The Lord spoke to me earlier this year, about understanding being made manifest to His children. He said that things we've read, but haven't understood, will begin to be made clear to us. Proverbs 4:7 (Amplified) says, "The beginning of Wisdom is get Wisdom, skillful and Godly Wisdom! For skillful and Godly Wisdom is the principal thing. And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation)."
The Holy Spirit speaks to the Church in 1Corinthians 1:30 (Amplified) saying, "But it is from Him, God, that you have your Life in Christ Jesus, Whom God made our Wisdom from God, He revealed to us 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."
The above scripture IS WISDOM! We still walk and act like "mere men and women," without understanding. Understanding this Wisdom is the key to walking in the deliverance and the place the Father has raised us to, in Christ Jesus. We haven't understood who God has made us to be and our adversary (the devil) hopes we never understand this Wisdom.
John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "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 won't receive these Spiritual Blessings from Jesus when we leave this earth. When we were born-again and the Holy Spirit now lives in us, these Gifts and Spiritual Blessing are ours and are at work within us, by Jesus Christ.
The Same Holy Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead now lives within every born-again child of God. The Same Holy Spirit of God Who worked the Super-natural Blessings in Jesus' Life, now lives within you. This isn't reserved for only a few, but for all who are in Christ Jesus and have been made a new creation.
The above scripture tells us that, "All received and All had a share and were supplied with" the things Jesus came to give us. We can read God's Word which says, "God has made unto us Wisdom in Christ Jesus." It's not that we haven't received Wisdom, but we don't have understanding. The understanding we're to get, is Spiritual insight and comprehension of Truth. Jesus tells us in John 6:63 (Amplified), "It is the Spirit Who gives Life (He is the Life-Giver): the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it). The Words (Truths), that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
We'll never have understanding of Spiritual Truths, when we try to understand God's Word by the flesh or natural man's thinking. Much of what we've learned over the years, is man's understanding without the discernment by the Holy Spirit. This has resulted in so much difference in today's Church, when it comes to the Super-natural things of God. Although satan is totally insane, he isn't stupid. He knows that if he can hide understanding of Spiritual things from the Church, then the Glory of God and the true function of the Church will never be manifested. Without understanding, we're only the saved, in a world of unsaved people. Without understanding, there's little difference in how the enemy moves in the lives of the saved and the unsaved.
Jesus gave us the authority and Power of Attorney to use His Name, but the Church has mostly only used His Name as a P.S. at the end of our prayers. Peter and John were at the Gates of the temple, when a crippled man asked them for money, in Acts 3:6-7 (Amplified). Peter applied the Name of Jesus in authority over the man's crippling disease, saying, "Silver and gold (money), I do not have, but what I do have, that I give to you , in the use of the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. Then he took hold of the man's right hand with a firm grip and raised him up, and at once his feet and ankle bones became strong and healthy."
If we don't have understanding, then we'll use our carnal minds and say, "These things are only for the Apostles or certain people." God's Word says that we "have All received the authority of Jesus' Name. When we lack understanding, we don't know that the Name of Jesus has no bounds in it's authority. Just prior to His Ascension, Jesus said in Acts 1:8 (Amplified), "But you shall receive Power, ability, efficiency and Might when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth." After telling them this, Acts 2:4 (Amplified) says, "And they were All filled with the Holy Spirit."
After the crippled man was healed, Peter says in Acts 3:16 (Amplified), "And His Name, through and by faith in His Name, has made this man whom you see and recognize well and strong. Yes, the faith which is through and by Him (Jesus), has given the man the perfect soundness of body before all of you."
What did Peter say made this man whole? "The faith which is through and by Jesus, has made him whole." Do you have the same Holy Spirit, the Same Name, the Same Jesus and the same faith in that Name? In Romans 12:3 (Amplified) Paul writes, "For by the Grace (unmerited favor of God), given to me I was everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought (not to have an exaggerated opinions of his own importance), but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him." The King James Version says, "That God has given to every man the measure of faith." God has given everyone the same measure of faith, by which we are to believe Him.
God didn't give the Apostle Paul any more faith or a bigger portion of the Holy Spirit than He gave to you or anyone else. It's not how much faith you have, but how and what you invest that faith in. If your faith is invested in anything or anyone other than Jesus and His Word, then it's without merit. Understanding will only come by Revelation and Revelation will only come by the Holy Spirit. 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."
Your faith will grow and develop, as you feed it on God's Word. We must understanding that faith in God comes from hearing God's Word, into our spirit. Faith in anything else, comes from hearing something other than God's Word.
Faith in Buddha, comes from hearing about Buddhism and believing what you hear. We are hearing and believing things that God's Word doesn't say, even in today's churches. When you're told that you "don't have what other Christians have," or that speaking in tongues "isn't for us today" or "God only did these things for the early Church" or that, "These things have passed away," then you're hearing deception, with no understanding and it will hinder your faith to believe God for the things He wants to do in your life. We've been given Wisdom in Christ Jesus and this is the same Wisdom for all who are born-again. You received the Same Jesus as your brothers and sisters in Christ, the difference though is understanding what Wisdom says.
The Name of Jesus is the Name above all name, in Heaven and earth, and under the earth. It's the Name by which you are called and is yours to use, because He has delegated you His Power of Attorney. The Name of Jesus was powerful enough to heal the man at the Gate in Acts 3:16 (Amplified), where Peter says, "And His Name, through and by faith in His Name, has made this man whole." Christians have the authority and privilege to use His Name. The Name of Jesus hasn't lost any of its Power, but we've lost sight of His Name. His Name and faith in His Name, will still cast out demons, open blind eyes, heal the sick and speak in tongues today, just like it always did. Jesus tells us in Mark 16:17 (Amplified), "And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe." Are we still believing? If we are, then these attesting signs will follow us, like they followed the disciples.
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Lesson 45 The Church's Identity Crisis
Since becoming an organized religion, the Church has lost so much Truth about who we really are in Jesus Christ. We're under the new covenant and have the restored Blessing of Abraham, but we continue seeing ourselves as who we once were, instead of who we are in Christ. We read about the Blessing of Abraham in Deuteronomy 28:1-5. The people were to walk according to the Word or Law of Moses, so that this Blessing was to "come upon and overtake" them. All of Israel was to partake of and enjoy this Blessing.
God initiated and performed this Blessing over the crops, livestock, and families. It included healing, peace and prosperity. This Promise provided such an abundance of crops, so that the people didn't plant on the sixth year, in order to recognize the Sabbath Year of Rest for the Lord. The land wasn't planted in the Sabbath Year and didn't produce crops. The people ate from the harvest on the sixth year and still had enough left over to eat on the seventh year. There was so much left over that the people ate from it on the eighth year, until the crops were ready for harvest. The Blessing God instituted was more than enough to meet all the needs of His people, including their spirit, soul and body.
The Lord spoke to me several years ago, about the "unclaimed riches of His Grace." God told me that His Grace has provided much more, that His children's faith has ever received. If God Blessed those under the old covenant, so much so that even their enemies were jealous, then how much more will He Bless His own children today?
We've limited God, believing He will only provided for our Spiritual needs. We read about the Promise of the Spirit in Galatians 3:14 (Amplified), which says, "To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the Blessing Promised to Abraham might come on the Gentiles, so that we through faith might all receive the realization of the Promise of the Holy Spirit."
Receiving the Holy Spirit doesn't just include speaking in tongues and receiving the Gifts of the Spirit, but includes everything the Holy Spirit did for and through God's people through the centuries, both Spiritually and in the earth. The Holy Spirit is God Manifested in this natural realm, in order to bring about and fulfill His Promise to Abraham. Abraham is called the, "Father of the faith." He wasn't born-again or filled with the Spirit, but through his faith, the Seed of Promise (Jesus) was produced.
As we look at the earthly ministry of Jesus, we see that the Holy Spirit provided all Spiritual and earthly Blessings in His life. Every Blessing and ability that is in Heaven (where every Blessing comes from), brought God's idea of Eden to pass into both the earthly and Spiritual realm. These included the healings and miracles that restored health to people, along with breaking the Curse from the people, so the Promised Blessing could come upon them.
During the time of His earthly ministry, Jesus was the Only Man Who walked in the fullness of the Promise. Jesus preached this Promise from Isaiah 61:1-2 (Amplified), saying, "This is the Acceptable Year of the Lord and the Year of His favor." This is the Year of Jubilee, found in Leviticus 25:1-55, which came every fifty years under the Law. Jesus said that, "In Him, it is fulfilled." Jesus is our Jubilee now and forever. He has fulfilled and become our Acceptable Day of favor and the Acceptable Year of the Lord for eternity, for all who would accept Him.
This is the Truth and Promise of God to His people, but it is activated by faith in what Jesus did for us. Grace has already provided all we will ever need in Heaven and by the Heavens, will provide for our earthly needs too. It must though, be activated in our lives, by faith in Christ Jesus.
We haven't wanted to be earthly minded and have become simple minded, limiting what our Father wants us to have. The Promise of the Spirit came by faith, where Abraham allowed God's Holy Spirit to move the Blessing from Heaven to earth. John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "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 (unmerited, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
Those under the Law needed to earn the Blessing, by their performance or works. The Blessing was theirs. but it only came by fulfilling the Law. We've inherited the Blessing through Jesus Christ, Who fulfilled the Law for us and by Grace has now passed the Blessing onto all who will believe and have faith for it. In Jesus, the Father looks at us as having perfectly fulfilled all the Law and the prophets. The Blessing is now ours, by our faith in Jesus. THIS IS GRACE.
The harder we strive to do things on our own, the further we are from receiving by faith, what Grace has already given us in Christ Jesus. We haven't earned anything given in salvation. It has been freely given by Grace, by our having faith in the One God sent as our Substitute. Grace has taken away everything we once were and made us a new creation family, by Jesus.
God initiated and performed this Blessing over the crops, livestock, and families. It included healing, peace and prosperity. This Promise provided such an abundance of crops, so that the people didn't plant on the sixth year, in order to recognize the Sabbath Year of Rest for the Lord. The land wasn't planted in the Sabbath Year and didn't produce crops. The people ate from the harvest on the sixth year and still had enough left over to eat on the seventh year. There was so much left over that the people ate from it on the eighth year, until the crops were ready for harvest. The Blessing God instituted was more than enough to meet all the needs of His people, including their spirit, soul and body.
The Lord spoke to me several years ago, about the "unclaimed riches of His Grace." God told me that His Grace has provided much more, that His children's faith has ever received. If God Blessed those under the old covenant, so much so that even their enemies were jealous, then how much more will He Bless His own children today?
We've limited God, believing He will only provided for our Spiritual needs. We read about the Promise of the Spirit in Galatians 3:14 (Amplified), which says, "To the end that through their receiving Christ Jesus, the Blessing Promised to Abraham might come on the Gentiles, so that we through faith might all receive the realization of the Promise of the Holy Spirit."
Receiving the Holy Spirit doesn't just include speaking in tongues and receiving the Gifts of the Spirit, but includes everything the Holy Spirit did for and through God's people through the centuries, both Spiritually and in the earth. The Holy Spirit is God Manifested in this natural realm, in order to bring about and fulfill His Promise to Abraham. Abraham is called the, "Father of the faith." He wasn't born-again or filled with the Spirit, but through his faith, the Seed of Promise (Jesus) was produced.
