Test The Spirits

Hereby we know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. 1 John 4:2

Now there are many who confess Jesus, but remember the test, all who say Lord, Lord, are not necessarily one with Him. Just because someone says that they are a Christian, test them to see whether they confess that Jesus is one with them and that Christ is in their flesh; that is the test of true salvation. People may seem religious, but their hearts may be far from God, as 1 John teaches, they are the spirit of anti-christ. Jesus teaches that such people are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They may appear to be nice and humble, but if they are in any way denying the power of our Father within them, they are wolves! Look at how Jesus spoke to Peter in Mark 8:33 when Peter was just trying to be nice,

But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

The Truth is that we are eternally accepted by our Father because of Jesus, anything different, regardless of how it may sound, is not of God!

Truly saved people are confident and bold in the power of our Father working through them, they are because Jesus has made them to be. We know beyond any shadow of a doubt that we are eternally accepted by our Father. We place no confidence in ourselves, none whatsoever, our faith is all in our Father. Those who believe they may fall away are trusting in their own efforts and their own abilities to continue to serve. But for the truly saved we know that we have been chosen by our Father and we know that no man, including ourselves, can pluck us out of God’s hands! We know that we have been born into the family and we know that that can never change. Many will say Lord, Lord, but those who say Lord, Lord and then tell you that we can walk away from salvation are of the body of the anti-christ! The Truth sets us free! So test people and if their focus is always on Jesus being in them and that they are one with Him, then they are truly saved.

We Are Not Strangers To God

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what His lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you. John 15:15

We are no longer strangers to God, and far more importantly He is no longer a stranger to us. The great Truth is that we are actually now God’s friends. You ever know someone who is not a friend of their parents? Sure they are their kids, but yet they aren’t friends. The parents do things and the kids do things and they never really share or fellowship with one another. Well this is not how we are with God, our Father now dwells within us, He shares His all with us, and all things that Jesus has heard from God, He turns around and tells us. We fellowship and we commune with God Himself! Through Christ we are filled with the fullness of our Father. God likes us, He just doesn’t love us, He actually likes us! And through Christ we eternally fellowship and communicate with God our Father, without any condemnation whatsoever. We have been cleansed by the Blood and we are built upon Jesus. We are now members of our Fathers body, flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bone! As He is, so are we in this world! Today is the Day of our Salvation and now is our accepted time. If Jesus is our Lord than we cannot help but to blessed in the complete and full power of His might!

And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent. John 17:3

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

God Has Called Us Holy

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but to holiness. 1 Thessalonians 4:7

It is our Father’s desire for us to be holy, to be pure, to be powerful, to be perfect, and to be clean. He fully understands what we are. He knows better than we do about the weaknesses of our flesh and He knows our needs before we do. That is why our Father sent Jesus, so that all of our needs could be fulfilled through His riches and glory. Our Father sent Jesus so that our weaknesses would no longer matter, so that we could now be strong in the power of His might. The Blood of Christ is stronger than our inability's and the Grace of God is more powerful than our flesh. God knew we could never be clean by our own actions, so He said, "no problem, I love you enough, and I am God, so I will sanctify you Myself."

Think about God, our Father, for a minute. Ask yourself can He do everything? Most of us would say yes, He is God. So if God can do everything and we see that Jesus asked God to sanctify us, John 17:17, it should not be any problem at all for us to believe and accept that our Father is able to make us pure, clean, set us apart for holy use, and free us from sin.

This is the attitude the church needs to accept and walk in: We have been chosen and empowered by God Himself to make Jesus our Lord and Savior, so we are now one with Him. Since we are now the children of God, born of His seed, we are now clean, pure, free from sin, sanctified, and holy this day. Our power is the power of The Living God and we are now more than conquerors through Christ Who loves us this day. We can now be used by God to do all things through Christ Who strengthens us! We have been given the right, the privilege, and the abilities of God Himself to fulfill His will on this earth. And our Fathers will is glorious, it will fulfill our lives as nothing else will. It will satisfy us, bring us joy, peace, and true happiness. Our Fathers love is perfected within us and as He is so are we in this world!

The Holy Spirit will empower us to share these truths with others this day and we will watch God grow the seed of His Truth. Our Father will use us to plant the seeds that will produce a harvest that spans the oceans, a harvest that is not hindered by political boarders, or false religious creeds. When our Father sent Jesus, He sent Him in power and with demonstration of His Spirit. When Jesus sent His disciples, He sent them in power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus called Paul, He sent him with the power and demonstration of the Spirit of God. What would ever make the church think that our Father doesn’t do the same with us? Our Father is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He changes not!

