Our Unbreakable Covenant of Healing

Free Audio Message “Our Unbreakable Covenant of Healing”

-Understand why the New Covenant is an unbreakable covenant

-Learn how to experience the covenant benefits and blessings that already belong to you

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Grace, Justice, and Casey Anthony

How Grace, Violence, and Criminal Justice Come Together

The whole nation has seemed to be swept up in an emotional whirlwind regarding the Casey Anthony trial, so many different thoughts, opinions, and perspectives have been voiced both from within and without the Church. If you had invested any time in watching the trial, you probably have strong feelings about the case. Regardless of the many opinions about Casey Anthony, her trial, and the “not guilty” verdict, it seemed that the entire country and even the world has been gripped by what we saw and heard through the media.  As the dust settles a bit and the “mob” disperses, I want to give a little instruction on how we, as New Covenant believers, should view crime and criminal justice. Throughout the entire trial, I found myself wrestling with questions and strong emotions. Questions like “As a Christian who believes in extravagant grace and mercy, how should I feel about Casey Anthony?”  “Should I be angry with the “not guilty” verdict, or should I simply trust our legal system to work?” “Where does criminal justice fit in with the grace message?” “If all sin has already been dealt with on the cross, and God is not holding any sins against us, how should we treat those who have done horrible things like murder or other awful crimes against people?”  

As I have watched believers responding to the Casey Anthony case and verdict, I saw two extremes. One “ditch” that I saw people jumping in was the group that said “Casey Anthony deserves to burn in hell for what she has done. Guilty or not guilty, she deserves to die!”  On the other end of the spectrum was the “ditch” that some of my fellow “grace junkies” fell into which was, “It doesn’t matter. God still loves her. She is not guilty in God’s eyes, so she should be “not guilty” in our eyes.”   Probably like you, I  am tired of seeing Casey Anthony’s pictures and videos every night on the news, and I am ready for the networks to invest time covering some of the many other pressing issues in our nation.  First, let me say that whatever happened to little Caylee Anthony was extremely tragic.  I don’t know what happened to her. Do I have my opinions? Absolutely.  My daughter just turned three, and I can’t begin to imagine losing her. I can’t express with mere words the pain I would feel and the pain my family would feel. This article, however, is not to give my opinion of what I think happened to Caylee or my personal opinion of Casey Anthony. This article is to shed some light on how grace and justice are not opposed to one another, but in perfect harmony with one another. Let’s not be afraid to ask hard questions when it comes to our theology and how that theology works itself out in our practical, daily lives.

So many people are upset and angry. This article in itself has the potential to upset friends of mine on both sides of this heated debate. Both the legalists and the “grace junkies” may not agree with some of this article, but I intend to show that being a Christian does not mean being an unconditional pacifist, nor a hard-line, law dog.  I guess the question really is “How can we resolve the tension between our need to protect society and our desire to believe in human redemption?”

Some have confused showing “grace” to people with unconditional pacifism, but this is an error.  If you are not familiar with the word, pacifism is really the complete opposition of war and violence.  In a perfect world, untainted by sin, violence and war, of any kind, would not exist; however, we live in a world that has been tainted by sin.  Because Jesus has overcome sin, suffering, sickness, and all evil,  putting to death the “old man”, we are now new creations in Christ. The fullness of the New Creation, however includes a totally transformed planet as well. We look forward to this day when we receive our glorified bodies, but we have yet to come into this experience.

What about war? What about our soldiers? Are my fellow “grace junkies” in the pacifism ditch really ready to say that the millions of American troops are legalists because they are involved in actively protecting our nation, even if that means some level of violence? I hope not.

We understand that the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1)  The Law (including the “Big Ten”) speaks with authority and makes no exceptions. From the writings of the Apostle Paul, we also understand that righteousness cannot come through the Law. If that were the case, Christ died in vain.  (Galatians 2:21)

The Old Testament Law given through Moses called for both moral and judicial crimes to be punished. Now in the New Covenant, we understand that the Law was given to humanity as a temporary guardian to bring us to Christ. (Gal 3:24-25) The Law is also called a form of bondage by the Apostle Paul ( Gal 4:21-31) and a ministry of death. ( 2 Corinthians 3:7-16)The Law condemns us for our wrong. The Law is now obsolete (Hebrews 8:6-13). Through the blood of Jesus we now have a new and better covenant. (Hebrews 9:11-26).

We know that the Law said in Exodus 21:24 “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, hand for a hand and foot for a foot”. Compare what the Law said in Exodus 21:24 to what Jesus said in Mathew 5:39:
Mathew 5:39 “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”

Because this verse has been mistranslated and taken out of context, we have developed false ideas that we should never defend ourselves, family, or country.  Pacifism didn’t originate in Hebrew culture. The Jewish belief was “If someone comes to kill you, anticipate him, and kill him first”. (Sanhedrin 72) The Hebrew people believed it was permissible to kill if it was to defend oneself.

Luke 22:38, 50 shows us that the disciples of Jesus were not pacifists. Of course, Jesus had to keep them in check about their misplaced anger and eagerness for judgment, but we know that a couple of Jesus’ own disciples were packing swords!
One mistranslation we also need to look at is found in Mathew 5:21. ( For more info read “Understanding the difficult words of Jesus by David Bivin and Roy Blizzard) Most translations say “You shall not kill” as Jesus was quoting Exodus 20:13 but the original Hebrew word is “murder”, not kill. The commandment prohibited premeditated murder while allowing the taking of a life in defense of oneself or family.

Mathew 5:39 is another verse often used by those who say all capital punishment, war, and violence are evil.  The verse says “Do not resist evil” With a little bit of study, we discover that Jesus was actually quoting a proverb that is mentioned in Psalms 37:1, 8 and Proverbs 24:19. It basically says “Don’t compete with evildoers” or “Don’t try to get even with someone who has wronged you”. Jesus never said we should just lie down and let men who are under the influence of demonic spirits come in and hurt us, our family, or nation. God in fact exhorts us to “hate that which is evil” (Romans 12:9) and to resist the devil! (James 4:7)  We understand that Satan is always looking to influence the earth by using humans. He himself cannot murder, molest, or abuse anyone physically unless he has someone who will cooperate with him.

Jesus was teaching us how to handle relationships with our neighbors or spiritual family when someone wrongs us. This does not apply to rapists, murderers, and child molesters who intentionally want to hurt, abuse, or murder.  Jesus was really encouraging us not try to get even with those who wrong us. Proverbs 25:21-22 says if our enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat: if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. For in doing so, you will heap coals of fire upon his head and the Lord will reward you. This is what Jesus was teaching. In context, turning the other cheek has nothing to do with defending yourself on the battlefield or resisting evil in any form. Turning the other cheek is how you deal with an angry “neighbor” or a personal friend, brother, or sister who has wronged you. Don’t try to get even, but pour out grace, mercy and kindness upon them.
We as New Covenant believers have a right and obligation to stand up against evil in our day, in whatever form that may take.  It is totally wrong and even “sin” to tolerate evil by being pacifistic. Being a pacifist is not the behavior of a bold, love-filled, fearless, new creation.  If someone wrongs you, do not seek revenge, but trust God to deal with the situation. (Romans 12:14, 17-19). However, if someone tries to harm you or your family, don’t allow them to do so in the name of “grace”.

God is the Great Peacemaker, yet He also is a Warrior and has angel armies at His disposal. . He didn’t ignore Lucifer’s rebellion or the rebellion of the angels that followed Him.  There were definite consequences for those actions.  Jesus never told the soldiers he met to give up their profession. The bible never leads us to believe that being a soldier is sinful. Jesus directly opposed many lawyers and tax collectors, but we have many believers today who occupy those professions and do so for the glory of God.  I am also not aware of any incident in which Jesus went to physical prisons and set the prisoners “physically free”. Even when one of the dying thieves accepted Him as his Savior on the cross, Jesus did not cause him to escape the punishment of the cross. He did promise him that he would see him in paradise, but he did not erase the natural consequences of his crimes. This does not necessarily mean God was endorsing any kind of capital punishment.

In 1 Timothy 6:1, Paul encourages slaves to give honor to their masters so the name of God may not be blasphemed. Paul was not saying that slavery was “OK” with God, or that slavery was God’s best because it obviously isn’t. Paul was encouraging believers who found themselves in slavery to still respond to their masters in such a way that would glorify God.  Isn’t this wild??? He didn’t tell them how wrong slavery was, or to run away from their masters and go “live the good life”. With a little imagination and very little research, we can assume that some of the things slaves were commanded to do in that time period were not easy. Nevertheless, Paul gives instructions like those found in 1 Timothy and then in Colossians 3:22, “slaves obey your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service alone, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart”. Wow!  Paul just told slaves to not only do what they are commanded, but do it with the right heart and attitude.

The reality is that we do indeed live in a world that has criminals, murderers, rapists, abusers, and entire governments set up to kill freedom. We are all called to be peacemakers, but the truth is that all of us are not there yet. In a perfect world, we won’t need jails, prisons, criminal justice, and capital punishment.  Sadly there is real violence in our world and there are real consequences for such actions. In God’s eyes, He has already chosen to forgive us of all our sins and not hold any of our mistakes against us. This however does not mean we simply let murderers free and empty the jails because grace is so amazing.   Sin still hurts, and in the natural there are still consequences for our actions that affect the quality of our lives. God has chosen to not hold our sins against us, but that does not mean He is ignorant of what we are involved in, either. He has chosen only to look at the perfection He has given us by His grace,  instead of our shady performance.

Look at what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 13:1-7

 1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

Other relevant verses:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34

Mathew 5:7 blessed are the merciful…

Mathew 5:9 blessed are the peacemakers…

It is obvious that we as believers are to love, show mercy, and make peace whenever possible. This does not, however, erase the need for criminal justice, correction, or national defense.

