453. Spiritual Warfare. Standing In The Armour Of God. Eph 6:11-15. Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 4.

Posted on January 7, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

(Eph 6:11) “Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (methodeia) (Eph 6:13)  … so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

1.        WE CAN STAND IN THE VICTORY OF CHRIST. 

We can take our stand on God’s word and on the victory He accomplished in Christ.

Eph 6:14 “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”

Through the death of Christ on the cross and because He rose from the dead as the Victor over death and evil, we can have peace with God and the peace of God within us. 

Christ’s victory over the devil and over the powers of darkness is seen in these verses

  • Jesus overcame temptations from Satan in the wilderness before He began His public ministry.(Mat 4:10)  Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'”
  • (Luke 10:18) ‘He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”’(The context is Jesus explaining to His disciples why they could cast out demons.)
  • (Luke 11:18-20)  Jesus said that He cast out demons “by the finger of God”. 
  • Col 2:15  “having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. “The cross was a public declaration of the victory of Christ over all the powers of darkness. [“spectacle” = deigmatizō means to put on a show and “public”= parrēsia means to be open or public. It may have seemed that as Jesus hung on the cross, the powers of evil had destroyed Him and His ministry. But the opposite was true. He shouted out on the cross, “It is finished!” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:30. He meant that the work of redemption had been accomplished as His public death on the cross, was a public declaration of His victory over Satan and evil.
  • Heb 2:14 “he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil.” Jesus became a human so that He might die as a human for humans.
  • John explained Jesus’ ministry,1 Jn 3:8. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”
  • St Peter said to the Gentiles in the home of Cornelius, Acts 10:38  “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and  power … healing all who were under the  power of the devil.”
  • St Paul witnessing before King Agrippa, the commission the Risen Christ had given him at his conversion on the road to Damascus, Acts 26:18  “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a  place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
  • (Rom 16:20) “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”  (St Paul encouraging the believers in Rome that they could have victory over Satan through Christ’s victory over Satan.)
  • St Peter writing of the victory Christ had achieved through His death and resurrection, 1 Pet 3:22 “who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.” He is now the head over all authority in heaven and the universe.

The victory is complete. Just when it was finally accomplished is unclear. 

Jesus shouted out on the cross, “It is finished!” The work of redemption had been accomplished. Now that victory was to become manifest in human situations. 

In Revelation 12 we read of the victory Michael and his angels had when fighting against the dragon. (Rev 12:9) “The great dragon was hurled down–that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. (Rev 12:10)  Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.  (Rev 20:2)  He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

There will be a brief reprieve for the devil before his final judgment.(Rev 20:7) “When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison.” But the devil faces final judgment.

Jesus as Judge At the Final Judgment. (Mat 25:41)  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.“

2.        WE CAN TAKE OUR STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL’S SCHEMES. Eph 6:11 etc

Eph 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Forgiveness is a necessary part of standing in the victory of Christ. Part of the devil’s scheme is to hold us in bondage when we refuse to forgive.

Compare 2 Cor 2:10-11, “Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11  so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” [noema].

Unforgiveness can hold us in the devil’s power. The devil is Diabolos, the accuser.  He is also the deceiver and the father of lies.  He is the one who leads the world astray. 

For example, we can have control over our anger and not be tempted by the devil to sinfully express it, Eph 4:26 “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27  and give no opportunity to the devil.”

James wrote of the benefit of submitting ourselves completely to God in order to have victory over the devil, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. 

The Strategy of the Devil or the Result of his activity.
He tempts us to be proud.
–1Chron 21:1 “Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.”1Ch 21:7-8,  “But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel.” 8 And David said to God, “I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”
– Paul warned against the danger of appointing an immature believer as a Bishop. “he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 so that he  will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.” 1 Tim 3:6-7.  
Contention. The devil can  tempt people to be contentious. Those serving God are meant to be kind and gentle.  2Tim 2:24 “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25  correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26  and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” “Captured” is the perfect passive of zōgreō meaning they had really been captured and would remain so until they were released. ]
Temptation and testing. 
– Jesus was tempted by the devil. (Mat 4:1-11) “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”(Mark 1:13) “he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.”
– The devil can tempt people to be disloyal. John 13:2   “… the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.”
– Sometimes people may become mouthpieces for Satan.  Peter tried to deflect Jesus from going to the cross, as he said to Jesus, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” (Mat 16:22)  ‘Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”’  Matthew 16:23. [See also Mk 8:33. Lk 4:2-13.]
– The devil tests believers to try to prevent them from remaining faithful to Christ, Rev 2:10  “I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.“ (Church at Smyrna) 
Deceit and Destruction
– (Mat 13:39) “and the enemy who sows them (weeds) is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.”(Mark 4:15)  “Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.” Also Lk 8:12. 
– (Luke 22:3) “Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. “ 
– (John 13:2) “the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.”  
– John 13:27)  ‘As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. “What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him.’(Acts 5:3) ‘Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit.”’
– 1 Cor 7:5. “Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
– Acts 13:10  Of Elymas. “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery.”·      
– (2 Cor 2:11)  “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”
– (2 Cor 11:14) “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
– (2 Th 2:9) “The coming of the lawless one … the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders.”
– (1 Tim 5:15) “Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.”
– (Rev 2:9 …  “I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”
– (John 8:44) “You belong to your father, the devil, … there is no truth in him. … he is a liar and the father of lies.”
– James 3:15) “Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.“ See Rev 2:24. 1 Pet 5:8. “Be self-controlled and alert Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.“ 
Satan Can Afflict People. 
– Job 2:7 “So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores.” 
– (Luke 13:16), “a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day.” Luke described her as one “who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.”
– (2 Cor 12:7), “there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger (angelos) of Satan, to torment me.” 
– (Acts 10:38), God anointed Jesus of Nazareth … healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” 
The devil as the Accuser.  
– (Zec 3:1), “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.“
– Rev 12:10 “And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.” 
Handing People Over To Satan. Withdrawal Of Fellowship To Bring Correction. ·      
– (1 – -Cor 5:5), “hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.”·      
– 1 Tim 1:20),  “Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.” 
Satan tries to stop the gospel. 
– (1 Thess 2:18) “For we wanted to come to you- certainly I, Paul, did, …–but Satan stopped us.” However, the battle has been won on Calvary.
Martin Luther wrote of Satan in a hymn, “he cannot do us harm, to judgment he has come, one word can swiftly fell him.” 
Recognising the devil’s strategies and knowing how to overcome them, can bring us freedom and victory over evil. 

OUR VICTORY does not lie in our own ability to overcome Satan for He is more powerful than we are apart from God. But our victory comes from the victory Jesus accomplished on the cross over Satan and over all the host of evil. We are not to attempt to fight for victory over Satan but to take our stand in the victory Jesus has won for us.

The victory comes as we sincerely obey God’s command to us through the writings of St Paul, (Eph 6:11) “Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (Eph 6:13)  … so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” 

BlogNo.453. Standing In The Armour Of God. Eph 6:11-15. Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 4. Posted on Saturday 07 January 2023

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

452. Putting On The Armour Of God. (Ephesians 6:11). Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 3.  “Put on the full armour of God.”

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

Eph 6:11 “Put on the whole armour (panoplia) God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

1. WE ARE TO REALISE THAT WE ARE IN A SPIRITUAL CONFLICT. Eph 6:11

There are powers at work in this world besides the power of God, and these are opposed to Christ and to His people.  We see that in our baptismal vows in which we promise to “renounce the devil and all his works.” We see it also in the teaching and ministry of Jesus as He spoke of the existence and power of Satan, the devil, and delivered people from the power of evil spirits. 

As CS Lewis wrote in one of his books, the great strategy of the enemy is to get people to believe that he doesn’t exist. Paul knew that Satan did exist, and so did a host of the powers of darkness that were opposed to Christ and to His people. These powers had “schemes” [or Greek “methodeia.”]  

EK Simpson wrote of the devil that he plays both bully and beguiler. (eg., a Roaring lion & an angel of light.) Paul writes that we have to play our part in being strong in the power of the Lord and in the strength of His might (verse 11) and also we have to put on the armour of God to know His protection and His victory in our lives (verse 12). (That is, appropriating God’s provision to live as we should.)