As we look at the earthly ministry of Jesus, we see that the Holy Spirit provided all Spiritual and earthly Blessings in His life. Every Blessing and ability that is in Heaven (where every Blessing comes from), brought God's idea of Eden to pass into both the earthly and Spiritual realm. These included the healings and miracles that restored health to people, along with breaking the Curse from the people, so the Promised Blessing could come upon them.
During the time of His earthly ministry, Jesus was the Only Man Who walked in the fullness of the Promise. Jesus preached this Promise from Isaiah 61:1-2 (Amplified), saying, "This is the Acceptable Year of the Lord and the Year of His favor." This is the Year of Jubilee, found in Leviticus 25:1-55, which came every fifty years under the Law. Jesus said that, "In Him, it is fulfilled." Jesus is our Jubilee now and forever. He has fulfilled and become our Acceptable Day of favor and the Acceptable Year of the Lord for eternity, for all who would accept Him.
This is the Truth and Promise of God to His people, but it is activated by faith in what Jesus did for us. Grace has already provided all we will ever need in Heaven and by the Heavens, will provide for our earthly needs too. It must though, be activated in our lives, by faith in Christ Jesus.
We haven't wanted to be earthly minded and have become simple minded, limiting what our Father wants us to have. The Promise of the Spirit came by faith, where Abraham allowed God's Holy Spirit to move the Blessing from Heaven to earth. John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "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 (unmerited, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
Those under the Law needed to earn the Blessing, by their performance or works. The Blessing was theirs. but it only came by fulfilling the Law. We've inherited the Blessing through Jesus Christ, Who fulfilled the Law for us and by Grace has now passed the Blessing onto all who will believe and have faith for it. In Jesus, the Father looks at us as having perfectly fulfilled all the Law and the prophets. The Blessing is now ours, by our faith in Jesus. THIS IS GRACE.
The harder we strive to do things on our own, the further we are from receiving by faith, what Grace has already given us in Christ Jesus. We haven't earned anything given in salvation. It has been freely given by Grace, by our having faith in the One God sent as our Substitute. Grace has taken away everything we once were and made us a new creation family, by Jesus.
Monday, July 27, 2020
Lesson 44 The Church's Identity Crisis
For centuries, the Church has walked in the wisdom of men, rather than the Wisdom of God. We've been taught God's Word, by carnal knowledge and understanding. Jesus Promised in John 10:10, that we would "Have Life to the full, til it overflows." We've lived this God kind of Life as "mere men and women," like Paul described.
Paul writes to the Church in Romans 6:10-15 (Amplified), "For by the death He died, He died to sin, ending His relationship to it once for all; and the Life that He Lives, He is living to God in unbroken fellowship with Him. Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relationship to it broken, but alive to God, living in unbroken fellowship with Him in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies, to make you yield to its cravings and be subject to its lusts and evil passions. Do not continue offering or yielding your bodily members and faculties to sin as instruments (tools) of wickedness. But offer and yield yourselves to God as though you have been raised from the dead to perpetual Life, and your bodily members and faculties to God, presenting them as members of righteousness. For sin shall not any longer exert dominion over you, since now you are not under Law as slaves, but under Grace as subjects of God's favor and mercy. What then are we to conclude? Shall we sin because we live not under Law, but under God's mercy and favor? Certainly not."
Grace doesn't give us license to live any way we want. Grace has removed us from the works of the flesh, so we can live the new Life of God. The Life Jesus gave to us when we were born-again, is God's Own Life and is mightier than the flesh, when we know how to live it. In 2Corinthians 12:9-10 (Amplified) Paul writes about the Revelation he received from Jesus, saying, "But He said to me, My Grace, My favor and loving kindness and mercy is enough for you, sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully: for My strength and Power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in your weakness. Therefore I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the Strength and Power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest, yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell upon me. So for the sake of Christ, I am well-pleased and take pleasure in my infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak in human strength, then am I truly strong, able and powerful in Divine Strength."
The Life Jesus came to give us, isn't dependent on our ability to live it, but is there to raise us above what we cannot do in the flesh. In 2Corinthians 13;4-5(Amplified), Paul continues writing about the Life we've received in Jesus, saying, "For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He goes on Living by the Power of God. And though we too are weak in Him as He was humanly weak, yet in dealing with you we shall show ourselves alive and strong in fellowship with Him, by the Power of God. Examine and test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves (not Christ). Do you not yourselves realize and know thoroughly by an ever increasing experience that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are counterfeits, disapproved on trial and rejected?"
We've believed that in order to walk the new Life Christ has given us, we must hold onto the traditions we were brought up in. The only way of controlling the flesh (senses), is by God's Word and His Spirit. When we try controlling it by rules, rituals and regulations, we're doing what those under the old covenant Law did. These things can't control the flesh or make us righteous. Righteousness can only be obtained by faith in Jesus' Righteousness and by giving the flesh over to the Life in the Spirit.
We try making our flesh do what we ask it to do, which ends in failure, because our strength comes from the spirit and the spirit draws it's strength from God's Word and the Holy Spirit. When we come upon problems, we try solving it on our own. Paul said, "Therefore I glory in my infirmities (weakness), for when I am weak in human ability, the Strength of God is made available to me."
If we could do it on our own, then we wouldn't need God's Word or His Spirit. We wouldn't need to depend on the Father at all. We've accepted the portions of God's Word we agree with and disregarded the Super-natural parts that are beyond human ability. Walking in the Super-natural things of God, requires faith beyond the senses and requires our becoming dependent on God for answers and deliverance. When our own strength fails, we say, "It must not be God's will" or "It must be God's will." Paul says in the above scripture, that we must "Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to the faith and showing the proper fruits of it; test and prove yourselves (not Christ)."
Instead of excusing ourselves when things don't work out, by simply saying, "It must be God's will," we need to examine ourselves and our lack of faith to deliver us from trials and failures. Most of the failures come, because we never developed our faith in God's Word to receive deliverance.
There's no disgrace in finding that our faith isn't fully developed in certain portions of God's Word. We've received denominational traditions we were brought up in, instead of receiving the Truth in God's Word that says, "Having done all to stand." We were taught that deliverance "isn't God's will for us." We've tested God and His honor, instead of testing ourselves and our honor. We've learned countless excuses as to why "God's Word isn't always true."
We've been taught that "These things have passed away" or were "Only for the early Church and the Apostles." Paul instructs us to "test and examine and evaluate ourselves and our faith, instead of testing God and His Truth." We've accepted man's ideas of God's Word, instead of what the Holy Spirit tells us about God's Word.
We must get back into the Word and listen to what the Holy Spirit reveals to us, when reading it. We must not simply accept what others say is the "Truth of God's Word," without going to God for ourselves. Many good people who love God, have taught from their own beliefs and from the teachings of those before them, instead of learning the Truth of God's Word from the Holy Spirit.
We read about twelve spies who went into the Promised Land in Numbers 13-14. Ten of those spies said, "The land is full of milk and honey, just like God said, but there are giants in the Land and we are not strong enough to take it." Two spies named Joshua and Caleb said, "We believe the report of the Lord and we can take the land." Two million people believed the report of the ten spies, instead of God's Word and spent forty more years in the desert.
We must find out what God's Word says for ourselves. That doesn't mean we leave our church, but we must have our own walk with Jesus and believe His Word.
Paul writes to the Church in Romans 6:10-15 (Amplified), "For by the death He died, He died to sin, ending His relationship to it once for all; and the Life that He Lives, He is living to God in unbroken fellowship with Him. Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relationship to it broken, but alive to God, living in unbroken fellowship with Him in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies, to make you yield to its cravings and be subject to its lusts and evil passions. Do not continue offering or yielding your bodily members and faculties to sin as instruments (tools) of wickedness. But offer and yield yourselves to God as though you have been raised from the dead to perpetual Life, and your bodily members and faculties to God, presenting them as members of righteousness. For sin shall not any longer exert dominion over you, since now you are not under Law as slaves, but under Grace as subjects of God's favor and mercy. What then are we to conclude? Shall we sin because we live not under Law, but under God's mercy and favor? Certainly not."
Grace doesn't give us license to live any way we want. Grace has removed us from the works of the flesh, so we can live the new Life of God. The Life Jesus gave to us when we were born-again, is God's Own Life and is mightier than the flesh, when we know how to live it. In 2Corinthians 12:9-10 (Amplified) Paul writes about the Revelation he received from Jesus, saying, "But He said to me, My Grace, My favor and loving kindness and mercy is enough for you, sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully: for My strength and Power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in your weakness. Therefore I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the Strength and Power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest, yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell upon me. So for the sake of Christ, I am well-pleased and take pleasure in my infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak in human strength, then am I truly strong, able and powerful in Divine Strength."
The Life Jesus came to give us, isn't dependent on our ability to live it, but is there to raise us above what we cannot do in the flesh. In 2Corinthians 13;4-5(Amplified), Paul continues writing about the Life we've received in Jesus, saying, "For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He goes on Living by the Power of God. And though we too are weak in Him as He was humanly weak, yet in dealing with you we shall show ourselves alive and strong in fellowship with Him, by the Power of God. Examine and test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves (not Christ). Do you not yourselves realize and know thoroughly by an ever increasing experience that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are counterfeits, disapproved on trial and rejected?"
We've believed that in order to walk the new Life Christ has given us, we must hold onto the traditions we were brought up in. The only way of controlling the flesh (senses), is by God's Word and His Spirit. When we try controlling it by rules, rituals and regulations, we're doing what those under the old covenant Law did. These things can't control the flesh or make us righteous. Righteousness can only be obtained by faith in Jesus' Righteousness and by giving the flesh over to the Life in the Spirit.
We try making our flesh do what we ask it to do, which ends in failure, because our strength comes from the spirit and the spirit draws it's strength from God's Word and the Holy Spirit. When we come upon problems, we try solving it on our own. Paul said, "Therefore I glory in my infirmities (weakness), for when I am weak in human ability, the Strength of God is made available to me."
If we could do it on our own, then we wouldn't need God's Word or His Spirit. We wouldn't need to depend on the Father at all. We've accepted the portions of God's Word we agree with and disregarded the Super-natural parts that are beyond human ability. Walking in the Super-natural things of God, requires faith beyond the senses and requires our becoming dependent on God for answers and deliverance. When our own strength fails, we say, "It must not be God's will" or "It must be God's will." Paul says in the above scripture, that we must "Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to the faith and showing the proper fruits of it; test and prove yourselves (not Christ)."
Instead of excusing ourselves when things don't work out, by simply saying, "It must be God's will," we need to examine ourselves and our lack of faith to deliver us from trials and failures. Most of the failures come, because we never developed our faith in God's Word to receive deliverance.
There's no disgrace in finding that our faith isn't fully developed in certain portions of God's Word. We've received denominational traditions we were brought up in, instead of receiving the Truth in God's Word that says, "Having done all to stand." We were taught that deliverance "isn't God's will for us." We've tested God and His honor, instead of testing ourselves and our honor. We've learned countless excuses as to why "God's Word isn't always true."
We've been taught that "These things have passed away" or were "Only for the early Church and the Apostles." Paul instructs us to "test and examine and evaluate ourselves and our faith, instead of testing God and His Truth." We've accepted man's ideas of God's Word, instead of what the Holy Spirit tells us about God's Word.
We must get back into the Word and listen to what the Holy Spirit reveals to us, when reading it. We must not simply accept what others say is the "Truth of God's Word," without going to God for ourselves. Many good people who love God, have taught from their own beliefs and from the teachings of those before them, instead of learning the Truth of God's Word from the Holy Spirit.
We read about twelve spies who went into the Promised Land in Numbers 13-14. Ten of those spies said, "The land is full of milk and honey, just like God said, but there are giants in the Land and we are not strong enough to take it." Two spies named Joshua and Caleb said, "We believe the report of the Lord and we can take the land." Two million people believed the report of the ten spies, instead of God's Word and spent forty more years in the desert.
We must find out what God's Word says for ourselves. That doesn't mean we leave our church, but we must have our own walk with Jesus and believe His Word.
Monday, July 13, 2020
Lesson 43 The Church's Identity Crisis
Many Christians today, have either never known who we were made to be in Jesus Christ or have forgotten who we are in Him. When horrible things happen in our lives, many immediately believe that our Heavenly Father is responsible for them. We ask, "Why do these things happen, if I'm supposed to be Blessed, righteous and a child of God?" We do this, because we don't truly know Who our Father is and what our true identity is.
Jesus answered this question in John 15:18-19,20 (Amplified) saying, "If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of this world (no longer one with it), but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates you (detests you)."
The world is under the influence of a godless rules who hates God, along with everyone and everything connected to God. Jesus went on in Verse 20, saying, "Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his Master (is not superior to him); If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you, if they kept My Word and obeyed My teaching, they will also keep and obey yours."
Jesus said that the world is under the enemy's deception and isn't even aware of it. Before being born-again, we probably felt the same way about Christians people, who were vocal and bold in their faith. We paid no attention to those Christians who attended church on Sundays, but lived like we did the rest of the week. We didn't want to be around those people who truly lived for God, though. We might not have recognized why they were so different, but the enemy recognized they were different than the world.
After being born-again, we failed to recognize that we weren't of this world and when persecution came, we blamed it on our Father, saying, "He is trying to teach me something." We didn't realize that it came about from the world, because we were different. This strategy of the enemy, has caused more trouble in the world, than probably anything else in history. We exclude anyone who is different from us in any way. If you're of a different color than us, then we segregate you. If you're of a certain sex or age, then you're segregated. If you're poor, then you're segregated. This is the way of the world, which is under satan's influence. Satan hates God and treats His Church the same way.
We've looked at these things as being "Identity Politics," when it's a Spiritual thing. Ephesians 6:12 (Amplified) says, "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood (contending only with physical opponents), but against the despotism, 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 supernatural sphere." We have an enemy who hates all mankind (both the saved and the unsaved), because he lost his seating when God cast him down.
The fallen angels who were cast out with him, hate satan. They listened to his boasting and suffered the same consequence that he had. Satan has used the same strategy against the saved and unsaved persons, since mankind has existed in his fallen state. Satan wants us to hate one other, instead of using the authority we have in Jesus' Name against him. God's people have been hated with demonic hatred throughout history, even to the point of trying to exterminate them, because they belong to God. Everyone and everything God chooses, becomes the direct opponent to a world ruled by satan and his forces of darkness.
We're from a different world and are persecuted, because satan hates all of mankind. God raised mankind to a higher place with Him and exalted mankind above all the Heavenly beings, including satan and the position he held with God, before the fall of Adam. If we would only realize the place God has exalted mankind to, then we would see why so much persecution has been in afflicted on us and by whom it came from. Satan doesn't only hate God's Church, but he hates all of mankind. It's proportionally directed more at the Church, but people throughout the world are suffering with disease, poverty, war, death, hatred towards one another, famine and misery. These things are inflicted by a demented, demonic ruler, who hates mankind.
Through the new birth, the Church has been created again and are in direct contact with and are in the Presence of God. This means satan hates us more than any other beings on the planet. In the time of Jesus, satan only had One Man Who was filled with God's Own Spirit. Jesus was satan's main target. We sometimes fail to see the things Jesus endured, because He never allowed them to stop Him. Jesus always continued on His calling, even though it wasn't easy. Jesus made it look easy, because He knew the source and kept His eyes focused on dealing with it in the Spirit realm, where He always had control.
We must not allow our eyes to be focused on the people and the problems, but look to the Spirit, where we always triumph. We must look to the Spirit, where we have the victory, instead of complaining about our circumstances, which were caused by the enemy. If the bull would stop focusing on the red cape, and focus on the matador, then how long do you suppose the fight would last? If the Church focused on the enemy and used the Name of Jesus Christ against him, instead of focusing on the problems the enemy created, then we would see victory.
Ephesians 6:10 (Amplified) says, "In conclusion, be strong in the Lord, be empowered through your union with Him, draw your strength from Him, that strength which His boundless Might provides."
Jesus answered this question in John 15:18-19,20 (Amplified) saying, "If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of this world (no longer one with it), but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates you (detests you)."
The world is under the influence of a godless rules who hates God, along with everyone and everything connected to God. Jesus went on in Verse 20, saying, "Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his Master (is not superior to him); If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you, if they kept My Word and obeyed My teaching, they will also keep and obey yours."
Jesus said that the world is under the enemy's deception and isn't even aware of it. Before being born-again, we probably felt the same way about Christians people, who were vocal and bold in their faith. We paid no attention to those Christians who attended church on Sundays, but lived like we did the rest of the week. We didn't want to be around those people who truly lived for God, though. We might not have recognized why they were so different, but the enemy recognized they were different than the world.
After being born-again, we failed to recognize that we weren't of this world and when persecution came, we blamed it on our Father, saying, "He is trying to teach me something." We didn't realize that it came about from the world, because we were different. This strategy of the enemy, has caused more trouble in the world, than probably anything else in history. We exclude anyone who is different from us in any way. If you're of a different color than us, then we segregate you. If you're of a certain sex or age, then you're segregated. If you're poor, then you're segregated. This is the way of the world, which is under satan's influence. Satan hates God and treats His Church the same way.
We've looked at these things as being "Identity Politics," when it's a Spiritual thing. Ephesians 6:12 (Amplified) says, "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood (contending only with physical opponents), but against the despotism, 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 supernatural sphere." We have an enemy who hates all mankind (both the saved and the unsaved), because he lost his seating when God cast him down.
The fallen angels who were cast out with him, hate satan. They listened to his boasting and suffered the same consequence that he had. Satan has used the same strategy against the saved and unsaved persons, since mankind has existed in his fallen state. Satan wants us to hate one other, instead of using the authority we have in Jesus' Name against him. God's people have been hated with demonic hatred throughout history, even to the point of trying to exterminate them, because they belong to God. Everyone and everything God chooses, becomes the direct opponent to a world ruled by satan and his forces of darkness.
We're from a different world and are persecuted, because satan hates all of mankind. God raised mankind to a higher place with Him and exalted mankind above all the Heavenly beings, including satan and the position he held with God, before the fall of Adam. If we would only realize the place God has exalted mankind to, then we would see why so much persecution has been in afflicted on us and by whom it came from. Satan doesn't only hate God's Church, but he hates all of mankind. It's proportionally directed more at the Church, but people throughout the world are suffering with disease, poverty, war, death, hatred towards one another, famine and misery. These things are inflicted by a demented, demonic ruler, who hates mankind.
Through the new birth, the Church has been created again and are in direct contact with and are in the Presence of God. This means satan hates us more than any other beings on the planet. In the time of Jesus, satan only had One Man Who was filled with God's Own Spirit. Jesus was satan's main target. We sometimes fail to see the things Jesus endured, because He never allowed them to stop Him. Jesus always continued on His calling, even though it wasn't easy. Jesus made it look easy, because He knew the source and kept His eyes focused on dealing with it in the Spirit realm, where He always had control.
We must not allow our eyes to be focused on the people and the problems, but look to the Spirit, where we always triumph. We must look to the Spirit, where we have the victory, instead of complaining about our circumstances, which were caused by the enemy. If the bull would stop focusing on the red cape, and focus on the matador, then how long do you suppose the fight would last? If the Church focused on the enemy and used the Name of Jesus Christ against him, instead of focusing on the problems the enemy created, then we would see victory.
Ephesians 6:10 (Amplified) says, "In conclusion, be strong in the Lord, be empowered through your union with Him, draw your strength from Him, that strength which His boundless Might provides."
Friday, July 10, 2020
Lesson 42 The Church's Identity Crisis
Jesus said in John 10:10 (Amplified), "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy, I came that they may have and enjoy Life, and have it in abundance (to the full, til it overflows)." Every person who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, has received this abundant Life that He came to give us. No person who is born-again, lacks anything in this Life. Some haven't received a lot, while others got much, but we have all received the same abundant Life, through Jesus.
The most important thing anyone can ever hope to obtain in this world, is to be born-again, but what do we do with this abundant Life on this side of Heaven? We've struggled with our new creation person, because we've receive abundant Life, but don't know how to live it. It's like using a horse like Secretariat to pull a vegetable cart. He's still a horse, but he was bred and destined to be a Tripe Crown champion.
We've been born of the Most High God, to be sons and daughters in His family, but we still function as mere men and women. Paul wrote to the Church in 1corinthians 3:1 (Amplified), saying, However, Brethren, I could not talk to you as to Spiritual men, but as to non-spiritual men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates, as to mere infants in the new Life in Christ, unable to talk yet." What is this new Life and what is our role in it? Does it mean we only live like we did before being born-again? Or, is there something in this Life that we, as mere men and women are yet to discover by His Word?
Most of us have stopped doing what we perceived as sin and wrong doing in the flesh, but we've never entered into the new Life that Jesus gave us. God's people are mostly still as sick as those in the world, have the same divorce rate as the world and are just as distressed as those in the world. Most of us aren't anymore successful in reaching God, than those in the world. If God answered our prayer for salvation when we were lost in sin and death, then why would we doubt that He would answer our prayers, especially now that we're His children?
We read about one of the greatest advantages of this new Life in 1John 1;3 (Amplified), which says, "What we have seen, and ourselves heard, we also are telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And this fellowship that we have which is a distinguishing mark of Christians with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah)."
Gaining fellowship by this new Life, doesn't mean that we go to Heaven when we die, but means the Father will teach us how to life this new Life, here on earth. Fellowship isn't just praying, but is the ability to learn from and talk with our Father, like Jesus did in His earthly ministry.
As He spent time talking with and listening to the Father, Jesus gained access into the secrets that govern this planet by the Wisdom of God. Jesus said, "I only do what I see the Father do and say what I heard the Father say." Jesus received Wisdom for everything He was to do, while in His earthly body, by fellow -shipping with His Father. Jesus was in constant fellowship and was faithful to hear from Heaven. We've gained the same ability with the Father, in this new Life with Him.
We've been afraid of overstepping our place with the Father and haven't entered our place as family. We call Him, "Father," but we act like we don't belong in His family, while we're still here on earth. We don't become family when we get to Heaven, but were made family when we were born-again. How do we walk as family, while we are here? This is the struggle we have, while walking in these flesh and blood bodies.
Hebrews 5:13-14 (Amplified) says, "For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of Righteousness, of conformity to the Divine will and purpose, thought and action, for he is a mere infant, not able to talk yet. But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to Divine or human law."
The Doctrine of Righteousness isn't something the senses will allow in us, but the Truth of God's Word says we have "been made the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus." We can only know the Doctrine of Righteousness, by having faith in what God has said about us. The unrenewed mind will always compare our old man/woman and his/her righteousness to the God kind of Righteousness, leaving us to "feel" like we're still unrighteous in God's eyes.
We've invented our own laws of what we think are righteous, but God doesn't receive any of these. Romans 1:17 (Amplified) says, "For in the Gospel, a Righteous which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith, and leading to faith, disclosed by 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."
The above scripture tells us that if we're to be righteous in God's eyes, then we'll have to receive it on God's terms, by faith in His Word and the Finished Work of Jesus. When we work to become righteous, it shows that we haven't received it on God's terms and haven't received the Righteousness He ascribes. The faith God speaks about here, is trusting in what He says about us, more than what the world or the enemy says about us. We must learn to put our faith in what God ascribes about our righteousness, instead of having more faith in what others say.
If anyone should know what it takes to be Righteous in God's eyes, then it is God. When we yield to His Truth about righteousness, we will stop the torment and lies of the adversary in our lives. Hebrews 9:14 (Amplified) says, "How much more surely shall the Blood of Christ, Who by virtue of His Eternal Spirit (His Own pre-existent Divine Personality) has offered Himself as an unblemished Sacrifice to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the Ever Living God." We can only have a pure conscience before God, when we have faith that Jesus Sacrificed His Blood as an Offering for our sin, so we were made righteous before God. There's no other way to clean your conscience, enough to give us the boldness to come before Him and confidently stand in His Presence. This is the Righteousness that God ascribes.
This Righteousness is a Gift from God and He doesn't accept rituals and works. God accepts it on the terms of His Grace, not by Law or works. Romans 5:17 (Amplified) says, "For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense), death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive God's overflowing Grace (unmerited favor), and the free Gift of Righteousness, putting them in right standing with Himself, reign as kings in Life through the One Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."
We must understand and have faith in the right standing we have with the Father, by Jesus' Righteousness, in order to live this new Life that Jesus came to bring us. When we understand that we are righteous, then our faith in everything else will begin to fall into place. As long as you "feel" like you're unrighteous and still a sinner, you won't have faith in your inheritance.
The most important thing anyone can ever hope to obtain in this world, is to be born-again, but what do we do with this abundant Life on this side of Heaven? We've struggled with our new creation person, because we've receive abundant Life, but don't know how to live it. It's like using a horse like Secretariat to pull a vegetable cart. He's still a horse, but he was bred and destined to be a Tripe Crown champion.
We've been born of the Most High God, to be sons and daughters in His family, but we still function as mere men and women. Paul wrote to the Church in 1corinthians 3:1 (Amplified), saying, However, Brethren, I could not talk to you as to Spiritual men, but as to non-spiritual men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates, as to mere infants in the new Life in Christ, unable to talk yet." What is this new Life and what is our role in it? Does it mean we only live like we did before being born-again? Or, is there something in this Life that we, as mere men and women are yet to discover by His Word?
Most of us have stopped doing what we perceived as sin and wrong doing in the flesh, but we've never entered into the new Life that Jesus gave us. God's people are mostly still as sick as those in the world, have the same divorce rate as the world and are just as distressed as those in the world. Most of us aren't anymore successful in reaching God, than those in the world. If God answered our prayer for salvation when we were lost in sin and death, then why would we doubt that He would answer our prayers, especially now that we're His children?
We read about one of the greatest advantages of this new Life in 1John 1;3 (Amplified), which says, "What we have seen, and ourselves heard, we also are telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And this fellowship that we have which is a distinguishing mark of Christians with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah)."
Gaining fellowship by this new Life, doesn't mean that we go to Heaven when we die, but means the Father will teach us how to life this new Life, here on earth. Fellowship isn't just praying, but is the ability to learn from and talk with our Father, like Jesus did in His earthly ministry.
As He spent time talking with and listening to the Father, Jesus gained access into the secrets that govern this planet by the Wisdom of God. Jesus said, "I only do what I see the Father do and say what I heard the Father say." Jesus received Wisdom for everything He was to do, while in His earthly body, by fellow -shipping with His Father. Jesus was in constant fellowship and was faithful to hear from Heaven. We've gained the same ability with the Father, in this new Life with Him.
We've been afraid of overstepping our place with the Father and haven't entered our place as family. We call Him, "Father," but we act like we don't belong in His family, while we're still here on earth. We don't become family when we get to Heaven, but were made family when we were born-again. How do we walk as family, while we are here? This is the struggle we have, while walking in these flesh and blood bodies.
Hebrews 5:13-14 (Amplified) says, "For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of Righteousness, of conformity to the Divine will and purpose, thought and action, for he is a mere infant, not able to talk yet. But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to Divine or human law."
The Doctrine of Righteousness isn't something the senses will allow in us, but the Truth of God's Word says we have "been made the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus." We can only know the Doctrine of Righteousness, by having faith in what God has said about us. The unrenewed mind will always compare our old man/woman and his/her righteousness to the God kind of Righteousness, leaving us to "feel" like we're still unrighteous in God's eyes.
We've invented our own laws of what we think are righteous, but God doesn't receive any of these. Romans 1:17 (Amplified) says, "For in the Gospel, a Righteous which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith, and leading to faith, disclosed by 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."
The above scripture tells us that if we're to be righteous in God's eyes, then we'll have to receive it on God's terms, by faith in His Word and the Finished Work of Jesus. When we work to become righteous, it shows that we haven't received it on God's terms and haven't received the Righteousness He ascribes. The faith God speaks about here, is trusting in what He says about us, more than what the world or the enemy says about us. We must learn to put our faith in what God ascribes about our righteousness, instead of having more faith in what others say.
If anyone should know what it takes to be Righteous in God's eyes, then it is God. When we yield to His Truth about righteousness, we will stop the torment and lies of the adversary in our lives. Hebrews 9:14 (Amplified) says, "How much more surely shall the Blood of Christ, Who by virtue of His Eternal Spirit (His Own pre-existent Divine Personality) has offered Himself as an unblemished Sacrifice to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the Ever Living God." We can only have a pure conscience before God, when we have faith that Jesus Sacrificed His Blood as an Offering for our sin, so we were made righteous before God. There's no other way to clean your conscience, enough to give us the boldness to come before Him and confidently stand in His Presence. This is the Righteousness that God ascribes.
This Righteousness is a Gift from God and He doesn't accept rituals and works. God accepts it on the terms of His Grace, not by Law or works. Romans 5:17 (Amplified) says, "For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense), death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive God's overflowing Grace (unmerited favor), and the free Gift of Righteousness, putting them in right standing with Himself, reign as kings in Life through the One Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."
We must understand and have faith in the right standing we have with the Father, by Jesus' Righteousness, in order to live this new Life that Jesus came to bring us. When we understand that we are righteous, then our faith in everything else will begin to fall into place. As long as you "feel" like you're unrighteous and still a sinner, you won't have faith in your inheritance.
Thursday, July 9, 2020
Lesson 41 The Church's Identity Crisis
Romans 8:15-17 (Amplified) says, "For the Spirit which you have received is not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption, the Spirit producing sonship in the bliss of which we cry Abba, Father, Father. 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."
We can read these scriptures, but not have a Revelation of what the Holy Spirit is saying about who we are now, in Jesus. When a person writes a will, when do you get what that person left you in that will? When you die or when the testator dies? Jesus is the Only Man Who made out His will, died to validate it and then rose from the dead, becoming the executor over His will. Jesus made sure that we wouldn't lose out of anything He left us, the Redeemed of the Lord. Believers have lost sight of what Redemption means to us.
Proverbs 29:18 (Amplified) says, "Where there is no vision (no Redemptive Revelation of God), the people perish: but he who keeps the Law of God (His Words) which includes that of man, Blessed, happy, fortunate is he."
Psalm 107:2 (Amplified) says, "Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary." Do we truly understand our redemption and do we proclaim it, so that the adversary realizes that we know who we are? It's not for God's sake that we're to "say so," but we do it in order to announce to the adversary that we now have a Redemptive Revelation of what Jesus has done on our behalf.
The First Adam sold us into bondage and slavery, by his transgression in the Garden. In the natural world, we can liken it to being sold in a pawn shop. The pawn shop dealer now has possession and control over our lives and future. As Gentiles, we had no way of paying our debt ourselves. The Price required to buy our freedom, was a debt that natural man could never pay. It was a Spiritual Redemption and man was Spiritually dead in trespass and sin.
1Peter 1:18-19 (Amplified) says, "You must know and recognize that you were Redeemed, Ransomed from the useless, fruitless way of living inherited by tradition from your forefathers, not with corruptible things such as silver and gold. But you were purchased with the Precious Blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a Sacrificial Lamb without blemish or spot."
We are no longer the property of the pawn broker, but we've been bought back by the Blood of Jesus. We're not on layaway, which has payments made on it. We're already paid for and have no dealings or obligation to the pawn broker. 1Corinthians 6:19-20 (Amplified) says, "Do you not know that your body is the temple, the very sanctuary of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received as a Gift from God? You are not your own. You were bought with a Price, purchased with a Preciousness and Paid for, made His Own. So then honor God and bring Glory to Him in your body."
If we read and understand this scripture by the Revelation or vision of our redemption, then we will know that nothing satan used to hold us in bondage, is part of our existence any longer. The debt and captivity we were under by the First Adam, has been completely paid for now and eternity, by Jesus Christ. The debt of our old, past lives which separated us from God, has been paid. We're no longer enslaved by our former pawn broker, satan. Satan will continue trying to convince us that we still owe him from our former time as his servants, but when we understand our Redemption, we can stand on what God's Word says. God's Word tells us, "Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so." Jesus has redeemed us from the hand of the adversary and we need to remind satan of that Truth.
Romans 8:1-2 (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." Our spirit man/woman has been bought back by Jesus. This is the Revelation of our Redemption and if we have no vision of this, then God says in Proverbs 29:18, "My people perish without a vision." When the vision becomes clear to us, then we no longer listen to the lies and slander coming from our previous owner, the pawn broker who held us in bondage. We will live by the dictates of the Spirit, understanding that we were bought back and Redeemed. We will live in the union of and with our Father, by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, the Law of our new being.
Jesus didn't simply make a down payment on us or put us on a layaway plan. Jesus was faithful to fully Redeem us, so we're not under the Law of Sin and of Death. We don't owe the adversary anything, not even an explanation. We are free, so we shout, "Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so." When satan comes to say, "You still owe me," then you shout, "Jesus has Paid my debt in full and I'm the Redeemed of the Lord!"
We must identify with who Jesus has made us to be, instead of who we were. We must proclaim our Redemption, on a legal aspect of Spiritual Law in the new creation Kingdom that we're now citizens of. We are in this world, but we're no longer part of it and subject to the bondage and slanderous lies of the adversary. Satan deceived the First Adam and he continues trying to hold us in bondage using lies of guilt and deception. If we don't have the vision or Revelation of our Redemption, then satan still tries controlling our lives by fraud.
God gives instructions for the Redeemed of the Lord in Proverbs 25:28 (Amplified), saying, "He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls." The city is open to attack from the enemy, because there is no defensive walls. When we have a Revelation of our Redemption, then we will allow God's Word to take rule over our spirit, like Romans 8:1 says. We will only listen to the dictates of your spirit, by God's Word and His Holy Spirit. This is the rule over our new creation citizen, who is part of God's family and His Kingdom.
We've been guilty of listening more to the lies of the adversary and the world, than God's Word and His Spirit. Jesus only said what the Father said, went where the Father told Him to go and did only what the Father said to do. Jesus had rule over His Spirit and was invincible in His life, as far as the adversary was concerned.
The new Life that Jesus came to give us, is the Life that is above the natural life we had under satan's bondage. Satan held us under the Law of Sin and of Death, but we need to see that we live under the Law of the Spirit of Life, which Jesus came to give us. If we have the vision and Revelation of our Redemption and the new Life Jesus gave us, then we remain vulnerable to satan's lies.
Satan has no defense against the new birth , nor can he stop it from coming to pass in the lives of any person who calls upon the Name of the Lord. Satan can only try controlling our lives, by deception and our lack of understanding who we have become in Christ Jesus. We must not listen to the dictates of our flesh and the accusations of our former pawn broker, who once held us for ransom. The Year of Understanding is now and the Revelation knowledge of the God Kind of Life that Jesus came to give us, is now available to all who will believe. We're no longer subject to satan's lies, condemnation, guilt or anything else he tries to use against us. We must make our stand by the Holy Spirit, boldly proclaiming our Redemption and identity in Christ Jesus.
We can read these scriptures, but not have a Revelation of what the Holy Spirit is saying about who we are now, in Jesus. When a person writes a will, when do you get what that person left you in that will? When you die or when the testator dies? Jesus is the Only Man Who made out His will, died to validate it and then rose from the dead, becoming the executor over His will. Jesus made sure that we wouldn't lose out of anything He left us, the Redeemed of the Lord. Believers have lost sight of what Redemption means to us.
Proverbs 29:18 (Amplified) says, "Where there is no vision (no Redemptive Revelation of God), the people perish: but he who keeps the Law of God (His Words) which includes that of man, Blessed, happy, fortunate is he."
Psalm 107:2 (Amplified) says, "Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary." Do we truly understand our redemption and do we proclaim it, so that the adversary realizes that we know who we are? It's not for God's sake that we're to "say so," but we do it in order to announce to the adversary that we now have a Redemptive Revelation of what Jesus has done on our behalf.
The First Adam sold us into bondage and slavery, by his transgression in the Garden. In the natural world, we can liken it to being sold in a pawn shop. The pawn shop dealer now has possession and control over our lives and future. As Gentiles, we had no way of paying our debt ourselves. The Price required to buy our freedom, was a debt that natural man could never pay. It was a Spiritual Redemption and man was Spiritually dead in trespass and sin.
1Peter 1:18-19 (Amplified) says, "You must know and recognize that you were Redeemed, Ransomed from the useless, fruitless way of living inherited by tradition from your forefathers, not with corruptible things such as silver and gold. But you were purchased with the Precious Blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a Sacrificial Lamb without blemish or spot."
We are no longer the property of the pawn broker, but we've been bought back by the Blood of Jesus. We're not on layaway, which has payments made on it. We're already paid for and have no dealings or obligation to the pawn broker. 1Corinthians 6:19-20 (Amplified) says, "Do you not know that your body is the temple, the very sanctuary of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received as a Gift from God? You are not your own. You were bought with a Price, purchased with a Preciousness and Paid for, made His Own. So then honor God and bring Glory to Him in your body."
If we read and understand this scripture by the Revelation or vision of our redemption, then we will know that nothing satan used to hold us in bondage, is part of our existence any longer. The debt and captivity we were under by the First Adam, has been completely paid for now and eternity, by Jesus Christ. The debt of our old, past lives which separated us from God, has been paid. We're no longer enslaved by our former pawn broker, satan. Satan will continue trying to convince us that we still owe him from our former time as his servants, but when we understand our Redemption, we can stand on what God's Word says. God's Word tells us, "Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so." Jesus has redeemed us from the hand of the adversary and we need to remind satan of that Truth.
Romans 8:1-2 (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." Our spirit man/woman has been bought back by Jesus. This is the Revelation of our Redemption and if we have no vision of this, then God says in Proverbs 29:18, "My people perish without a vision." When the vision becomes clear to us, then we no longer listen to the lies and slander coming from our previous owner, the pawn broker who held us in bondage. We will live by the dictates of the Spirit, understanding that we were bought back and Redeemed. We will live in the union of and with our Father, by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, the Law of our new being.
Jesus didn't simply make a down payment on us or put us on a layaway plan. Jesus was faithful to fully Redeem us, so we're not under the Law of Sin and of Death. We don't owe the adversary anything, not even an explanation. We are free, so we shout, "Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so." When satan comes to say, "You still owe me," then you shout, "Jesus has Paid my debt in full and I'm the Redeemed of the Lord!"
We must identify with who Jesus has made us to be, instead of who we were. We must proclaim our Redemption, on a legal aspect of Spiritual Law in the new creation Kingdom that we're now citizens of. We are in this world, but we're no longer part of it and subject to the bondage and slanderous lies of the adversary. Satan deceived the First Adam and he continues trying to hold us in bondage using lies of guilt and deception. If we don't have the vision or Revelation of our Redemption, then satan still tries controlling our lives by fraud.
God gives instructions for the Redeemed of the Lord in Proverbs 25:28 (Amplified), saying, "He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls." The city is open to attack from the enemy, because there is no defensive walls. When we have a Revelation of our Redemption, then we will allow God's Word to take rule over our spirit, like Romans 8:1 says. We will only listen to the dictates of your spirit, by God's Word and His Holy Spirit. This is the rule over our new creation citizen, who is part of God's family and His Kingdom.
We've been guilty of listening more to the lies of the adversary and the world, than God's Word and His Spirit. Jesus only said what the Father said, went where the Father told Him to go and did only what the Father said to do. Jesus had rule over His Spirit and was invincible in His life, as far as the adversary was concerned.
The new Life that Jesus came to give us, is the Life that is above the natural life we had under satan's bondage. Satan held us under the Law of Sin and of Death, but we need to see that we live under the Law of the Spirit of Life, which Jesus came to give us. If we have the vision and Revelation of our Redemption and the new Life Jesus gave us, then we remain vulnerable to satan's lies.
Satan has no defense against the new birth , nor can he stop it from coming to pass in the lives of any person who calls upon the Name of the Lord. Satan can only try controlling our lives, by deception and our lack of understanding who we have become in Christ Jesus. We must not listen to the dictates of our flesh and the accusations of our former pawn broker, who once held us for ransom. The Year of Understanding is now and the Revelation knowledge of the God Kind of Life that Jesus came to give us, is now available to all who will believe. We're no longer subject to satan's lies, condemnation, guilt or anything else he tries to use against us. We must make our stand by the Holy Spirit, boldly proclaiming our Redemption and identity in Christ Jesus.
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
Lesson 40 The Church's Identity Crisis
I believe this is the year of understanding, where God's Church will see themselves more from a relationship with Him, instead of how religion dictates. We've set up laws and regulations, like those in the old covenant, in order to be right with God and in doing this we've lost out of what Grace did on our behalf through Jesus. We've tried making ourselves to be righteous by our own efforts, instead of by faith in what Jesus has already done.
Faith has become a teaching, more than a reality to the Church. Faith isn't a teaching, but is a Truth that God requires of us, to receive what He has already done and provided in Jesus. Religion sees faith as a form of pride. If we say that we're righteous, then we're seen as being prideful, because we still see ourselves the way we were before knowing Jesus and the world sees us this way too. I know in my carnal natural self, that I am not righteous, but we're now supposed to identify with Jesus as new creations.
The moment we received Jesus as our Lord and were born-again, God sees us as His new creations and righteous with His Own Righteousness. You became a new creation in Jesus, which means that you weren't just forgiven, but the unrighteous you died with Jesus on the cross and was raised a new creation being with and in Him. We continue seeing our shortcomings and failures and see ourselves as being mere men and women. God sees us as babies being born into His family that will grow into matures sons and daughters by His Word and His Spirit.
Babies do a lot of things that are wrong in adult eyes, because they haven't grown up yet. This is expected of babies, but if the same baby continued doing these things as adults, then there's something wrong with the baby or with the person who raised the baby. Jesus said in John 10:10 (Amplified), "I came that you might have Life, and have it more abundantly." God's new creation family needs to be taught and trained how to live in this new Life.
This new Life is God's Own Life in us, but we've made it to fit our own natural life, instead of learning how to live the God Kind of Life, here in the natural realm. Paul wrote about this in Hebrews 5:13-14 (Amplified), saying, "For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness, of conformity to the Divine will in purpose, thought and actions for he is a mere infant not able to talk yet! But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to Divine or human law."
Paul wasn't saying that we're not to avoid sinful things and live like we did before we knew Jesus. Paul says that we're not to become righteous, because we now are righteous. Grace doesn't mean that we live any way we wish and we'll still be righteous. Grace covers us, while we grow from babes in Christ to mature Christians. We're still required to stop drinking, drugging and acting like we did before being saved. It's not so much what we do, but why we do it, that makes us mature in Him. We don't change our carnal, sinful habits, in order to become righteous, but because we've become righteous, we train our natural bodies to conform to that righteousness.
This sounds contrary to what religion teaches us. We were born into sin, by the seed of Adam and not because of what we've done. Babies who are born addicted to drugs haven't done anything to become addicts, but were afflicted from their mother's actions. Every human being came from the seed of fallen man and his sin caused us to be separated from the Life of God. Adam's sin caused every human being to become under the Law of Sin and Death, from that time until this time.
Sin wasn't the result of something we might have done, but what we've done was the result of the sin produced through Adam. Sin was transferred with death into our spirit, when we were conceived in our mother's womb. Even after we're born-again, we think of ourselves as sinners, because we remember (with the help of our adversary) the sinful things we did before we were born-again. We don't understand what being born-again really means. It doesn't mean that our sins are forgiven. When we were born into God's new creation family, we weren't born of a sinful seed, but were born of the Incorruptible Seed or Word of God Himself. There's no stain of sin in our new creation being, it is perfect.
We look at ourselves from the outside, instead of the inside, the new spirit born of God. This is what Jesus meant when he said, "I come that they might have Life." This isn't the life of the fallen man of the flesh, with it's dead and sinful spirit. It's God's Own Life that now flows from our new creation spirit, into our flesh.
This Life isn't just for when we get to Heaven. It's Heaven's Life or God Himself being present in us here on earth. This Life won't just affect our flesh, but will cause our flesh to become an instrument of the righteousness that now flows from it. Paul writes about what God's Grace and Sacrifice has made us to be now, in Romans 8:1,2 (Amplified). We've read this scripture before, but did we see and understand what it said? God's Word is the Life Jesus came to give us. Thus, Paul writes, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit." If we allow our flesh to dictate us from the old man/woman who was born in sin, then we won't live the Life of God, to the fullness He intended, but will always live by the dictates of the flesh and only be forgiven sinners. Verse 2 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." This is a Spiritual Law of the Kingdom of God, into which we've been born. God is now our Father and we're born of His Seed of Righteousness. We must let our new creation spirit to dictate who we've become in Christ Jesus, instead of letting our flesh dictate to us who we once were.
