Flow
with God's Holiness & You'll Flow with God's Power
"This
book is a powerful instrument that God used to bring me a deeper revelation
of His Perfect Holiness, and in turn His unfathomable love. Shedding tears
of joy and awe-stricken at times, it was clear as I read it that the Holy
Spirit is all over this book. I believe that He will use it to bring freedom
and much needed revelation to His flock through the Biblical truth that it
contains." R.H.
Rainham, England
_________________________
"There
is nothing more lacking in the Charismatic movement today than commitment,
consecration and respect for the things of God." Dr.
Kenneth E. Hagin
"I find nothing in
the Bible but Holiness. I find nothing in the world but worldliness;
therefore, if I live in the world I will become worldly. On the other hand, if
I live in the Bible I will become Holy." Smith
Wigglesworth
"Christian
America has not experienced great, consistent manifestations of God's power for nearly
sixty years. This is because Christian America, in her great God-given wealth and
spiritual complacency, has shown contempt for the Holiness of
the God Who has protected and provided for her. The power of God is a manifestation of
the Holiness of God. An individual, a church or a nation's power with God is
always equal to its holiness before God. When individuals, churches or nations
show
contempt for God's Holiness, they must both learn to live without His Holy
power and prepare to face His loving
judgment. Repentance,
reverence and a restoration of Holiness is the answer to Christian America's
present judgment." Pastor
John Hamel
_________________________
Live Table of Contents
Chapter
One: God Is Holy
Chapter
One:
God Is Glorious in Holiness
Chapter
One:
The Very Road to God's House Is Holy
Chapter
One:
Holy God Lives Upon an Holy Mountain
Chapter
One:
Holy God Lives Within His Holy Capital City
Chapter
One:
Holy
God Lives Within His Holy House
Chapter
One:
Holy God Sits Upon an Holy Throne
Chapter
One:
Holy Men & Holy Angels Eternally Acknowledge Holy God
Chapter
One:
Holy God Dwells Eternally Amongst Holy Men & Holy Angels
Chapter
One:
Heaven's Horses Are Holy
Chapter
One:
Everything Concerning God Is Holy
Chapter
Two: You Are Holy
Chapter
Two: No
More Holy Places or Holy Things - Just Holy People
Chapter
Two: Holy
God Prophesied Man's Restoration to Holiness
Chapter
Two:
Sanctification
Comes Through the Word of God
Chapter
Two:
Sanctification
Comes by Faith
Chapter
Two:
Sanctification
Comes by the Person of the Holy Spirit
Chapter
Two:
Sanctification
Comes by the Person of Jesus Christ
Chapter
Two:
Sanctification
Comes by the Offering of Jesus' Body & Blood
Chapter
Two:
Sanctification
Comes by the Will of the Father
Chapter
Three: Flow with
His Holiness & Flow with His Power
Chapter
Three: Holy
Living Is Simply Cooperating with God's Holy Word
Chapter
Three: 1
Corinthians 6:9-11 The Amplified Bible
Chapter
Three: Galatians
5:19-26 The Message Bible
Chapter
Three: Philippians
2:12-16 The Amplified Bible
Chapter
Three: Colossians
3:1-4:2 The Message Bible
Chapter
Three: Romans
6:6-14 The Message Bible
Chapter
Three: Receiving
Holy God's Incomprehensible Forgiveness: The Final Frontier
Chapter
Three: Prayer
of Repentance & Restoration
_________________________
Top
Chapter
One: God Is Holy
“To
whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.”
(Isaiah 40:25)
Holy
God is incomparable. This means there is no one to compare to Him. There is
no one equal to Him. He alone is Holy. This is why He calls Himself “The
Holy One.”
Holiness
is the one primary attribute of God that absolutely sets Him apart from all
other beings or things. Holiness speaks of differentiation. God’s Holiness
sets Him entirely apart from anything that is common or profane. His
Holiness is singular.
God is so unique in His Holiness that He is
awe-inspiring.
His
Holiness, when contrasted to man’s sinfulness, was referred to as
“terrible” by Nehemiah in prayer.
“I
beseech Thee, O Lord God of Heaven, the great and terrible God that keepeth
Covenant and mercy for them that love Him and observe His commandments.”
