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Monthly Archives: July 2012


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God is Calling to You

God is Calling to You

Are You Listening; Do You Hear?

 

John 3:21 “But he who DOES the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been DONE In GOD.”

God’s voice comes to us from deep from within. His call is to follow His ways, which lead us from an existence of torment, angst, pain, and suffering and into green pastures and still waters. His wisdom leads to rest; internal and external rest (for the two are deeply intertwined). If you are in Him, you have His wisdom and your physical life reflects that gift, power, and peace.

If You Are Listening …

If you follow God’s leading, your life reflects His presence. You are ever increasing in wisdom, truth, knowledge, understanding, compassion, forgiveness, peace, blessing, protection, favor, health, loving kindness and the purest of love for all. This is how you know you are in Him. Your life testifies to it. And in these days this growth is accelerating for those who are following Him because Christ is gathering those who love Him to Him. He is truth.

The truth, Christ, is here, calling from within. The stone has been rolled back from the well of living waters. Truth is gushing out and meeting you where you are at, in your soul where His seed is sown. At first, you’ll perceive His leading as a good/cleansed/renewed conscience, which in time becomes apparent is His voice. You’ll be prompted to let go of bad habits and thoughts and embrace new ones. To forgive, to let go, and to give mercy instead of judgment. You’ll change your ways, priorities, and how you live. You’ll leave some friends and embrace others. Honor will grow for all people. You’ll start to care for the temple, your body, as His precious vessel. A loving spirit will replace a judging and adulterous one. Wisdom will fill your decisions and choices; thus creating paths of peace instead of angst/hardship. As you follow these promptings, your desires will start to change until they are in unity with His. Then you will abide in total freedom as a child as you no longer have a battle in your mind, because your desire is His. Mark 10:15 Then your entrance is granted into the kingdom of heaven as you are adorned in light. 2 Peter 1:10-11

This transformation occurs because you are moving deeper into truth; the mind/body of Christ. Your soul will become adorned with garments of light (truth/righteousness). Revelation 3:5 These garments of light are your protection from the increasing evils of the days, as light repels darkness. They hide you from the enemy, for they allow you entrance into the kingdom of heaven, which is the ark of safety, rest and peace. Revelation 3:10 As you listen to the voice of truth teaching you good from evil, for until now many have called what is evil good and what is good evil, God’s presence will engulf you leading you out of the pit. He’ll “rapture” you from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light (truth). It is a “rapture” of the mind and spirit. With the faith of God, you create life for He is life. Without these garments of truth, you can’t enter into the kingdom of heaven (light) for the kingdom is truth. You have to become it, to be in it. Once you start to become as Christ, then you truly start to see Him as He is. With spiritual truths, you only know them when you become them and they are a part of you.

If You AREN’T Listening …

By our faith, we create.

Those who DON’T listen to the Great Shepherd’s voice calling from within for whatever reason (religion, ways of world, thinking He is coming from outside them, Matthew 13:1-8) will continue to follow the paths of death. With their minds, they are creating the paths they walk. If your mind is full of darkness that is what you create. If it is full of life, then that is what you create. The works of your hands (beliefs) judge you because they manifest in your life and you have to live by them. If darkness, then suffering. If light, then peace and rest.

As the truth springs out of the earth, it will reveal all the works of darkness. Those souls who have walked contrary to God will manifest what they have chosen; paths that have no wisdom. As God’s mercy is lifted all will be revealed for what it is as the works are exposed for what they are. Wisdom will flee from their lives increasing the hardships. The will will become uncontrollable as darkness consumes it. Thus, they will create their own reality of strife, hardship, pain and suffering as they chose what wasn’t of the true God, His truth. This is their judgment inflicted by their own hands. Ezekiel 24:14

This depravity is a downward spiral, for the more angst you have in your life, the harder it is to follow the truth. God’s voice comes as a still small voice. When our souls are in a peaceful state it is easiest to hear Him. This is why the morning is the best time to seek truth and the voice of God, for your mind is the most peaceful. But as lives grow in travail, the anxiousness of people’s minds will make it harder to discern, hear, and trust that voice from within. Fear drives us with a horrific compulsion, which once strong in us it rules us to follow it to its demise. We all have had those times when our soul is stressed and how much harder it is to hear God. Imagine that amplified. In this state, to turn to God’s ways (true repentance) and stop the increasing strife will be harder. True repentance = in the moment of decision; choosing to following God’s prompting instead of any other drive/motive. This is why it is so important to seek the truth of God now. For when you listen and follow God it creates rest and peace, which allows more rest and peace to manifest.

