Lesson 187 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     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)."
     Paul says in James 1:5 (Amplified), "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."
     In our new creation identity through the new birth and the indwelling of the Spirit of God Himself, we have access to God's Own wisdom and knowledge, according to 1Corinthians 2:9-10 (Amplified) which says, "But on the contrary, as the scripture says, what eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man (all that) God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him (who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed)."  Verse 10 goes on, "Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the Holy Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God (the Divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny)."
     Before the new creation man came into being, man's understanding of God was limited to only carnal knowledge.  Man could learn, but not discern.  They could read and hear the Words of the covenant, but still not discern the Truth and depth of wisdom.  Man could fulfill the physical requirements of the Law, but not the spirit depth of why and what it was all about.
     In today's Church, the family of the new creation children of God, we have access to the very wisdom and understanding of the Father Himself.  1Corinthians 2:13 (Amplified) says, "And we are setting these truths forth in Words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Holy Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual Truths with spiritual language (to those who possess the Holy Spirit)."
     "Spiritual Truth in spiritual language" is given to those who will allow the Holy Spirit to interpret and reveal it to their spirit.  This Spiritual Word and Truth can be received into a renewed mind and even the physical man can be brought under the new revelation of wisdom.  Jesus kept His Body under the dominion of this Wisdom and Truth and the Apostle Paul did so too.  While Paul was being in the process of walking out this revelation, he "kept his body under his, and did not allow the carnal knowledge of the Law, determine the outcome of what he was revealing to those who were hearing the Spiritual truth and spiritual language."
     We can learn and memorize the Bible, but still not "discern the Truth and wisdom of the Spiritual Truths" that it has hidden for us.  Memorizing your car's drivers manual, doesn't mean that you can drive a car.  You must take time to discern or train your senses to maneuver the vehicle in traffic.    We can memorize scriptures, but still not receive any benefit from the revealed Truth of God's Promises.
     In the above scripture, Paul (through the Holy Spirit) speaks about how carnal man doesn't understand "all that God has prepared, made ready and keeps ready for those who love Him."  These things have been made ready for all those who "love Him" but not all those who love Him have the revelation of what these things mean in our lives, while we're still in this physical body.  This spiritual understanding can come only in your spirit, by the Holy Spirit.  We can all read the same scripture and come away with "understanding of this wisdom, by revelation through the Holy Spirit."
     It's up to the individual person to seek this out on his/her own.  This doesn't mean we're to discard everything that we've learned, but we're to meditate on the words and go from "learning to discerning."  I heard many different preachers and teachers of the Gospel, when I first got saved.  They were all saved men and were reading the same Word of God, but I held lingering questions in my heart about why we had so many varying interpretations of what God's Word was saying.
     Instead of determining that all of them "were wrong" and I was the only on who "was right," I asked God for wisdom in understanding Truth," quoting James 1:5.  I knew God's Word is Truth, because of John 6:63 (Amplified) where Jesus said, "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."
     Even though many of the preachers were using scriptures in their teachings, it came from the learning of the carnal mind.  Because it was the Word of God, it was Truth.  But, since it came from the flesh, there was no Life and understanding coming forth to me.  Even though the Word is Truth, the Truth of it in our lives, is revealed as "spiritual language and Truth."  The Spirit gives Life (He is the Life-Giver) and He is "combining and interpreting spiritual Truths with spiritual language.
     When we are in a situation of trial or lack of understanding, we must ask God for wisdom, according to James 1:5.  God has promised that He will give us wisdom, if we ask.  When God gives this wisdom, we are responsible to either receive this wisdom or wonder "Is this from God?"  You are the one who will determine whether you will receive it or be double-minded" about it.  You are the only one, who through the Holy Spirit can come to the "knowledge of Truth" in your spirit.  Romans 8:14 (Amplified) says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."  Paul is speaking about mature sons of God and not simply born-again infants who are still on milk.
     All babies need milk and all babies are required to grow and mature into eating the solid food of God's Word and becoming mature sons of God.  We can only grow into mature sons and daughters of God, by allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal "Spiritual Truth and spiritual language."  Both sinners and Christians can read the Bible.  The Words are the same, but their understanding of them are different.  The same is true for different Christians, who read the Word.  If the only way you get the Word is from someone else, you only know what they have to say and not necessarily what the Spirit of God has to say.  It's not just education, but revelation.  It's the same Word, with different results.
     When we were in school,  our teacher taught the same thing to all the students.  You weren't responsible and neither was the teacher, to "make" you understand.  Only you could be responsible to receive what was being taught.  Likewise, in today's Church, it's not the preacher's job to "make you believe," and it's not the congregation's responsibility to do so.  It's the individual person's responsibility to "heed what you hear."  Jesus said in Mark 4:23-24 (Amplified), "If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend. And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. For the measure (of thought and study) you give (to the Truth you hear) will be the measure (of virtue and knowledge) that comes back to you, and more besides will be given to you who hear."      

Lesson 186 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     We were created a new creation, a spirit man who was not only made alive by God's Own Spirit, but one that was joined to Life by God's Own Spirit living in us.  We're not just a spirit (like Adam was), but a spirit born of Life by God's Spirit indwelling in or blended with our own spirit when we were born-again.  The new creation isn't only joined together with the Holy Spirit of God, but is now through Jesus, in direct communication with the Father (just like Jesus was in His earthly Body).
     Romans 10:17 tells us that, "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God."  Paul continues with asking, "How shall they hear without a preacher?"  Our faith in God's Word diminished over the years, because we haven't "heard" what the Word says from many of our traditional preachers.  Faith in God comes by hearing what God says and preachers are supposed to preach what He says and not just what they've heard from men.
     If what we hear is, "Those things have passed away," "Those things are for other people," and "You never know what God's will is," then this is what we will build our faith on.  Since "faith comes by hearing," it doesn't matter whether or not it's God Word, what we hear most often is what we will put our faith in.  If we hear the wrong things taught about God, then our faith will be placed in those wrong things about Him.
     We were created to believe.  We not only have a living spirit, but we have God's Spirit indwelling within us.  Jesus called Him the "Holy Spirit" and the "Spirit of Truth" and Jesus says "He will never speak anything into our spirit, that is not Truth."  The people under the old covenant (the people Jesus preached to) were not born-again and believed by what they could see and from the testimony of others who saw.  Today, we struggle to understand whether it's God's will to heal or do the other things Jesus did.  We want to believe, but we've heard so many different things preached against the Word, that it becomes nearly impossible to believe.
     We believe that God can do anything, so it's not a question whether or not God can do it, but will He do it.  This is where our faith meets the wall of doubt.  It's  not only unbelief, but doubt that restricts our belief.  We can only receive from God, what we believe and put faith in.  In Mark 16, Jesus commanded us to "preach the Gospel to every creature, those that would believe would be saved and those who wouldn't believe, would be lost."  It didn't depend on God's Word, according to John 3:16 (Amplified) which says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosoever would believe should not perish, but have everlasting life."
     Our walk with the Heavenly Father and His Word, doesn't depend on God, His Word, because "His Word is forever settled in Heaven" and "God cannot lie."  Our walk with God, depends on us believing what we hear and hearing the right Word from and of Him.
     Many base their belief on healing, testimonies and/or experiences with others.  They know someone who believed God for healing and they died, thus leaving them to believe "it must not be God's will to heal."  First of all, you don't know whether or not, they believed God and His Word.  You only have what they said, to weigh against what God says.  Some say, "I know Christians who are sick" and those people judge the Word of healing on this, determining that "God no longer heals."  I might respond to this, saying, "I know people who are not saved," but does this mean that He is no longer a Savior?  God forbid.
     It's not only a matter of what God said, but a matter of believing what He said.  We read in the Word, that Jesus healed everyone who would believe and said that "He came to do the Father's will."  Was it the Father's will to heal?  Yes, but only those who believed what Jesus was preaching were healed.  Many heard what He preached and were offended by His Word.  Some argued about the "Gentiles" who believed and were healed, while the Jews were not.  Who decided which ones would be healed?  Not God.  He sent His Word to "heal and to deliver from destruction," according to Psalm 107:19-20 (Amplified) which says, "Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivers them out of their distress. He sends forth His Word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction."  According to Mark 6:5-6, Jesus "could do no mighty work" in His hometown of Nazareth, because of "their unbelief."  This is Jesus Himself and not some preacher or pastor.  He was God's Only Begotten Son and still He could do no mighty work, because of their unbelief.
     It's not that you don't have faith, because you wouldn't even have been born-again.  It's a matter of growing in your faith, by what you hear.  You are more in charge of your healing, than God is.  It's already His will to heal, when we are subject to believing what His Word says about it.  We read about the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5:52-30 (Amplified), who, "When she heard the reports concerning Jesus, she said 'If I can only touch His garments, I shall be restored to health."  In Verse 30, Jesus "felt the power flow out of Him, and stopped to see who had touched Him."
     Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  This woman not only heard what Jesus had done, but had undoubtedly heard of what He preached.  When Jesus said, I came to do the will of the Father" and "It's not Me, but the Father in Me Who does the work,"this woman put faith in what He said and believed for her healing.  She stopped Jesus, He didn't stop her.  She believed what she heard Jesus preach.
     Healing came through Jesus by the Father, but the healing was always present through faith.  The believing people drew healings and miracles from Jesus, by their faith.  By her believing, the woman with the issue of blood drew healing and restoration into herself.  When she came to know through Jesus' preaching, that it was always God's will to heal, believing was not a problem for her.
     We've heard so many different things preached, that it's become difficult to believe much of anything at all.  This is why we were filled with God's Own Spirit of Truth.  We must believe for ourselves, in order to receive.  The woman in the above scripture, didn't rely on what her neighbors said, or on what others might have told her.  There were people around her, who called Jesus "demon possessed," and "a phony," but she used her own faith to believe unto health.  I've made a decision to allow God to teach me Truth.   I've decided not to put others down in their belief.   I've also decided that I will not be swayed by every wind of doctrine and will only be led by the Spirit of Truth.
     I hear good preachers, from many different churches, who are men and woman of God and integrity and who love God teach various opinions of the Word of God.  All of these preachers seem sincere and believe what they're teaching, but because the things they're saying isn't always the same, they cannot all be correct.  If one man teaches one things and another teaches the opposite, then either one or both are wrong.  It comes down to "Whose report will you believe?"  Will you believe God's report or your report?  We are all called to seek the Truth and the Word, for ourselves.  This isn't to say that we have no need for the five-fold ministry, but we are all called to seek and discern for ourselves.
     This isn't to puff you up with pride in your revelation, but to strengthen you in your walk with the Lord.  We've never been called to "believe whatever is said," but to meditate and listen to the Voice of the Spirit.  If Paul had gone with what everyone around him said, instead of what the Lord said, then only the Jew would have been saved and the Gentile would still be lost.  This isn't a democracy, where the majority rules.  This is God rules and He is always right.  If something isn't working according to the Word, then we should be smart enough to know that when it comes down to who missed it (God or us), it wasn't Him.
 
         

Be Blessed This St. Patty's Day

Lesson 185 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     When joining the Army in St. Louis, Missouri, all of us gathered there lifted our hands and pledged and oath to serve and protect our country.  We became soldiers and the property of the U.S. Army at that moment.  We were far from fighting men, at that time.  We had no training, uniforms, weapons training or discipline.  We were, however, pledge as soldiers of the Army.  If we were sent into battle at that time, then we would surely have been easy prey for a trained enemy army.
     The Church is the Army of God and I find it has much in common with the Army I served.  As Christians, we made a pledge of honor, to serve our Lord Jesus Christ.  We became the "property" of Christ Jesus and were bought and paid for by His Own Blood.  We entered warfare against an unscrupulous enemy, who is holding millions captive under his own unlawful reign.  Like the new soldiers I pledged with, we had no training, uniforms, understanding of what was expected of us and no unity, in order to operate like a disciplined soldier of Christ.
     When I first got saved, I went around like a recruiter trying to bring more soldiers into God's Army.  They had no training or knowledge of weapons or spiritual warfare.  We began building camps or forts, where we could all gather.
     Our drill instructors were the five-fold ministry and they didn't have much more training than the new recruits.  Our instructors in God's Army began teaching us to submit to sickness and disease, poverty and to "just hang on until we get to Heaven," which for them meant we would die and then go to Heaven.  We weren't taught what how weapons were or how to use them.  This effort became a futile assault on a stronger army.
     This isn't the victorious Army and family of God, my brethren.  The Word says, "Greater is He Who is in us, than he tat is in the world" and "All power was given to our General and Commander-in-Chief.  With the victory of Jesus, He delegated His Own power and authority over to the hands of His Army, in order to trample underfoot the strongholds of the enemy.  Even the Gates of Hell, were no longer able to hold back this invading Army.
     Boot camp would be where we were taught and trained to overcome.  The only way to bring peace sometimes, is to defeat the oppressor.  In WWII, we had an oppressor that was determined to ruled the entire world and bring it under his rule.  America didn't join the other Armies in fighting this enemy initially, and many died and much was destroyed.  Finally, we relinquished after Pearl Harbor, and decided we must engage in this war.  We weren't prepared with equipment or weaponry to fight at that time, but we began building up our forces.  This resulted in hardship for our citizenry as a Nation, as well as the sacrifice of many fighting men.  But, the result was that we helped release  says, many more from captivity, than were lost.
     There are many people in the world, who are still in captivity of the enemy and will not be released from that captivity, until we rise up from our own comfort zone and take this warfare to the enemy.  We have witnessed the enemy arrive at our shores, with ungodly laws and restraints against God's Church.  Our children have been taken into the captivity of drugs and lawlessness, while we build bigger buildings for our Army to sit quietly and be safe in.
     When will our spiritual leaders rise up and teach our Army how to conduct a war against an outlaw spirit who refuses to stop, until he is overrun.  The "weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but might through God to the pulling down of strongholds."  The carnal teachings and training in the world, won't defeat a spiritual enemy.  We must fight a spiritual battle against a spiritual enemy, with spiritual weapons and knowledge.  We have a mighty Army in Christ Jesus, but we lack the wisdom and spiritual understanding to do what's necessary to "set the captives free."
     We've been taught that the way to overcome, is to hope in and for Heaven when we die.  Even though this is a True hope, it doesn't take the place of "taking the Land," that has been delivered to our hands.  Joshua and Caleb saw the giants, saw the walled cities, and saw the enemy armies, but they still believed God would do like He said and "Bring the Land into their hands."  Their faith in a Mighty God and His Spiritual weaponry, was greater than the enemy.
     Marching around a walled city, while blowing trumpets and shouting doesn't make sense in carnal thinking, but this is spiritual wisdom for spiritual warfare.  This is foolishness to a natural Army, but it was victory for God's Army.  The weapons of warfare we use, might look foolish to the world, but in God's eyes, they are the ability to overcome all other armies.  God's Word, the Blood, the armor, the right standing and the Promise of our God, all make prayer and wisdom weapons that are invincible.
     I was officially a soldier, when I raised my hand and pledged in St. Louis.  I found out when I got to Fort Leonard Wood, though, that I had no idea what a soldier really was or what that truly meant.  They trained us how to protect ourselves and fellow soldier first, using our weapons and equipment.  We were all trained to do this, despite what our service in the Army was.
     We have different callings in the Body of Christ, but we must all still go through the basic training of how to use our weapons.  Romans 12:2 (Amplified) says that, "The renewing of our minds" is a mighty weapon and one that hasn't been taught much, in God's Army.  As new soldiers, we were trained to get our minds off from who we were and concentrate on who we now were.  In the Church, we seem to be reminded more of who we were, instead of who Christ made us to be.
     We were reminded that when we entered the Army, we were new creatures (not like the Word teaches, but in the eyes of the Army).  We were never anything other than a soldier.  We had no post to hold onto, but were to serve the one who enlisted us, with singleness of mind.
     In Ephesians 6:10-18 (Amplified), God explains the fight we have entered and how we are to conduct this warfare.  He first tells us about the Armor of God we are to wear, in Verses 13-16 and then He shows us that His Word is an offensive weapon against the enemy.  Jesus used the Sword of the Spirit with skill and in victory for His deliverance, when He was tempted by the enemy in Luke.  Ephesians 6:12 (Amplified) says, "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood (contending only with physical opponents) but against the powers, against (the master spirits who are) the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (super-natural) sphere."
     Renewing our minds means learning to think in the super-natural spirit world and realizing that our warfare is spiritual.  We've thought so much about the comfort of our troops in the Church, that we haven't been taught the hardships of battle and how to defeat them.  Everything I learned in the Army, was essential.  Paul says in 2Timothy 2:3-4 (Amplified), "Take (with me) your share of the hardships and suffering (which you are called to endure) as a good (first class) soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of (civilian) life; his aim is to satisfy and please the One Who enlisted him."
    