Read Romans 8:3-4 (Amplified) by the dictates of your spirit and not your flesh. Thus, it says, "For God has done what the Law could not do, its power being weakened by the flesh (the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit), Sending His Own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an Offering for sin, God condemned sin in the flesh (subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that Sacrifice. So that the righteous and just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit, our lives governed not by the standards according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit."
When we're led by the dictates of the flesh, then the enemy's lies will always condemn us as being sinners. If we allow our flesh to dictate who we are, then we'll continue seeing ourselves as who we were, when we were only alive in the flesh. If we allow the Spirit to dictate who we are, then He will always dictate the Truth of what Jesus' Blood has done for us. The Holy Spirit will tell us the Truth that Jesus' Sacrifice made us righteous, sinless, and pure and holy sons and daughters of God. Who has been dictating your identity to you, the flesh or the Spirit?
Faith has become a teaching, more than a reality to the Church. Faith isn't a teaching, but is a Truth that God requires of us, to receive what He has already done and provided in Jesus. Religion sees faith as a form of pride. If we say that we're righteous, then we're seen as being prideful, because we still see ourselves the way we were before knowing Jesus and the world sees us this way too. I know in my carnal natural self, that I am not righteous, but we're now supposed to identify with Jesus as new creations.
The moment we received Jesus as our Lord and were born-again, God sees us as His new creations and righteous with His Own Righteousness. You became a new creation in Jesus, which means that you weren't just forgiven, but the unrighteous you died with Jesus on the cross and was raised a new creation being with and in Him. We continue seeing our shortcomings and failures and see ourselves as being mere men and women. God sees us as babies being born into His family that will grow into matures sons and daughters by His Word and His Spirit.
Babies do a lot of things that are wrong in adult eyes, because they haven't grown up yet. This is expected of babies, but if the same baby continued doing these things as adults, then there's something wrong with the baby or with the person who raised the baby. Jesus said in John 10:10 (Amplified), "I came that you might have Life, and have it more abundantly." God's new creation family needs to be taught and trained how to live in this new Life.
This new Life is God's Own Life in us, but we've made it to fit our own natural life, instead of learning how to live the God Kind of Life, here in the natural realm. Paul wrote about this in Hebrews 5:13-14 (Amplified), saying, "For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness, of conformity to the Divine will in purpose, thought and actions for he is a mere infant not able to talk yet! But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to Divine or human law."
Paul wasn't saying that we're not to avoid sinful things and live like we did before we knew Jesus. Paul says that we're not to become righteous, because we now are righteous. Grace doesn't mean that we live any way we wish and we'll still be righteous. Grace covers us, while we grow from babes in Christ to mature Christians. We're still required to stop drinking, drugging and acting like we did before being saved. It's not so much what we do, but why we do it, that makes us mature in Him. We don't change our carnal, sinful habits, in order to become righteous, but because we've become righteous, we train our natural bodies to conform to that righteousness.
This sounds contrary to what religion teaches us. We were born into sin, by the seed of Adam and not because of what we've done. Babies who are born addicted to drugs haven't done anything to become addicts, but were afflicted from their mother's actions. Every human being came from the seed of fallen man and his sin caused us to be separated from the Life of God. Adam's sin caused every human being to become under the Law of Sin and Death, from that time until this time.
Sin wasn't the result of something we might have done, but what we've done was the result of the sin produced through Adam. Sin was transferred with death into our spirit, when we were conceived in our mother's womb. Even after we're born-again, we think of ourselves as sinners, because we remember (with the help of our adversary) the sinful things we did before we were born-again. We don't understand what being born-again really means. It doesn't mean that our sins are forgiven. When we were born into God's new creation family, we weren't born of a sinful seed, but were born of the Incorruptible Seed or Word of God Himself. There's no stain of sin in our new creation being, it is perfect.
We look at ourselves from the outside, instead of the inside, the new spirit born of God. This is what Jesus meant when he said, "I come that they might have Life." This isn't the life of the fallen man of the flesh, with it's dead and sinful spirit. It's God's Own Life that now flows from our new creation spirit, into our flesh.
This Life isn't just for when we get to Heaven. It's Heaven's Life or God Himself being present in us here on earth. This Life won't just affect our flesh, but will cause our flesh to become an instrument of the righteousness that now flows from it. Paul writes about what God's Grace and Sacrifice has made us to be now, in Romans 8:1,2 (Amplified). We've read this scripture before, but did we see and understand what it said? God's Word is the Life Jesus came to give us. Thus, Paul writes, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit." If we allow our flesh to dictate us from the old man/woman who was born in sin, then we won't live the Life of God, to the fullness He intended, but will always live by the dictates of the flesh and only be forgiven sinners. Verse 2 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." This is a Spiritual Law of the Kingdom of God, into which we've been born. God is now our Father and we're born of His Seed of Righteousness. We must let our new creation spirit to dictate who we've become in Christ Jesus, instead of letting our flesh dictate to us who we once were.
Read Romans 8:3-4 (Amplified) by the dictates of your spirit and not your flesh. Thus, it says, "For God has done what the Law could not do, its power being weakened by the flesh (the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit), Sending His Own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an Offering for sin, God condemned sin in the flesh (subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that Sacrifice. So that the righteous and just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit, our lives governed not by the standards according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit."
When we're led by the dictates of the flesh, then the enemy's lies will always condemn us as being sinners. If we allow our flesh to dictate who we are, then we'll continue seeing ourselves as who we were, when we were only alive in the flesh. If we allow the Spirit to dictate who we are, then He will always dictate the Truth of what Jesus' Blood has done for us. The Holy Spirit will tell us the Truth that Jesus' Sacrifice made us righteous, sinless, and pure and holy sons and daughters of God. Who has been dictating your identity to you, the flesh or the Spirit?
Saturday, July 4, 2020
Friday, July 3, 2020
Lesson 39 The Church's Identity Crisis
I'm not sure whether we've lost sight of our identity in Christ or if we never really knew what our identity way. We still think our Father deals with believers today, like He did under the Law, instead of Grace. We think God uses physical chastisement, instead of Spiritual chastisement. Jesus says this about the new creation Life of the Spirit in John 15:1-4 (Amplified), "I Am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vine dresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit (that stops bearing), He cuts away (trims off, takes away): and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit. [This is how He trims and prunes and cuts away] You are cleansed and pruned already because of the Word which I have given you (the teaching I have discussed with you). Dwell in Me and I will dwell in you, Live in me and I will Live in you, just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in, being vitally united to the Vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me."
How did Jesus say the disciples were cleansed and pruned? He said, "Now are you cleansed and pruned because of the Word which I have given you." How do you think He cleanses and prunes us today? We're not any more carnal than Jesus' followers were or more messed-up than they were, when Jesus first found them. If God's Word and the teachings of Jesus could cleanse and prune them, then don't you think they'll work for believers today? Jesus hadn't shed His Blood for them yet. The new creation people have those things and the Spirit of God lives in us, so do you really think God would have to return to the Law and physical teachings to teach us? Only a carnal, unrenewed mind that doesn't know God, would believe that God's way of doing and being right is a return to the Law and physical teachings. God's Spirit would never tell you that.
Traditions and customs we've heard and been taught over the years, have found their place in our minds and soulish realm, making strongholds. Paul wrote about the renewing of our minds in Romans 12:2. He wasn't simply speaking about our thinking like the world and sinning, but was speaking about our learning to think God's way of doing and being right. We're to learn and think according to God's Word, instead of the world.
Satan can't prevent our being born-again, because we make that decision in our hearts. If he can keep us carnal minded, then he can have control over our lives. Jesus told "The Parable of the Sower," in Mark 4, where He said, "The thief comes immediately to steak away the Word from our hearts after it's planted." We're not any threat to satan's kingdom of darkness, if we don't have God's Word. Our prayers aren't answered, if we haven't developed in this are. We make excuses for why our prayers aren't answered and continue to stubbornly pray without seeking God's way of doing and being right.
"The definition of insanity, is doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results." If we don't change what we do and learn His way of doing, then we won't have results. Our Father Loves us very much, but He will not change. By His Words and His demonstration, Jesus showed mankind how this new covenant was to work, after He went to the Father. Jesus said that, "We would ask Him nothing, but ask the Father in His Name, and the Father would give us whatever we asked." Many today still ask other sources and saints, instead of the Father in Jesus' Name.
These people are saved and truly love the Father and His people, but they've been deceived by the enemy and are "asking amiss," like James 1:5-7 (Amplified) says. Thus, James writes, "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the Giving God Who gives to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, 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."
If you think you're not asking according to God's way of doing and being right, then ask God to show you the right way and He will do it. But, we must ask in faith. If you're receiving answers to your prayers, then please don't change what you're doing. If you're not receiving answers, like many of us, then we must ask in faith and God will be faithful to give us wisdom that will change us. Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8 (Amplified), "Keep on asking and it will be give you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking (reverently) and the Door will be opened to you For everyone who keeps asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, the Door will be opened."
I'm continually asking, because there's so much to learn. I receive what He teaches me about one thing, but I'm always asking about something else that I don't understand. I'm always seeking God's Face, His will, His wisdom and His way of doing and being right. I'm always knocking and entering into God's Throne of Grace, to receive Grace and mercy in my times of need.
Mark 11:24 (Amplified) says, "For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will get it." I believe Jesus said this to the person whose prayers are working and doesn't need to doubt that he's being heard, because his petitions are met. This person doesn't need to keep on asking, but there are still things he doesn't, so he continues asking and seeking to understand these things in his life.
Both of these scriptures are True, but they seemingly contradict one another. One says, "You believe when you pray and you have the answer to your prayer." If you trust in your prayer and understand this scripture, then you don't have need to pray again because it's done. The other scripture says, "When there are other things you need wisdom for, don't stop asking." We obviously don't know everything, so we keep asking. We don't see everything, so we keep seeking. And the Door, Jesus, is always the way we enter in.
How did Jesus say the disciples were cleansed and pruned? He said, "Now are you cleansed and pruned because of the Word which I have given you." How do you think He cleanses and prunes us today? We're not any more carnal than Jesus' followers were or more messed-up than they were, when Jesus first found them. If God's Word and the teachings of Jesus could cleanse and prune them, then don't you think they'll work for believers today? Jesus hadn't shed His Blood for them yet. The new creation people have those things and the Spirit of God lives in us, so do you really think God would have to return to the Law and physical teachings to teach us? Only a carnal, unrenewed mind that doesn't know God, would believe that God's way of doing and being right is a return to the Law and physical teachings. God's Spirit would never tell you that.
Traditions and customs we've heard and been taught over the years, have found their place in our minds and soulish realm, making strongholds. Paul wrote about the renewing of our minds in Romans 12:2. He wasn't simply speaking about our thinking like the world and sinning, but was speaking about our learning to think God's way of doing and being right. We're to learn and think according to God's Word, instead of the world.
Satan can't prevent our being born-again, because we make that decision in our hearts. If he can keep us carnal minded, then he can have control over our lives. Jesus told "The Parable of the Sower," in Mark 4, where He said, "The thief comes immediately to steak away the Word from our hearts after it's planted." We're not any threat to satan's kingdom of darkness, if we don't have God's Word. Our prayers aren't answered, if we haven't developed in this are. We make excuses for why our prayers aren't answered and continue to stubbornly pray without seeking God's way of doing and being right.