Yet, this growing angst in people’s souls isn’t without perfect purpose by a loving God. It will serve them who think they are rich and don’t need to trust God or have a false image of God. Revelation 3:17 In time, by the salvation of God in the power of Christ’s love, their eyes will be opened to see the depravity of their ways, though great shame will follow especially for those who followed a false image of God. This awareness will bring them to truly becoming poor in spirit. The rich can not enter the kingdom of heaven (and there are many forms of riches), but God knows how to make a spirit poor. Matthew 19:23-26 He is The Creator. Their ways and strongholds of false powerless idols will be revealed for what they are. This awareness is a great gift for it in many will truly desire to cease walking in their ways and embrace the wisdom of God, which is His perfect will.

What to do?

Create a place and time of stillness, peace and quiet in your life. Some will have to make a lot of changes to their daily habits. Start to listen to Christ, the truth, calling to you with bands of love from within. Follow His promptings in our situations and in how He teaches you to think. Feast on Him. Eat His body, truth, and drink His blood, spirit. John 6:53 In the union of these two; spirit and truth, spiritual life is born. Seek to find the pearl of wisdom, Christ’s spirit in you, and you know when you have found it for you sell all else (all other things that direct/influence your soul; religion and ways of world), and embrace the presence of God wanting to fill and enrapture you into His marvelous kingdom of peace.


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God Speaking to Your Spirit

God Speaking to Your Spirit

 

Now is the time to do the right(eous) thing.

Hebrews 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

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Power to Believe Unto Eternal Life

The Power to Believe Unto Eternal Life

 

John 5:25Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

In the Old Testament (OT) covenant, God clearly laid out the choice between life and death and what each path manifested. Deuteronomy 30:19 He granted them forgiveness for their transgressions against Him, yet very few repented and turned to His ways. If and when they did turn because of the painful afflictions of going their own way, He was right there to heal and restore them. Yet, even after the outpourings of mercy and blessing, they soon again rebelled in following the dictates of their own hearts. Isaiah 65:12 They lacked the power to truly believe.

Why was it so hard to believe?

The Israelites had God’s forgiveness and help. They saw His wondrous works. So, why couldn’t they follow Him; what was missing? Without God’s spirit in us, we can’t believe as we ought. This is why the Israelites fell so quickly into rebellion and why you see the same thing throughout history. The only way we truly believe is by the power of God’s spirit working in us. John 6:45

Corrupted Spirit vs. God’s Spirit

We are either governed by a corrupted spirit or by God’s pure spirit of righteous love. Soon after birth, we become imprisoned by the lies (what appears as our truth) of the world flooding into our spirit taking us captive to do their will. 2 Timothy 2:26 This corrupted spirit opposes God’s wisdom and love; therefore all we do is sin for we’re slaves to sin. John 8:34 Under its reign, we are blind as our truths are lies, therefore we can’t truly believe in God, thus walk in righteousness leading to eternal life. How can a soul believe in life if it is consumed in darkness and deception; holding lies as truth? How can it find its way out of the pit of darkness and death? The answer lies in the power and victory of Christ’s spirit filling us. God gives us His spirit to govern us instead; this is the new birth. Our Father births us to life, by His will, not our own, by giving us His seed of life. This seed holds His faith which enables us to believe unto eternal life. This Seed of His spirit within us is our deliverance and salvation from the pit of eternal darkness in which people now dwell.

