrews 10:8-9 (Amplified) mentions a rest ( that was not a reference to the Israelites entering into Canaan) because if Joshua had given them rest, then He (God) would not speak afterward for another day.
verse 9 (Amplified) says "So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath rest reserved for the (true) people of God." verse 10 (Amplified). Genesis 2:2 (Amplified) says "For he who has once entered into (God's) rest also has ceased from (the weariness and pain) of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly his own."
This rest that he speaks of in Hebrews is the gospel that Jesus preached in Luke 4:18-19 (Amplified) "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the anointed One, the Messiah) to preach the Good News (the gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed (who are down trodden,bruised,crushed and broken down by calamity) verse 19 (Amplified) "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound). Isaiah 61:1-2 (Amplified).
How are we to have faith in that which we have not heard? And, how are we to hear unless someone will preach it?
In this day and age we have become afraid to preach this to the people because either we're afraid it doesn't work or we're afraid we will upset the people. We have been content to allow the enemy to ride roughshod over God's people and to watch them become broken rather than teach the place to rest. Most people don't rest (even in the fact that they're righteous) because we keep preaching sin and recommitment instead of faith in the righteousness of Jesus. We still walk under condemnation from the past instead of liberty in the new man.
If we preach the whole truth in Jesus, then it will upset some of the people that is true, but it will set free the other part which still holds out hope of God's deliverance here.
If we learn to put our faith in the same Jesus who gave us eternal life, we can also put our faith in the rest of what He paid for on our behalf.
Hebrews 113:8-10 (Amplified) tells us that "Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is (always) the same; yesterday, today, and (yes) forever (to the ages)." verse 9 (Amplified) "Do not be carried away by different and varied and alien teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established and enabled and strengthened by means of grace (God's favor and spiritual blessing) and not to be devoted to foods (rules of diet and ritual meals) which bring no profit to those who observe them." verse 10 (Amplified) "We have an altar from which those who serve and worship in the tabernacle have no right to eat."
If you think that we were the first to doubt, then read Matthew 28:17 (Amplified) after Jesus had risen from the dead, He came and talked with the people verse 17 "when they saw Him, they fell down and worshiped Him; but some doubted."
Just preach it! " God will confirm His Word by the signs following." Mark 16:20 (Amplified)
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Lesson 3 Ambassadors For Christ
We sometimes forget to understand that the Kingdom of God is exactly that; it is a kingdom. God is the King and in a kingdom there is no vote. We don't have the authority to change the rules (laws) that govern heaven. We must learn to live by His word because that's how the kingdom works. As ambassadors, we don't make up our own rules, but walk in what has already been established. Our attempt to make things work the way we want has been a complete failure for mankind. We have what I call "faith accidents" when we (mostly by mistake) do something by the Kingdom rule and it works. Because we didn't do it by understanding, we don't duplicate it. We have religious rules that we made up and that have nothing to do with what God accepts as rule.
Out of pride or foolishness we still refuse to believe we are wrong and thus continue teaching and using our own rule instead of the Kingdom rule. In a kingdom, the King is sovereign and His rules (or laws) are not debatable. We don't vote on how things are done. We view Jesus as an anomaly instead of as a pattern for us to follow.
Jesus was and still is the way that all of the Father's children are supposed to function. He could perform miracles because He understood how to do what the Kingdom authorized. John 3:34 (Amplified) says "for since He whom God has sent speaks the words of God (proclaims God's own message), God doesn't give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit."
We read in the Gospel of John 14:10-12 (Amplified) where Jesus made some statements that if anyone else had made then I wouldn't have believed them. Even now, knowing that it was Jesus saying it, I am still overwhelmed by the magnitude of what He spoke. verse 12 "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in me, he will himself be able to do the things I do, and he will do even greater things that I do, and he will do even greater things than these because I go to the Father." The same chapter of John 14:26 (Amplified) reads "But the Comforter (counselor, helper, intercessor,advocate, strengthener, stand-by), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name (in my place, to represent me and act on my behalf), He will teach you all things, and He will choose you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything that I have told you."
We sometimes forget that if Jesus was the Son of God (and you know He is), and that according to the Word, we are Sons of God (and you know we are), then where does the difference come in? If one apple seed will grow an apple tree and all fruit on the tree is an apple, we know that each one is not the same apple but each one is exactly the same. If Jesus was an ambassador from God to show forth God's Kingdom, then we as ambassadors have the same calling. In John 17:14-23 (Amplified) Jesus said that we were not of this world anymore than He is and that He sent us forth as the Father sent Him forth. He even said in verse 22 (Amplified) that He has "given us the same glory and honor that the Father gave Him."