Lesson 184 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     Just as God created man in the Garden as His Own son (Adam) and family, He creation a new creation in Christ Jesus.  The first Adam was to "father" a family, in the household and the Kingdom of God.  God's Kingdom was to be populated with son and daughters who would be blessed, taught, provided for and cherished by the Lord God Himself.  When God brought mankind into existence, He took all responsibility for His Own children to raise and provide for them, in His union through the spirit in which they were created.
     Man was created a spirit like God is a Spirit, he was to indwell a natural body in order to function in the natural or earthly realm.  Man was to rule by and through his spirit and the natural sense realm was to be subject to the spirit, which was to be led by the Spirit of God Himself.  God's plan for His family, was in His heart before He created the Heavens and the earth.  Man was the reason fro the creation altogether.  God created or formed a home for His family to reside, before He created man.
     When the home for His family was complete and God approved of it, then He planted a Garden in the midst of what He created for them.  Not only was this earth and all it contained created by God for His children, but even in the beauty of His creation, He planted a special place for His family.  It was in this "hand planted Garden," that God placed His greatest and most loved part of creation, which was His son Adam and the companion and fulfillment for him, his wife Eve.
     Now, all was complete in God's plan for fellowship and a recipient of His love.  God had already laid the plan for His creation and the plans for His family, in this earth.  There was nothing man would need, that the love of his Father hadn't already foreseen and provided for.  The Father gave this Kingdom or earthly creation over into the hands of His family, for them to rule and have dominion over.  This was supposed to be "God and sons" or "God and family", running creation.  As the Head of all things, the Father was to teach and train up His family, to rule over everything created for them.
     Satan was never to be a problem, because God had already given His man complete authority over everything that creeps upon the earth.  As an outlaw spirit, satan had been dismissed and cast out of the Kingdom of God.  Satan took many of the angelic hosts of Heaven with him, when they rebelled against God with him.  Adam had been given complete dominion and the authority of God, in order to rule and keep the Garden and to expand it to cover the whole earth.  Since God had given him complete authority, Adam tried redeeming his wife through a diplomatic trade for Eve.  In this temptation or negotiation, Adam not only traded his life, but the life of every child birthed of his seed  the Law of sin and death entered into God's most highly loved creation.
     Adam not only lost his dominion and authority, but his very life was separated from His God, Who is his Life and the "Length of his days."  I don't believe that Adam foresaw the fullness of his transgression, but was only thinking of the loss of his wife.  The damage was done, nonetheless, and the earth was now under the dominion of an outlaw spirit, satan.  We almost immediately see the spirit of death, begin making its mark on the perfect home (earth), that Love had prepared for His family.
     God was unwilling to give up the Love He had for His family and began setting up a way to gain His family back.  God couldn't return to the contaminated dust of the earth that was under satan's control, in order to form another man.  God needed to created another Man Who wasn't contaminated.  So, God used the very thing He created everything with in the beginning and that was His Word, Jesus.
     Immediately following Adam's treason, God began to form this Man, by His Word.  He began by speaking of "the seed of a woman."  God speaks the new Man into the form of His Perfect Man of the redemption, in every book of the old covenant.  God's Perfect Man was brought into into existence in John 1:14 (Amplified), which says, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us."  Everything needed for the new creation man, was formed by God's Word, which was "Spirit and Life," according to John 6:63.
     This new creation man was without sin and death and He wasn't only created by the Word, but He was the Word of God.  He was spoken out of God's Own Spirit and formed by His Word, just like the Light, universe and everything else was created.  John 1:1-5 (Amplified) says, "In the beginning (before all time) was the Word (Christ) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He (the Word) was present originally with God, All things were made and came into existence through Him' and without Him was not anything made that has come into being. In Him was Life and the Life that was the Light of men And the Light shine on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it (put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it)."
     The one thing God needed to form (a new creation man) was the thing that created all things, which was His Word.  God's Word is Life and Light and Truth and it created the Perfect Man.  God did something that changed everything forever, when He filled this new creation Man with His very Own Self in the Holy Spirit.  The connection to Himself was complete.  Man again became a living and being and could again hear instructions from the Father.  The new creation man in Christ Jesus, was a being who was "free from the Law of sin and death," according to Romans 8:2 (Amplified) which says, "For the Law of the Spirit of Life (which is) in Christ Jesus, has freed me from the Law of sin and death."
     Paul says in Romans 8:3-4 (Amplified), "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 requirements 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 and according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit."
     This new creation is "dead" in the flesh (dead men don't sin) and is made alive again in "righteous and justice" by Jesus.  The new creation is once again alive, "not only in the spirit, but alive unto the Spirit."  The new creation is now created by the Word and is held in place by the Word, just like everything the Word has created are held in place.  The "Just shall live by faith" and our faith in Jesus has made us alive, "who were dead in trespass ad sin."  As the new creation, we are living by faith already.
     Let's reread Ephesians 2:10 (Amplified), "For we are God's (Own) handiwork (His workmanship) recreated in Christ Jesus, (born anew) that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us (taking paths which He prepared ahead of time) that we should walk in them (living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live)."  Simply said, the things God prepared for His family from the very beginning, has now been put back into the will and order of the Father.  Everything God had in His heart for man from the first of creation, He has now, through the new creation, has been restored like nothing had ever happened.
     Now we can understand 1Corinthians 2:10 (Amplified), which says, "Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them (the things that God has prepared, made and keeps ready for those who love Him)--through His Spirit, for the Holy Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God (the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny)."  As new creation people, we have access to the things natural man could never see or know,  the secret things and divine counsels.  This was God's plan for man, from the beginning.
      These things were predestinated and put in place beforehand and are the paths, which God prepared ahead of time for His family.  This is a continuation of God's will from the beginning and we were put in the blessing He held in His heart for His children, before He created the Heavens and earth.  Everything God held in His heart then, is ours NOW.

