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Monday, April 28 2014
~~INTRODUCTION THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 1. Personality of the Holy Spirit Affirmed By His Attributes. "All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses [wills]." It should be noted here that the Holy Spirit possesses the essential of mind or intelligence. The above scripture explicitly affirm that the Holy Spirit exercises a moral and sovereign will which is comparable to that of the other Persons of the Trinity. In connection with the sovereign bestowal of spiritual gifts on men, the Spirit is said to accomplish this "as He chooses" or "as He will". The essential of mind or intelligence is further confirmed by His works also. His works indicate intelligence, knowledge, and the normal functions of personality. Personality, which is an attribute of His Person, is demonstrated by the actions of the Person. "Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny].For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." The attributes of omniscience (infinite knowledge) is evidence of the existence of mind and intelligence on a platform of deity. Also, the Holy Spirit possesses life which is an essential of personality. "For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." [Romans 2:2 NET] "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Separate now for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." "And when they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them." CONCLUSION "Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said, *Most part of this teaching is culled from "The Person of The Holy Spirit" by John F. Walvoord. Contributor: Leye Olayiwola Thursday, March 27 2014
Introduction: I trust we have all been writing our tickets with God since our last meeting. We still have some days left in the year and of course years to come in order to benefit immensely from this experience. We will be considering a very essential and important topic in this series today (titled above). The dictionary definition of Doubt is; 1] To be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe. 2] To distrust. In each of the scriptural references read so far, it can be clearly seen that doubt caused people to receive something less than the best God has for them. In fact, doubt can prevent someone from not receiving anything! The Lord Jesus also rebuked every single person for their doubt and unbelief. We pray that our faith will be encouraged as we walk through this series so that we will not fall victims of Doubt - The Thief of God's Greater Blessings in Jesus name. Amen. God’s Best: Receiving By Our Own Faith.There are instances in scriptures where the Lord intervened by His divine sovereignty. When Peter cried out to Him to save him as he began to sink (Matt. 14:30). When His disciples cried out and awakened Him during the storm in the ship (Mark 4:38, 39). However, God’s greatest desire then (and indeed now) is for His disciples to receive by their own faith. An account of Peter walking on water in Matt. 14:25, 28 and 29 is a proof of this. Don’t Look at the Circumstances. As bible students, we know that the reason why Peter began to sink in the account of Mar 4 above was because he took his eyes off Jesus and instead focused on the circumstances (boisterous wind). He began to see things happening around him and quit looking at Jesus and what He said. Faith is acting upon the Word of God. As soon as Peter stopped acting on what God had said, he started sinking. Now, that was doubt because Jesus said to him in Matt.14:31; “…..o thou of LITTLE FAITH wherefore didst thou DOUBT?” Peter’s faith only carried him for a little while. Though the miracle of walking on water began, but it was not consummated. The same way, many miracles have begun in people’s lives but have not been consummated because they took their eyes and focus off God, and concentrate them instead on circumstances or symptoms. Jesus refers to this as “little faith”. Doubt robbed Peter of the best that God had for Him. Let’s take our eyes off the situations or circumstances (symptoms) and focus on God (His Word) which is far superior! Don’t Criticize Others until You’ve Walked on the Water Yourself. Jesus didn't intend for Peter to sink just as He never, and will NEVER intend for us to sink also. Jesus meant for him to be able to walk back to the ship with Him. But don't criticize Peter (or your brother or sister) until you've successfully walked on water without sinking! Then your criticism will be accepted. Besides, when you criticize others, it hinders your own faith.* don’t use Peter's failure to believe as an excuse for you to be able to doubt God. Doubt and Fear Rob People of God's Blessings Doubt and fear go hand in hand while faith and love go hand in hand. ....perfect love casteth out fear..." [1 John 4:18]. Faith gets the job done! Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. [Matt.13:58] Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.[Mark 6:5] In Jesus' hometown, only a few people were healed under His ministry. The Amplified Bible mentioned the fact that there were "a few sickly people" healed. A bible dictionary says the Greek shows that there were a few folks with minor ailments who were healed. What happened in Nazareth was the fact that doubt (distrust) robbed the people there of God's best. And He marveled because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in Him). And He went about among the surrounding villages and continued teaching.[Mark 6:6 Amp]. The unbelief of an entire congregation can keep God from working. This is the reason why Jesus take people aside, from the multitude in order to pray for them (Mark 7:32, 33). Not a Lack of Power - A Lack of Faith [Matthew 17:14-20; Matthew 10:1] By comparing the two scriptures above, we can comfortably and unequivocally conclude that the disciples could not heal the boy not because they lacked power, but simply because they lacked faith. When they asked Jesus why they couldn't cast out the devil, Jesus didn't say it was because they didn't have the power to do it. He said it was because of their unbelief. Kenneth Hagin further mentioned that for years, he's heard many Full Gospel people say they needed more power so they could cast out devils and do the works of Jesus. He said lack of power is not what the trouble is at all. People miss the point by saying such because if you have the Holy Ghost, then you have the power (Acts 1:8). People think that if they had more power, the Word would automatically work. Wrong! The Word works by faith! What’s hindering people is lack of faith - not lack of power. Doubt is robbing many of the blessings of God. It doesn't matter what you receive from God's Word. God’s Word still only operates by faith. Salvation is the greatest gift you can receive from God. Being born again is the greatest blessing a person can receive. But you still have to receive salvation by faith. And after you are born again, you must have and operate in faith in order to enjoy the blessings and benefits of salvation. The benefits of your inheritance in Christ just don't fall upon you like ripe cherries off a tree. For we walk by faith, not by sight. [2 Cor.5:7] The baptism of the Holy Ghost is a mighty gift that God has for His children. But just because you are filled with the Holy Ghost doesn't necessarily mean you are a successful Christian. There are Spirit-Filled Christians with real Spirit-filled experience all around us, who are not successful. But the power they have received in the baptism in the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues is still utilised through faith. And if there is a lack of faith in appropriating the promises of God, then they are simply ignoring the powerhouse that is in them. You don't need any more power. You need to learn how to put the power you already have to work for you. Conclusion P.C. Nelson or "Dad" Nelson, founder of South-western Bible Institute, said that more people lose their healing over a counterattack than any other one reason. He was actually saying that the devil is going to come back against you with symptoms to make you think you didn't get your healing in the first place. But if you'll stand your ground in faith on the Word of God and say that you are healed, then the devil will flee from you. The Bible says that we should resist the devil and then he will flee from us (James 4:7). Whatever you receive from God, you receive by faith and you hold on to by faith. Contributor: Leye Olayiwola Please Note: This teaching is an extract from Kenneth Hagin’s Book - FAITH BIBLE STUDY GUIDE Thursday, March 27 2014
Introduction: Doubt is to hesitate to believe, to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely. Your confession of Satan's ability to hinder you and to keep you from success gives Satan dominion over you. Your confession of your fear or doubt gives fear or doubt dominion over you. If you confess fear, your fears become stronger and you get more and more into bondage to the enemy. But if you will boldly confess your Father's care and protection, and confess God's Word and declare that what God says about you is true, you will rise above satanic influence every single time. Matt.14:31; “…..o thou of LITTLE FAITH wherefore didst thou DOUBT?” Today, we are looking at seven steps to the highest kind of Faith. This is the faith which takes God at His word and gets results.
“For the word of God is QUICK, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Moffatt's translation reads, "For the Logos [Word] of God is a living thing. . . ." You see, "quick" means alive or living. And so the Word of God is a living thing. But it will only come alive to you and work in your life as you accept it and act upon it. Therefore, the first step to attaining the highest kind of faith is to settle on the absolute integrity of God's Word. The Word of God should be of foremost importance in your life. Sometimes people feel that God hasn't spoken to them unless they have received a message in tongues or a prophecy, but God's Word - the Bible - is God speaking to us! And tongues and interpretations or prophecy are not to be put above the holy written Word of God. Say it out loud: "God's Word is God speaking to me."
“12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet [able] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 WHO HATH DELIVERED US FROM THE POWER OF DARKNESS, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, even the forgiveness of sins.” Another translation of verse 12 reads, ". . . which made us ABLE to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light"! Thank God, we are able to be partakers of our inheritance and we can enter into our inheritance in Christ. Now read verse 13: "Who HATH delivered us from the POWER of darkness. . . ." This verse does not say God is going to deliver us; it says He has already delivered us when we were born again into God's Kingdom. The Greek word translated "power" here means authority. In other words, we could read that scripture, "Who has delivered us from the authority of darkness....". Now that word "darkness" means everything that Satan is - the kingdom of Satan. But in Christ we have been delivered from the power or authority of Satan's kingdom. Notice Colossians 1:14 says, "In whom we have redemption through his [Jesus'] blood. . . ." Therefore, Satan cannot lord it over the believer, for we have been redeemed! Let's look again at Revelation 12:11. “And they overcame him [the accuser of the brethren, Satan] BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, and BY THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY....”
COLOSSIANS 1:18 “And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the” FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD; that in all things he might have the preeminence. Jesus is the firstborn from the dead (Rev. 1:18). We are begotten of God, but Jesus was the first One who was begotten of God (Heb. 1:6; Rev. 1:5). Peter said, "Being born again begotten] not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1:23). Thank God, we are begotten of God. We are born of God. We are children of God. We are heirs of God. We are joint or equal heirs with Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:17). We are not magnifying ourselves when we talk about our inheritance in Christ; we are magnifying God and what He has done for us through the Lord Jesus Christ. We did not make ourselves new creatures; God made us new creatures. And Jesus is the Author and the Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). Thank God, we are new creatures created by God in Christ Jesus.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his RIGHTEOUSNESS: that he might be JUST, and THE JUSTIFIER of him which believeth in Jesus.” The same Greek root word that is translated "righteousness" here in Romans 3:25 and 26 is also translated "just" and "justifier" in this same verse. The margin of my Bible reads, "that he might himself be righteous" (Rom. 3:26). The words "just" and "righteous" or "righteousness" can be interchangeable terms. What is this verse in Romans 3:26 telling us? That God has declared His righteousness to us through Jesus. And that God Himself is righteous and He has become my righteousness. God is the righteousness of all who have believed on Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21). This is not theory but a Bible fact. 2 Cor. 5:21.
1 CORINTHIANS 6:19,20 “ What? know ye not that YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE of the Holy Ghost which is IN you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” We need to become "God-inside minded." In other words, we need to just simply take God at His Word. We need to believe and act like the Bible is true when it says, ". . . greater is he that is IN you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4)! "He that is in the world" is the god of this world, Satan (2 Cor. 4:4). But, thank God, He who is in us, the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, is greater than he who is in the world!
“God is faithful, by whom ye were called UNTO THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.” The very heart reason for redemption is fellowship. The highest honour that the Father has ever conferred upon us is to be "jointfellowshippers" with Himself, with His Son, and with the Holy Spirit in carrying out His dream for the redemption of the human race. But relationship without fellowship is an insipid thing. It is like the marriage relationship without love or fellowship. Fellowship is the very mother of faith. And fellowship is the parent of joy. It is the source of victory. And God has called us individually into fellowship with His Son. If you have fellowship with God and you are walking in the light as He is in the light, then prayer becomes one of the sweetest and one of the greatest assets to which we have become heirs in Christ.
God has given us the power of attorney to use the Name of Jesus. This means we have power in that Name over Satanic forces. Jesus said, ". . . In my name ... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:17,18). Jesus said, "... whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you" (John 15:16). We have authority to use that Name. The Name of Jesus carries authority on this earth. It is not a matter of faith, but it is a matter of knowing your legal rights in Christ and taking your rightful place as a son or daughter. It is a matter of taking your place in carrying out God's will in the earth. Getting us to cooperate with God is the biggest problem! Contributor: Alex Alajiki Please Note: This teaching is an extract from Kenneth Hagins Book - FAITH BIBLE STUDY GUIDE Friday, October 25 2013
Introduction Last week we looked at how to write our ticket with God and emphasised the four steps that we need to follow in order to avail ourselves of the opportunity of writing our tickets with God, these four steps will also be emphasised today as we progress through the study. What is a ticket: piece of paper or card that gives the holder a certain right, especially to enter a place, travel by public transport, or participate in an event. A ticket may be valid or invalid. Synonyms: pass, warrant, authorization, licence, permit (online dictionary) 25 "And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I May Touch But His Clothes, I Shall Be Whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. "
Four Steps To Receiving Your Answer From God 1. Say it. Matt 18:19, It is written. ..” (Matt. 4:4). Never Speak Defeat. A closed mouth is a closed destiny. 2. Do It : Arise and work the works that needs to be worked. In last week’s lesson, after David responded to Goliaths words, he ran towards him, 3. Receive It: Saying and Doing Comes Before Feeling and Healing, receive it even though you can't feel or see it.
4. Tell It: Testify to the workings of God, not to brag but to give glory.
Jesus has given everyone of us, a signed check, saying, “Fill it in.” He gave us a signed blank check on the resources of heaven. Any believer anywhere can write a ticket of victory over the flesh, the world, and the devil, for finances, children, spouses, jobs, promotions etc.
One minister wrote me after I had appeared on “The 700 Club” television program. He was always taught to believe that if God wants to do it, He does it. He has the authority—He has the power—just leave it up to God. There was sickness in this himself, sickness and disease in his family. He’d had no victory in his life for years. “I’m beginning to see,” he said, “that it is up to us to do something about some of these situations which exist— that he has authorized us to do it.” (K. Hagin)
The bar of expectations, even within the church, has been lowered in regards to healing, finances and other areas of live. Unless you’re willing to stand and fight the fight of faith, you will be overcome by this world. If you don’t stir yourself up, you will settle to the bottom. The world isn’t going to encourage you toward God’s best, and most Christians wont either. The Word teaches us that He has given us all things to enjoy [1Tm:6:17]
Examples of People who dared to write their tickets Jacob – Genesis 28.20 Hannah – 1 Samuel 1 Hezekiah – 2 Kings 20 Jabez – “Now Jabez was more onourable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.’ So God granted him what he requested” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10).
You must be earnest, zealous, sincere, and determined. (James 5:16). You must be humble “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter5:6-7). God knows all your alternatives.
Jabez requested a personal blessing, asked God to enlarge his borders (material prosperity), protection and guidance, God’s preservation and deliverance. (Ps 91, 119:31, Mat 7:7-8) God is the source of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).
Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us….....
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
To write valid tickets we must gain firsthand understanding of the power of his love, we are changed from the inside. God’s love heals, restores, soothes, refreshes, and repairs those cracks we all have inside, and we become whole individuals.
Conclusion “Let us lay aside every weight that holds us back, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us…. forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,…. PRESSING toward the mark for the PRIZE of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus…Let as many as be MATURE, be thus minded. [Hebrews 12:1, Philippians 3:13-15 When you live by the word, the word will work for you. Don’t be content with a life that lacks power, elegance, beauty, and richness of life; to be content with less than God has ordained for you is short changing your destiny and the destiny of people God has purposed you to raise. Contributor: Esther Alajiki
Friday, October 25 2013
INTRODUCTION: Last week, we continued in our journey into effective faith walk with God by carefully looking at the key areas where we must confess before we possess our desires. Areas such as Salvation, Receiving the Holy Spirit and Healing were looked at in detail. In addition, the teacher also highlighted and discussed in detail, the steps that make our confessions effective. I trust that we have been practising these steps and enjoying the full benefits of positive and godly confession as we are enjoined in Hebrews 5:14. As we continue this week in this journey of faith, we will be looking at the account of an encounter of Pastor Kenneth Hagin with the Lord Jesus Christ, at his request for an exposition on the story of the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5. Pastor Hagin reported that the Lord Jesus Christ emphasised that "if anyone, anywhere, will take these four-steps or put these principles (to receiving answers from God) into operation, that person will always receive whatever he wants from God, the Father". It is therefore imperative that we pay rapt attention to this study, as I believe that we all desire (always) to receive our petitions from God, the Father. Four Steps to Receiving Your Answer from God These four steps can be used to receive anything God promises ranging from salvation, to healing, to baptism of the Holy Ghost, or to receive victory, finances, or any other answer to any petition, from God. However, depending on some area of faith (e.g. finance), you may need to develop your faith in accordance to the level of your need. Thus, it may take some time for you to receive answer in this case. It is definitely certain that even in this area (or any area at all); these steps will produce results if these bible principles are put into practice. Therefore, whether these principles are put into operation immediately or practised over time, you can have whatever you say from God's word. These steps are simple as is customary of Jesus' way of illustrating and communicating truths in the scriptures. Step 1: Say It! [Mark 5:28] The first step that the woman with the issue of blood took in order to receive from Jesus was; "For she said, if I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole." She said what she desired and this was in line with God's will. There's a “God ward” side and a “Man ward” side to winning every battle, every victory, and receiving anything from God. You have a part to play and there's always something that you must do. If there's failure, it has to be on our part. This woman knew about healing power of Jesus and she decided to do something about it. Jesus said to Kenneth Hagin during this encounter that "Step number one is to say it!" Positive or negative confession is up to the individual. Proverbs 6:2. Never speak defeat. Never talk failure. Instead, talk about your lovely Heavenly Father and what He can do, and your faith will grow in leaps and bounds. Step 2: Do It! [Mark 5:28] Saying it alone and not acting on it would not have done this woman any good. Jesus Christ told Kenneth Hagin in the vision that "Your actions defeat you or they put you over. According to your action, you receive or you are kept from receiving what you want from God." This woman acted upon what she said - She touched Jesus' clothes! Step 3: Receive It! [Mark 5:29] "And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague". After the woman touched Jesus' clothes in faith, she felt that she was healed in her body; Jesus in turn asked "....Who touched my clothes?" because he knew that virtue had gone out of Him. First, the woman said it. The she showed faith in action by going forward and reaching out for Jesus' clothes in order to receive her healing. Finally, she received her healing and felt it in her body that she's been healed of the plague. Saying and doing comes before feeling and healing. Most people want the feeling and receiving first before the saying and doing. It doesn't work that way in God's kingdom. It was only after the woman with the issue of blood said and did, that Jesus said that the power had gone out of Him. There is a power at work in this earth which is far greater than the power of an atomic bomb. It is the power of God, the anointing which destroys every yoke. If all sick people knew of this power, they could be healed of every disease. Step 4: Tell It! [Mark 5:33] "But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth." Jesus said to tell it so that others might receive it. You have to say some things in faith before you ever receive them from God. Many times, people say the wrong things because they believe the wrong things. Wrong thinking produces wrong believing and wrong believing produces wrong speaking. When people start believing the right thing and saying the right thing, they'll have the right thing in life. The Lord also told Kenneth Hagin that people can receive the Holy Spirit by following these four principles. Any believer anywhere can write their own ticket of victory over the flesh, the world and the devil through following these four principles also. If believers don't do something about their situation themselves (write their own ticket), it would be a waste of their time praying for Jesus Christ to give them the victory. Old Testament Example of the Four Steps of Faith A very good and applicable example of the four principles of faith can be found in the very famous story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:30-54. The first thing David did was "And David Said...." (vs.32). He said that he would fight and prevail against the uncircumcised Philistine, Goliath. David knew he could have what he said. He also knew he could write his own ticket with God. The reason God hasn't done any more for you is because you haven't said any more. All you have today is the result of what you said yesterday! Next, David went out with his shepherd's sling and crook, or staff. Notice also that Goliath talked. David let him talk. You can't stop the devil from talking, but when he gets through, you must have something to say. You must nullify his negative talk with your own talk of faith! Jesus didn't stop the devil from talking when He was being tempted in the wilderness. But when the devil got through, He sure had something to say. "....It is written...." (Matt.4:4). Summary/ Conclusion: It's strange when it comes to natural things; people know exactly what to do. For example, if you're going to sell your car, you know exactly how much you are going to sell it for and where. You also know how to go about getting a job if you need one. But when it comes to spiritual things, people hardly know what to do. You need to know that you can write your own ticket with God. Whether you know it or not, that is what you have been doing. This is the reason why people are where they are now. God will do everything you trust and believe Him to do for you (Mark 11:24). You must begin to write your own ticket with God, starting right now! Contributor: Leye Olayiwola Friday, October 25 2013
Introduction: Last week, we saw the potency of our words as Christians, either to kill or give life (“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it shall eat its fruit.” – Proverbs 18:21) and that just believing God’s words isn’t enough to activate our faith, we must go on to confessing what we believe for it to work (Mark 11:23). I found the below statement by Price insightful: The Word for “confession” is “homologeo”, meaning “to agree with” or “say the same thing that God says. When you say what God says, you can change the circumstances of your life with His Word. You are no denying the circumstances; rather you are confessing what God says about the situation and since God cannot lie, His Word shall come to pass. In short, a Christian is breaking the influence of Satan over his/her life and forcing him to acknowledge the Believer’s authority and victory over him. A true confession of faith always agrees with the Word of God – learn to talk God talk. We also saw the place of confession for salvation and receiving the Holy Spirit. Today, by the help of the Holy Spirit, we will address the root cause of negative confessions among Christians.
Example of key areas where believers must confess before they possess
Steps that make a believer’s confession effective As we have already stated, confession is the expression of what one believes since human beings are constantly affirming something. Sometimes the affirmations are disastrous. In other words, the effects of such words have the power to defeat the person. For example, if someone continually says s/he can't do something because s/he doesn't have the strength, the person will begin to feel her/his strength actually diminishing. Therefore s/he is left weak and full of indecision and doubt. The person’s efficiency is gone!
Step 1: Thank God for the answer PHILIPPIANS 4:6, 7 “6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by PRAYER and SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known unto God.7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The thanksgiving comes after the asking. Once you have asked God for something, believe and confess that you have it by faith. Therefore, thank the Father for the answer. You do not need to worry or fret any longer because you have the answer.
Step 2: Take actions that correspond with your faith/confession Faith acts! When a believer is in faith, there will always be some actions s/he can take to demonstrate her/his faith. That may be simply confessing with your mouth, "Thank You, Father. I believe I have received my petition now when I pray" (Mark 11:24). But faith always has corresponding actions. JAMES 2:14-22 (Note the word “brethren” in this passage) It is crucial to understand that “Confession Plus Wrong Actions Equals Faith Failures”. Believers’ actions must correspond with their believing if they are going to receive from God. James 1:22 says, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." From MATTHEW 7:24-27, one observes that it is the doers of the Word of God that withstand life's storms. The same storm and wind came upon both of these houses - the one built on rock and the one built on sand. The reason the house built on sand was destroyed is that it wasn't built on the foundation of God's Word. One was destroyed and one wasn't because the wise builder was a doer of the Word and the foolish one wasn't. It isn't the storms of life that defeat us. If the storms of life defeated us, we would all be defeated because the storms of life come to all of us. Some people face the same storms that others face and yet they are not defeated, while others who face the storms are destroyed. Those who are not defeated, act on God's Word. The defeated ones may be thoroughly saved, yet they do not have corresponding actions to go along with their faith. And they have not taken time to build their faith on the solid foundation of God's Word. Corresponding actions could also mean to stop talking doubt and failure because doing so will eventually bring defeat.
Step 3: Don’t be anxious! As believers, we must learn to approach God on His terms - According to His Word. MATTHEW 6:25-34 Give up worrying habits as it hinders faith. God doesn't want us to worry. He wants us to be free from worry. He doesn't want us bound by any kind of a habit. To worry is to disobey the Word. Worry is a much worse habit than the tobacco habit. Tobacco will just half kill a person smoking it but worry can completely kill a person. Worrying is foolish; worrying never accomplishes anything productive. We are supposed to cast all our care upon Him; for He cares for us (1 PETER 5:7)
Conclusion Confession does not mean denying present circumstances but rather it looks beyond the “reality” being wrapped up in the promises of God based on His word. Also one’s actions must be in perfect fellowship with the confession of one’s faith in His Word. We must not allow the cares of life to choke the strength of God in our lives. Let us begin to make confessions in line with God's Word.
What I Confess I Possess I confess Jesus as my Lord. Rom. 10:9-10. I possess salvation. I confess, "By His stripes I am healed" Is. 53:5; I possess healing. I confess "the son has made me free" Jn. 8:36; I possess absolute freedom. I confess "The love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost" Rom. 5:5; I possess the ability to love everyone. I confess, "The righteous are bold as a lion" Pr.28:1; I possess lion-hearted boldness in spiritual warfare.” I confess, "He will never leave me nor forsake me" Heb. 13:5-6; I possess the presence of God each step I take. I confess, "I am the redeemed of the Lord" Ps. 107:2; I possess redemption benefits every day. I confess, "the anointing of the Holy One abideth in me" 1 Jn. 2: 27; I possess yoke destroying results by this anointing” (Is. 10:27). I confess, "I am a branch of the Living Vine" Jn. 15:5; I possess Vine-life wherever I go. I confess, "I am the righteousness of God in Christ" 2 Cor. 5: 21; I possess the ability to stand freely in God's holy presence, and in Satan's presence as a victor! I confess, "I am a temple of the living God" 2 Cor. 6:16; I possess God dwelling in me, and walking in me! I confess, "My God shall supply all my need" Phil. 4: 19; I possess the supply of every need.
Contributor: Akin Akande Friday, October 25 2013
Introduction The three studies on The God-Kind of faith established the fact that God gave every believer the measure of faith before we can be born again. We also discovered that Faith is fed by feeding on God's Word and your faith will grow by exercising it (acting on the word of God). Simply reading and meditating upon the Word will not build faith. Reading and meditating on the Word will feed your faith and build a capacity for faith, but faith must also be a part of our daily speech. In other words, the Word that you feed on has to be exercised daily. It has to become a part of your daily speech. That word has to become a part of your daily conduct and actions.
We shall be looking into the law of Confession in the next three lessons. It will teach you how the Word of God must be on your lips. The Word of God in your heart and on your lips gives you power over disease, demons, and evil circumstances and causes you to walk in victory in Christ in every area of your life.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” P.C. Nelson once said, "More people lose their healing over a counterattack than any other thing." I almost lost my own healing that way. After I was healed, people would ask me if my heart was better. I would answer that it wasn't because I didn't always feel good, and my heartbeat was still irregular and beating sporadically. As soon as I would say I didn't feel good, I would begin feeling even worse. One day as I lay on the bed, I began to analyze my situation and to ask myself where I was failing in faith. I realized what I was doing. I was confessing my sickness instead of my health!So I immediately started saying I was well when people asked me how I felt. And that is exactly what came to pass - I was healed! Our lips can make us millionaires or keep us paupers. Our lips can make us victors or keep us captives. The woman with the issue of blood in Mark chapter 5 spoke her faith and her faith made her a victor. Jesus told the woman with the issue of blood that it was her faith spoken out of her lips that had made her whole (Mark 5:34). Your lips can keep you sick. You can fill your words with faith or you can fill your words with love that will melt the coldest heart. You can fill your words with love that will help the discouraged and brokenhearted. You can fill your words with faith that will stir heaven. Or you can fill your words with hatred and poison. You can make your words breathe out the very atmosphere of heaven. But your faith will never register above the words of your lips.
“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall BELIEVE that those things which he SAITH shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he SAITH.”
Just believing the word of God is not enough to activate our faith. We must go on to confessing what we believe for it to work. From the scripture above, the words SAY and SAITH came up three times while the word BELIEVE came up once. We must be ready to do more confessions of what we believe in our heart. Confession in our mouth actually strengthens faith in our hearts to bring about what we believe. Confession in our mouth will eventually kill doubts in our hearts. Many Christians are failing primarily in the saying part and not in the believing part. What I confess, I possess. And that is all I will ever possess.
That if thou shalt CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE IN THINE HEART that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH unto righteousness; and WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO salvation. If you want to wait and possess your petition first, and then confess it, you're wrong. You've got the cart before the horse. You'll never get what you desire from God that way. You have to believe the promises in God's Word are true for you, confess them for yourself; then you possess them. That is as true with salvation as it is with all the promises of God. Christianity is called "The Great Confession." The law of that great confession is that I confess I have obtained the promises of God's Word before I consciously possess them in the natural realm. Let us look at a classic example from the life of Kenneth Hagin; That is exactly the way I received healing for my paralyzed body and incurable blood disease. That is exactly the way I received healing for a deformed heart. I saw the truth in God's Word and I confessed that I received my healing before it ever manifested in my body. I confessed I had my healing before I consciously possessed it in the natural realm. When I confessed that my heart was well, I was still in bed and my heart didn't seem any better - it didn't feel healed. Also, the minute I confessed the promises in God's Word regarding healing, the devil challenged me. But, thank God, I had discovered the law of faith, which says, "... I BELIEVED, and therefore have I SPOKEN..." (2 Cor. 4:13). The devil told me that I wasn't healed because I didn't look healed or feel healed. I told him that I was healed because the Bible says I'm healed and because I believe the Bible. I told him that by faith I had my healing; if I was lying, then Jesus Christ also lied in His Word because He said that by His stripes I AM healed!Within ten minutes, I was out of that bed and standing on my feet!The devil had tried to call me a liar, but we know that the Word of God is true. He is the liar and the Father of it.
“That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus… with the mouth confession is made to salvation” With your lips you confess salvation. The confession of the lips for your salvation comes before God acts upon your spirit and recreates it. When you were born again, you had the witness of the Spirit of God in your heart that you had become a child of God; but you didn't have the witness first and then confess it. You confessed your salvation first and then your confession created the reality of it in your heart. Then God acted upon your spirit and recreated it.
A woman came to Kenneth Hagin and said that she wanted him to lay his hands on her and pray for her to receive the Holy Ghost. But then she added that maybe she ought to get saved first because if she had ever been born again, she didn't know it!She also needed healing. She had come for the Holy Ghost but she needed all three - salvation, the Holy Ghost, and healing. I instructed her to pray a prayer after me from her heart: "Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus Christ. You said in Your Word, `... him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out' [John 6:371. You said, `... whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved' [Rom. 10:13]. I am calling upon Your Name. I want You to save me now. You said, `. . . if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved' [Rom. 10:9]. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe that He died for my sins according to the Scriptures. I believe that He is raised from the dead for my justification. With my mouth, I confess Him as my Savior, and I confess now that I am saved." When she finished praying this prayer, she said that something had happened on the inside of her. I told her that by confessing Jesus Christ as her Savior, she had confessed eternal life and eternal life had been given to her. Her spirit had been recreated. You see, she confessed that she had it first; then she received her salvation. Then within a few minutes she also received the Holy Ghost and her healing. She received all three gifts within ten minutes' time.
Conclusion: The confession of the lips for salvation comes before God acts upon our spirits and recreates them. The same law prevails when it comes to receiving the Holy Ghost or anything God promises in His Word. I believe it and confess it first, and then I receive it. Contributor: Alex Alajiki Friday, October 25 2013
The God Kind of faith Part 2
Introduction It is very important for us to understand that our destination is highly dependent on how we exercise our faith. Over the past lessons we have dealt with the topic of faith in different aspects and looked at it from various angles. Let’s take a look further by identifying two kinds of faith. Human Faith – this is a sense-knowledge faith; the kind of faith that operates according to our five sense. A faith that relies on sense knowledge and operates based on the five senses. These are seeing, tasting, hearing, smelling and feeling. 19 Then on that same first day of the week, when it was evening, though the disciples were behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace to you! 20 So saying, He showed them His hands and His side. And when the disciples saw the Lord, they were filled with joy (delight, exultation, ecstasy, rapture). 21 Then Jesus said to them again, Peace to you! [Just] as the Father has sent Me forth, so I am sending you. 22 And having said this, He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit! 23 [Now having received the Holy Spirit, and being [b]led and directed by Him] if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained. 24 But Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples kept telling him, We have seen the Lord! But he said to them, unless I see in His hands the marks made by the nails and put my finger into the nail prints, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe [it]. 26 Eight days later His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, though they were behind closed doors, and stood among them and said, Peace to you! 27 Then He said to Thomas, Reach out your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand and place [it] in My side. Do not be faithless and incredulous, but [stop your unbelief and] believe! 28 Thomas answered Him, My Lord and my God! 29 Jesus said to him, Because you have seen Me, Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)? Blessed and happy and [c]to be envied are those who have never seen Me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted and relied on Me. The outcome of any faith base on the above features will and can only produce the ability of man. The end product will always be a product of man’s natural abilities. Supernatural faith: This is the spiritual or God kind of faith which does not rely on the natural senses to decipher what God is saying. The end products are supernatural miracles. It is absolute and resolute in its process. Matthew 8:5-13 King James Version (KJV) 5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. From the above bible passage we confidently can say that the faith exercised by the centurion soldier was not based on his five senses rather on the super natural ability of God almighty.
Conclusion: Are you one of those who say I wish my faith could be just like that other fellow or I wish my faith could be just like my pastors, or that brother? The question is why do you need another person's kind of faith when you already have God's kind of faith? Which is more superior? It is important we know who we are otherwise we will disregard the power of the faith that God has given us. God has made His faith available onto us Ephesians 2:8-9 Amplified Bible (AMP) 8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved ([a]delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; 9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.] God gave us His faith so that we can be saved not by our power, not by our works but by His faith alone. God has given us the same precious faith as stated in 2 Peter 1:1-8 Amplified Bible (AMP) Simon Peter, a servant and apostle (special messenger) of Jesus Christ, to those who have received (obtained an equal privilege of) like precious faith with ourselves in and through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Also in Galatians 2:20 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Finally, we are created by God in Christ Jesus. God created the universe with words filled with His faith and you have that same faith. Just confess what you believe today and see God kind of faith in action! Contributor: Clem Roberts Thursday, August 29 2013
Introduction: In this lesson we will study the God-Kind of faith. This is the same faith that believes and speaks (2Cor. 4: 13). Jesus demonstrated this kind of faith as we will see in our text.
“And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he [Jesus] was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever. And his disciples heard it....” “And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, HAVE FAITH IN GOD. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he SAITH shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he SAITH. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” MARK 11:12-14, 20-24
As we read in these passages, the Lord said: “have faith in God”. Greek Scholars tell us this verse actually says, “Have the God-kind of faith”. What the Lord said as regards the cursing of the fig tree came to pass- it withered away. In verses 23 and 24, Jesus defines and describes for us the God-kind of faith He spoke about in verse 22. The God-kind of faith is the kind of faith whereby a man believes in his heart and says with his mouth what he believes in his heart, and it comes to pass. Jesus demonstrated that He had that kind of faith, for He believed that what He said would come to pass. He said to the tree, ". . . No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever" (Mark 11:14). That is the same kind of faith that spoke this world into existence.
HEBREWS 11:3 - “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” How did God make the world? God believed that what He said would come to pass. He said, ". . . Let there be light . . ." (Gen. 1:3), and light became. God spoke into existence the vegetable kingdom (Gen. 1:11, 12). He spoke into existence the animal kingdom (Gen. 1:20-25). God spoke into existence the heavens as well as the earth; He spoke into existence the moon, the sun, the stars, and the universe (Gen. 1:1, 8, 9, 14-18). God just said it, and it was so, because He believed it would be so. That's the God-kind of faith. God believed what He said would come to pass and it did. Jesus demonstrated He had that kind of faith, and then He said to the disciples that they had that same kind of faith too.
· DON'T PRAY FOR FAITH - EXERCISE THE FAITH YOU ALREADY HAVE. Someone said, "I want that kind of faith. I'm praying that God will give me that kind of faith." Well, you're wasting your time praying if you're praying for faith, because faith doesn't come by praying. In fact, if you are a believer, you already have that kind of faith. Every believer has a measure of the God-kind of faith (Rom. 12:3). The believer must now exercise the measure of faith he already possesses.
ROMANS 12:3 – “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to EVERY MAN THE MEASURE OF FAITH.”
That is not referring to every person in the world. Every person in the world doesn't have the God-kind of faith. We know this because in writing to the Church in Thessalonica, Paul says, ". . . all men have not faith" (2 Thess. 3:2). So every man in the world does not have this faith. But every believer does! Romans 12:3 says, "... to every man THAT IS AMONG YOU. . . ." That is not talking about every man in the world, but about believers. Paul did not write this letter to sinners in the world. He addressed this letter, the Book of Romans, "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be SAINTS..." (Rom. 1:7). Paul said, "... I say ... to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Rom. 12:3). Every believer - every child of God, every Christian does have a measure of the God-kind of faith. Let me prove this to you further.
· FAITH IS A GIFT OF GOD. EPHESIANS 2:8 - “For by grace are ye saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is THE GIFT OF GOD” The faith by which you are saved is not of yourself. Paul is not talking about grace because everyone knows that grace is not of yourself. Paul is saying that the faith by which you are saved is not of yourselves. In other words, it is not a natural human faith. It is a faith given to the sinners by God. Well, how did God give the sinner faith to be saved? Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Then notice these expressions, "So then faith cometh" and "according as God hath dealt" (Rom. 10:17; 12:3). And notice again Ephesians 2:8: ". . . ye [are] saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Paul says that this faith to be saved is given; it's dealt; it cometh. It cometh by hearing the Gospel preached.
ROMANS 10:8 – “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the WORD OF FAITH, which we PREACH.”
This Bible, this message of God, is called the word of faith. Why is it called the word of faith? Because the Bible contains words that are spirit and life (John 6:63) which cause faith to come into even the heart of the unsaved. The Word of God causes the same kind of faith to be dealt to our hearts that God used to speak the universe into existence. Faith is given or imparted to us through the Word. Hearing the Word brings faith. Read Romans 10:8 again, "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart...." Notice that this verse agrees exactly with what Jesus said in Mark 11:23: "... whosoever shall say ... and shall not doubt in his heart...." Do you see the idea of believing with the heart and saying with your mouth what you believe in your heart? Jesus believed it and He said it. God believed it and He said it. The earth came into existence. God gives faith to the sinner to be saved ROMANS 10:9, 10
“That if thou shalt CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH the Lord Jesus, and shalt BELIEVE IN THINE HEART that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH unto righteousness; and WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO salvation.”
We can see that a measure of faith is dealt to the sinner through hearing the Word. Then the sinner uses that faith to be saved. The sinner uses that faith to bring the reality of salvation into his own life. When did God save you? You may say, "Oh, on such and such a day." Well, you're mistaken because God saved you when Jesus died for you and rose from the dead nearly two thousand years ago. It only became a reality to you - in your life - when you believed it and confessed it. Every man and woman in this world has a legal right to salvation because Jesus died for the whole world, not just for you and me. Titus 2: 11. Every person has a right to hear the Gospel because salvation was bought and paid for, for everyone in the world, not just for you and me. When the truth of the Word is preached to the sinner, it causes faith to come. When he believes and confesses the truth - that Jesus is his Lord - he creates the reality of it in his own life by his faith.
ROMANS 10:13, 14, 17 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Verse 17- “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
The same thing is true of anything that you receive from God. The God-kind of faith comes by hearing God's Word. You know, God doesn't have any other kind of faith except the God-kind. That is the only kind He has! This God-kind of faith comes by hearing, and the hearing by the Word of God. In other words, God gives the God-kind of faith, or causes it to come into the hearts of those who hear the Word of God. No wonder Jesus said, "Take heed what you hear" (Mark 4:24). You cannot let the Word go in one ear and out the other because it won't do you any good that way. Faith won't come. But when you accept the Word of God reverently and sincerely, and act upon it, faith comes into your heart.
CONCLUSION: It is important for us to remember always that the God-Kind of faith can be accessed through hearing of the word of God. We dwell majorly on this key word ‘hearing’ in perspective of what the Lord taught the disciples as regards belief and undoubted declaration. May you receive grace not to be dull of hearing in Jesus mighty name.
Important Note: This teaching is the explicit teaching of Kenneth E. Hagin culled from his book “Faith Bible Study Guide”.
Contributor: Martins Olubiyi Thursday, August 15 2013
Introduction “Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.” NLT Our greatest spiritual contest is for Faith, not against the devil; he is already defeated (Col. 2:15), not against sin; Jesus gave us victory by His blood ( Eph. 1:17), not against the world; He overcame the world for us (John 16:33). Faith is what we need to possess or enforce everything that Jesus did for us. Faith is the bridge between the natural and the supernatural life on earth. Heb.11:1-38. “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” 1 John 5:4 This is the reason why there are enemies or hinderances to faith. We shall summarise the four hindrances that we have studied and conclude with the last two of the six hindrances to faith. 1) Lack of Understanding Regarding the New Creation: 2Corin.2:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” 2) Lack of Understanding of Our Place in Christ: 1 John 5:1 “I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life” 3) Lack of understanding of righteousness: 2Cor.5:21” For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 4) Lack of Understanding Regarding Our Right to Use the Name of Jesus: John 16:23,24 “And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Truly, truly, I say to you, Whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24Till now have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
Now, for today’s stusy, we will go into the last two of the six hindrances. The first we shall consider is: 5) Lack of Understanding About Acting on the Word: Mark 2:11,12 “I say to you, Arise, and take up your bed, and go your way into your house.12And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. We should stop trying to make God's Word work and start acting on the Word. The Bible says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding" (Prov. 3:5). All that is necessary for you to do in any situation is to ask, "What has God said?" or "What does God's Word have to say about this?" If we know that the Word is true and if we act as though it is true, it becomes a reality in our lives.
The Testimony of Dr. Simpson who just acted like the Word is true, and he received his healing. He was dying of a heart condition and was given only about six months to live. He took his Bible and went on a private retreat to study about healing. This is his final decision based on his conviction from studying the word of God; "After searching the Word of God for two weeks, I am convinced the Bible teaches that divine healing is for us today. And I, this day, accept Jesus Christ as my Healer and declare that I am now healed from heart trouble and that I am well. And I promise God to use this new-found strength and life and energy entirely for His purpose and to further the gospel. I promise God I will share this truth of healing with others and will help them."
He was invited to speak in a luncheon and after the luncheon, he was invited to go mountain climbing by the men to whom he had spoken. The thought immediately came to him that he wouldn't be able to because of his heart condition. But then he remembered he had declared his healing, so he accepted the invitation and went. Up to this point, he had not really seen or felt his healing, but had just accepted it and had declared it by faith. All the way up the mountain, every time he got his mind off the Word of God, he would begin to feel the symptoms of his heart condition. But he overcame these feelings because as he claimed the Word again for his healing, all the symptoms would go away. He fought this battle all the way up the mountain. But when he got up the mountain, he walked about victorious without any symptoms! When we act on the word of God, the enemy will want to counter attack as if the word is not true and will not come to pass. We must maintain our ground by focusing on the word . Remember Peter’s encounter with Jesus on the sea (Matt. 14:22-31).
6) Lack of Understanding About Holding Fast to Our Confession of Faith: Heb.10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession(confession) of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)” Our faith keeps pace with our confession. The fiercest battle for faith is at the point of our confession. Rom. 10:10 “ For with the HEART man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth CONFESSION is made unto salvation.” MARK 11:23 “... That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his HEART, but shall believe that those things which he SAITH shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he SAITH.” Faith is measured by our confession. Our usefulness in the Lord is measured by our confession. Sooner or later, we become what we confess. There is a confession of our hearts and a confession of our lips and when these two harmonise, we become mighty in our prayer life. The reason so many are defeated is that they have a negative confession. They talk of their weaknesses and failures and invariably they go down to the level of their confession. There is a scriptural law from the lips of Jesus in Mark 11:23: ".. . he shall have whatsoever he saith." The scriptural law is this: Our confessions rule us. In other words, you are what you say. We see an example of a confession of faith which resulted in healing in Mark 5:28,34 28 For she SAID, If I may touch but his clothes, I SHALL BE WHOLE.... 34 And he [Jesus] said unto her, "Daughter, THY FAITH hath made thee WHOLE; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Contributor: Alex Alajiki |
