Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified. Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 2 Corinthians 13:5-8
rep·ro·bate n. 1. A morally unprincipled person. 2. Theology. One who is predestined to damnation. --rep·ro·bate adj. 1. Morally unprincipled; shameless. 2. Theology. Rejected by God and without hope of salvation.
Securists would have us believe that God wrote our names in the Book of Life at the beginning of time and therefore if our name is in it, we are eternally secure . However Revelation 3:5 tells us, "He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life." Jesus is talking here of those that overcome not having their name erased from the Book of Life. The importance of being an overcomer is ignored by securists and by those who believe in “one saved, always saved.” Yet God’s word is unchanging:
"And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. Matthew 10:22
"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16
In the 20th Century there arose a gimmick of "get saved" religion where by repeating or giving ascent to a few scriptures meant the person was saved, and not only saved but ‘once saved always saved.’ Even though the Word of God teaches that obedience of the voice of God until the end brings great blessings and disobedience to God’s word brings curses, many have refused to accept this truth. But the fact remains that stubborn, disobedient believers will not be saved, but condemned by Christ Jesus in the judgment. God’s word is unchanging:
"Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. "And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. "Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. Deuteronomy 28:1-6
"But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: "Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. "Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. "Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. "Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. Deuteronomy 28:15-18
The false ones who espouse the doctrine of demons of once saved always saved conveniently reject the words of Jesus who told all:
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. John 15:5-9
They conveniently forget that king Saul the anointed one who prophesied with the prophets and had a supernatural miraculous change of heart and was filled with the Spirit of God was rejected by God and the Spirit was removed from him because he rejected the Word of God that was given to him. He committed the sin of omission which many evangelicals have done and still do. He omitted the parts of the Word of God that were not to his liking even though God’s word states:
Samuel also said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD. "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.' " 1 Samuel 15:1-3
The end is here…again. At every calendar milestone, self-proclaimed modern-day "prophets" arise to stir up a furor rivaled only by the impending apocalypse they predict. This doom-and-gloom prognostication is not only spread by a few fanatics, but millions of Christians, including some of the most recognized names in mainstream Christianity, are caught up in the latest "last days" frenzy. Seduced by the popular craze, they are driven not to action, but to radical inactivity, ineffectiveness, and lethargy while waiting for the easy-out "end."[i] But the other side of the coin is that there are Christian leaders who are busy spinning their wheels preaching the gospel and going no where because they are doing it all in their own strength and wisdom and are not being led by the Holy Spirit just like king Saul. Saul, the first king of Israel, was not seeking to serve God; he was only concerned about lost donkeys. So when he received the spirit of God and was anointed as king, he was not inwardly prepared. Because of this, he soon lost both.
King Saul was not a bad king. Rather he was an excellent king who had the favor of his people until he died even though the Lord was upset with him and had turned his face from him. Saul was no different than most prominent religious leaders of our day who pick and choose what parts of the bible they will obey. Saul attacked the Amalekites and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword but Saul and the people spared king Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed. All this caused the word of the LORD to come to Samuel:
"I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments." And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night. 1 Samuel 15:11
Sins of omission like King Saul are very common amongst Christian leaders in America today. Many Christian leaders are no different from King Saul as they don’t do specifically what Jesus instructed them to do? Jesus was very clear in His commands:
And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. Mark 16:14-20
In the Christian world there are many doctrines of demons including ‘once saved, always saved,’ ‘universal salvation,’ miracles, tongues and the gifts of the Spirit have ceased, and the local church is God’s representative on earth. It’s all hogwash because none of it matches the words of Jesus who said that "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Revelation 21:5-8) .
Those who are overcome shall not inherit all things and to say anything else is to be a liar! And liars don’t go to heaven but to hell. It's only those who abide in Jesus word are His disciples indeed:
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. John 8:31
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:4-8
The problem we have today is that too many of God’s people are listening to pastors, priests and preachers who know only slightly more than them. They listen to pastors, priests and preachers who have a form of godliness but deny its power. Pastors, priests and preachers who don’t do what Jesus has commanded them to do! It’s a fact that people need real miracles and healing and not just words that are dead the moment they are spoken because they don’t have life in them. Life comes from God and His Spirit and not from them. Life gives life and not just empty promises of a pie in the sky! God’s word is unchanging:
"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know- Acts 2:22
"how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:5-8
Phillip was not an apostle but an ordinary layman filled with faith and the Spirit of God chosen to serve upon the widows. And if Philip and Barnabas could have a miracle ministry than any pastors, priest and preacher can if he is a true man of God. For the same Spirit that was on Jesus is available to be on all His servants. God’s word is unchanging:
There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist. Isaiah 11:1-5
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified." Isaiah 61:1-3
The Lord has come not only to forgive all our iniquities, heal all our diseases, redeem our life from destruction, crown us with loving-kindness and tender mercies, satisfy our mouth with good things, execute righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed but to heal the broken hearted, to set the prisoners free, to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness that they might be called the tree of righteousness.
Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might become rich. Hence we are called to:
Preach the gospel (good news) to the poor = Break the power of poverty
Heal the broken hearted = those whose souls are hurt, disappointed and hopeless
Proclaim liberty to captives = deliverance from demonic spirits
Recovery of sight to the blind = recovering vision, clarity and purpose - Break Confusion
Set at liberty those who are oppressed (bruised) = Message of Freedom from all bondage
Proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord = to bring and release favor of the Lord.
Proclaim the day of vengeance of our God= Message of judgment to unrepentant ones
On the cross of Calvary when Jesus said, "It is finished!" He had achieved everything that we need for our redemption and salvation - be it spiritual, physical, and financial. He has removed from us all the curses the Adam and Eve had brought upon us by their transgression as outlined in Deuteronomy 28:15-66. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:13-14) By our works we cannot add or remove on thing that Jesus had done for us, except to enter into the rest God’s has prepared for us since the foundation of the world by mixing with faith the good news of the gospel (Hebrews 4:1-12).
The stone at Jesus’ grave site was miraculously rolled away for us as we now serve a resurrected glorious Christ whose power and glory and riches and victory has been restored to Him. It’s just like God to take the useless and worthless things of our lives and to replace it with something priceless. Yes, we get wonderful things from God such as healing, health, wealth and prosperity in return for all the negative things we give up including sickness, diseases, poverty and penury.
Yes, the same anointing that was upon David, Jesus and all the Apostles is to be on all of God’s servants today! Yes, they can have the same Spirit of the LORD resting upon them, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. As a result their delight will be in the fear of the LORD, and they shall not judge by the sight of their eyes, nor decide by the hearing of their ears; But by the Spirit of the LORD with righteousness they shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; they shall strike the earth with the rod of their mouths, And with the breath of their lips they shall slay the wicked. God’s word is unchanging:
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:4-8
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 1 Corinthians 1:17
And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
http://billyburke.org/PrayerMinistryRoom/JourneyofYourPrayerRequest/tabid/142/Default.aspx
EXTRACT FROM Called To Inherit A Blessing
http://walthope.tripod.com/called.htm
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts
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