Lesson 183 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Christ Jesus reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     God had predetermined paths that His children were to live on earth, when He first created them.  God had predestined every child born from the loins of Adam, to live and dominate the earth as His children.  This was His plan for His family.  Man was never to endure anything beyond Eden, which He designed to be a Paradise.  Their Heavenly Father would meet their every need and they would be co-laborers together with Him.
     The miracle ministry of Jesus, was no more than what He taught us to pray in, "The Lord's Prayer."  When Jesus taught us to pray in that manner, this was not what we think in religious terms today.  This was a commitment in prayer, that we were to "do here, as if it was there."  Jesus simply complied with the way the Kingdom was intended by God's will and He restored everything back to its order.
     Sickness, disease, disability or death, were never the predestined plan of the Father's will for His family.  Jesus knew what God's will in Heaven was and He went "doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with Him," according to Acts 10:38 (KJV).  The Amplified Bible says, "How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with strength and ability, and power, how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by (the power of) the devil, for God was with Him."
     God's anointing on Jesus' life, was to restore God's will on earth again and this is the commission of the new creation people of God.   Sickness and disease were never in the plan or "predestined paths," that God had in mind for His family.  Jesus was "Kingdom minded" and knew that these things were completely out-of-line with God's will.  Many in today's Church are so double-minded about what God's will is, that it's difficult to pray in faith or with believing in our hearts.
     We've been so double-minded (even about the predestination plan of God), that we've lost credibility even in that.  The devil and his carnal minded teachings that have crept in the Church, are the only things that could mess things up so horribly.  Jesus sent His disciples into the world and instructed them to do like He did, in Luke 10:8-19 (Amplified) saying, "Whenever you go into a town and they receive you and accept and welcome you, eat what is set before you (this removed the Law about unclean food) And heal the sick in it, and say to them, The Kingdom of God has come close to you."  He gave the same conditions in Mark 16:20 (Amplified) saying, "And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the Message by attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied (it) Amen (So be it)."
     This commission wasn't only for the disciples and Apostles, but for everyone who would believe.  This was like Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy will be done here as it is in the Kingdom."  Everything that was out of line with God's will for the Kingdom, was subject to change here on earth.  Many witness the things occurring around the world today and believe it's God's will being done, because God is in control.  It's difficult to understand, how we could believe that the things going on around us, are "God's will in Heaven (in His Kingdom)."
     God's plan for His children has never changed, from the first inclination to make them in His Image and give them dominion here.  When we hear the Kingdom teaching about the words of our mouth, do we understand what we are hearing?  The Kingdom rules by God's Word and the words we speak as new creation people, either designates power our new being or releases power to the devil, like it did with Adam.  We were born of God to create and bring everything that's out of order, back to order, like Jesus said, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."  If you're unsure about what God's will is, then look at Jesus, because He only did the will of God.  Imagine how Heaven or God's Kingdom is doing and ask yourself whether the things occurring here, are what is happening there.  If Heaven and God's will is being done here and God is completely in control, then the Kingdom is going to be the same chaos we see here.
     Our commission is the restore what has been lost in the first Adam, by doing what the Last Adam restored back to us.  This is God's will, the predestined paths, the predetermined life for His family and the restored authority and dominion that our Last Adam returned for us, in His resurrection.  You are truly in this world, but you certainly are not of this world, anymore than Jesus is not of this world.  We are children of the Kingdom and children of the King of Kings. 

Lesson 182 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     Romans 10:17 tells us that, "Faith comes by hearing" and we've been hearing the Gospel of salvation for two-thousand years now.  We've placed our faith into the saving grace of God and have led many others to Jesus, over the years.  We've mostly believed that through Jesus, we will go to Heaven when we leave this earth and then will spend eternity with Him.  This is certainly true, but it isn't the "full Gospel" that represents God's Kingdom on earth.
     Since this hasn't been preached or taught on very often, many have never heard or had faith to receive the full Gospel.  Ephesians 2:6,10 (Amplified) says, "And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together (giving us joint-seating with Him) in the Heavenly sphere (by virtue of our being) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). He did this that He might demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in (His) kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ."
     Paul goes on in Verse 10 saying, "For we are God's (Own) handiwork (His workmanship) recreated in Christ Jesus, (born anew) that we may do those good works which God pre-destined (planned beforehand) for us (taking paths which He prepared ahead of time) that we should walk in them (living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to LIVE."
     We have failed to see in God's Word how in this new creation, we've been "born again, anew" into what God planned beforehand for us (His family).  The new creation people are "taking paths which God pre-destinated (planned beforehand, planned ahead of time) that we should walk in them living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live"
     This is what God planned for His children ahead of time.  What time did He plan this for us?  Ahead of time.  Before the foundation of world, before time was created, in the eternal Kingdom of God, He arranged all the Heavens and earth for His family.  God created every living animal, the seas, trees and the Garden of Eden and then He placed man into this place that He had pre-arranged for his family.
     In Christ Jesus, the new creation people have been restored back to God's original plan for His family, the plan He predestined and planned beforehand for us and we're taking paths which He prepared ahead of time.  Genesis 1:26-27 (Amplified) tells us, "God said, Let Us (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) make mankind in Our Image, after Our Likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the (tame) beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in His Own Image, in the Image and Likeness of god He created him, male and female, He created them."
     Genesis 2:7-8 (Amplified) continues, "Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or Spirit of Life, and man became a living being. And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden (delight), and there He put the man whom He had formed (framed, constituted)."
     The above scriptures tell us about all the things God planned beforehand for His family.  These are the paths that He had prearranged ahead of time.  This isn't a future even, but one that was in God's heart before He spoke light and matter into existence.  You were the very reason that all these things exist.  God never had a Plan B, but only Plan A and the new creation people are the exact image of His heart.  This same authority and dominion has now been returned to His children, through Jesus.  We've already been restored to the Kingdom authority that was given in Genesis, by Jesus and our joint-seating with Him in the Heavenlies.  This God given authority and dominion was the plan He prearranged beforehand (before He created man).  This was and is, the same plan that God had from the beginning.
     Jesus is the Head of the Church, the Firstborn of many brethren and is (and was) the very Image of God's heart from the beginning.  As the Last Adam, Jesus walked in the authority and dominion that God had predestined for His Own children to walk in, before the foundation of the world.  We were always destine to be the new creation.  Authority has been restored to mankind (the new creation man) by Jesus and His resurrection.  In His earthly walk, Jesus did the things that man was to have walked in from before time.  Our Last Adam, took back what the first Adam lost and restored it to the new man creation, to walk in once again.
     The miracles and healings that Jesus performed, were the Kingdom Mandate that God gave to Adam in the beginning, "to have dominion over all the earth and everything that creeps on it."  If the first Adam hadn't fallen into the lie of satan, then the ministry of Jesus wouldn't have been needed.  All of the sickness and disease that Jesus dealt with, were not in the prearranged paths that man was to walk in.  The Last Adam brought things back into God's will and what His will had always been before He created man and gave man dominion over the earth, in the beginning.
     Jesus walked in the complete understanding of this predestined family of God.  Jesus took what was man's God given authority and restored things satan perverted, back into God's will.  When Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven,"  He was speaking of the new creation that was coming through Him.  And, He was speaking about the restoration of the God given authority, to return earth to the Garden of Eden restoration.
     It is true that we will not see the "fullness of the Kingdom," until God's Word is completed in the revelation of Jesus (the Book of Revelation), but we should be seeing the Kingdom being restored over all the earth, like it was through Jesus' earthly ministry.  Jesus told His followers that, "It is better for you that I go," because He couldn't restore the Kingdom to mankind until He went back to the Father.  Through Jesus' sacrifice, death, and resurrection, He has "raised us up together with Him, and caused us to be seated together with Him (giving us joint seating with Him).  Jesus restored the new creation back into the paths God prepared for us, before He ever created an earth for us to rule over.
     Through Jesus, we are already restored into what God desired for His family, from the beginning.  What good would it have been for God to create these things, without God's children to enjoy this planet?  Who would enjoy the heart that gave all these things for us to walk in?  God created all this for you to enjoy and after seeing  that, "It was very good," He formed man.  The destiny of His new creation is, to enjoy the place He has created for us.
    

Lesson 181 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     Jesus is the Head of the new creation and is to be the Example we follow in our new Life in the Spirit.  He is our Pattern, of how we're to walk and live.  He's not only our Pattern teaching us how to teach and preach the Good News, but how to demonstrate the power of God to the people.  Paul writes about how we're to "transfigure" into Jesus' Image, in 2Corinthiasn 3:17-18 (Amplified) saying, "Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom) And all of us, with unveiled face, (because we) continued to behold (in the Word of God) as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another (for this comes) from the Lord (Who is) the Spirit."
     Paul also says, in 1Corinthians 11:1 (Amplified), "Pattern yourselves after me (follow my example) as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah)."  He also writes, in 1Corinthians 4:15-16 (Amplified), "After all, though you should have ten thousand teachers (guides to direct you) in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the glad tidings (the Gospel) So I urge and implore you, be imitators of me."  Unlike many in today's Church, Paul certainly didn't consider imitating Jesus to be sacrilegious and he was sure enough in his walk with the Lord, that he even said "we were to imitate him, as he imitated Jesus."
     As we read the writings of Paul, we discover how he set Jesus as his Example of how to walk in this new creation.  Paul wrote in Romans 15:18-19 (Amplified) saying, "For (of course) I will not venture (presume) to speak thus of any work except that Christ has actually done through me (as an instrument in His Hands) to win obedience from the Gentiles by word and deed (Even as my preaching has been accompanied) with the power of signs and wonders, (and all of it) by the power of the Holy Spirit. (The result is) that starting in Jerusalem and as far round as Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel (faithfully executing, accomplishing, carrying out to the full the Good News) of Christ (the Messiah) in its entirety."
     Paul expounds on following Jesus' Example through his words and deeds in 1Corinthians 2:1-4 (Amplified) saying, "And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power, (a proof by the the Spirit and power of God operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them)."
     Paul repeatedly urges us to "be like Jesus," like he strove to be like Him.  Paul says we're not only to follow Jesus in words, but also in power.  Paul's character, presentation and example before the people, presented Jesus in all His Glory, to the world.  Paul didn't only look "into the Word as in a mirror," but the more he saw himself the way God made him to be, the more he looked like Jesus, according to 2Corinthians 3:14-16 (Amplified) which says, "In fact, their minds were grown hard and calloused (they had become dull and had lost the power of understanding) for until this present day, when the Old Testament (the old covenant) is being read, that same veil still lies (on their hearts) not being lifted (to reveal) that in Christ it is made void and done away. Yes, down to this (very) day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their minds and hearts. But whenever a person turns (in repentance) to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away."
     In this new covenant, the new creation people (us) no longer see things "through a veil," but face-to-face like in a mirror.  This glory is changing us or "transfiguring" us into His Christ's Very Image.  Paul also tells us, in 1Corinthians 2:9-10 (Amplified), "But on the contrary, as the scriptures says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, (all that) God has prepared (made ready and keeps ready) for those who love Him (who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed). Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Holy Spirit, For the Holy Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God (the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny)."
     Moses and the others in the old covenant, had a "veil" of flesh (carnal minds and dead spirits) that blinded them to the Truth, that is ours today in Christ.  They couldn't look into the mirror of the Word and see and become transfigured into Christ's Image.  This privilege is for the new creation people alone.  Many though, in the new creation, have their eyes blinded to them and cannot see themselves like Jesus or Paul, because the Law is still being placed before their eyes.  They cannot see themselves like Jesus or Paul and because of this, many have fallen prey to the enemy.  They have become convinced that "it's God's will" they never rise to victory over their old man and carnal minds.
     We've never "dared" to rise into Jesus' Image and become like He is, but Paul (who was given this revelation) never believed it was sacrilegious to commend others to "imitate me, as I imitate Jesus."  The imitation Paul followed was "Jesus as He was and as He is," not only in his words and deeds towards the needy, broken, sick, crippled people.  Jesus' Image is the One we need to see in this mirror of God's Word.  We must see ourselves in His Likeness, in order to do God's work.
     1Corinthians 2:16 (Amplified) tells us, "For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the Mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart."  We see Jesus as He is, in the mirror of the Word and we are transfigured into that Image of Him and understanding of Him.  Where you see Him, is where you serve Him.  Let the Word and the Spirit, transfigure you "from one glory, to another glory, and from one faith to another faith in Him."
    
   

Lesson 180 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) tells us, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     1Corinthians 1:30 (Amplified) says, "But it is from Him that you have your life in Christ Jesus. Whom God made our Wisdom from God (revealed to us a knowledge of the Divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as) our righteousness (thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God) and our consecration (making us pure and holy) and our Redemption (providing our ransom from eternal penalty of sin)."
     2Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified) says, "And all of us, as with unveiled face (because we) continued to behold the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another (for this comes) from the Lord (Who is) the Spirit."
     James 1:25 (Amplified) says, "But he who looks carefully into the faultless law (the law) of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer (who obeys), he shall be blessed in his doing (this life of obedience)."
     Previously, we learned about being "first class soldiers of Christ Jesus," in 2Timothy 2:3-7.  Good, "first class soldiers" follow orders to carry them out, despite any hardship he or she endures.  Most of the men I served with, maintained a certain pride in the outfit we served in and worked to be the best.  Many of these soldiers, existed the army with commendations and honor for their excellent service.  Our service to Christ Jesus should carry more weight and honor, than in this natural warfare we're in.
     The above scriptures instruct us to see ourselves the way God sees us and not as religion or the world sees us.  I observed many in the Army, who had been there for many years.  These men acted in a manner that made us want to be like them.  Their uniforms were tailored and sharp, their insignias and stripes were in perfect order and their appearance reflected their understanding of who they were in the Army.
     As new creation people, we look to the Word of God "as a mirror."  A mirror shows you as you are, not as you were.  We've been taught that "we're still sinners" and not righteous for so long, that when we read the Word, we tend to see ourselves in that light.  2Corinthians 3:18 says that we're looking into a mirror and by seeing ourselves in the Light of our Redemption, we are "being transfigured into His Very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, Who is Spirit."  The Lord Himself is revealing our new creation identity to us, by His Spirit.  Revelation (the revealing of who we have become in Christ) is so needed to the Body of Christ, especially in these Last Days. 
     The revelation of who we are and not who we were, will change us from glory to glory.  Jesus says to the Heavenly Father in John 17:22 (Amplified) saying,"I have given to them (those who will believe and be saved) the glory and honor which You have given Me; that they may be one (even) as We are One."  If we've been given the "glory and honor" that the Father gave Jesus, then we should search out 2Corinthians 3:18, as a command from the Master.  We're to be changed or "transfigured" from "one glory to another glory" into His Very Own Image. 
     Only new creation people can be transfigured into His Image.  We're to see ourselves by the Mirror of the Word, which reflects Jesus to us.  When we "see" it from the Mirror, it becomes the Image that we are to see and begin to walk in.  Initially, when entering the Army, we were simply a bunch of people, from around the U.S. and anyone observing us would think it was impossible for us to be a unit.  As we began looking to our examples (our superiors), we began seeing ourselves like they were.  After following and learning from them, we began to transfigure our own image, into what we beheld in them.  This successfully turned us into soldiers.  We must see ourselves in the Image that Jesus made us to be in Him, which is a new creation.
     The glory and honor that the Father gave Jesus, is the glory and honor we're to emulate in our lives.  It is one of the many Gifts of God's Grace and it's only by that grace that we can achieve this goal.  And, it's only by revelation that we can see ourselves walking in it.  This is who we were created to be.  We're not meant to be on the bottom, but on the top.  We're the head and not the tail.  This is the blessing we have received through Jesus Christ, according to Deuteronomy 28:1-15.
     This is the revelation of the new creation, we are seeing in the Mirror of the Word and who we are now in Christ Jesus.  Revelation isn't something that never existed there.  It's the revealing of something that was already there, but was hidden or covered.  If you unveiled a statue in the park, then the statue was already there, but it could only be seen after the cover or veil was removed from over it.  This is exactly what the Word is saying in 2Corinthians 3:18.  If we read it by the Holy Spirit, He will remove the veil.  Thus, it says, "All of us, as with unveiled face (because we continued to behold) (in the Word of God) as in a Mirror, the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His Very Own Image."
     Our faces become "unveiled" by our continuing to behold the glory of the Lord in the Word, as a Mirror.  We will continue seeing ourselves the way the world would have us see ourselves, without the Holy Spirit's uncovering the Image of Jesus to us.  It's only with revelation, that we will be able to see ourselves as He is.  Then, we will be changed into what we see.  Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 in Luke 4:16 (Amplified) saying, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me."  Jesus went on to preach the "recovery of sight to the blind."  He wasn't only referring to natural sight, but the sight to see again, spiritually.  Once the eyes of our spirit are opened, we can "see" by revelation, the true description of the new creation man.
   Jesus told His disciples in Mark 4:11 (Amplified), "To you has been entrusted the mystery of the Kingdom of God (that is the secret counsels of God which are hidden from the ungodly) but for those outside (of our circle), everything becomes a parable."  Jesus told the Scribes and Pharisees that, "Having eyes you don't see."  Jesus was talking about the things of God's Kingdom, which we can see with or be revealed to the eyes of our spirit.
     Even though we might be reading God's Word, we can only see man's vision of the new creation, if we read it with "unveiled faces."  Otherwise, we will be like the Scribes and Pharisees were.  The new creation man is the "mystery" that the Holy Spirit reveals to your spirit, by opening your spiritual eyes.  One might be born-again and still not have unveiled faces.  If you don't allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you, who God has created us to be.
     Paul described the Word as being a mirror that reveals who we are, not who we once were.  You are what God created you to be.  You might never walk in the newness of your identity (even after being born-again), if you don't allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you, who you really are.  We still  live under things in the Law or in tradition or in man's teachings, but we've already been made a new creation in God's Own Righteousness.

Lesson 179 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave us to the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     We sometimes forget that God's Word (the Bible) is a Super-natural book.  It's the only book on earth that is and has Life in it's Words.  This isn't a book for the natural man to understand, but the super-natural new creation.  Jesus said that, "The Words I speak are Spirit and they are Life," in John 6:63 (Amplified).  Nothing about this book of God's Word is possible, without faith in what it says and without believing that, "All things are possible to him who believes."
     Even the new birth or new creation is impossible, without faith in the Super-natural Word of God.  Everything Jesus did and said in His earthly ministry were super-natural, along with everything He instructed us to do.  Jesus gave the commandment to "Love one another, as He loved us," but this could only be done through the Super-natural work of God in us.  We are called to do the impossible works, that can only be done by faith in Him and His ability in us.
     Applying our faith in God and the things He's called us to do, makes little sense to the natural carnal mind of man.  Prayer only works when we are actually believing when we pray, that our prayers will be answered.  Otherwise, it's only wishing it could be done and there's no power in wishing.  Faith is required for us to become saved, according to Romans 10:8-10 (Amplified) which says, "If you believe in your heart, and confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes and with the mouth confession is made."
     Jesus said this about salvation in Mark 16:16 (Amplified), "He who believes (who adheres to, and trusts in, and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth) and is baptized will be saved (from the penalty of eternal death), but he who does not believe (who does not adhere to, and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth) will be condemned." 
     This process of believing and receiving is the very same principal laid out throughout the entire Word of God.  You can only receive, what you believe.  This is the impossible, made possible, only through believing.  This isn't believing what you can see, but in what you believe is possible.  I couldn't see my salvation when I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I had to believe that what God said, was true.  This seemed impossible to me, but God delivered on His Word, just like He said He would.  The salvation scripture seems to be easier to believe than other things in God's Word, because we don't need to see or be involved, only to believe.  When it comes to other "impossible" things from God's Word, we allow our carnal minds to dictate to us, instead of our spirit and the Word.
     We lead others to Jesus, by faith in the "impossible," because we have renewed our minds to believe this portion of the Word and because we can believe in our hearts that this has come to pass.  We seldom see signs of salvation initially in these baby Christians, but we believe that we eventually will.  The difficult thing about laying hands on the sick and believing, is that we can see the impossible task of a man's being able to heal a disease.  Our carnal, unrenewed mind comes into play and chokes off our "believing in our heart."
     God's Word is a book full of impossible tasks and deeds that can only be accessed by believing in our hearts that God is able to bring to pass, the things He said He would.  Our not believing them, will hinder or even stop us from doing them, but this doesn't make God's Word any less than truth.  Just because some do not believe, doesn't mean that salvation isn't for all who do believe.  The manifestation of God's Word, is received by believing.  Jesus never told us to do anything about the sick, only to lay hands on them in belief.  Then, He said that "the Father in Him (or us) will do the work."  He only requires us to believe.
     The principal of the prayer of salvation is the same for any other prayer.  If you will only believe when you pray about other things, like you did when you said the prayer of salvation, then it will work the same way.  We've developed our believing the prayer of salvation and with full assurance, we lead other to Christ, by faith in God's Word.  We need to develop our faith, in order to trust in the rest of God's Word with the same full assurance.  We cannot "save" anyone, we are simply the instrument God uses to speak the Word of salvation to them.  It's hard to be a salesman for a product you don't believe in, even in the world.
     The very Same Jesus Who died and rose again for our remission of sin and death, is the Same Jesus Who bore the curse of the Law and our redemption.  We've developed faith in this one portion of our redemption, because the rest seems to be impossible, even in this day and age.  In John 6:28-29 (Amplified), the people asked Jesus some of the same questions we hear today, saying, "What are we to do, that we may (habitually) be working the works of God? (What are we to do to carry out what God requires?)  Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you, believe in the One Whom He has sent (that you cleave to, trust in, rely on, and have faith in) His Messenger."
     These are the very same requirements needed for salvation.  They both require us to believe and have faith in Him.  Prayer depends on having faith in what Jesus said about it...just like anything and everything else He said.  It's not based on "how good you are," but belief in Him.  The very Same Jesus said these things in John 14:12-13 (Amplified), "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father."  Jesus concluded this in Verse 13, saying, "And I will do (I Myself will grant) whatever you ask in My Name (as presenting all that I Am) So that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son."  Jesus said that "if anyone believes and asks it, then Jesus will do or grant it."  This representation of Jesus in the world, "will glorify and extol the Father through the Son."
     The problem hasn't been that "God no longer does these things" (like some would have you believe), but it's been our unbelief in the Super-natural works of God through His Word.  The only thing that I can find in the Word, that will stop the Super-natural work of God, is unbelief.  I'm aware this will grate the old religious spirit of pride in some Christians, but this is what the Word says.  We must expand our faith beyond the prayer of salvation, into the works of this new creation being here on earth.
     I'm sure that some who might read this, will have much to say, but please all the Holy Spirit to reveal the Word (which Jesus said is Spirit and Life) to you.  Remember that the things Jesus commissioned us to do are not possible, but that all things are impossible without believing.  We must broaden our belief in what He said.  If the confession of our mouth and believing in our heart can create a new creation, then it can also do everything else He said it would do, for those who will believe.  After all, He does the work.

Lesson 178 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But, all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     We Christians are an entirely new species that never existed on this planet before.  We have Only One Example to look to and follow and we've placed Him into a category unto Himself.  We've decided that the only reason miracles, healings and Super-natural things followed Jesus, is because He is the Son of God.  Although this is true, Jesus didn't just do these things as the Son of God, but as the Son of man as well.  Jesus was the first Man Who was filled with and empower with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The previous prophets of old, were only endued with this Spirit, when it came upon them. 
     After Jesus' resurrection from the dead and His ascension into Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, to indwell the Body of Christ, the Church.  We are the Body of Christ ("Christ" means the Anointed or Anointing), we're also filled with and born of the Same Father and Spirit.  We're the sons and daughters of God and the sons and daughters of man.  God gave man dominion from the first Adam to the Last Adam (Jesus) and man still has the dominating ability of God working in and through him, by God's Own Spirit.
     God intended the first Adam to operate on earth, the way Jesus walked and operated in His earthly ministry.  The reason we never saw other men operate the way Jesus did, is because there was no enemy man needed to take authority over, until after the fall of Adam.  When Jesus came upon the earth, He reclaimed the power of dominion that was placed on mankind in the beginning.  Jesus restored it back to the ones it was intended for.
     Adam might have lived in the Garden of Eden for millions of years, before satan finally caused Adam to surrender to him.  Adam had to surrender his authority and dominion over to satan, because the Word tells us that "the woman was deceived, the man was not."  1Timothy 2:14 (Amplified) says, "And it was not Adam who was deceived, but (the) woman who was deceived and deluded and fell into transgression."  Adam tried becoming his own redeemer and gave over everything he had to redeem his wife, Eve.  If Adam has gone to his Father, seeking God's Own wisdom, then things would have been different.
     When Jesus came to earth as a Man, He didn't do what He did for Himself.  Jesus was never under the ill-gotten authority of satan.  He came to deliver mankind back into his rightful place as sons of God.  Throughout the four Gospels and the Epistles, we read that man had dominion over the fallen angels and satan, through Jesus and His delegated authority in His Name.  Jesus gave man the authority and dominion by the use of His Name, even before mankind was born-again.  Luke 10:17 (Amplified) says, "The seventy returned with joy saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name."  Jesus instructed the seventy in Luke 10:8-9 (Amplified) saying, "Whenever you go into a town and they receive and accept and welcome you, eat what is set before you; And heal the sick in it and say to them, The Kingdom of God has come close to you."
     This God-given authority and dominion was what the Father intended from the first man to the last man.  God's intent and heart was that His Own family would have dominion over all things on earth.  Even though Adam fell into transgression, the Father never changed His plan for His children.  God redeemed mankind back into His original plan for them, through Jesus, He delivered man back unto Himself.  The last part of this redemption will be that our flesh and bone body will be glorified.  Everything else has been done, and done correctly, by Jesus and His perfect work.  Satan tries clinging to his usurped authority, through the same means by which he gained it, by deception.  We've been deceived by the enemy's lies for so long that, we now think this is how it was supposed to be.  Jesus was never deceived (not for even a second) into thinking it "might be the Father tempting Him."  He never believed that the Father wouldn't hear Him.  Jesus walked under the old covenant and by doing so, walked under the Blessing of Abraham.  Through His death and resurrection, Jesus restored the dominion, authority and blessing to those with enough faith and courage to believe.
     There are Laws of the Spirit and the Kingdom which we must operate, in order to have the dominion and authority work on our behalf.  God is a Judge and Righteous God and His Word is forever settled.  God cannot violate His Own Word, even for us.  We've tried walking in our own understand and make the Word work for us.  We must listen to the Voice of the Spirit and learn the rules or Laws that govern the new creation.  Prayer was never intended to be Hit-or-Miss, but was meant to be God and man working together against the common enemy and restoring things back into order.
     God's Kingdom is the most orderly place in all of His creation.  The only reason things became out of place, is because He gave dominion to man, instead of dominating over it and mankind.  God doesn't want to dominate His children, but He wishes to walk with them as family, in Love and companionship.  God could have created us to be like puppets, that only moved when He pulled our strings.  That though, would have made us His slaves and not His family.
     Many wonder whether man has a free will, to do as he wishes.  Some even believe that everything happening on earth, is the will of God.  God's family, the new creation people, have an enemy who refuses to turn loose of his ill-gotten control of this planet.  We must use the weapons of our warfare and take back dominion from this enemy.  I don't have authority over other humans, but only over things in my own life.  I have the God-given right (His right or righteousness) to take back what God has given me in this earth.  I'm also commissioned to act as an ambassador from God's Kingdom and deliver this Word of deliverance to all who will listen.  That Word is the Gospel Jesus preached in Luke 4:18-19.  This Gospel hasn't changed, since He preached it and we are commissioned to continue preaching it into all the earth.  Mark 16:15-16 (Amplified) says, "And He said to them, God into all the world and preach and publish openly the Good News (the Gospel) to every creature (of the whole human race). He who believes (who adheres to and trust in and relies on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth) and is baptized will be saved (from the penalty of eternal death). But he who does not believe (who does not adhere to and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets forth) will be condemned."
     The Gospel hasn't changed in it's intent or power, only those who preach it have changed.  The Gospel that Jesus preached, is the same Gospel we were sent to preach and only the preachers have changed.  If what Jesus preached would heal the sick, raise the dead, open blind eyes and cleanse the lepers, then it still will do those things today.  He hasn't changed, only what we believed has changed.  The Father commissioned us to be ambassadors from His Kingdom and do exactly the same things that Jesus did, as Spirit filled, born-again men and women and new creation children of the Living God and Father.
     

Lesson 177 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) is passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
      As new creations, we're unlike any other creature that has ever existed on this planet before.  We cannot live by the laws that governed the old covenant people and we cannot live by the adopted rituals and traditions of other people.  Because we've failed to see ourselves as what God created us to be, for the most part, we've not been very successful in our prayer life or in our new position in Christ Jesus.
     Paul spoke to Timothy about something that hasn't previously resonated into our spiritual understanding in 2Timothy 2:3-7 (Amplified) saying, "Take (with me) your share of the hardships and sufferings (which you are called to endure) as a good (first class) soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of (civilian) life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him. And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down It is the hardworking farmer (who labors to produce) who must be the first partaker of the fruits. Think over these things I am saying (understand them and grasp their application) for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in everything."
     There are Heavenly and spiritual laws, that could only apply to this new creation people.  In order to the new creation family to function like it's supposed to, we must function "lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down)."  There are rules and laws laid down for us that never applied to previous people, before the new creation.  We've struggled to make the Word work by the old rules or Laws, that were here previous to the family.  Prayer has nearly become a sort of playing the lottery and we continue praying, hoping to hit it big.
     We've acted more like beggars than sons of God, because we've not understood our rights and privileges in Jesus.  Paul said that we must go by the rules to be crowned in this competitive new thing we are involved in as new creation family.  You must compete by the rules of the game, in order to win (even the lottery).  You never see any player tackled in a basketball game, because there are rules to operate in.  You never find anyone trying to score a basket, in a baseball game.  The rules of competing in these games, are different.  In order to win, you must use the rules or laws that govern the game.
     Ephesians 2:6-7 (Amplified) tells us, "He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together (giving us joint seating with Him) in the Heavenly sphere (by virtue of our being) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in (His) kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus."
     Paul continues in Ephesians 3:10 (Amplified) saying, "(The purpose is) that through the Church the (complicated, many-sided) wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the Heavenly sphere."
     Through the new creation life we received in Christ Jesus, we've been given the Heavenly Laws (rules) of the Kingdom, to rule over the principalities and powers of the enemy.  There are now different rules and Laws we operate in, from the Kingdom we rule from in Him.  In order to stop satan in his overthrow of the Church, Paul said we "must compete lawfully according to the rules laid down."  If we play this game unlawfully (outside the rules of the Kingdom), then we don't we like we should.  The old saying is, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game that counts."  I say, "If you play the game correctly, then you win."
     We've been trying to "get Heaven to work for us," by using the rules or laws of the old covenant, instead of the new creation rules.  In the army, I encountered hardships that went with my enlistment.  Not everything in the army, was parades and leave time.  We had rules and laws that we followed, that civilians didn't need or didn't know about.  We followed and were required to know the chain of command, as well as other rules.  We didn't get involved with civilians affairs, but there was a code of conduct that applied to the civilian world.
     Every soldier was required to know the rules of functioning with a weapon, along with the hardships of warfare (even if we weren't in a combat zone).  We had respect for our superiors and had to deal with orders from those in command.  The old saying was, "The right way, the wrong way, and the army way."  Civilians didn't always see the army way as the right way.  This new creation life requires us to walk in some things, that will not look right to those who don't understand, because they are the army way or the way of the new creation.
     We are an invading army, sent to change things wherever we go, and we're not supposed to adjust to the civilian life of those we were sent to liberate.  We didn't go to war with Germany, in order to learn their way of doing things, but to change what was being done to the millions of people being slaughtered by the Third Reich.  There were even laws of war that governed our army, which was called the Geneva Convention.
     In the new creation army, the rules of prayer have changed and our authority has been granted by our Commander-in-Chief (Jesus), Who governs these rules.  We haven't seen ourselves from the realm of the Heavenlies, but by the way the world has trained us too.  We're not playing or serving by the proper laws that govern this warfare.  The army that enlisted us provided everything we'd need to perform our duties.  I never needed to purchase my own uniform or rifle, because these were given to me by those who enlisted me.  My allegiances were to the army and my orders or rules of conduct came from this source.
     Many in Vietnam didn't always understand why we were there, or what we were doing.  When the soldiers returned home, many suffered hardships, because the civilians didn't always understand what our mission was and, because many soldiers continued living under the military's rules and laws of conduct.  As "good first class soldiers of Jesus Christ," the new creation people too, will suffer criticisms and hardships, because not everyone will understand our orders and positions.  Paul instructed Timothy in 2Timothy 2:7 (Amplified) saying, "Think over these things I am saying (understand them and grasp their application) for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in everything."
     James 1:5 (Amplified) says, "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask f the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or fault finding, and it will be given him."  God isn't upset when we "ask Him" to show us the "rules" used, in order to compete lawfully in this new creation.  Our Commander-in-Chief has granted us authority and access to new laws from His Throne Room, so that we can win.  We've been using carnal weapons, instead of what the One Who has enlisted us has provided.  We've been given a new way to conduct this warfare, that includes a new of prayer and authority that we haven't used until now.
     Read 2Timothy 2 and ask the Lord to reveal this to you.  Once we understand this, everything will change in our prayer lives and in our enlistments into this Heavenly Army, which is God's family.  Our Family Crest is The Risen Christ.  Amen.

Lesson 176 The New Creation

     2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus) the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral or spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come.  But  all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
     As new creation people, we were created to live here on earth, but to live by the spirit.  Adam was created a spirit, but was sustained by his spirit.  His spirit was to receive the life and wisdom of the Father, to live here.  The Father was to supply all that mankind need and to furnish it by the spirit realm and His Kingdom.  All that Adam would ever need, came from the spirit realm where the Father resided, and was made manifest here in this natural realm.
     Man was to believe and walk in God's Blessing (His Word), which would take care of His children.  Our part was simply to trust in God's ability to provide what He said He would do.  We've long since lost sight of what the Father has said, to take care of us while we remain on earth.  When Adam transgressed in the Garden of Eden, he lost his connection with the Father in his spirit and had to rely on his own natural man, in order to provide his own needs.  God's instructions began to fade as time went by and Adam lost contact with God's Word and Blessing.  His Word was to sustain us and all we were required to do, was believe it.  Most children never need to worry about where they're going to sleep, live, what they will eat or wear while they're growing up, because they trust their parents to provide these things.  We pray that all children would never need to worry about these things.  This is supposed to be our relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Everything we see and know in this natural realm, came from the Spirit.
     The universe and everything in it, derived from the spirit realm, according to John 1:1-3 (Amplified) which says, "In the beginning (before all time) was the Word (Christ) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even anything made that has come into being."  This includes everything in and on this entire planet.  Everything we see, feel, hear, touch and taste (the five senses), came from the heavens and the Spirit of God's Word.
     This Spiritual creation hasn't changed since it began, but we have changed and become more like the first Adam, instead of the Last Adam.  Jesus is our Last Adam and He depended on the Spirit to provide the natural in His earthly walk as a Man.  Jesus is our Example and demonstrated how the new creation (we) are to live and function while on this earth, that the Word created.  If we needed proof that the Spirit and the Word still work like God intended, then all we need do, is look at earth, which is still being held in place by the Word of God.  If God's Word can hold our entire planet in place, then it can certainly sustain those of us living on it.
     God spoke about His Blessing upon His people in Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (Amplified).  God said that He would bless us, just like He blessed Adam, and take care of our life and everything we needed to live this life.  God's blessing included our children, finances, livestock and properties.  All our children are required to do, was walk in His Word and believe Him.
     I have personally taken God at His Promise for my children, livestock and all that His Blessing (His Word) for the new creation.  The enemy has tried attacking and discouraging me throughout the years, but I am command in His Word to "Fight the Good fight of faith," in 1Timothy 6:12 (Amplified).  I'm not commanded to fight nature, satan, or circumstances, only to hold my faith in what God has said.  I've discovered that when I hold my faith on what God has said, then He always brings it to pass, on my behalf.  If I lose a calf and don't lose my faith in God's Promise, then I find that the next calf gives birth to twins.  God blesses the fruit of my cattle, just like He said He would.
     In His Promise through Jesus, God says that "His Word is Truth" and "His Word is unchangeable.  And, His Word tells me that, "We don't live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the Mouth of God."  Paul told Timothy that to "rightly divide the Word, you must make the distinction who that Word is for."  If you're still identifying with being a sinner, instead of the new creation, then you're not living by the Word of Truth for your life.
     In order to believe God's Promises in your life, you must believe who are now in, Christ Jesus.  In order to believe God is punishing you, you must first believe that what God's Word pertaining you, isn't truthful.  This is pure unbelief and it will stop your faith, in its tracks.  In order to believe God's Promises, you must believe that, "Old things are passed away, and all things have become new."  You must believe that you've been made the righteousness (or are in right standing) with God in Christ Jesus.  Although the Blessing is for you, you must believe you are the blessing.  We cannot identify as a sinner and qualify for the Blessing.  You must believe His Word, despite what others might say or what religion teaches.
     The people in the Wilderness has a choice to believe God about the Promised Land or to believe the words of those who didn't believe God.  They chose to believe a lie and thus, died in the Wilderness.  The strange thing about this account in Numbers 13-14 is that when the people called for the stoning of someone, they chose to cry out against those who believed God, instead of calling for the stoning of those who called themselves "Grasshoppers."
     Today, we hear the masses cry out against those who say, "In God, we are able to take the Land," instead of against those saying they're "Grasshoppers."  As for me and my house, we choose to believe God, more than the Grasshoppers.  I don't need to be bigger than the Giants.  I only need to believe that my God is bigger than the Giant and He will deliver me by His strength and His Word.  How did God every get to be smaller than a grasshopper in our lives?  It's time to believe God and "take the Land," like He said to do.