Lesson 2 DOING HIS WILL AND WORKS

     James 1:5-8 (Amplified) says, "If any of you is deficient in Wisdom, let him ask of the Giving God Who gives to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproach or fault finding, and it will be given him. Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitation, no doubting); For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything he asks for from the Lord. For being as he is a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute) he is unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything he thinks, feels, decides."
     The Holy Spirit assures us in the above scripture, that if we lack Wisdom concerning what we're to do or what God's will is, then we are to ask Him for Wisdom.  Paul prayed for the Church (the Church in Colossians, as well as all brethren who love the Lord) in Colossians 1:9 (Amplified),where the Holy Spirit inspired him, saying, "For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it (our love) have not ceased to pray and make special request for you, asking that you may be filled with the full, deep, clear, knowledge of His will in all Spiritual Wisdom, in comprehension into the ways and purposes of God, and in understanding and discernment of Spiritual things."
    The largest display of the Church's being double-minded today, is our not knowing where the trials we face come from and from Whom our blessings flow from.  The deceiver has brought doubt and indecision into the Church, leaving us being like James says, "Blown hither and thither, like waves at sea in the wind."  Most of the new creation believers I've spoken with, have been indoctrinated with a religious and worldly Image of our Heavenly Father.  That leaves them not knowing how to react, when trails come their way.
     If it comes from God, then we're supposed to submit to it.  If it comes from the devil, then we are supposed to resist it.  If we don't know where it comes from, then we're left open to the deceiver.  God wants us to know His will on earth.  Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven."  Even if we didn't know whether or not something was "God's will," then we could surely say whether or not that's how Heaven operates.  Right?  How many sick people, do you think there are in Heaven?  How many lame, blind, sick, depressed, hungry, homeless, or naked people do you think there are in Heaven?
     Do you believe that your loved ones, who have gone before you into God's Presence, are sick, homeless or hungry?  It's easier to say, "It must be God's will for me to be sick in this life," than to walk in faith.  Satan goes about "as a roaring lion, seeking to devour" and he does it with lies.  Staying outside the Truth of God's Word, leaves people with no defense against satan's lies.
     Just because you have trials and trouble, doesn't mean you are out of God's will.  It certainly doesn't mean that God is testing your faith, like some would say.  Jesus singularly met more trouble, than the combined Church has endured.  Jesus didn't have trials, because "He was out of God's will!"  Satan brought these things against Him, in order to deceive Jesus into destruction.  When facing these strategies of satan, Jesus didn't sit down and wonder, "Are these from God or satan?"  Jesus simply answered, "IT IS WRITTEN."
     We are supposed to know God's will.  This is Truth.  I might not know what God's Personal will is for each individual, but I do know it's not for that person's destruction.  Every person in the Body of Christ, is part of God's new creation family, but we're each individually unique, in our lives and ministry.  It was God's will for me to move my family from Illinois to New York, but that might not be His will for you.  God's will for you might be to come to the place He called me to build and learn what His will is for you.  The one thing I know about God's will for all of us is, we are to ask the Holy Spirit for Wisdom to walk in His Presence, in liberty and at all times.
     Jesus didn't die and be raised from the dead for only "some of us," but for "all of us."  If Jesus took my sin, then He also took yours.  If Jesus healed my body by His stripes, then He did this for you too.  If Jesus bore the Curse of the Law for me, then He did it for you too.  Jesus didn't do these things for "certain people."  He did these things for everyone.  When we are double-minded, believing Jesus did these for some and not for others, that doesn't change the fact that this has always been God's will for all His children.  Jesus died so that, "All may live."  Everything Jesus did was for all of us, but some don't understand (or might not know) this and are double-minded concerning this, because of errant teaching and doctrine.  James 1:7 says, "Let not this man think he will receive anything from the Lord."
     Many of the teachers coming from seminary and Bible colleges, have learned from denominational teachings.  Generations have been taught from these people and have only learned from them.  The denominations have been built from the differing teachings.  Many times, people who wish to teach from revelation knowledge that is contrary to denominational teachings, are asked to step down from their position in the church.
     Satan has held on tight to what is believed, by what is being taught.  Romans 10:17 (Amplified) says, "So faith comes by hearing what is told, and what is heard comes by the preaching of the Message that came from the lips of Christ, the Messiah Himself."
     Faith comes by hearing, so if satan can determine what's being preached, then he can determine how much faith people can come into, in their redemption.  If we hear something long enough (whether or not it's correct), then we will put our faith in it.  If you're being taught that, "God is using trials and tribulations to teach you," then you will place your faith in that and believe it.  Faith comes by hearing.
     Did you ever wonder why Jesus said in Mark 4:23-24 (Amplified) that, "If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him comprehend. And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing, The measure of thought and study you give to the Truth you hear, will be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you-and more besides will be given to you who hear."
     Notice that, the only measure that God will bring back to you, is according to the Truth you hear."  He won't measure virtue and knowledge to you, according to anything else you're hearing.  If you're hearing doctrines of carnal-minded men, then there is no virtue and knowledge in it to "measure back."
     Jesus preached in parables in Mark 4:11 (Amplified) saying, "To you has been entrusted the Mystery of the Kingdom of God, that is the secret counsels of God which are hidden to the ungodly, but for those outside of our circle, everything becomes a parable."  Some will read this parable, without seeing or hearing the secret counsel and the hidden Mystery of the Kingdom of God.  
     It's nearly impossible to walk in the ways of God, in the manner most believers wish to, without knowing the will of God.  If you believe that God puts sickness on you, in order to teach you something, then you're on your own and limited to only the world's way of dealing.  If you truly believe a sickness was God's will for you, then why would you visit the doctor and try to get out of God's will for your life?  This might be the zenith of being double-minded.  If it's God's will, then why would you even take medicine or go to the doctor to get well?
     We truthfully, don't believe this, but it's the path of least resistance.  Of course, go to the doctors and take the prescribed medicine.  Don't just suffer or die.  But, while you're recovering, get into God's Word, seek God's will and Wisdom for your life.  Get into the real will of God, for your life.  Sickness and disease came with the devil.  Healing comes from Jesus.  When we don't understand God's will and the depth of His Love for us through Jesus, we get caught up in the affairs of the world.  There are some who would reject any teaching about "healing," because they believe we're saying, "They're not good Christians or don't love God."
     I'm not questioning their love and devotion for the Lord, only what they're hearing and putting their faith in.  Most of us didn't know there was so many differences in preaching, when we got saved and born-again.  Otherwise, we would have heeded Jesus' Word to "Be careful what we were hearing."  We were babies, who didn't know "what we were hearing."  Having grown-up in a certain teaching, it was hard for us to train our faith in the Truth of the Word.
     Jesus dealt with this in His ministry.  The people were trained under the Law and didn't want to hear His Words of Grace.  Satan's used this since the beginning and it continues to work.  Our pride gets bruised and our egos hurt, when someone tells us something that goes against our faith.  Our pride doesn't want us to turn loose of the things we've heard and been taught.  The teachers of Jesus' time fought so diligently to hold onto their faith in the Law, that they killed anyone who opposed it.  Religion and traditions are hard to oppose, even by Truth.
     These teachers loved God (like many today) and were Loved by God, but they simply didn't heed what they heard.  Today, we're seemingly always searching for new revelation, without always searching out where it came from.  

Lesson 1 DOING HIS WILL AND WORKS

      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? Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you; That you believe in the One Whom He has sent, that you cleave to, trust in, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger."
     Jesus prayed in John 17:18 (Amplified) saying, "Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world."  According to these two scriptures, Jesus didn't send us "blind," into this world to do His work.  Jesus didn't send us into the world, without equipping us with all that He had, but with all we needed to overcome the world.  Just as the Father sent Him, Jesus sent us.
     When Jesus came into this earth as the Son of Man, He had to learn "Who He was," from the Word and He had to have faith in what the Word and the Holy Spirit taught Him.  In John 16:15 (Amplified) Jesus says, "Everything that the Father has is Mine, that is what I meant when I said that He, the Spirit, will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you."
     Jesus also says in John 14:11-12 (Amplified), "Believe Me that I Am in the Father and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the sake of the very works themselves, If you cannot trust Me, at least let the works that I do in My Fathers Name convince you. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, If anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and even greater things than these, because I go to the Father."
     The above Words of Jesus, are very strong and of course, Truth for us.  Jesus was sent by the Father with Words, deeds, signs, wonders and power.  And, Jesus said in John 17:18 (Amplified) that, "Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world."  Does this mean that we're equipped by the Same Holy Spirit and Father, in order to do the same works, preach and deliver the same Message that Jesus was?  Has the Father, through Jesus, equipped us with the same Super-natural ministry as He gave Jesus?  We we only saved and then left defenseless against the enemy?  Or, are we supposed to carry on, in the same works that Jesus did in His earthly ministry by the Holy Spirit?