(Nehemiah 1:5)
Nehemiah
was not referring to God’s terribleness as in wretchedness. He was
referring to God’s awe-inspiring Holiness when contrasted to man’s
sinfulness.
King
David was also so awe-stricken by the Holiness of God when contrasted to
man’s sinfulness that he, too, used the descriptive term “terrible.”
“O
God, Thou art terrible out of Thy holy places: the God of Israel is He that
giveth strength and power unto His people. Blessed be God.” (Psalm 68:35)
Holy
God has no peers. He is without rival. He stands in relation to the world as
its Creator and Lord.
Holy
God
is so infinitely and eternally set apart from all that exists that He is
known to Himself as “I AM THAT I AM.”
“And
God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto
the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:14)
The
Prophet Isaiah used the title “The Holy One of Israel” no less than
twenty times in his prophetic book.
“…they
have forgotten the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto
anger, they are gone away backward.” (Isaiah 1:4b)
Isaiah
used this title so frequently because it placed the sins of Israel
in stark contrast to God’s absolute moral perfection. He used it to
express God’s total separation from all the evil that was occurring in
Israel
in his day. Isaiah fully realized that Holy God is the personification of
excellence.
When
we refer to God as “Holy” we are affirming that He is uniquely matchless
and to be hallowed as entirely sacred.
Holy
God alone is worthy of worship and adoration since He alone is utterly
superior and magnificent.
God
is not just powerful. God is Holy.
As a matter of fact, God's power is a manifestation of His Holiness.
Top
God
Is Glorious in Holiness
When
God rescued Israel
from Pharaoh, drowning the Egyptian army in the
Red Sea, Moses and the children of Israel burst forth into song.
“Then
sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake
saying, I will sing unto the Lord for He hath triumphed gloriously: the
horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea … Who is like unto Thee, O
Lord, among the gods? who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in
praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:1,11)
The
ten plagues, the mass exodus and the drowning of the most powerful military
force in the world at the time not only proved Who was powerful and who was
not. It also proved Who was Holy and who was not holy.
Almighty
God's power is a
by-product of His Holiness.
Israel's
use of the term “glorious in holiness” is an expression of God’s
essential nature. He is the absolute personification of excellence,
morality, truth and honor. It
was in His Holiness, not in His power alone, that He performed such
magnificent miracles for Israel.
That
same Holiness is available to the Believer in Jesus Christ today. Those who
accept the Master Jesus as Lord, pulling
themselves in line with His Holiness, can also experience signs, wonders and
the miraculous.
The
Apostle Paul referred to pulling oneself in line with God's Holiness as
"putting on the new man."
“In
that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24)
Top
The
Very Road
to God’s House Is Holy
“And
an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The Way of
Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the
wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isaiah 35:8)
The
“Way of Holiness” is not a reference to a way of life. It
is an actual, literal highway that will stretch from
Egypt
to
Jerusalem at the time of the coming New Heaven and New Earth.
What
this passage actually says is, “And an thoroughfare shall be there, and a
road, which shall be called the Way of Holiness.”
This
is a reference to the literal highway that will be traveled by the Redeemed
of the Lord for all Eternity as they come and go from Zion
to have an audience with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The
road is called the Way of Holiness not only because it leads to Holy God’s
habitation. It is also called
holy because it will be traveled by God’s holy people.
“But
of Him are ye in Christ Jesus Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)
Here
the Word of God says Jesus has provided sanctification, or Holiness, for us.
In doing so Jesus gave us the same standing with
God that He has. This is the ticket which will allow us to travel the
thoroughfare called the Way of Holiness.
Top
Holy
God Lives Upon an Holy
Mountain
“Great
is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the
mountain of His holiness.” (Psalm 48:1)
The
"Way of Holiness" or the Highway of Holiness leads God's holy
children up to the mountaintop where God lives.
Not only is the highway holy, but the Bible says the very mountain
itself is holy. On top of the
holy
mountain is the holy city where God lives.
Top
Holy
God
Lives Within His Holy
Capital City
“And
I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth: for the first Heaven and the first Earth
were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city,
new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:1-2)
Here
we have the revelation of God’s future plan to move Heavenly Jerusalem
right down here to Planet Earth and place it in the present location of
earthly
Jerusalem.
