Rom 4:18
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
The title of my blog seems to swirl in the midst of contradiction and even opposition. Yet the scripture verifies and brings to light the much needed response that should come from the child of God, to hope against hope, just as Abraham hoped.
In reality, everyone hopes for better things, but hope, by itself, is not enough.
Why not, you ask? Because hope does not produce the necessary results which will accomplish the task. The truth of the matter is that you can even fail in your own hope.
If you want results from hope, you must believe against hope. If you are redeemed and blood bought, if you believe and stand on the promises of God, then you’ll also need to stand in the victory that should make all believers more than conquerors. It’s not about believing only, but confirming your belief by standing firm and unmovable in that belief.
This may seem like such a difficult thing, but it really isn’t. It’s actually no more difficult than faith in believing in every element of the salvation experience.
Rom 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
What makes us more than conquerors? Three things. . .
#1 We must be redeemed or born again.
#2 We must know that we are the first fruits of His glorious resurrection.
#3 We have to know that we’re children of light.
Circumstances and situations overwhelm everyone from time to time, but even these should be no excuse for our abandoning what we know to be true. Whether men or organization(s) agrees or disagrees with you, it ultimately is up to you alone to believe and then continue believing – believing against hope. Standing independent of what others think, when you know what the Lord has placed in your heart can be taxing on you spiritually, but be of good cheer, you’re in fine company. Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Esther, Job, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Paul, Silas, Peter, John and the multitudes of other New Testament church disciples, who have gone on before, are but a few of the pillars of faith. In fact you can be counted among them if you’ll believe as they dared believe.
The men and women of faith understood the cost of believing against hope. We should never be ignorant of what true fellowship with Christ costs. Everything has it’s cost, whether in Christ, serving him, or separated from him, serving sinful lusts. Choose today whom ye shall serve.
Eph 5:8
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
1Thes 5:5
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
We are the light of the Lord in this world and we should be walking as children of light.
Listen once again to the scripture - “we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” We are of the light.
Dear brothers and sisters, we had better get this in our mindset and into our hearts. Because light is the only thing that makes darkness flee.
So what happens to us if. . .
1) As children of God, we don’t walk in the marvelous light of the Lord because of ignorance?
2) We fail to fully understand the tremendous value and worth that comes with being children of light, in our daily walk?
If we don’t walk in his marvelous light, then darkness slowly overtakes us. Darkness erodes, or continually dims the light until it’s finally extinguished. Then we’ll become as dark as everything around us, and the world and those closest to us suffer.
1) When are we going to stop thinking and embracing the darkness that wants to engulf us?
2) When are we going to stop speaking the negative things which dims and hinders the light that has been placed inside of us?
3) When are we going to stop empowering Satan in our lives?
4) When are we going to stop adding to the devastation of death and begin walking in the light and believing and behaving as children of light?
And what about all these things that hinder and beset us from running this race called life? Perhaps this will help.
Rom 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So what are we as children of God supposed to do concerning the tribulations, distresses, persecutions, famines, nakedness and death?
We’ll have to come to the stark truths of God’s word and embrace them as our divine right. A renewed mind is essential if we’re to overcome darkness, but then this is not what most of God’s people want to hear.
Everyone loves to sing songs about being overcomers, but precious few want to pick up the fallen standard and carry it headlong into battle. Light transforms people. It helps them to clearly see the possibilities that are in Christ. People generally love the warmth of light. It invigorates and grows things. It makes weak vessels strong and gives hope to peoples cast down and trampled down by the works of Satan. Finally, it makes over comers out of failures. Ask Peter about that.
You may have started out bad, but thanks be to God, “you can finish top of the class.”
Listen to the apostle Paul in:
Rom 8:38-39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Are you going to rejoice with Paul who said in:
2 Cor 2:14
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Who wants to keep allowing death and negatism to keep their light dim?
Will you stand on the irrefutable promises of God and believe everything he has proclaimed through his Son?
Luke 6:45-46
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
More questions about yourself. . .
1) When are you going to believe what you see and speak what you see, in your spirit?
2) Will you prefer believing and speaking what your carnal ears hear, what your five senses and your feelings or emotions dictate to you?
3) When will you take a stand to stand on the promises of the Lord,
Wouldn’t you love to be like Abraham? A man who didn’t stagger at the promises of God. We all would! And it’s possible too! Even more so today, because Christ is risen!
Gal 3:6
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Remember, God told Abraham that he was going to give him a son. After Abraham looked at his body, then he looked at the body of Sarah and replied unto God saying, “Yes Lord, I believe.” For out of his heart, his mouth spoke faith, and it was counted unto him as righteousness.
On the other hand, God also told Sarah that He has going to give her a child, a boy. She then looked at her body and no doubt the body of her husband Abraham and laughed.
Remember this. . .
Let me tell you what Sarah’s laugh birthed. It birthed a Hagar. I also birthed a Ishmael. It birthed confusion and dissention in the family of Abraham, which is still going on to this day.
But Abraham believed… and it was counted unto him for righteousness. It brought forth the promise - the child Isaac. Through the promise, the Christ child came.
WHAT IS GOING TO BE BIRTHED IN YOUR LIFE TODAY?
Monday, April 19, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
TURNING ON THE LIGHT
Eph 1:18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
What is it that hinders and restricts the child of God from attaining and receiving that which has already been provided for them through the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Though there are variables to that question, I want to bring to you a promise and insight that I believe will make all the difference in your walk with Christ.
And that is. . . YOUR ATTITUDE CAN BE MANAGED BY THE WORD OF GOD
What a promise we have. Our attitudes can actually be managed, ruled and controlled by the word of God.
If you’ve been looking for great revelation and good news, then this is surely it.
Haven’t you ever wondered why is it that we, as children of God, constantly need our attitudes adjusted and why they’re like a roller coaster ride that never seems to end?
Please allow me to give you some precious insight. Our attitudes are the way they are because we haven’t yet come to the truth and the realization that everything has already been done and accomplished in the spirit.
When you have the mindset that God needs to furnish something else for you that is still lacking, or feel there are things that He has left unfinished concerning you, that would make you complete, the truth doesn’t reside in you.
You are not dealing in the reality of God’s word wherein He has promised that all things have already been provided for according to His divine power.
2 Pet 1:3
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
When you remove, or separate yourselves from the reality of God’s word, then that greatly affects your mind and attitude. The difference, or outcome, is whether you walk in victory or defeat.
Do I need to say it again?
When your mindset is stuck on what you believe to be the unfinished work of Christ, you lose out.
There is a huge difference between people who fast and pray, in order “to move the hand of God,” and people who walk in genuine power and authority of that which has already been done/ given by Him.
Please listen!
We are not the sick trying to get healed and we are not the undelivered trying to get delivered. We are the healed and delivered in Christ. Satan is trying to steal these truths from us.
When people pray and fast for healing and deliverance; when they are fighting the good fight of faith and seem to spend enormous amounts of time rebuking the devil, whom they feel is personally blocking the move and hand of God, usually the effort is about getting something we feel we lack for ourselves which will make us complete. Perhaps it’s about standing in the gap, praying and interceding for the benefit of others, who are just as lacking.
The good fight of faith is in knowing what rightfully belongs to you in Christ and keeping it. Praying for others is so they too will come realize these truths and receive them as their own lives.
When you walk in the power and authority of that which is already been done, you’ll still pray, you’ll still fast and you’ll still rebuke the devil. But you’ll be doing these things in new light and revelation. You won’t be rebuking him so that healing and deliverance will come to you. You’ll be rebuking him because he’s a thief who’s bent on stealing something that already belongs to you.
What’s the difference?
Your attitude.
When your attitude sees yourself as already blessed instead of waiting to be blessed; when you see yourself already healed, already delivered, already financially prosperous and already forgiven, then this difference is victory.
Remember, it’s much easier to keep something that you already have, or own, if you truly know it belongs to you, than it is to go get it back, when you didn’t even think was yours in the first place.