John 18:36-37 (Amplified) shows us how Jesus stood in the presence of Pilate and declared that He is a King and He had Kingly power from His Kingdom." These powers that Jesus walked in were higher than the laws, rules or powers of this earthly realm.
As ambassadors of Christ, we represent a Kingdom and a King that is high above this realm. There are rules that govern that Kingdom that only the Holy Spirit can reveal to us from the word of God. God's Kingdom is ruled by His Word, and that word is forever settled. His Kingdom is always by His Word. If we will come to the place where we will listen to what God says, then we will be more successful in our deeds. We need to understand that if Jesus and the Father are one (and they are) and if we are one as they are one (John 17:21 (Amplified) then what Jesus was and did is what we are and do. You are not Jesus, but you are like Jesus. You are not the Messiah, but you are of the same seed. The Holy Spirit will show us the way of the Kingdom so that we can walk above things that satan has governed us by for so very long.
Jesus had rule over all of the things of the enemy and has given Himself as an example for us to walk by John 3:3-6 (Amplified) says that "unless a man is born again (anew, from above) he cannot ever se (know, be acquainted with and experience the Kingdom of God)."
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Lesson 2 Ambassadors for Christ
Now that I have made this kind of statement, let me take you through the scriptures and show you what I am saying to the body of Christ.
As and ambassador from another kingdom (Jesus said "we are in this world, but we are not of this world" in John 17:16 (Amplified).
If we are truly ambassadors from another world (kingdom), then the laws of our Kingdom have truly exempted us from the laws that govern here. Jesus told His disciples in Luke 10:19 (Amplified) "Behold, I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and (physical and mental strength and ability) over all the power that the enemy (possesses) and nothing shall in any way harm you."
We also read in Romans 8:2 (Amplified) "for the law of the Spirit of Life (which is) in Christ Jesus (the law of our new being) has freed me from the law of sin and death."
Again, in Matthew 28:18 (Amplified) Jesus approached and breaking the silence, said to them "All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
To me this would indicate that the usurped power of rule that satan once held over this planet (that taken from Adam in the Garden of Eden) was now ended. Not only for Jesus, but because He had taken back all rule and restored it back to all who would believe in Him and enter back (through the power of His sacrifice) into the Kingdom of God. Jesus states this openly in Mark 16:15-20 (Amplified) when He said to "preach this Good News" and these signs would follow " those who believe." verse 20 (Amplified)"And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied (it). Amen (so be it)." Jesus (as King) watched over those who would walk as ambassadors from His Kingdom, granting immunity to all the demon power, the power of sickness and the satanic rule of law that had "until this time" rule over men. These men and women who would dare to believe this message would have diplomatic immunity over the ungodly rule and would walk above it.
This rule of the Kingdom of Heaven was in answer to the power that Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:10 (Amplified). In a prayer that most of us know (and sometimes don't think about), Jesus taught us to pray verse 10 "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."
As a matter of the will of the Father, the rule of the Kingdom would now have rule over all the former rule and exempt those ambassadors from this rule (the law of sin and death) that had held them until now.
Jesus said at the Last Supper, just hours before going to the cross, in John 13:20 (Amplified) "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you that he who receives and welcomes and takes me into his heart any messenger of mine, receives me (in just that way) and he who receives and welcomes and takes me into his heart receives Him who sent me (in the same way)."
Do you remember the woman who was bound in Luke? Luke 13:16 (Amplified) says "this power of diplomatic immunity (or if you will) this rule of the Kingdom that rules the rule of satan. This law of the Kingdom overshadows all other laws. verse 16 (Amplified) says "And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, who satan kept bound fro eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?"
We see here (in action) the rule of this diplomatic immunity by exempting this woman from the bond of the present ruler. This disease could not hold her when a higher law or rule was applied by the ambassador of heaven.
Jesus spoke of this new rule and Law of the Kingdom (and how it would supersede the rule of a fallen world) in Matthew 6:33 (Amplified) when He spoke to the people about everyday life. He said that "all the people (saved and unsaved) would need a place to live, food to eat and clothes to wear; but there were different ways and means to get those things." verse 33 (Amplified) says "But seek (aim at and strive after) first all of His Kingdom and His righteousness (His ways of doing and being right) and then all these things taken together will be given to you besides."
Gravity is one of the laws that govern this world and it still works. But we have a law of lift and the law of thrust that will supersede gravity and let an airplane weighing tons fly. New laws cause us to rise up on eagle's wings.
As and ambassador from another kingdom (Jesus said "we are in this world, but we are not of this world" in John 17:16 (Amplified).
If we are truly ambassadors from another world (kingdom), then the laws of our Kingdom have truly exempted us from the laws that govern here. Jesus told His disciples in Luke 10:19 (Amplified) "Behold, I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and (physical and mental strength and ability) over all the power that the enemy (possesses) and nothing shall in any way harm you."
We also read in Romans 8:2 (Amplified) "for the law of the Spirit of Life (which is) in Christ Jesus (the law of our new being) has freed me from the law of sin and death."
Again, in Matthew 28:18 (Amplified) Jesus approached and breaking the silence, said to them "All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
To me this would indicate that the usurped power of rule that satan once held over this planet (that taken from Adam in the Garden of Eden) was now ended. Not only for Jesus, but because He had taken back all rule and restored it back to all who would believe in Him and enter back (through the power of His sacrifice) into the Kingdom of God. Jesus states this openly in Mark 16:15-20 (Amplified) when He said to "preach this Good News" and these signs would follow " those who believe." verse 20 (Amplified)"And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied (it). Amen (so be it)." Jesus (as King) watched over those who would walk as ambassadors from His Kingdom, granting immunity to all the demon power, the power of sickness and the satanic rule of law that had "until this time" rule over men. These men and women who would dare to believe this message would have diplomatic immunity over the ungodly rule and would walk above it.
This rule of the Kingdom of Heaven was in answer to the power that Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:10 (Amplified). In a prayer that most of us know (and sometimes don't think about), Jesus taught us to pray verse 10 "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."
As a matter of the will of the Father, the rule of the Kingdom would now have rule over all the former rule and exempt those ambassadors from this rule (the law of sin and death) that had held them until now.
Jesus said at the Last Supper, just hours before going to the cross, in John 13:20 (Amplified) "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you that he who receives and welcomes and takes me into his heart any messenger of mine, receives me (in just that way) and he who receives and welcomes and takes me into his heart receives Him who sent me (in the same way)."
Do you remember the woman who was bound in Luke? Luke 13:16 (Amplified) says "this power of diplomatic immunity (or if you will) this rule of the Kingdom that rules the rule of satan. This law of the Kingdom overshadows all other laws. verse 16 (Amplified) says "And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, who satan kept bound fro eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?"
We see here (in action) the rule of this diplomatic immunity by exempting this woman from the bond of the present ruler. This disease could not hold her when a higher law or rule was applied by the ambassador of heaven.
Jesus spoke of this new rule and Law of the Kingdom (and how it would supersede the rule of a fallen world) in Matthew 6:33 (Amplified) when He spoke to the people about everyday life. He said that "all the people (saved and unsaved) would need a place to live, food to eat and clothes to wear; but there were different ways and means to get those things." verse 33 (Amplified) says "But seek (aim at and strive after) first all of His Kingdom and His righteousness (His ways of doing and being right) and then all these things taken together will be given to you besides."
Gravity is one of the laws that govern this world and it still works. But we have a law of lift and the law of thrust that will supersede gravity and let an airplane weighing tons fly. New laws cause us to rise up on eagle's wings.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Ambassadors For Christ Lesson 1
Lesson 1 Ambassadors For Christ
II Corinthians 5:20 (Amplified Bible says that "We are Christ's Ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We (as Christ's personal representatives) beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor (now offered you) and be reconciled to God.
I would like to call your attention to what the Apostle Paul said by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We are "Christ's Ambassadors." I don't know if you ever gave much thought to that scripture,but I want you to think about it for a moment. Put aside your doubt for a moment and think clearly about what that means. If you are an ambassador for Christ (and the Word says you are), then you represent another Land of Kingdom, right? Stop and think about that for a minute. We have ambassadors from the United States who are in a lot of different countries of the world. They live there, but they're not of those countries. They are there to look after the interests of the United States and they have what is called "diplomatic immunity" ? Why is it that we would find it so hard to believe that we (as ambassadors) would not have diplomatic immunity here as well?
John 17:14-22 (Amplified) Read these scriptures carefully and see if what Jesus said in prayer doesn't bear out what Paul preached in II Corinthians 5:20. Jesus said that "we are not of this world just as He was not of this world." If we are not of this world, then where are we from? Ephesians 2:6 (Amplified) tells us "He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together (giving us joint seating with Him) in the heavenly sphere (by virtue of our being) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
When I say we have diplomatic immunity, I don't mean that the laws of the land don't apply to me. I still have to obey the speed laws, to stop at stoplights or steal or rob people. What I am saying is that the thing Satan used to rule over us before Jesus, no longer applies in the life of the born-again believer.
Our ambassadors from this nation are exempt from prosecution by the countries they are in. If you come against an ambassador of the United States, then it's an act of war against the U.S. In the event that you do come against the ambassador, you have come against the nation he represents.
We just recently had an event in Benghazi where our Ambassador was killed. The Commander and Chief of our military did nothing about it (for what reason I'm not sure), but it could have been war against Libya. If you come against the kingdom he is from and all the might and power of that kingdom can come to bear against them. In John 18:36 (Amplified) Jesus said to Pilate, "My Kingdom (kingship,royal power) belongs not to this world." In John 19:10-11 (Amplified) Pilate asks Jesus "Will you not speak (even) to me? Do you not know that I have power (authority) to release you and I have the power to crucify you?" verse 11 Jesus answered, "You would not have any power or authority whatsoever against (over) me if it were not given to you from above."
Jesus (as an ambassador) from the Kingdom of Heaven had full diplomatic immunity from this world.
1 John 4:17 (Amplified) says "In this (union and communion with Him) love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgement (with assurance and boldness to face Him) because as He is, so are we in this world."
As you read this (and before you read the next lesson), I want you to think (with the mind of Christ) about what I'm going to teach in these next lessons. We will go through a lot of the scriptures and put down in plain English (by the Word) what I'm saying. You will have a chance to accept or reject what I say. But, you can't change the truth of the Word.
Jesus (as the ambassador of the Kingdom of God) had authority over gravity, over weather, over sin, over sickness, over death, and over all the power of the enemy. He had power to lay down His life, and He had the power to take it up again.
You and I, as believers, have more than you know!
II Corinthians 5:20 (Amplified Bible says that "We are Christ's Ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We (as Christ's personal representatives) beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor (now offered you) and be reconciled to God.
I would like to call your attention to what the Apostle Paul said by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We are "Christ's Ambassadors." I don't know if you ever gave much thought to that scripture,but I want you to think about it for a moment. Put aside your doubt for a moment and think clearly about what that means. If you are an ambassador for Christ (and the Word says you are), then you represent another Land of Kingdom, right? Stop and think about that for a minute. We have ambassadors from the United States who are in a lot of different countries of the world. They live there, but they're not of those countries. They are there to look after the interests of the United States and they have what is called "diplomatic immunity" ? Why is it that we would find it so hard to believe that we (as ambassadors) would not have diplomatic immunity here as well?
John 17:14-22 (Amplified) Read these scriptures carefully and see if what Jesus said in prayer doesn't bear out what Paul preached in II Corinthians 5:20. Jesus said that "we are not of this world just as He was not of this world." If we are not of this world, then where are we from? Ephesians 2:6 (Amplified) tells us "He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together (giving us joint seating with Him) in the heavenly sphere (by virtue of our being) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
When I say we have diplomatic immunity, I don't mean that the laws of the land don't apply to me. I still have to obey the speed laws, to stop at stoplights or steal or rob people. What I am saying is that the thing Satan used to rule over us before Jesus, no longer applies in the life of the born-again believer.
Our ambassadors from this nation are exempt from prosecution by the countries they are in. If you come against an ambassador of the United States, then it's an act of war against the U.S. In the event that you do come against the ambassador, you have come against the nation he represents.
We just recently had an event in Benghazi where our Ambassador was killed. The Commander and Chief of our military did nothing about it (for what reason I'm not sure), but it could have been war against Libya. If you come against the kingdom he is from and all the might and power of that kingdom can come to bear against them. In John 18:36 (Amplified) Jesus said to Pilate, "My Kingdom (kingship,royal power) belongs not to this world." In John 19:10-11 (Amplified) Pilate asks Jesus "Will you not speak (even) to me? Do you not know that I have power (authority) to release you and I have the power to crucify you?" verse 11 Jesus answered, "You would not have any power or authority whatsoever against (over) me if it were not given to you from above."
Jesus (as an ambassador) from the Kingdom of Heaven had full diplomatic immunity from this world.
1 John 4:17 (Amplified) says "In this (union and communion with Him) love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgement (with assurance and boldness to face Him) because as He is, so are we in this world."
As you read this (and before you read the next lesson), I want you to think (with the mind of Christ) about what I'm going to teach in these next lessons. We will go through a lot of the scriptures and put down in plain English (by the Word) what I'm saying. You will have a chance to accept or reject what I say. But, you can't change the truth of the Word.
Jesus (as the ambassador of the Kingdom of God) had authority over gravity, over weather, over sin, over sickness, over death, and over all the power of the enemy. He had power to lay down His life, and He had the power to take it up again.
You and I, as believers, have more than you know!
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