This
is why Satan is so tireless in his efforts to destroy Israel
and
Jerusalem. His mind has been so
affected by his fall that he actually believes if he can destroy Israel
and
Jerusalem
God will have to make some amendments to the Scriptures, bend and adjust
some prophecies and go live somewhere else. Well, that is just not going to
happen!
God
will set up His City in the exact location of present-day earthly Jerusalem
and it will be an
Holy
City. Within that Holy City will
stand God's Holy Residence.
Top
Holy
God Lives Within His Holy House
“Look
down from Heaven, and behold from the habitation of Thy holiness and of Thy
glory: where is Thy zeal and Thy strength, the sounding of Thy bowels and of
Thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?” (Isaiah 63:15)
Here
Israel petitioned God for His help with their enemies.
In doing so they made clear reference to “the habitation of Thy
holiness.”
The
word “habitation” is actually “residence" or "dwelling
place.” I would not be surprised if America's White House in Washington,
D.C. turned out to be quite similar in appearance to God's Holy Habitation.
However, in God's Capitol Building, located within His Capital City, there
will be no shenanigans or backroom deals to undermine Israel's security.
Every decision made in this House will be in defense of the preservation of
Israel.
God
is
an Holy God. He lives and
governs from within an Holy House, a Capitol Building actually, which sits
in the center of an Holy City, His Capital City, on top of an Holy
Mountain.
To
get to God's Holy House within His Capital City, an Holy People must
literally travel the Highway to Holiness.
Within
that Holy House our Holy Father actually sits upon His Holy Throne.
Top
Holy
God's
Sits
Upon an Holy Throne
“For
God is the King of all the Earth: sing ye praises with understanding. God
reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness.”
(Psalm 47:7-8)
The
Bible says God sits upon an Holy Throne within His Capitol Building.
The Throne is an actual seat.
God's
Holy
Throne is mentioned 40 times in the Book of Revelation alone.
It is not only the center of all the activity that occurs within the
Book of Revelation, it is also the center of all the activity that occurs
throughout all of Creation.
Someone
always asks, "Do you believe there's life on other planets or in other
galaxies?"
It is not possible to answer that question factually. However, if there is
life beyond Planet Earth, Jesus is Lord there and Holy God governs it from
His Holy Throne Room. All that exists was
created by Jesus and is governed by Holy God.
"For
it was in Him that all things were created, in Heaven and on Earth, things
seen and unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all
things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and
in and for Him." (Colossians 1:16 Amplified Bible)
God
sits upon His Holy Throne in the same way a human being would sit upon a
throne because He has a body like a human being has a body. (Exodus
33:18-23)
God's
body is made of an higher materiality than a human body, but it is a body
nonetheless.
We
look like Holy God and Holy God looks like us.
We are created in His image and likeness.
"So
God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male
and female created He them." (Genesis 1:27)
We
are shaped like Holy God outwardly and when we make Jesus Christ the Lord
and Savior of our lives, we actually become
holy inwardly, even as He is Holy.
We
also become immediately seated
with Christ in Heavenly places to the right side of God's Holy Throne.
This is a place of great favor and of tremendous
authority.
"But
God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace
ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in
Heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-6)
The
Apostle John saw something outstanding in his Divinely-granted vision of the
Throne of God.
"And
immediately I was in the Spirit: and behold, a Throne was set in Heaven, and
One sat on the Throne. And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a
sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the Throne, in sight like
unto an emerald." (Revelation 4:2-3)
John
saw a literal emerald-colored rainbow radiating from the Person of Holy God
surrounding God's Holy Throne. I believe the emerald-colored rainbow John
described to be the radiant energy of
Almighty God emanating from Him. The Bible calls it "Eternal Life" and
God's "Glory." I have personally seen this emerald green, radiant,
living Glory a number of times over the course of the past thirty plus
years.
It
is this same radiant Glory that causes the
dead
to be raised, missing limbs to grow back, multiple
tumors
and cancers to be removed, blind
eyes to see and deaf ears to hear.
The
Prophet Daniel also saw something amazing about God's Holy Throne in his
dream concerning future world empires.
“I
beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit,
whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure
wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. A
fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands
ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him:
the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” (Daniel 7:9-10)
This
scene
depicts the Final Judgment of the Nations of the World.
Daniel,
like the Apostle John, actually saw Holy God, the Ancient of Days, not
Jesus, sitting in bodily form on that Holy Throne.
Holy God was wearing garments even as we wear garments.
Daniel saw the hair on His head.
Daniel actually saw the Person of Holy God and His Throne was
literally blazing with fiery flame.
Notice
something that is most amazing concerning God's Holy Throne. Daniel saw that
it
had wheels which were made of fire.
God's
Holy Throne has wheels because it is a Chariot-Throne.
God’s
Holy Throne is readily transportable with Him at the helm.
This may be a new thought to
some, but it is true, regardless. It was this same Chariot-Throne that God
used to personally come to Earth to pick up the Prophet Elijah and escort
him to Heaven.
"And
it came to pass as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there
appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and parted them both asunder;
and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into Heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he
cried, My father, my father, the Chariot of Israel, and the horsemen
thereof. And he saw him no more." (2 Kings 2:11-12)
Holy
God's Chariot-Throne is not the only way He travels, but it is indeed one of
the ways He chooses to travel. (2 Kings 6:17; Psalm 18:10; 68:17; 104:3;
Matthew 17:5)
Notice
also back in verse ten of Daniel chapter seven that thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before Holy God as the Books of Judgment were opened. These
millions of individuals, over one hundred million actually, both angelic and human, continually call attention to God's
Holiness.
Top
Holy
Men & Holy Angels Eternally Acknowledge Holy God
“And
the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of
eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord
God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give
glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, Who liveth for
ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on
the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their
crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory
and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure
they are and were created.” (Revelation 4:8-11)
All
of these living beings, angelic and human, continually acknowledge the
Supremacy and Sovereignty of a Holy God Who gave them life, Who made them
holy and Who gave them those Crowns
of position, power and privilege.
Top
Holy
God Dwells Eternally
Amongst
Holy Men & Holy Angels
“Jude,
the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are
sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.” (Jude 1:1-2)
Here
Jude reveals by the agency of the Holy Spirit that Believers in Christ are
"sanctified by God the Father." Sanctification is simply another
word for "holiness."
Holy
God sent Jesus to purchase holiness for us with His Blood.
Holy God personally conceived this plan. Holy
God personally initiated this plan. Holy God
has personally put His stamp of approval upon this plan.
We
will further see in "Chapter Two: You Are Holy" that Holy God has
supernaturally made His children to be holy even as He is Holy. Who are we
to argue with Holy God? Are we smarter than God to say, "I am not
holy"? I know I am not smarter than Holy God and I have proven it
repeatedly. If you will be honest with yourself, you, too, will
acknowledge that you are not smarter than Holy God.
God
is a just and a fair God. He is our Creator as well as our Father. He is
also our Lawgiver and Judge.
"For
the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; He
will save us." (Isaiah 33:22)
If
Holy God, our Creator, Judge, Lawgiver and King, says making His children
holy by the Blood of Jesus Christ is just and fair, then it is just and fair
indeed.
End of story.
Some
people have tremendous difficulty receiving a healing, a blessing and answer to
prayer, etc., because they cannot figure out how something like this could
be possible and thereby reject God's Gift of Holiness. They think wrongly about themselves,
grieving Holy God and blocking the power flow. Until one learns to cooperate
with, or to flow with, the Holiness of God they cannot possibly flow with
the power of God.
If
that is you, simply say,
“God forgive me for my unbelief. You are Holy and You have made me holy
through Christ's redemptive work at Calvary. I receive Your Gift of
Holiness, in Jesus' Name.”
This
is why I always say, "Christ's work at Calvary far outweighs Satan's
work in the Garden. The most microscopic drop of Jesus' Blood is far greater
than the greatest concentration of evil."
Top
Heaven's
Horses Are Holy
“In
that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE
LORD; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the
altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in
Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall
come and take of them, and seethe therein: in that day there shall be no
more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts.” (Zechariah
14:20-21)
The
Bible reveals that even
the horses in Heaven are holy unto the Lord.
By
the way, Zechariah chapter one reveals that God and Jesus both ride holy horses
in Heaven. Not only do they ride horses in Heaven, but they also travel from
Heaven to Earth and back again on horseback. (Zechariah 1:7-17; 2:1-5;
3:3-8; 4:6)
Also,
if you
have loved ones in Heaven they ride horses as well.
As a matter of fact, every Saint in Heaven is coming back with Jesus,
riding on white horses, clothed in white linen to fight victoriously in the
supernatural Battle of
Armageddon.
"And
I saw Heaven opened and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was
called Faithful and True and in righteousness doth He judge and make war ...
and the armies which were in Heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed
in fine linen, white and clean." (Revelation
19:11-14)
The
Redeemed of all ages and all the angels of Heaven are coming back to Planet
Earth on holy white horses to whip the fire out of Satan, demon powers and all who
stubbornly adhere
to their doctrines.
Someone
said, “But
I’m allergic to horses and I’m afraid of them, too.”
In Heaven there are no allergies. Neither is there any fear of
anything, including horses, for any reason.
The
Saints who are in Heaven are presently being trained for their roles in the Battle
of Armageddon. Those who will be
raptured at the beginning of the 7-year Tribulation period will spend
that 7-year time period in boot camp, also being prepared for the undefeatable
roles which they will play on horseback during the Battle of Armageddon.
This
is why I am not only looking for His appearing, I am also looking to tell
everybody who will listen about His appearing!
Jesus is coming!
Holy God
is coming!
Top
Everything
Concerning God Is Holy
God
refers to the tithes that we owe Him as holy. (Leviticus 27:30) God
refers to the very words He speaks as being holy. (Jeremiah 23:9) God swears
by His Holiness. (Psalm 89:35) God's Name is Holy. (Psalm 105:3) Also, God's
promises are holy. (Psalm 105:42) God's power is a by-product of His
Holiness and His power in manifestation causes His people to be willing to obey
Him. (Psalm 110:3) God's works are holy. (Psalm 145:17) God's Spirit is
called the "Spirit of Holiness." (Romans 1:4) God's people are
called to worship Him in the beauty of His Holiness. (1 Chronicles 16:29)
Supernaturally,
God has made it possible for His people to be holy even as He is Holy. This will be the emphasis of our next chapter.
Top
Chapter
Two: You Are Holy
"And
ye shall be holy unto Me: for I the Lord am Holy and have severed you from
other people, that ye should be Mine." (Leviticus 20:26)
"And
be renewed in the spirit of your mind ... put on the new man, which after
God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:23-24)
No
More Holy Places or Holy Things - Just Holy People
In
the Old Testament physical places and things on Earth were considered to be
holy. The Jordan River was considered holy. The very soil of Israel
was considered holy. The Tent Tabernacle carried through the
Wilderness for forty years and all of its utensils and implements were
considered holy.
"For
there was a Tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the
table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the
second veil the Tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all."
(Hebrews 9:2-3)
The
Tent Tabernacle in the wilderness was considered holy because Holy God
appeared there.
Once a permanent
stone Temple was built by Solomon, it and all of its
utensils and implements were then considered holy.
"And
Solomon made all the vessels that were for the House of God, the golden
altar also and the tables whereon the shewbread was set; Moreover the
candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before
the oracle, of pure gold; and the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs,
made he of gold, and that perfect gold; And the snuffers, and the basins,
and the spoons, and the censors of pure gold: And the entry of the House,
the inner doors thereof for the most Holy place, and the doors of the House
of the Temple, were of gold." (2 Chronicles 4:19-22)
Solomon's
stone Temple was considered holy because Holy God chose to dwell there. He
dwelt deep within the Temple, behind the Temple veil, in what was called the
"Holy of Holies" or the "Most Holy."
"And
thou shalt hang up the veil under the taches, that thou mayest bring in
tither within the veil the Ark of the Testimony: and the veil shall divide
unto you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy." (Exodus 26:33)
No
one apart from the High Priest was allowed by Holy God to go beyond the
Temple veil into the Most Holy place. Anyone who did so would die
immediately. This was because Jesus' Blood had not yet been shed for the
remission of sin. When a sinful man would attempt to go behind the veil
where the Holiness of God was in residence something had to give and it was
not going to be God's Holiness. Man's sin and God's Holiness are the
antithesis of one another, so much so that when sin meets Holiness, sin is
instantly obliterated.
This
is why Holy God could not dwell within His sinful people under the Old
Covenant. He could only dwell amongst His people within Moses' Tent
Tabernacle or Solomon's stone Temple.