Grace does not empower laziness or pacifism. If you think you don’t have to do anything, it’s all good, you’re “under grace”, then you haven’t been impacted by the Gospel. We don’t work for our salvation, yet we should feel compelled to serve God, and we do owe the debt of love to all of humanity. Grace doesn’t create passive, lazy believers. Grace empowers sons to change the world, to stand against wickedness, and see entire nations transformed.

The Apostle Paul never had the pacifistic attitude that I see in a lot of “grace believers” today. Paul wasn’t lying on the couch saying “it’s finished so I can just chill out”.  Paul was the one saying “It’s finished, and I want the entire world to hear this incredible news!!! Come on, fellow grace lovers! Don’t be hoodwinked into spiritual apathy. It was Paul, as a champion of grace, who said “be aglow and burning with the Spirit”. He also reminded them that, because of the operation of grace within his life, he worked or labored more than all the other apostles combined! ( 1 Corinthians 15:10)

I do not wish Casey Anthony any harm, punishment, or unfair judgment. I do, however, understand that in this life, there are consequences to our actions. As I extend unconditional love, forgiveness and mercy to those who, like me, don’t deserve it, I also believe that if you break the laws of our land, you also must be ready to receive the punishment that comes with the crime. This does not mean that I am a legalist, or that I don’t believe in grace, because I do. The Apostle Paul himself was a murdering legalist who God totally transformed into a champion of grace. It is not our place to judge the hearts of people. We are not that smart. It is our job to love and forgive as God loves and forgives us-unconditionally. God’s love, mercy and grace are so extravagant that He extends the same benefits to both victims and their victimizers.

As the “not guilty” verdict came in,  many Americans became angry. I don’t know if Casey killed her daughter or not, but the majority of Americans do believe she had something to do with Caylee’s death.  I recognized that I was even disappointed with the verdict. I believe it is because we as believers and Americans in general want justice, and when we see what we believe is an injustice; we have something to say about it. Grace and justice are not opposites. They are actually married together.

Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other Psalm 85:10

The reality that we all need to remember, though, is that on the cross, sin was paid in full, even the sin of murderers, rapists, child molestors, and hypocrites.  Jesus willfully chose to take on the condemnation and guilt of all sin as His own. He became sin. He gave Himself for us- ALL of humanity. Justice was served,  and the penalty paid in full. God is not punishing sinners. He is rescuing and justifying them, through the finished work of Jesus. This reality does not take away the “natural consequences” we go through when we sin. God has dealt with the guilt, condemnation, and other spiritual consequences for sin forever. However, if I lie to or steal from someone, there are natural consequences for my actions. Sowing and reaping always happens on a horizontal level, not a vertical level.  I don’t sow sin and reap judgment from God. Jesus’ sacrifice took care of the judgement for sin. Still, I do need to be aware that what I sow in the natural, I will reap in the natural. If I sow love, mercy, grace, and goodness to people, then this is what I reap. If I sow unforgiveness, anger, and rage into people, then I shouldn’t be surprised when I reap this as well.

What can we do for Casey Anthony and her family? Pray for them. Love them. Trust God to work in their lives as His blood and sacrifice paid for their redemption as well. We do not wish Casey Anthony harm or eternal torment in hell. It’s not our job to send people to hell. We also do not ignore sin or crime and take an extremely passive attitude and say “it’s ok”. God never excused sin or ignored it. He judged sin on the cross, but He never ignored it.

In my own quest to find the answers to my own questions about grace, criminal justice and how that plays out in the real world, I found out about something called “restorative justice”. Restorative justice works to reduce repeat offenders, reduce crime overall, and strengthen and build community. Anyone can tell you that our system of simply punishing criminals for their crimes by giving them years in prison or sending them to a detention center will not transform the offenders. In order for our nation and our world to be transformed, the hearts of offenders and victims must be healed and transformed. As a Pastor, I know that God sees Casey Anthony and me the same. He loves her just as much as He loves me. Casey Anthony is beautiful to God. Jesus paid the price for her sins. She is not disqualified from God’s blessings or promises. The only thing required of her, and all of us, is to believe the good news that Jesus has already paid the price for the sins of the entire world.

I got this information off of the site www.restorativejustice.org.  Take a few minutes and check it out.

What is restorative justice?

Restorative justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused or revealed by criminal behavior. It is best accomplished through cooperative processes that include all stakeholders.
Practices and programs reflecting restorative purposes will respond to crime by:

1. identifying and taking steps to repair harm,  
2. involving all  stakeholders, and
3. Transforming the traditional relationship between communities and their governments in responding to crime.

Three principles form the foundation for restorative justice:

1. Justice requires that we work to restore those who have been injured.
2. Those most directly involved and affected by crime should have the opportunity to participate fully in the response if they wish.
3. Government’s role is to preserve a just public order, and the community’s is to build and maintain a just peace.

Restorative programmes are characterized by four key values:

1. Encounter:  Create opportunities for victims, offenders and community members who want to do so to meet to discuss the crime and its aftermath
2. Amends:  Expect offenders to take steps to repair the harm they have caused
3. Reintegration:  Seek to restore victims and offenders  to whole, contributing members of society
4. Inclusion:  Provide opportunities for parties with a stake in a specific crime to participate in its resolution

Below is an article about a Mother who forgave the man who kidnapped and murdered her 7 year old daughter. This is restorative justice in action. Truly amazing things happen when we trust God’s love and ability within us to do what we could never do on our own. Wow…

 

The Night I Forgave My Daughter’s Killer

How a grieving mother put compassion before vengeance, and found closure along the way.
by Marietta Jaeger-Lane, as told to Lynsi Burton
posted May 27, 2011

Marietta Jaeger-Lane with her daughter, Susie.

We hoped this would be a once-in-a-lifetime family vacation—camping for a whole month in Montana. One night, at our first stop, our 7-year-old daughter Susie was kidnapped out of our tent. The tent was cut next to where her head had lain; she was pulled out and carried away.

My husband and dad drove to the next town and returned with the sheriff. A massive investigation ensued, while all we could do was to sit at the picnic table and watch, wait, and worry.

Then came an intense and stressful day. The deputies were dragging the river next to us, and every time the boat would stop, lifting its empty net, my heart would stop. I was terrified that Susie might be found in that water.

That was the day that I got in touch with my rage. That night, getting ready for bed, I said to my husband, “Even if the kidnapper were to bring Susie back, alive and well, I could kill him with my bare hands and a smile on my face.”

I knew the kidnapper could be liable for the death penalty, and I wanted him to hang high. However, I had always tried to live my faith with integrity, and my conscience was calling me to forgive my enemy. I realized if I gave myself to that desire for revenge, it would obsess and consume me. So, I promised to cooperate with whatever could move my heart from fury to forgiveness. One year to the minute after the kidnapper had taken Susie, he called me at my home in Michigan. He was calling to taunt me. Even though he was smug and nasty, to my own real surprise, I was filled with genuine concern and compassion, which thwarted his intention to rile me up and then hang up.

During that past year, I had worked diligently to come to a healthier attitude than rage and revenge. I reminded myself that, however I felt about this person, in the eyes of the God I believed in, he was just as precious as my little girl. So I asked him what I could do for him; he broke down and sobbed heavily. Our middle-of-the-night conversation lasted for 80 minutes. When the call finally ended, I was left hanging on to a silent phone.

The kidnapper inadvertently gave enough information to be identified. Eventually he was arrested, and irrefutable evidence was found to charge him with kidnap/murder, a capital crime with a sentence of the death penalty.
But I realized that to kill him in Susie’s name would not restore her life; it would only make another victim and another grieving family.

So, I asked the prosecutor for the alternative sentence of mandatory life without parole. Only when he was offered that was he willing to confess to the murders of a 19-year-old and three children, including Susie.
Using the same mindset as killers to solve our problems demeans our own worth and dignity. Victims’ families have every right initially to feelings of revenge. But the laws of our land should not be based on bloodthirsty, gut-level state-sanctioned killings: They should call us to higher moral principles more befitting our beloved victims.
My work to abolish the death penalty is not what I had ever planned. Local churches invited me to share my spiritual journey. People would say that, if I could forgive someone who had done such a terrible deed, they now knew that they could forgive the problem people in their own lives. In the years since, I’ve been invited to visit many countries, been interviewed by Vatican Radio, and testified to the U.N.  Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. Susie’s story has been a gift to all who’ve heard it.

---

Marietta Jaeger-Lane wrote this article for Beyond Prisons, the Summer 2011 issue of YES! Magazine. Marietta is co-founder of Journey of Hope, which advocates alternatives to the death penalty. She is pictured above with her daughter, Susie. 
Lynsi Burton is a freelance writer based in Bremerton, Wash.

Channel-Beds not Pitchers by F.B Meyer

Channel-Beds not Pitchers by F.B. Meyer

Effortless
Abundance
Constancy
Depth
Life-giving
Working for God

I want to lead you to the Word of God, first in the Gospel according to St. John, in the seventh chapter, the thirty-seventh verse: “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that had believed on Him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

It was the Feast of Tabernacles; and on the last day, the great day of the feast, the priests, accompanied by a festal throng of people, descended the temple steps to the Siloam brook, filled a pitcher with water and brought it amid much joy into the temple area, and there poured forth its contents, splashing and flashing in the sunlight, upon the pavement. That pitcher so filled, and the water so spilt, were emblematic of the river which had followed the host of Israel in their desert wanderings. And as our Lord saw its contents poured from the pitcher carried brimming from the brook of Siloam — which meant sent — and which afterwards He used as an emblem of Himself, it seems to have suggested to Him the thought that instead of being a pitcher whose contents would be very soon exhausted, He was Himself the river of God, which was full of water, fed from the everlasting hills of the Divine nature, and pouring down to make glad the city of God.

And He “cried”: I think there is the great urgency of Christ. And after the same manner, in every gathering, He stands and cries. There is no indistinct articulation; there is no doubt or hesitancy; but to thee, O soul of man, Jesus Christ stands and “cries.”

And you will notice that this humblest and meekest of men not only professes that His bosom is broad enough for every weary soul to lie on — “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest” — but He professes to be able, out of His nature, to take away thirst, all thirst whatsoever. I may be addressing many thirsty hearts, and I want to assure them, if their thirst is for love, for society, for company, for all that is needed by them for life and godliness, though they have a thirst which no thing or person in the world could quench, something peculiar to themselves, if they come to Jesus Christ, the moment they come to Him He will meet it.

You do not try to feel that water satisfies you: you drink, and pursue your way, and you are satisfied. Similarly, in dealing with Christ, open your nature to Him, and say: I take Thee to fill this void, to meet this thirst, to quench this desire. Wait before Him, and then rise from your knees and go forth and dare to reckon with Jesus Christ, as doing what He said He would, as satisfying, as quenching. And as you dare to trust Him, according to your faith it will be done. He stood and cried; He said in effect: “I am a river.” And, you know, in a river you have to stoop to drink.

When I began teaching, I thought that God’s gifts were on the top shelves for the strong and tall. I find now that all His best gifts are on low shelves for babes and children. The river always falls to the lowest. The river is an exquisite emblem of humility, for if there is one place lower than another, the river will seek it and lie in deep pools there, so that the infirm, the aged, the children, the cattle may go thither and drink. And Jesus Christ, leaping downward, comes into the low level of your life, and, if you are at your lowest, He is nearest to you. Stoop and drink and go your way, for Christ is very near to you as you read.

He stood, and cried, and said: “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.” And may I tell you what I think is the inner thought of Christ, because, if I am correct, it is almost superlatively beautiful to consider that connection? He looked down the ages, He saw His children, you and me and the rest of us, and He said: What is true of My power to meet the need of men, shall be true also of all who belong to Me. They shall not drink for their own supply only, but through them I will pour rivers which shall meet the thirst of the world.

So that, first Christ contemplates Himself as the river at which we drink, and then He transforms our lives into rivers of which other people drink. Therefore, we may pass on, in our life, to others, what we get from Him, as He got from God the Father. Just as I have seen a river, springing from the melting snows of the uplands, pour itself down into some great lagoon or lake, whose pellucid waters have reflected the blue sky by day, and the stars by night, and out of which rivers have emanated that have carried to the lowland valleys all the glorious force of water which had descended from the hills — so Jesus Christ is the great lake into which the Godhead pours itself, and out of which we, as rivers, united with Him by a living faith, may drain His stores without exhausting them. Through us, God may do for others what we have found Jesus Christ to do for ourselves. “Out of them shall flow rivers.” You drink at a river, and then out of you pour the rivers.

Up till now you have been content with being a pitcher dipped into a river, and poured out and soon exhausted. Attending a yearly Convention has, perhaps, been your dip into the river, and thence you have been carried, dripping a drop here and there on the way, to India or China, or Africa, or England, and you have been put on end and poured out, and you have said, presently: “I must go back to the old spot to get filled up again.” You have been a pitcher all the time. Thank God for that, but from to-day you may be a channel-bed, through which not one river but half-a-dozen may flow, and you will not need, therefore, to be replenished at certain intervals, because you will command all the fulness of Christ.

Effortless

Now just notice these points about a river. I can only note them. The first is its effortlessness. There is no effort in a river. You sit beside it, it flows, and it will flow on in its inexhaustible abundance. There is no thud, no pulse, no engine, no black column of smoke. It is effortless. What a strain there is in the lives of most of us! We are always pumping up, from unknown depths, our information from others, pumping out from commentaries, and there is a strain. You say, “I have got three sermons to make, lessons to prepare, letters to write to enquirers; I am so tired, my head and heart are overstrained, I never can get through it.” Strain! But Christ says: My life is effortless. And your life may be effortless, and through you may go the power of the living God, without strain to yourself and without the sense of strain that worries other people; for I am quite sure that our congregations are often more tired by seeing we are tired ourselves, than they are in listening to our words.

Abundance

Then, secondly, of course, abundance. The word “abundance” is the Latin words ab unda (wave upon wave). I am told the Congo pours out of its mighty mouth a million tons of water a minute, and that its influence is discerned in discolouring the ocean two hundred miles from its mouth. Such is the Congo in the abundance of its waters. My friend, a man in a little village church, you a deaconess in some obscure… parish, do you realise that if you could link yourself in a certain manner with Christ there might pour out of you, day by day, an influence upon that little church, that neighbourhood that parish, which would be comparable to the Congo pouring out a million tons of water a minute ? If God can do that in a river, what cannot He do through you? I like that word rivers, as, though the Congo, and the Mississippi, and the Amazon, and the Ganges, and a dozen big rivers would alone satisfy the thought of Jesus for every one of His beloved.

You say this is hyperbolical. May the man who is addressing you say that years ago he knelt down before God, and put his finger upon this text, and claimed it, and that ever since then, through the channel-bed, there has been coming more and more of this river influence? And I dare to say here to any one who will get alone with God in some secluded spot, and put your finger upon this verse, and say: My God, I take Thee at Thy word; I dare to claim that Thy fulness should pass through my life — according to your faith it will be to you.

Constancy

Then there is the constancy of the river. The man who wakes at night hears it murmuring past his house; it is there night and day, in the drought of summer and in the frost of winter, always, unintermittently pouring forth.

Depth

It is good to know, also, that it deepens in its flow. “As the Scripture hath said.” Our Lord was, without doubt, referring to Ezekiel chapter 47, where the water got deeper at every fresh measurement of a thousand cubits. I may be speaking to men who are getting grey. The general drift of the Church at present is to put the older men aside for younger men. Indeed, old men everywhere in the world are getting a hard time of it just now; they are pushed out of everything, and they begin to think they deserve it, too. They lose heart. A man begins to say to himself: “Well, I am getting past fifty, getting past sixty, and onward, and I suppose I shall have to give up my influence to others.” And according to his unbelief, so it is to him. He begins to dwindle into a marsh.

But let such a man dare to take God’s Word, and remember Ezekiel chapter 47, that the river gets deeper all along, and broadens, and intensifies in its life-giving power. So that there is no reason why your power of blessing men should get less as the body gets weaker, but rather, because the veil gets thinner, the eternal light may pour forth with more effulgence.

Life-giving

And it is life-giving. Wherever the waters come, there is life. Is your life like that? I hear the music of the waves of that river; they seem beating and throbbing outside the dam which we have raised by our unbelief. I can only ask God to-day that they may rise to such a torrent force as to sweep the dam away before them. I can only hope that every person who reads these words may be submerged in that eternal life. What a verse is that, “Jordan overfloweth its banks at the time of harvest!” May this be the time of harvest when the retaining banks shall be submerged beneath the flow of that mighty river, and when every one of us shall know what it is to be hidden under the wealth of God’s goodness passing over us.

Of course, when there is not much water you see plenty of bank, and when there is plenty of water you cannot see the banks at all. And when there is not much of God’s life in us, men see a good many of our limitations, and a good many bare patches in the midst of the stream. But when a man is right with God, God pours over him; you do not think about the man, you think about the river in the man.

It may seem hyperbolical to speak thus. You are saying, Yes, this is very well for the writer, and other men like him, who have been specially called out for God’s work, but it is not for us. I knew you would say that. Will you turn to the thirty-eighth verse? “He that believeth on Me”; and it goes on to say, “This spake He of the Spirit, which they that believed on Him were to receive.” The pronoun “they” might perhaps have been too vague, and, therefore, the Lord specialises it and says, “He that believeth on Me, out of Him.” There is the singular, the particular, the definite. And the Greek word is very beautiful. “He that believeth in to me” — the Greek in with the accusative is always significant of motion towards — that is, he whose nature is always approximating towards Mine, he whose nature is always drawing closer and closer into intimate fellowship with Me.

What is belief? Belief is not so much intellectual as spiritual. It is receiving. He that believeth is he that receiveth. He that receiveth from Me, out of him shall flow rivers. There must be nothing between; there must be perfect openness between you and Jesus; there must be the quiet waiting on Him in prayer, until He shall pour through you His life. That is where you have made the mistake. You have been doing things for Him. Now let Jesus do His things through you.
Working for God

I shall never forget a meeting held near Chicago, where about one hundred and fifty of God’s servants met Dr. Wilbur Chapman and myself in an old wood, on an Indian mound, where they buried their dead in the old time. One Friday afternoon, beneath those overshadowing trees, these ministers gathered and asked many questions about the orthodoxy and theology of our position. And when they had sufficed, I turned to my companion and asked him to give his experience.

He said that one Monday morning he was very sad and out of heart; it seemed as if his work was a failure; and he took up a New York paper, in which an address was published, which said that everything in life depended upon whether a man worked for God, or whether he let God work through him. He said: “I saw in a minute that I had been working for God, until I had worn the very flesh off my bones, and I was worried to death. And I knelt down and said: ‘My God, I will no longer work for Thee, but here is my manhood; pour Thyself through me to men.’ That altered my life.” Then we all knelt in prayer, and, audibly, one after another, we said: “Not henceforth for Thee, O God, but Thou through me.” The whole meeting was broken down as men are bowed now and again beneath the touch of the Spirit of God.

And, brothers and sisters will you open your hearts to this to-day? Do not read, do not glance through these lines as though I were talking about things that are ideal and far away. But understand that Jesus speaks to each one of you, as if there were no one but yourself to hear and receive His word, and if you will link yourself to Him in a faith that does not simply pray but appropriates, a faith which allows God a chance, a faith that waits still before Him until He achieves His purpose through your life; and if you will stand up in your pulpit, or in the open air, or in your class, and just believe that God is pouring through your thought, word, and act, His own fulness — the whole of your live, which has been so full of effort and strain and difficulty, will be altered, and the river of God, which is full of water, will pour through your life.

But you say your faith is small. It does not matter whether your faith is small or great. It is not the amount of your faith, but the object of your faith that helps you. A man says, My faith is so weak! My friend, if you will give a river time enough, it will find its way through the narrowest passage possible, and though your faith be but a very narrow channel to-day, if you give God time enough, He will pour His whole nature through it. It is not the faith, it is the object of the faith. You say you are so sterile! It is not surprising to hear you say that. But listen! “I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land” — and you are dry enough! — “springs of water.”
“But this spake He of the Spirit.” We should hear more of Him. “The Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet glorified.” You can easily understand that. The nature of Jesus Christ was enlarged by His ascension in order to take in the fulness of the Pentecostal gift, that He might bestow it on men. Before His death, Christ could receive the Spirit for Himself. But he needed to wait until He had received the glory which He had with the Father before the world was, and His human nature had been transfigured and enlarged — then it pleased the Father that in Him should all the fulness of the Holy Ghost dwell.

And what was true in the great macrocosm, is true in the microcosm; what is true in God’s dispensational dealing is true in His dealing with the individual. There must be an ascension in your heart before there can be a Pentecost. Have you glorified Jesus Christ? Have you made Him the King of your heart, of your life? Have you enthroned Him? Have you put Him where God the Father has put Him, as the Monarch, the only Ruler? If not, let there be an ascension to-day. Let Him lead captivity captive, let Him go up on high, let Him take the throne of your heart, let Him sit supreme Governor over every thought and emotion and purpose and desire of your soul. When Jesus is glorified, and when you have opened your whole nature to Him receptively, claimingly, then He will shed the Holy Spirit through you, and rivers of water will flow through your life.

“For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar of, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto Him.” “That upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

The “F” Bomb!

The “F” Bomb!

Oh, yea… I’m going to say it. The word that makes people nervous and even scares some. There are others who think it’s a bad word and shouldn’t be said at all. Jesus Himself used the word from time to time. Any time the Gospel is preached, the “F” bomb is dropped. You know what I’m talking about…

Freedom. Particularly freedom from works-based righteousness.

Galatians 5:1 says we are to “Plant our feet firmly in the freedom that Christ has won for us”. Other translations say that “It is for freedom that Christ has made us free”. I previously thought this verse was talking about sin until I understood the context of the book of Galatians. In its proper context, the Apostle Paul is telling the Galatian believers not to return to the “shackles of slavery” or “yoke of bondage” of works-based righteousness by trying to be justified by obedience to the law.

Jesus Himself said that the truth we come to know, believe, and accept brings freedom in our lives. (John 8:32) He went on to say that if the Son sets you free, you are totally, absolutely free. Not struggling, sweating or striving to be free, but really free! (John 8:36). The Good News of the Kingdom is that instead of us trying to be righteous by our efforts and performance, God Himself has given us His very own, 100% Pure, Undiluted Righteousness as a free gift. Righteousness is a gift to be received, not a reward to be earned or worked for.

To really have our feet planted firmly in the freedom that Jesus has won for us, we have to be established in the gift of righteousness. Our performance or obedience is not the source of our righteousness. The source of our righteousness is Jesus’ obedience! (Romans 5) God’s kind of righteousness can only be received as a free gift by faith. Any and all effort to obtain righteousness by our works is sin because it comes from a heart of unbelief in what Jesus has already done for us on the cross.

Righteousness comes to you by simple exchange. Jesus became our sin so we could be made into His righteousness. There is not any higher brand or more superior quality of righteousness than God’s. Pure Righteousness is now our identity and position forever. Through receiving this gift, along with overflowing , lavish grace, we have a sense of mastery and victory whereby we rule and reign in life as Kings. God is not interested in taking our options away and making decisions for us. Jesus came that we would enjoy and experience God’s very own quality of life with all the freedom that entails. He didn’t come to give us an abundance of rules, laws, or to teach us to behave like “good little Christians”. He came to give us life! It was the Tree of Life in the Garden that Adam & Eve could freely eat. The Tree of Life, River of Life, and Book of Life are mentioned in the last book of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s message to humanity has always been to “CHOOSE LIFE!” Adam and Eve chose religion and independence when they ate from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This represents the Mosaic Law, and we have been singing, preaching, praying, and developing really bad theology from that wrong tree every since.

Faith-based Righteousness frees you from the tyranny of religious insanity. It is true that religion will drive you crazy. The sad part is that there are millions of sincere believers who love Jesus, but who are still trying to work to be more righteous. If I could pray more, fast more, give more, then maybe I will become righteous. The false gospel of “God isn’t satisfied so you need to do more stuff” has choked the life out of many.

Did you know that you can be passionate and “on fire” for God, yet be totally ignorant at the same time? The Pharisees were passionate about God, but they didn’t have a passion that was based on the right knowledge or theology. I was passionate and “on fire” for years and totally ignorant of God’s kind of righteousness. I was too busy trying to be a “Spiritual Olympian” for Jesus. “If I can just pray enough hours in tongues, climb the ladder, put in my time, ascend the hill of the Lord, repent of every sin I know, and even every sin that my great great, great granddaddy did, then maybe, just maybe God will be proud of me, approve of me, accept me and bless me”, I thought. Righteousness by faith solves this issue. You come to understand that God loves you with a perfect love, and He always will. He already accepts you in Christ (Ephesians 1:6) and is not mad or disappointed with you. This frees you from striving for His acceptance and allows you to enjoy His presence and love in unbroken communion.

“Now what do we conclude? That the Gentiles, who never seriously pursued righteousness, have attained righteousness, righteousness by faith. But Israel, earnestly following the Law of righteousness, failed to reach their goal. And why? Because their minds were fixed on what they achieved instead of on what they believed. They tripped over that very stone the scripture mentions: Behold I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense: And he that believeth on Him shall not be put to shame. My brothers, from the bottom of my heart I long and pray to God that Israel may be saved! I know from experience what a passion for God they have , but alas , it is not a passion based on knowledge. They do not know God’s righteousness, yet they are constantly trying to prove their own righteousness. However, they have the wrong attitude to receive His. For Christ means the end of the struggle for righteousness –by-the-Law for everyone who believes in him”. (Romans 9:30-33. 10:1-4 J.B Phillips)

People often talk about things that “grieve the Holy Spirit”. Let me tell you one thing that grieves Him: that is when believers say that they have to work for something Jesus died to give them, which in this case is perfect righteousness. Grace, which is God’s unmerited favor, blessing, ability, and power can only go to work in your life when you believe you’re righteous by faith. (Romans 5:21) Even when you sin and mess up, Jesus is your advocate and He is constantly pleading your case. God is for you and not against you, even when your performance isn’t perfect. He has put His perfection already in your account.

The gift of righteousness is not an excuse to continue in sin. If you are continuing in sin you are really dumb….for real. Sow to the flesh, and you will reap destruction, defeat, and death. Sow to the Spirit, believe that you have been made righteous, and you will experience life that is beyond your wildest imagination. The Good Life! Grace doesn’t just free you from the penalty of sin. That’s more of a mercy thing. Grace comes to free you even from the power of sin! Be passionate and be “on fire”, but be passionate according to knowledge and know that you are as righteous as you will ever be. 100%, Pure Undiluted Righteousness has been given to you. Who has believed our report?

Functioning in the Faith of God part 2

Here are a few “faith revy’s” to help get your faith working for you instead of you working for your faith.

Understand that you are at this very moment in perfect union with Jesus!
The same “stuff” that is in The Vine flows through the branches. The same power, anointing, wisdom, knowledge, grace, and faith that are within Christ are within you! (John 15, 1 Corinthians 6:17) How much faith does Jesus have? Enough faith to speak and create planets! (Genesis 1, John 1) Grace is all about tapping into His unlimited resources instead of our own. We can either try to live by our faith, that’s shaky at best, or join the Apostle Paul and “live by the faith of the Son of God”. (Galatians 2:20) Don’t worry about it if you don’t feel you have enough faith to believe God for miracles, wealth, or superabundant favor. Jesus has that kind of faith, and He has invested it in you! He would not tell you to have the God-kind of faith and not freely provide you with it Himself. (Mark 11:23) He freely provides His faith as He has freely provided His own righteousness. We do not try to live by our own righteousness, nor do we try to live by our own faith. It is all Him… from start to finish! We simply cooperate with Him every step of the way. He does all the heavy lifting!

Understand the Power of Joyful Boasting! (The Faith movement called this “confession”). Joyful boasting is happily and boldly declaring new creation realties even if you don’t see any natural evidence of their manifestation yet. It is declaring out loud that you are righteous, even after you have sinned. It is declaring that you are healed by the stripes and wounds of Jesus, even when you feel pain in your body. It is declaring that you are dead to sin, even when temptation is at your door. Joyful Boasting is calling things that are not in the physical as though they already exist.(Romans 4:17) It is speaking from the position of the finished work even if your physical senses are giving you contrary evidence. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. We don’t turn this into a legalistic work, but we do allow the language of the new creation to freely flow through our lips. Faith doesn’t move God. Faith moves mountains. Instead of praying for the mountain, crying, stressing, or worrying about the mountain, speak to the mountain. Mountains have ears and have no choice but to obey what you say. Mountains move some people. Other people move mountains. It’s your choice. When God speaks, He gets things done. We are created in His image. Creative power is released through our words as well. (Hebrews 11:2) We don’t speak because we are trying to get something from God. We speak, boast, and confess because we see what we have already received. We believe; therefore, we speak. (2 Corinthians 4:13) . Ezekiel prophesied to a valley full of dry bones, and the Holy Spirit did the work by causing them to come alive and become a great army. When we prophesy, the Holy Spirit enforces what we say with the resurrection power of Jesus. Again, we don’t turn this into another religious work or something to add to our “to -do list”. We simply speak from a place of rest trusting the Holy Spirit to bring it to pass.

Understand that it’s not enough to believe God has given it to you. It is by grace, through faith, that we are saved. (Ephesians 2:8) If we are saved by grace, through faith, we are healed, delivered, blessed, prosperous, and victorious over sin by grace through faith. It’s not enough to believe it’s been given to you. You have to learn how to receive what God already says is yours. God gave Israel the Promised Land, but many people never got to enjoy it due to their unbelief. The word “ receive” in Mark 11:24 means to take, lay hold of, take to one’s self, make something your own, claim, or seize it. We rule and reign in life, but not by grace alone. We rule and reign in life by RECEIVING abundant, overflowing grace and the gift of righteousness! (Romans 5:17) Everything has been provided, but we still have to learn how to drink from the cup. (Mathew 26:26-29, Psalm 116:12, 13). God is looking for receivers! It’s great when you see that God has given you an inheritance full of all sorts of goodies, but you can’t stay there. You have to move into aggressive faith that takes what God has already given to you.

Understand that a sin-consciousness hinders your faith from working. If you are still wearing shame, guilt, fear and condemnation, it will be difficult for you to receive from God. Remember that God has clothed you with garments of salvation! You are completely covered in His robe of righteousness!(Isaiah 61:10) That robe is not stained by sin! All of your sins, even your future sins have already been forgiven! You are now 100 % pure, undiluted righteousness! (Romans 5:21) I know this may shock you, but if you are a believer, you will never be more or less righteous than you are right now! When you are aware or conscious of your sins, it causes you to run and hide from the presence of the Lord. Adam and Eve only feared God after they had sinned. It was only when they were aware of their sin that they felt naked and ashamed. When we understand that God does not want us to be sin-conscious but righteousness-conscious, we have boldness and confidence before God and men. We also will never allow intimidation from a defeated devil to move us from faith into fear. The blood of Jesus cleanses us (present tense) from all sin! (1 John 1:7) We are clean! Even with Gods most penetrating gaze, He cannot find fault with us.(Ephesians 1:4) Sin is not credited to our account any longer! The only thing that is in our account is God’s very own righteousness! (Romans 4)

Understand that Angels are already on the scene! Angels are always around us. (Psalm 34:7) We have understood that Angels are involved in protecting us (Psalm 91:11-2), but they are also very much involved in causing the answers to our prayers to show up in the physical realm. We see this in Daniel 9 and 10. Remember, though, that Daniel was living under the Old Covenant. Jesus had not yet stripped the devil of his authority, so Daniel could not simply rebuke the demonic forces and command the resistance to leave. We can. We can directly speak to any demonic resistance in our lives and the evil spirits have to leave. As we cooperate with the Holy Spirit and learn to live and walk by the Spirit through the operation of God’s grace, we will see more and more evidence of the ministry of Angels in our lives. Angels help bring provisions, resources, and supplies to those who are trusting God. (1 Kings 19:5, Psalm 78:24, 25) Angels strengthened Jesus after his fast in Mark 1:13 and in the garden of Gethsemane in Luke 22:43. If Jesus needed the ministry of Angels, so do we! Angels seem to work “swifter” when we are joyfully boasting (or confessing) God’s word over our lives and circumstances. Gabriel came to Daniel because of Daniel’s words!(Daniel 10:12) Angels obey the word of God and that word is spoken by our lips as well. (Psalm 103:20)

According to Hebrews 11:1, Faith is…

Faith is the title deed of things hoped for, the proof of things that are not being seen.
Wuest

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the sense)
Amplified

Now faith is a confident assurance of that for which we hope, a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.
Weymouth

Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for, the absolute conviction that there are realties you’ve never seen.
The Voice

Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see
GODS Word

And faith is of things hoped for a confidence, of matters not seen a conviction,
Young’s Literal

Let’s not make the mistake of thinking we know everything there is to know about faith. If you have been around the Church for any length of time, you have probably heard at least a few messages on faith. In recent years, grace has been the hot topic. The truth is, both grace and faith need to be taught and emphasized often because we are saved by grace through faith( Ephesians 2:8). If. Although the “faith movement” hit some ditches along the way, I really value the contribution that people like Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth & Gloria Copeland, Keith Moore, Jerry Savelle,, and Jesse Duplantis have made and are still making to the body of Christ. Through these men and women, the Church began to believe again that nothing is impossible as long as we have faith. One of the truths of the grace message, however, is that God has already given every believer His very own faith! We don’t have to strive, work, or sweat to be people of great faith because we already are! As we understand more and more about grace, we see our faith working for us, not us working for more faith.

Every believer has been given the same quality and quantity of faith Jesus Himself has. We all have been given the MEASURE of faith. The faith that is already inside of us has been given to us freely by grace. God, in His sovereignty, did not choose to give certain believers great faith and other believers little faith. That wouldn’t be just or fair at all, would it? He did not decide to give people like Smith Wigglesworth, John G. Lake, and Kathryn Kullman great faith, while giving you less than what He gave to them. Now what people do with the faith God has given them is a different story altogether.

We already are people of great faith! When I turn the light switch on in a room, I totally believe that the lights are going to come on. I don’t stress about it. I am not worried or anxious when I see the light switch. I believe that the lights are going to come on. Although I have never seen the people who are responsible for my house having electricity, I still believe the lights will come on. In the same way, when we pray or speak, we must come to a place of simply believing it works 100 % of the time. We have made it way too complicated. God never intended the life of faith to be a struggle. He always intended those who live by faith to live a life of real rest. When I get in my car to drive, I am not anxious, nervous, or fearful. I simply put the key in the ignition and drive to wherever I need to go. Because I have been driving for a while, it’s just natural for me. Living by faith is like that. In the beginning, you may be a little nervous, but as you practice more and more and exercise the faith that you have, it will become easier for you. Our new nature is a nature that believes.

Let’s also keep in mind that faith is a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5). It is the natural outflow of union with Jesus, the Living Word. It is faith that converts the promises of God into our every day experiences. Although all believers have the measure of faith, not all believers are exercising their faith and seeing the results God desires. Although I have a bicep, and a body builder has a bicep, the body builder can do more with his bicep simply because he exercises it or uses it more than I do. It’s true that some people are functioning in greater faith than others, but that does not mean they were given more faith. It simply means they have learned to use the faith they have on a regular basis. If you don’t consistently and deliberately use the faith you have, you will never see increased results. Begin to be bold about believing and receiving from God again! You have a HUGE inheritance that He wants you to enjoy, but you will only enjoy it as you understand how to live by grace through faith.

Functioning in the Faith of God – part 1

Let me go on the record, yet again, and say I am totally a grace guy. I unashamedly, boldly proclaim the Gospel as the Gospel of Grace. Grace is God’s unmerited, undeserved, unearned blessing and favor. Grace is also the divine influence upon our hearts that causes the life of Christ to be expressed in our everyday lives. I echo the Apostle Paul when I say, “I am what I am by the grace of God” (1 Corinthians 15:10). What made Paul “tick” was the grace of God. Paul credits grace to his success, not his own prayer life, giving or performance. The majority of the messages I preach and the articles I write focus on what God has done for us in Christ, not on what we do. However, I also understand that there must be a proper “marriage” of the grace message and the faith message as they compliment, not contradict one another.

We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is what God has done. Faith is our response to what God has done. Faith is not trying to get God to move. God moved over 2000 years ago and because of the finished work of Christ, we have been given everything that we will ever need (2 Peter 1:3). All blessing already belongs to us! (Ephesians 1:3) Faith is simply accepting what has already been proved for by Grace. Faith does not create reality. Faith accepts what God says is already real. As far as God is concerned, the entire human race is already forgiven, healed and redeemed. The timing of God for salvation, healing, deliverance and prosperity was over two thousand years ago. Jesus has already taken the stripes for our healing, became our curse, our sin, and took our poverty so we can now freely receive healing, blessing, righteousness, favor and financial abundance. My faith does not create this reality. My faith accepts this reality that has been freely given to me by grace.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The reality that God sees already exists in the spiritual dimension. My faith does not make that exist. My faith simply connects to that “invisible reality” and through faith it becomes my visible, tangible experience. Let me also give a brief warning here. I am not encouraging you to drift back into a legalistic, non-relational approach to Christianity. We are not married to a stone tablet or a to-do list. We are married to the Risen, Resurrected, Living Jesus, and because of this union, we bear fruit that tastes so sweet! (Romans 7:4) All of our “doing” must be in the framework of His done! What I am teaching you to do is to cooperate with God as His partner, not to work for Him as a slave. Jesus has “brothered” us, and now we are sons who have been brought into the glory of God (Hebrews 2:10). All of creation is groaning for the revealing or manifestation of the sons of God. That’s us! Creation itself is waiting for us to see who we already are in Christ!

If you are just coming off of your “works addiction” or performance-based religiosity, then be very careful that you do not interpret what I am saying to you as something else you must “do”. Many of you reading this article are still in detox from your religious addiction to behavioral modification, so I don’t want you to miss the heart of this message. I am not telling you something to do; I am giving you something to believe in. I will also show that the language of the New Creation is a language of grace and faith. This New Creation language will not have to be forced out of you. It will be something that flows out of you as you grow in understanding your new identity. The Gospel is not a call to new behavior. It is a call to a new identity. Christianity is not about good and bad morality. Christianity is about union with Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Jesus came to bring the dead to life, not to simply make bad men act good or make people “better”. The Life we now live as believers is a totally new life- it’s resurrection life!

Andrew Wommack describes the balance of Grace and Faith as the balance and blend of sodium chloride. We know that if you put sodium chloride together you have salt, and salt is necessary for life. However, if you separate the sodium from the chlorine you are dealing with two lethal elements. In the same way, if we just preach Grace or faith, we don’t see the whole picture. On one side of the coin you have the “Grace-folk” who mainly emphasize what God has done. On the other side of the coin you have the “faith-folk” who mainly emphasize our response to what God has done. Through the Grace message we begin to see the beauties of redemption, the Incarnation, the Cross, and Jesus’ identification with humanity. Through the Faith message we begin to see the power and potential of belief and how absolutely nothing is impossible to him who believes. Both the “grace-folk” and the “faith-folk” can easily end up in a disastrous theological ditch. We cannot simply be one or the other; we have to be both – “grace and faith-folk”.

Grace is consistent and the grace that brings salvation has appeared to all men. (Titus 2:11) Every person on the planet has just as much grace extended to them as the next. God is no respecter of persons, and what He has done for one, He has done for all. In Christ, God has said YES to every promise for every person that will ever live. If it were up to God alone, every person on the planet would already be walking in health, wealth and functioning in the fullness of the Spirit. If it was just up to Grace, there would be no sickness, disease, poverty or curse in operation. Although the grace of God has been extended to all men, there still must be a response of faith from the individual.

Here is another beauty hidden in the Gospel. When the Gospel/Good-News is preached, it comes with downloaded Grace and Faith! It is not something we have to struggle, sweat or strive for. Grace, faith and love come in the package deal of the Gospel as gifts! (1 Timothy 1:14) When we say YES to the message of the Gospel, God Himself imparts His own faith to us to receive the amazing gift of salvation. We don’t get “saved” because we conjured up some faith for ourselves. God gives us THE measure of faith to receive what He has already given to us by grace. (Romans 12:3) Also remember that faith is a fruit of the Spirit! (Galatians 5:22) Faith is not something you struggle to get more of. Faith is something that is already inside of your glorious spirit. The Holy Spirit simply brings out of you what is already in you. The fruit of faith is yet another thing that flows out of you simply because of your union with Jesus. Right now, we have the same quantity and quality of faith that Jesus Himself has. Paul said he lived by the faith of Jesus. (Galatians 2:20) Jesus told us in Mark 11:22 to have the “God-Kind” of faith. This faith has already been given to us.

“Well Pastor Brett what about Romans 10:17?” I totally believe faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ, but that is more of us functioning or manifesting what has already been given to us. When we hear the promises of Jesus, our faith skyrockets! On several occasions Jesus was astonished by the faith of individuals and by the unbelief of other individuals. It is true that certain people are manifesting greater faith, but that does not mean you don’t have the same measure inside of your spirit because you do! People like Smith Wigglesworth and John G. Lake functioned in greater faith than most of the people in their generation, but that same faith was available for their entire generation by grace. Today, we should be advancing in the revelation of the grace of God and functioning in the faith of God beyond what Wigglesworth and Lake functioned in.

The New Covenant way of life is not a life lived by the law or letter. It is a life of faith. Faith is simply resting in God’s grace. Faith is also trusting in the ability, goodness and love of God. Although there were many conditions and commandments under the Mosaic Covenant, there is only one condition in the New Covenant; and that is simply to believe. Romans 1:5 speaks about the “obedience of faith” and Romans 1:17 reminds us that the just, or those who have been justified, live by faith. Whose faith are we living by? Paul said he was living by the faith of Jesus! Jesus, the Son of Man had so much faith that He believed after He died, His Dad would bring Him back to life again! Jesus also was manifesting such a level of faith that He truly believed He, as the Second Adam, would bring an end to the entire Adamic existence, sin and all curse! That takes some faith! Although Jesus was and is our Substitute, He showed us what was available to all the sons of God. Jesus came as the One and Only and rose again as the Firstborn from the dead! (Colossians 1:18) We are to be like Him in every way, including His faith! This revelation also takes the pressure off of you to somehow “believe for the impossible” and understand that the Holy Spirit is at work within you, bringing the very faith of God out of you! Through faith, expressed through words, God framed entire worlds! (Hebrews 11:1-3) We are created in His Image! (Geneses 1:26)

The Genesis account of creation was a Trinitarian effort. What I mean by that is the Father, Son and Spirit were all involved in causing creation to be. There was nothing made without the Son (John 1:3). Jesus was on the scene before time began, and He was actively involved in the creation of everything that exists. He has faith to cause things to be that never existed before. Jesus, the Living Word, has faith to speak and create entire new worlds! This faith is within us as we are joined to the Lord; we are one Spirit with Him! (1 Corinthians 6:17) The same “Jesus-Juice” in the Vine is the same “Jesus-Juice” that flows through the branches! (John 15) The same quantity and quality of faith that Jesus possesses, we now possess. We now access heavenly reality by the faith God has given us. (Romans 5:2)

“Trying” to live by the law is not a life that pleases God. It is faith that pleases God. Instead of “trying” to obey the law, we now simply trust God to do in us and through us what we could never do for ourselves. The life of faith is a life at rest in His grace. After faith has come, we are no longer in need of the tutor of the law. (Galatians 3:25) In fact, if you find yourself still trying to relate to God based on your performance, behavior or self-righteous living, you are not living the life He envisioned for you. The law (Mosaic Law including the Ten Commandments) is not even of faith according to Galatians 3:12! It takes functioning in the faith of God to call yourself the righteousness of God after you have sinned and “blew it”. It takes functioning in the faith of God to say, “I am Holy because of what Jesus has done, not because of what I have done”. It also takes the faith of God operating in and through us to say we are completely dead to sin, dead to law and alive unto God, seated with Him in heavenly places right now! WOW! (Romans 7, Ephesians 2)

Instead of trying to “muster” up some faith, simply rest in the faith of Jesus that is already inside of you. I guarantee He can believe for bigger and better things that you could ever believe for. How are we going to see cities transformed, nations changed, and the body of Christ manifesting the glory of God in the earth on an unprecedented scale? By functioning in the faith of God that the Grace of God has made available for all of us, not just a few “super-stars”. Let’s begin to function and operate in the realm of no limitations, no ceilings and no impossibilities.

Keeping our “doing” inside of His “done”

I have heard it said that the early church majored on majors, while the church today majors on minors.  I see this clearly when I read the epistles of the Apostle Paul and the writings of other church fathers, like Athanasius and Irenaeus.  When you read the writings of these men, you can almost feel the heat of the passion that burned in their hearts.  The Incarnation, the power of the pure gospel, the cross, the covenant of grace, son-ship, and other new creation realities were their majors.  Although Paul addressed specific issues within certain churches, like Corinth for example, the majority of his time was spent teaching and reminding believers of the intimate relationship and fellowship they share with God through Christ, as well as their identity in Christ.  Paul understood that right believing produces right living. The Corinthian church had major issues going on, but in the beginning of his letter, Paul reminds them that “they are sanctified in Christ”, “grace has been given to them”, and “they were called into fellowship/intimacy with Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:2, 4,9).  Before addressing any issue, he makes sure to bring up the “majors”,  which are Intimacy with God and our Identity in God.

This is why I believe it is an unwise use of my time to spend the majority of my preaching or ministry “majoring” on anything else other than what the Apostle Paul “majored” on.   I love that Paul even said in Galatians 6: 14 that “God forbid I boast in anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ”.  He later goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 2:2 that, “I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified”.   With statements like these, Paul was again confirming that his main passion was Jesus and proclaiming His finished work of redemption for all of humanity to the entire world.

What are we boasting in today? Our works?  How much money we have given?  How many hours we spend in prayer?  How many days we have fasted?  How often we read the Bible?  What ministry training we have received?  What do we think qualifies us for the anointing of the Holy Spirit?  Our “doing” or Jesus’ “done”?  When Jesus cried out on the cross, “It is finished”, He was announcing victory!  He was also announcing the end of the old covenant and the beginning of the New!  The veil inside of the temple that separated the world from the presence of God was torn!  Now there is free access into the glory of God by grace, as well as no more separation!  The continuing Incarnation of Jesus means that humanity and divinity are wrapped up and intertwined for all of eternity.  Please remember that living in the New Covenant is all about “grace and faith” (Ephesians 2:8).  We could never “keep” the covenant ourselves, so God Himself became flesh (John 1),  fulfilled the Law (Mathew 5:17),  became our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), died for us and as us,  and in doing,  Jesus, the man, “cut” a new covenant with the Father.  Jesus is our Covenant-keeper!  His work and His work alone qualifies us!  Not our “doing”,  but His “done”!  Yah!!!!

I often say that as long as Jesus is the center of everything we do, we are in good shape, but once we begin to drift into focusing on other things, such as sin management, behavioral modification, or mere self-help/improvement strategies, we have begun to” major” on “minors” again.  After we drift into majoring on minors, we also easily drift from grace to legalism.  If our focus becomes more about what we do, rather than what God has done through the cross, we have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4).   Simply look at the books on the shelves of many Christian bookstores today and you will find books on revival, the rapture, success, hell, and church growth.  The list goes on and on.  Now I am not saying that these topics are not important because they are.  What I am saying is that the majority of our time should not be spent discussing these topics or “minors”.  I know I will probably get some negative feedback from people as I am calling “’revival” and “hell” minors, but that’s ok.  Paul never one time mentions the word “revival”, and I cannot recall a single time he mentions hell, either (there could be an instance, but I am not aware of it.)  Do I want to see cities transformed, people healed, addicts set free, churches planted and the dead raised?  Absolutely!   But the fruit can only be produced as we understand our union with Christ (John 15) in his death, burial, resurrection, ascension and sitting down at the right hand of God at rest in total victory!  Paul even says in Galatians 3:5 that “God supplies the Spirit and works miracles among us, not because of our efforts, but because we simply believe the message of the Gospel. I have to echo T. L. Osborn here in saying, “The Church doesn’t need more power, the Church needs more Gospel!”

Even the pursuit of revival is another example of majoring on minors.  Why do we need revival when the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us?  In fact, I will boldly say I personally don’t need revival.  I am alive in Christ and have been “awakened to righteousness”!  Any local church that needs “revival” means they have allowed themselves to become dry and dead in the first place.  Paul didn’t pray for revival. He was revival everywhere he went. The earth is groaning, not for “revival to break out”, but for the manifestation of the sons of God (Romans 8).  Even creation is eagerly waiting for us, the children of God, to understand our true identity and to become what we already are – a New Creation.  I am believing for greater results in the area of healing the sick.  Jesus healed them all.  I have yet to see this in my personal experience.  I am also believing for greater manifestations of God’s glory in the earth, but even that comes from me understanding more and more the inheritance I have in Christ.  Notice I said “believing” for these manifestations, not “working “for” them.   The glory of the New Covenant is a glory that increases and excels (2 Corinthians 3). The New Covenant is a Covenant of Grace.  Grace and Glory always go hand in hand.

The disciples after Pentecost carried revival everywhere they went. Instead of “pleading” for God to send the rain, they, by faith, released rivers of the life of God inside of them. They recognized that the infinite Source of power, blessing and life was living inside of them, and this understanding helped bring  transformation to entire cities.  Have you ever thought about why the Old Testament focuses a lot on “rain” as the sign of the blessing of the land, or we could say “revival,”  yet in the New Testament Jesus said out of our heart or belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38)?  He didn’t say “out of the heavens, the rain will fall.”  He said out of us, rivers will flow!  Instead of pleading with God to “Come” and “send the rain”,  maybe we should learn how to release the “rivers” that are already inside of us! Paul prayed in Ephesians 1 that the Christians in Ephesus would come to know, by supernatural revelation, the inheritance they had in Christ that was already inside of them!  Whoa!  There is a glorious inheritance already inside of us!  All the healing, deliverance and anointing we need are already within us, waiting to be released!  It is by faith that we access this grace! (Romans 5:2). It is by simply believing that we experience these promises.

Real faith is real rest.  If our “doing” is being motivated by fear, anxiety, stress, or worry, then we are just wasting time. We cannot experience the continual Presence, blessing, favor and power of God if we are still trying to relate to God within an old covenant framework.  Remember, only the glory of the new covenant excels. Why do “revivals” stop?  Read Galatians and find out what hindered the church in Galatia from running with full speed ahead.  It was not sin that cut off the flow of the supernatural, refreshing and miracles.  It was because the people in Galatia began to think they could move forward by their own efforts or their own “doing”.  Sin doesn’t cut you off from God.  Self-righteousness does.  You who attempt to justify yourselves by the Law, have actually severed yourself from Christ (Galatians 5:4)!You  cannot experience all the benefits of the New Covenant in Christ (His presence and His provisions) while you are trying to live by the “Law”.  Paul never said cussing, drinking, smoking or lying did that!  (I am not encouraging you to lie, cuss, drink or smoke!)

What kills moves of God? If you do your research, you will discover that there were moves of God that were short lived due to leadership “falling” or sinning, but you will discover more “moves of God” were killed because of legalism.  We often start in the Spirit, trusting God to give the increase, to supply the Spirit and work miracles among us, and then we drift into trying to “do” something to move forward into greater glory.  We want to “do” something for God and end up forgetting what God has already “done” for us in Christ!

Let’s keep all of our “doing” inside of His “done”!  The work is finished. There is nothing I can do to work for, or earn my salvation, redemption, anointing, miracle or breakthrough. God is not looking for human “doers”.  He is looking for human “beings”. Those that simply understand how to “be” everything He says we already are in Him.  He is looking for believers!  How do we work the works of God?  What can we do?  What are the keys to operating in the miraculous?  What are the secrets to living a supernatural life?  Well, if you read a lot of the books out there, you will find a long list of requirements.  Let me show you what Jesus said on the matter however…

“What are we to do, that we may habitually be working the works of God?  What are we to do to carry out what God requires?” Jesus replied, this is the work (service) that God asks of you:  that you BELIEVE in the One Whom He sent (that you cleave to, trust and rely on and have faith in His Messenger)

John 6:28-30 Amplified Bible

Let’s keep all our “doing” inside of Jesus’ “done”!

You Might Have a Legalistic, Religious Mindset …

You might have a Legalistic, Religious mindset…
·         If you think it’s your personal mission in life to point out the wrong in other people’s lives
·         If you see more of what is wrong with other people, churches or ministries than what is right
·         If you have constant guilt because you can never measure up to God’s standards
·         If you feel that no matter what you are doing for God right now, you need to be doing more
·         If you keep score in your spiritual life
·         If you feel the need to be the Holy Spirit Police and make sure others stay in line
·         If you think enough hours in prayer will give you breakthrough and a powerful anointing
·         If your prayer life has become mechanical and dry
·         If you get offended because someone responds to God’s presence in an emotional, ecstatic way
·         If extravagant worship, including dancing, bothers you
·         If, in the middle of reading this blog, you are thinking about someone else
·         If you are always suspicious of something new
·         If you are unable to join something that is not “perfect”
·         If you judge yourself or others by external behavior
·         If you think drinking one glass of wine or enjoying a beer is sin
·         If you think Ephesians 4:29 is talking about cussing instead of communicating to people in a grace-based way
·         If you still think you should hang the Ten Commandments on your wall
·         If you justify attacking someone’s character because they made a mistake
·         If you think music, sex, food, art, dancing, Facebook and fun are all demonic
·         If you think spirituality is about discipline instead of desire
·         If you want to take away someone’s ministry because they sinned. (Jesus gave Kingdom Keys to Peter and never took them away, even though Peter blew it.  King David also threw  himself upon the mercy of God after he sinned,  and God did not tell him to stop being King.)
·         If you expect God to withdraw His presence, voice and blessing from you when you sin
·         If you want others to be punished when they “break the law”
·         If the main motivation for your devotional life is making your conscience feel better.
·         If think people should get what’s fair instead of what they do not deserve
·         If you think the fear of God means being polite and having “manners” instead of just being amazed at how awesome He is
·         If you believe God sees people like you  do with your same judgments, criticisms and preferences
·         If you would rather be right than have relationship
·         If you think you just need to “try” harder
·         If Grace preachers make you nervous and you still think too much grace preaching will cause people to sin more
·         Spontaneity and Creativity scare you, because you want everything to be  done “in order”
·         If you are more focused on “dirty hands” than people’s lives being touched.
·         If you think you should actually spend time telling people why they shouldn’t get tattoos or why they shouldn’t watch a PG-13 movie
·         If you overact to carnality or immaturity. (My daughter is almost 3. I don’t expect her to act like she is 18 yet. If she poops in her pants, it’s not the end of the world!)
·         If you think taking up your cross means giving up on all the dreams and desires in your heart. (Who do you think put those dreams there???)
·         If you think America is being judged by God
·         If you still see a separation between the spiritual and the secular
·         If you feel like God is distant from you
·         If you feel like you have to “press in” to get “in” God’s presence
·         If you think you have grown out of being child-like in heart
·         If you wish everyone was like you

The devil Doesn’t Have a Kingdom!

Here are a few thoughts for you to think about. There is only one time that scripture hints at the devil having a kingdom. Let’s pick up the account starting in Mathew 12:22.

Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?”  But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons.”  And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.  ”If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?  ”If I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.  ”But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” “For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man like Satan and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.” Mathew 12:22-29

If the devil had a kingdom, he doesn’t any longer. Jesus is speaking pre-cross here. The strongman does not need to be bound by us because he was stripped, defeated and totally humiliated by Jesus over 2000 years ago. Our assignment is not to focus on “binding” the devil but receiving our inheritance in Christ and simply taking hold of what already belongs to us. Everything that had been lost and forfeited by Adam has now been reclaimed and restored by Jesus, the Second Adam. Everything that was twisted, Jesus has untwisted. Everything that was lost has been found by Christ and now belongs to us in Christ by grace.

Do I believe that there are times when demonic influence and curses should be addressed? Absolutely. Even the Apostle Paul confronted the spirit of divination or python(Acts 16), that was harassing him, but Jesus was the obsession of Paul, not demonic spirits. Jesus totally set us free from sin, but we have to walk that out day by day. Sin did not stop existing; it just has no power over us. Jesus totally healed us before sickness ever thought about attacking our body, but we have to live in the reality of the health that is already ours in Christ. Sickness is still in the world, but it has no power over us. Jesus totally redeemed us from every curse and we are free! It is our responsibility to aggressively stand in this freedom that Christ purchased for us with His own blood.

James 4:7 says Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee (or run in terror from you!). I am learning more and more each day that although my divine inheritance is secure and guaranteed in Christ, there is still a deceiver and a liar that pushes the line every chance he gets. My mind cannot be devil- or demon-conscious, however; but my mind must be fixed on the Lord. I have no time to waste being sin-conscious, devil-conscious or self-conscious. For the sake of myself and my family, as well as my generation, my mind and heart must stay fascinated by my beautiful Jesus.

Because the Church in the West has been highly influenced by Greek thought and philosophy, we have a huge problem viewing things through dualistic lenses. Dualism is the concept that there are two opposing cosmic powers – good and evil, God and satan; and these opposing powers are locked in a perpetual battle, and no one really knows the outcome. Dualism says “sometimes good wins and sometimes evil wins, you just never know”. However, the Bible clearly says that Christ has already overcome the world (John 16:33), and the devil is already defeated (Luke 4:1-13; Hebrews 2:14; Colossians 2:15).

I feel that a lot of believers’ devil is too big, and their God too small.  We see good and evil like yin and yang, equally pressing against the other side, until one side, hopefully good, wins. This is not the vision the Bible gives us of the victory of Christ. The devil is not powerful, and the liar is only “empowered” as people believe his lies. Think about it for a moment. There are more believers on the planet today than in the history of the world and the same amount of demons as there have always been. Not only has satan been totally defeated, but he is seriously shorthanded!

There is one supernatural kingdom-the kingdom of God. There is not a clash between two spiritual kingdoms. At the end of what we call “The Lord’s Prayer” Jesus says “for yours is THE kingdom, the power and the glory”. One Kingdom- the Kingdom of God.

 Is the devil a king? If you’re not a king, you can’t have a kingdom. It’s that simple! The devil is no king! He is a humiliated, defeated loser with no power except the power to deceive. Also, a kingdom is “a king’s domain”. In order to have a kingdom, you have to have “dominion’ over something.  The devil has no rightful dominion over the earth. The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. (Ps 24:1) Because God wants to share everything He has with his kids, He gave the earth to men. (Genesis 1, Psalm 115:16).

Why do bad things happen? It is not because God is causing them. God is not a cosmic child-abuser, bride-beater or self-mutilator. The church is the body of Christ. Jesus is not inflicting Himself, His own body, with sickness, disease or depression. He is not trying to teach His kids lessons by giving them cancer. If a man was guilty of everything we have accused God of, we would have put Him to death a long time ago.  God is good and we should stop trying to make him look like He has the character of the devil. (John 10:10)

Jesus disarmed the devil, made a public display of all demonic principalities through the cross. (Col 2:15) Hebrews 2:14 even goes so far as to say that Jesus DESTROYED the one who had power over death, that is the devil. We don’t have time to waste being afraid or intimidated by a defeated, powerless enemy.  We also don’t have time to keep going through “deliverance” ministry only to come away with more issues than we did before we received the ministry! If any ministry is causing you to be more self-conscious than Christ-conscious, I question the validity of that ministry.

After Jesus’ resurrection He tells his disciples that “ALL AUTHORITY has been given to Me”. If Jesus has ALL authority, guess who has none? Yep, you’re right! The devil has none! We also need to remember Jesus did not say this as God. God already had all authority and did not need anyone to give it to Him. Jesus said this as a man, the Second Adam, our substitute, representative and older brother. He has shared His authority with us; and we live, move and have our being in Him.

Colossians 1:13 says we have been delivered from the power or authority of the devil and we have been translated into the Kingdom of God’s beloved Son. This scripture reveals so much and is loaded with goodies, but we will close this article only skimming the surface of this passage. First of all, we have been delivered from the devil’s authority. The devil is still operating within certain limitations and as we learn how to live out our “sonship” in the real world, we will see the enemy’s influence continually decrease in the world around us. It is the Kingdom of God that is like leaven and that leaven will eventually take over! (Mathew 13:33) Daniel saw the Kingdom of God advancing until the entire earth was covered and dominated by God’s righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Daniel 2:35, 44). We HAVE been delivered! This is past tense! Jesus finished His job and left no loose ends.

Colossians 1:13 also reveals that we have been translated into the Kingdom of God. We are in the Kingdom and the Kingdom is in us! If God’s will is to be done in the earth as it is in heaven, then His Kingdom is coming through us! I want you to also notice that this verse does not say we have been delivered from the kingdom of the devil or the kingdom of darkness. It says we have been delivered from satan’s authority, but Paul never said satan had a kingdom. The Apostle Paul never mentions a supernatural, kingdom of darkness. Again, in order to have a Kingdom, you have to have a King! The best part of the Kingdom of God is that we do have a King and He is Jesus! Jesus is the embodiment of the Kingdom!

The devil does have limited influence as people believe his lies, but let’s not make him a king because he is not!  There is coming a day when the kingdoms of this world and all governments will become the Kingdom of our God (Revelation 11:15), but let us not make the mistake of making the devil bigger than he actually is. Satan does not deserve the amount of time we have given him. Let us look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!

“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or magician with the same delight”. C.S. Lewis

Greasy Grace

Greasy Grace

I hope the title of this article gets not only the attention of the “grace lovers” out there, but also those who are still trying to live by a legalistic system that chokes life and kills freedom.  If there was one thing Jesus and the Apostle Paul attacked more than anything else, it was self righteous, legalistic mindsets. The harshest rebukes of Jesus did not fall upon the prostitute, thief, drunk, homosexual or liar. The harshest of rebukes fell upon the Pharisees and religious leaders who had embraced and taught a legalistic way of life that completely blinded them and their followers to the God revealed in Christ.

Let me boldly say that I love being a greasy grace preacher. I make no apologies for not only preaching greasy grace, but living by greasy grace. Let me also say that I have several good friends in ministry today that think my position on grace is too extreme. I would have to agree with them!  Can grace be anything but ridiculously extreme and extravagant? My belief in the amazing power of God’s amazing grace is not a reason to not walk together with those of different opinions. I have just come to realize that it is only by grace that the body of Christ will ever be what we were born to be.

Normally when someone uses the term “greasy grace”, they are referring to what they personally believe is a teaching or doctrine that promotes sinful living in the name of the goodness of God. Opponents of greasy grace usually make statements like “That preacher is soft on sin”, or “He is just giving them a license to sin” and even statements like “You just don’t understand what it means to live holy.” Greasy Grace is usually used in a negative connotation, describing grace in such a way that sin itself is justified.  Let me say this right out of the gate here.  God justifies the sinner, not the sin.  God hates sin. as do I.  God did not overlook sin and say “it’s ok.”  God Himself sent His beloved Son to become sin itself so that we could be made His very righteousness. (2 Cor 5:21)

I completely understand all the objections that any opponent of “greasy grace” may hurl my way.  At one point in my life, I was the guy hurling those same objections at other grace preachers that I knew.  Since I came to believe in Jesus, there has always been a fierce passion in me to know God, and for the Church to be everything Jesus said we could be.  Before the “grace light” came on in my own understanding, I misunderstood the message of grace being preached by those “notorious” grace preachers and thought that all their theology came down to was a watered down, worldly, immature way of living for a believer. Man was I wrong!

Some say that the Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin diluted the gospel, and that they themselves had no real knowledge of what God was saying through the scriptures.  I totally disagree.  I say that Martin Luther and John Calvin were just scratching the surface of what grace is all about.  (I DO NOT agree with all of Luther’s or Calvin’s doctrinal positions.)  One thing that I have learned recently is that my deepest thought about the goodness of God is but just a drop in the bucket when it comes to God’s endless, limitless grace revealed in Christ.  In fact, the highest thought any human has ever thought about grace is not high enough. Through the revelatory ministry of the Holy Spirit, we can come into greater light concerning God’s goodness and grace that will shatter all preconceived ideas and false projections that we may have invented ourselves and about God.

Can we go too far with grace?  That question comes up quite a bit.  That’s like saying “can we go too far with Jesus?”.   Grace is God’s unmerited, undeserved favor, blessing and goodness given to the unworthy. Grace is getting what Jesus deserves, regardless of your behavior.  It can also be said that grace is the divine influence upon the heart of a person, expressing itself in ordinary human existence.  Grace can also be described as the power of God.  No matter what your definition of grace may or may not be, living by grace through faith is the only way to live for a New Covenant believer.  If you are going to get into any ditch, it better be the grace ditch!  It’s a whole lot better than the legalism, condemnation, guilt, works, and death ditch!  Grace is not something detached from the person of Jesus.  The Gospel of Grace is Jesus!

Believers today throw around the word “atonement” and only think of the events of Jesus incarnate life such as the cross, but atonement is not an event, it’s a person. The Gospel of Grace is not some detached message outside of God. The Gospel of Grace is Jesus Himself. Jesus came to us full of grace and truth (John 1).  Atonement simply means “at-one-ment.”   Jesus united Himself to us by taking on Adam’s skin,  and by becoming flesh.  He assumed a human mind, soul, emotions and body, and whatever He assumed, He healed!  We cannot separate the work of Christ from the person of Christ.  I see that happening in the church today.  Even people who are proclaiming the message of the kingdom can drift into preaching “kingdom” in such a way that it is this “thing” instead of a person.  Jesus is the embodiment of the kingdom.  It is possible to preach the kingdom of God without preaching Jesus, but it is impossible to preach Jesus, the King, and not preach the kingdom as well.

To all those who say we need to stop with all this grace talk, I say we need more greasy grace!  It hasn’t been “greasy” enough!  For too long, we have had too many dry lectures preached by intellectual communicators instead of greased messages ablaze with the fire of God’s love, boldly proclaimed by true Kingly Ambassadors, full of grace and truth.  I have heard several preachers calling for reform in the church while basing all of their “reformation theology” on Old Covenant mindsets and principles.  That is not the reformation we need. What is needed is a Grace Revolution and that revolution is currently sweeping the world!

We need greasier ministry, not less. In fact, the Hebrew word for anointing implies a pouring and a smearing of oil upon an individual.  If you are smeared up and down with oil, you’re pretty greasy!  I am praying for an entire army of greased up, grace-filled ministers of the New Covenant to cover the globe with the revelation of the goodness of God.

Sure there those who, in the name of “grace” live a lifestyle that is not empowered by grace at all.  Grace doesn’t empower me to be rebellious or dishonorable to God-ordained leadership.  Grace doesn’t empower me to lie, steal, cheat, covet, murder, worship idols,  or commit sexual immorality.  Grace empowers me to be fruitful and experience the work of the Holy Spirit in my ordinary, day-to-day life.  It is when we begin to strive, sweat and try to work for something from God, that we enter into the works of the flesh (Gal 5).  It is only when we stop trying, and start trusting that the life in the vine has the opportunity to flow through me and produce the rich, ripe, juicy fruit God desires.

IF you think “greasy grace” preaching is giving people a license to sin, let me drop a bomb on you.  People already are sinning with or without a license!  It is the Law that stirs up and arouses sin! (Romans 7:5)  I absolutely believe in living in such a way that expresses my true new creation identity, but I also now understand that the Gospel is not a call to a different type of behavior. The Gospel is the call to a new identity in which we freely share everything Jesus is and has by grace.

Does this mean I am soft on sin? Absolutely not!  At the cross, God didn’t say “it’s ok you sinned, I forgive you.”   At the cross, the judgment, wrath and anger of God towards sin was relentlessly unleashed upon Jesus, our substitute.  Sin was condemned in the flesh, in the body of Jesus (Romans 8:3).

God didn’t excuse sin; He became it!  He didn’t justify it; He absorbed it into Himself without being contaminated by it.  I once heard someone say, “The Doctor became the patient in order to heal us.”  The Incarnation is one of the biggest mind-blowers there is, if not the biggest.  Every time I really allow myself to think about the Creator becoming a creature in order to redeem us spins my mind.  From Genesis to Revelation, we see a God who has constantly and consistently been for the sinner while against the sin. This is my position as well.

Let me close with a quote from The Message Bible out of Romans, chapter 5 verses 20-21.

All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end

Grace wins hands down!

More “greasy grace’ please!

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