Forgiveness Is Not Optional

We are Called To Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us, Especially Our Enemies

We are called to forgive those who trespass against us.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32) 

Jesus modeled this desired behavior by forgiving those who were in the process of crucifying him.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

Forgiving those who trespass against us, especially our enemies, is both a divine command and an essential act of spiritual growth. This essay post explores what forgiveness entails, why it is necessary, and how we can practice forgiveness, particularly in the context of our adversaries.

What Is Forgiveness?

Forgiveness is the act of pardoning someone for their wrongs, whether they have sought forgiveness or not. Forgiveness is not merely an emotional feeling or mentally forgetting an offense; it is an intentional decision to sacrifice our position in the situation, absorb what ever wrong we have suffered, and release the perpetrator from the debt of their wrongdoing.

We are to forgive others just as God forgives us.  Our forgiveness is a reflection and embodiment of God’s mercy, offered to us through Christ’s sacrifice. 

Despite mankinds rebelion and rejection of God and His commandments, God decided to send His son in the flesh to rescue us.

Jesus gave up his position in heaven and came down to earth as a baby in the flesh.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.John 1:1

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.”John 1:14

He lived a sinless life and then sacrified that life to pay the price for our sins. It is a rare person who will give thier life for someone else, especially if that other person was workign against them..

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. (John 15:13)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ( Romans 5:8)

Forgiveness of others is required for our sins to be forgiven.Forgiveness is not optional. It is a demonstration of our understanding of the calling to love others, and our willingness to do what God asks of us. 

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15,

We are also called to love our enemies, as outlined in Luke 6:27-28, where Jesus commands, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Forgiveness is a transformative act that liberates both the forgiver and the forgiven.

Why Should We Forgive?

  1. Obedience to God’s Command:
    Forgiveness is an act of obedience. Jesus exemplified this on the cross when He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). As followers of Christ, we are called to imitate His example and extend grace to others, regardless of their actions toward us.
  2. Healing and Freedom:
    Forgiveness frees us from the burden of anger, bitterness, and resentment. Unforgiveness can imprison us emotionally and spiritually, hindering our relationship with God and others. In forgiving, we experience peace and healing. As Ephesians 4:31-32 reminds us, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger… Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
  3. Reflecting God’s Character:
    Forgiveness mirrors God’s character and love. By forgiving others, especially our enemies, we bear witness to the transformative power of God’s grace. This act becomes a testimony of the gospel, showing others the possibility of reconciliation and renewal.

How Do We Forgive?

  1. Pray for Strength:
    Forgiveness, especially of enemies, often feels impossible in our human frailty. Turning to God in prayer is essential. Philippians 4:13 assures us, “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Ask God to soften your heart and empower you to forgive.
  2. Remember God’s Forgiveness:
    Reflect on the depth of God’s forgiveness toward you. In Colossians 3:13, Paul exhorts believers to “forgive as the Lord forgave you.” When we grasp the magnitude of God’s mercy in our lives, it becomes easier to extend that mercy to others.
  3. Act in Love:
    Forgiveness is often accompanied by acts of kindness and love. As Jesus instructed in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Acts of love can soften hearts and pave the way for reconciliation.
  4. Leave Justice to God:
    Forgiving does not mean excusing or ignoring injustice. Instead, it involves entrusting the situation to God, who is the ultimate judge. Romans 12:19 reminds us, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath.”

Conclusion

Forgiveness is a divine mandate and a profound act of love that reflects God’s mercy. It frees us, heals relationships, and bears witness to the gospel. By understanding what forgiveness is, why it matters, and how to practice it, we can rise above our human instincts and live in obedience to God’s call.

As we choose to forgive those who trespass against us, especially our enemies, we emulate Christ’s example, bringing glory to God and experiencing the peace that surpasses understanding. Forgiveness is not merely an act but a way of life, rooted in the unfailing love of God.

 

 

What Evidence Do We Have That Jesus Was A Real Person 

The most imporatnt decision in your life will be whether to ccept Jesus as your lord or not. This decision will shape your life and and dictte how you spend etenrity. 

The critical beliefs in Christianity are that:

  • Mankind has fallen from God’s original intention due to sin,
  • God loves us so much He sent His son to rescue us,
  • Jesus came here and lived among us,
  • He suffered and died as an innocent man to pay the price for our sins,
  • He was raised from the dead on the third day and now rules in heaven,
  • Folks who repent and turn from their sinful ways, and believe in Jesus as their lord are transformed in this life and will get to spend eternity with Him in heaven, and
  • Folks who choose to ignore or reject Jesus and remain separated from God in this life will spend eternity separated from Him in one of the hells.

There are many reasons folks choose to reject Jesus. Some claim the bible is only a collection of myths and that Jesus either was a fictional character and never lived.  Some argue that he lived but didn’t die on the cross, or if He did die, he was never raised from the dead.  Contrary to those claims, there is convincing evidence from multiple sources that

  • Jesus was a very real historic person,
  • He died by crucifixion at the hands of the romans, and
  • He appeared alive to many after being buried in a sealed tomb for 3 days.

 I encourage you to review this evidence to become convinced and further deepen your commitment to Jesus in faith.

Jesus WAS a real person

Let’s start with establishing Jesus as a real historic person.  No serious historian doubts that Jesus was a real historic person who lived in Judea during the reins of Pontius Pilot and Tiberius, and that He had followers called Christians who truly believed he was raised from the dead.

Extra Biblical Writing:

Some of the key ancient documentation of Jesus existence from outside the bible are:

  • Flavius Josephus: The Jewish historian and military leader wrote about Jesus in his 20-volume history of the Jewish people, Jewish Antiquities, around 93 AD. This included discussion of Jesus doing surprising deeds and being crucified by Pilot. He mentions that He had a following of believers called Christians. He also writes of Jesus’ brother James who he identified as “the brother of Jesus who is called Christ” being brought before the Sanhedrin as a follower of Christ and being sentenced to death by stoning.
  • Tacitus: The Roman senator and historian wrote about Jesus and His execution by Pontius pilot during Tiberius’s reign in book 15, chapter 44, of his history of the Roman Empire, “Annals of Imperial Rome”, published around 116 AD.
  • Pliny the Younger: The Roman governor wrote to Emperor Trajan in 112 AD seeking guidance on how to proceed regarding putting Christians on trial. In one letter he stated that the early Christians would “sing hymns to Christ as to a god”.

Early Jews:

The ancient Jewish community embraced Jesus as a real person during his life and after his death. He was widely recognized as being an excellent teacher. Their issue was that He claimed to be God but did not fit the image they had of a conquering warrior king who would set them free from the romans. They accused him of being born illegitimately, of doing miracles by using evil magical forces, of making a false claim that He was God, and leading folks astray from the latest doctrines of the Jewish leaders. They disliked what he was doing but never doubted his existence. They believed he lived and was crucified, but that his body was stolen from the grave.

  “Jewish rabbis who did not like Jesus, or his followers, accused him of being a magician and leading people astray, but they never said he didn’t exist.” Lawrence Mykytiuk, associate professor of library science at Purdue University. Did Jesus Exist? Searching for Evidence Beyond the Bible – 2015

Early Christians:

The disciples and others provided eye-witness accounts of Jesus life which are recorded in the Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John which were written down within 30-60 years of the events. These are well preserved to this day.

Early Muslims:

The Muslim community has always revered Jesus as a prophet and messenger from God. The Quran mentions Jesus numerous times (Isa in Arabic). It details his life story including his virgin birth to Mary, his prophetic role, and miracles he performed. Muslims consider Jesus to be one of the major prophets sent by God, following the line of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Solomon, David. The twist comes when the Quran says that Jesus avoided crucifixion and was raised directly to heaven. The Quran teaches that God (Allah) is the only true God, Jesus was not God because He was just a prophet. The Quran provided different guidance on who He was and how to deal with him, but it does not question that Jesus was here.

Surah Al-Imran (Chapter 3, Verse 45): “And (remember) when the angels said, ‘O Mary! Verily, Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, held in honor in this world and in the Hereafter, and of those who are near to Allah.

Jesus Died By Crucifixion

Jesus died by crucifixion at the hands of the romans. Several of the ancient documents that document his existence, specifically state that he was crucified.

The medical community has reviewed the process of roman crucifixion and concluded that anyone that undergoes this process will surely have died.

 “Clearly the weight of evidence suggests that Jesus was dead even before the spear was thrust into His side.” Journal of the American Medical Association

Jesus was Raised from the dead

Jesus was observed alive after His burial by various groups. There are 9 eye-witness accounts of the resurrected Jesus, some within, some outside the bible. He appeared to over 500 total witnesses. None of these witnesses received any earthly benefit from claiming they saw him, the only risked persecution, excommunication from their community, punishment, and torture, up to and including death.

Individual accounts of encountering the risen Jesus are provided by Matthew, John, Peter, Mary, Mary Magdalene, and the other disciples including Thomas and are recorded in the 4 gospels.

Eyewitness accounts were integrated into a Creed used by the early church. This creed was written very shortly after the resurrection. Paul learned of this creed when He visited Jerusalem 3 years after the resurrection.  Paul included this creed in his first letter to the Corinthians:

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve”. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

We have solid evidence that Jesus was real and that He died by crucifixion. It was common at the time, to believe that the tomb is empty 3 days after He was burried. Critics of the resurrection theory suggest the body was stolen, they do not debate that tomb was empty. Well, how else would the tomb become empty with roman guards on it 24/7.

The most compelling evidence for the resurrection is the conviction of the disciples. 12 humble disciples were willing to suffer torture and be put to death for testifying they interacted with Jesus after He was raised in the flesh. This is remarkable and very unlikely if His resurrection was a lie. For example, The Watergate perpetrators were some of the most powerful men in the world and they could not maintain their lie for just 3 months. These 12 men endured great suffering and went to the grave confessing that Jesus was raised from the dead.    

Why would 500 other eyewitnesses be willing to be excommunicated from society and possibly be stoned to death for claiming they saw Jesus resurrected in the flesh if it was a lie.  It wouldn’t happen.  

Would you be willing to give your life for something you believe in? Each veteran does just that. God loves us so much He sent His only begotten son to rescue us, to restore that which was lost through sin. Jesus loves us so much He was willing to bear the burden of our sin on His back to the point of death, trusting in faith the Fathers’ promise to resurrect Him in glory on the third day.  That is some serious faith, that is some serious love.

He is still alive, Just Ask Him

If you still don’t believe, Just ask Him.  Say: “Jesus if you are who the bible says you are, the Lord of the universe, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Redeemer, the Savior, please reveal yourself to me in some meaningful way. I truly want to get to know you.” You must be serious about it though. If you ask with all your heart you will find Him.

Believe!  He is risen. Acknowledge Him, Invite Him, Let Him lead you into the life He intended for you and then enjoy eternity with Him.

If you want to review in more detail, here are a couple links

 

 

Englighten the Eyes of Your Understanding

You feeling God’s love? Executing God’s plan for your life with a future and hope?
Experiencing life in abundance? Peace? Joy? Have you become a beacon for the kingdom?
– If So, Great, carry on!
If not so much….
see if you can tell where you get stuck in the following flow…
and then pray the prayer below to help gain wisdom to move forward on the journey…
Do you really understand what Jesus did for you?
Have you truly repented and shed the old self centered you?
Have you completely submitted to Jesus as Lord of your life?
Have you invited Jesus to come live / form inside you?
Are you beginning to see things from God’s perspective?
Are you noticing when He points out things to do better?
Are you asking Him to help you do them better?
Have you truly shed the self centered loves that drove you?
Can you see changes as Christ forms in you?
Can you see His love being perfected as it flows through you?
Do people see Christ when they see you in action?
Do you give Glory to the Father through the Son as you execute?
Challenge: Print this and pray it out loud at least daily for two weeks and see if it does not change your life:
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
Enlighten the eyes of my understanding that I may know:
what is the hope of His calling,
what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,
according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church (the group of believers), which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
( Based on Pauls Prayer for believers in Ephesians 1:17-23)

 

God is waiting for you to act in Faith!

 

One of the challenges of divine healing is understanding that we have to take the initiative. God has already done all He needs to do to set you up for success. He has now handed the ball to us and He is waiting for us to pick it up and run with it. 

Exodus 15:26 is powerful – The closing sentence is one of the building blocks for faith for divine healing:  “I am the Lord who heals you.”

The front end of the verse makes it clear that we have a role to play. “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes…”.  Based on that, we need to understand what God said, what He wants us to do, and then we need to do it. 

The Bible, or The Word, captures the word of God and forms the foundation to understanding His commandments, and what is right in His sight. The Word of God is described as the sword of the spirit and is a powerful weapon for fighting the battles we encounter in this life.

Once piece of the divine healing puzzle becomes clear as you understand what God tells us in the word: He handed us the ball and is waiting for us to run with it. If we are sitting back assuming “He is in control” and/or He can heal me “If it is His will”,  we will be disappointed.

Follow this chain of logic:

  • God told us Why we get sick (Sin opens the door to the devil, We are all born as sinners)
  • God told us Who causes illness (We struggle against powers and principalities; The devil lies, steals, kills, and destroys)
  • God sent Jesus to save us
  • Jesus showed us how to heal (Repent and Kick out the devil)
  • Jesus paid the price (Shed innocent blood, Bore sin on His back)
  • Jesus gained all power by defeating death
  • Jesus delegated His power over the devil to us (ALL power over the enemy)
  • Jesus told us to continue His work
  • Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to help us
  • Jesus sat down on the thrown and is waiting for us to do it
  • He will not go against his word (God is unchanging)
  • He told us how to receive healing (Repent, Believe, Act in faith, Receive) 
  • He told us we must pray His will into place on earth as it is in heaven

Jesus showed us the way. He paid the price, and then handed us the ball.  We need to pick up the ball and follow the path He made for us.

He has already done His part, He gave us the keys and will not take them back. He is waiting for us to do our part, believe the word of God, act in faith,  follow Him, and receive His promises.

Suggested prayer:

Heavenly father, I thank you for all you have done for me, You are the source of everything good in this world..

Thank you Jesus for coming here to save us: By your blood we were saved, by your stripes we were healed. I believe in you, I choose to follow you as my Lord and savior. I stand in the redemption you paid for, I receive the forgiveness you provide, and I flow forgiveness to all who sin against me.  I am the righteousness of God through You,  and I thankfully receive your gracious blessings.

Thank you Lord, for sending your word. It is alive, it is powerful, It is truth, and when I hold it close in my heart it sets me free. I thank you for helping me be receptive to your word, and for gaining more understanding as i study it. Give me eyes to see all things from your perspective, ears to hear and understand your messages, and a heart to believe and act on your truths.

Lord, Thank you for forgiving my sins – those I recognize and those I do not yet recognized. It is clear that I still have much to learn about you and your kingdom. I am committed to follow your ways as i learn and understand them. You paid a high price to free me from the burden of sin; I will live my life worthy of the price you paid.

I believe Illness is of the devil and I refuse to accept it. I am a born again son of God. I am following Jesus and He presents me as Holy to the Father. I have repented and confessed my sins, they are forgiven by the blood of my Lord and Savior. I have authority over the devil and he has no claim on me.  I herby rebuke the evil spirits affecting me; I command you to leave me now in Jesus name.

The power of life and death is in the tongue. I speak healing into this body in Jesus name. You are the God that heals; By your stripes I am healed; I believe in your promises of Life in abundance; I believe and I receive the truth of your love and your promises in Jesus name. As it is written, so let it be done.

Thank you Lord, for all you have already done for me, and thank you for healing me here and now.  May my life be of greater service to your kingdom, and may my testimony be a bright light for others to see the power in the kingdom of God.   I ask this In Jesus name. AMEN

Supporting scripture:

Scripture as the written word of God, it is truth, it is unchanging.

“it is truth” (John 17:17)

“it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18)

Jesus is the word in flesh, and does not change

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:4)

“For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6)

We are to live by the word of God.

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”(Matthew 4:4)

We are born sinners, and all have sinned

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)

Sin separates us from God and His promise of protection

“…your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)

Our physical struggles are actually against the devil

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ” (Ephesians 6:4)

The devil administers the consequences of sin

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10)

“Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh” (1 Corinthians 5:5) 

Jesus healed by kicking out devils

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”(Acts 10:38)

Jesus defeated the devil by dying as an innocent sinless man on the cross.

“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)

He disarmed the devil, removing the power of sin over us

“…having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing (Colossians 2:13-16)

Jesus received all power in heaven and on earth by defeating death on the cross. 

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’ ” (Matthew 28:18)

He delegated His authority over the enemy to us. All of it!

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”(Luke 10:19)

When we repent and turn from sin, and follow Jesus, we are released from the power of Satan and aligned with the power of God. Our sins are forgiven and we inherit His blessings.

“…open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’(Acts 26:18)

Once He delegated, He sat down and is waiting for us to act.

“But this Man (Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. (Hebrews 10:12-13)

He commissions us to continue His work

“As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)

He gives us the Holy Spirit to help us and teach us

“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 things that I said to you.(John 14:26)

He expects us to do what He did

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.(John 14:12)

He directs us specifically how to address illness: repent of our sins, pray the prayer of faith, receive forgiveness, and be healed. 

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:14-17)

The spiritual world operates entirely on faith

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is (That He exists and Is God), and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”(Hebrews 11:6)

Faith is a thing – it is a substance. Faith requires belief in your heart for things you can not yet see, and action based on that belief. 

“…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is built by diligently seeking God, studying the word of god and listening to His voice inside you.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

We must believe to receive His promises

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24)

Hope this helps.  Leave a comment.  Happy to discuss.  

 

Is it Gods will for you to be sick?

 

What is Gods will?

Are you sick? Have you prayed? Are you still sick? Could it be God’s will for you to be sick?

One of the first challenges to receive divine healing is to understand God’s will.

One popular belief taught by several churches is that God “works in mysterious ways” and you can never know His will. The truth is quite the contrary!

When we study Jesus life and diligently seek understanding in the Word of God, His will becomes clear:

Jesus is the expressed image of the invisible God (Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:15).

God talked to us through the life of His son (Hebrews 1:1-2).

When we get to know Jesus we know the Father (John 14:7).

His will is explicitly stated in several areas

Follow His commandments (Deuteronomy 28:1, John 14:21).

Repent and turn from evil as sin against God (Psalm 51, Acts 3:19).

Take up your cross and Follow Me (Matthew 16:24).

Seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:23).

Transform your mind to see things from His perspective so you can do his will (Romans 12:2). 

What are even more powerful are His promises to those who follow Him and His commandments.

He promises life and life in abundance to believers who follow Him and His commandments,

He gives us the authority and power to make it happen.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.(Romans 8:28)

 

Barry’s message reinforces the need to study the word to gain proper understanding. Illness is never Gods will! It is the work of the devil. It is form of bondage. It is clear from the words used in each situation.

He has delegated authority to us to continue His work. In order to do that, we must understand that authority, believe what the word says, and act in faith.
Those who do not diligently seek to understand the word of God will continue to suffer.

His children continue to be destroyed for lack of understanding (Hosea 4:6).

Are you seeing life in abundance? Maybe there is room for more understanding. Spend some more time in the word and gain understanding of the expicit healing scriptures, pull close to the Lord, and he will pull close to you. Based on my experience.., life in abundance is very real! Divine healing is very real if you diligently pursue it! You have free will. It is your choice.

Why do folks get sick? 

We live in a fallen world and suffer the consequences of generations of sin operating all around us with compounding circumstances.

Our individual sin seporate us from God and His promisses, and it does open the door to the devil so he can make things even worse for us. Sometimes this is the root caue of your own illness, other you are merely a victum of the fallen world and Your owns sins may just be contributing to it.

The devil administers all the consequences we suffer. We struggle not against the flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. (Ephesians 6:12).

The kingdom operates entirely by faith (Hebrews 11:6) and you must believe to recieve. (Mark 11:24).

What He has taught me over the last couple years is that I need to focus on the actual word of god rather than what others teach or believe about it.

I began to see miraculous healings as soon as did the following:

  1. Understood my identity as born again son of God
  2. Stood in the righteousness and redemption He paid for on the cross
  3. Repented of my individual sins (including unbelief in the actual writen word of god)
  4. Accepted the commission and authority He give me as a believer
  5. Stood on the promises explicitly stated in the word….
  6. Acted in faith based on my belief in the word.

His grace has manifested in miraculous ways to fill the gap between my prior observed reality and those amazing promises.

Hope this makes sense.

 

Even if our personal sin was not the original cause of a situation, it can make things worse and/or get in the way of recovery (pride and unbelief in my case). Repentance is always good practice.

Because of the unconventional way I learned this stuff I was unconstrained by a lot of formal doctrine. I have learned to read and reread the scripture, ask the Holy spirit for guidance, and follow where He takes me. He has helped me get some clear revelation in the word:

Pretty clear message in Ephesians 6:12 – what appears to us as a physical battle is really a spiritual battle:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”

Pretty clear message in Acts 10:38 that Jesus was healing folks by kicking out devils:

“…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”

When I got to Mark 16:17-18, my new reality sunk in. It didn’t say just Jesus could heal folks, or just the apostles, or just folks with a specific healing gift…it said “believers”. and I am a believer..so that means me!

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; … they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

That propelled me into deeper study…If Believers are to do this stuff, and I am a believer, How do I do it.

I certainly would have called this religious hocus pocus before the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to it several years ago. But now it is just practical and routine application of the word of God. As it is written, let it be done.

Results have not always been immediate or miraculous but I have found excellent and amazing progress pursuing this approach in dozens of real life situations. The more deeply I study and understand it, and the more diligently I apply it, the better the results. All glory goes to the Father because no man can accomplish those kinds of results in the natural.

My Prayer: May you go to the Father when you are good and ready, and not when some disease has drained your energy. I speak life in abundance In Jesus Name. AMEN.
Bless you and Have a wonderful day.

Happy to chat sometime at your convenience and we will pray God’s will into place to liberate you from the load of consequences you are carrying. He promises life and life in abundance, and I stand on that promise in Jesus Name.