"The definition of insanity, is doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results." If we don't change what we do and learn His way of doing, then we won't have results. Our Father Loves us very much, but He will not change. By His Words and His demonstration, Jesus showed mankind how this new covenant was to work, after He went to the Father. Jesus said that, "We would ask Him nothing, but ask the Father in His Name, and the Father would give us whatever we asked." Many today still ask other sources and saints, instead of the Father in Jesus' Name.
These people are saved and truly love the Father and His people, but they've been deceived by the enemy and are "asking amiss," like James 1:5-7 (Amplified) says. Thus, James writes, "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the Giving God Who gives to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, 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."
If you think you're not asking according to God's way of doing and being right, then ask God to show you the right way and He will do it. But, we must ask in faith. If you're receiving answers to your prayers, then please don't change what you're doing. If you're not receiving answers, like many of us, then we must ask in faith and God will be faithful to give us wisdom that will change us. Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8 (Amplified), "Keep on asking and it will be give you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking (reverently) and the Door will be opened to you For everyone who keeps asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, the Door will be opened."
I'm continually asking, because there's so much to learn. I receive what He teaches me about one thing, but I'm always asking about something else that I don't understand. I'm always seeking God's Face, His will, His wisdom and His way of doing and being right. I'm always knocking and entering into God's Throne of Grace, to receive Grace and mercy in my times of need.
Mark 11:24 (Amplified) says, "For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will get it." I believe Jesus said this to the person whose prayers are working and doesn't need to doubt that he's being heard, because his petitions are met. This person doesn't need to keep on asking, but there are still things he doesn't, so he continues asking and seeking to understand these things in his life.
Both of these scriptures are True, but they seemingly contradict one another. One says, "You believe when you pray and you have the answer to your prayer." If you trust in your prayer and understand this scripture, then you don't have need to pray again because it's done. The other scripture says, "When there are other things you need wisdom for, don't stop asking." We obviously don't know everything, so we keep asking. We don't see everything, so we keep seeking. And the Door, Jesus, is always the way we enter in.
Thursday, July 2, 2020
Lesson 38 The Church's Identity Crisis
Most believers haven't been taught who we've been born-again to be in Christ Jesus. Some still insist on operating by our own understand, instead of by God's Word and His Spirit. We've tried making the Word work by our own terms, rather than by the Laws that govern God's Kingdom in which we now live. We mostly think of Heaven as being a place we'll go to when we leave this planet in death or at the return of Jesus. Most of us never see ourselves as actually being part of Heaven now or are living as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
We've been taught that when Jesus said, "I come that you might have Life" in John 10:10, He was speaking about our going to Heaven when we die. The Church has adapted to the carnal thoughts and ideas of man, instead of the Truth in God which tells us that, "We are already living in this Life that Jesus came to bring." Hebrews 10:38 (Amplified) says, "But the just shall live by faith, My righteous servant shall live by his conviction respecting man's relationship to God and Divine things and holy fervor born of faith and conjoined together in it. And if he draws back and shrinks in fear, My soul has no delight or pleasure in Him." Ephesians 2:19 (Amplified) says, "Therefore you are no longer outsiders, exiles, migrants, and aliens excluded from the rights as citizens, but you now share citizenship with the saints (God's Own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself), and you belong to God's Own household."
Jesus spoke about "Not putting new wine in an old wine skin." He was speaking about bringing the new covenant and replacing the Law with it. Trying to put new Life into people who only knew the carnal life, is almost as difficult. It's hard for us to turn loose of what we know and understand, replacing it with something we don't understand.
The song, "Give Me that Old Time Religion" is nearly branded in our minds and ingrained in our souls. The old country songs about working hard to get to Heaven, found a place in our consciences and souls It's hard to rise above these things, unless we know how to live the Life that Jesus gave us. The people in Matthew 6:33 (Amplified) were concerned about living this life, when Jesus told them, "Don't be anxious about these things, but seek God first and all these things besides would be granted or added to them besides." Thus, He said, "But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His Kingdom and His Righteousness (His way of doing and being right) and then all these things taken together will be given you besides."
Is the way we've been taught to live this new Life, God's way of doing and being right? Are we trying to put this new Life (new wine), into old wine skins? What is God's way of doing or being right? Being right, righteous and in right standing with God, can only come by faith in Christ Jesus and His Righteousness on our behalf. The harder we work to get to Heaven, the farther we get from God's way of being right. We try moving God to do what we need or want, with tears and crying. We struggle against any new way of Life, that instructs us to have faith when we approach Him in prayer.
The world has rubbed off on us, making us see ourselves as victims and outcasts and "beggars on a dung hill." God's people have been taught that we must be poor, sick, rejected and to suffer, in order to deserve Heaven and God's Love. We've adopted the world's idea of this new Life Jesus came to give us, instead of learning how to live this Life from God's Word and the Holy Spirit. The only way to Live in the Spirit is to learn how from the Spirit. Jesus prayed in John 17:3,22 (Amplified), "And this is Eternal Life, it means to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with and understand) You, the only True and Real God and likewise to know Him (Jesus), as the Christ, the Anointed One Whom You have sent." Jesus continued in Verse 22, "I have given to them the Glory and Honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One."
Jesus wasn't delivering the saints to be victims of the world, but to be victorious over the world. Have we truly sought Him out in His Word and sought fellowship with Him, asking "What is Your way?" Most of us have done it our way, without bothering to learn His ways. We've prayed and done what generations before us have done. They had little success in prayer, but continued repeating the same methods they used to pray. Instead of changing, we've made excuses for why God didn't answer our prayers. We've followed our own way of doing and being right, without results.
Just prior to His Ascension, Jesus said in John 16:13 (Amplified), "But when He (the Spirit of Truth, the Truth-Giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth), For He will not speak His Own Message on His Own Authority, but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father: He will give the Message that has been given to Him, and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come (that will happen in the future)."
Jesus said that, "I only say what I hear My Father say, and I only do what I see My Father do." Jesus said that He was sending the Holy Spirit to us, so we can hear from the Father through the Holy Spirit, like Jesus did in His earthly ministry. Some in Christian circles even, roll their eyes and smirk if someone says, "I'm speaking what God told me to say." They do this, even though Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will teach and guide us. This is God's way of doing and being right.
The Holy Spirit will give us Revelation knowledge about God's way of doing and being right. Some today are like those under the Law, who didn't believe this Truth when Jesus spoke it. Having lived under the victim mentality for so long, it's not popular to teach God's people that we have authority and dominion, as heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus, that we're kings and priests of this new creation covenant and that we're God-sent ambassadors to teach the world about His Love.
We continue trying to do it our own way, instead of God's way and when it doesn't work, we say, "It must not be God's will" or "God doesn't do this for everyone" or "God put this on me to teach me something." These are excuses for our refusing to learn God's way of doing and being right. We stubbornly approach God, thinking He's the One Who will have to change; not us."
Jesus was explaining His leaving to His disciples in John 16:23 (Amplified), saying, "And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of Me (you will need to ask Me no questions), I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, That My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My Name as presenting all that I Am." God's way of doing and being right is that, "The Father will grant to us, whatever we ask in Jesus' Name, presenting all that He is." Is this part of God's Word working for you? If not, then can it be because we're doing it our own way, instead of God's way? If we're praying like the Word says and it's not working, then someone is wrong and I don't believe it's God. We must allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and pray that we're teachable to Him.
We've been taught that when Jesus said, "I come that you might have Life" in John 10:10, He was speaking about our going to Heaven when we die. The Church has adapted to the carnal thoughts and ideas of man, instead of the Truth in God which tells us that, "We are already living in this Life that Jesus came to bring." Hebrews 10:38 (Amplified) says, "But the just shall live by faith, My righteous servant shall live by his conviction respecting man's relationship to God and Divine things and holy fervor born of faith and conjoined together in it. And if he draws back and shrinks in fear, My soul has no delight or pleasure in Him." Ephesians 2:19 (Amplified) says, "Therefore you are no longer outsiders, exiles, migrants, and aliens excluded from the rights as citizens, but you now share citizenship with the saints (God's Own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself), and you belong to God's Own household."
Jesus spoke about "Not putting new wine in an old wine skin." He was speaking about bringing the new covenant and replacing the Law with it. Trying to put new Life into people who only knew the carnal life, is almost as difficult. It's hard for us to turn loose of what we know and understand, replacing it with something we don't understand.
The song, "Give Me that Old Time Religion" is nearly branded in our minds and ingrained in our souls. The old country songs about working hard to get to Heaven, found a place in our consciences and souls It's hard to rise above these things, unless we know how to live the Life that Jesus gave us. The people in Matthew 6:33 (Amplified) were concerned about living this life, when Jesus told them, "Don't be anxious about these things, but seek God first and all these things besides would be granted or added to them besides." Thus, He said, "But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His Kingdom and His Righteousness (His way of doing and being right) and then all these things taken together will be given you besides."
Is the way we've been taught to live this new Life, God's way of doing and being right? Are we trying to put this new Life (new wine), into old wine skins? What is God's way of doing or being right? Being right, righteous and in right standing with God, can only come by faith in Christ Jesus and His Righteousness on our behalf. The harder we work to get to Heaven, the farther we get from God's way of being right. We try moving God to do what we need or want, with tears and crying. We struggle against any new way of Life, that instructs us to have faith when we approach Him in prayer.
The world has rubbed off on us, making us see ourselves as victims and outcasts and "beggars on a dung hill." God's people have been taught that we must be poor, sick, rejected and to suffer, in order to deserve Heaven and God's Love. We've adopted the world's idea of this new Life Jesus came to give us, instead of learning how to live this Life from God's Word and the Holy Spirit. The only way to Live in the Spirit is to learn how from the Spirit. Jesus prayed in John 17:3,22 (Amplified), "And this is Eternal Life, it means to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with and understand) You, the only True and Real God and likewise to know Him (Jesus), as the Christ, the Anointed One Whom You have sent." Jesus continued in Verse 22, "I have given to them the Glory and Honor which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are One."
Jesus wasn't delivering the saints to be victims of the world, but to be victorious over the world. Have we truly sought Him out in His Word and sought fellowship with Him, asking "What is Your way?" Most of us have done it our way, without bothering to learn His ways. We've prayed and done what generations before us have done. They had little success in prayer, but continued repeating the same methods they used to pray. Instead of changing, we've made excuses for why God didn't answer our prayers. We've followed our own way of doing and being right, without results.
Just prior to His Ascension, Jesus said in John 16:13 (Amplified), "But when He (the Spirit of Truth, the Truth-Giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth), For He will not speak His Own Message on His Own Authority, but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father: He will give the Message that has been given to Him, and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come (that will happen in the future)."
Jesus said that, "I only say what I hear My Father say, and I only do what I see My Father do." Jesus said that He was sending the Holy Spirit to us, so we can hear from the Father through the Holy Spirit, like Jesus did in His earthly ministry. Some in Christian circles even, roll their eyes and smirk if someone says, "I'm speaking what God told me to say." They do this, even though Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will teach and guide us. This is God's way of doing and being right.
The Holy Spirit will give us Revelation knowledge about God's way of doing and being right. Some today are like those under the Law, who didn't believe this Truth when Jesus spoke it. Having lived under the victim mentality for so long, it's not popular to teach God's people that we have authority and dominion, as heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus, that we're kings and priests of this new creation covenant and that we're God-sent ambassadors to teach the world about His Love.
We continue trying to do it our own way, instead of God's way and when it doesn't work, we say, "It must not be God's will" or "God doesn't do this for everyone" or "God put this on me to teach me something." These are excuses for our refusing to learn God's way of doing and being right. We stubbornly approach God, thinking He's the One Who will have to change; not us."
Jesus was explaining His leaving to His disciples in John 16:23 (Amplified), saying, "And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of Me (you will need to ask Me no questions), I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, That My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My Name as presenting all that I Am." God's way of doing and being right is that, "The Father will grant to us, whatever we ask in Jesus' Name, presenting all that He is." Is this part of God's Word working for you? If not, then can it be because we're doing it our own way, instead of God's way? If we're praying like the Word says and it's not working, then someone is wrong and I don't believe it's God. We must allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and pray that we're teachable to Him.
Wednesday, July 1, 2020
Lesson 37 The Church's Identity Crisis
When the Lord first spoke to me about the Church's identity crisis, I wasn't sure what He was telling me and thought, "They know they're saved and born-again." The Lord answered, "But, they don't know who they were born again to be." God reminded me of John 10:10 (KJV), where Jesus says, "I came that you might have Life, and have it in abundance." He went on saying, "When they received Me as their Lord and Savior, they were born again and My Life and the Life of My Father gave them Life in the Spirit. They became a new creation that never existed in creation. My Life gave them Life and they were alive again, in and by My Own Life."
God said, "They now have Life, but they don't know how to live this Life I've given them." I pondered this and realized that a child is born into this world and has life, but someone needs to teach them how to live this life. Just having life isn't living, but existing. They need someone to teach them how to live this marvelous life. A baby doesn't know enough to care for him/herself, so when they're hungry or need to be burped or have their diapers changed, someone must do it for them.
Babies in the Church have been born-again and are Blessed with Life, but they have no idea how to live their new life in Christ Jesus. We look to others who we think know how to live and we learn from them. If our teachers don't know how to live, then we will learn to live the same life they do. The Life that Jesus brought to us, can't be taught or learned from those who don't understand it. We've been given the Holy Spirit and God's Word, to reveal to us, who we are in this new creation.
Ephesians 4:10-15 (Amplified) says, "He Who descended is the very same as He Who has also ascended high above all the Heavens, that He (His Presence) might fill all things (the whole universe), from the lowest to the highest. And His Gifts were varied. He Himself appointed and gave men to us, some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (Inspired preachers and expounders), some Evangelists (preachers of the Gospel), traveling missionaries, some pastors (shepherds of His flock), and teachers. His Intention was the perfecting and the full-equipping of the the saints (His consecrated people), that they should do the work of ministering toward building up Christ's Body (the Church), That it might develop until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the full and accurate comprehension of the Son of God, that we might arrive at a really mature manhood (the completeness of personality), which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's Own Perfection (the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him). So then we may no longer be children, tossed like ships to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, the prey of the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, gamblers engaged in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead."
This doesn't mean that everyone who's in the ministry, is unscrupulous or uses cunning trickery. Some who've come before us, in the time the doctrine of Christianity was first taught, were deceived by others. The Church mostly knows what we've learned from others. If their teachings and beliefs were wrong, then we will live and then go onto to teach others wrong things. If we don't know how to live this Life that Jesus came to give us, then we can't teach others how to do so.
Parents don't only bring physical life to their children, but they teach their children how to live, by way of example and teaching. Many kids who came from dysfunctional families, go on to become dysfunctional parents, because they only know how they were raised and were taught. It's not right, but it's true. The Life Jesus came to give us, is taught and learned the same way. Some are raised into different ways of living this Life than others, but it's still the Life that Jesus came to give us through His death and Resurrection. God gave us the five-fold ministry, so they could show us how to live this Life of God. This is a new way of Life, that's different from the life we knew before and has different aspects of how to live it.
The Church has adapted this new Life, to fit in with the life we were already familiar with, causing it to be reduced to fit our current lifestyle. This was how the Law was established. God condensed Spiritual laws, to fit the life the people currently knew. The people carried out Spiritual functions of God, by their own carnal efforts. If they obeyed and completed the tasks appointed them by their own volition, then they would qualify for the Spiritual Blessings attached to God's Word and the Law.
God's Church doesn't walk under the Law. We've been given God's Own Life in our spirit and are no longer carnal, but born of the Spirit of God in His Image and Likeness. Most believers don't know who we've really become in Jesus. We condense our new Life and follow human religious, carnal laws and customs we've learned from former teachers. Some of the things we learned were right, while others were wrong. We're still learning from these things, even now.
We only know what we were taught, unless the Holy Spirit gives us Revelation knowledge. This sounds wrong, because it's contrary to what we were taught. In these Last days before Jesus returns, Revelation knowledge has caused division in many different congregations, because it's contrary to the carnal mind and the what we were taught. Most aren't being taught the full Truth about the Life we now live by the Spirit of God.
Many have been taught that not all of us can read and understand God's Word, so they stop reading it for themselves and wait for someone else to explain it to them. Most all of us can proficiently read and understand the words, but not all of us listen to the Holy Spirit to reveal the Spiritual significance of the Words. Jesus said in John 6:63 (Amplified) says, "It is the Spirit Who gives Life (He is the Life-Giver); the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it). The Words (Truths) that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
If these Words are Spirit, then the only way of understanding their true meaning, is by the Spirit. We learn how to live the Life Jesus came to give us, by reading and understanding His Word. The carnal natural man can read these Spiritual Words and still not understand them. God's Word and His Spirit are the only way we can learn to live the Life of God we've received in the new creation family, of which we are part of.
God's Word says we've been made to be the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, but it's more than the carnal mind can accept as Truth. We continue struggling with the Spirit and Truth of God's Word. The carnal natural minds of man can't trust the Truth that we're righteous in Jesus' Righteousness, because it must be Spiritually discerned. The Truth that Jesus brought Life to our new creation spirit man/woman, is the most exciting thing our new born person has ever heard. Romans 8;7 (Amplified) says, "That is because the mind of the flesh, with its carnal thoughts and purposes, is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law, indeed it cannot."
Our natural man was raised in the world and has no understanding of Spiritual things. Jesus said in John 6:63 (Amplified), "The flesh conveys no benefit whatever, there is no profit in it." It's hard to understand this Spiritual Truth, because of how we were raised and taught in this carnal realm. We weren't taught how to know or understand the realm of the Spirit, in which we've become part of, in Jesus.
God said, "They now have Life, but they don't know how to live this Life I've given them." I pondered this and realized that a child is born into this world and has life, but someone needs to teach them how to live this life. Just having life isn't living, but existing. They need someone to teach them how to live this marvelous life. A baby doesn't know enough to care for him/herself, so when they're hungry or need to be burped or have their diapers changed, someone must do it for them.
Babies in the Church have been born-again and are Blessed with Life, but they have no idea how to live their new life in Christ Jesus. We look to others who we think know how to live and we learn from them. If our teachers don't know how to live, then we will learn to live the same life they do. The Life that Jesus brought to us, can't be taught or learned from those who don't understand it. We've been given the Holy Spirit and God's Word, to reveal to us, who we are in this new creation.
Ephesians 4:10-15 (Amplified) says, "He Who descended is the very same as He Who has also ascended high above all the Heavens, that He (His Presence) might fill all things (the whole universe), from the lowest to the highest. And His Gifts were varied. He Himself appointed and gave men to us, some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (Inspired preachers and expounders), some Evangelists (preachers of the Gospel), traveling missionaries, some pastors (shepherds of His flock), and teachers. His Intention was the perfecting and the full-equipping of the the saints (His consecrated people), that they should do the work of ministering toward building up Christ's Body (the Church), That it might develop until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the full and accurate comprehension of the Son of God, that we might arrive at a really mature manhood (the completeness of personality), which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's Own Perfection (the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him). So then we may no longer be children, tossed like ships to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, the prey of the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, gamblers engaged in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead."
This doesn't mean that everyone who's in the ministry, is unscrupulous or uses cunning trickery. Some who've come before us, in the time the doctrine of Christianity was first taught, were deceived by others. The Church mostly knows what we've learned from others. If their teachings and beliefs were wrong, then we will live and then go onto to teach others wrong things. If we don't know how to live this Life that Jesus came to give us, then we can't teach others how to do so.
Parents don't only bring physical life to their children, but they teach their children how to live, by way of example and teaching. Many kids who came from dysfunctional families, go on to become dysfunctional parents, because they only know how they were raised and were taught. It's not right, but it's true. The Life Jesus came to give us, is taught and learned the same way. Some are raised into different ways of living this Life than others, but it's still the Life that Jesus came to give us through His death and Resurrection. God gave us the five-fold ministry, so they could show us how to live this Life of God. This is a new way of Life, that's different from the life we knew before and has different aspects of how to live it.
The Church has adapted this new Life, to fit in with the life we were already familiar with, causing it to be reduced to fit our current lifestyle. This was how the Law was established. God condensed Spiritual laws, to fit the life the people currently knew. The people carried out Spiritual functions of God, by their own carnal efforts. If they obeyed and completed the tasks appointed them by their own volition, then they would qualify for the Spiritual Blessings attached to God's Word and the Law.
God's Church doesn't walk under the Law. We've been given God's Own Life in our spirit and are no longer carnal, but born of the Spirit of God in His Image and Likeness. Most believers don't know who we've really become in Jesus. We condense our new Life and follow human religious, carnal laws and customs we've learned from former teachers. Some of the things we learned were right, while others were wrong. We're still learning from these things, even now.
We only know what we were taught, unless the Holy Spirit gives us Revelation knowledge. This sounds wrong, because it's contrary to what we were taught. In these Last days before Jesus returns, Revelation knowledge has caused division in many different congregations, because it's contrary to the carnal mind and the what we were taught. Most aren't being taught the full Truth about the Life we now live by the Spirit of God.
Many have been taught that not all of us can read and understand God's Word, so they stop reading it for themselves and wait for someone else to explain it to them. Most all of us can proficiently read and understand the words, but not all of us listen to the Holy Spirit to reveal the Spiritual significance of the Words. Jesus said in John 6:63 (Amplified) says, "It is the Spirit Who gives Life (He is the Life-Giver); the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it). The Words (Truths) that I have been speaking to you are Spirit and Life."
If these Words are Spirit, then the only way of understanding their true meaning, is by the Spirit. We learn how to live the Life Jesus came to give us, by reading and understanding His Word. The carnal natural man can read these Spiritual Words and still not understand them. God's Word and His Spirit are the only way we can learn to live the Life of God we've received in the new creation family, of which we are part of.
God's Word says we've been made to be the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, but it's more than the carnal mind can accept as Truth. We continue struggling with the Spirit and Truth of God's Word. The carnal natural minds of man can't trust the Truth that we're righteous in Jesus' Righteousness, because it must be Spiritually discerned. The Truth that Jesus brought Life to our new creation spirit man/woman, is the most exciting thing our new born person has ever heard. Romans 8;7 (Amplified) says, "That is because the mind of the flesh, with its carnal thoughts and purposes, is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law, indeed it cannot."
Our natural man was raised in the world and has no understanding of Spiritual things. Jesus said in John 6:63 (Amplified), "The flesh conveys no benefit whatever, there is no profit in it." It's hard to understand this Spiritual Truth, because of how we were raised and taught in this carnal realm. We weren't taught how to know or understand the realm of the Spirit, in which we've become part of, in Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)