This is the powerful, but unfortunate mindset that affects multitudes of God’s people.
Everyone knows that God is able. We all know that God can do all things. We know that virtually nothing is impossible with God, so what do they do anyway? They petition, plead, fast and pray to God to move on their behalf. It seems so good and Godly, so surely it must be a holy and righteous thing to do. It’s the place where they start, but actually it’s a place of defeat.
Starting places can include. . .
1) A place of desperation.
2) A place of discouragement.
3) A place of need.
They’ll pick a place out of the Word of God, but do so according to the flesh. Though they don’t realize it, they’re actually operating from within the enemy’s camp.
Instead of starting from the place of complete victory in the Lord’s camp; a place of full understanding and confidence in their relationship with the Father, they’ll start in the enemy’s camp where they embrace the lie(s) about who they are in Christ, resulting in never ending struggles of trying to be victorious.
I’m not saying that you cannot get to victory from the enemy’s camp, which, at best, is a difficult place to be. Rather, I’m telling you that there is a better place, a better camp from which to start.
In the camp of the Lord, there is always victory. We see what the Father is doing and we do it too. We go from victory to victory!
Let me show you something in this scripture. . .
1Thes 5:23
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Children, hear what the word of God tells us through the words of Paul . . . and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly.
That word holy in the Greek is holoteiace and it means to be sanctified completely or to be sanctified entirely. Then Paul makes this incredible statement as he’s praying for those in Thessalonica.
And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our lord Jesus Christ.
Here’s revelation knowledge. . .
You’re a triune man, which is made up of three separate parts, spirit, soul and body.
And Paul says, “I pray that your whole spirit your soul and your body are preserved blameless until the coming of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.”
I believe most Christians have an understanding that they are made up of these three parts, but their understanding is only tied to hearing it with their natural ears, than the application of it through their hearts, or what I call revelation knowledge.
Most people relate to themselves through those two primary avenues, specifically their soul, or emotions, and then also through their physical body. These are the two avenues that the majority of God’s people tend to relate to God and to them selves as well.
The average child of God does not see himself or herself through the spirit, or the third part of our being.
It is not terribly difficult to discern the emotions of the soul, nor is it difficult to discern the feelings of the body. We’re naturally in tune with both of these. We experience them on a daily basis. What very few of God’s people relate to is the one third of our being that is born again. The one third of us that is identical to Jesus at salvation, and the one third of us that is both sanctified holy and righteous because of Christ in us.
I don’t believe that there are ten Christians in a thousand who even have revelation knowledge concerning the spirit, soul and body, or who walk in that knowledge on a daily basis. I find that tragic!
It’s a shameful tragedy, and yet, the average Child of God doesn’t even understand that the only part of them that is born again is their spirit man, NOT the soul or body. If the spirit isn’t allowed to influence and transform the soul with the truths of God’s word, then the body will continue do what it has always done through the soul, or what we know as the “seat of our emotions.”
It is amazing to me how multitudes of Christians have placed such tremendous importance on getting souls saved. There are only two scriptures in the entire New Testament that speak of souls being saved. Neither of which has anything to do with the born again experience.
James 1:21
wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Heb 10:39
but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Neither one of these scriptures speaks about being born again. Why is that, you ask. Because in the born again experience, your soul is not saved, only your spirit is made brand new – a new creature.
2 Cor 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Old things are passed away and all things are new, because you are a new creature.
VERSE:18
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2 Cor 5:17 is not speaking about your physical body, or your soul, becoming brand new. It speaks only of your spirit.
When you became born again your soul did not change or die; neither did your emotions change and your body did not change or die. Only the spirit was made new in Christ, or – BORN AGAIN.
Multitudes of God’s people place such great emphasis and importance on saving souls. Properly stated, the soul can never be saved. It can only be renewed.
Rom 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Salvation comes by hearing the Word of God and receiving, by faith, the finished work of Christ. This results in the death of our old man, which is then regenerated in Christ as a new creature. The body and soul remain as they were. Only renewing of the mind (soul) brings about the desired change in the body.
Have you ever heard the saying, “As the mind goes, so goes the body?”
I’ve often wondered how it is that so many people, who’ve been born again, believe that everything about them changed when they accepted Christ. No wonder they doubt their salvation experience. Walking away from an altar, they find that they still think and feel the same. Nothing appears different to them, though in fact, if genuine, they are indeed different. Their spirit man has been made new in Christ. The old man is dead, replaced with the new creation that only Christ can give. Faith makes the work a finished work. Now it’s the soul and body that needs to catch up to these truths through the renewing of the mind.
It’s a wonderful and beautiful journey that begins with salvation and ends upon our earthly death. Behold all things would become new and the old things would pass away.
Christians falsely think that salvation includes a change in all things. Most prayed a prayer of faith at an altar, which they no doubt really meant. But instead of coming into the full promise of his word / truth, they entered into a state of confusion and doubt when things didn’t quite change in the ways they wanted.
Here are but a few examples. They thought. . .
1) That lusts and evil desires will simply go away.
2) That bad circumstances and situations in their lives would be easily remedied.
3) That broken marriages, that a moment before were total disasters, would suddenly and instantly be healed.
4) That all that was wrong in life would unexpectedly be made right.
5) That their runaway emotions and attitudes would now behave and be completely under control.
6) That their past and all that they hated and disliked about it would be completely gone and forgotten.
Does this sound like someone you know?
They were accepting and rejoicing in the experience of the moment, but never actually came to a place of knowing the kind of truth(s) that brings real freedom. If you have real freedom in your inner or new man, and you do, then transformation in the soul and body can take place as your mind is renewed.
Emotions, attitudes and feelings, are conflicts when revealed by the truths of God’s word. Christians who do not allow the words of truth to wash over them remain captives of all that the soul and body experience. Though they are captives, the real prisoner is the new man within them who yearns to be set free, to possess all things, but is sadly at the mercy of a person who knows nothing of this new man and the freedoms he has come to give each of us.
Anonymous Quote: “You can’t have what you don’t know”
When you come into understanding concerning the word of God, only then will God’s word bring the necessary understanding, or renewing, that makes it possible for a lifestyle change in you. We then become more than conquerors.
Rom 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
As great a word as this is, multitudes of God’s people simply do not feel like conquerors, nor do they walk in the lifestyle of a conqueror.
This scripture was written about the new man, the new creature in Christ, in you, not the flesh man who accepted Christ.
When the light comes on in the hearts of God’s people, then God’s people will begin walking in that light – “the eyes of their understanding being enlightened.”
Be blessed in the Lord. His words are powerful, enlightening and full of joy. Walk in the light while there is still time.
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
What is it that hinders and restricts the child of God from attaining and receiving that which has already been provided for them through the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Though there are variables to that question, I want to bring to you a promise and insight that I believe will make all the difference in your walk with Christ.
And that is. . . YOUR ATTITUDE CAN BE MANAGED BY THE WORD OF GOD
What a promise we have. Our attitudes can actually be managed, ruled and controlled by the word of God.
If you’ve been looking for great revelation and good news, then this is surely it.
Haven’t you ever wondered why is it that we, as children of God, constantly need our attitudes adjusted and why they’re like a roller coaster ride that never seems to end?
Please allow me to give you some precious insight. Our attitudes are the way they are because we haven’t yet come to the truth and the realization that everything has already been done and accomplished in the spirit.
When you have the mindset that God needs to furnish something else for you that is still lacking, or feel there are things that He has left unfinished concerning you, that would make you complete, the truth doesn’t reside in you.
You are not dealing in the reality of God’s word wherein He has promised that all things have already been provided for according to His divine power.
2 Pet 1:3
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
When you remove, or separate yourselves from the reality of God’s word, then that greatly affects your mind and attitude. The difference, or outcome, is whether you walk in victory or defeat.
Do I need to say it again?
When your mindset is stuck on what you believe to be the unfinished work of Christ, you lose out.
There is a huge difference between people who fast and pray, in order “to move the hand of God,” and people who walk in genuine power and authority of that which has already been done/ given by Him.
Please listen!
We are not the sick trying to get healed and we are not the undelivered trying to get delivered. We are the healed and delivered in Christ. Satan is trying to steal these truths from us.
When people pray and fast for healing and deliverance; when they are fighting the good fight of faith and seem to spend enormous amounts of time rebuking the devil, whom they feel is personally blocking the move and hand of God, usually the effort is about getting something we feel we lack for ourselves which will make us complete. Perhaps it’s about standing in the gap, praying and interceding for the benefit of others, who are just as lacking.
The good fight of faith is in knowing what rightfully belongs to you in Christ and keeping it. Praying for others is so they too will come realize these truths and receive them as their own lives.
When you walk in the power and authority of that which is already been done, you’ll still pray, you’ll still fast and you’ll still rebuke the devil. But you’ll be doing these things in new light and revelation. You won’t be rebuking him so that healing and deliverance will come to you. You’ll be rebuking him because he’s a thief who’s bent on stealing something that already belongs to you.
What’s the difference?
Your attitude.
When your attitude sees yourself as already blessed instead of waiting to be blessed; when you see yourself already healed, already delivered, already financially prosperous and already forgiven, then this difference is victory.
Remember, it’s much easier to keep something that you already have, or own, if you truly know it belongs to you, than it is to go get it back, when you didn’t even think was yours in the first place.
This is the powerful, but unfortunate mindset that affects multitudes of God’s people.
Everyone knows that God is able. We all know that God can do all things. We know that virtually nothing is impossible with God, so what do they do anyway? They petition, plead, fast and pray to God to move on their behalf. It seems so good and Godly, so surely it must be a holy and righteous thing to do. It’s the place where they start, but actually it’s a place of defeat.
Starting places can include. . .
1) A place of desperation.
2) A place of discouragement.
3) A place of need.
They’ll pick a place out of the Word of God, but do so according to the flesh. Though they don’t realize it, they’re actually operating from within the enemy’s camp.
Instead of starting from the place of complete victory in the Lord’s camp; a place of full understanding and confidence in their relationship with the Father, they’ll start in the enemy’s camp where they embrace the lie(s) about who they are in Christ, resulting in never ending struggles of trying to be victorious.
I’m not saying that you cannot get to victory from the enemy’s camp, which, at best, is a difficult place to be. Rather, I’m telling you that there is a better place, a better camp from which to start.
In the camp of the Lord, there is always victory. We see what the Father is doing and we do it too. We go from victory to victory!
Let me show you something in this scripture. . .
1Thes 5:23
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Children, hear what the word of God tells us through the words of Paul . . . and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly.
That word holy in the Greek is holoteiace and it means to be sanctified completely or to be sanctified entirely. Then Paul makes this incredible statement as he’s praying for those in Thessalonica.
And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our lord Jesus Christ.
Here’s revelation knowledge. . .
You’re a triune man, which is made up of three separate parts, spirit, soul and body.
And Paul says, “I pray that your whole spirit your soul and your body are preserved blameless until the coming of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.”
I believe most Christians have an understanding that they are made up of these three parts, but their understanding is only tied to hearing it with their natural ears, than the application of it through their hearts, or what I call revelation knowledge.
Most people relate to themselves through those two primary avenues, specifically their soul, or emotions, and then also through their physical body. These are the two avenues that the majority of God’s people tend to relate to God and to them selves as well.
The average child of God does not see himself or herself through the spirit, or the third part of our being.
It is not terribly difficult to discern the emotions of the soul, nor is it difficult to discern the feelings of the body. We’re naturally in tune with both of these. We experience them on a daily basis. What very few of God’s people relate to is the one third of our being that is born again. The one third of us that is identical to Jesus at salvation, and the one third of us that is both sanctified holy and righteous because of Christ in us.
I don’t believe that there are ten Christians in a thousand who even have revelation knowledge concerning the spirit, soul and body, or who walk in that knowledge on a daily basis. I find that tragic!
It’s a shameful tragedy, and yet, the average Child of God doesn’t even understand that the only part of them that is born again is their spirit man, NOT the soul or body. If the spirit isn’t allowed to influence and transform the soul with the truths of God’s word, then the body will continue do what it has always done through the soul, or what we know as the “seat of our emotions.”
It is amazing to me how multitudes of Christians have placed such tremendous importance on getting souls saved. There are only two scriptures in the entire New Testament that speak of souls being saved. Neither of which has anything to do with the born again experience.
James 1:21
wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Heb 10:39
but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
Neither one of these scriptures speaks about being born again. Why is that, you ask. Because in the born again experience, your soul is not saved, only your spirit is made brand new – a new creature.
2 Cor 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Old things are passed away and all things are new, because you are a new creature.
VERSE:18
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2 Cor 5:17 is not speaking about your physical body, or your soul, becoming brand new. It speaks only of your spirit.
When you became born again your soul did not change or die; neither did your emotions change and your body did not change or die. Only the spirit was made new in Christ, or – BORN AGAIN.
Multitudes of God’s people place such great emphasis and importance on saving souls. Properly stated, the soul can never be saved. It can only be renewed.
Rom 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Salvation comes by hearing the Word of God and receiving, by faith, the finished work of Christ. This results in the death of our old man, which is then regenerated in Christ as a new creature. The body and soul remain as they were. Only renewing of the mind (soul) brings about the desired change in the body.
Have you ever heard the saying, “As the mind goes, so goes the body?”
I’ve often wondered how it is that so many people, who’ve been born again, believe that everything about them changed when they accepted Christ. No wonder they doubt their salvation experience. Walking away from an altar, they find that they still think and feel the same. Nothing appears different to them, though in fact, if genuine, they are indeed different. Their spirit man has been made new in Christ. The old man is dead, replaced with the new creation that only Christ can give. Faith makes the work a finished work. Now it’s the soul and body that needs to catch up to these truths through the renewing of the mind.
It’s a wonderful and beautiful journey that begins with salvation and ends upon our earthly death. Behold all things would become new and the old things would pass away.
Christians falsely think that salvation includes a change in all things. Most prayed a prayer of faith at an altar, which they no doubt really meant. But instead of coming into the full promise of his word / truth, they entered into a state of confusion and doubt when things didn’t quite change in the ways they wanted.
Here are but a few examples. They thought. . .
1) That lusts and evil desires will simply go away.
2) That bad circumstances and situations in their lives would be easily remedied.
3) That broken marriages, that a moment before were total disasters, would suddenly and instantly be healed.
4) That all that was wrong in life would unexpectedly be made right.
5) That their runaway emotions and attitudes would now behave and be completely under control.
6) That their past and all that they hated and disliked about it would be completely gone and forgotten.
Does this sound like someone you know?
They were accepting and rejoicing in the experience of the moment, but never actually came to a place of knowing the kind of truth(s) that brings real freedom. If you have real freedom in your inner or new man, and you do, then transformation in the soul and body can take place as your mind is renewed.
Emotions, attitudes and feelings, are conflicts when revealed by the truths of God’s word. Christians who do not allow the words of truth to wash over them remain captives of all that the soul and body experience. Though they are captives, the real prisoner is the new man within them who yearns to be set free, to possess all things, but is sadly at the mercy of a person who knows nothing of this new man and the freedoms he has come to give each of us.
Anonymous Quote: “You can’t have what you don’t know”
When you come into understanding concerning the word of God, only then will God’s word bring the necessary understanding, or renewing, that makes it possible for a lifestyle change in you. We then become more than conquerors.
Rom 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
As great a word as this is, multitudes of God’s people simply do not feel like conquerors, nor do they walk in the lifestyle of a conqueror.
This scripture was written about the new man, the new creature in Christ, in you, not the flesh man who accepted Christ.
When the light comes on in the hearts of God’s people, then God’s people will begin walking in that light – “the eyes of their understanding being enlightened.”
Be blessed in the Lord. His words are powerful, enlightening and full of joy. Walk in the light while there is still time.
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