All Things New

“Make it work from here.

 Let’s face it. The only perfect human to walk this earth is Jesus. The rest of us have issues! When we accept Jesus into our heart things change. On a spiritual level we are totally recreated into His image.

17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

II Corinthians 5:17-19

However, we are three part beings. It is usually those other two parts that give us trouble. But God knew this would happen. So, He provided a way of escape from those things. He gave His Word. He tells us that as we spend time in His presence and His Word we will begin to renew our mind and the way we think will change too. And that really is the key to the third part of us, our body, beginning to change. Our bodies don’t take off and do things on their own. Our mind is what send the commands and that is why God gives us a path to change our thinking.

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NLT)

While our spiritual transformation is instant, our other parts (our soul and body) usually require work. And just like in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned, when we disobey God our righteousness doesn’t change, but our fellowship does. We are still created in the image of God. He still loves us! But now there is something that causes us to hesitate to spend time in God’s presence or in His Word. But God gave us a very easy answer to that.

 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:9

Victory Action 

Everyday, I will remember and be thankful for what God has done for me! I won’t rehearse my past. I will refuse to get stuck there! In every situation I will go to God for His wisdom and direction.

God Loves You!

“Even thought you’ve missed it, God still loves you.”

4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4-7

We don’t walk perfectly, but God’s love isn’t based on our actions. He loved us before we existed, sending Jesus to die for our sins even knowing what people would do. God acted in faith that we’d join His family, focusing on our hearts. Our restoration is guaranteed by Jesus’ sacrifice. No matter what your past includes, the Blood of Jesus has covered it so that even God doesn’t see that anymore. He looks at you and just sees Jesus.

Today, by faith, I will walk free from my past. I will set my heart to seek God and become more like Him through spending time in His presence and His Word. I will look forward with hope and live in peace with God because of the blood.

Forgiveness

“When God forgives, He forgets.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 8:12

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Psalms 103:12

  I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Isaiah 43:25

You cannot sin so much as God can forgive. If it comes to a pitched battle between sin and grace, you shall not be so bad as God shall be good. I will prove it to you. You can only sin as a man, but God can forgive as a God. You sin as a finite creature, but the Lord forgives as the infinite Creator. – Charles Spurgeon – 

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. – Ephesians 1:7

  Victory Decision 

I acknowledge what God’s Word says about me is true! I declare that ALL my sins are forgiven and I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I will not dwell on my past. I will meditate on the blood of Jesus and receive everything He died for me to have.

Overcoming Strongholds

“So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” – Isaiah 59:19 KJV

One of Satan’s lies is that God is big enough to set you free, but not big enough to keep you free. The enemy comes time and again to try to convince us of that lie. However, God has clearly demonstrated that He is big enough to set His people free and keep them free. Remember the children of Israel? When they were running from their captors and encountered the Red Sea God made a way for them to walk across on dry land. But the plan didn’t end there. He not only set them free, He kept them free! He sealed the deal when he drowned the soldiers pursuing them. God will do the same for you! 

People have misquoted this scripture many times. They would say, “IF the enemy shall come in like a flood.” But the scripture says, “WHEN the enemy shall come in like a flood.” Now, that is not necessarily the part of the promise we want to focus on! But the Word of God is truth. Everyone is going to have opportunities for their faith to be tested. Do not be surprised when the enemy tries to do his craziness. Do not give in to fear either. You have a mighty God! The latter part of that verse says, “…the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” (This is the part we want to focus on!) In the Hebrew the phrase “shall lift up a standard” means “shall put him to flight,” and “drive him away”. God’s reaction to the attack is not to just stand there and fight until the enemy gets tired. He comes in on the offensive and drives the enemy away! His force is overwhelming. 

Your enemy will attack. That’s what enemies do. Remember when the devil sends an attack your way he is not just attacking YOU! God is with you! Hebrews 13:5 says, “… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” When God gets in the fight – the enemy doesn’t stand a chance! God is MORE than enough! God has already given us what we need to defend against the enemies’ attack. He has given us the victory!

To overcome, we must give more glory to God than to the evil one. Quit rehearsing what the enemy has done or is doing. That helps your enemy build the stronghold. He is a defeated foe. Overcome the stronghold by rejoicing in the deliverance that God brings! We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. (Revelation 12:11) We overcome when we stand firm in the victory that Jesus achieved for us on the cross. We overcome when we build our faith through prayer and feeding on the Word of God. 

Jesus said in John 16:33 (AMP) “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” Did you read that last part? Jesus said He had overcome the world. He put it in the past tense. Jesus had not gone to the cross yet. He had not taken the keys to death, hell and the grave yet. Yet He knew exactly what was coming. He knew that everything He said would come to pass because God had ordained it since the beginning of the world. His confidence in God’s power was secure. Yours should be too! You are a child of God! You are joint heirs with Jesus. (1 Peter 3:7) His victory is your victory!