     Jesus directed His followers in Luke 10:8-9 (Amplified), "Whenever you go into a town and they receive you and accept you and welcome you, eat what is set before you And heal the sick in it and say to them, the Kingdom of God has come close to you. 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 by any way harm you."
     Luke 10:21 (Amplified) says, "In that same hour [Jesus] rejoiced and glorified in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank You Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that You have concealed these things, relating to salvation from the wise and understanding and learned, and revealed them to babes the childish, unskilled, and untaught, Yes Father, For such was Your gracious will and choice and good pleasure."
     Now, we come to the real heart of this lesson.  After reading these scriptures that Jesus said, we (as believers) must ask whether we're to take Jesus at His Word and go as He went, do as He did and speak as He spoke?  We ask, "Is it God's will to bless, heal or fill with the Holy Spirit?"  And, we ask, "Are the healings and miracles that Jesus performed, the same things we're to be doing?"
     Jesus' followers asked in John 6:28-29 (Amplified), "What are we to do to carry out what God requires?"  This sounds like a valid question, "What are we to do?"  Jesus simply answered, "Believe in the One Whom God sent and have faith in His Messenger."  Believing in the One Whom God sent, means that we believe in Jesus and His Message to us.  We are born-again by the Same Seed and the Same Father as Jesus.  When reading the Word, we discover that our predecessors in the early Church, did the same works that Jesus did.  But, for some reason we've deemed these things as now having "passed away."
     Many in the Church, question whether it's God's will for us to do these things any longer.  Jesus said that, "I came to do the Father's will" and when He performed miracles, He said, "It's not Me, but the Father in Me Who does the works."  If it was the Father in Jesus, Who did the works, then it had to be His will to do the works.  Jesus never took credit for anything that He did.  He always referred to the Father in Him.
     If the things that Jesus did, were God's will then...then they're still His will today.  Jesus performed miracles, raised the dead, healed maimed people, cleansed the lepers, fed the poor, stopped the storms, multiplied the loaves and fishes, and cast out demons.  These are still God's will for today.  We've come short in our faith and believing, to encompass these other things.  It might sound harsh to say that good Christians have "fallen short" of doing what the Master taught us to do.  We've concluded that Jesus' entire ministry was for "getting people born-again."  Even if we weren't born-again, these things would be impossible for us to do.  God has called us into the impossible, from the beginning though.  If we could simply do these things on our own, then we would need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
     Jesus said in John 10:37-38 (Amplified), "If I am not doing the works (performing the deeds of My Father), then do not believe Me (do not adhere to Me and trust Me, and rely on Me), But if I do them, even though you do not believe Me or have faith in what I do, in order that you may know and understand clearly that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father, One with Him."
     Jesus made an alarming statement for us, even today.  He said, "If I am not doing the works and performing the deeds of My Father, then do not believe Me."  What if today's Church took Jesus' Words seriously?  Can you imagine telling those we minister to,"If I'm not doing the work, performing the deeds of My Father, then do not believe what I"m saying?"  Can the Church actually take Jesus at His Word and go from "faith to faith?"  Paul says in Romans 1:17 (Amplified), "For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith, disclosed through the way of faith, that arouses to more faith, as it is written, the man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith."
     Can it be that we have stopped in our faith, with just being born-again?  Has everything other than "Going to Heaven when we die," become irrelevant?  I'm writing these things, in order to challenge your faith.  Have we ever found in God's Word, that after becoming born-again, our faith is finished and complete?  It is wrong for the child of God, to reach deeper into the Life of the Spirit, for those that that are the will of the Father?
    Colossians 1:9 (Amplified) says, "For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it (their love) have not ceased to pray and make special request for you, asking that you may be filled with the full, deep, clear, knowledge of His will in all Spiritual Wisdom, in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God, and in understanding and discernment of Spiritual things."  The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write this scripture, for the Colossians and for us.  We are supposed to know God's will and His heart and we're to be filled with Wisdom and insight into all God's purposes and understandings.
     If it wasn't God's will to physically heal and set men free, then Jesus couldn't have done it.  God's will is for all to be healed, physically and spiritually.  

Lesson 300 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold! All things are made new.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     We've been studying God's Word, in order to learn more about the new creation we've become in Christ.  The new creation is an entirely different species, than any that have been on earth.  We've misunderstood this man, because the Only Pattern or Example we have of the new creation, is Jesus Himself.  Jesus was in a place where no other man was or ever would be, so we assume that He was a different kind of man, than we are.
     During His earthly ministry, Jesus was and still is, the Only True Example of this new creation.  He was and still is, the Seed from which the new creation family of God is produced.  Jesus said, "I am the Vine and you are the branches."  Jesus made us so much a part of Himself, making us the same type of being He is.  Don't get me wrong here.  We are not and never will be the Messiah or the Lord, but we've been made in His exact Image and Likeness.
     Paul tells us that "Jesus was the First Born of many brethren," in Romans 8:29-30 (Amplified) where he says, "For those whom He foreknew, 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 First Born among many brethren. And those whom He thus fore-ordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified, acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself, and those whom He justified, He also glorified, raising them to a Heavenly dignity and condition or state of being."
     When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were created new in Him and made exactly like Him.  He is our Brother.  When we accepted Him as our Lord, we were raised together with Him and seated together with Him at the right hand of the Father, according to Ephesians 2:6 (Amplified) which says, "And 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)."
      This isn't something that the carnal, natural mind can grasp hold of.  In the natural, we are still held down with the unrenewed mind of the old, dead man we used to be.  Some deem it "a heresy," if we hint at the Truth that we are "like Him," because of carnal and unrenewed thinking.  The Church has been stagnate for centuries, because of this thinking.
     In these last days though, the revelation of God's new creation family is coming forth, in order to set the captives free.  If we don't know who we've been made to be in Christ Jesus, then we are unequipped to help mankind in their natural state of being.  We've been diligent to lead others into salvation, but we've left them in the same miserable state they were in, before being born-again.  We have promised them eternal life in Jesus and have given them hope and healing for "when they get to Heaven," but haven't delivered these things for their lives here and now.  If we don't understand who we are now, then we can only promise them thees things, after their earthly life is over.
     This isn't what Jesus taught or did, in His earthly ministry.  In John 14:12 (Amplified) Jesus said, "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, If anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things, because I go to the Father."  If anyone else had said them, then we could assume they were mistaken, but this was Jesus Himself speaking.  Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:21 (Amplified) saying, "That they all may be one, just as You, Father are in Me and I in You, that they also may be One in Us; So that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me."
     We have become one with Jesus and are called the Body of Christ.  I can't see how we can be "anymore like Him," than being His Body.  Romans 8:16-17 (Amplified) says, "The Spirit Himself thus testifies together with our own spirit, assuring us that we are children of God, And if we are His children, then we are His heirs also; heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him, only we must share His suffering if we are to share His Glory."
     Jesus Himself promised that we will "suffer persecution and tribulation," in this world.  Please understand, that the trials Jesus spoke about, aren't what everyone else is going through.  Everyone on earth is "suffering tribulation."  Before we were saved, we underwent tribulation of one sort or another.  The persecution we now endure as Christians, is the suffering Jesus endured in His earthly ministry.  Jesus didn't suffer what natural man had only to deal with, but He suffered the full force of the enemy.  Satan did everything in his power, to try and stop the works that would reveal God's Grace and God's ability to set the captives free.
     Jesus didn't come to earth, in order to start another religion.  He came to break satan's hold over mankind (spirit, soul and body).  Even natural man could see and believe in God, when they witnessed Jesus' setting others free from sin, sickness and death.  This is what the new creation man was created for.
     We've been taught by man and man's idea of God's Word, for two-thousand years.  Without revelation knowledge, mankind can only build another religion that has no power to back it up.  Jesus didn't only preach about the Father, but He backed up what He preached by signs and wonders.  The Father used these things to prove that He was in Jesus.  We've preached about the resurrection of the dead and God has honored it, because "He performs His Word."  It seem like we've lost faith in God to perform His Word, in this natural realm of life.  We read in Mark 16:20 (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."
     When we preached the Message of salvation and being born-again, God confirmed it by the attesting signs and wonders and people were saved.  When we preached the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, He confirmed it by the attesting signs and wonders and people spoke in tongues.  Do we believe that if we preach healing and miracles, then He will confirm these things too?  The new creation has been created with and by the Same Holy spirit, Who was in Jesus.  It's not another spirit, but the Same Holy Spirit Who lives in us now.  We were born of the Same Father, that Jesus was born of.  It's not another father, but the Same Father Who lives in us now.  We were sent on assignment by God, in order to do to same work that Jesus did.  It's not another assignment, but the same assignment.