2.        WE ARE TO RECOGNISE WHO THE ENEMY IS.  Eph 6:12

(Eph 6:12) “For our struggle (pale =wrestling) is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers (archas), against the authorities (exousias), against the powers (kosmokratoras = used in astrology of control by planets over humankind) of this dark world and against the spiritual (pneumatikos) forces of evil (poneria) in the heavenly realms.       

(Note the previous references to Satan in Eph 2:1-2,   “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” And in Eph 4:27 “and do not make room for the devil.“ 

We are not to identify these powers with the structures or the people but with the evil forces behind them and often using them whether they know it or not. Satan is a liar and a deceiver and influences those under his control. We see that in the lives of 2 men in the New Testament.  We see how Peter was used by Satan when he thought he was acting in love towards  Jesus when he tried to stop Him from going to the cross, Mat 16:22  “And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” Jesus recognised the origin of Peter’s statement and said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Mat 16:23.

We see how Judas was used by Satan when he thought he was serving God by considering betraying Jesus, “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.” Luke 22:3.  Judas had given room or opportunity to the devil as Paul was later to warn about in Eph 4:27, “and do not make room for the devil.“ In getting victory, we may have to forgive the people who allowed themselves to be the devil’s mouthpieces or instruments. But we also need to bind the power of the enemy, and ask God to set us free of any damage done to us by their words and actions.

3.        WE ARE TO PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD. Eph 6:11, 13. 

Eph 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Eph 6:13  Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

“Put on” [enduo]. The  “full armour”. [panoplia.] Paul here uses an analogy showing how God’s people could take hold of the victory God could give them. They could stand in the victory, vs 11, “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Paul repeated the same command in verse 13, “Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” [verse 13] and also in verse 14, “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”

As a soldier would dress up in armour for the battle, so Christians can avail themselves of the armour God supplies to enable them to stand and win the victory (in His strength, through His victory). 

THE FULL ARMOUR OF GOD.  The picture is from Isaiah 59:16-17, “He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no  one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own  righteousness sustained him.” 17 “He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.”

The picture Isaiah paints is of God Himself going forth to fight for His people clad in His righteousness and in the helmet of salvation. God supplies righteousness and salvation for His people in their battle against evil. 

i.  {Verse 14} … the belt of truth. It was necessary for easy walking. The word can mean both the truth and integrity. 

In Isaiah 11:5  we read, “Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his  waist.”

Jesus said in Jn 8:32. “You shall know the truth, and the Truth will set you free.” That is,  the truth that is known and acted on. 

As we come to know Him in a deeper way and become open to share His power and His strength,  we can live in the liberty Christ came to bring us. However if we reject Him, we turn away from the truth and from the source of strength and become sitting ducks for the enemy’s attacks.  

ii. [14].   breastplate of righteousness. Imputed and imparted righteousness.  Our part in the process. 

Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 11:5, “Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his  waist.” And in Isa 59:17  “He put on righteousness as his breastplate.”

When we become Christians, the righteousness of Jesus is  imputed to us.  God sees us as being In Him, as being clothed in His righteousness. In legal terms, having the right standing before God.

But there is another aspect in that as we live in intimacy of our relationship with Him, we can begin to share in our daily experience, the power of the life of Christ within us. His righteousness is imparted to us by His Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit [Galatians 5:22-23] the outward expression of the presence of God within us, means that His presence can become more and more evident in our lives, as we keep yielding to the Spirit. 

iii.  {15} … feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 

Taking our stand on God’s word [the gospel of peace]  prepares us to experience God’s peace in our own lives, and to bring His peace to others as we share the gospel with them and they receive the Prince of peace. Paul had written about the need for people to hear the gospel to be able to believe in Jesus for salvation, and he quotes from the OT, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”  We see the  connection between “feet” and the gospel in Rom 10:15, “And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

We realise of course that it’s not the feet that save, it is Jesus. But what a marvellous message is the gospel that sets people free to live as God wants them to. What a privilege to be able to pass the good news on to others or to be the feet as a messenger from God. We need to be ready at all times to step out in faith to share the gospel message with those whom God brings across our paths.

iv. [16]  … the shield of faith. {16} “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming  arrows of the evil one.“ The shield spoken of here is [Θυρεόν from θύρα door], because it was large and shaped like a door. It was covered with leather which extinguished flaming arrows, provided maximum protection to the warrior.  

Faith protects us from the devil’s fiery darts or accusations and deceits.

Faith enables us to receive the promises of God and have them come true in our experience as we act on them.

Faith in His promise that when people ask Christ into their lives, He will come in.

Faith in His promise that God does not remember the sins that are confessed to Him.

Faith that He justifies us and declares us “not guilty” as we put our trust in Christ.

Faith that He is with us always even to the end of the ages. 

As we take up the shield of faith and affirm the truth, it prevents Satan wounding us. 

v.  {17}…  the helmet of salvation. 

Eph 6:17  “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Paul had written about the helmet of salvation in 1 Thess 5:8. “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” This verse suggests that it was the mind that the helmet of salvation protected. A helmet to guard our minds, reminding us of Paul’s words in Phil 4:7, “The peace of God which passes all understanding, will guard (garrison) your hearts and minds safe  in Christ Jesus.“ It was the sure and certain Christian hope that would protect the minds of believers when under attack by Satan. 

vi. [17].  the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The sword is both a defensive weapon and an offensive weapon. We can guard ourselves against all the lies, deceits and errors that Satan throws against us. But we can also wage war against the powers of darkness setting ourselves and others free by the power of the word of truth. Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and  marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  It allows us to recognise what is of God and turn to it, and what is not of God, and turn from it. As King David observed, “Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Ps  119:11. He realised that knowing the word of God gave him an understanding of what is good and what is evil and he could then choose to do the good that he knew. That is true for every believer.

4.         WE ARE TO STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL’S (diabolos) SCHEMES (methodeia)

Eph 6:11  “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Putting on the full armour of God enables us to stand our ground and to overcome, not be overcome by the schemes, trickery and wiles of the evil one. Paul had written previously in this epistle,  “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes [methodeia.]” Eph 4:14  

Paul had shared with the believers in Corinth that believers need not be outwitted by Satan for they know his schemes and designs, “so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs [noemata].” 2 Cor 2:11. Satan’s schemes [noemata] are known to believers and so they are not outwitted.  But as we saw above, they  must not give the devil any room to deceive them, “and do not make room for the devil.“ Eph 4:27. This is in the context of what we do and say when we are angry or tempted to lose control such as in becoming bitter. Satan desires to occupy any space that becomes open to him. 

5.    THE NEED TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT. Verse 18

 {18} “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.“

Believers are encouraged to be prayerful at all times but there are times when it is difficult to know how to pray.  However, that is when the Holy Spirit is able to help us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not  know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with  groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26. Part of Christian maturing depends on our prayer life, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.” Jude 1:20.

The Spirit as the origin of all true prayer, motivates us to pray, and gives us the words [or sometimes the groans] to pray. Prayer inspired by the Holy Spirit enlightens us as we seek to know the mind, purpose and will of God so that we can pray more in conformity with the will of God.

Putting on the armour of God is another way of saying that we are appropriating the provision God has given us in Jesus, and applied to our hearts and minds,  by His Spirit.  Or it is allowing Him to ‘grace’ us with His amazing grace for our acceptance before Him and for the manifestation of His life in and through us by His Spirit. However successful Christian living always depends on our willingness to put on the armour of God!

Blog No.452 Putting On The Armour Of God. (Ephesians 6:11) Core Teaching 4-3.doc. “Put on the full armour (panoplia) of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Posted on Monday 02 January 2023.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Praying our way through Paul's letter to the Ephesians, Questions and Answers, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

451. Spiritual Warfare. Being Strong In The Lord’s Strength. [Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 2.]

Posted on December 21, 2022 by Jim Holbeck
(Eph 6:10)  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
 “Be strong” = [endunamoo]. “Mighty” = [kratos]. “Power” = [ischus].

Paul had a habit of using different power words together in the same verse as we will see below. Many of those verses show that He is able to impart His strength to His followers as they look to Him for strength.

1. GOD WANTS TO EMPOWER US TO LIVE FOR HIM. (Eph 6:10)  “Finally, be strong in the Lord.”
“Finally” [loipoi] may have the sense of the “remainder.” It could be “This is the last thing I’m writing to you now.” Or “For the remainder [of your lives].”
 “Be strong.” The word [endunamoo], can mean to empower, to increase in strength.  To endue or be endued. 
The emphasis is on what God can do in our lives to enable us to serve Him. It is not making ourselves strong. It is be strong “in the Lord”, ie in His strength. 

The word for “be strong” is used in the following ways. 
·      Acts 9:22. of Paul as a new convert being strengthened for ministry, “But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.”
·      Rom 4:20, of Abraham being empowered by faith to believe God’s promise of a child. “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God.”
·      Phil 4:13, Paul says he can do (ischuo also used in this verse for “power/strength”) all things through Christ who “keeps on” strengthening him,  “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”·      
1 Tim 1:12, where Paul thanks God, ”who has given me strength” meaning for his ministry, “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service.”·      
2 Tim 2:1, Paul commands Timothy to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. “·      
2 Timothy 4:17, “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.”·     
 In Heb 11:34, a similar word [dunamoo] is used where the people of faith were strengthened,  “quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”
 
THE STRENGTH WE NEED TO LIVE FOR GOD, IS HIS STRENGTH IN US. [Ephesians 6:10 continued]. “and in his mighty power.”
A.  “In His mighty (kratos) power (ischus)”. (RSV in the strength of His might). (Amplified Bible,  “that strength which His boundless might provides”). JB Phillips, “In the power of His boundless resource.”
 ·      He is powerful. His word is powerful.(kratos words in the New Testament are underlined below and are translated as power, strength, might and dominion.)·     
 Luke 1:51, “He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.”·      
Acts 19:20, “So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.·      
Eph. 1:19, ”and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.”·      
1 Tim. 6:16, “who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.·      
Heb. 2:14, “ so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power [kratos] of death–that is, the devil.”·      
1 Pet 4:11… do it with the strength (ischus) God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.  Also (1 Pet 5:11)  “To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”·      
Jude 1:25  “to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”·      
Rev 1:6  “and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”·      
Rev. 5:13 – “Might“ in Rev 5:13  ‘And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!”’
 
He is powerful in us. 
In Ephesians 1:19-23, Paul uses almost all the Greek power words to convey the greatness of Jesus.  The Greek words are next to the English words below.
Eph 1:19, “and what is the immeasurable greatness [megathos] of his power [dunamis] for us who believe, according to the working [energeia] of his great [kratos] power [ischus]  20  God put this power [dunamis] to work [energeia] in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21  far above all rule [arche] and authority [exousia] and power [dunamis] and dominion [kuriotetos], and above [huperanō = far above] every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22  And he has put all things under his feet (hupotassō = make subject) and has made him the head (kephalē) over all things for the church, 23  which is his body, the fullness [plērōma] of him who fills [plēroō] all in all.”
·      In Col 1:11 Paul wrote, “being strengthened with all power,  (both noun and verb of dunamis) according to his glorious might [kratos], for all endurance and patience with joy.”Paul recognised Jesus as the ultimate authority figure in the whole universe. Yet He is able to share His power with His human followers to enable them to live for Him. Paul wrote in 2 Cor 12:9  about how he had asked the Lord to remove some difficulties he was facing, but the Lord replied, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power[dunamis] is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power [dunamis] of Christ may rest upon me.’He added, that his strength lay in admitting his human weakness, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Cor 12:10. 
B]. Might. Ischus.  (In the strength of His “might.”) Used of ability, force, strength.
Used of our need to love God with all our strength. ·      (Mark 12:30)  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Also Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27,
 Used of His power in us.·      (Eph 1:19)  “and his incomparably great power (dunamis) for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty (kratos) strength [ischus].”Used of His over-ruling power in the world 
·      (2 Th 1:9)  “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.”
·      (2 Pet 2:11)  “yet even angels, although they are stronger [ischus] and more powerful (dunamis), do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.”
·      (Rev 5:12)  “In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power (dunamis) and wealth and wisdom and strength [ischus] and honour and glory and praise!”
·      (Rev 7:12)  saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honour and power (dunamis) and strength [ischus] be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”
·      (Rev 18:2) ‘With a mighty [ischyros] voice he shouted: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great. [megale]”’

God has used powerful words in describing what has happened to us in Christ and who we are in Christ.

Have we realised how great is His power in us and how great it can be through us?

We need to have the same kind of commitment to God that Mary had when the angel told her she was going to bear a son even though she was a virgin. Luke 1:38  ‘Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”’ It means allowing the Lord to have access to our lives so that He can do in us and through us what He desires in His strength!

Blog No.451. Spiritual Warfare.  Being Strong In The Lord’s Strength. [Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 2.] Posted on Tuesday 20 December 2022.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

450. Walking In The Fullness Of God’s Amazing Grace. [Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 1]. 

Posted on December 15, 2022 by Jim Holbeck
There are many definitions of grace. For example, using the 5 letters to describe grace as G.R.A.C.E. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. OR God’s Resources Available in Christ. 
A more common definition is “God’s unearned and unmerited favour.” 
God in His grace provides us in Christ everything we need to know and do His will for us. 
1.    THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S GRACE TO US IS FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST 
There is more and more of God’s grace for us to experience. John 1:14-17.Joh 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15  (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16  For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” God’s grace dwells in Christ fully and it is from Him that we receive abundant supplies of grace, or “grace upon grace!” 
The blessings which are ours in Him. Ephesians 1:6-8.
·      God’s grace was freely given to us in Christ.  Eph 1:6  “to the praise of his glorious grace [charis], with which he has blessed [from charitoō]  us in the Beloved. 7  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8  which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.”·      The verb [χαριτόω, charitoō] means to grace, to indue with special honour, or make accepted, be highly favoured.
·      God’s grace is lavished upon us. “…the riches of God’s grace which he has lavished on us.” “Lavished” is from  [περισσεύω,  perisseuō] meaning to superabound, to be in excess, be superfluous; also to cause to superabound or excel, to abound.
·      Grace is from eternity to eternity. 2 Tim 1:9-10. God’s grace is an eternal gift to us in Christ. 2 Timothy 1:9  “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10  and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
                                                                         
2.    WE CAN FIND ONGOING GRACE IN CHRIST TO HELP US IN OUR NEED
·      As believers we have access to God and to His grace. Heb 4:16  “”Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
·      We have access to grace and are standing in it. Rom 5:1-2, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” We live as believers in the sphere of God’s grace.
·      Human weaknesses are overcome by God’s grace. 2 Cor 12:9. God addressing St Paul, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Paul knew that when he handed his weaknesses over to God, He supplied him with more than enabling grace. 
 
3.    HOW DO WE EXPERIENCE GOD’S AMAZING GRACE TO US? 
·      By humbling ourselves before Him. Prov 3:34, “Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favour.” [Here “favour” is charis = grace in the Septuagint.]
·      God  gives grace to those who humble themselves before Him, “Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:6-7.·      God exalts the humble, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” James 4:10.
·      By absorbing His word to us. Acts 20:32. Bible reading. “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
·      By scrutinising His word and acting on it. James 1:25. Bible reading & obeying His word,  Jas 1:21-22,25,   “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. … 25  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”
·      By abiding in Him and in His word. Jn 15:7. Bible reading & prayer. “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
·      By praying for one another for greater enlightenment and more experience of His resurrection power. Eph 1:16-21. Praying for one another, “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18  having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19  and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20  that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21  far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”
·      By praying for one another that we might be strengthened by the Spirit, indwelt by the Son and knowing God’s love. Eph 3:14-19,  “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15  from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,·      Eph 3:16  that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18  may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”·      Eph 3:20 Praying with expectancy. “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us….”
By living continually and thankfully in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Eph 5:18, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19  addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20  giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21  submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” 

4.        SHARING THE GRACE OF GOD IN BEING MADE COMPASSIONATE TOWARDS ALL PEOPLE.
The gracious attitude of “compassion.” The word means the seat of the emotions. Its outward expression. It marked the life and ministry of Jesus. It has to mark ours as well. Jesus told how compassion works in practice in His parables about compassionate people. (Notice action verbs underlined below)
The father of the prodigal son. (Luke 15:20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 
The good Samaritan Lk 10:33  But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put himon his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35  The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Recognising need. Being moved by the need. Doing something about it. 
Paul was a recipient of God’s grace. Phil 1:7 “all of you share in God’s grace with me.“  From God’s grace came compassion. Phil 1:8 “For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.”  
He wanted his readers to be compassionate towards others (Phil 2:1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” Compassion involves looking outward and recognising and being moved by human need. 
We should be characterised (clothed with) compassion. Col 3:12 “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” (See also Heb 10:34 for compassion towards prisoners). 

Paul encouraged Philemon who had refreshed the hearts of the saints to refresh his heart. The word for “heart” here is compassion [splagchnon; σπλάγχνον] meaning the intestines, or the seat of the emotions. Paul encouraged Philemon who had refreshed the hearts of the saints to refresh his heart. (Philemon 1:7  “I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother. “ AND 1:20, “Refresh my heart in Christ.” Onesimus was his “heart” as Paul expressed it in his letter to Philemon, Phile 1:12  “I am sending .. my own heart” was the description he gave of Onesimus as he sent him back to his former master, Philemon.

Christian love recognises human need and is moved to meet it. 1 Jn 3:17 “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?18  Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 19  By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20  for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.”
How do we rate in terms of showing compassion in every situation? We should. We must. We can! By the grace of God alone. 
We need His grace every moment of our lives in order to express it to others.

Blog No.450. Walking In The Fullness Of God’s Amazing Grace. [Core Teaching Stage 4 Topic 1]. Posted on Thursday 15 December 2022

Posted in Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

449. “Helping Other People Become Different.” [Core Teaching Stage 3 Topic 5.]

Posted on December 10, 2022 by Jim Holbeck

We need to get a good grasp of our human situation according to the word of God. If we don’t, we will be trying to help people in a way that is contrary to what the Bible says about our human situation.  For example, if we think people are basically good or that Christians have only one nature which is getting progressively better, then we will not be very helpful in a counselling situation. We need to believe how God describes the human situation, in His word. We must not adopt non-biblical values or human assessments. People need the grace of God to be healed and to grow to maturity, not just “good” advice which is not based on the truths in God’s word. 

Here are some factors to keep in mind when we are trying to help others whether it be in a counselling situation or in sharing with a neighbour who has dropped in for a bit of advice.

  1. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE COUNSELLOR. 

The Holy Spirit is called in scripture, “another Helper” (paraklatos) just like Jesus, where “another” is allos, [meaning another of the same kind] not heteros [meaning another of a different kind].  John 14:16  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper [allos paraklētos] to be with you forever,

The term [paraklētos] also means advocate, encourager, comforter, exhorter, strengthener, one called alongside to help.  The Holy Spirit is described as such also in other verses such as John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

Jn 15:26, “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.”

Jn 16:7, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

1 John 2:1, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

He lives in God’s people and will teach them and remind them of Jesus’ teaching. He is the Spirit of truth who will witness to Jesus, guide His people and make known the Father’s will. He convicts people of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me.“;John 16:8-9.

  • At best, in our attempts to help people, we are only the human instruments that He uses. We will need His wisdom, sensitivity and insights to be of any use. If we are too dependent on secular techniques or on unbiblical psychology we may be closed to what the Spirit wants to say and to do through us. We could interfere with what He is wanting to reveal and to do in the person’s life. 
  • We need the Spirit’s wisdom and sensitivity. God speaks about wisdom in James and says it is available to those who seek it 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
  • We need to recognise that human wisdom may be earthly, not spiritual and that it may even be demonic, Jas 3:15  “This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.” 
  • However the wisdom from above “is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” 3:17. This is the wisdom we need to receive as we seek to help people with their problems.

2.  WE NEED TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE PERSON’S SITUATION.

We need to have compassion towards those we are trying to help,  to try to understand what their true situation is. 

  • Not apathy as in “Gone with the wind,” where Rhett Butler says to Scarlet O’Hara,  “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” OR when someone says, “This is YOUR problem, not mine!”
  • Not sympathy or pity such as, “You poor thing. No wonder you feel as you do.” Sympathy may go a little way but does not provide real answers.
  • Empathy to some extent, putting ourselves into their situation. Trying to see it from their perspective. But in doing so, don’t unthinkingly take on their burden or be wrongly influenced by their emotions. 

Don’t be judgmental at what you hear. Eg., “You shouldn’t feel that.” Or “What a rotten person to do that to you!”

Rather have a broader perspective. Praying “Lord, what is the truth of this situation?” “Lord what am I to say or to do?” Let THE Counsellor (the Holy Spirit) counsel you in what to do and to say. I remember talking with a young woman in her early 30’s who had gone out of her way to see me. She spoke about her life for quite some time and I was wondering why she had come to see me. I prayed an arrow prayer,” Lord what am I meant to do or say now?” It’s as though the Holy Spirit put these words into my mind, “Ask her about her father.” So I asked her what her relationship was like with her father. Immediately she exclaimed, “When I was 15 he raped me!” I knew then why she had come, and praise God, a lot of healing took place over the next hour!

3. SOME FACTORS WHICH MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND ANOTHER PERSON’S SITUATION.

a.   The deceitfulness of the human heart. Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Those seeking help may not see their own position clearly. For example, bitterness can twist the mind. The writer of Psalm 73:21-22, wrote, “When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, 22  I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.” Bitterness distorts our thinking.  Or in the words of the Christian Standard Bible, “When I became embittered and my innermost being was wounded, I was stupid and didn’t understand; I was an unthinking animal toward you.” The Greek word for bitterness is [pikria] from which the name picric acid is derived. This acid is very unstable and explosive and was actually used in explosives in the First World War. [A very apt description for bitterness.]

b. The counsellees’ difficulties in understanding their own problems. Rom 7:15 “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” They are “inside” their experience and their thinking may be inaccurate or distorted. They may not see the fuller picture because of personal hurt or pain. 

c.  The counsellee’s difficulties in trying to communicate their problems. It may be in their minds too painful, too shameful, too unbelievable to attempt to share. They may be reticent in trying to express what they are thinking or feeling because they may be fearful of our reaction or response. Or they may feel that they could lose control over their feelings if they expressed what they were feeling.

They may have difficulties with their own perception of things that happened to them. Those who have suffered rejection in any form can easily begin to imagine rejection when none was intended.

d. Our own difficulties as counsellors in trying to understand. We may interpret through the filter of our own experiences. For example our own limited experience, or through pain we ourselves still carry. 

Our own prejudices or hang-ups may interfere in receiving or assessing what we hear. We may too readily identify with what the person is telling us instead of truly listening to get the right understanding 

Their expressed hurt may re-stimulate our own unhealed hurt as counsellors, so that we begin to interpret what we’re hearing in the light of our own situations. That is, our own hurt, rejection, confusion etc that may still need some healing.

4. SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.

a.         Cultivate the listening ear to pick up what is expressed and not expressed. Eg, who is mentioned and who is not mentioned in relationships and what emotion is shown in mentioning them. 

b. Watch for body language as they speak, which may be more accurate than the words being expressed. 

c. Use reflective listening (sparingly), to make sure you’re actually hearing what is being said. eg., Paraphrasing to make sure content is being correctly interpreted. Reflecting feelings to ensure we understand how they feel about their situations. 

d. Don’t be shocked at what you hear, or at the emotion being expressed.  Really horrible things have happened to large numbers of people.

e. Look for the major issue. The “presenting problem” may not be the real problem. In the case of the young woman I mentioned above, the presenting problem appeared to be the trouble she was having with discipline in her school class, but her real problem was her father’s rape of her when she was just fifteen.

f. Don’t probe with questions, but encourage the person to share what they feel free to share.  Silences are often helpful in allowing the counsellee to reflect on their thoughts before they try to express them in words.

g. Don’t feed in any “new” information. You may add to an imagination that is already out of control. A woman I was counselling was harmed by a professional counsellor who heard what she was saying, but unwisely said, “I’ve read about situations like yours. This is what actually happens in those situations.” She now had not only the vague memory of what may have happened to her but also a vivid picture of what could have happened. There was no certainty that anything had actually happened to her. 

h. Don’t get them to use their imagination. “I want you to imagine” can be a dangerous form of mind-control, especially if you go on to build up a scenario. You may be getting them to imagine things that were not true and that may be harmful to them to imagine.

5. THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSION.

  • God does know the real situation. He can reveal truth to set people free. eg., Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” I often recommended those I was trying to help, to pray this prayer, for God knows every facet of our lives [the good and the bad] and what has contributed to make us the people we are today. He can both search and reveal to us the result of His search, so that we come to know more clearly the things that have damaged us in life and thus be in a better position to deal with them.
  • The gifts of the Spirit may aid understanding. For example, as we are counselling someone God may impress a word or a phrase on our minds that reveals some truth about the person that they haven’t told us. This could be a word of knowledge. Or it might be we are given a word of wisdom in the form of a question we are led to ask, or a statement that helps the person to clarify their thinking. The discerning of spirits is another gift of the Spirit that enables us to discern the origin of something that is said.  But we must be careful when we feel we have received a gift of the Spirit. Knowledge has always to be handled with wisdom. 
  • We are to recognise we are only part of the body of Christ. God may want to use others to bring His help to those we are seeking to help. It all doesn’t depend on us! We just need to be faithful in playing the part God wants us to play in helping someone in need.

Blog No.449. “Helping Other People Become Different.” [Core Teaching Stage 3 Topic 5.]

 
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Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Coping With Personal Grief, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, Studies in Psalm 139, Temptations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

448. “How to Grow in Faith.” Core Teaching Stage 3 Topic 4

Posted on December 8, 2022 by Jim Holbeck

There have been many definitions of faith such as simply taking the letters of the word “faith” and forming the phrase, ”Forsaking All In Trusting Him!” Hebrews 11:1 says, “faith gives substance to our hopes.” The writer of Wuests’ Word Studies, KS Wuest  wrote, “Faith apprehends as a real fact what is not revealed to the senses. It rests on that fact, acts upon it, and is upheld by it in the face of all that seems to contradict it. Faith is real seeing. ” AND  ‘”The Holy Spirit energised act of faith which a believer exercises in the Lord Jesus is the title-deed which God puts in his hand, guaranteeing to him the possession of the thing for which he trusted Him … the possession of the salvation for which he trusted God.”

Faith is different from positive thinking. In its focus. It is trusting in God’s resources, not in our own.  It is acting on and appropriating His promises in His word. (See Charles Spurgeon “Cheque Book on the Bank of Faith” where he suggests that every promise of God is like a cheque already made out to the believer, to be presented in faith at the Heavenly Bank of Faith, to receive what was promised).

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH.

  • Without it we cannot please God.
  • “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.
  • It is the key to salvation, for entrance into the Kingdom.
  • Romans 1:16. )  “I am not ashamed of the gospel … it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” 
  • Rom 10:9, “if you … believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
  • Eph 2:8, “is by grace you have been saved, through faith.”
  • 2 Tim 3:15,”and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
  • 1 Pet 1:5 “who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is to be revealed.” 
  • Access to God is by faith.  
  • Eph 3:12 “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” 
  • Heb 10:22)  “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”  
  • It is the key for receiving healing. 
  • A woman with bleeding,  Mat 9:22.). … “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment. 
  • A Centurion. (Luke 7:9)  When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”  
  • A lame man. (Acts 3:16) “By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.” 
  • A cripple at Lystra lame from birth, (Acts 14:9) “He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed .”
  • Elders praying for the sick. Jas 5:15. “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.’
  • It enables people to receive the Spirit.
  • Gal 3:2, “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? “
  • Gal 3:22. “But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.”
  • The promise of the gift of the Spirit.
  • Gal 3:14. “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
  • The promises of God.
  • Gal 3:22. “But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.”
  • Enables us to belong to His family.  
  • Jn 1:11-13, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  2  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
  • Gal 3:26. “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
  • Brings protection.
  • Psalm 118:8, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in princes.“
  • Proverbs 29:25. “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”
  • Eph 6:16  ”In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
  • Brings peace. ”
  • Rom 5:1, “Since we are justified by faith we have peace with God.“     
  • Brings prosperity.
  •  Prov.28:25, “A greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.”

HOW TO GROW IN FAITH.  

Faith can grow.  

  • 2 Thessalonians  1:3  “… your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.” 
  • (2 Cor 10:15, “Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand.”
  • By receiving and obeying the Word of God. 
  • Rom 10:17 “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” 
  • Heb 4:2, “For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.
  • 2 Tim 3:15  “and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
  • 2 Tim 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
  • By ensuring that our concept of God is the biblical one of a loving Heavenly Father. 
  • Eph 3:14-15, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15  from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.”
  • By repenting of all known sin, and turning from it.
  • Eph 4:20-24,”But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21  assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22  to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23  and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24  and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in righteousness and holiness.”
  • Col 3:5, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
  • By walking in obedience to the dictates of the Spirit.
  • Gal 5:18, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
  • Gal 5:22 -23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. 23  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” AND Gal 5:25  “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
  • Rom 8:3-4, “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4  in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. “
  • By adopting the right response to difficult situations. 
    • Trusting God.  
  • Rom 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, …”
  • Trusting in His love.

Rom 8:37-39  “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”Rom 8:38, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

  • Trusting in His sufficiency.
  • 2 Cor 12:7-9  ‘But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”’
    • Thanksgiving in times of difficulty.
  • Phil 1:12.  “… what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.”
    • Thanksgiving in every situation.
  • 1 Thess 5:18  “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
    • Rejoicing as we face trials.
  • James 1:2,  “the testing of your faith develops perseverance”
  • James 1:4, “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
  • By expressing faith through love  
  • Gal 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
  • By acting on the promises of Jesus.
  • Lk 17:5-6. ‘The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6  He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.“’  

FAITH IS BELIEVING GOD’S PROMISES AND ACTING ON THEM EVEN WHEN THEY SEEM HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE!

Blog No.448.  “How to Grow in Faith.” Core Teaching Stage 3 Topic 4

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

447. A New Way Of Living. Insights from Ephesians 5. [Core Teaching Stage 3. Topic 3].

Posted on November 26, 2022 by Jim Holbeck

Paul has stressed the newness of Christians in a number of ways in this epistle.  In Ephesians 4:32, he wrote of the need to be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ, God forgave you. 

He goes on to show how they should imitate God in His love, by living a life of love.  

(Ephesians 5:1-2)  “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” God Himself is our pattern whom we are to imitate, and He helps us as we seek to do so.

1. TURNING FROM THE OLD LIFE

The believers in Ephesus were to follow the example of Christ in His loving ministry on earth, to live in love. “Love” is the Greek word agape which means a love for others that isn’t based on the attractiveness of the other person to us. It’s a love for the unlovely, a self-giving love, the sort of love that Jesus showed when He died on the cross for sinners. 

God is love and He enables His people to receive His love and to share it with others.

If they were going to love in that way, then they needed to give up all the things of their pre-Christian life that they had once lived in that were wrong and they were now to live for God. Paul lists those characteristics of the old life. 

Characteristics of the Old LifeCharacteristics of the New Life
5:3 sexual Immorality, impurity, greed5:3. Not proper for God’s holy people
5:4. Obscenity, foolish talk, coarse joking, 5:4. These are out of place. Rather, let there be thanksgiving (eucharistia). 
5:5. Immoral, impure and greedy people (idolaters) will not inherit the kingdom.5:5,7.  Not to be partners with them 
5:6  God’s wrath to come on the disobedient. 
5:8  Once darkness. 5:9. Now light in the Lord.Children of light. (Fruit of light).
5:11 fruitless works of darkness. 5:11. nothing to do with them, except to expose them.
5:12. Disobedient. Shameful doings.  
5:15. Unwise.5:15. Wise. Making the most of time. Understanding the will of God.
5:16 the days are evil5:16 making the best use of the time,
5:17 foolish5:17 but understand what the will of the Lord is.
5:18 do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery,5:18.Keep on being filled with the Spirit.
5:195:19 Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Singing and making melody in our hearts to God.
5:205:20 Always giving thanks to God for everything.
5:215:21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Sexual immorality means anything sexual that takes place outside the marriage bond between a man and his wife.

Any kind of impurity means anything in attitude, word or deed that is repugnant to God, or outside what He wants for His children. Paul wrote in Romans 14:23…”everything that does not come from faith is sin.” (See James 4:17, for sins of omission, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”)

Greed or covetousness refers to the tendency in the person who has not come to know Christ, to focus upon his or her own needs. Covetousness is linked with idolatry, as it is in  Col 3:5, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” That is, in the sense that the greedy or covetous person must have that thing or that person to be fulfilled. It pushes God off the throne of our lives, but He alone can bring fulfilment. In many ways covetousness or greed is at the root of most sin, as you can see when you look at the Ten Commandments. (See idolatry also in Gal 5:20 in the list of the works of the flesh, “idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions.”)

  • A NEW LIFE IN THE SPIRIT 

Being “in Christ” in the new covenant, the Holy Spirit indwells us. Thus:-

Humans Can Know His will.

The Spirit can lead us to have more and more of the mind of Christ, so that we can be guided and directed towards doing what God wants done. God spoke through Jeremiah’s prophecy, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34  And no longer shall each one teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:33-34.

God’s people would have an internal knowledge of God’s will, by His work within them.

Ezekiel prophesied much the same, “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20  that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 11:19-20. Their spirit would be quickened by the Holy Spirit to become more sensitive to God’s laws and they could both know and do His will. 

Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2. As they presented themselves fully to God, their minds would be transformed and they could come to understand the will of God.

AND “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Cor 2:11-12. AND “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” 1Cor 2:16. The Holy Spirit enables believers to know God’s will in order that they may then do it.

AND  “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Col 1:9. Paul’s prayer was based on his assurance that God’s will could be known and he prayed that his readers would come to know the will of God.

Humans Can Do His will. By His Spirit, we have the inner motivation and strength to do His will. 

Ezekiel prophesied God’s intention, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 7  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” Ezekiel 36:26-27. God would give his people more sensitive hearts towards Him, and his Holy Spirit would motivate them to walk in God’s way.

Paul wrote “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13  for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.“ Phil 2:12-13. As believers seek to work out in their lives what God is working within them, He gives them both the willingness and the ability to do the things that please Him [His will]. 

3. THE SPIRIT WHO CAN FILL US WITH THE LIFE OF GOD.

The new life in believers demands being in control, so as not to do the wrong things, and to do what is right. For the believer, it is allowing the Spirit of God to fill us with Himself. The contrast is made between the experience of being drunk, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery” and the experience of being filled with the Spirit of God. The outward expression of that is “{19} Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, {20} always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

The fruit, or outward expression  of the indwelling Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Gal 5:22. If being filled with the Holy Spirit is meant to be the normal Christian experience, why do we fail to live like that? What steps can we take to make that “more normal” in our experience?

How can we be continually filled with the Holy Spirit? Some things to consider. 

1.   It’s not an option. It’s a command. For every Christian. No exceptions.

2.   Neither is it a once for all experience. The literal translation is “keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit.” It is meant to be a moment-by-moment experience.

3.   It’s not something we can do to ourselves. The verb is in the passive voice, “Be filled”. Only God can fill us. We give ourselves completely to Him to be filled by Him!

  • We ask God to do it in us, as we cooperate with Him.  Jesus said in Luke 11:9-13, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11  What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12  or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

God desires that His people receive from Him all that He offers them in Christ. He has given them His Spirit as they trusted in Christ for salvation. But He wants them to keep on experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Our prayers to Him to fill us with His Spirit will receive a favourable response from Him.

  • We are to present all we are to God, body, mind and spirit. Paul wrote, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2. We do the presenting of all we are to God and He accepts our commitment and transforms us by renewing our minds. In this way, we are being transformed as He gives us the desire to do His will and in the process of trying to do it, we find that it is indeed good and acceptable and perfect.

Blog No.447 posted on Saturday 26 November 2022.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, OUTLINE OF EPHESIANS, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

446. GOOD NEWS FOR HUMANS. WE CAN BE DIFFERENT. Core Teaching Stage 3 Topic 2.

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Jim Holbeck

We have to face the facts about our human situation. Humans are made in the image of God, but that image has been defaced to some extent. We are no longer perfect in any area of our lives. We need God’s help to be whole.  We will see why even very senior Christians can behave in non-Christian ways. They don’t need to! They shouldn’t! But praise God they can be forgiven by His grace if they respond to Him in repentance, faith and obedience!

1.        ALL HUMANS HAVE A NATURE THAT IS NOT PERFECT 

What God said in the Old Testament through the prophet Jeremiah, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9. There are many people in our world who have been deeply hurt by others who would say, ”AMEN!” to that truth. There are times when the behaviour of some people surprises us, but when we understand our human makeup and the deceitfulness of the human heart, it becomes more understandable.

An Old Testament passage quoted in the NT. Psalm 5:9 “For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.” This is quoted by St Paul in Romans but he adds other truths about humans to it,  “as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11  no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13  “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14  “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15  “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16  in their paths are ruin and misery, 17  and the way of peace they have not known.” 18  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:10-18. Paul uses various parts of the human body to show how deep is corruption in humans.

Jesus taught that sin came from deep within a person, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21  For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22  coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Mark 7:20-23. There may be outward temptations but the human response come from within to yield to those temptations. Humans are accountable to God for yielding to those temptations.

What Paul wrote. 

  • In summing up the whole case against all humans, He said, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. They have missed the mark of perfection.
  • St Paul in reflecting on his own life wrote, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20  Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” Romans 7:18-20. His old nature he was born with, motivated him to do the wrong thing even when he wanted to do the right thing.
  • Paul wrote 3 things about fallen human nature. It is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s laws and those who are motivated by it can never please God, “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:7-8.

2.        GOD GIVES US A NEW NATURE WHEN WE ARE CONVERTED 

Jesus spoke to a religious man, John 3:3ff. John 3:3 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”4  Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” The only way to enter the kingdom of God was to be born again of the Holy Spirit. 

Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (Rom 8:9). Paul states 2 important truths in this verse. The first is that it is only those who have received the Spirit of Christ who actually belong to Christ. The second is that those who have received the Spirit can and should be controlled by the new nature imparted by the Spirit and not controlled by their old sinful nature. 

The same point is made by Paul in his letter to the Galatians. Believers have 2 natures, one through their natural birth and the other [their new nature] through their new birth. “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.“ (Galatians 5:16-17). These 2 natures are opposed to one another but if believers continued to live by responding to the dictates of their Spirit nature, then they would have victory over the impulses of their lower natures. 

Peter. In 2 Peter1:4, Peter wrote about the promises of God that could lead to people sharing the divine nature and having victory over their sinful natures,  “Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.“ 

The truth is that when we are born, we are born with a nature that is prone to sin and when we are born again through faith in Christ, we receive a new additional nature imparted to us by God’s Holy Spirit who has come to indwell us. Victorious Christian living is obtained by yielding to our new nature and by resisting the urges that come from our lower sinful nature.

3.        CHRISTIANS HAVE AN OLD NATURE AND A NEW NATURE IN THEIR LIFETIME. 

It is absolutely necessary that we understand the differences between the two natures.

The nature we are born with [the flesh] shows itself in the works of the flesh (Gal 5:19-20)  “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.“ 

These come naturally to us. This fallen nature has been in all peoples in the world throughout history. 

There are other verses which describe the old nature; also called the flesh; the old man; the sinful nature; the earthly nature. 

  • “So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” Rom 7:25.
  • “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”   (Rom 8:13)
  • “All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.”    (Ephesians 2:3)
  • “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (Colossians3:5). But he added,“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13  bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Colossians 3:12-13.

By contrast the manifestation of the Spirit (the fruit of the Spirit)  is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,, gentleness and self-control.  This is the outward fruit of the new life within. These were the characteristics of the life of Christ. This is God’s divine nature in us by His Spirit. Believers become partakers of His nature,  “by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”2 Peter 1:4.

NOTE: This old nature remains in us until we die or until Jesus returns in glory to transform us. As Article 9 of the 39 Articles of the Church of England / Anglican/ Episcopal churches [dealing with Original or Birth-Sin]  puts it, “And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated.”  The bad news is that we will have our sinful natures throughout the remainder of our lives. But the greater good news is that because of the grace of God in imparting to us His Holy Spirit, we can live victorious Christian lives as we walk by the Spirit.  

4.        WE HAVE A CHOICE IN HOW WE LIVE. WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD 

Since conversion we can choose to walk according to our old nature or by this new nature. . 

  • Living according to the dictates of our old nature is unprofitable and deadly, “For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.” Romans  7:5.
  • Humans have a choice, “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” Rom 8:5
  • Humans can choose what clothes [characteristics ] to wear moment by moment, “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Rom 13:14. It is allowing the indwelling Christ to manifest His life through us so that we are clothed in His righteous nature and not in our own fallen “habits”. 
  • Believers have freedom to choose, “But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. “  (Gal 5:13). Christian living is to be motivated by responding to the new Spirit nature and not by simply giving in to the old nature. 
  • St Paul wanted his readers to recognise that they had died to their old lives through their faith union with Christ, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful naturewith its passions and desires.” (Gal 5:24). They are now new creatures in Christ, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. “ (2 Corinthians 5:17).  
  • Our choices as believers have eternal consequences, “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit,from the Spirit will reap eternal life.“ (Gal 6:8) 
  • WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US AND FOR THOSE WHOM WE SEEK TO HELP? 

We are accountable to God. We cannot blame others for our sin. Nor can we simply blame an evil spirit for our sin. Many people want a “quick fix” and want to be delivered from a demon to have victory. However there is no ongoing victory in the Christian life without repentance, submission to the Lordship of Christ and a willingness to die to sin and to the flesh. It is as we yield to the indwelling Holy Spirit and live by the word of God that we are victorious. 

IN BRIEF: It is natural to sin. It is our human nature to do so. We need supernatural strength from God not to sin. Such strength is available in Christ. 

St Paul wrote of his Christian experience, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) meaning of course he could do the things God wanted him to do.

Our God is able to supply every need we have, as we live for Him, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19. 

Good news for humans! We can be different!

Blog No.446 posted on Tuesday 22 November 2022.

Posted in Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Politics, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

445. BAD NEWS ABOUT HUMANS. OUR NEED FOR GOD’S HELP. Core Teaching Stage 3 Topic 1.

Posted on November 16, 2022 by Jim Holbeck

Are humans basically good or are they predisposed to evil? That has been a question in Psychology for many years. In 1914, soon after the outbreak of the war, English author H. G. Wells published a number of articles in London newspapers that eventually appeared as a book entitled The War That Will End War. However the First World War certainly did not end all wars for there followed the Second World War, the wars in Korea, Vietnam and others in this 21st century. It makes it difficult to believe that humans are basically good. Yet we should have learned from the lips of Jesus over 2000 years ago that humans have a built-in bias towards evil.

We need to be real in this life.  We need to recognise that no one is perfect. No one has had a perfect background in life. There have been many factors that have made us what we are today. It is not only the things that have happened to us but also our responses to those things that have helped form who we are. We all need healing in various areas of our lives in varying degrees so we may become more whole.

We need to understand the following about ourselves so that we can seek help from the Lord for ourselves and for others as we try to help them become the people God wants them and us to become. 

1.        HUMANS WERE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD TO BE LIKE HIM

Humans were created by God, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis1:26-27. 

They were created as living beings having personality and a  limited dominion over all creation, ‘And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”’ Genesis 1:28. 

They were also created with free-will, with the ability to choose, ‘And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”’ Genesis 2:16-17.

However, we know what happened as Adam and Eve both ate of the forbidden fruit and were cast out of the Garden of Eden. St Paul wrote of the consequence, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—.” Romans 5:12. The bias to evil has infected every human ever since. Spiritual death was also a consequence. 

After the Flood when God struck the earth in judgment, Noah built an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings on the altar. God responded, “And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.” Genesis 8:21. God Himself was stating the truth about humans that “the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” The image of God has been marred through sin. There has existed a bias toward evil since the fall. King David was later to write about himself, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5.

BUT THERE IS GOOD NEWS. A human lived a perfect life and died a perfect death to remove human sin and to make it possible for humans to have fellowship with God again. Jesus became the only perfect human, and is the only perfect image of God, “but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 1:2-3. 

The other great news is this. God is restoring His image in His people, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29. This takes place as an ongoing process in the lifetime of His people as they live in obedience to Him on earth, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18. Humans are meant to be focused on Jesus, gazing on Him in adoration and praise. As they do so, they begin to reflect the object of their adoration and are being progressively transformed into His likeness. 

2.        THE IMAGE OF GOD WAS MARRED IN HUMANS.  No one Is Perfect. 

St Paul wrote that all people are under the power of sin, “we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin.” Romans 3:9. 

  • Pagans did not respond in faith and obedience to God’s general revelation of Himself in creation, Rom 1:19-23. “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21  For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”

Not only did they reject God’s revelation of Himself but they made a choice. That was to throw their lot in with the devil, “because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” Romans 1:25. 

God allowed them to do what they wanted to do in their rejection of Him, “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” Romans 1:28-32. “Gave up” means to hand over. He handed these humans over to do what they wanted in exercising their free-will.

  • Moralists. St Paul realised that there would be people who despised those who had no faith. He warned them, that recognising sin in others meant that they rendered themselves guilty before God, “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” Romans 2:1. 
  • Religious people (Jews of Jesus day). Paul also warned those who were Jews but were not living in obedience to God, “But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18  and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19  and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20  an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21  you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22  You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23  You who boast in the law dishonour God by breaking the law.” Romans 2:17-23. The Jews had special privileges as the people of God. However they were not exercising their responsibilities and were being unfaithful to God in spite of their privileges.

Paul poses the question, what advantage then do the Jews have, “What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10  as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11  no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Romans 3:9-12.  

  • Paul sums up the whole case against all humans by writing, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Every human from whatever background is tainted with sin. No one is perfect. All are sinners. 

Here then is the dilemma of our human situation.  God is love but He is also holy. No human is, or ever could be, acceptable to Him of themselves.

BUT THERE IS GOOD NEWS! God accepts His people fully in Christ. Paul writes of those who have repented of sin and given their lives to God, that they are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:24-26. 

God has done what humans could not do for themselves. In His grace, mercy and love He has removed the barrier of sin through Christ’s redemptive death on the cross and has accepted those who have taken hold of that redemption by receiving Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Good news indeed!

3.        NO ONE BEHAVES PERFECTLY.  WE ARE ALL LAW-BREAKERS

God has declared what behaviour He wants for His people. We see that in all the commandments He gave to His people since creation. Much of it is summarised in the Decalogue, the 10 commandments, and in the teaching of Jesus. His 2 great commandments are indeed a summary of the 10 commandments but His teaching is full of what is required to be doing the will of God.  Then we have the teaching in the epistles which are full of instruction on how to become and live as a believer. 

But James in James 2:10 wrote, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.”  That means that every human is guilty before God. We are all law-breakers. 

That truth is emphasised  by St John in his first epistle, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10  If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”1 John 1:8-10. Faith believes what God has said about the human race in His word.

We need to recognise that we are all sinners, always needing God’s grace and mercy. 

BUT THERE IS GOOD NEWS. God can help us to obey Him by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote in Romans 8 that those who are justified by faith [all believers] are able to have the requirements of the law fulfilled in them by Holy Spirit, as they walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4  in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Paul also encouraged the believers in Philippi to work out [not for] their salvation with the assurance that God would give them the motivation and the willingness to do the will of God, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13  for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13. They were to work out in practice in their daily lives what God was working in them by the presence and power of His Holy Spirit. 

4.        ALL PEOPLE NEED FORGIVENESS FROM GOD. 

God in His word states that all humans are sinners. What does that really mean? What is sin?  The New Testament has a number of different words to describe sin. These are some of them underlined below with a few examples of each of them. 

  • (adikia=unrighteousness, injustice, wronging someone). 
  • Acts 7:24  “And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. Writing about Moses.
  • 1 Corinthians 6:7, “To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?”
  • 2 Corinthians 7:2, “Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.
  • 2 Corinthians 7:12, “So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.”
  • (hamartia = a falling short).
  • Romans 2:12, “For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.”
  • Romans 3:23, “since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
  • (Parabasis = transgress, go aside).
  • Romans 4:15, “For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.”
  • Gal 3:19 “Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions.”
  • (Paraptoma = fall beside, err).
  • Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” 
  • 2 Corinthians 5:19, “that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”
  • Heb 6:6, “and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”
  • (Atheteō = To reject.
  • Luke10:16, “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”
  • John 12:48,  The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.”
  • Heb 10:28, “Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.”
  • (Parerchomai =to ignore or neglect, disobey.
  • Luke 15:29. Jesus is describing the elder son in the parable of the prodigal son, “but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.’”
  • 1 Peter 2:8,  and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.”

Summing up we may say that the essence of sin is the rejection by humans of God’s authority over His creatures and their refusal to submit to His will. Humans have an inbuilt bias towards evil and choose to follow the desires of their imperfect hearts rather than seeking and doing the will of God.  It is wrongly using the freedom God has given them. That is, they choose to disobey and for that they are accountable.

BUT THERE IS GOOD NEWS. Forgiveness is available for all human sins in Christ (alone). Ephesians 1:7.-8,  ”In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8  which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” Because Christ has died to take away the sin of the world, forgiveness is now available in Him.

Col 1:13-14, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” As members of Christ’s kingdom, believers have forgiveness of all their sins.

Acts 10:43, “To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Forgiveness is available to all who trust in Christ.

5.        ALL PEOPLE NEED GOD’S CONTINUING GRACE TO LIVE AS THEY SHOULD.

What we all are by natural birth. Humans are separated, alienated, strangers, hopeless, godless, far off. These terms signify our perilous situation and our need for God. These words are found in just 2 verses in Ephesians 2:12-13, “remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” God has “brought near” or accepted into His family all those who trust in His Son for salvation 

  • Our spiritual blindness. 
  • Jesus said,“For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.” Matthew 13:15. 
  • “Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 40  “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” John 12:39-40.
    • St Paul wrote, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”(Satan blinds people to truth, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4). 
  • Our spiritual deafness. Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
    • “And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 8:8.“Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24  For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” Luke 10:23-24, 
    • “And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:9. 
  • Our spiritual deadness. 
    • “Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— “. Ephesians 2:5. 
    • “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.” Colossians 2:13.  
    • “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Gal 5:17ff.  There is a problem with our old nature, the nature we were born with, the flesh. It is opposed to the Spirit of God.
  • A MIRACLE IS NEEDED FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE AS THEY SHOULD.

We were once spiritually blind, deaf, dead etc. until we were born again. 

Those whom we are trying to help are also spiritually dead, deaf etc until they are born of his Spirit. Jesus said in John 3:3, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” He then answered Nicodemus’ question, “Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ 5  Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:4-8.  The new birth is necessary for anyone to be able to enter into the kingdom of God and to be  able to understand spiritual realities. That should drive us to prayer and a reliance on God Himself to minister through us as His instruments as we seek to help others.  Unless the Holy Spirit quickens their hearts and gives them the ability to understand spiritual realities, they remain spiritually dead and deaf.

TO CONSIDER: What are the dangers of thinking that all humans are intrinsically good and just need education to become better? It seems that the Lord Himself has a problem with that understanding for He taught the exact opposite. He taught that evil arose from within humans, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22  coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Matthew 7:21-23. 

There is also a problem helping others if we believe the wrong thing about them. They cannot come to know God nor walk in His ways if we don’t tell them the truth about the weakness of fallen human nature and encourage them to put their trust in Christ as Saviour. Salvation comes freely from the grace of God and not from any human effort which neglects the Saviour Jesus Christ.

The Preaching of the early Church. They preached Jesus as the One who had opened the door to heaven to all those who believed and in whom all that is needed to live to His glory, is to be  found.

5.        ALL PEOPLE NEED GOD’S GRACE TO BE ACCEPTED BY HIM.

  • God set the grounds for our acceptance. It is His nature to forgive and receive all those who come to Him in repentance and faith, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” He us faithful to His promises to forgive all those who come to Him in repentance andfaith.
  • God took the initiative in making it possible for sinful humans to be forgiven, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. Some writers have called this a divine exchange. Christ took on Himself all the sin of the world and in exchange gave them His righteousness or right standing with God  as they trusted in Him.
  • God enables us to live for Him, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25  For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”1 Peter 2:24-25.  He enables us to live righteous lives.
  • Christ sacrificed Himself for us, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13  waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14  For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:11-14. His single offering of Himself on the cross means that those who respond to Him have been sanctified or set apart to live for Him.
  • Because of this grace, we can boldly enter God’s presence through Christ, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21  and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19-22. 

All God’s riches are available to His people in Christ. ”Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:3. 

Indeed, every need we have is supplied in Him, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19. 

We are fellow heirs with Christ, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:15-17. 

God has done everything for salvation for us humans, in the death, resurrection and ascension of His Son and in His pouring out His Spirit on all who turn to Him in repentance, faith and obedience. 

BUT. We humans have to take hold of His grace in receiving Christ as Saviour and Lord. Faith humbly believes the gospel message and in gratitude appropriates God’s gracious provision for all our needs in Him.

Blog No.445 posted on Wednesday 16 November 2022.

Posted in Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, New Covenant, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

444. SUMMARY OF CORE TEACHING ON HEALING TOPICS STAGE 2

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Jim Holbeck

I have posted several topics on this site giving teaching on Stages 1and 2 that I developed and taught as Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney when I was the Leader from 1988 to 2006. I was then privileged to share it with the Healing Ministry at All Saints Episcopal church in Winter Park [near Orlando] between 1999 and 2012. There are 5 Stages altogether with 5 or 6 topics in each stage which I will try to publish in coming months/years, God willing. 

I have summarised the previous blogs for the Stage 2 teaching below for your convenience and for a resource that you can refer to at any time. These are the links to those articles.

Blog No.435 https://jimholbeck.blog/2022/10/05/435-becoming-the-person-god-wants-you-to-be-living-in-the-kingdom-of-god-core-teaching-stage-2-topic-1/

Blog No.436 https://jimholbeck.blog/2022/10/12/436-core-2-topic-2-the-freedom-that-comes-from-forgiveness-a-guide-on-how-to-really-forgive-another-person/

Blog No.437 https://jimholbeck.blog/2022/10/18/437-getting-the-right-focus-to-obtain-wholeness-in-life-based-on-2-corinthians-chapters-3-and-4/

Blog No.438 https://jimholbeck.blog/2022/10/19/438-the-value-of-the-ministry-of-prayer-with-the-laying-on-of-hands-core-2-topic-4a/

Blog No.439 https://jimholbeck.blog/2022/10/20/439-guidelines-for-praying-for-people-with-the-laying-on-of-hands-core-2-topic-4b-this-follows-on-from-the-previous-article-no-438-on-the-biblical-background-to-the-laying-on-of-hands/

Blog No.440 https://jimholbeck.blog/2022/10/27/440-prayer-and-the-prayer-of-faith-core-teaching-stage-2-topic-5/

Blog No.442 https://jimholbeck.blog/2022/11/09/442-gods-grace-is-available-to-those-who-have-faith-core-teaching-stage-2-topic-6/

Blog No.444 posted on Friday 11 November 2022

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Studies in Psalm 139 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment