John 1:16-17 (Amplified) tells us, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another, and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
We've been learning how Grace and Blessing were, and still are, God's will for His children. Today, many still walk under the Law and have been deceived into believing that the Father is behind the trials and tests occurring in our lives. Many good and sincere ministers have taught these things, but Truth comes through Jesus Christ. John 8:31-32 (Amplified) says, "So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him; If you abide in My Word, hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them, you are truly My disciples And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free."
We haven't learned much about the Freedom of the Truth. When Jesus released the Blessing, Spiritual Gifts, Grace and favor upon us, we were reluctant to believe we could actually receive them. Some feel like they were taking advantage of God, by receiving such Goodness, while others feel like they're not good enough to deserve God's Goodness. Truth in the Goodness of God isn't something anyone deserves or can earn. We'll never be good enough, to earn such fullness. This is the Good News, that we no longer have to earn this Goodness by our own selves. Grace has done what the Law could never do. Faith in God's Spiritual Blessing, through faith alone, makes one righteous, according to Romans 3:22 (Amplified) which says, "Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and it is meant for ALL who believe. For there is no distinction."
Grace has been made available to all who will accept it by faith and will bring about the Spiritual Blessings that have been released to those who have been made alive and new creations, in Christ Jesus. These Spiritual Blessings couldn't come upon those who were still under the Law, because they were still dead in their spirit. They could only receive part of God's favor and His Blessings, by observing the rules and regulations according to the Law. As new creations in Christ, we've not only been made alive again in the spirit, but we're actually one with the Holy Spirit and in Him, are all the Spiritual Blessings that have become ours in Jesus Christ. Most of us think of 1Corinthians 12:1-4, when we think about Gifts of the Spirit. Paul lays these Gifts out here, for us to understand. Much of today's Church though, believe these Gifts are "for only a few people and not for all."
John 1:16 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance), we have all receive, all had a share in and were all supplied with one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift." These Gifts aren't those primarily listed in 1Corinthians 12:1-4. These Gifts came upon and into us, by the Holy Spirit Who gave us the Life of God.
We've mostly thought of other people operating and functioning in the Gifts of the Spirit and have left ourselves out of this process. The Spiritual Blessings and Gifts aren't necessarily those in 1Corinthians 12:1-4, but are the Gift of righteousness, sanctification, justification, consecration, the mind of Christ, the Wisdom of God and the nature of God Himself. These are the Gifts that we all have been supplied with and all have received and have all been supplied with.
We've missed the importance of what is meant by "the whole Church and the whole Body of Christ," where it pertains to these Gifts. We've left it to others, to obtain these Gifts. In order to obtain this fullness of which we have all received, we must listen to the Voice of the Holy Spirit and learn to walk in the fullness by faith in God's Grace. Grace didn't just now become "a thing" in the Church, even though we might have have finally come into a revelation of it. But, God's Grace clothed Adam and Even with the skins of animals, in order to hide their shame. It was Grace that brought the Law, instead of death to the old covenant people. They did have to walk in the commandments to obtain this Grace, but it was nevertheless GRACE.
Grace and Truth that came by Jesus Christ, were always the heart of God for His people. When creating man, God knew Grace was required to show His Truth, to His children. All children must be taught and trained in what is required of them. God knew this from the very beginning. God's Grace is sufficient and His Mercy is new every morning.
We must begin receiving by faith in Jesus Christ, the Spiritual Blessing Jesus came to give to the new creation people. Jesus believed by faith, that His Sacrifice would be understood and received in the fullness of which it was intended and not just be a "religion," but a reality in the new life He had given to the believer. We've been aware of the sins of the flesh, but don't seem to be cognizant of the Blessing of the Spirit. The Spiritual Blessings will overcome the flesh, when we have a revelation of what they really are.
We read about the Armor of God, in Ephesians 6:10-18. The Armor of God is a Spiritual Blessing and a Gift of Grace. The breastplate of righteousness, the sword of the Spirit, the belt of Truth and the shoes we put on to be shod with the Gospel of peace, do not come from us, but were "Gift heaped upon Gift and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing." All of these are what the Lord has supplied by faith in His Grace. These are the Gifts and favors, we have all received and all had a part in.
Begin to see yourself the way God sees you, instead of how the world portrays you. We must begin to look unto the Perfect Law of Liberty, according to James 1:25 (Amplified) which says, "But he who looks carefully into the faultless Law, the Law of Liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets, but an active doer who obeys, he shall be Blessed in his doing, his life of abundance."
Let's not simply read the Word, but LIVE THE WORD, as the Perfect Law of Liberty to set us free. Paul writes in Romans 8:1-2 (Amplified), "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. 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." Amen.
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