     Jesus would never have told us to do these things, if we weren't able to do them.  And, He wouldn't confirm these things, if it wasn't His will and His plan.  Some would falter in their and not go, while others would dismiss these as being "not for us today."  There will always be those, like in the early Church, who will accept God's Word as Truth and then go forth  Acts 8:5-8 (Amplified) says, "Philip, who was a deacon not the Apostle, went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ (the Messiah) to them, the people. And great crowds of people with one accord listened to and heeded what was said by Philip, as they heard him and watched the miracles and wonders which he kept performing from time to time For foul spirits came out of many who were possessed by them, screaming and shouting with a loud voice, and many who were suffering from palsy or were crippled were restored to health. And there was great rejoicing in that city."
     Philip understood what we've been told is, "Not for us today" and the city rejoiced in liberty.  This didn't pass away.  This is God and He hasn't passed away.  We've been talked out of the Truth, and left without seeing the True Light of our new creation.  We were created for this very purpose and for this time.

Lesson 299 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold! the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into favor with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     In the previous blog, we learned how the new creation being has been created  new in righteousness and without sin.  It's impossible for the religious, carnal mind to understand this.  We weren't just forgiven, but we actually died with Jesus and were raised as new creations, with Jesus in His resurrection.  The wages of sin is death, so when we died with Jesus, the debt was paid (through Him).  All who died with Him, are also free from the Law of Sin and of Death.
     We're still living and functioning in our bodies, so we're never truly seen ourselves as having died with Christ (or as being raised with Him either).  God sees us that way, though, if we've received Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  We were created without sin and God  declares us, "Just, holy, righteous, pure and without iniquity."  This might be the hardest stretch of our faith in Him, to actually see ourselves as "without sin."  We've all sinned in our bodies, after being born-again, but we now have a place of being purified and remaining in righteousness, through our union with Jesus, according to 1John 1:9 (Amplified) which says, "If we freely admit we have sinned and confess our sins, He is Faithful and Just, True to His Own nature and promises, and will forgive our sins, dismiss our lawlessness and continuously cleanse us from all unrighteousness, everything not in conformity to His will in purpose and thought and action."
     We've sinned after being born-again, because our flesh and blood bodies have been trained in unrighteousness, by our union with the world.  Even in the growing process, we allow the flesh (carnal minds) to to against the spirit.  Most of us have walked in the world, longer than in the Word.  Having not been renewed, our minds continue thinking like they did, before we were saved.  Our flesh is led by our unrenewed mind and only does what it is either told to do or is allowed to do.
     Like a young child, your flesh and carnal mind are learning to become obedient to the will of the new creation.  If we only walk in the religious aspects of our new creature, then we will always be in conflict with the unrenewed mind.  Your new creation spirit wants to walk upright with the Father, but the unrenewed mind (the flesh) wants to continue in the things it did before being saved.  It's like a spoiled child, not wanting discipline or change.
     Many of the teachings we've received as Christians, only make it easier for the flesh to continue in it's old ways.  We make excuses for our failures saying, "It's God's way of teaching us" or "It must be God's will."  The Holy Spirit reveals this in 1John 5:18 (Amplified), "We know absolutely that anyone born of God does not deliberately and knowingly practice committing sin, but the One Who was begotten of God carefully watches over and protects him. Christ's Divine Presence within him preserves him against the evil, and the wicked one does not lay hold or get a grip on him or touch him."
     The above scripture is inline with 1John 2:27 (Amplified) which says, "But as for you, the anointing, the sacred appointment, the unction which you received from Him, abides permanently in you, so then you have need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is True and is no falsehood, so you must abide and live in, never depart from Him, being rooted in Him, knit to Him, just as His anointing has taught you to do."
     Through the Presence of the Holy Spirit within us, we have His anointing to know the difference between the Truth of God's Word and the lies of the wicked one.  As we mature in Jesus and in the Word, the old things of the world will pass away from us.  The fight of the flesh will subside with the renewing of our minds, by God's Word.  So long as we live in this house of flesh, we will constantly need to train it by the Word and not allow it to do like it did before being born-again.  This is the job we have to do on our own, in obedience to the Spirit.
     2Timothy 2:20-21 (Amplified) says, "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also utensils of wood and earthenware, and some for honorable and noble use, and some for menial and ignoble use. So whoever cleanses himself from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupt influences, will then to himself be a vessel set apart fro honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work."
     We're to take God's Word and His Spirit as instructions in growing up, into mature sons and daughters of God.  It's not the pastor's job, nor is is Jesus' job, but it's your responsibility to do what the Word teaches and reveals to you.  It's the indiivdual's job to appropriate the Truth of God's Word and hear the Holy Spirit's Voice, in order to be used by the Master.
     We make excuses why certain people are walking in a different place with the Father.  We also make excuses why certain things happen to some and not to others.  We've drifted away from the Truth in His Word and have followed differing opinions about why things "don't work for us today."  The Word says, "Not all of God's children are walking in the same Light of revelation knowledge."  Some choose not to enter in, because of what we've learned from carnal minded teachers.  Some choose not to enter in, because they don't believe they "need to know these things, in order to go to Heaven."  The Truth is still the same.  We either choose to advance in knowledge, in order to be a vessel fit for the Master's use.  Or, we choose to be a menial vessel.  Timothy teaches us, "Whoever cleanses himself, will then be a vessel set aside for honorable and noble use."
     It depends on the diligence of the one who hears, to cleanse himself "by the washing of water by the Word."  Some are simply content to just "Live right and go to be with the Lord someday."  There's not really anything wrong with this.  Some people strive to become better husbands, wives, friends, and children, attending to their affairs while here on earth.  Others though, like myself, wish to continue in our knowledge and revelation of God's Fullness.  In Philippians 3:10 (Amplified) Paul tells us, "For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him; perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly, and that I may in some way come to know the power out flowing from His resurrection which it exerts over believers, and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into His Likeness, even to His death, in hope. That if possible I may attain to the spiritual and moral resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead even while I'm in the body."
     Paul goes on the encourage and draw us more into the depths of Jesus, in Philippians 3:15 (Amplified), So let those of us who are spiritually mature and full grown have this mind and hold these convictions, and if in any respect you have a different attitude of mind, God will make that clear to you also."
     There have always been those who carry the stretchers, and those who need to be carried.  This is a part of life, that will always be with us.  I might need to be carried in the future, but for now, I choose to carry, and teach others how to carry people who need to be carried.  I will continue to raise up those who will trust God and will "Take the Land," like Joshua and Caleb.

Lesson 298 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold! all things are made new.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     We have been created anew in Christ Jesus, when we received Him as our Lord and Savior.  1Corinthians 1:30 (Amplified) says, "It is from Him that you have your Life in Christ Jesus, Whom God made our Wisdom from God; revealed to us a knowledge of the Divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as our Righteousness thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God, and our Consecration, making us pure and holy and our Redemption providing our Ransom from eternal penalty for sin."
     Being created new in Christ Jesus, means that what He is, we are.  This new creation family of God has been created to live and stand in His Presence, just like Jesus Himself.  Religion has failed to see the great difference between the old covenant people and the new creation family of God.  The old covenant people had only a partial righteousness, which was brought about by their obedience to the Law.  Our righteousness is an act of creation, because we were created righteous in Christ Jesus.
     This right standing, justification and consecration have nothing to do with our own works or ability, but it is a Gift of God.  We received this Gift, through the faith and Grace which brought about the new creation.  1Corinthians 1:30 (Amplified) tells us that, "All who are in Christ Jesus, are born or created in righteousness."  Thus, it says, "But it is from Him that you have your Life in Christ Jesus, Whom God made our Wisdom from God, revealing to us a knowledge of the Divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as our Righteousness."  This plan was "previously hidden, and has now been revealed by the Wisdom from God."  Even with revelation from the Holy Spirit, those who were created in righteousness continue to struggle and work to obtain righteousness, to no avail.
     The righteousness we now enjoy, is actually God's Own righteousness that is granted to us, by our union with Jesus, according to 1Corinthians 2:16 (Amplified) which says, "For who has known or understood the mind, the counsels and purposes of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts and feelings and purposes of His heart."
     We've accepted the teachings of religious mind's of carnal minded men as being Truth, because we've been taught these things for two-thousand years.  Much of what we've learned has only become intellectual understanding, instead of Revelation.  As Christian people, we've found ourselves in the same place of the early Church in Romans 10:2-3 (Amplified), where Paul writes, "I bear them witness that they have a certain zeal and enthusiasm for God, but it is not enlightened according to correct and vital knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness of God ascribes which makes one acceptable to Him in word, thought and deed, and seeking to establish as righteousness, a means of salvation of their own, they did not obey or submit themselves to God's righteousness."
     It's difficult for even today's Church, to understand and submit to righteousness simply by faith in God's Word and not in our own works.  This is called, "Grace."  Grace is righteousness through faith in Jesus' Sacrifice, without doing anything to deserve or merit it on our own.  Romans 10:2 (Amplified) says, "I bear them witness that they have a certain zeal and enthusiasm for God, but it is not enlightened and according to correct and vital knowledge."
     Paul was preaching to Christian people in the above scriptures.  These people had a zeal for God, but not according to correct knowledge.  They followed after the old covenant people concerning righteousness, instead of grace and faith in the new covenant.  These people honored God and were trying to be in right standing with Him, but they were doing it through their own understanding and merit by works.  These people created rules for how they could approach God by their own standards, instead of faith and grace. 
     Paul also spoke about this very thing, to the Church in Galatia, saying in Galatians 3:1-3 (Amplified), "O you poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians! Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you, unto Whom right before your eyes, Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified? Let me ask you this one question; Did you receive the Holy Spirit as the results of obeying the Law and doing it's works, or was it by hearing the Message of the Gospel and believing it? Was it from observing a Law of rituals or from a Message of faith? Are you so foolish and so silly and senseless? Having begun your new life spiritually with the Holy Spirit, are you now reaching perfection by dependence on the flesh?"
     Many in today's Church, remain under the influence and the same "fascination, bewitching, or spell," that attracted the Galatians to their own righteousness.  Satan's used this strategy against the Church, for nearly two-thousand.  Man's idea of what makes us righteous, is in direct opposition to the righteousness that God ascribes.  This has been a constant source of condemnation and guilt, holding the Church in bondage to the old man of sin even now.  We set about our own way of earning righteousness by rituals and works, because we're ignorant of God's righteousness.
     We always fall short in our own works and conscience, so we're always aware of our own failings to enter in by faith.  This plan of satan's, has worked well for him for too long.  When we don't measure up to God's righteousness in our own minds, we hold ourselves back from His Presence.  Notice, Paul describes this lack of faith in God's righteousness in the above scripture, saying, "Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you."  Paul is clearly speaking about a demonic influence over the carnal minded Christians, which held them in satan's bondage and under his influence.
     This isn't demon possession, but it the same demonic influence that held them before by guilt and condemnation.  Paul says in Ephesians  6:12 (Amplified), "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood, contending only with physical opponents, but against the despotisms, against the powers, against the master spirits who are the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the Heavenly super-natural sphere."
     These same strategies have held man in bondage for centuries and continues working on the new creation people of God, today.  One of satan's leading strategies is, teaching that "None are righteous, not one."  This reading of the partial Truth, has kept God's family from entering into and partaking of the fullness of God's Grace.  We have more faith in "who we once were," instead of "who He has made us to be now."  The old carnal, unrenewed mind of the new creation, has never been developed by faith in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ.
     If you won't believe you're in right standing (righteous) before God, then you'll never enter into God's Presence and fellowship, until you "feel" like you deserve His mercy and attention.  This is an impossible task and can never be done.  We don't and never will "deserve" the right to come into the Presence of a Holy God, on our own.  This might be the greatest act of your faith in Jesus and His Sacrifice, that you might ever need to face.  Satan had perpetuated his lie that, "Every bad thing that happens to us, is God's judgment for unrighteousness.  When we fail to receive God's Own righteousness, then we accept satan's lie too. 
     We've always felt like we deserve God's punishment for our sins, because of unrighteousness.  This leaves an opening for satan to bring sickness, disease, heartbreak and despair on God's people, because we feel like we deserve it for not being righteous in God's eyes.  We are a new creation and are not under the Law, so we don't need to depend on our works or sacrifice,in order to stay in God's good standing.  We were created righteous and pure, holy, sanctified and perfect, when we were created in Christ Jesus.  Nothing was left out of what Jesus' Sacrifice did.  God left nothing to chance or unfinished in Jesus.  There's nothing for us to do, except put our faith in Jesus and grow in our faith in Him.
     If we could have done it under the Law, then Jesus would not have had to die and be our own Sacrifice Lamb unto God, for us.  This is so different from what we've been taught and believed, that we can only receive it by the Holy Spirit.  Romans 8:1-3 (Amplified) says, "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."  We must allow the Holy Spirit to dictate the Truth to us, not the dictates of man's religion.  Paul goes on in Verses 2-3, saying, "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 of Death, For God has done what the Law could not do, it's 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 overall who accept that Sacrifice."
     Have you ever accepted that Sacrifice?  If you have, then your flesh (body) is dead in God's eyes and the sin of that flesh has died, according to Romans 6:3-4 (Amplified) which says, "Are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the Glorious power of the Father, so we too might habitually live and behave in the newness of Life."
 

Lesson 297 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person in (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold! the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
    The new creation family of God has never fully appreciated who we really are, because we've never fully understood what God has done through Jesus.  We call Him "Father" and refer to ourselves as children of God, but we don't feel comfortable or at home, in His Presence.  Religion and culture has taught us to see ourselves as being unacceptable to God.
     We constantly try finding ways to reach Him in our lives, without realizing that God has already made us family.  No one needs to try finding a way into his/her family, because he/she was born into that family.  We still try to perform in certain areas of our lives, in order to be part of God's family or to be accepted in His family.  This leads to a huge problem of our having faith in our prayer lives and in our fellowship with the Father.
     We are the entire reason for creation and "every good thing" God placed on the earth.  We were predestined to be His children, before the foundations of the earth.  Genesis 1-2 tells us that God created everything and said, "It was very good."  Then, when everything was done, God created breathed the Breath of Life into Adam, making mankind a living, speaking spirit.  The bountiful beauty of earth, is useless for anything inhabiting it, outside of humans.  God made these things for us to enjoy.
     "All things were made by Him and for Him, without Him nothing that was made, was made," according to John 1:3,4 (Amplified). Verse 4a continues, "In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men."  2Corinthians 4:6 (Amplified) says, "This Light was the Life of God, and this Light was the Life of man."  "The Light was Life and the God Who spoke the Life, has shined into our hearts," according to Verse 4b which says, "For God Who said, Let Light shine out of the darkness, has shone in our hearts so as to beam forth the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the Majesty and Glory of God, as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed in the Face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah)."
     In Him was Life and this Light was the Life of man.  The God Who spoke Life and Light into being, shines in our hearts.  God didn't simply speak Light and Life to us, but He became Light and Life to us, creating a new creation who previously never existed on earth.  God was with the old covenant people and He sometimes came upon them.  God lives in us and is in the new creation people, who are His family.  When we grasp this difference, then it will make all the difference to our lives.  The old covenant people needed to perform certain rituals and sacrifice bulls and goats to God, in order to come into His Presence.  God's Presence lives inside us now, as the new creation family of God.  We don't to perform certain rituals or offer sacrifices of bulls and goats to God, in order for Him to hear us.  God is Living in and through us, at all times.
     The world and it's cultures has trained us, to see ourselves as still being under the Law, instead of under Grace.  We've been trying to make ourselves acceptable to God, by our works.  We believe God will hear us and perform His Word in our lives, if we do these things.  When we fail, then we start all over again, because the enemy has trained us to do so.  It's delusional for us to believe we can "make ourselves perfect in God's eyes."  Through His Sacrifice, Jesus has already done what man could never do, making us holy, righteous, sanctified, and consecrated to the Father.  Jesus prayed in John 17:18-19 (Amplified), "Just as You sent Me into the world, So for their sake and on their behalf  I sanctify, dedicate, consecrate Myself, that they also may be sanctified, dedicated, consecrated, made holy in the Truth."
     Listen to Jesus' prayer in the above scripture and listen with your spirit.  Jesus said that, "Just as the Father sent [Him] into the world, He has sent us."  How did the Father send Jesus?  Did He sent Him as "just another sinner" into the world, to become holy?  Or, did God send Jesus, as the One Who was without sin and already holy?  Through Jesus' Sacrifice, He has now sent us into the world, as being sanctified, consecrated, dedicated and holy.
     The "dedication" that Jesus spoke about, is the "tithe, first fruits, sacrifice and the temple."  Jesus said, He dedicated us to the Father.  He wasn't speaking about our being dedicated in our Christian walk, like friends are dedicated to one another.  Jesus is speaking about a dedicated sacrifice, holy unto the Lord.  We can dedicated ourselves to prayer and study in the Word, but this isn't what Jesus spoke of.  Jesus dedicated His Own Blood and Body in His dedication to obedience and that's how we've now been dedicate to God.
     Just like the Father sent Jesus into the world, Jesus has sent us.  At the time you accepted Jesus as your Savior and were born-again, you were created and dedicated to the Father, just like Jesus was when "He was sent into the world."  We are "in the world, but not of the world," just like Jesus said He was.  The world is in sin and darkness, but the new creation people (us) are "no longer of this world."  The new creation people are no longer sinners, living in darkness and sacrificing bulls and goats under the Law, but we've been dedicated as holy instruments into the very house of God.  We're holy, dedicated, sanctified, consecrated, righteous and living Lights, who were sent into the world to bring Light into the darkness.
     Jesus Himself declared we were to be "the Light of the world and the salt of the earth."  He said we are to be lifted up, in order to give Light unto men.  We've tried so hard and have failed at every turn, to become what Jesus has already made us to be, through Him and His Sacrifice.  When a covenant man sinned in the old covenant, then he would bring a sacrifice of bulls and goats before God.  If God received that sacrifice, then the man was restored back, to where his sin was no longer counted against him, because of his faith in the sacrifice.  We too, must have faith in our Sacrifice (Jesus) and believe He dedicated Himself (and us with Him) unto the Father, to be used in what God sent Him to do.  We've not the Savior, of course, but we've been dedicated unto good works and have been made holy by Jesus' works.  We've been dedicated holy and righteous in God's sight, to be used of the Master like Jesus was.
     All of the utensils in the Temple, were dedicated to be used in holy worship and to be used of the Lord.  We've also been dedicated to be used in the holy service of God.  Jesus said that, "As the Father sent [Him], He is now sending us."  He didn't send us like we were before, but as He created us.  We've entered into the world, not as the world is, but as Jesus was when He came to into it.  Jesus' prayer and Sacrifice has created us "new."  We're to go into the world as holy, clean, and righteous, bringing Light into darkness by God's Own Spirit Living within us.
     God didn't command the Light to shine in our hearts, but 2Corinthians 4:6 says, "The God Who commanded the Light to shine, has shined in our hearts."  It isn't just the Light, but the God Who commanded the Light, He Himself now shines in our hearts.  The Light and the One Who commands it, are shining into the darkness of the world through us and through Him, we are supposed to shine forth, like Jesus did.
     We're not just "old sinners, saved by grace."  We were old sinners and by Grace we were saved.  Through His Sacrifice, Jesus did what the Law couldn't do and He sent ut into the world, like God sent Him into the world to bring Light and Life.  We've become a new creations through Jesus and have been sent into the world of sin and darkness, bringing Light and righteousness to all of mankind.  John 1:4 (Amplified) tells us, "Jesus is the Word made flesh."  Through Him, we are houses of flesh, bearing this Living Word.  Through Him, we are vessels of Life and Light into the world like Jesus was in His earthly ministry.
     We stagger at the Truth of what Jesus' Sacrifice has produced in mankind, but the Word declares what man cannot receive in his own carnal mind.  Man can only receive the understanding of what the new creation family of God is, by Truth and Revelation from God.  Our own sin conscience has held us back, from being bold and confidence in the Finished Word of Jesus Christ.  This new creation was what Jesus came to produce as the Seed of righteousness and from this One Seed, a hundred-fold harvest has been reaped from drought.  This hundred-fold return is reproduced in kind as holy, righteous, consecrated, and as vessels dedicated to God's House and as vessels of honor to the Father. 
    

Lesson 296 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold! All things are made new.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     One of the greatest deceptions satan has ever perpetuated in the Church, is preventing us from understanding that we're righteous in Christ Jesus' righteousness.  2Corinthians 5:21 (Amplified) says, "For our sake He made Christ virtually to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of, the righteousness of God, what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His Goodness."
     Romans 1:17 (Amplified) tells us, "For in the Gospel, a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith, disclosed through the way of faith, that arouses to more faith. As it is written,the man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith."  We were dead in trespass and sin, but are now made alive and are now living by faith in Christ Jesus.  Whether or not we know it, we are now living by faith.  This isn't another "faith teaching," as some would say, but it is the Truth of the Gospel.
     We were made righteous in Christ Jesus, made alive in Christ Jesus and our faith in Him is both Life and right standing with the Father.  This isn't a new revelation, but is the Truth of our salvation.  Jesus has restored to us, the right to come before our God and Father by our faith in Him, as though sin never existed in our lives.  We've been taught by carnal minded men, which produced religious teachings and doctrines that prevented us from enjoying the privileges that came to us by faith in the Risen Christ.  Many in the Church, have never received the revelation that through Jesus, fellowship and entry into the very Face of God Himself, has been restored to what the Father intended before the foundations of the world.  This was the Father's heart and He predestined these things for His family, from the very beginning.
     We are the very reason for the Heavens and the earth existing.  If God's Own family didn't live here on earth, then it would be another uninhabited planet.  God made every living thing that we see and enjoy here on earth, solely for our pleasure.  He fashioned the beauty of millions of flowers, along with the host of differing and beautiful birds, in order to please and bless His children.
     Most expectant parents purposefully create a nursery, making it an environment of tranquility, comfort and beauty for their child.  God too, created such a place for His children, before they were ever made.  God's family had unlimited access and an open door, to walk with, talk with and enjoy fellowship with Him.  God's children had the right to come to Him, any and all the time  There was no sacrifice or ritual needed to enter into His Presence.  Through our union with Jesus, we've been given the right to do exactly the same thing.
     I don't believe that the family of God has ever truly understood this.  We establish certain times and days where we can "come into His Presence," while establishing acceptable ways to do so, so "He will hear us."  As the new creation, we've been restored open fellowship and entry into the very heart of God, for any and all times.  Do you know that you're always welcome in God's House?  If we really understood that we can talk with Him, walk with Him and fellowship with Him at any time, then it would change our relationship with the Father from religion to reality.
     My Father speaks to me all the time and I'm in constant fellowship with Him.  Paul speaks about this in 2Corinthians 10:3 (Amplified) saying, "For though we walk, live in the flesh, we are not carrying our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons."  Paul was saying that, "My new creation man is living in this earthly house at this time, but my flesh and blood house where I'm living, doesn't dictate what my new creation does."  I've noticed that I can simultaneously drive my truck, pay attention to the road and still pray in my spirit.  We can walk here in our house of flesh and have our lives both be led and conducted, by our new creation man who lives in this house.  We are fashioned and created to simultaneously function in two realms.  We don't live one life in the flesh and one in the spirit.  We live one life in the spirit, that lead the life here on earth, in this earthly house.
     During His earthly walk, Jesus had a Flesh and Blood Body, but it didn't control Him; He controlled it.  Jesus ate, slept, bathed, talked and walked with (and like) other men, but He was led by His Spirit and this is exactly how we're to do as new creation people.  Some would say, "Yes, but He was without sin."  Don't you know that through Him, your sin has been eradicated and God doesn't remember your sins any longer?  Don't you know that the Father has made us one with Him and Jesus, in the new creation?  God sees us, as "sinless," because the Lord bore our sins for us and has made us righteous in His righteousness.  We've been redeemed and restored to a place, where we have total access to our Father, at all times.
     How much time do we spend talking and fellowshiping with the Father?  How much time do we actually spend, listening to and for His Voice and leading?  Do we even understand that we've been restored to the very place that Jesus (the Last Adam) and the first Adam, had with Him?  We don't need to make sacrifices or perform rituals any longer.  We don't have to "hope He will hear us" or wonder if we will be accepted before Him.  We've been granted the privilege of being with Him, all the time.
     If God's people could grasp hold of the Truth of our new creation, then we'd stay in fellowship with Him, at all times.  I can walk in this flesh, while I'm here on earth, just like Adam and Jesus did and be in His Presence and guidance.  The walls of sin or unrighteousness, don't block our fellowship with Him, any longer.  This is more than the carnal mind can grasp, but is nonetheless, the Truth of this new creation family.
     There is no Christian who can become bored or discouraged, when we know that we cam come into God's Presence and be counseled and led by God's Spirit, while we're still living on this earth?  I'm not talking about praying when we're in trouble or asking for things we need.  I'm talking about being in constant fellowship with the One Who leads us, at all times.  We've been taught that, "Not everyone does these things" and it's probably true, but it's because we don't and not because we can't.  God doesn't have any special children.  He only has children.
     In John 17:23 (Amplified) Jesus prayed, "I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united; that the world may know and definitely recognize that You sent Me and that You have Loved them even as You have Loved Me."  Do you dare believed that God Loves you, like He Loves Jesus?  Do you dare believe that He has bestowed to us, the same fellowship and guidance He gave to Jesus?  Do you truly believe that God will hear you, just like He heard and hears Jesus?
     For the most part, we don't believe this, because we don't understand our redemption into the right to come before Him, even as Jesus did.  The only thing Jesus did that isn't for God's new creation family, is being the Sacrifice that brought us back to Him.  Jesus was the only sinless Man on the planet and He was the only Righteous Man Who had the right to come into God's Presence before His death and resurrection.  Through Jesus, we are now sinless and righteous with His Own righteousness and we have unlimited access to the Father.  Jesus said, "I Am the Door."  We enter through Him, in Him, by Him and for Him.  Even though we're living in the flesh, we don't war after the flesh, but by our new creation being that He has made us to be.
     

Lesson 295 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold! the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     We've always looked at ourselves through the eyes of what we've been taught and see ourselves as being two separate people.  One is the man of the flesh and the other is the man of the spirit.  We've tried understanding the new creation, by our carnal minds and religious training.  And, we've found ourselves seeing this new creation man, more by the carnal minded teaching, instead of after the spirit, which has left us seeing ourselves as "only sinners who were saved by Grace."  This is certainly true, but we've failed to see the Truth of the miracle that occurred when we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
     We've read in God's Word that, "All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God" and "None were righteous, no not one," and have placed ourselves into these categories, instead of how God describes us after being born-again.  As God's children, we're no longer described as sinners and unrighteous in His eyes, because this would mean that Jesus' Sacrifice wasn't enough to bring about the new creation.  If we were only "covered" by the Blood, then we are no different from the old covenant people.
     The Blood of Christ Jesus didn't only cover our sin, but it completely removed it and made us into this new creation.  We've never seen ourselves like God sees us and we've adopted the world's view and opinion of us.  We've fallen into the same trap, satan has used since Adam.  We've spent most of our Christian lives, trying to become what God has already made us to be in Jesus.
     This keeps us constantly working to become righteous, without having an end or destination in sight.  We keep doing good works, in order to become approved by God.  But, when we do something wrong, we end up back where we started.  It's like we're running on a treadmill.  One small mistake puts us back under condemnation and guilt, which hinders us again, in our prayer life and fellowship with the Father.  This treadmill has ruled the Church, from the second century.
     We should always look to Jesus as our Example and see how Jesus always did good things to help people, without having the animosity we feel at times.  We've failed to look at the trials and tests that satan brought against Jesus, during His earthly walk.  Jesus never had it easy.  He just made it look easy.  Satan knew Who Jesus was and did everything possible to try and stop Jesus.  The difference between Jesus and us is, that Jesus handled everything by the Word and the Holy Spirit within Him.  We try handling the devil, with out own intellect and the flesh.
     Jesus was our Example of how to walk in this world, while still not being of this world.  He prayed this for us too, in John 17:15-20 (Amplified) saying, "I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them, purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy, by the Truth, Your Word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world."  Jesus continues in Verses 19-20, "And so for their sake and on their behalf, I sanctify, dedicate, consecrate them to Myself, that they also may be sanctified, dedicated, consecrated, made holy, in the Truth. Neither for these alone do I pray, it is not for their sake only that I make this request, but also for all those who will ever come to believe in, trust in, cling to, rely on Me through their word and teaching."
     If ever there was a prayer answered, then it was Jesus' prayer of faith, power, deliverance and Truth to the Father.  The Father is still upholding this prayer, to all who will accept it as Truth.  The Father never intended for His children who were born from the Seed of Jesus, to suffer the same fate as satan.  Jesus petitioned the Father to "keep and protect them from the evil one."  We've exercised little faith in the prayer.
     We not only have failed to placed faith in Jesus' prayer of protection, but we've accused the Father of bringing these troubles on us.  Jesus said, "we are not of this world, even as He is not of the world," and He meant exactly that.  Jesus is our Example, showing the new creation family how to walk in this world.  It takes the Super-natural Spirit of God living in us, to walk like Jesus walked.  When we deny the Super-natural, we walk as mere men and not as the new creation family, who are made in the Image and Likeness of Christ Jesus.
     Our spiritual enemy (satan) does his best, to hold the family of God in bondage.  We're not required to face him in our own strength and ability, but in the power of the Spirit, according to Ephesians 6:12 (Amplified) where Paul says, "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood, contending only with physical opponents, but against the despotisms, against the powers, against the master spirits who are the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the Heavenly Super-natural sphere."
    We cannot fight the world by worldly weapons and expect to win the battle.  We must learn to walk in the Spirit, without being squeamish about who we really are in Christ Jesus.  We've been so careful to offend the natural man, because we fear they will not understand.  They can't understand, because they are still carnal and are being raised in carnality, even in the Church.  Jesus didn't offend the leper, when He cleansed him.  The leper praised God for his deliverance.
     The world is waiting for the Church to see the Truth of the Gospel, setting the captives free.  The world will continue believing we're "just another religion," until the Father is revealed in all His Glory to them.  We haven't shown the world any more proof that Jesus is anymore Alive, than their gods.  "The whole of creation awaits and groans for the manifestation of the sons of God, to set them free," according to Romans 8:19-20 (Amplified).  The planet is wanting to do what God has created it to do, but as the sons of God, we must first make our entrance into our sonship rights, that Jesus made ours.
     Romans 8:16-17 (Amplified) says, "The Spirit Himself thus testifies together with our own spirit, assuring us that we are children of God. And if we are His children, then we are His heirs also, heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him, only we must share His suffering if we are to share His Glory."
     Jesus' suffering isn't what He bore on the cross in His death.  He suffered this, that we could be free.  We cannot suffer what Jesus did on the cross.  We cannot pay for the sin of the world, we cannot suffer the Curse of the Law and we cannot suffer all Jesus did to take away the sickness and disease from humanity.  Only Jesus could do that.  What we suffer on His behalf, is being misunderstood by others and being so different from everyone else and not accepted in all circles of humanity.
     When you begin healing the sick, casting out demons, and operating in the Holy Spirit, you'll be surprised how many people will persecute and oppose you.  One would think they'd embrace and be glad, but not everyone will react that way towards you.  The "suffering that Jesus endured," was the heartbreak He suffered because many people didn't accept Him or the ministry He was sent to do.  Jesus couldn't do mighty works, for those who wouldn't believe and this suffering was greater for Jesus to bear, than all the rest He endured.
     This remains true, for those who follow Jesus in the Super-natural.  Watching someone die from a disease that Jesus could and would heal, but couldn't do so because of their unbelief, is heart breaking.  Too many have left this earth early, because we've lost sight of the ability of God in this present age.  It still takes faith in Jesus, "to do His works."
    

Lesson 294 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold! all things are made new.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     Jesus says in John 16:24-27 (Amplified), "Up to this time you have not asked a single thing in My Name (as presenting all that I AM); but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight)may be full and complete. I have told you these things in parables (veiled language, allegories, dark sayings); the house is now coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I shall tell you about the Father in plain Words and openly (without reserve) At that time you will ask (pray) in My Name; and I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf (for it will be unnecessary) For the Father Himself (tenderly) Loves you because you have Loved Me and have believed that I came out from the Father."
     In the Gospels, Jesus speaks about the things which are to come, in Parables.  Jesus speaks through Paul in the Epistles, openly declaring what He had before eluded to.  1Corinthians 2:7-8 says, "But rather what we are setting forth is a Wisdom of God once hidden (from the human understanding) and now revealed to us by God (that Wisdom) which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification (to lift us) into the glory of His Presence. None of the rulers of this age or world perceived and recognized and understood this, for if they had, they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory."
     Jesus' crucifixion was satan's complete downfall. If Jesus had made God's plan for mankind known to the people or His disciples, then satan would never have planned His death, according to the above scriptures.  Many of the things in the Gospel, were only for the old covenant people.  Many still don't understand that the four Gospels are Old Testament books.  The new covenant didn't begin, until Jesus' resurrection , His ascension, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  The people Jesus spoke to in His earthly ministry, were still in spiritual death, dead in trespass and sin and shut off from the Life of God, that we now share in Christ Jesus.
     Jesus said in John 10:10 (Amplified), "I came that we might have Life," which must have sounded "strange," to the people who were there and thought they were "already alive."  They had no insight into the salvation, that is now available to "whosoever will believe."  The things Jesus eluded to in parables, are now our inheritance through Him.
     The Jews and those under the Law, believed it was heresy when Jesus prayed "The Lord's Prayer," and said, "Our Father."  This was an insight into the new birth and the new creation family of God.   Paul writes about his actually being taken into the Presence of Jesus in the Heavenlies in 2Corinthians 12:1-4.  Paul says that this revelation was for the new creation and that no man had heard or knew these things, until he preached them.
     In Galatians 1:11-12 (Amplified) Paul says, "For I want you to know brethren, that the Gospel which was proclaimed and made known to me is not man's gospel (a human invention, according to or patterned after any human standards) For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but (it came to me) through a (direct) revelation (given) by Jesus Christ (the Messiah)."  We struggle today, to distinguish between what Jesus taught before His death and resurrection and what Jesus told Paul and what Paul preached, after Jesus' resurrection.  When reading Romans 8:1-2, we still still talk about "being in the flesh" or "being in the Spirit." as though it implies two separate persons.
     We fail to understand that God sees our earthly body, as already dead in crucifixion with Christ and He sees our spirit alive to Him, by the resurrection of Christ.  God only sees one person, not two.  The natural body has become only a House for the Holy Spirit and our new creation spirit to live in, while we're here on earth.  We continue walking in many of the old habits and customs of the world's training we were raised in, before receiving our Life in Jesus.  These aren't "sins" of our spirit being, nor are they the flesh body (like some would say), but they're the results of an unrenewed mind or the soul that habitually walks after what it's been trained to know and do.  The flesh (body) doesn't do "just what it wants to do," without permission.  Our spirit wants to walk with God, while our soul (carnal nature) wants to remain in the environment which it has been trained.  The body can only obey the stronger of those two things.
     Some have never considered the Truth about renewing our minds, by the Word of God.  The body can only do, what the mind tells it to do.  When we learn to think like the Spirit of God, then our body will walk in-line with the Word.  If we continue reading, thinking, seeing, and talking like we did before being born-again, then the body will follow the same impulses and habits it did before.  Psalms 23:3 (KJV) tells us, "He, the Shepherd, will restore your soul."  He will make your mind, intellect, emotions, will, to obey the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.  This will put an end to our being "double-minded," like James 1:5-8 talks about.  
    

Lesson 293 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold! the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     God tells Adam and Eve, in Genesis 2:17 (Amplified), "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and blessing and calamity it you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."  Genesis 3:21 (Amplified) says, "For Adam also for his wife the Lord God made long coats (tunics) of skin and clothed them."
     This is the beginning of the Law of Sin and Death, according to Genesis 3:21 (Amplified) which says, "God took the life of innocent animals, shed their blood as payment for sin (as a temporary covering) in order to fulfill that because of sin, a death had come."  God instituted the Law of Sin and Death, telling Adam that "He will die if he disobeyed the Words of Life."  The very day that Adam sinned and disobeyed God's instructions, Adam died or was separated from God, Who is Life.  The spiritual disconnect, brought death into the spirits of Adam and Eve.  They no longer had the Life of God, within them.
     God killed two animals to clothe them and the blood of these animals "covered their sin."  From that time on, the blood of animal sacrifice, would cover the sin of every generation, until Jesus could be brought into the world.  From Adam until Jesus, God made covenant with mankind by blood.  Genesis 9:4-5 (Amplified) says, "When God made the requirements for His Blessing and His covenant with Noah, He said, You shall not eat flesh with the life of it, which is it's blood. And surely for your lifeblood I will require an accounting; from every beast I will require it; and from every man (who spills another's blood) I will require a reckoning."
     In Exodus 12:7,13 (Amplified) God says, "They shall take of the blood and put it on the two side posts and on the lintel (above the door space) of the houses in which they shall eat (the Passover Lamb)."  Verse 13 goes on, "The blood shall be for a token or sign to you upon (the doorposts of) the houses where you are (that) when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt."
     The Church and the world have heard about God's deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt.  We've all heard about their putting blood on three sides of their house doors (like the sign of the cross).  The death angel or destroyer, would have to pass over them because of the blood.  Many think the Exodus is a grand story or movie (even in today's Church) and lack understanding of its meaning.
     When sin came through Adam, death also came.  The only way to rid mankind from this spiritual death, was for an innocent life to be substituted in its place.  An innocent animal was sacrificed, so that the requirements of the Law of Sin and Death would be fulfilled,  as a "covering" for those under the blood.  The same pattern was repeated through the time of Grace in Abraham's life, until the time of Law through Moses.
     Physical and spiritual death came, because of sin.  We all know that people are continuing to sin in today's world.  What make the new creation different from everyone else?  We all know that Jesus took our sin on the cross, but many haven't understood that our sins weren't only forgiven, like in the old covenant.  2Corinthians 5:21 (Amplified) tells us, "For our sake He made Christ (virtually) to be sin Who knew no sin, So that in and through Him we might become (endued with, viewed as being in and examples of) the righteousness of God (what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His Goodness)."
     We're not only "covered" by the temporary sacrifice of animal's blood, but the stain of sin and the penalty of the Law of Sin and Death have been met, (along with the requirements of fulfillment) in Christ Jesus.  Jesus didn't cover our sin, but took it with Him in His death.  Jesus paid the entire debt and abolished the Law of Sin and Death with His Blood.  Jesus took our sin and death with Him to the cross,  along with the penalty due to men.  All who believe in Him, will not only be forgiven, but clean, in a new creation state with the Father.
     The Truth of this can be found and clarified for the believer, in Romans 8:1-3 (Amplified), which says, "Therefore, (there is) now no condemnation (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 we understand the Spiritual power of His Blood, then we are free from condemnation, guilt, judgment, and according to Exodus 12:13 (Amplified) "No plague will come upon us to destroy us."  But, if we allow the carnal mind and the dictates of the flesh to control us, then we continue to consider ourselves like the old covenant people did and we'll walk in condemnation and guilt before God.
     Romans 8:2 (Amplified) says, "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 of Death, For God has done what the Law could not do (it's power) being weakened by the flesh (the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit). Sending His Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an Offering for sin; God condemned sin in the flesh (subdued, overcome, deprived it of its power over all who accept that Sacrifice)."
     We've come to the new creation family of God, that Jesus spoke to His disciples about many times.  Some heard and some haven't.  The same is true today concerning communion in the Church.  Some churches don't allow children to receive communion, because they're not old enough to understand what it means.  There are adults who don't know the true meaning of communion either.  Some churches only receive communion, once or twice yearly, for differing reasons.  Some Christians are afraid to receive communion, because they've sinned and might drink and eat damnation unto themselves.  These foolish traditions, rituals and misunderstanding about communion, have left God's people lacking.
     Mark 14:23-24 (Amplified) tells us, "[Jesus] also took a cup of the juice of the grape, when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And He said to them, this is My Blood (which ratifies the new covenant, the Blood which is being poured out for and on account of many)."
     Luke 22:17-20 (Amplified) says, "And [Jesus] took a cup and when He had given thanks, He said, Take this and divide and distribute it among yourselves For I say to you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine at all until the Kingdom of God comes. Then He took a loaf of bread, and when He had given thanks He broke it and gave it to them saying, This is My Body which is given for you, Do this in remembrance of Me."
     Paul tells us in 1Corinthians 11:23-27, 28-30 (Amplified), "For I received from the Lord Himself that which I passed on to you (it was given to me personally) that the Lord Jesus, on the night when He was treacherously delivered up and while His betrayal was in progress took bread And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, Take, Eat, This is My Body, which is broken for you, Do this to call Me affectionately to remembrance)."  Verses 25-27 go on, "Similarly, When supper was ended, He took the cup also, saying, This cup is the new covenant ratified and established in My Blood. Do this, as often as you drink it to call Me affectionately to remembrance. For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are representing and signifying and proclaiming the fact of the Lord's death until He comes again. Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in a way that is unworthy of Him will be guilty of profaning and sinning against the Body and Blood of the Lord."
     There are many, varying teachings about communion, in these last days.  Paul goes on in Verses 28-30 saying, "Let a man thoroughly examine himself and only when he has done so should he eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For 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 judgment) upon himself. That careless and unworthy participation is the reason many of you are weak and sickly, and quite often enough of you have fallen into the sleep of death."
     Receiving communion in the new covenant, is the same as in the old covenant, where we're not counting upon our goodness, but placing everything under the Blood of our Passover Lamb, Jesus.  It's a proclamation and declaration before God, that we're free from the Law of Sin and Death.  It's also a declaration to the destroyer, that we understand the power of Jesus' Sacrifice and how by His Blood, we're no longer under the judgment or jurisdiction of the Law of Sin and Death.  It's telling the destroyer that, "By the power of Jesus' Blood, satan must pass over us.
     The Israelites came out of bondage and were covered by the blood of the Passover Lamb.  They were also healed and made whole, because they trusted the lamb they chose and took for their homes.  The Israelites obeyed what Moses said and stayed in the house, trusting in their sacrificed lamb.  It was their faith in the lamb and not trust in their own goodness, that delivered the people.  Psalm 105:37 (Amplified) says, "He brought Israel forth also with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person among their tribes."
     1Corinthians 11:26 (Amplified) says, "For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are representing and signifying and proclaiming the fact of the Lord's death until He comes again."  Romans 8:2 (Amplified) speaks about the significance of the Lord's death, saying, "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 of Death."
     We must know and understand that, like in the Exodus, the Law of Sin and Death has been paid in full in Christ Jesus and no longer governs the new creation.  We're under a new Law and new creation.  The Law is paid, Redemption has come and satan must pass over us.  Our faith is in Christ Jesus (our Passover Lamb), just like the Israelites in Exodus.  Now, you can better understand my saying, "Sin in the new creation, is no longer any of satan's business."  Surely, there were sinners in Egypt and as a matter of fact they were "all sinners," but their faith in the blood and their faith in what Moses had told them, was enough to "cover, heal, and deliver them."  Jesus paid and fulfilled the Law of Sin and Death on behalf of all who will believe.  We are delivered out of the hands of the destroyer.
     This doesn't mean we're to remain in sin, according to Romans 6:1-4 (Amplified) which says, "What shall we say to all this? Are we to remain in sin in order that God's Grace, favor, and mercy may multiply and overflow? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? Are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by the Baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, so we, too might habitually live and behave in newness of life."
     If and when a new creation person sins, we now have an Advocate before our Father, to pray as our Intercessor and give us place in God's Throne Room of Grace, according to Hebrews 4:14-16 (Amplified) which says, "In as much as we have a Great High Priest Who has already ascended and passed through the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession of faith in Him. For we do no have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sin. Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the Throne of Grace, the Throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners that we may receive mercy for our failures and find grace to help in good time for every need (appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it)."
     1John 1:9 (Amplified) tells us, "If we freely admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just, True to His Own nature and Promises, and will forgive our sins, dismiss our lawlessness and continuously cleanse us from all unrighteousness, everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action."  This is God's business and no longer any of satan's business.  We belong to the Father and we're no longer only covenant...we are family.
     The Father teaches us, by the five-fold ministry, with His Word and through His Spirit.  He doesn't teach His children, using sickness, disease and calamity.
       

Lesson 292 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold! all things are made new.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     Because we are a "new creation," the Only Example we have to know we we are in Christ, is Jesus.  The early Church knew Jesus in Person and lived to be like Him, but after only a few hundred years, the Church became just another religion.  The same miracles and healings that followed Jesus, were prevalent in the early Church, but these things later became just traditions and rituals and "things that have passed away."
     In order to become who we were created to believe, we must receive revelation knowledge from the Holy Spirit.  We must read God's Word with the mind of Christ and allow it to tell us who we were really meant to be.  The knowledge of our being righteous in God's eyes, has nearly been lost to the Church and we continue struggling to make ourselves righteous, by works and performance.  Both of these things are void of power and repugnant to God, because it ignores what Jesus did for us.
     The Super-natural expression of the Holy Spirit has been reduced to a mere whisper of who and what He is, in the believer.  Many believers have removed the Holy Spirit completely from their expression of who they are, altogether.  We acknowledge the Presence of the Holy Spirit with our words, but deny His Presence in Truth.  We've made studies of Who He "used to be," and found a way to keep Him only in the early days of our new creation.
     Some teach that the Holy Spirit had to move in the early Church, in order to establish the Church, but today's Church can "function on our own."  The Truth is that without the Holy Spirit, the Church doesn't function at all.  He is the One Who gives Life to this new creation and without Him, we become a social club.  We've been faithful to give and meet the natural needs of the people, but we've mostly ignored the Super-natural needs.  We've become a referral center for those who need the the power of God to deliver them.
     We refer people to rehab, doctors, mental health facilities and to women's crisis centers, but what has happened to setting them free by the power of the Spirit and the Name of Jesus?  One might answer, "Yes, but not everyone can do these things."  I would then say, "Have you really sought and listened to the Spirit, to see if He wanted to do these things through you?"  We've categorized the Gifts of the Spirit and determined "who has been chosen to operate in them."  Why not let Him decide and do "as He wills?"  The worst that could happen is, the people are't healed and are no worse off.
     It doesn't only take faith in what we're called to be, but it requires courage enough to step out in that faith.  It's God's faith we're using and it hasn't diminished.  God is responsible to "do the works," not us.  We need to learn to trust God to keep His Word and then lean on His ability in us.  Jesus said He did nothing of Himself, but He only did "what the Father told Him."  We haven't been hearing.
     Jesus told the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:23-24 (Amplified) saying, "The sower sows the Word."  I wonder whether or not, the thing we've been hearing is the Word.  Jesus said, "If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend. And He said to them; Be careful what you are hearing. The measure of thought and study you give (to the Truth you hear) will be the measure (of virtue and knowledge) that comes back to you-and more besides will be given to you who hear."
     Most of can quote Romans 10:17 (KJV) which says, "Faith cometh by hearing."  We assume this implies to the Word of God and it does.  The Amplified Bible says, "So faith comes by hearing what is told, and what is heard comes by the preaching of the Message that came from the lips of Christ (the Messiah Himself)."  This is  Spiritual Law that functions both ways.  Words are seeds and seeds are sown by speaking or preaching.  Our heart (or spirit) is the soil and whatever we hear, is able to produce in our spirit.  We must be careful about what we hear and allow to be planted.
     Faith in God, comes by hearing the Truth of God's Word.  Faith in anything else, also comes by hearing.  If we hear anything long enough, then we put faith in it (whether it's wrong or right).  Why would we believe that not everyone who hears the Word preached, will not believe it?  The old covenant Jews didn't believe Jesus when He preached, because their faith was still in the words of the Law and the sacrificing of lambs and bulls that was taught by Moses.  They had faith, but it was in the seed that had already been sown in their hearts and produced others things than what Jesus preached.
     The seed principle or law, is true in any kind of word seed.  All words are seed, not only God's Word.  If we only allow certain words (seeds) into the soil of our hearts, then we can control the harvest that comes from the seed.  In Matthew 12:35-37 (Amplified) Jesus said, "The good man from his good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse, flings forth evil things. But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle inoperative non-working word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced."
     Jesus was saying, "We are to be responsible for whatever we hear, because what we hear is what we believe and will say."  We are revealing from our hearts, with our words, what we really have allowed to be sown by men, in our hearts.  This is why Jesus admonished us to, "Be careful what you are hearing."  The only way I know to hear the Truth, is to know the Truth.  If we don't listen to and seek Truth from God's Word and the Holy Spirit, then we will never recognize the Truth when we hear it.
     Every individual person is responsible to, "Be careful what he hears."  Today, there are so many differing things being sown into the world and the Church.  Truth can only be determined by the person who is hearing.  Some who haven't heard the Truth about Jesus, will receive and allow the seed of the world or false religions to be sown in their hearts, placing their faith into evil reports and doctrines and will be judged by what they allow to be sown in their hearts.
     I'm mostly speaking to the Church and I'm confident that the Seed you've received has brought forth a new creation.  I trust the Word of faith that you've heard, has done exactly what it was meant to do and that is to produce a new creation.  Now that you've become what the Seed (Word) produced, how you grow and develop in this new creation depends on what words you allow to be sown into your new spirit.  Seeds always "produce after kind."  Apple seeds always produces apple trees.  They will never produce peach trees.  The Seed of words, always produces what the Word or Seed is.
     Today, words produce many things in the earth, but only if they find a place in someone's heart to take root and produce the mature tree that puts forth more seeds.  By hearing, many have put faith in other gods, Hollywood, communism, holy wars and even cannibalism.  They done so by hearing and allowing the seed of words, to produce a culture other than the Kingdom.  These words will either bring justification or condemnation in the lives of those who were not careful what they hear.
     There are seeds that do no belong in the garden of our new creation hearts and these will bring forth unbelief, doubt and even bondage in the spirit.  Every year, I discover things growing in my hay fields, that I didn't sow.  The wind will bring seeds from many sources, that take up root in my fields.  The same is true in the world.  There are seeds (words) that are almost "blown on the wind," which we come into contact with daily.  We can't turn on the television or the internet, without hearing political confusions broadcast by the news media, or hearing about global disasters happening and broadcasters unknowingly spreading fear to our hearts through their reports on terror attacks.  We have seeds of public opinion, overtaking our schools and children.  We seem to have lost the ability to determine between what is "good seed and what is evil seed."
     I hear even God's people say, "The Seed of God is the One behind all the evil things that are now taking place," and this leads me to believe we either don't God's Word or we don't know our Father.  If you receive these seeds, then they will grow a crop of immobility in your life.  If received, these will grow crops of fear, doubt, guilt, condemnation and a lack of faith in God's being able and willing to do and His ability to perform what He has promised.  God's Word is like the rain and snow, that comes down and waters the earth.  And, according to Isaiah 55:10-11 (Amplified), God's Word "will not return to Him void, but will accomplish and prosper in the thing He sent it to do."