In today’s thoughts, may I begin by stating that Satan continues to deceive those who believe anything other than what the doctrine of Jesus Christ and the Word of God teaches. Fervently seeking God in prayer, with a repentant heart, with all righteousness and with an opened heart, will bring successful results. God will answer those that fervently seek Him for who He is, a loving and gracious God. Yes, God is to be trusted.
The very key in having faith is knowing God. Jesus had faith because He knew His Father and the Father new Him. When we get to know the father, the Father will know us. We will have the faith of Jesus, for we will be under the Lordship of Jesus. Yes, as a born- again believer, we have Jesus inside of us, but it will take building a relationship with Him to know Him and be trusted by God. One passage to defend this thought is found in Mark 11:23-24 where Jesus states that …whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Also in Matthew 7: 7 – 8 “Ask… seek…knock” …and it will be opened. Again, in John 14:13 …whatever you ask in my Name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Yes, the very key to receive is found in Matthew 21:21-22 …if you have faith and do not doubt…it will happen…and whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.
I will say that all these scriptures are based on our positive confession. The very key to praying this kind of confession is found in praying the promises of God within the scriptures. The Holy Spirit will help us pray the very will of the Father in faith and by faith. So again; faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. As Christ is in us and we are in Christ, we are as one thought. You might say of one thought, mind, soul, and spirit. To have the mind of Christ is a great thing.
This is truly a true statement. Without faith, we can not know God. It begins with trust, trusting in His Word. Faith will arise as the Word begins to know us. I don’t see anywhere in these scriptures above where we can just command our answer…no, I see where Jesus says to ask in His name, by faith, believe, and you shall receive it. It is by His authority and our trust, our belief in who He is and who we are as a child of God. Then and only then we shall be able to say to that mountain, “be thou removed”. James 4:1-3 makes it very clear on this subject…Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted of Satan. Jesus quoted the scripture when Satan tried to tempt Him. Satan tried to get Jesus to apply the promises of God to a time, place, and situation, which was NOT God’s will.
He says, “If you be a son of God, command….” I think the answer to the question as to whether we, as sons of God, have the authority to take the things of God and apply them as we please ought to be clear. We don’t. Any suggestion that we do is a deception from Satan. The doctrine given by new movements, that teaches believers that they have the “power” or “authority in themselves” to just “command” or “speak into existence” whatever they want is a false doctrine not taught in the Bible.
Jesus says that He had “All Authority” and as He lives in us and us in Him that He will do the things we ask, when we ask in faith. This will only happen because He is in us, and we are in Him, and we are obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit…in the will of God. The issue here is very simply whether we would use the things of God – authority in Christ – power of God for our own purposes. If we would, we would not be faithful. There can be no spiritual authority.
If we would NOT use the things of God for our own purpose, then we are faithful – but even so, the authority we have still remains “in Christ”. It is not ours to use. This authority in Christ is simply knowing who He is and who we are in Him. It is His. But what kind of authority are we really talking about here? Is this the authority to create with our own words? To be a, “little god”? I have to be honest in saying. If you really believe that you can create your own reality with your words because you are a “little god”, you are deceived. You need to return to the very Person of Christ and be set free of this delusion.
Again, let me say, the authority that we as believers have in Christ is the authority of the LIFE of Christ. It is the power of the resurrection of Christ, His LIFE in the believer. This Resurrection life is the power of Christ in the believer, OVER sin, spiritual death, and the old creation. The power and authority that we have in Christ is not a power to do things of ourselves or a position alone, but it is really the power to become as Christ is.
Christ’s resurrection life in us wants to push out and form us, together with Him, make us alive in Him, yes, living epistles. To become alive in Christ will only come as we fall in the line with none of me and all of you! Then, any “doing” will simply be an extension of our union with Christ – the fact that we are living representations of His resurrection. But again – if the power of Christ is found in His resurrection life, can we see that there is much in us that must go the way of the Cross. But don’t think of this as a fixed thing or as a position only. It is an ongoing relationship into Eternity.
We can agree that His resurrection life can be manifested through us only as He is in us. But if you listen to false teachers, there isn’t really anything we need to overcome to exhibit the power of Christ except our failure to believe that we can display it! We often hear this statement quoted from the Bible, “only believe, all things are possible” and this is true but must be interpreted in the right context.
In the above context, the truth is, the only way in which the power of His resurrection can operate in me, in you, is if the power of His Cross is at work in us.
None of me, all of Him. Any other way is not only false – but it is the number one teaching of Satan, that of, we can have life without the work of the Cross. How could this be? Bypassing the work of the Cross in us will bring false hope and false belief. The way of the cross must be at work daily in us. Pay close attention as we clarify this thought. Can you imagine the notion that God would give people the power to do– to exercise authority – to ignore their relationship to Him or ignore to what they are becoming.
This is a complete twisting and misrepresentation of everything God wants to do in His people. Go looks at the heart and soul of man, yes, and the very intent of the heart. God wants to manifest Christ in us! Christ in us is the very hope of His glory. And if we would see this and let Him, then the power of His resurrection would be there. God has not given us authority as a “thing” to exercise.
He has given us a new spirit, to do His will, to follow His direction, leading and guidance given by the Holy Spirit. All is provided by the means of Christ in us, His power and authority working in and through the believer.
In other words, the resurrection life of Christ in us. We become spiritually alive as we submit to Christ. Christ comes to govern us through the power and working of the Holy Spirit. Along with that comes power and authority. The power and authority of Christ in us.
Notice what I just said: As Christ comes to govern (rule) us. Unless Christ is coming to govern us, the power of Christ can not be released or work through us. Only, “if we suffer with Him,” that is, come under the power of the Cross; have our personal ambition and pride and self-crucified, can we truly experience what it means to be a fellow-heir with Christ. There is much in us, long after salvation, that is, according to the flesh. For this reason, we must crucify and die out daily of our flesh that of our own will. Unless that is dealt with, there can be no spiritual power and authority.
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