Filled With The Holy Spirit?

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked with Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV

If you don’t believe these verses, that we are guaranteed eternal salvation, I want you to ask yourself this? When were you filled with the Holy Spirit? If you cannot answer yourself with a specific time and place, a time when you knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that you were, then you need to get with God and ask Him why? I can tell you that for me it was at the Brentonel Church of Christ, when I was eleven years old, with my Aunt Linda, in a cold metal chair beside the baptismal, where they dunked me! My mom reached over towards me and I was filled!

I had believed in Jesus before that night, but that was the time that I was filled with the Holy Spirit. That is the moment that I realized that I was guaranteed eternity. If you have not had such an experience, if you struggle with what we have discussed, there is no condemnation here, just an honest question to ask yourself, have you been filled with the Holy Spirit? Our Father will reveal to you the answer! I have never met anyone who can tell me of an exact moment when they were, who ever questions their eternity. They don't question it because the confidence of their salvation has been born into them. They have a guarantee that is directly of God! No real wavering, no questioning, it’s just in them! And if it’s not in you, it can be, and it’s God’s will that it is.

Our Father loves us so very much! Our Father wants us to have no questions about who we are in Him and who He is within us. We should not be tossed to and fro and to insure that we are not, our Father has given us Himself to bear witness with our spirits, so that we can be confident and bold in our eternal salvation! Don’t just take my word for it, go and read in the Book of Acts, every time the Holy Spirit came to men, there where no doubts! The baptism of the Holy Spirit brings confidence and boldness, because He bring assurance and He cries out from our hearts that God is our Father. If you are desiring this experience it is only because our Father is causing you to want it and that means that He will absolutely give it!

No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day. John 6:44

Father I ask You in Jesus’ Name, that all who read this study will know beyond any shadow of a doubt that they are eternally with You! That they know that they are preserved by You until the Day of Jesus’ return, the Day of Redemption!

We Have Been Given A New Heart

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land I gave your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of your tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen." Ezekiel 36:26-30

We have studied extensively in these postings on our unity with our Father through Jesus our Lord and Savior. We have established with the Word that we have been given the Holy Spirit to abide within us and that the Spirit of Christ continually dwells within us. We have also seen that through Christ we are actually one with God. We all need to hear through the Word, that because we are now one with God, we are now pure, clean, holy, godly, and perfect. We are all of these things because of God, all by His power, all because it is His will. There is nothing that we could do to establish these truths on our own; no work could even begin to scratch the surface of what would be needed. But because of Jesus, we now have it all and through Him we can walk in the perfection that our Father created for us.

Look at what God prophesies through Ezekiel: that He will give us a new heart, that He will give us a new spirit, and that His Spirit now dwells within us. Our Father proclaims that He will cause us to walk in His statutes and that He will cause us to keep His judgments. Ezekiel also prophesies that our Father will save us from all uncleannesses. The first step to being clean is to be cleansed and our Father, through His Spirit, cleanses us. That is why Jesus told His disciples in John 16:7 that it was better that He would go away, because if He did, than the Spirit would come, and with it salvation from all of our uncleanness! 

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.

This prophecy in Ezekiel clearly shows the love that God has for us. Our Father's overwhelming desire is for us to be saved. His desire is so strong for us to be unified with Him, that He alone will take care of all the needed actions to insure it. Remember God created us as His children, in His image, He breathed life into us, and He did it to have fellowship with us. We are of God. So our Father did not give an angel the responsibility of keeping us, He did not give a preacher the responsibility, and He did not even give us the responsibility. Our Father loves us so much, and He is so unwilling to be without us, that He gave Himself the responsibility. Our Father alone will keep us from all uncleanness. This truth should give you a peace that passes all understanding and our Father has given us a heart that can believe it and rejoice in it.

Perfection In Christ

Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. 1 Corinthians 3:13-16

I have met so many Christians who believe they are falling in and out of salvation. One day they believe that they are saved, the next day they believe that they aren’t. 2000 years ago Paul was dealing with the same attitude from people. He told the Corinthians, “Look sure your works will be tried, you will receive rewards and maybe losses, but you will still be saved.” Paul was basically saying to them: “don't you people know who you are in Christ?” 

It amazing that that we still have to preach the same message today. People still want to earn their salvation. They still want to condemn themselves and others and so many still lack an understanding of who they are in Christ. But we have seen the Truth and the Truth has made us free! One of my favorite verses is Hebrews 6:1. 

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us move on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God.

Perfection, our Father wouldn’t have written it, if we couldn’t have it! And through Christ we have it! We were just born again into it! Our perfection is a free gift and it never leaves us or forsakes us. 

I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in One; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me. John 17:23

We Dwell In The Boldness Of Perfect Love

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in Him, and He in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:15-17

Therefore there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12

I am always so thankful when I read what our Father had John write, “as He is,” and I always want to talk about it. The glory of what our Father has given us is awesome and it has been given to every one of us who truly has been chosen and empowered to confess Jesus Christ as Lord!

But before we talk about being as God is, let’s talk about us dwelling in love and loving one another as our Father loves us. I heard it preached years ago that God doesn’t just have love, but that He is love, 1 John 4:16 Our Father cannot help but be what He is and He is love!

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11

The God of love, the God Who is love, the God Who we are born of, and the God Who we are one with allows us to be perfect as we live in His peace with one mind and in good comfort! We are born of God and God is love, so we are born of love. We are now one with God, Who is love, so we now abide in love and we are now sealed in love. We are born again of God’s perfect love and that perfect love casts out all fear from us. Our Father's perfect love allows us to be one with each other and one with Him, with one heart, one mind, and one accord, just as God and Jesus are One. We are one in God, so that the world will believe the Truth that will set them free! Our Father is not divided and in Him we are a unified house. We are a house that has been built upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ! This is Truth is that empowers us to go into all of the world and boldly proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom. Because we are one with our Father and we now possess His very love, we can go to the world with more than just words, we go in the full power and victory of Jesus. 

We Have God's Righteousness

And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. Philippians 3:10

Why is it that people believe and have no problem with accepting that we can be filled with satan, or a demon, and act with outright evil, yet to believe that we can be filled with and one with God and act in His true righteousness is unthinkable? It just never made any sense to me. But look here, Paul didn’t struggle with it and he was encouraging the Philippians to be the same way. We should not want our own righteousness; we should desire the fullness of God’s holiness and righteousness. Think about our Father’s righteousness, the glory of it, the freedom of it, the love of it, and the power of it. Living completely in God’s righteousness should be our desire and hope.

How does our Father tell us that we can have His righteousness? We are able to have it by faith! 

Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 

Jesus will Author and Finish the faith within us so that we can have the very righteousness and holiness of God! Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would have His glory, well what is Jesus’ glory, it’s righteousness. It is the righteousness of God that allowed Jesus to bare all of our sins and not be condemned to eternal death and Hell. Jesus is leading us into the paths of righteousness and Jesus is our Head, and Jesus will insure that we live in and enjoy our Father’s full righteousness!

God Conforms Us To Be Like Jesus

For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them also glorified. What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:29-31

Once again look at the remarkable power that our Father is saying to us. God proclaims that He is the One Who conforms us to the image of The King of Kings, Jesus our Lord and Savior. Our Father has called us, He has chosen us, He has justified us, and He has glorified us. So naturally who can be against us? Our Father repeatedly proclaims through His Word that He has done all that is required for us to be one with Him on this earth.

Never struggle at trying to do something on your own to earn it, because the Truth is you’re never alone, through Christ you’re never separated from God. People who try and earn God’s favor and grace are struggling in vain; many unfortunately do struggle though. We don’t have to sit by and watch them, we need to love them, because if they were going to step in front of a bus, wouldn’t we do something? What we need to do is share the Word of our Father; we need to share these truths and the Truth will set them free. We need to intercede for them in prayer and amen, we have the Holy Spirit empowering us to do everything that is needed to help them.

How then shall they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? Romans 10:14 

Reading these verses will do so much for people. I have found that many people have never heard them, it’s a great starting point, and then the Holy Spirit will lead you to go on from there.

Once Saved Always Saved

For it is impossible [to restore and bring again to repentance] those who have been once for all enlightened, who have consciously tasted the heavenly gift and have become sharers of the Holy Spirit,

And have felt how good the Word of God is and the mighty powers of the age and world to come, If they then deviate from the faith and turn away from their allegiance—[it is impossible] to bring them back to repentance, for (because, while, as long as) they nail upon the cross the Son of God afresh [as far as they are concerned] and are holding [Him] up to contempt and shame and public disgrace. Hebrews 6:4-6

 

We better hope the Truth is that once we are saved we are always saved. Because if these verses mean that with just one mess up, one chance is all we get, we are all doomed! But that is not what these verses mean at all! What this is saying is someone who has these things cannot fall away; because they have been sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of Christ’s return, Ephesians 4:30. We were crucified with Christ, we have been raised up and made to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, and through Christ we are now one with God, even as Jesus is one with God. The Bible teaches that our bodies that could sin have been destroyed, Romans 6:6. 

I honestly believe once saved always saved, there are so many verses that say it, and the ones that people use to try and cast doubt, don’t. I just don’t believe our Father, Who is God, can be fooled by a false confession of faith, and God doesn’t give His power of salvation to liars and sinners; our Father knows our hearts! 

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed you were marked with Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV

For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] Romans 11:29

Why We Are So Blessed

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Ephesians 1:3-4

Our Father has blessed us with how many spiritual blessings? Our Father has blessed us with all of His blessings and He has done it so that we can be holy and without blame! And where do we have all of these spiritual blessings, in Christ? And where are we now? At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father, and ye in Me, and I in you. John 14:20

We were chosen by our Father in Christ before this earth was even made! Everything Jesus has, we have, we are joint-heirs with Him, and as God proclaims, And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: Ephesians 2:6 We are in Jesus right now and we have been raised up to sit with Him in Heavenly places, so that all, each and every, spiritual blessing is ours right now! There is nothing that Jesus has been given by God that we have not become one with through Him. For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. Ephesians 5:30

A-men we have been given all by our Father. We haven’t been given just some of our Fathers blessings, we aren’t just partially filled with some of God’s blessings, through Christ we are one with all of them. The glorious Truth that has set us free is that God has given us all of His blessings. Shout it out loud, "I have been given all spiritual blessings by God Himself!"

So why hasn’t our Father limited our blessings? Why has He given us all spiritual blessings? Well, He gave us all so that we can be holy and without blame! I hope you are not getting tired of hearing that we are holy, that we are perfect, righteous, sanctified, glorified, and joint-heirs through Christ, because we have so many more daily studies of scriptural Truth's from our Father that say that we are. We will study every one too. No one will be able to say that we base our faith on a few verses and no one will be able to say we are taking these verses out of context.

We absolutely and positively have to lay the foundation of the gifts that have been freely given us because we have been chosen by God. Why? Because our Father wants us to have it all and the world so desperately needs us to be as our Father is on this earth. Let’s face it religion has failed. Abortion is accepted, we can’t talk about the Word of God in schools, divorce, sickness, homosexuality, and fear are wide spread, and how many different churches are there anyway? The world needs us to be what and who these verses proclaim we are in Christ, and with God, we can’t help but be! And before Jesus returns we will be! That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27

We Always Have Jesus & The Holy Spirit Within Us

And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever. Even the Spirit of Truth: whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  John 14:16-17

At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father, and ye in Me, and I in you. John 14:20

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7

And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine Own Name those Whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as we are. John 17:10-11

I know that we have discussed all of these verses several times before, but what a great stretch of Chapters in the Gospel of John, with all the power and glory of what was said by Jesus! Don't just read these verses, really stop and consider what Jesus has proclaimed! Jesus said that He is glorified in us and that we are the vessels that allow Him to receive His glory. Jesus said that it is God Who now keeps us, and if it is God Who is keeping us, we are kept, sealed and perfected without fear in His perfect love. As we have previously studied, we are preserved in Christ until the day that God destroys evil! God actually dwells within us, we are actually in Jesus right now, and Jesus actually is in us! Through Christ we are one with God! Because of this we will bare much fruit. The peace of these Truths, the joy that they proclaim, and the awesome power associated with them allow us to be as He is in this world. If you want to have some meat go and read John 14-17 and see just what Jesus has provided for us, and see what our Father can and should be doing through us! Greater is He that is within us than anything and everything that is in the world! There is no weapon that is formed against God that can prosper and we are now preserved in the greatness of His power! Today is the day of our freedom and victory in Christ and today is the day that He causes us to rejoice and be glad! Jesus has delivered us, He has called us, He has chosen us, He has glorified us, He has preserved us, He has sanctified us, He has perfected us, and He has given us life abundantly! Our victory is based on His victory and our power is His power that is within us, and His power that is in us is greater than we can ever imagine! The Truth of our unity with God through Jesus, has set us free to ever live to serve the Living God. Our bodies of sin have been destroyed and we have been raised up together and made to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus! There is no more defeat for us, only victory, because now all things work together for us who love the Lord!

The Ukraine

Who shall ever separate us from Christ’s love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword? Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors [m]and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

Our Father has used this Blog a lot in the Ukraine. That definitely shows us the power of the Holy Spirit and how He uses the internet to sow the Word. I just wanted to let those who He is having read these postings in the Ukraine to know that you are not alone, our Father is with you, and in you, and one with you. In these times He will strengthen you in ways that you have never even imagined. He will do more through you now then you can ask for, pray for, or believe for and He will do it by His power that is within you, just as Ephesians 3:20 tells us that He will. 

The possibility of war with Russia and the divisions of your country will not separate you from the power and love of our Father. The uncertainty of the times will not separate you from Him and the threat of the sword won’t either. Our Father will use you regardless of what is coming. Through Christ our Father will allow the world to see His Love and Power through you.

The Holy Spirit Strengthens Us In The Word

But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. John 16:13-14

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and to lead us in the Word. If you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, you can’t help but study God’s Word. I am living proof of this Truth. Studying the Word of God consumes me. Ask anyone that I ever went to school with if studying consumed me, not really, not even a little tiny bit! I wasn’t what you might say a strong student! But when I was in my mid twenties our Father took hold of me and said let’s go, and through His power and strength I never went back. I didn’t have this desire to study on my own; God gave the desire to me. I didn’t have the ability or the patience to study to show myself approved unto Him; it was the Holy Spirit within me that empowered me. I will tell you this too; thank God it was Him, because if it were up to me, I would never do it. But because it is our Father's desire for us and because we have been empowered and chosen to ask Jesus into our lives, and to give Him full permission to lead us, it’s not our will any more, it’s God’s will. We are able to study, willing to study, and eager study, we can’t help it, it’s the will of our Head.

There are so many who preach that if we just do this or that, then God will act for us. But the Truth is that we have been given the Holy Spirit of our Father to lead us, guide us, teach us, and strengthen us in all things that pertain unto life and unto godliness. So the preaching shouldn’t be about us, but about the power of our Father within us. We believe because Jesus Authors and Finishes our faith to believe. We have the hope to believe because the Holy Spirit causes us to abound in hope. We know what to ask for because the Holy Spirit teaches us and leads us in all strength. The glory is all our Fathers, it’s all because of Him, even the believing to ask. The battle is His and the victory is ours.

It is the Holy Spirit that will lead us to love others, despite what they say or do. It is our Father’s Spirit that will lead us to serve beyond human abilities. He will take us, who the world calls foolish, and use us to confound the wise. Through us the Holy Spirit will raise the dead, heal the sick, cause the blind to see, and feed the hungry. It is all His power and glory that causes us to love and forgive.  

Perfection Is Easy

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48

The Truth is we are perfect because we have been chosen by God to be one with the One Who is perfect. We have power because the Powerful One lives continually within us! Jesus never leaves us or forsakes us, Hebrews 13:5. We are set apart for Holy use, we are clean, pure, and free from sin, because God has chosen us and empowered us to be one with Jesus, and as Jesus is, so are we in this world. And the only reason that we have Jesus, and are one with all that He is, is because our Father saved us and empowered us with His very Spirit to accept Him as Lord. It’s an easy yoke and a light burden when God is the One doing it all through us, Matthew 11:30!

The Word of God, the Word of Truth that sets us free, teaches us that we have been given the same glory as Jesus and we are not wrong for confessing this Truth, because Jesus is the One Who said it, John 17:22. The Word teaches us that we are as Jesus is, even while we are on this earth, 1 John 4:17. Actually it can be no other way, because we are dead, and yet we live, yet it is not us that lives, it is Christ living within us, and Jesus is just like God, because He is God, Galatians 2:20! The Truth of our Father shows us who we became when we were chosen and were born again. We were born again not of corruptible seed, but Incorruptible Seed, 1 Peter 1:23. I hope you are seeing the Truth that our Father is showing us with all of these postings. Jesus sanctified Himself and we are now sanctified through Him as well.

You are a child of the Living God, you are free from sin, you are set apart for Holy use, you are pure, and a-men you are perfect. Go find a person that has the bumper sticker that says, "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven," and tell them that they really are perfect because of Christ! You see the Truth that sets us free is not looking to ourselves for the power of perfection, it is looking unto Jesus and acknowledging that our perfection and sanctification are solely based on Him! We are perfect, glorified, sanctified, and holy because Jesus was successful and only because He was successful! And praise God Jesus was successful, fully and completely and totally successful. So our perfection is easy, because we can’t help but be perfect. 

I love you and be blessed! And Father allow us the ability to fully see the power of what Jesus has done for us and allow us to walk fully in the glory of Your Truth!

True Zeal

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Romans 10:2

Most people in church are great people, they love, they want to serve God, they have good hearts, but they are wrongly trying to be righteous through what they believe are their own efforts and actions. These people are nice, they do try, however, they do not understand their unity with Christ, and therefore they always fall short and live in a constant state of condemnation. These are the people who we need to share the Truth with. Some will listen and some won't. Some will receive the Truth and some will reject it. But if we preach it, no one will ever be able to stand before our Father and say that we didn't try to tell them. Now here is our great peace, we have the Holy Spirit within us Who earnestly desires to tell them the Truth that will set them free. We never preach on our own, we always operate in God’s power and abilities and we will be blessed in serving others beyond expression. 

Remember how many prophets that our Father sent, how many apostles, and how many disciples! Our Father had how many letters written, and all telling us His Truth. It’s God’s desire, and since we are one with Him, it is our desire as well to share the Truth that will set people free! Our Father’s Spirit bears witness with people that they are heirs, and so does ours! We can’t be saved and not have a spirit that tells us that we are heirs of God. We are new creatures in Christ, old things are passed away for us, and all things have become new for us! Our Father, Who is God, is now greater in us than anything that is in this world. We have been born again of God’s Incorruptible Seed and our will is now to do the will of our Father Who dwells within us.

Our Father has predestined all believers to be conformed to Jesus’ image, Romans 8:29. As He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17. God has called us, He has justified us, and He has glorified us, Romans 8:30. Our Father has made us joint heirs with Christ and nothing can now stand against us from fully living in His blessings and being used to further His Kingdom, Ephesians 3:6! If we see it written in the Bible that it is God’s desire for us, than we know that it is ours desire as well. It’s just born in there, it’s what we are, it’s Who we are from, it’s our heritage!

Our Father will use us to tell people who they are in Christ and we all will be blessed, blessed beyond expression as Jesus ever lives to insure that we have life and have it more abundantly!

Serving Others With Power & Wisdom

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor the princes of this world, that come to naught, 1 Corinthians 2: 4-6

Our Father’s Word should be preached with the power and demonstration of His Spirit. Read in the Old Testament, or the New Testament, and try to find a place where a prophet or preacher taught about God and there wasn’t something that transcended human abilities along with it. Moses, David, Elijah, Daniel, Samson, Jesus, Paul, or Peter all were used by our Father to show His greatness. God’s normal is so far beyond man’s ability. Noah, one guy and a couple of his kids built an ocean liner! Peter, even if just for a moment walked on water, in a storm mind you. So preacher’s lay off Peter and his doubt, he at least tried, and he tried in a turbulent sea! I think it was awesome that he got out of the boat in the first place!

Preaching with demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit is extremely important, it allows our faith to rise above worldly wisdom. People need to see that our Father still performs above and beyond any physical human capacity. Jesus warns against only seeking out a sign, but that does not mean that God does not perform signs and wonders to confirm His presence and His Truths. 

And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My Name shall they cast out devils; they will speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Mark 16:15-18

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Ephesians 3:20

The great Truth with all of this is that we can't do a thing on our own. We have but a little power, but Jesus doesn't, He has a ton of it. So we look to Him, not ourselves for the ability to be used to preach with power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. The burden is His and the victory is ours! 

Our Renewed Minds

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].  Romans 12:2

In this world we are trained and widely encouraged to look to jobs, paychecks, insurances, marriages, education, doctors, medicine, and government to provide us with the peace in safety that will make for a happy and prosperous life. In America we are told to look to our Constitution and our Bill of Rights to bring us freedom and hope. But our Father tells us that we are not to be conformed to this world and all of these things are of the world. We are told to be transformed and to have an entirely different mind then the world has. Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount to not to seek the things of the world, but rather to seek the Kingdom of God.

But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. Matthew 6:33

So the question is how will our Father cause us to think and believe? The answer to this question can be found in Mark 4:14, “The sower sows the Word.” Jesus tells us that the ability to understand every parable, or every secret of the Kingdom, is found in our ability to understand the parable of the Sower, Mark 4:13. So the secret and the mind that we should have is one that is always looking to sow the Word. Every action of our lives should revolve around giving the Word to people and the Word is Jesus. So we should always be looking to give Jesus freely to everyone. This is the key to having an abundant life. And amen we are not alone in doing it. If we were, we would absolutely 100% of the time fail. We are never left alone and we are never forsaken, we have the Holy Spirit with us constantly strengthening us to sow the Word. Our abundance does not come from pay checks, investments, insurances, doctors, or governments, our abundance comes from the Holy Spirit causing us to sow the Truth that sets everyone free.

Our Father may have us actually read the Bible to sow the Word. He may have us quote it, paraphrase it, or just speak it without ever referencing that it is the Word. He may have us exhibit it through our actions. However He does it is up to our Father, but our peace and joy is that our Father will do it through us.

If there is anything in our lives that we are looking to before the Word and freely giving it, our peace is that our Father will get rid of it. He will never allow us to trust in any worldly thing. Religion will try to tell us that we have to make this choice and that we have to renew our own minds. Our peace however is that this responsibility is not ours, but our Father’s and He is very successful at accomplishing all of the things that He desires. Our Father is always greater in us then anything that is in this world!

 

 

We Are Abundantly Used By Our Father

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Ephesians 3:20

God is now able to do so much through us in Christ, and in Jesus' Name we are going to be used by our Father to do far above anything that we can ask for or think of! Through the power of our Father let's move on to perfection because He is able and willing to do so much through us then we have seen. We are His chosen vessels of honor and service. 

Our Father is able and willing to do more than we can even think of, and I will tell you one thing, I can think of some pretty awesome things! For one thing I can think of actually having the Mind of Christ! We are perfect, because we are one with the Perfect One; He has made us that way in our born again state. We know that we are the Temples of the Living God, and a-men, we know that God can do great things through us this day. We know that we can walk in power and demonstration of His Spirit. We are powerful in Christ so that all men will have their faith grounded in God, and not in worldly wisdom! Through Christ we can be used by our Father this day to raise the dead, heal the sick, tell the weather to be what it should be, love those who hate us, forgive totally those who have wronged us, share the good news anywhere and with everyone, see clearly and precisely the things to come, and prophesy the specific Truths of our Father that will set all of the captives of this world free! We are a chosen people and a royal priesthood. We have been ordained by God unto greatness and this is the day of our salvation and now is our accepted time in Christ Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Our age does not limit our Father’s ability to use us, old or young, He is greater in us then anything that is in the world. Our ability to quote scripture doesn’t matter to God. Our physical condition in no way hinders our Father’s ability to use us. He will always and 100% of the time use us above what we can imagine that He can. Jesus knows we have but a little strength now, but He doesn't. So let's desire that He fully demonstrate His strength and abilities through us. Just as Mary kept on demanding that Jesus act, even though it wasn't yet His time, so should we. The world needs to experience and be set free by the power of our Lord.  

Jesus Knows We May Not Have A Lot Of Power

I know your [record of] works and what you are doing. See! I have set before you a door wide open which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My Word and guarded My message and have not renounced or denied My name. Revelation 3:8

Jesus knows that we don’t have all of the power that we would like to have. When I was growing up I was involved in very charismatic churches. They were the “name it and claim it” kind of churches. The main theme of the services was always we don’t have what God wants us to have because we were falling short in our faith. If we were sick, it was because we didn’t have faith. If we were poor, it was because we didn’t have faith. If we didn’t have anything, it was because we didn’t have the faith. There was always condemnation, while maybe the condemnation wasn’t direct, it was definitely indirectly thrown at us. But our Father had it written that there was now no condemnation for us, Romans 8:1. So for years I had great conflict as to what was wrong with me.

Then our Father had a group that I was in begin to study Revelation and there was Revelation 3:8. It was a glorious verse and it explained my life. I couldn’t leave the Word. No matter what I was doing, I seemed to have only a little power. When our Father showed me this verse, a huge weight was lifted from me. He showed me that I was not alone. He showed me that it was all right and I began to see the Truth that sets us free.

The Truth is that there is a season. Jesus had opened His door to me and no one could shut it. All of the condemnation from religion on my level of faith couldn’t squelch the Word. I wasn’t crazy. I began to see that there is a time for everything and the timing was all up to our Father and not up to us. Peace came and I hope that it comes to you as well. Some of us may have 10 denarii, some of us 5, and some of us only 1. But amen whether our Father has us with many or only a few, He will never allow us to leave or denounce the Word. Which means: He will never allow us to leave or renounce Jesus. And Jesus is the One with all of the power.      

Through Christ We Know Our Father Completely

And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. Philippians 3:10

Look at what the Holy Spirit has Paul write, that he may actually know God. We should want to know our Father, who is He, what is He, how is He, why is He, all of His fullness; through the power of Christ we can actually know all of God! This only makes sense, He is our Father. We can know the power of our Fathers resurrection, just as Jesus knows it! That being said, what exactly is the power of Jesus’ resurrection?

Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once; but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Romans 6:9-11

The power of Jesus’ resurrection is that He has died unto sin once, so that He may forever more live unto and be One with God! And since Jesus died for us, we too can know that same power and glory in our own lives! We can know exactly and completely what it is to be free from sin and what it means to be eternally one with God.

And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine Own self, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. John 17:5

Jesus was raised from the dead to be just as He was before He was manifested on earth as a man, and God teaches us that with His righteousness, we too have the exact same thing. Faith comes from hearing that our salvation means that we are now just like Jesus! We are one with all that He is, He has given us all that He possesses, we are completely one with it! We are now members of Jesus’ body, we are now the branches of the Vine of Christ, and greater is He that is in us than anything that is in this world! As Jesus is One with and as Jesus knows God, so do we in the power of His might!

The Hope Of Christ Makes Us Perfect

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.  Hebrews 7:19

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. Hebrews 6:1-2

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48

The disciple is not above his master: but everyone that is perfect shall be as his master. Luke 6:40

I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in One; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me. John 17:23

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princess of this world, that come to naught. 1 Corinthians 2:5-6

Religious laws have never made any of us perfect. Even if we could have kept and followed perfectly the do’s and the don’ts of the Law, we still would not have been perfect. Works have never made anyone perfect, but the hope of Salvation through Jesus Christ does! Notice that our Father does not say to us in Hebrews that this hope will make us perfect, but that it did make us perfect! Trying to keep rules never worked and it never will, but being empowered by the Holy Spirit to allow Jesus to Author and Finish our faith will work. Hope will work each and every time that it is given by the Holy Spirit.

Works do not make us righteous or perfect, however being righteous and perfect will produce works, and it will produce everlasting fruit that brings praise and glory to our Father! And we have the peace of our Lord that passes all understanding, and that peace is that it is our Father within us doing the works!

Sanctified Without Spot, Wrinkle, Or Blemish

That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the Word, That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:26-27

For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren. Hebrews 2:11

Our Father has given us Christ and through His Power and His Blood we have been brought near to Jesus and we have been made one with Him. Through the Blood of Jesus we have been set apart for God’s holy use! Our Father has purified us, He has made us free from sin, and He has preserved us blameless. Our Father doesn’t say that He will preserve us blameless when we get to Heaven. Our Father, Who is God, has spoken that He will do it for us here on this earth and He has spoken that He will continue to do it until Jesus returns. God will do it! Man that is so awesome! This why there is now no condemnation for us, Romans 8:1, because the responsibility of our sanctification is on our Father, not on us! Jesus is the Author of our faith, God is our Gardener, Jesus is our refiners fire, and the Holy Spirit is our strength!

But wait, this is a prayer in Ephesians 5, so can it really be true, or is it just some out of reach wish of Paul’s? You know one of those prayers we just say, but really know that it will never happen. Of course this verse is true, the whole Bible is the inspired Word of God.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16

Our Father inspired this prayer to be written and He placed it in the Bible. This prayer is our Father's desire for our lives. So absolutely it is Truth! That’s why Paul writes that God will do it!

I pray that our Father really opens up the understanding in the Church to what He has actually done for us. We have so much more than religion is proclaiming right now. Each day that goes by our Father just keeps strengthening us in the Truth that He has placed the responsibility on Himself to insure that His children are who they need to be.

We are blessed this day in the power of His might! He is in us leading us to be all we can be within Him this day!

The Word Of God Makes Us Perfect

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Look at all of the prayers in the New Testament and keep this verse in mind when you read them. These prayers are not just wish lists of the writers; they are all the inspired Words of our Father! If we read these prayers with that understanding of the Truth, just watch the power of our Father move in our lives! The Word of our Father makes us perfect and the Word allows God to thoroughly furnish us to be used for all good works! Those 14 Words alone in 2 Timothy 3:17 can be preached on for a couple of books or so! The Truth is that Jesus’ sacrifice was so great that it allowed us to become one with God, just as Jesus, our Lord and Savior, our Head, is One with God! So all that Jesus is, all that He has, all of His love, faith, hope, wisdom, knowledge, and all of His power, we are now one with. We have been given exactly what Jesus has! So when we think of Jesus’ power, this is exactly how we should think of ourselves. Jesus is our Lord, He is our Head, but that in no way stops Him from making us one with Him and giving us all that He is and all that He has. This is why He came, so that we could be one with Him, members of His body, flesh of His flesh, so that the world would believe!

List of New Testament Prayers:

John 17

1 Corinthians 1:4-5

Ephesians 1:15-21

Ephesians 3:14-19

Philippians 1:3-11

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13