God’s Plan of Salvation

God made a promise to Abraham, that ALL the nations would be blessed through him and his seed. Genesis 22:18, 28:14 He was promised that his descendents would be as the dust of the earth; a promise of giving salvation to many many souls. Have you seen dust recently? What we do see is a huge gap between ALL nations being blessed and just a few truly believing unto obedience that leads to righteousness and abundant life. As I talked about true belief in a previous post, as it stands right now very few would move into eternal life because very few truly believe, yet this doesn’t fit with God’s promise to Abraham.

When true belief has shown to be extremely trying at best, what hope is there that ALL nations will be blessed? Revelation 15:4

This powerlessness to truly believe is why Christ gave up His spirit. He offered up His Spirit on the cross, so it could be resurrected in many in the end days.  John 12:23-24, Joel 2:28, 1 Peter 1:13 With the seed of His spirit in us, we are able to grow unto eternal life because we now have the ability to believe because of His spirit within us giving us His faith. Hebrews 12:2 This is why some will not die, but be changed. 1 Corin 15:51 As the spirit of Christ is being raised in souls, then eternal life will begin to exist on earth, for He is eternal life. Since Christ’s flesh resurrection over 2000 years ago, there has been the Holy Spirit, God’s wisdom, in grace enabling some to believe in the hope of salvation. Romans 15:13 Yet, we haven’t see the fulfillment of that hope of salvation as people are still living lives of sin leading to death. The Holy Spirit is a guarantee of what is to come; the union of our spirit with Christ’s. Ephesians 1:13-14 As the wedding feast fast approaches; as Christ spirit starts resurrecting in people thus being “married” to their soul, they will start walking in righteousness leading to eternal life and therefore not taste death.

Marrying Christ’s Spirit

Now is the time to draw near to God, for Christ has sowed His seed in the field, our souls, to bring in His Kingdom. Hosea 10:12, Matthew 13  He has given us the grace and power by giving us His faith to believe in a world of death and lies. Now we have to step into that grace and power by sowing truth into our lives which allows the seed to grow in us.

Sowing the Seed

We sow the seed of Christ’s spirit by seeking truth, for God is truth. As we do then His spirit of wisdom grows in the depths of our soul. John 12:25 Wisdom is truth driving our lives. We gain wisdom by listening to and following His gentle whisperings to our soul, leading us into all truth. John 6:32, 45, 57, 63, James 1:21 It isn’t religious doctrine we heed and follow; it is the perfect spirit of God communing with us in the depths of our being. Psalm 85:8 The spirit of wisdom grows within us as we listen and obey God’s voice, which is now possible because we have Christ’s spirit of faith in us enabling us to believe. James 2:14-26 In time, we are trained in righteousness, so we can walk in righteousness. Sin ibrings death. Right-mindedness brings immortality. Proverbs 12:28

Further, God takes our transgressions, now under the umbrella of His forgiveness, and they become part of our training ground as we are chastened by them and delivered from them by a loving Father. In time, our minds are renewed and we become holy eternal creations. In God’s perfect timing, all will learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:9 First those of the “elect”; then the rest. 1 Corin 15:22-24 The elect serve the rest by preparing the way and bringing in the Kingdom by Christ’s spirit in them.

As we sow truth, we start to yearn for God’s will over all else because we become aware of the perfection of His ways and how it is His ways we truly desire in everything. We realize we are truly poor in spirit, and need His spirit of wisdom. Matthew 5:3 When we gain these understandings, we abandon all other “wills” to be fully governed by His spirit. Our part is to know and embrace the will of God and forsake all other paths; for love involves choice. Mark 8:34

Now is the time to listen for the voice of the Son of God; because those who will hear will live; for the kingdom is at hand.

John 6:38-39  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.


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Defeating the Judging Spirit

Defeating the Judging Spirit

Hosea 11:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

In the previous video, Judging Spirit of the Self-will, I introduced the judging spirit that is a defining characteristic of our self-will. FUNDAMENTAL to experiencing the love of God, to know and to give, is to have this spirit purged from your life, which is a part of denying/dieing to self and being filled and governed by God’s Spirit of righteous love. In this video, I touch upon how that spirit is defeated.  This is an area, like all, you must be taught by God. Seek to understand the depths of this transformation from Him, for He is the One who makes you into a new creation.

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Placebo of Religion vs. True Belief

Placebo of Religion vs. True Belief

 

John 3:15-16 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

What does it mean for a soul to believe in Christ Jesus?

If you knew there was a treasure in your backyard that would solve all your problems and give you all you desire, what would your response be?

If someone told you that if you took a pill and it would bring perfect health to your body, but you wouldn’t see the affects until you die, what would your response be?

In the first scenario, you would go digging and seeking, wouldn’t you? In the second, you wouldn’t give it a second thought because what would health matter once you were dead?

The Bible tells us of the first scenario, if we truly believe in Christ (the Word of life, truth) then we will have abundant everlasting life. God will make our paths smooth, defeat our enemies, deliver us, heal us, and give us the mind of Christ. To abide in truth, which is love, is a powerful reality. There are MANY beautiful and powerful promises for those who truly trust in God. What’s our response to those powerful words? Do we see most people diligently seeking to know the truth and to discover the paths of life while forfeiting all else to find that priceless treasure? Matthew 13:45-46 Do we see people living out those promises of rest, peace, and rejoicing in all truth?

Placebo of Religion

Do people truly believe in Christ? Or a religion built around the Bible and an image of God? What do people’s actions reveal? James 2:19, 26 One is the true treasure, the other a placebo. A person’s actions testify to their beliefs. Most believe steadfastly in a religion, which crafts an image around God and what it means to be a godly person, while the treasure hunt for truth is largely neglected. 2 Timothy 4:3 Why the blindness when it comes to what it means to believe in Christ? James 2:19  People cling to religion; not Christ, which is a huge difference, yet this difference seems to go mostly unnoticed.

The path of life is narrow and few find it. Matthew 7:13-14 Communing directly with God and learning to hear His voice and obey leads to the path of life. Seems easy, but in a world of lies, it’s much harder than it appears, this is why few do it. A corrupted self-will governed by lies keep people blind from seeing the truth. It keeps them imprisoned by focusing on the wrong things and not the right ones. In deception, you don’t know you are deceived, that is the whole point. To satisfy the longing in their hearts for God, many people have mistakenly fallen for the placebo; they took the pill of religion. It comes to them as the way to God (and an easy way – Satan knows us well); just follow what someone tells you to do and think, instead of learning of God yourself.  However, we reap what we sow. If we reap religion, empty promises await. If we reap righteousness and the presence of God that is what we experience. Hosea 10:12 What a glorious treasure to really dwell in the heart of God’s love.

The pill of religion is a dead end, literally. It’s the most damaging of situations, because people think it leads to life, but it doesn’t, thus they are worse off than before. When you think you’ve found, you stop seeking and the doors that would’ve led you to truth have been blocked. Further, the closer a religion is to the truth the more compelling and imprisoning. Yet, this falsity of religion goes unnoticed because the “testifying results of the truth” have been removed until you die and go to “heaven”; when only then are you righteous, only then do you have abundant life, and only then are you free from suffering and pain. When the results of the belief are removed, how do you know it’s the right belief? The Apostle Paul spoke of results. He talked of the kingdom of heaven within us and what that meant for our lives, right now.

Paul spoke about growing in righteousness. 1 Peter 1:2, 15 If we weren’t, then he said our beliefs were in vain, thus null and void. 1 Corin 15:2 When someone truly believes something it affects him/her to the core. If people believed in Christ and the paths of life, their lives and this world would be totally transformed because true life would be here. 2 Timothy 2:19 Conversely, religion makes excuses to make nil the proof of spiritual health. Suffering and afflictions are accepted as a way of life, not the death Christ delivers us from. When the “testifying results” are removed people can’t see it for the lie that it is. Thus, everything around them remains cloaked in death. Without the contrast of true life no one is the wiser.

God is in us and we in God if we are being transformed glory unto glory. 2 Corin 3:18 When we experience increasing peace, rest, loving kindness, joy, mercy, wisdom, and gentleness beyond ourselves and from our core, then we are growing in truth, in Christ. Then we believe. Do you see His growing righteous love in your soul that is a true transformation and not a forced self-will of goodness cloaked in hypocrisy? Have you received Christ’s testimony; His life of abundant grace, power, and transformation? John 3:33

People believe money brings about certain freedoms, necessities, and blessings in this life. They sacrifice, strive, effort, work and give much of their life to gain money to provide for themselves and their family. They believe money is what they need to get want they need, and their actions reflect that belief.

Do people believe in God like that? Do people give their lives to know Him in truth and spirit as He is, and desire above all to walk in His ways?  Conversely, most find it easier to trust in other things other than God and very difficult to trust in God. As for God, they’ve boxed Him out of their lives by religion.

True belief in God is stifled in a world of lies. When we are imprisoned in darkness how do we see the light? How do we break free from the web of lies in our minds and know the truth of God in all purity, which we truly hunger for?  You’ve seen that darkness in others; you’ve experienced it for yourself. What hope do we have for this world; if so few find the narrow way?

AMAZING HOPE, thanks to the grace poured out to us in Christ in these days. The ability to truly believe comes by the power of God’s spirit in us … which I’ll address next time, God willing.


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The Judging Spirit of the Self-Will

The Judging Spirit of the Self-Will

Judging is a key characteristic of our self-will that is in opposition to God. Here I talk about that spirit, the pervasiveness, vastness of it and what being free means and entails for our lives.

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Do to Others, Do to Christ

Do to Others, Do to Christ

 

Matthew 25:40 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

There are two ways we care for the spirit of Christ, the seed of His spirit in us and in others. Matthew 13

What we do to ourselves and others, we do to Christ, for Christ has purchased us with His blood. Acts 20:28 Christ owns us, the vessels holding a soul and spirit, who one day will be united in an oneness to His Spirit and thus a part of His kingdom. Some of us are being currently prepared for this union, thus our once corrupted spirit is being transformed into a spirit like Christ’s. Others are still in the darkness of their corrupted spirit. 1 Corin 3:13-15 But regardless, Christ owns all because one day He will be in all.  1 Corin 15:28 There will be a new heaven and new earth in which no death dwells. Rev 21:1, Rev 20:14. Christ holds the keys to death and Hades and He will set the prisoners free. Rev 1:18, Luke 4:18 Therefore, what we do to ourselves and others we are doing to Christ. Talk about a new framework for viewing yourself and the souls in your life. It’s very convicting. How do you see others; your neighbor, the people who come across your path, family, acquaintances and even enemies? Do you judge them? Or do you love them in truth and spirit knowing the sovereignty Christ has over their souls?

One of the Greatest Gifts to Give

When we truly believe in someone it’s a powerful force in their lives; as you see even among corrupted souls. Now consider the ultimate belief in someone; to be who God created them to be. One of the greatest gifts we can give someone is to believe in their best self; to see beyond the mishaps and corrosion of sin in their lives and see the wondrous creative soul designed and fashioned by God. When we start to view others in this light instead of judging their brokenness, we start to have the eyes of Christ. Eyes longing to love in truth, to help grow and defeat their greatest enemy; their self-will from which all corruption flows. When we see this beautiful seed of a spirit, which is of Christ, in others waiting to express itself through the unique creation in which God made them, it gives us the ability to truly feed, nourish, clothe, and set them free from the prison of their corrupted self-will. HOWEVER, we first have to be feed, nourished, clothed and set free before we can have this glorious vision. For it isn’t ourselves who feeds, nourishes and sets them free, but Christ’s spirit in us touching their souls. With Christ’s spirit, we are part of their watering that helps them become who God intended. 1 Corin 3:6

Bread = truth of God

Drink = spirit of God

Garments = righteousness

Prison = the self-will

Overcoming Judging Spirit with one of Loving-kindness

A judging spirit is contrary to a loving spirit. To see others as Christ, we have to be delivered from the judging spirit and filled with His Spirit of loving kindness.

By default souls are born with a judging spirit because they are born controlled by their self-will and judging is a key characteristic of the self-will. It causes judgment toward themselves and others and it’s a deep vast spirit that penetrates most thoughts far beyond people’s awareness. When it’s always been a part of you, it’s hard to see it for what it is until the light shines upon it. But this judging spirit is not of the spirit of Christ. John 12:47

If this corrupted spirit is so pervasive how are we freed from it? By feeding the seed of the spirit of Christ in us. Christ has put His seed, a seed of His spirit, into the soil, our souls for we are made of dust, to be nourished in water (spirit) and light (truth). The union of spirit and truth births true life.

How do we see others from a spirit of love? First, we feed the seed of the spirit of Christ in us. We feed it words of truth and listen to the promptings of His spirit. As we OBEY and WALK in His ways, that spirit will grow in us. Then we will be able to feed the spirit of Christ in others; for we give what we are. And how we treat ourselves and our own soul is how we truly treat others. This awareness should open eyes to the hypocrisy in our actions. We say we love; yet in our actions we don’t even love (in God’s love) our own souls.

As we feed Christ’s spirit in us by the truth and obeying the truth, it starts to grow and we are transformed. Luke 6:45 This spirit transforms our mind to the mind of Christ, the wisdom of God, and our faith to be fully in God and thus we become new creations. When our spirit and mind are shaped in the spirit of Christ, which is righteous love, then everything about us changes. One key aspect is the judging spirit dissipates because the self-will is dying as we abandon it and walk in truth.

As this spirit grows in us, then it is able to feed, nourish, and help others come out of the prison of their debase mind, for they have the seed of the spirit as well. The Christ spirit in us waters the Christ spirit in others for it is all one. As our spirit matures, we are able to see others as He does with the amazing love and mercy by which He gave His spirit to redeem and save. In that new sight, our heart and actions change to be of love, mercy and honor.

Judging ourselves and others is meaningless vanity that causes massive destruction. Christ came to redeem us. To continue to judge isn’t to trust in His power or what He has done, but to hold onto that which is dying and He came to destroy.

Malachi 2: 10 Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another By profaning the covenant of the fathers?

Seek to see and understand this judging spirit in your soul and for it to be purged by the power of God’s grace working in you. This is God’s will and when you come in line with it, it will be done. We can only repent from what we are aware of, and obey what we hear. Seek to be aware and obey God’s promptings of truth. In that process, you will grow and thus the spirit of Christ in you and others will be fed the truth, drink of the spirit, be clothed in righteousness, and freed from the prison of your self-will mind.


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True Worship in Spirit & Truth

True Worship in Spirit & Truth

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Talking about a true spirit of worship verses contrived worship stemming from religion and our self-will. What does God desire?

 

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In the Current of Grace?

In the Current of Grace?

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

GRACE is the POWER of God working in us and in our lives. (Consider: Do you experience the True power of God in your life?)

When we are abiding in God’s grace, there is a current of power that underscores our lives. We abide in an evident fortress and godly favor.

God is power. When there is true power, it’s mighty in the gentlest ways. It’s the power in David and Goliath; in bringing down Jericho with marching and trumpets, in the smallest nation defeating the greatest, and in having a child beyond childbearing years.

Grace is a constant gentle force providing an abundance for each breath we take. The power of God doesn’t parade itself; it simply is. If you are truly in Him, you have this power. It isn’t expressed in a display of weapons and artillery, resources and riches, or the strength of mankind, as the world’s power. It’s far greater, because true power is established in eternal truth.

Grace/power shows itself through our lives: abiding in smooth paths, working in wisdom, acting in loving-kindness without hypocrisy, accomplishing our calling in ease beyond our natural ability, living in victories, receiving the deepest of healing, ruling of peace in our mind and in our lifestyle, transcending hardships/trials, and transforming our reality. Grace consists of a gentle power because it’s true power, and it conquers ALL  when we are in its current.

How do we tap into this gentle yet extremely powerful grace that is abundant for us?

2 Corin 6:1-2 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says:

“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation

Hebrews 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

Power Comes with Obedience in Love

Paul warns us to not receive the grace of God in vain. What does that mean? The answer is in Hebrews 5:9. If we received grace, we’re growing in righteousness, for this is what it brings. If we receive it in vain, we don’t walk in righteousness, and we are still bound in our sin. 

Romans 5:21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness TO eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In many ways, the understanding of grace has been abused, misused, and thus received in vain. It’s been seen as an expulsion of sin in theory but not in actuality. Grace isn’t to excuse, justify or rationalize sin. It isn’t God turning His head to our sin and looking the other way. Galatians 6:7 It’s the power to ACTUALLY overcome it, to ACTUALLY walk in righteousness.

Grace is the power to obey and walk in righteous love as Christ did, because the grace of God is the power of God in us, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. Ephesians 1:19-20 This power of God transforms our minds and makes us into new creations of righteous loving-kindness. When we receive true grace, we walk in righteousness that leads to eternal life. Acts 15:11, James 1:18, 21

Grace is the gift of God through Christ Jesus. Romans 5:15 In giving us Christ’s spirit, we have the faith and power to move from an existence of death to one of abundant eternal life, because we can walk in true righteousness. Without grace, we could do nothing. With it nothing is impossible. Phil 4:13  In its current, our self-will is defeated, from which all sin flows. Its power overcomes the flesh. In it we abide in the spirit, which is true life.

Abused and Misused

When we neglect to obey God’s instruction of righteousness to us on a very personal level, we are living outside of the current of grace. One note: following God’s voice isn’t following a religion, how others’ say we should live a godly life, a godly image, or compulsion of our self-will. It is following God’s personal counsel and instruction to each one of us each day. Without a listening ear to the counsel of God and walking in that counsel, which are the paths of righteousness, we’ve received grace in vain, thus it lays dormant in our lives.  These lives reflect an absence of true belief/faith, for if it was real, then the act of seeking and obeying in love would follow. James 2:19-20 If we truly believe, we will act in accordance to faith, which is according to God’s will, then the power in our lives is a testimony to our beliefs. James 2:26

Outside of grace, lives are stripped of power and full of suffering and defeat. Instead of growing into a new creation, the prison bars grow in strength. Though mercy may still be evident, the power in constant victory and growing transformation isn’t found. 2 Corin 5:7-9, 11, 2 Corin 5:16-18 If we don’t continually seek to know God in truth and spirit, to hear His voice speaking to each one of us, and walk in His faith, then the grace given to us is received in vain.

Received in Love

To abide in grace, we act in faith as God leads us by that still small voice of power. 1 Kings 19:12-13 Acting in faith is putting our trust fully in the power of God to work in us and through situations. There is tremendous power for those who truly trust God. Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 57:2 To trust God, first, we have to be connected to the true God and not a false image, Galatians 1:6, Jude 1:4, two, we have to listen to Him, and third, we have to obey His leading. If we take the smallest steps of faith/obedience, God’s power works in us in gentle waves that destroy the largest enemies. In His paths of righteousness is life, we have to be walking in those paths, that means obeying Him in love. 2 Peter 3:18

When we are REALLY trusting, our soul is in a state of REST. We’ve let go of the situation and rely on God to work it out through us and for us. When we experience this relinquishing of our self-will along with any other emotion not of trust: fear, anxiousness, or anger; and abide in peace, then we’ve demonstrated we know and trust God. In submission to His care, there is tremendous power because He is faithful to perform all things to those who trust Him. This is living in the current of grace, the power of God made possible by Christ giving us His Spirit.

If we listen and step out knowing the power of God at work in our lives, God does amazing works in our lives that creates a life of the truest praise and worship. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Philemon 1:25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit