Lesson 4 Trusting In The Word

     The whole purpose of Jesus coming was to show us God as Father.  And to reveal to us this new and loving Image of a Father Who would go to any length to bring us back to Him even to the place of paying all the debt that was owed to Himself.  It had to be paid to restore us, but we couldn't pay it ourselves.  There was only One Who could do it; there was no other way.  Mark 14:36 (Amplified) says, "And He was saying, 'Abba, (which means) Father, everything is possible to you.  Take away this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You (will).'"  The only One Who was without sin and could pay the price for it, was the sinless Son of God.
     When Jesus went to the altar of the cross, it wasn't so He could be set free (He was never bound), but that you and I could be set free.  Everything that was under the curse of the Law was paid for by Jesus.  Galatians 3:13-14 (Amplified) says that, "Christ purchased our freedom (redeeming us) from the curse (doom) of the Law (and its condemnation) by (Himself) becoming a curse for us, for it is written (in the scriptures) cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified) (Deuteronomy 21:23)."  Verse 14 says, "To the end that through (their receiving) Christ Jesus, the blessing (promised) to Abraham might come upon the Gentile, so that through (faith) might (all) receive (the realization of) the promise of the (Holy) Spirit."
     Now that He is risen, we (the believer) has access to the promise that God made to Abraham by faith in Jesus.  The curse has been fulfilled by Jesus Himself becoming a curse so that we can be blessed.  There's no more need to strive to enter into His blessing, but only receive what the Word said about it and then walk in it.  The only requirement to entering into the blessing is to believe.
     Through Jesus you are already blessed, righteous, redeemed, sanctified, highly favored, and pure through faith in Him Who bore all things for us.  All that you need to do is truth in the Word.  We keep trying to earn all these things by works to make us righteous enough to deserve them.  Every time we fail in our endeavors, we feel like we've been disqualified by God.
     The only way to walk upright with the Father is to believe what His Word tells us.  If you didn't do anything to earn righteousness, then what makes you think you can do anything to lose it?  It was never your righteousness to begin with; it was His.  And no matter what you've done, He is still righteous.
     Grace is a gift and not something we worked for.  A gift needs simply to be received.  John 6:28-29 (Amplified) says "They then said, what are we to do, that we may (habitually) be working the works of God?  (What are we to do to carry out what God requires?)"  Verse 29 goes on, "Jesus replied, 'This is the work (service) that God asks of you; that you believe in the One Who He has sent. (that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger.)'"
      That sounds a whole lot easier to do than what we've been doing, doesn't it?  All I am required to do to be righteous is to believe in God's Word that Jesus has made me righteous and receive Him as my righteousness.  Nothing else in required of me.  All my works, and sweat and trying only tells God that I don't believe His Word.
     Condemnation of the enemy will try to enter in, but the Word tells us in Romans 8:1 (Amplified) that "Therefore, (there is) now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit."
     If you continue walking in condemnation, then you're not trusting in the Word.  We must learn the Word (the true Word of grace) and learn to trust the Word.  Your old self will try rising up and condemn you, but we will "not walk after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates (the Word) of the Spirit."
     Church, we must come to trust in what the Word says about us instead of what others say.  If you've received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then you are already free from the Law of sin and death.  Romans 8:3 (Amplified) says that, "For God has done what the Law could not do (its power) being weakened by the flesh, (the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit) sending His Own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin (God) condemned sin in the flesh (subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice)."