YOU HAVE IT ALL--IN THE SPIRIT
Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
The Bible presents salvation as a life transforming experience. Change is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true believer. Yet, failure to understand that this change takes place in the spirit first, and then is reflected in our outward appearance through our thoughts and actions in direct proportion to the way we renew our minds, causes much confusion.
This change has to take place in our born-again spirit first. Why is that? If you were fat before you got saved, you will be fat after you get saved, unless you go on a weight loss program. Your body doesn't instantly change and neither does your soul or mind.
It is your spirit that is instantly changed at salvation. It is perfect (Heb. 12:23). It cannot sin (1 Jn. 3:9). Everything that is true of Jesus is true of our born-again spirit. Your spiritual salvation is complete. At salvation, you receive the same spirit that you will have throughout all eternity. It will not have to be changed or cleansed again. It is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) and therefore, is sanctified and perfected forever (Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:23).
For the remainder of our Christian life, we must not try to obtain faith, joy or love from God, but rather release what we already have in our spirits (Gal. 5:22-23) into our soul and body. Failure to understand this has caused some people to despair when they don't see sufficient change in their life after coming to the Lord for salvation. It must be understood that the change is internal in our spirit and the outward change will take place as we renew our minds through God's Word.
GOOD SUCCESS IS IN YOUR MOUTH
Joshua 1:8 - This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night…For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
I had always wondered why the Torah (the first five books of Moses) is read out loud by the Jews. Then, a Jewish Christian told me that for generations, they read God’s Word out loud because of Joshua 1:8—“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night…”
The word “meditate” in English means to ponder. But in Hebrew, it is the word hagah, which means to utter or mutter under your breath. In other words, when you meditate on God’s Word, you speak forth or confess His Word instead of just giving it mental assent.
My friend, hagah God’s Word by confessing verses in the areas that you are believing God for breakthroughs. When I was working in sales, I confessed verses like, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty…” (Proverbs 3:9–10) In the first year, I became the top salesman in my company! My way was made prosperous and I enjoyed good success.
“Pastor, I am waiting for God to make my way prosperous.”
No, the Bible says that you will make your way prosperous when you hagah God’s Word. So speak forth verses in the areas which you want to see breakthroughs and you will have good success.
Some people have success that destroys them—you don’t see them in church anymore and their family members don’t get to see them either. That is bad success. But when you hagah God’s Word, you will have good success that does not destroy you.
Now, confessing God’s Word does not move God to do things for you. It is not a formula. God had already moved when He gave up Jesus to die for you. However, when you confess His Word, it moves you from a position of doubt to faith. It moves your heart from a position of “Is it true?” to “I believe it!” When that happens, “you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success”!
Thought For The Day
When you meditate on God’s Word, you speak forth or confess His Word instead of just giving it mental assent.
FIGHT FROM VICTORY
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:57
Are you fighting for victory, or are you fighting from victory?
The moment you fight for victory, you are in unbelief and you are defeated even before the battle begins. You see, when you try to get what God has already given you in Christ, you are effectively saying that you don’t have it. So you can, for instance, take the Holy Communion trying to be healed, or you can take it proclaiming the Lord’s death and the healing that you already have through His finished work.
“But, Pastor, how can I say that I’m healed when my body is in pain?”
My friend, God is a God who “calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Romans 4:17). God looked at Abraham and said, “I have made you a father of many nations,” when Abraham didn’t even have a single child from Sarah! The Lord loves to act like the work is finished because it is (John 19:30). And He loves it when we, who have been made in His image, believe and act according to His finished work.
When you see how you’re already standing on victory ground on the basis of Jesus’ finished work, you’ll stop worrying about how and when your healing will manifest. Settle it in your heart and mind that you already have the victory through Christ. And God’s rest and peace will rule in your heart, and you will receive your breakthrough!
THE HONOR OF FOLLOWING
Then [Jesus] said to them, “Follow Me.” —Matthew 4:19
While visiting Jerusalem, a friend of mine saw an old rabbi walking past the Wailing Wall. The interesting thing about the aged rabbi was the five young men walking behind him. They too were walking bent over, limping—just like their rabbi. An Orthodox Jew watching them would know exactly why they were imitating their teacher. They were “followers.”
Throughout the history of Judaism, one of the most honored positions for a Jewish man was the privilege of becoming a “follower” of the local rabbi. Followers sat at the rabbi’s feet as he taught. They would study his words and watch how he acted and reacted to life and others. A follower would count it the highest honor to serve his rabbi in even the most menial tasks. And, because they admired their rabbi, they were determined to become like him.
When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him (Matt. 4:19), it was an invitation to be changed by Him, to become like Him, and to share His passion for those who need a Savior. The high honor of being His follower should show in our lives as well. We too have been called to catch the attention of the watching world as we talk, think, and act just like Jesus—the rabbi, the teacher, of our souls.
Thank You, Lord, for the high honor of being called to follow You. May my
life so imitate You that others will know that You are the pursuit of my life and the rabbi of my soul.
Follow Jesus and let the world know He is your rabbi.
NEED HEALING AND MIRACLES FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS
http://youtu.be/qth2CNaXPbU
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
The Bible presents salvation as a life transforming experience. Change is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true believer. Yet, failure to understand that this change takes place in the spirit first, and then is reflected in our outward appearance through our thoughts and actions in direct proportion to the way we renew our minds, causes much confusion.
This change has to take place in our born-again spirit first. Why is that? If you were fat before you got saved, you will be fat after you get saved, unless you go on a weight loss program. Your body doesn't instantly change and neither does your soul or mind.
It is your spirit that is instantly changed at salvation. It is perfect (Heb. 12:23). It cannot sin (1 Jn. 3:9). Everything that is true of Jesus is true of our born-again spirit. Your spiritual salvation is complete. At salvation, you receive the same spirit that you will have throughout all eternity. It will not have to be changed or cleansed again. It is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) and therefore, is sanctified and perfected forever (Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:23).
For the remainder of our Christian life, we must not try to obtain faith, joy or love from God, but rather release what we already have in our spirits (Gal. 5:22-23) into our soul and body. Failure to understand this has caused some people to despair when they don't see sufficient change in their life after coming to the Lord for salvation. It must be understood that the change is internal in our spirit and the outward change will take place as we renew our minds through God's Word.
GOOD SUCCESS IS IN YOUR MOUTH
Joshua 1:8 - This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night…For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
I had always wondered why the Torah (the first five books of Moses) is read out loud by the Jews. Then, a Jewish Christian told me that for generations, they read God’s Word out loud because of Joshua 1:8—“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night…”
The word “meditate” in English means to ponder. But in Hebrew, it is the word hagah, which means to utter or mutter under your breath. In other words, when you meditate on God’s Word, you speak forth or confess His Word instead of just giving it mental assent.
My friend, hagah God’s Word by confessing verses in the areas that you are believing God for breakthroughs. When I was working in sales, I confessed verses like, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty…” (Proverbs 3:9–10) In the first year, I became the top salesman in my company! My way was made prosperous and I enjoyed good success.
“Pastor, I am waiting for God to make my way prosperous.”
No, the Bible says that you will make your way prosperous when you hagah God’s Word. So speak forth verses in the areas which you want to see breakthroughs and you will have good success.
Some people have success that destroys them—you don’t see them in church anymore and their family members don’t get to see them either. That is bad success. But when you hagah God’s Word, you will have good success that does not destroy you.
Now, confessing God’s Word does not move God to do things for you. It is not a formula. God had already moved when He gave up Jesus to die for you. However, when you confess His Word, it moves you from a position of doubt to faith. It moves your heart from a position of “Is it true?” to “I believe it!” When that happens, “you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success”!
Thought For The Day
When you meditate on God’s Word, you speak forth or confess His Word instead of just giving it mental assent.
FIGHT FROM VICTORY
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 15:57
Are you fighting for victory, or are you fighting from victory?
The moment you fight for victory, you are in unbelief and you are defeated even before the battle begins. You see, when you try to get what God has already given you in Christ, you are effectively saying that you don’t have it. So you can, for instance, take the Holy Communion trying to be healed, or you can take it proclaiming the Lord’s death and the healing that you already have through His finished work.
“But, Pastor, how can I say that I’m healed when my body is in pain?”
My friend, God is a God who “calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Romans 4:17). God looked at Abraham and said, “I have made you a father of many nations,” when Abraham didn’t even have a single child from Sarah! The Lord loves to act like the work is finished because it is (John 19:30). And He loves it when we, who have been made in His image, believe and act according to His finished work.
When you see how you’re already standing on victory ground on the basis of Jesus’ finished work, you’ll stop worrying about how and when your healing will manifest. Settle it in your heart and mind that you already have the victory through Christ. And God’s rest and peace will rule in your heart, and you will receive your breakthrough!
THE HONOR OF FOLLOWING
Then [Jesus] said to them, “Follow Me.” —Matthew 4:19
While visiting Jerusalem, a friend of mine saw an old rabbi walking past the Wailing Wall. The interesting thing about the aged rabbi was the five young men walking behind him. They too were walking bent over, limping—just like their rabbi. An Orthodox Jew watching them would know exactly why they were imitating their teacher. They were “followers.”
Throughout the history of Judaism, one of the most honored positions for a Jewish man was the privilege of becoming a “follower” of the local rabbi. Followers sat at the rabbi’s feet as he taught. They would study his words and watch how he acted and reacted to life and others. A follower would count it the highest honor to serve his rabbi in even the most menial tasks. And, because they admired their rabbi, they were determined to become like him.
When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him (Matt. 4:19), it was an invitation to be changed by Him, to become like Him, and to share His passion for those who need a Savior. The high honor of being His follower should show in our lives as well. We too have been called to catch the attention of the watching world as we talk, think, and act just like Jesus—the rabbi, the teacher, of our souls.
Thank You, Lord, for the high honor of being called to follow You. May my
life so imitate You that others will know that You are the pursuit of my life and the rabbi of my soul.
Follow Jesus and let the world know He is your rabbi.
NEED HEALING AND MIRACLES FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS
http://youtu.be/qth2CNaXPbU
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
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