An open message to preachers, ministers and teachers...stop stealing our power! Stop misinterpreting scripture and foisting denominational lies upon us! Stop crippling the glorious Body of Christ! I realize that you're not doing it intentionally, but c'mon...give us all a break!
I listened to a sermon yesterday where the minister was warning the congregation that faith was not to be used to manipulate God or the universe—physical matter, or circumstances. He went on to say that this is not faith but fantasy, a delusion.
Of course, true faith does not manipulate God, nor can He be manipulated! But the Bible clearly states, in many places, that His works are finished, settled forever, and Jesus told us exactly how to access these finished works...by faith! He demonstrated how to manipulate the natural world, and then told us to do it! Doesn't anyone read this stuff?
What is Faith, Exactly?
Faith is the power that sees the unseen and speaks to mountains, trees and sick bodies and puts the will of God into motion in the earth! Faith is how you reign in life, and you're not going to reign in life unless you learn to manipulate the natural, physical world.
Faith is the power that sees the unseen and speaks to mountains, trees and sick bodies and puts the will of God into motion in the earth! Faith is how you reign in life, and you're not going to reign in life unless you learn to manipulate the natural, physical world.
Hebrews 11:1 says 'Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.' The Hebrew words for assurance—hupostasis—also mean substance, that which has actual existence...a substance, real being.
The Hebrew word of conviction—elegchos—can also be translated as a proof or evidence. So we see that faith is that which sees the real substance or proof of that which is unseen. And we know from various Gospel passages that Jesus taught the way to exercise that faith to bring the unseen into the seen was by talking to physical things. He called it having faith in God! [Mark 11:22]
Now if Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who is the author of the New Testament, tell me to manipulate the natural world by my faith—seeing the unseen and speaking to things—why are all the preachers telling me not to do it? Telling me that it's not real, a delusion? Taking the power given to me as a Christian and guilting me into not using it?
What is that about? I can guess...can you?
The Deceiver
I think the Deceiver has wormed his way into doctrines over the last 2000 years to cripple us, to make us powerless and ineffective. He knows Colossians 1:11 and Ephesians 3:16...he knows that we're strengthened with all power in our inner man, that Jesus said we would do greater works than He did [John 14:12]. He knows we're one Spirit with the Lord, and that God dwells in us individually and corporately.
I think the Deceiver has wormed his way into doctrines over the last 2000 years to cripple us, to make us powerless and ineffective. He knows Colossians 1:11 and Ephesians 3:16...he knows that we're strengthened with all power in our inner man, that Jesus said we would do greater works than He did [John 14:12]. He knows we're one Spirit with the Lord, and that God dwells in us individually and corporately.
He's read the Book of Proverbs and knows how the system works, and he knows that Jesus taught us how to work that system. So what's a devil to do? Lie through his teeth to anyone who will listen and pollute the truth...cripple us at every turn so that we lay down our power and live as slaves, even though every shackle has been broken.
God's Will
If we really knew and understood God's will as outlined in the Bible—I mean really, really got it—we would be the powerhouse in the earth that we are destined to be, individually and as the Body of Christ.
If we really knew and understood God's will as outlined in the Bible—I mean really, really got it—we would be the powerhouse in the earth that we are destined to be, individually and as the Body of Christ.
I've got news for you...God's will is good and it is all-inclusive! Jesus said "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen GLADLY to give you the kingdom." [Luke 12:32]
He didn't give us the kingdom begrudgingly, and He's not doling it out in little crumbs so we don't have too much...
Hebrews 4 says He, the Father, has RESTED FROM HIS WORKS! Verse 3 says that His works were finished from the foundation of the world!
This is spiritual reality...when the Holy Spirit, writing 2 Corinthians 1:20, said 'For as many as are the promise of God, in Him they are yes...' He meant it! Every promise of God is YES...not 'sometimes the answer is no,' not 'we don't know why God is [fill in the tragedy]'...YES, YES, YES!
All Things
If you've been reading this blog for any time at all, you know that God is a God of All Things. Consider the following scriptures...
If you've been reading this blog for any time at all, you know that God is a God of All Things. Consider the following scriptures...
'And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."' [Matthew 19:26]
'And Jesus said to him, "'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." [Mark 9:23]
'He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?' [Romans 8:32]
'For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.' [1 Corinthians 3: 21-23]
'I can do all things through Him Who strengthens me.' [Philippians 4:13]
'Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.' [1 Timothy 6:17]
I think these New Covenant scriptures are pretty self-explanatory. Because we are one Spirit with the Lord, and all things were created by and for Him [Colossians 1:16] they belong to us, as well. We are truly joint or co-heirs with Jesus!
And this is not some greedy delusion...it is God's will!
'But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption...' [1 Corinthians 1:30]
Lied To...
We've been lied to about God and about Who is really is for millennia. So long, in fact, that it is almost impossible for us to truly grasp Who He is and what His will really looks like. These lies are so ingrained into our doctrines and culture that anyone who dares to say differently is immediately branded a heretic and mouthpiece for Satan.
We've been lied to about God and about Who is really is for millennia. So long, in fact, that it is almost impossible for us to truly grasp Who He is and what His will really looks like. These lies are so ingrained into our doctrines and culture that anyone who dares to say differently is immediately branded a heretic and mouthpiece for Satan.
Romans 12:2 says 'And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.'
James 1:17 says 'Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, which Whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.' Imaging that!
How about Psalm 84:11? 'For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.'
Hallelujah! This is GOOD news, people! God is a good God, and He has ALREADY given us all things richly to enjoy! This work was finished from the foundation of the world.
According to Psalm 23:5, He has prepared a table before us IN THE PRESENCE OF OUR ENEMIES...here on the earth, and our CUP OVERFLOWS! Notice He doesn't stop pouring when the cup overflows...He keeps pouring until it overflows! How very politically un-correct of Him to be so wasteful!
I think, and this is just my opinion, He doesn't think of overflowing abundance as wasteful because He doesn't think in terms of lack. Waste is only defined by lack...and if He lacks anything, He just speaks more into existence! [please, no hate mail]
One Last Thing
Although we have been redeemed from the curse of the law [Galatians 3:13], the Old Testament shows us how God thinks about things. This is an actual scripture...no, I didn't make it up out of some demonic leading to spout heresy...it's in the Book!
Although we have been redeemed from the curse of the law [Galatians 3:13], the Old Testament shows us how God thinks about things. This is an actual scripture...no, I didn't make it up out of some demonic leading to spout heresy...it's in the Book!
'So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the LORD your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. They shall become a sign and a wonder on you and your descendants forever because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.' [Deuteronomy 28:45-48]
Yes, yes, it's true. God's will is for us to enjoy, richly, all things. And we are to access His finished works by our faith. When you use your faith to access health or wealth or protection from evil, you are right smack in the center of God's will. Period.
Speaking of the Israelites inability to enter the Promised Land--God's good and perfect will for them, an abundant, wonderful place--Paul wrote 'For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.'
Faith is not manipulating God...it is the way we access what God has already prepared for us who love Him! It's His way, His plan, His MO. It is, in fact, the way He created the physical world, and it is His will that we access all that is ours by it.
So, I implore preachers and teachers...stop binding our power! Stop crippling the glorious Body of Christ! Stop telling us what we can't or don't have and start telling the truth!
I really don't need any more homilies on life, any more sermons on why God is using adversity to teach me things. I'm not going to church for a therapy session...I need to be developed and built up to all the fullness of God [Ephesians 3].
If I knew who I really was, how to access the finished works of God by faith to reign in life, which is His purpose for me, I wouldn't have any need for therapy! I wouldn't need sermons on depression...the joy of the Lord is my strength! [Nehemiah 8:10] That's a forever settled, finished work that belongs to me now, to be accessed by faith!
Make No Mistake
Adversity has one author—Satan—and one purpose—to kill, steal and destroy. [John 10:10] Make no mistake about it...by it Satan keeps us distracted, bound and powerless.
Adversity has one author—Satan—and one purpose—to kill, steal and destroy. [John 10:10] Make no mistake about it...by it Satan keeps us distracted, bound and powerless.
Time to put him in his place. According to Luke 10:19 we have been given authority over ALL the power of the enemy, and Colossians 2:15 says Jesus disarmed all spiritual rulers and authorities! If anyone actually knew that and knew how to enforce his defeat, the Church might actually finish the work we've been given to do!
If we weren't all sick, broke and grieving over loved ones 'taken home' prematurely, we could focus on who we really are in Christ. If someone would actually tell us what the Bible really says—speak the truth in love—we would grow up in all aspects into Him Who is the head, even Christ! [Ephesians 4:15]
Enough of these lies! Enough, enough! Enough.
