Redeemed from What? Part II

Isaiah 53:4-5 (KJV) 4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

1 Peter 2:24 (KJV) 24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Secondly, in addition to redeeming us from our sins, Jesus, at the same time, redeemed us from sickness and disease. God the Father laid all of our sicknesses and diseases on Jesus (on His spirit). He was wounded for our transgressions and by His stripes we were healed. Every foul, wicked, demon of sickness and disease was laid upon Jesus so that we could be redeemed from all that sickness and disease. We don’t have to tolerate it anymore. We can walk completely free from every sickness and disease that has plagued mankind. Our well-being has been bought with the precious blood of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. He bore it so that we don’t have to bear it. Let’s gird up our loins and walk in the divine health that belongs to us.

Thirdly, Jesus died spiritually. This means he was completely separated from the Father. That’s what spiritual death is. We are spirit beings in a flesh body. Our spirits will never die but they can be separated from our Heavenly Father and that’s called spiritual death. That’s what happens to those who die physically without Jesus. They also die spiritually – separated from God the Father for all eternity. When Jesus cried out, Why hast Thou forsaken Me, this was the ultimate part of the Redemption.

 Luke 22:42 (KJV)42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Jesus had always been with the Father – eternally and not ever separated. In the Garden, He asked if that cup could pass from Him. It was the most profound question of all eternity. If God would have agreed, we all would be lost. And remember, Jesus always got His prayers answered. But, thank the Lord, Jesus continued with, “Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done!” It was the separation from the Father that gripped Him; nothing else compared to it. But He accepted all that had to be done to purchase our redemption and bring us back into relationship with our Father God.

Jesus’ sacrifice, His substitutionary sacrifice, was a complete redemption. We are completely delivered from Satan’s dominion and his demonic ways: sin, sickness, poverty, and spiritual death.

 2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV) 4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Now, we have our part to do in enforcing Satan’s defeat. We must stand our ground against his wiles and trickery or he will beat out our spiritual brains. He lies, cheats, steals, destroys, and deceives trying to get us to back off of our faith stand and side in with him. Don’t do it!

You have been given all the spiritual weapons you’ll ever need to stand firm in your Redemption. Jesus already paid for it. Now you must walk in it if you want to live a victorious life. You have been given: the Blood of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Name of Jesus, Angelic protection, the Word of God, the armor of God, the Faith of Jesus.

With these weapons, you are guaranteed to succeed, to prosper, and to live a life worth living. God is on your side and all of Heaven is rooting for you. Go for it!

We have been made righteous in God’s eyes. This means we can stand in His presence without any sense of sin-consciousness, inferiority, or condemnation. All glory to our good and faithful God!

Hebrews 4:16 (KJV) 16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) 17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) 16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV) 4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. Galatians 4:4 (KJV) 4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Philippians 2:5-9 (KJV) 5   Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  

Continued next time — Pamela

Redeemed from What? Part I

When you receive a gift card, how do you use it? You redeem it at the appropriate store. When you receive a check, what do you do? You redeem it at the bank.

So, what does it mean that Jesus redeemed us? Just what is “Redemption”? Most Christians will acknowledge that they are redeemed but when you question them as to what that means, what is the answer?

To redeem means to buy back; to turn in and receive something in exchange. An example would be store coupons. With the coupons, you receive a certain amount of money deducted from the payment of your purchase.

When Adam sinned, we lost our right standing with God. The whole human race was plunged into darkness, headed for eternal damnation. But God, in His infinite wisdom and foreknowledge, had a plan already in place. He would send a “Redeemer” to buy back what had been lost. He would, through Jesus, redeem mankind from sin, poverty, sickness, and spiritual death.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (KJV) 30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

Now, if you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, you’ve probably heard this. But do you know the magnitude of what actually happened?

2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV) 21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When Jesus went to the Cross, He redeemed us from sin by becoming sin for us. He not only took our sins on His pure, sinless Spirit, but He actually became that horrible sin. He was made sin! Pure and holy as He was, He was made sin – the evil, demonic, filth of this world, the very nature of Satan, so that we could become righteous in the eyes of our Father God, having no sense of sin-consciousness, inferiority, or condemnation.

Hebrews 4:16 (KJV) 16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The only way Jesus could have died was to be made sin for us. Heretofore, He had no sin in Himself. Sin is what causes death. So, when He took our sins on Himself, He died. He paid the total price for our Redemption so that we don’t have to pay it.

But it’s our choice. We can receive what He has done for us or reject it. In the final analysis, we will have no excuse for where we end up – Heaven or hell – because it’s our choice. We need to make the right choice and choose God’s way of salvation by accepting what Jesus did for us as our Savior and make Him our Lord. Then we can all rejoice together in heaven for all eternity!

Continued next time — Pamela

How Many Sins Will Keep You Out of Heaven?

Which sins are the really bad ones – adultery, murder, theft? What about lying, gossip, criticism, and judging others? H-m-m . . . let’s see what God has to say.

James 2:10 (KJV) 10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

The Law has to do with what God has commanded us to do. In James we see that if we commit just one sin, we’re guilty of all sins. That’s why Jesus went to the Cross because we couldn’t be perfect and sinless. Only He could and is.

Every sin we commit makes us guilty of all sins. That’s what God said. So what do we do? I’m glad you asked because that’s not the problem.

It’s not our various sins that keep us out of Heaven because Jesus paid the price for those sins. In fact, He paid the price for everyone’s sins – past, present, and future. But, we have to receive what He did or we’re still in our sins. It’s not automatic that everyone gets saved. It’s a choice, an individual choice.

Now, back to the original question: How many sins will keep you out of Heaven? The answer is: one! But you have to know which one it is. There’s only one sin that will keep you out of Heaven and send you to hell: the sin of not accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior!

It was never God’s intention that humans go to hell. He wants everyone to get saved.

2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Once you’re born-again, you’ve become a new creation, not just a new and improved version of your old self! And even though the penalty for sins has been paid, you still need to repent when you sin. You need to live a life that’s pleasing to the Lord. And you can do it! 

Continued next time — Pamela

Which Truth Makes Your Free?

How many times have you heard that the truth will make you free? I’ve even heard it said on secular TV programs! People quote it all the time and I wonder how many really know what it means. Do you know what it means? Let me explain what I believe Jesus meant when He said it in John 8:32. Let’s start with verse 31:

John 8:31-32 (KJV) 31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

If you’ll notice, Jesus says that if you continue in His Word, then you shall know the truth that makes you free. What does He mean by continuing in His Word? Continue means to persist in a thing, to endure. But I like to say it this way: it means to hang in there no matter what!

To continue in God’s Word means that you value and honor it. It’s not just something you read once and then go on your way or something you hear in a Sunday morning service. You don’t give up on His Word when your prayers seem to go unanswered. You’re in it for the long haul!

God’s Word is everlasting and for all times. It’s the Word that has gone forth from His mouth to provide everything you’ll ever need in this life and for all eternity. It’s the very necessity that will put you over in this life and give you the victory in every situation, if you’ll continue in it.

Truth is not just something that’s true. There are a lot of facts out there but only one TRUTH and that’s the Word of God. It’s the only TRUTH that never fails and is backed up by Almighty God Himself. Why would anyone want to put their trust in something that’s going to decay and fade away?

And it’s not just knowing the truth of God’s Word but actually walking in it. Yes, we need to believe His Word but in order for it to operate in our lives, we have to walk in it and make it part of everything we do. Then we will know His TRUTH and that TRUTH will indeed make us free!

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

John 8:31-32 (KJV) 31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 Continued next time — Pamela

Is Your Experience Distracting You from Believing God’s Word?

If you ask any Christian about whether or not they believe God’s Word, the answer would be yes. That’s because God’s Word is the very foundation upon which our faith is based. That’s good and as it should be. But—

What happens when you pray and pray about something and it doesn’t turn out the way you wanted? Do you still believe God’s Word or do you “edit” it to agree with your experience? This is wrong!

God’s Word isn’t based on your experience not does it depend on what you experience. God’s Word is the incorruptible Word of Almighty God and is forever settled in Heaven. It has stood the test of time and will forever be true—throughout all eternity.

Too many times people (Christians included) have based what they believe on their experience. This is contrary to the Word of God and will never get you the desired results. Nowhere in the Bible does God tell us to go by our experience. That would be disastrous because that’s the arena of the devil—the carnal world, the flesh, the physical conditions.

God moves in the spirit realm and that’s where born-again, Spirit-filled believers are supposed to move. We have the Holy Spirit residing in us to lead and guide us. Our part is to listen and obey. God said that if we are willing and obedient we shall eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:12). Who doesn’t want that!

God isn’t moved by our experience. His Word is true and He backs it up totally. We should have that same mind set: that we believe and stand on God’s Word no matter what our experience happens to be. We aren’t perfect and miss it more times than we care to admit. God never misses it. Which testimony should you believe?

Remember, God is faithful, faithful, faithful! If things didn’t work out the way you anticipated, continue to believe God’s incorruptible Word and let Him keep you in perfect peace.

Isaiah 1:19 (KJV) 19  If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

Psalm 119:89 (KJV) 89  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

John 14:16 (KJV) 16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 16:13 (KJV) 13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
1 John 2:20 (KJV) 20  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

Continued next time–Pamela

What Do You Do When Your Prayers Don’t Seem to get Answered?

So, you’ve prayed and prayed and waited and waited but still no manifestation of answered prayer. What do you do? Or rather, what should you do?

First of all, don’t quit! That’s a sure-fire way to never get your answer. Maybe you’ve been praying for a long, long time about a certain situation and things just don’t seem to be getting better. Still, the key is to NOT QUIT! Keep on believing!

Remember, God looks at the heart—not at the results. It’s faith that pleases Him and regardless of whether or not you ever see manifestation of what you’ve been praying about, keep walking by faith and believing for the manifestation. That’s what pleases God and He’s the One who counts. He’s the One we want to please.

Of course, we all want manifestation of answered prayer. That’s the whole reason we’re praying about it in the first place. But many times, our time table is not set by us. We always want instant everything and rightly so. But it doesn’t always happen that way. That’s where our faith has to be strong and fixed on God’s promises. His Word always works in spite of what we think.

Standing on God’s Word is the best place to be and the only way to receive the answer to our prayers. He said His Word would not return to Him void without accomplishing what He sent it forth to do. Our part is to believe and receive and continue standing until we see the manifestation of what we have prayed about.

Unfortunately, many people blame God when they don’t get the answer they want. It’s never God Who’s at fault. His Word always works but we have to work the Word. We have our part to do. God won’t do our part and we can’t do His part. But, working together, we can get the job done!

Keeping walking by faith and see the glory of God right before your eyes!

1 Samuel 16:7b (KJV)  … for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV) 7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV) 11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Numbers 23:19 (KJV) 19  God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
2 Corinthians 1:20 (KJV) 20  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Continued next time — Pamela

How’s Your Strength?

Proverbs 24:10 (KJV) 10  If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

As Christians, we want to believe that we are strong and able to stand up under the greatest of pressures. After all, we’re believers and that’s what we do – believe. But do we really believe and walk-out what we purport to believe?

Of course it’s easy to be strong when everything around us is going well. But what happens when we get thrown a curve ball? What do we do when problems and crises arise unexpectedly and catch us off-guard?

In those cases, do you stand firm on God’s eternal Word that you say you believe? Or do you fall apart like a two dollar suitcase, not even able to help yourself, let alone someone else?

God’s Word says that He gives power to the faint and to those who have no might, He increases strength (Isaiah 40:29). He also tells us that He always causes us to triumph in Christ, the Anointed One and His Anointing (II Corinthians 2:14). And He hasn’t changed!

Remember, the circumstances, no matter what they are or what the outcome is, never change God’s Word. His Word is eternal and has as much power in it today as it had when He first spoke it.

And another thing: our experiences never change God’s Word. His Word operates independent of our experience. HisWord is meant to change our circumstances and when spoken in faith, forces the circumstances to change. It’s incorruptible seed and makes a demand on the soil in which it’s planted. That’s why it’s so important to continually plant the Word in your heart so that when bad situations arise, the Word that’s been planted in your heart will burst forth and see you through.

Our part is to trust God and His Word. His part is to perform His every Word, which He has always done and will continue doing throughout all eternity.

As we grow and develop in the Word of God, we will experience more and more of the results He expects for us. Praise the Lord!

Isaiah 40:29 (KJV) 29  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

2 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV)14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

Hebrews 13:5b (KJV)5  … for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Malachi 3:6a (KJV) 6  For I am the LORD, I change not;

1 Peter 1:23 (KJV)23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Isaiah 55:8-11 (KJV)8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Continued next time — Pamela

Are You Suffering from Spiritual Malnutrition?

Matthew 4:4 (KJV)
4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life!”

John 6:35 (KJV)
35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

As Americans, we can say, for the most part, that we have plenty to eat and we do it very well, even to excess! And as you know, that can be harmful. In fact, the acronym for the Standard American Diet is SAD! And sad it is. People eat and eat and eat but are they getting the nutrition they need to be healthy? I wonder and I think not. Of course that can change but it takes effort, commitment, and diligence to stick to it.

Enough said but I wanted to use that as an example of what happens in the spirit realm. God uses natural things to explain spiritual things. Just as we need to feed our bodies, we most definitely have to feed our spiritual bodies – our reborn human spirit. And the food we must feed it is God’s Word.

Just as your physical body will eventually die if you starve it long enough, so it is with your spirit. It won’t die but it will remain emaciated and virtually unable to help you in the realm of life here on planet earth.

Romans 8:14 (KJV)
14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

God intends for you to live from the inside out – being led by your spirit under the direction of the Holy Spirit. But the only way you can trust your spirit is to continually feed on the God’s Word. It’s more than mental assent which acknowledges that God’s Word is true but goes no further, not acting on it.

By feeding on the Word of God continually and acting on it, will get it down into your reborn spirit where it can develop and mature. When that happens, you’ll begin to speak God’s Word with power and authority and see circumstances change.

Feeding on the Word takes commitment, diligence, study, meditation, and doing the Word. That’s how you get it from your head into your heart. And that’s when supernatural things happen.

God’s Word always works but we have to work the Word.

John 1:1 (KJV)
1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 (KJV)
14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Continued next time — Pamela

Where is My Answer?

How many times have you thought, “Where’s my answer? Why is it taking so long?” The truth is that these are the wrong kinds of questions to ask. If you have to ask that question, you’re not in faith. I know that sounds harsh but it’s true.

If you’re looking at the circumstances to determine what God is doing about your problem, you’ve missed it and you’re not in faith.

Faith doesn’t look at the circumstances to determine anything. It looks beyond the circumstances to what God has already said about your problem and receives the answer.

In Romans 4:17 we see that God calls things that are not as though they were.

Romans 4:17b (KJV) 17  … even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Then in Isaiah we read that God declares the end from the beginning.

Isaiah 46:10 (KJV) 10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

God doesn’t look at the circumstances to determine what He wants. He looks at the answer and calls it in. What if He had looked at the darkness and said, “Wow, it’s dark out there!” It would have stayed dark. That wouldn’t have produced light. But He didn’t do that. He looked and said, “Light be!” And, as you know, light was!

Genesis 1:3 (YLT) 3  and God saith, `Let light be;’ and light is.

Even when you don’t see any signs of manifestation, you must keep focused on the Word that you have prayed and know that God always honors His Word that you have prayed in faith. His Word always works but we have to believe and receive. We have our part to do and God will always do His part. He is faithful, faithful, faithful!

Mark 11:23-24 (KJV) 23  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. 24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that you receive them and you shall have them.

Continued next time — Pamela

If Answers to Prayer Were in the Abundance of Words, We’d All Be Spiritual Giants!

How many times have you heard someone pray and wondered when they were going to stop? How many times have you prayed on and on and on and on, hoping that your answer was directly proportional to the amount of “spiritual” words you used? That’s not how to get answered prayer. Let’s look at what God has to say.

Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) 6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Proverbs 10:19a (KJV) 19  In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin…

Ecclesiastes 5:3b (KJV) 3 … a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

First of all, whatever is not of faith is sin and without faith, we can’t please God. Therefore, whatever we do – or pray – has to be in faith or it’s to no avail.

Romans 14:23b (KJV) 23  … for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Too many times we think that we have to explain every detail to the Lord in order for Him to fully understand why we’re making our request. Really!!!  He already knows what we need and how to supply that need. Our part is to ask in faith. Sounds simple but few do it. I’ve witnessed over and over prayers that were just babbling or complaining and not in faith. Those prayers don’t get answered because they’re not prayed according to the will of God, nor is there any faith in them.

1 John 5:14-15 (KJV) 14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

And another thing . . .  flowery words don’t cut it with God. He looks at your heart and simplicity is all that is needed. Speak God’s Word in faith, making your request, and He said that He will hear and answer. How easy is that!

Matthew 6:7-8 (KJV) 7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask Him.

Continued next time — Pamela