"And
I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. And they
shall know that I am the Lord thy God, that brought them forth out of the
land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord thy God."
(Exodus 29:45-46)
Under
the Old Covenant Holy God dwelt among His people, not within His people. And
He did that by dwelling in Moses' Tabernacle and Solomon's Temple. This is
why both places were considered to be holy.
However,
under the New Covenant there are no longer holy places or holy things here on
Earth.
Under
the New Covenant, people, not places or things, have been
made to be holy through the sacrificial offering of Jesus Christ.
Under the New Covenant the Born-Again Believer is now holy because Holy
God actually dwells within them.
"Know
ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in
you? ... for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are." (1
Corinthians 3:16-17)
"What?
Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which ye have of God and ye are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19)
Jesus
went to the Cross on our behalf and in doing so He literally cancelled our
sinful nature. The moment His Spirit left His body the veil of the Temple
was ripped in two, symbolizing that all who believe in His substitutionary
death were now welcome to come into the very presence of Holy God.
"Jesus,
when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold,
the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the
earth did quake and the rocks rent." (Matthew 27:50-51)
The
Bible says the only veil that now stands between Holy God and sinful man is
the veil of Jesus' sacrificed flesh.
"Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiness by the Blood of
Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through
the veil, that is to say His flesh." (Hebrews 10:19-20)
Contrary
to what the world's false religions and make-believe disciplines teach,
those who refuse to come through the veil of the sacrificed Body and Blood
of Jesus Christ are not welcome in the presence of Holy God. However,
those who come to Holy God through the veil of the sacrificed Body and Blood
of Jesus' Christ are indeed welcomed into His presence.
"Let
us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in the time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)
The
Born-Again Believer in Jesus Christ is holy because their sinful nature has
been totally washed away by the Blood of Jesus and they are now the dwelling place of Holy
God.
Not only does God indwell the individual Believer, but He indwells the
entire Body of Christ, making up a corporate, worldwide Holy Temple for Himself.
"Now
therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with
the saints, and of the household of God... In whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord: in Whom ye are also
builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
(Ephesians 2:19-22)
Here
the Apostle Paul makes it perfectly clear that Born-Again Believers in Jesus
Christ, together, form an Holy Temple for Holy God.
The
Apostle Peter made it equally as clear that together we are living, holy
stones, making up a spiritual house as a residence for Holy God.
"Ye
also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood,
to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (1
Peter 2:5)
When
Believers come together in a Church sanctuary for worship and the preaching
and teaching of God's Word, the Church sanctuary is filled with holiness
because the Church sanctuary is filled with holy Believers. However,
when the Believers depart the sanctuary, holiness departs the sanctuary
because holiness goes with the Believers.
The
New Covenant is replete with clear references to the Believer in Christ
having been made holy by the sacrificial offering of the Body and Blood of
Jesus Christ.
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Holy God Prophesied Man's Restoration to Holiness
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:” (Ephesians
1:3-4)
Notice,
here Paul says God has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly
places. The blessings are already ours.
Eternal life, right standing with God, authority over Satan and
demons, financial and material provision,
Divine protection,
salvation for our loved ones, etc., are all already provided.
All the Believer must do is tap into them by faith in order to see
them become manifest in their lives.
Notice
in particular, Paul said in verse four, “He chose us before the foundation of the
world that we should be holy….”
Many read this verse without stopping to think about what Paul is
saying. Long before Adam fell in the Garden losing his holy standing
with God, God knew it was going to
happen. He pre-planned a way for man to be restored to a position of
holiness in spite of the fall. He formulated a way to take an
unholy mess and turn it into an holy message. He even appeared in the
Garden and decreed to Satan how He would personally turn things around.
“And
the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art
cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly
shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will
put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)
Here
we find Holy God prophesying to Satan that He would send a Redeemer to crush him
and to restore man's original position of holiness in God. Christ
was to be mortally wounded in the process but God gave a prophetic guarantee
that He would restore His man unto Himself, in holiness, in spite of man's fall.
When
God decrees a thing it will happen no matter who or what comes against
it. This is why I
like to say, “Prophecy is history before it happens.”
When God says something will occur, you can mark it down as history even
before it occurs because it is going to occur!
In
the Garden God boldly prophesied the redemption, restoration and setting apart of His human
creation. This indeed
has come to pass. Those who believe in
God's Plan of Redemption have been redeemed in Christ. They have been washed and sanctified,
made holy before Holy God, by His Son’s Holy Blood.
When
Paul told the Ephesians God has chosen us that we should be
"holy," he used a root word meaning "sanctified." Sanctified means “to be set apart, to be made pure and to be made
morally blameless.”
What God has done
by restoring His human creation to holiness is absolutely miraculous!
Some
actually complain that God making sinful man holy in Christ is not just and
fair. However, as stated early on, God is not only our Creator but He is our Lawgiver and
Judge. He makes the rules.
"For
the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; He
will save us." (Isaiah 33:22)
If
Holy God, our Lawgiver, Judge and Rule Maker, says it is just and fair to
restore man to holiness through Christ, then it is just and fair indeed.
Now,
to accept the Gift of Holiness,
to cooperate with the Gift of Holiness and to flow with the Gift of Holiness will result
in flowing with the supernatural.
Keep
in mind as we continue to move through this chapter that the word Paul used for
holy is
actually "sanctification" which means “to be set apart, to be made pure and to be made
morally blameless.”
The
words "righteousness," "sanctification" and
"holiness" can be used interchangeably.
Let’s
now see how holiness, righteousness or "sanctification" comes to the Believer in
Jesus Christ.
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Sanctification
Comes Through the Word of God
“Now
ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3)
Jesus
said you "are" clean. He did
not say "you are going to be clean." Jesus told His Disciples that those who believe in Him are already
clean.
Holiness is a present-tense
experience.
Most
Christians live their entire lives thinking they are all messed up and need
to do something to make themselves right with God. But
Jesus said this is not necessary. Jesus said to keep believing
His Word of holiness, obeying His
Word of holiness, living His Word of holiness and speaking His Word
of holiness because He has already made
us holy through His Word.
The
Word of God says that we have already been made righteous, or holy, in Christ.
“Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new … for He hath made Him to be sin for us,
Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
(2 Corinthians 5:17, 21)
Righteousness
simply means to have the same standing with Holy God as Jesus. It grants the
Believer the absolute right to stand in the presence of Holy God without a
sense of guilt or inferiority. Righteousness is a
gift to the Believer. Righteousness is not something to be earned by
the Believer. Righteousness
is not something that must be done by the Believer.
Righteousness, or holiness, can
only be received as a gift.
God
allowed Jesus to be made a sin offering for us that we might be made holy in
Him. To
put it in laymen's terms, God put the wrong on Jesus so He could put the
right on us! Now all one must do is accept Christ's dying in their place,
receive the free gift of righteousness and cooperate with it on a daily
basis. We must
make the decision to continue to cooperate with Jesus and His Word in the holiness, setting apart, process.
There are actually fifteen commands in the Bible instructing the
Believer to cooperate with holiness. This means we must continually
pull ourselves in line with the holiness He has imparted to
us.
This
also means we must repent
immediately when we have done something unholy, receive our forgiveness and
continue to walk in holiness.
"If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
It
is vital as Believers in Jesus Christ that we not be found walking about saying, "I'm so messed up!" when Jesus said, "No,
you're so cleaned up. You are holy because of Me!" Only the most
foolish, thankless Christian would dare to allow Christ to die for them in
vain by rejecting His Gift of Holiness.
This
is why the Apostle Paul said the Believer must make a decision, as a
conscious act of their God-given free-will, to "put on" the holy
new man or woman.
"And
put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true
holiness." (Ephesians 4:24)
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Sanctification
Comes by Faith
When
the Apostle Paul stood on trial before King Agrippa, he became suddenly bold,
testifying to Agrippa how Jesus appeared to him and called him to the work of the Ministry. Listen to what Paul said, quoting Jesus from
his Damascus Road visitation.
“To
open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power
of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.” (Acts
26:18)
Paul,
quoting Jesus, said sanctification, or holiness, comes "by faith."
This simply means that the Believer in Jesus Christ must believe they have
been sanctified by faith in Christ. The Believer must accept it and
not reject it. The Believer must utilize this revelation and not
analyze this revelation. The Believer must not allow their human mind
to pick this apart but rather they must just get it together and receive
sanctification as a gift. A pure and simple gift from Holy God.
Jesus died and rose from the
dead and this is exactly why He did it. He did
not come to save us and leave us as we were.
He saved us to make us holy even as He is holy. We
are sanctified by faith even as we are saved by faith.
“For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
(Ephesians 2:8, 9)
One
of the primary reasons the Body of Christ has such difficulty with answered
prayer
is that many do not yet fully realize that they have been made holy by
faith. When Believers understand they have been made holy by faith they will
live differently. They will live righter. They will live bolder. They
will live higher. They will live longer and stronger.
This
is why everyone needs to be involved in a local
Church. It is the job of the local Church Pastor
to feed and tend the sheep to help them to grow in knowledge of holiness and
in character and integrity.
Until
Believers receive the Gift of Holiness, they are going to live with
condemnation, unanswered prayer, powerlessness and defeat.
However,
those who do receive the Gift of Holiness will reign in life by Christ.
"For
if by one man's (Adam) offense death reigned by one; much more they which
receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (holiness) shall
reign in life by One Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)
Top
Sanctification
Comes by the Person of the Holy Spirit
“That
I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the
gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable,
being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:16)
Here
Paul states that he was personally commissioned by Jesus to tell the
Gentiles (non-Jews) that they, too, could be
sanctified, or made holy, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
What
could be more clear? Sanctification happens by the
power of the Holy Spirit.
Through
a supernatural empowering of the Holy Spirit, Believers in Jesus Christ are
transformed from profane to sacred and set apart for service to Holy God.
The
Bible says we are not just a bunch of ole sinners saved by grace. The
Bible says we are sanctified, morally pure, made holy and set apart by faith
through a supernatural working of the Holy Spirit.
Some
people never see answered prayer because they are unaware of their position
in Christ and think wrong, unbiblical things about
themselves, thereby binding the hands of Holy God.
“As
a man thinketh in his heart, so he is.” (Proverbs 23:7)
One
of the best ways the Believer in Jesus Christ can please their Heavenly
Father is to study their position of holiness in Christ and have faith in the supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit.
"But
without faith it's impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must
believe that He is and that He's a Rewarder of them that diligently seek
Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
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Sanctification
Comes by the Person of Jesus Christ
“But
of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” (1 Corinthians 1:30)
Here
the Word reveals that Jesus is the Provider of sanctification. Through
His redemptive work at Calvary, Jesus gave us the same standing with God that He has.
Some
people hear this and their mind goes “tilt.”
It is just too difficult for them to accept, but it is true,
nonetheless.
The Believer in Jesus Christ is as righteous, sanctified
and holy as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
"For
He (God) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Here
the Bible reveals that Believers are "the righteousness of God" in
Christ.
God's righteousness is perfect. There is no room for
improvement. God's sanctification is perfect. There is no room for
improvement. God's holiness is perfect. There is no room for improvement.
Jesus
is made unto us "righteousness and sanctification." Because there is only one degree of righteousness, sanctification
and holiness, this means that we all share that same degree with Christ.
There
is simply no room for the Believer to improve in holiness. We can always
cooperate with it more fully, yes. But it is impossible to improve
upon the holy standing God has given us in Christ.
When
the Believer departs their body and
travels on to Heaven, one of the first things
they discover upon arrival is that they are no more righteous, sanctified or
holy in Heaven than they were back on Planet Earth. God's righteousness,
sanctification and holiness are as perfect here as they are there on the Planet
Heaven.
This
is why I say the Believer has the same standing with God as Jesus Christ.
This is why the Apostle Paul said, "...Christ in you, the hope of
glory." (Colossians 1:27)
When
I read the Bible I see that Somebody really loves us. I see Somebody
really wanted to redeem us back from Satan's hijacking. I see Somebody Who was
willing to die to get us back, to clean us up, to make us holy and to give
us absolute power and authority over the one who stole us from
Him.
This
revelation of God's perfect holiness goes absolutely cross-wise and contrary
to the religious line of thinking that says, "God is angry" and
"God is wrath."
The
Holy Bible says God is love and He sent Jesus that we might live in holiness
through Him.
"In
this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His
only Begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." (1
John 4:9)
So
it is clear that Jesus provided holiness. Now, let's see how He provided
holiness.
Top
Sanctification
Comes by the Offering of Jesus’ Body & