Yesterday's Leaders: A look at King Saul

David and Saul are examples of two kinds of leaders. One became the leader of his day and had the strength of God; the other was yesterday’s leader, having lost the strength of God due to disobedience.

Long before David would take the throne, he was chosen by God to succeed the throne. In this we see the plan of God to prepare his servant long before he would actually arise to a place of leading God’s people.

David’s preparation began in the field, watching over his father’s flock, fighting the bear and a lion to prove his due diligence in protecting the family livelihood and inheritance.  One day David went to take lunch to his older brothers as they stood with the rest of the army against the Philistines. He was ridiculed and despised by his brothers and accused of having wrong motivation for even being out on the battlefield, yet David innocently asked, “What have I done? Is there not a cause?” There was a cause: jealousy. Even they mocked him, yet it did not daunt him when it came to assessing the nature of the problem at hand.

Imagine the scene, if you will. The Philistines are atop one mountain, the Israelites on a mountain peak across from them, and all they’re doing is yelling back and forth trading insults. That’s right. Insults. These are a bunch of supposed tough guys but they are so intimidated by the size and the threat of the Philistine army that they are reduced to fighting like a bunch of girls. Actually, I have known some girls that would fight better than them! In their assessment of the problem they faced, somehow they completely lost sight of the fact that GOD WAS WITH THEM. Even Saul, the reigning king, was down in the valley with his knees shaking, too afraid to lead his people into battle. That is where Saul really blew it.

Saul was controlled by fear and insecurity. He was an indecisive and weak leader that was ruled by a need for self-preservation. His need to think of himself first put everyone else at risk. He couldn’t rule effectively because he first stopped to think of how everything would affect him. Self-preservation caused him to be disobedient towards God and prove himself to be an ineffective leader. He had a careless attitude towards obedience which caused him to lose sight of the fact that he was put in authority to model faith and trust in God before the people. Saul had every opportunity to go up against Goliath just as David did. Even more so, as the people naturally looked to the reigning king to lead them into battle against their enemies. Saul was afraid and his delay in taking action was actually probably more to do with wondering how he could lead his people into action and not get hurt. The Philistine was threatening to make all of Israel their servants if the man they sent in to battle went up against Goliath and lost. Saul did not feel capable of winning the battle and so he hesitated, and kept hesitating, until someone with courage and faith stood up to do what he was not willing to do.

What Saul did not count on was the fact that his act of cowardice was breaking faith with God and in God’s estimation, an act of disloyalty. He showed no confidence that God would help them win the battle, but that was a key factor to him being disqualified Saul from leadership. Saul did a lot to prove himself unfit to rule on numerous occasions.

We all know the story of how David defeated Goliath. Even in the face of sneers and word curses from the impressive looking enemy, David understood three important things. 1) David had previous experiences where God had shown himself strong and helped him defeat other enemies. 2) God was not on the side of the enemy, because His covenant was with the Israelites. David knew that no matter how intimidating the giant appeared, the battle was already won. 3) The giant cursed David and defied the living God, and the Bible is clear that whoever curses a child of God gets repaid by God according to Genesis 12:3.

David saw things quite differently than Saul because David wasn’t thinking about himself. He was thinking about standing up for God’s honor and keeping his brethren from becoming servants of the enemy. His priorities were in the right order. David once again proved himself fit for leadership.

What happened to Saul? Scripture says the very next day a distressing spirit – a demonic, tormenting spirit – came upon Saul. The Spirit of God departed from his disobedient servant even though Saul was still the ruler that everyone looked to for leadership. The Spirit of God came to rest upon David and equip David for further conquests. Saul became even more jealous and insecure, and he tried to hold on to his kingdom, power, and influence – not by faith in God to preserve him – but by his own efforts. Saul contrived plot after plot to try and trip David up. He thought to himself, “God is with this man, I had better not touch him, but I will put him in precarious situations so that others will do what I should not.” (Read 1 Sa. 18:17).

I cannot say exactly what Saul said or implied to others, but he was a shifty guy. He started out by throwing spears and javelins at David, trying to pin him to the wall. That was in private. 1 Sam. 18:11. David showed wisdom and that made Saul even more determined to get rid of the man that was destined to become his successor. Saul’s evil mind calculated a wicked scheme that involved others to carry out his plot to get rid of David. Saul knew if he touched David, who had obviously gained God’s approval, he could get struck down by God himself. Ironically, in the end it was Saul who was killed by his own sword. Sword refers to the word or doctrine one lives by.

Instead of harming David with his own hands, Saul put him on the front lines hoping the enemy would take him out. When that didn’t work, Saul got his own army to hunt him down and kill him. This is where Saul made another foolish mistake. In his arrogance and smug determination to destroy David, he forgot that the army wasn’t his army. Saul was the king of Israel and as such was supposed to represent God to the people. That army didn’t belong to him to carry out a personal agenda for vengeance. The army belonged to God to serve God’s purposes for the advancement of the kingdom. It doesn’t serve a person's best interests to forget who appointed them to leadership or why. Saul mistakenly thought he could use what belonged to God to carry out vengeance towards another man. Yet, David was not even an enemy; David was another brother in the Lord. Huge mistake on Saul’s part. Even Saul’s own son, Jonathan, asked his father why he continued to try to take David’s life and sin against innocent blood. 1 Sam. 19:5. “Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

Jealousy is a devious spirit, and is fueled by lust. Lust is never satisfied. Saul found himself unable to control his jealous rages and continued to conspire against David because it was the only way he felt he could rid himself of competition for the throne. His disobedience, cowardice and jealousy now added attempted murder to his list of sins. Saul stood guilty before God and had the opportunity to repent; instead, when confronted by the prophet Samuel he made excuses and shifted all the blame onto the people to be his scapegoats. Apparently Saul thought he could avoid accountability and blame others for his own disobedience. God wouldn’t have any of it. Saul’s days as king were numbered. Saul became yesterday’s man even though he was held the position of the reigning king. People still had their eyes on him because he was in the public eye. Perhaps that is how Saul got his army to go along with a scheme to carry out premeditated murder of an innocent man. They probably thought they were defending the king’s honor. He was, in fact, their king. Their leader. A trusted leader would not take advantage of their innocence to further his twisted agenda, would he? Their king would not intentionally mislead them, would he? It was unthinkable. Yet that is exactly what Saul did. He was appointed by God to rule the people. He was appointed by God to protect the people. Instead he led them into sin and used them to accomplish his personal vendetta.

The sad life of Saul is reviewed as a man who started out with every advantage in life, and had every opportunity to advance God’s kingdom, yet ended badly because of his disobedience. He lost his family, his inheritance and his future, and it started out with a need for self-preservation. Friend, do you see how devious the enemy is? How calculating? We need to trust God with every situation, and leave the results to Him. He can win any battle except for the one we insist on winning in our own strength and by our own hand.

The temptations of the enemy are very subtle and appealing. They will always appeal to our flesh nature, for that is the only way the enemy can get a hook in people to cooperate with him. I want you to stop and think about that for a moment. Consider some of the bait the enemy puts on his hook:

·         Fear. Fear of man, fear of losing our reputation, a position, friendships, all those fears and insecurities can make a person more concerned about what others think rather than being concerned about what God thinks about us. Never ever let anything move the fear of man into a higher priority than the fear of the Lord! It is a sure way to bondage. Sometimes people think they are submitting to authority when in fact fear of man has put them in a position of rebelling against God. Guard yourself from disloyalty towards the Lord.

·         Offense. The enemy uses offense as a tool to gather people to themselves, building their own personal army against another individual or people group. Never pick up another person’s offense and make it your own. Offense also works to create division. Strife, anger, and a spirit of division will bring spiritual weakness and disunity, robbing people of personal and corporate strength. It is also a key weapon against married couples and families.

·         Misinformation. People can end up supporting something they thought was a good or noble idea and later find out they really didn’t support what was being promoted. It’s like reading the fine print on petitions people want you to sign, or bills that are submitted to become laws. Get all the facts. The enemy will try to gain your support without disclosing all the information up front.

·         It’s not your fight. Getting involved in taking up a cause or fighting a battle that God has not told you to fight.

·         Bribery. Enticement or a suggested benefit in some form offers an incentive to get people to turn traitor against others. They can often be lured into becoming a tool the enemy uses to destroy the object of someone else’s wrath.

·         Seduced to be a pawn. The enemy is quite skilled in seducing others to become his pawns. He appeals to a person by first softening them up; working on their emotions, playing on both what they fear as well as what they hold dear. Sometimes when attacking a strong person directly is too much of a threat, the enemy will attack someone or something his intended victim holds dear. That way he forces his real victim to put himself in a precarious position and then he can shift to a direct attack when the time is right. A seducing spirit tailors the bait to each person’s personal weaknesses and psychological makeup.

·         Rushing into a fight. The enemy bets on the fact that he can cause people to rush into an emotional decision and end up siding with wrong alliances based on incomplete information. Always know which side of an issue God is on before you get involved. Don’t go to war with the people that don’t have God on their side! David was smart; he knew God was on Israel’s side and not with the Philistines, which gave him confidence to stand against the giant, no matter how intimidating Goliath seemed to be.

·         Fear of losing acceptance. Pressure from others to prove your personal loyalty or allegiance towards them.

·         Lies and deception. The enemy creates an illusion of a problem or makes it seem as though something exists when in fact it does not. It also works in reverse; the use of lies and deception to make people think nothing wrong exists, when the reality is quite the opposite. Propaganda is the intentional misuse of information in order to deceive and mislead others. Brainwashing is a continual repetition of wrong information to convince people that the information they have been fed is certain and true.

·         The scapegoat. Pin everything on a scapegoat and deflect attention from the source of the wrongdoing. The scapegoat offers a hope that by sacrificing one, the rest will avoid suffering the consequences. This is never true in God’s kingdom. Blame shifting is never a legitimate excuse. Every person is accountable to God for their actions.

·         Entertaining and supporting a spirit of self-pity. Self-pity is a spirit that makes one person a victim and blames others as perceived sources of their pain.

·         The trap of assumption. The enemy uses very strategic words, information, conversation and expressions to convey an implied thought or feeling, and leaves it deliberately vague and open-ended, knowing that others will fill in the blanks with their own version of truth and reality. It’s like when a person suggests a leading thought with few words and then just leaves the sentence hanging in mid-air, never finished. He knows that people will connect the dots in their minds and draw a certain conclusion based on what information has been fed.

·         Believing a false appearance. The enemy knows appearance is everything and what is unseen doesn’t count. He will find ways to become a magnet for attention in order to continuously influence others to accept what is seen publicly, while the truth of a situation may be something completely opposite. What is unseen may be far less evident because it is not open for public scrutinization.

Beloved of God, Saul may have been a king for a long time, but he lost the approval of God early on.  God’s people needed time under oppressive leadership to teach them not to desire a counterfeit replacement for God himself. God prepares a people just as much as He prepares a leader, for they must be able to receive the leader God has chosen for them. For many years the people were not yet ready, and Saul remained on the throne. The people needed to grow tired of the wrong sort of leadership and yearn for a leader that truly represented God and His kingdom. Saul made sport of them. God wanted to be their King, but the people so insisted on having a king just like all the other nations that they offended God in the process. So He decided they needed to learn an important lesson before they would be truly ready for His leadership. Perhaps some people thought David was plan B, but not in the heart of God. It was David, not Saul, who was God’s choice all along, because David was known as a man after God’s heart. David was far from perfect and he had his weaknesses, but he was quick to repent and he knew how to please God with his heart. There was a huge difference between the two men who ruled Israel.

I hope that you’ve found this article helpful. Study the strategies of the enemy. Don’t take the bait. Guard your heart, and guard your ways. Pray that the Fear of the Lord would keep you in righteousness all the days of your life.

If you find yourself dodging spears from your leader, like David, remember to behave wisely. Pray for strategies to outwit the enemy. Don't expose he weaknesses of your leader. Forgive quickly and do your very best to keep your heart innocent of wrong motives towards them. Someone honorable lives in you (Jesus). Let His Spirit guide you. Jesus never changed his responses as to how others treated him. He remained true to Himself. God sees all. He notes your responses just as much as He does to someone else. The Sauls of today that oppress and treat others with injustice are yesterday's leaders and their days are numbered. As difficult as it may be to deal with injustice, you must pass the test of learning to bless them and walk in integrity. God's desire is to promote you, but before He does he will test you by allowing you to be trained in the house of an enemy. That way, when you come into position you will not want to become the type of person that mistreated you. You will desire integrity, honor and righteousness to be the motivators of your heart because you know it pleases the Lord. Weak and insecure leaders always have a day of their undoing. You can count on it. Your job is to love God and love others. Micah 6:8 says it like this: "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy  and to walk humbly with your God."

Prayer for Healing from Emotional Pain and Trauma

Friends, 

So much of what we carry with us on a daily basis is retained in painful memories and the trauma of past events. Those wounds become open doors to the enemy which grant him access. These things take up residence in the very cells of our bodies, creating room for illness, disease, infirmity and a whole host of other physical, emotional and spiritual problems. God wants to heal us so deep it touches the very core of our being and regenerates healing from a cellular level. Do you believe it? 

Psalm 91 gives us a blessing and a promise to those that seek their refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 10, the word 'plague' is from the Hebrew word 'nega.' It is translated as: 1) a stroke or a blow, figuratively or inflicted {inflicted by man on man}; 2) also a second meaning, {stroke, metaphor, especially of a disease, regarded as sent by a divine chastisement}; 3) plague or a mark {regarded as the heavy touch or stroke of a disease}. The NASB translates it like this: affliction, assault, infection, mark {regarded as the heavy touch or stroke of a disease, such as leprosy}, plague, plagues, stripes, stroke, strokes, wounds. 

What an amazing promise! Isn't God good?! Regardless of where the wound originated, God has made a provision to be free and healed from it! What ever you are struggling with, place it into one of the stripes Jesus took for you. Matthew 8:17 tells us that "He himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses." Therefore, we can declare "By His stripes we are healed." Agreeing with God's word is key; we must believe that God can, He wants to, and has already made the provision for our healing. Faith is active participation with God so that we can receive what we are believing to receive!

God made a promise to the Israelites that is good for us today, too. If they would worship only Him and serve Him, He would put none of the diseases upon them that were upon their enemies. This is because God is the one that heals us. In Exodus 15: 26 He said, "If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."

One thing I discovered the hard way is to search deep within and examine yourself to see if you could have any open doors to spirits such as anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, or unloving spirits.Sometimes we encounter problems due to no fault of our own, but at other times, we struggle in our health because we really have left a door open somewhere, we just don't realize we have. When we repent and come back into submission to God, we can then resist the enemy and command him to leave. And take every sickness, symptom, assault and affliction that he has put on us and send them all back to hell! 

One thing you can do is to pray and ask Holy Spirit to show you what happened in your life right before you got sick or started noticing symptoms of health or emotional issues. Ask Him to dislodge stuck memories. Pay close attention to the next thought that comes to mind. and ask Holy Spirit to help you fully embrace what your conscious mind has either forgotten or blocked out. Ask the Lord to highlight any traumatic memories AND to give you the understanding of what was going on in yourself and others at the time those events occurred. Ask Holy Spirit to give you grace and compassion for anyone that wounded you. Stand on God's promise until the healing manifests. Sometimes you may have to walk through it until you get to the other side; other times the healing is immediate, but don't waiver at God's promises. He is faithful to watch over His word and bring it to pass!

Here is a prayer specifically written to be healed so deeply and completely it renews us from the inside out. Be blessed in knowing that God hears your prayers and knows exactly what each one of us need! Each prayer is a step closer to your breakthrough, healing and restoration! This prayer can also be used to pray over others.


Dear Heavenly Father,

I lift up myself to You right now. I pray that You would help me embrace whatever traumatic or negative memories that I have either blocked out or forgotten, if recalling those memories can be used to release healing. I ask You, Holy Spirit, to show me what happened in my life right before I started feeling ill, or experienced fear, anxiety, or other symptoms manifested. I give You permission to dislodge memories that are stuck. I pray that You highlight any specific memories or situations that are related to my symptoms, illness or other physical and emotional issues. Help me pay attention to what You show me. Please give me understanding of what was going on in myself and others connected to those events, and grant me grace and compassion to be able to forgive myself and others. Help me to see from Your perspective. 

I pray that You would supernaturally remove the hurtful memories and the trauma of past events out of my minds, emotions, memories and out of my physical bodies. I ask that You would lift all remnants of painful events and the trauma that was created as a result of that pain. Lift it all out of the very cells of my body. Let me remember only the good about those the enemy used to cause pain. I pray that my heart and mind would agree that I am in an entirely new day and I am able to graciously forgive those that treated me wrong. I forgive anyone that caused injury to my soul, spirit and even physically. 

Let my ears not remember hurtful words spoken to me, about me, by me, or by others. Let my heart release all unforgiveness, anger, fear, rejection, pain and shame. I speak now and declare complete healing and freedom from every painful event in my life. I declare that painful memories and hurtful words will not circulate in my mind and emotions any longer in the name and authority of Jesus Christ. I pray that no cell in my body would retain unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, hatred, fear, condemnation, regret, rejection or self hatred. I pray that my physical body would no longer be in agreement with any negative emotions in Jesus name. 

I release myself and others from the pain of their past, and the poor decisions they made as a result of their brokenness. I release them from guilt, shame, regret and bitterness now, in Jesus name. I forgive and release those who willfully and spitefully inflicted pain and suffering on me. I forgive and release those who had wicked intentions and gave themselves over to evil, in order to afflict, torment, and delight themselves in causing me pain. I give them over to You, Father, to do with as You choose; knowing that You are a just God and vengeance belongs to You. I choose to trust You in matters concerning justice and judgement towards others, knowing that as a matter of my will, I choose to forgive and am therefore free in Christ. 

I ask Your forgiveness for any doors that I have accidentally opened to the enemy through trying to comfort myself with artificial means. I renounce and break every unintentional agreement that I may have made with spirits of fear, lust, anger, greed, gluttony, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, unloving spirits, idolatry or a perverse spirit that also inflicts wounds on others. I submit to You, Holy Spirit, and command all ungodly spirits to leave me now, in the name and authority of Jesus Christ. I command all unclean spirits to go back to where you came from and appropriate the blood of Christ over every part of my life, and others for whom I pray. 

I speak now to my physical body and command all illness, disease, infirmity and weakness to be uprooted and removed now in Jesus name. I command complete release in every cell of my body of any and all residual effects of trauma. By the name and authority of Jesus Christ, I lift the remnant of trauma out of my body and ask that Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Life, release healing into every cell of my body. I speak to the hormones, organs and systems of my body and command them to come into balance and normal function. I command my body to be healed at the cellular level. Everything that has been retained that does not exist in the kingdom of heaven, be released out of my cells now in Jesus name. Let every weight be released. Let every hindrance be released. Let all that does not originate from the kingdom of heaven be released out of my mind, body, emotions and memories. Every weakness be filled now with wholeness and perfect soundness in the name and authority of Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit, fill me now with Your fullness, strength and power in Jesus name. Fill me with joy, peace, and a release of supernatural healing that radiates from the inside out. I declare that by Your stripes I have been healed, according to Is. 53:5. Thank you for the blood You shed, Lord Jesus, that makes healing a reality. I thank You for revival, restoration, healing and complete regeneration in Jesus name. Amen.

Self-Pity Is NOT Your Friend!

Dear Friends,

I know that many people face incredible trials, disappointments, and injustice on a daily basis. Life throws us curve balls all the time. People are faced with illnesses, loss of employment, vehicles that break down, unexpected expenses that derail their finances and much more. Every day can be a challenge to continue on in our walk of faith, trusting God for the small things as well as the big things. And in all these daily challenges, what we dare not forget is that we have an evil adversary always lurking, always looking for a way to cause disillusionment and a loss of faith and trust in God. For if he is successful in this, Satan will begin to turn a person’s heart away from God. Perhaps without them even being conscious of the fact that through their painful trials and disappointment, he introduces thoughts and feelings that are of a spirit of self-pity rather than faith.

How often we chalk up bad fruit to something we consider human or harmless, when in fact the root is defiled and can only produce more corruption.  An evil root will never produce good fruit.

Misery loves company, and bitterness relives and repeats the woes of life. The chorus of complaints is led by a spirit of self-pity. The danger of self-pity is that it is the same as idol worship. Self-pity demands worship. It elicits worship from others in the form of seeking attention, sympathy, and affirmation (a form of praise). “Self” (or the person controlled by the spirit of self-pity) becomes god and those that feed this spirit become the person’s co-dependent supporters and worshippers. Self-pity cannot survive without feeding its need for worship, but the very essence of this root is bitter. It will only ever produce bad fruit.

Narcissism also comes from these spirits, and narcissism is so deeply rooted that a person no longer feels a need to repent or take responsibility for their actions. The danger of one who allows self-pity and bitterness to remain is that it presumes a wrong view of eternal security. The person is deceived into believing that they are in right relationship with God, or that grace will always be available to them, though they walk in stubbornness of heart. It is the presumption of grace that causes a person to harden their heart towards genuine repentance, choosing a lifestyle of sin and compromise over obedience to God. The Spirit desires to do the right thing and forgive. Our mind, will and emotions can be resistant, but it takes consistent, determined effort to resist the Holy Spirit and His desire to see us healed. That is why this is a sobering topic, for the penalty for retaining bitterness and unforgiveness is severe. It can literally cost a person everything, including their salvation. The ultimate fruit of bitterness is apostasy.

DIAGNOSING SELF-PITY

• Shifts blame onto others.
• Is easily angered and offended; pouts.
• Sees themselves as a victim. Makes excuses and refuses the redemption of Christ.
• Takes advantage of the compassion of others and manipulates their emotions so that others sympathize with them.
• Would rather complain about their problems than be healed.
• Elevates self-will rather than submission to God.
• Refuses to take responsibility for their own areas of guilt and sin. Unrepentant.
• Prefers spiritual weakness rather than strength from obedience.
• Wears people out with incessant complaining and a need for attention for their issues.
• When confronted with truth, quickly changes topic of conversation. Has a knack of intimidating others and accusing them of not caring.
• Rejects true spiritual authority and embraces counterfeit authority or those that will not challenge them with truth.
• Focuses on self rather than Jesus; denies the power of the cross of Christ.

Bitterness and self-pity will throw a party and invite all their friends. It’s dangerous company. Those that have these spirits often seek others that will be a partner in a co-dependent relationship, because these spirits demand attention. They cannot survive without being fed! Do you see how they also partnership with rebellion towards God? These spirits are not your friends; they are treacherous enemies that create a deadly highway of corruption straight to the soul.

If it were not for the torment in our soul, would we stop to consider the cause? Would we not grow so tired of ourselves and our misery that we would then be willing to change? The enemy uses bitterness to defile a person’s heart and defile others. His goal is to slowly but deliberately draw a person into deception so that they act presumptively to grace and make allowances for disobedience. This kind of behavior causes a person’s heart ever so slowly becomes insensitive towards conviction and the Holy Spirit trying to draw them back towards the Father. Some people are so good at rejecting truth that they honestly don’t feel convicted to change. They are convinced they aren’t guilty of wrongdoing. That is a terrible place to be because once a person has so hardened their heart in rebellion, God may not be able to reach them at all. Don’t ignore your conscience! Your conscience is there to protect you and keep you in the ways of righteousness. No one likes to feel guilt, but the truth is we need it. It is the only proper response to sin. Guilt is what eventually leads us to confess our sin so that God can cleanse us from that unrighteousness. It unlocks the door to forgiveness. In most people, truth that they know but don’t necessarily want to accept will continue to rise to the surface, especially if God is trying to communicate something to them. It’s a funny thing about truth. A person may try to run from it but truth will always follow them home. It demands a decision. We can make excuses to try and avoid dealing with it, but at the end of the day truth is still quietly staring us in the face. They gradually become so desensitized to their need to repent that at some point it becomes impossible for them to feel the desire to repent; and so, they become lost forever, eternally separated from God. Though it pains us to think that God would willingly afflict us with torment, every purpose of God is redemptive. The affliction does not come from God, it comes from the enemy. God allows affliction to torment our thoughts (sometimes our physical body, too) to drive us into Him so that we can be healed. He is the Great Physician. How great His love is; how great is His mercy! He wants us to come to Him and inquire what is wrong so that we may be healed and set free from all toxic roots and deadly sins, but we are not set free from the consequences of our sin until we repent. True repentance is a willingness to forsake that which has us entangled with sin. As long as sin festers, we are in chains, but in the day that we draw near to Him, His immediate response is, “Do not fear!”

There are times when people become willfully blind because they attempt to avoid truth. Truth doesn’t cease to exist because people don’t want to be accountable to it. Truth does have the capacity to make us uncomfortable at times. Truth is important. There are definite consequences for ignoring it, yet people will still avoid, dodge, deny or wiggle away from truth when it comes to matters that hit close to home. Do we really think we will be any better off for trying to avoid the conviction of something we need to face? Avoiding truth keeps a person stuck in a state of emotional and spiritual immaturity. Embracing truth propels us into growth.

Learning to love ourselves requires being able to embrace the truth about us and then be willing to change.

When a person desires truth it is an indicator that they have admitted to themselves that they are ready to face their illusions being shattered. Uncomfortable as it may be to face the truth, the person no longer desires willful blindness. They are ready to receive the truth because they know it has the ability to set them free and release healing.

Sin hurts. It doesn’t just hurt us, it hurts others, too. It causes all manner of mental torment, sickness, disease, loss, broken relationships, and painful events to take place in our lives, and those things affect the lives of those close to us. These things come as a result of the enemy doing what he does best: he comes only to kill, steal and destroy. Satan inflicts pain and suffering and there are times when God allows it. Discipline cleanses the heart. Father’s desired end for all people is repentance that restores us to right relationship with Him and others and also releases healing.

Ezekiel 36:22-35 contains a beautiful promise of restoration. God’s promise is that when we are cleansed from the things that make us unclean, He will restore our losses. His promise is to give us a new heart after cleansing, reverse the famine that has robbed from our lives and bring multiplication of blessing. Now that is motivation for the pursuit of holiness! The truth that frees us is the truth we must admit to ourselves and God, and perhaps another individual. It’s the confession of wrongdoing so that we may be healed. It removes the guilt from our conscience and restores a right alignment with our heavenly Father. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16, NIV). Notice that is says to confess our sins to one another. This sort of confession requires honesty and humility. Without honesty or humility, we cannot have fellowship with Him. God cannot fellowship with those that desire their own sin, self-deception and darkness of heart more than they desire Him. “Behold you desire truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part you will make me know wisdom.” (Ps. 51:6). He is the light shining in the darkness, but the darkness cannot comprehend Him. When Jesus shows up, He is fully aware of all the things that have prevented us from seeing Him for who He really is. He simply asks, “Do you want to be healed?” Self-pity doesn’t want you to be healed. It wants you to ignore truth and allow it to stay. So I will ask again, “Do you want to be healed?”

The truth that we need to be free is what has been with us all along. Everyone has their down days and needs comfort and friendship; someone that will understand us and lend a listening ear. But, if it becomes habitual complaining about the many difficulties of life; if you have evidence of hell unleashed to destroy, devour and plunder the things concerning your life, I urge you to consider whether or not you may have allowed a spirit of self-pity a place in your life. It is a dangerous enemy that must be confronted and resisted at any and all costs. Self-pity always has an end goal of slowly dragging its victim into rebellion and apostasy. That is death of one’s salvation. Friends, it is not worth it! Today can be a fresh start to renounce this wicked enemy of your soul and take back the authority that is yours in Christ.

Prayer:

Today I come to you to acknowledge that I have sinned against myself by believing lies instead of what Your word says about me. I renounce unbelief! I am not a victim; I am victorious in Christ. All things are possible to those who believe. Today I break any and all agreements with myself and Satan that have allowed spirits of rejection, self-hatred, a spirit of abandonment, fear, insecurity, inferiority, shame, bitterness, witchcraft, rebellion, jealousy, evil speaking, self-pity and unforgiveness to manifest. I renounce all seeds that have come from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and every evil seed planted by the enemy. I command those evil seeds to wither and die immediately.  I renounce all ungodly spirits and I command them to leave me at once. Help me to shut my ears to the enemy's unloving thoughts. They are not my own thoughts but his. Father, I repent for allowing these things a place in my life. I thank You for forgiveness for my sins and cleansing me of unrighteousness.   

I thank You that Your blood and Your word cleanse my conscience from unprofitable thoughts and renew my mind. Holy Spirit, forgive me for grieving You and not allowing Your Spirit to influence my thought life and actions. Heal my disappointments, my hope and my faith. I come into agreement with God. I declare that I AM fearfully and wonderfully made. I am loved, accepted, and I am blessed by the Lord. I am surrounded with favor and grace. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Blessings are chasing me down to put themselves into my hands. I am a confident person because you have made me whole and complete. I lack nothing because the Lord is my shepherd and I do not lack. Therefore, I am in want of nothing. If there is a step of faith and obedience I need to take in order to activate blessing in my life, please tell me what to do. Everything that is available to Christ is available to me, because I am a child of God. I have nothing to fear! Fear no longer has permission to bring torment. I embrace the grace You have provided through Your sacrifice, Lord Jesus, and Your love and acceptance for me. Holy Spirit, I thank You for giving me the fruit of self-control in my thought life and I ask You to empower me to live for God. Fill me with Your fullness. I ask You for supernatural assistance to overcome negative self-talk, and I give YOU authority over my mouth and my actions. Help me overcome the areas of struggle in my life. You know what they are. I thank You for victory. In Jesus name, amen.

#Selfpityisnotyourfriend

What it Means to Take the Table of the Lord in An Unworthy Manner

1 Cor. 11:23-24 says: (23) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: (24) And when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (25) After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Jesus left His beloved disciples with the instructions to remember that moment often, and savor His fellowship. He was about to leave them, but wanted to institute a time of remembrance. Every time they broke the bread and drank from the cup they were to remember His teachings, His love, His great mercy and forgiveness. They would remember His miracles, and be encouraged in their faith. But most of all, they would remember His great humility to suffer along with them and for them, and to be their friend. Their friend was King of all heaven and earth. Taking communion was no light thing. It honored everything He had taught them; everything that He was to them. Partaking of the table of the Lord was to stand in agreement with love, justice, mercy, forgiveness and the brotherhood of His body. It was to remind them of the price He was willing to pay for them; His painful death upon the cross and the power of His resurrected victory. Every time they took communion, it was enjoying fellowship with Him. The very act was so sacred it literally drew His presence to them.

With this reminder also came the instruction to avoid taking a sacred act lightly and in the process dishonoring its significance. 1 Cor. 11:26 – 29 says: “For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come.(27) Why whoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. (28) But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (29) For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

How often people prefer the blessing but want to ignore the truth. We are far too desensitized to sin; so much so that we often completely disregard the warnings of the consequences of it. The body of Christ is weak, sick, powerless and some have gone on to an early death all because we fail to judge ourselves properly. We cannot judge ourselves according to our own opinions! Holiness is not something our flesh enjoys or finds easy to accommodate. We often create loopholes in order to disregard or excuse our sin rather than looking into God's word to find the spiritual laws that He is bound to enforce. If we would judge ourselves, we could avoid being judged and chastised. Yet, how frequently we fail to do so. The warning to each of us is to judge the condition of our own heart and life before taking the table of the Lord in an unworthy manner. Recently I had an opportunity to take communion with other brothers and sisters in a new church we visited. As the familiar elements of the bread and wine were passed to the congregants, the pastor spoke on this subject and reminded all the people on the significance of the act they were about to perform. Then I heard something I cannot remember hearing before – ever. And in that moment it occurred to me how serious it is to not heed the Lord’s counsel. I have heard other men of God advise people to confess their sins before taking communion, but what I had not heard was a warning to parents to deal with their children’s hearts before offering it to them. It wasn’t harsh or critical, just an advisement and a reminder that those that sit in the seat of the head of household had a responsibility to those under them. How often people pass the trays of bread and juice and make light of the very thing Jesus told us not to take lightly!

If a person ignores their responsibility towards sin, they keep a covenant with sin and death and that covenant of dishonesty and falsehood will, at some point, bring judgment on their own life. God’s justice demands it. How many people fear the responses of those around them instead of fearing the Lord? When is it appropriate to take the elements of communion and when should one allow it to pass them by?

In regards to bringing an offering to God, in Matthew 5:23 Jesus said, (23) “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has ought against you; (24) Leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (25) Agree with your adversary quickly, whiles you are in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.” If God is willing to refuse a gift or an offering until broken relationships are reconciled and the instruction is to leave the gift and go deal with the brother or sister that is offended with us, then how much more is He concerned with the state of our heart before we partake of communion? Is it not an even more holy act of worship?

We are all sinners, all in need of God's grace, and He has given it freely. Communion is a powerful thing when it is done in humility and honoring towards the significance of this act. It is not just another religious ritual and shouldn't be treated as such. That is taking the table of the Lord in an unworthy manner. It's not correctly discerning the power made available to us through the sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross. Jesus died in our place. He was punished on our behalf with great suffering. The price for our sin has been paid in full, yet, it does not give us a free pass to ignore other portions of scripture in regards to disobedience. Hebrews 10:29 says: “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” If we have broken relationships, they must be dealt with. If we are separated from others, then we should seek reconciliation. If we have hurt or offended others, we must lay down our pride.  If we have unforgiveness or bitterness in our heart, it must be renounced and sought for the Lord’s forgiveness. If we have dishonored authority or spoken in an unmannerly way towards others, we need to confess it and make amends with those affected. If we have committed wrongs, they need to be corrected and confessed. Should we attempt to deceive ourselves or others in regards to not dealing with our own sin issues and take communion as if our heart and life are in right standing, we willfully attempt to deceive God and others and stand in jeopardy of judgment. God is bound by His word to do what the word states. He does not accept excuses; He accepts repentance. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16, NASB)

Married couples have a responsibility to one another as well as to God. If something in their lives is out of order, they need to reconcile it with God. Their spouse is also a brother or sister in the Lord. There are times when marital issues can be quite serious. I think of the steep penalty Ananais and Saphira paid because they conspired together in an attempt to deceive others in the body of Christ. They attempted to lie to the Holy Spirit about things they had done and disguise their motive for doing it. Though that situation concerned finances, God was looking into their heart. They failed to judge themselves when they had an opportunity to tell the truth and judgment fell instantly. This was not Old Testament; this is New Testament (Read Acts 5),  under the covenant of grace. The fact that Jesus made grace available is not to be used as an excuse to deceive ourselves, others or try to avoid accountability.

Galatians 6:6-8 says, “Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teaches in all good things. (7) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. (8) For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” If we attempt to gloss over our own sin without true repentance, we become guilty of mocking God and dishonoring the person of Jesus Christ. Taking the table of communion was not about a religious exercise or ceremony. It was about considering our relationship with the Lord, who Jesus represents in our life, and our relationship with others that also have the Spirit of Christ living in them. It is all about the integrity of our fellowship with God and others.

We need not fear God for He is great in mercy and patience; yet this admonishment to humbly examine our own heart less we be judged gives thought to serious consideration. Let me close this with a more contemporary version from the Message Bible. 1 Cor. 11:23-26 “Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lord’s Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, broken for you. Do this to remember me. After supper, he did the same thing with the cup: This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you. Each time you drink this cup, remember me.

What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.”

27-28 “Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of “remembrance” you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe.”

29-32 “If you give no thought (or worse, don’t care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you’re running the risk of serious consequences. That’s why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won’t have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.”

The table of the Lord has the ability to bring us into close fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and partake of everything He has made available to us, providing we do so in honesty and integrity of heart. What an amazing blessing awaits us as we remember to first deal with the issues of our heart and life, and then partake of His power, life, healing and provision. Blessings await those that will honor His body, (brothers and sisters in the Lord) and remember His sacrifice with gratitude. Thank you, Lord Jesus. We bless You and what You have done for us and we welcome your communion. Amen.

Prayer for Healing from Auto Immune Disorders

Father God,

I bring myself to You and place myself at the throne of Grace. I thank you that my sins are forgiven and You are always available to help me.  I ask You for Your healing  touch on my mind, emotions, memories, and my physical body. Lord, I do not know the cause of all the physical symptoms I have experienced, but You do. I believe You can help me Lord Jesus. I thank You that You know everything about me and can guide me through my healing. I ask for wisdom from your Holy Spirit to help me correctly diagnose the root of these issues. Lead me to the answers that will release my healing.

Lord, I bring my heart issues to you first, and I ask to be healed from any and all emotional wounds that would keep my heart blocked from giving and receiving love. I ask you to dissolve any root of bitterness that came as a result of hurt, offense, grief, rejection and disappointment. Guide me through my emotional healing and help me to be aware of the love that you have already placed in my life. Help me to trust that love and release any walls of self preservation I have enacted to protect myself. Let sensitivity return, and let me not see it as a sign of weakness or something to be feared. Let me see it as a part of experiencing life. Help me to love myself and see myself as You see me. I open the door of my heart to You.

I ask for revelation of You as my Father, and that Your great love would dispel all spirits of fear, anxiety,abandonment, hopelessness, disillusionment, self pity, cold love and rebellion. I loose myself now from all of these including unloving and critical spirits. I loose myself from spirits of fear, accusation, anger and rejection. I submit to you Jesus and resist these spirits. In the name of Jesus and by the power of Your blood I bind every evil spirit and forbid them from operating against me. I command every unclean, evil spirit to go from me now and never return. I command every assignment of the enemy to be cancelled and unraveled and the assignment from the Lord to be released into my life. By faith, I receive healing from Your Holy Spirit to my mind, emotions, and memories. Forgive me, Lord, for rejecting myself and what You have said about me. You are not a liar. I choose to accept myself, and I reject the lies that the enemy has told me. I thank You for the love that heals and restores every part of me. I thank You that I have great peace and my composure is undisturbed because I put my trust in You.

I speak now to my physical body. I command all swelling and abnormal pressure on nerves on my spine, in my arms, legs, hands and feet to be released. I speak healing into every nerve that may have suffered injury from accidents, compression, drugs, alcohol, lead, radiation, seafood toxins, insect and spider bites. I speak to my arteries, and wherever there is constriction, let there be normal blood flow. Let all pressure on peripheral nerves from enlarged blood vessels, scar tissue or infection be released now in Jesus name. Let all chemical balances of potassium, calcium, sodium, vitamins and other body chemistry be in proper and normal balances. Let any abnormal accumulation of chemical or medication toxins be supernaturally removed from my body now, in Jesus name. I command healing and restoration to the myelin sheath around my spinal cord. Let all viruses and gene defects be healed now, in Jesus name. I command any and all symptoms of MS and other diseases to be eradicated from my body. I command my body’s immune system to be strengthened and the immune cells to stop attacking my nervous system, including my brain, optic nerves and spinal cord in Jesus name. Send Your healing to every ulcer and lession on the myelin sheath of my spinal cord and let it be completely healed and restored. I thank You, Lord Jesus, that by Your stripes I am healed. I thank You for your promises in Psalm 103 that tells me You forgave all my sin and healed my disease. I believe in You O God and in Your word! You said in Psalm 91 that no plague would come near me.I thank You that I do not have to fear. I place myself under the shelter of Your wings. You are my refuge and I thank You that no harm shall come to me. Thank You Father for Your love. Thank You Jesus for delivering me from the things that want to destroy my health. Thank You, Holy Spirit for releasing healing. In Jesus name, Amen

Life Is In The Seed

There is a funny thing about truth. No matter how much a person tries to run from it, it always seems to follow us home. Truth, like the word of God, is the seed. Now, Jesus said there were a variety of hearts that were likened to different kinds of soil. Some hearts, like ground that has been tilled and prepared, allows the seed that is planted to immediately take root and begin to grow. Others...well, they seem a lot like this picture. The person's heart may have a lot of barriers that act as a wall of self preservation. It doesn't just keep others at a distance, it keeps the love of God, His presence and His truth locked up in captivity so that the person cannot really grow or change.

There is a dying process that the seed of truth produces, and it's a necessary step that cannot be overlooked. How often we want to see immediate change either in ourselves or our loved ones, but the seed, Jesus said in John 12:24, cannot bear fruit UNTIL it goes into the ground and dies. Then, and only then, can it actually produce life and bear fruit.

Whether it is ourselves or those we have been praying for, the seed must die. It's a process the individual must go through as they wrestle with that grain of truth, themselves, and God. The seed must surrender to death, and so must we surrender to death of ourselves. We know by faith that our flesh was crucified with Christ, but often our flesh still wants to try to stay alive and resist the growth that the seed is designed to produce. God is very patient with the process because He knows it is the process that will produce lasting change and permanent growth, but, when He wants a person to get on track He does have His ways of turning up the heat and making things quite uncomfortable, so that submitting to Him seems more desirable than resisting Him and doing our own thing! The moment you grab hold of a promise from God, all hell will fight to prove that that promise will not bring forth life. It's ok...that's part of the process but no matter how bad the news it doesn't mean the circumstances are truth. They may be the facts at the moment, but you can just let the enemy know that those facts are not the truth, and your circumstances are going to comply with the word of God. Of course the enemy tries to steal the seed, but here is the great news! Inherent in the DNA of the seed is the quality of tenacity. Don't ask me how, but that seed will always look for a crack so that it can grow and break forth out of the ground. Have you ever seen a shoot of new green life that springs up between cracks in the sidewalk, in between rock and the most incredible places? It makes one wonder how anything could find a way to grow. Yet, the life of that plant seemingly will not be denied. It looks for a place to break through and produce what is in the DNA of the seed!

We rented an apartment a few years back and there must have been a crack in the foundation, because there was this stubborn piece of grass that would grow up from under the carpet and right there in the corner of my living room was green living grass. I honestly think God gave it to us as an object lesson! Tonight He reminded me of that blade of grass. I could never get to the root, so I always had to clip it off with scissors, and it would always grow back. The root always produces the fruit. Listen, whether it's a stubborn weed you need to get rid of or a seed that you want to bear good fruit, the process is the same. You must deal with the roots. Spiritually, it is the same process. Either way, the good seed is more powerful than the weeds. Just keep planting the word of God because eventually it will find a way to break new ground!

Friends, let me give you a reassuring word today. Your spouse, your loved ones, or whoever is on your prayer list may be wrestling somewhere with themselves and God, but that seed is looking for a place to grow. THERE IS ALWAYS A CRACK THE ENEMY DIDN'T COUNT ON. You might not know where it is, but God does, and He will direct that seed to fall into the right crack; the one that has just enough light in it to make that seed struggle to live and keep reaching for daylight. It may take a while, but the word of God does not return void. It will prosper in the thing for which it was sent! (Isaiah 55:11) The interesting thing about a new plant is that it has to fight to live, and in the process as it gets stronger, it will displace some hard clumps of dirt, debris or even rocks. So keep declaring the word of God and sending out light and truth to the person, even if you can't speak it to them directly. Once it is released, it is in God's timing and according to His intimate knowledge of the individual. Ask Him to direct the seeds of truth into the right cracks in their heart. Ask Him to shine His light in that crack that pulls the seed up into the light. Speak God's word that is like a homing device looking for it's target. Truth always has a way of following a person home.

Lessons From the Book of Galatians

The Apostle Paul had some interesting things to say in the Book of Galatians. He started out by speaking a blessing of grace and peace to those he addressed. Did you know that when God wants to tell us something, His words are always full of love, and love brings assurance of our acceptance in Christ. It is this revelation of our unconditional acceptance in the Lord and His good will towards us that leads to increased faith and confidence towards God. Grace and peace are always multiplied when we are in Christ. That’s the first thing we always ought to keep in perspective when we hear a message. Are grace and peace being multiplied unto me as I hear this? If not, test the spirits.

Paul went on to introduce himself as an apostle declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus, He reminded those who would read his letter, not only gave his very life for mankind but that he was sent to deliver us from the temptation of this evil age. In other words, Paul was referring to the redemptive work of Christ to sanctify believers and deliver them out of the temptations of the world. Paul marveled in shock that those he knew had somehow defected from the truth of the gospel that saved them, and they had unwittingly fallen for a different message. Somehow, something had gotten twisted in those they had allowed to teach them, and the message perverted. Paul could hardly believe that they had gotten tricked into believing a false gospel.

The most difficult lie to discern is the one that is introduced along with a majority of truth. It is not always easy to pick up on the deception when it sound plausible. Yet scripture must be balanced by the rest of doctrine and interpreted through the heart of God in order to understand it’s true intent. What I mean by that is, if a person doesn’t truly understand God’s heart, they will never correctly interpret His scripture and a form of legalism or error will be the result. Legalism is the use of guilt, manipulation and control. In the environment of the church, it forces the will of man upon others, often misusing and utilizing the scriptures in order to entice and manipulate people to do the will of a stronger individual . It uses fear and intimidation to fulfill it's desire to control others. It is operating by the spirit of Satan and not the Holy Spirit. Witchcraft and legalism will always misrepresent God's heart and character and the result is the effect of turning others against God, running away from Him in rebellion.

This was apparently the problem with the false teachers that introduced the Galatian church to a “different gospel.” There was no “human flavoring” of the gospel that Paul preached. He was not regurgitating what had been taught by the doctrines of men; Paul received the revelation of Jesus Christ straight from the source. If the gospel that Paul preached had been made up by men, he would have had to confer with others in order to receive their teachings or validate it. But, God’s will to choose Paul to advance the gospel was such an important choice that He left nothing to chance. Holy Spirit gave Paul the download of the gospel so that he would have it correct right from the start. This is an important truth to understand. Others can deliver the gospel message, but only the Holy Spirit can truly impart the revelation of Jesus Christ, His cross and resurrection, and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that changes a person.It is not man's attempt to reinterpret scripture or add to it that sanctifies us. We are not sanctified by our own attempts to appear righteous; it comes only through the blood of Christ as He imputes His righteousness to us. God does not speak to our sin nature and focus on our shortcomings; He speaks to us as we are in Christ and lifts our focus off of ourselves and shifts it back to gazing upon Jesus, for He knows that what we focus on we become. It is the message of unconditional love, acceptance and the work of grace that changes us from the old man to the new. By grace we are saved, and by grace we are sanctified. You see, the gospel isn't about you. It's for you, but the gospel is about Jesus. It's about what He has done through His blood that was shed for us and the power of His cross and resurrection.

Red flags and warning bells went off in Paul’s head when he realized that false brethren had introduced a gospel that sounded believable, yet had subtle deceptions interwoven into their teachings in an effort to steal the liberties of the Galatian church. Perhaps one of the most powerful and impacting scriptures in the 2nd chapter of Galatians is found in verses 19-21. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Let’s just pause right there for a moment. Do you realize that Jesus didn’t just die for you, but He died on that cross as you? Whether you realize it or not, you died to sin a long time ago. Jesus took you to the cross with Him (as He did for all of mankind) and died in your place so that you would not have to pay the penalty for your sins. He died as you. So let me ask you a question. If you died with Christ, then what are you doing with that truth? What have you done with Jesus? Because the day Jesus went to the cross you died to sin, spiritually speaking that is. If you can believe that truth and receive it by faith, then all that remains for you now is to walk in resurrection power. All that remains in you now is for your mind, heart, soul and lifestyle to catch up with that truth.

Paul challenged the Galatian church in chapter 3, asking them who bewitched them (who cast a spell over their minds) that they would stray from the truth and start believing a lie. He reminded them that what they began by faith in the Spirit they could not expect to finish by mistakenly trying to perfect their flesh through their own efforts. Paul challenged them, as any real apostle would do, to consider where they got off track and started believing a different gospel. They had been tricked or perhaps brainwashed into believing that they could somehow achieve a form of righteousness by the commandments of men rather than by the grace of God. They were confused by faulty doctrine and didn’t recognize it. He reminded them that a curse comes upon those that try to achieve righteousness by their own standards and that no one can effectively fulfill the law, and no one is justified by their own forms of righteousness. The just shall live by faith.

Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Do you realize that God does not focus on our sin nature? It's because it has already been crucified with Christ. When God speaks, He reveals the lies of the enemy that hinder us from becoming more Christlike. He is kind even when correcting our perspective. He does not condemn nor reject those in whom His Spirit inhabits. God's love and grace are abundant, and those that grow in their relationship with Him will continue in a life of sanctification - but it is as the Holy Spirit deals with each individual, in His time. The real gospel is in some people's estimation, radical grace, but that is what makes it the good news. God is restoring this truth back to His church, and purifying His bride. He is calling us back to the purity of the gospel.

Some people are alarmed at this new so called "grace movement." People who want to take it to an extreme and perhaps read things into those that are speaking grace and get offended by it, thinking they are actually giving others permission to use grace as a license to sin. I really believe this is a fear response, because fear says, “Let’s rope these people in before they get too far out of control.” Some go so far as to say those that preach such a thing are bordering on teaching heresy.

Scripture reminds us in 2 Cor. 10:12 not to compare ourselves with those that commend themselves, nor measure themselves by comparing themselves among one another because it is not wise. Wisdom refrains from unnecessary judgments, criticisms and comparisons. Fear causes people to jump to conclusions and make judgments that none of us should probably make. Good grief. Everyone is at a different place in their walk with God, in their understanding of the scriptures, and in the depth of relationship with Holy Spirit. If we are going to err, let's do it on the side of grace and not judgment. People are so quick to jump in and want to be the voice of the Holy Spirit to others to either use fear as a motivator towards obedience or caution them not to get too caught up in grace that they fall in a ditch. Can we not trust Holy Spirit to do HIS job? It is HIS job to convict people of sin and HIS job to sanctify...OUR job is to love people where they're at and stop jumping to conclusions based on what we assume about others. We need to stop being overly sin conscious and be Jesus focused. If we make salvation and sanctification about our own efforts then we rob the gospel message of grace. People tend to adopt one of two mindsets when it comes to their scriptural foundation. It is either based on a fear of rejection which puts the emphasis on our own efforts, or it is based on the joy of acceptance by which we can enjoy peace, rest and allow God's grace to transform our thoughts and actions.

So, how does one determine if their belief system needs an overhaul?  A perverse spirit will twist truth, cause confusion and result in double-mindedness and unbelief. It will cause anxiety, fear, frustration, disappointment, anger, and rebellion towards God. It will accuse God to the believer and cause serious trust issues between the individual and God. Pride and anger withstand God so that God withholds Himself from the believer. It is a shallow relationship at best. Real faith and personal growth are stunted, leaving the person disillusioned, dispassionate and wondering why their faith doesn’t seem to produce more results. Genuine faith in God comes as a result of embracing the truth of the gospel, recognizing that daily we need a Savior, Healer, Restorer, Deliverer and Teacher, and experiencing His faithfulness to meet us right where we are. This is how a person comes to understand the power of God’s unconditional love and acceptance. He multiplies grace and peace in the believer’s life and confidence towards God increases as revelation increases. Without revelation, a person is lost in their own thoughts, frustrations, personal limitations and cannot seem to make their faith work for them. It seems like a never ending road of trying to seek and serve God without much fulfillment or satisfaction from their Christian life. In essence, it keeps a person a slave to human effort, is centered around self rather than being centered around what Jesus has done for us, and results in estrangement from Christ. Every wrong thought produces anxiety, frustration, fear and other negative emotions. It produces unbelief and distrust towards God. Every thought precedes an action that will either draw us closer to God or lure us away from Him, His truth, and fellowship with Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, every right thought will produce a natural inclination towards gratitude for what Christ has done, love for the Father, an increase in faith and confidence towards God. This is why it is so important to take every thought in captivity that would rise up to challenge truth and subject it to the authority of Jesus Christ. I will end this with the words of Apostle Paul in which he said, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” (Gal. 5:1).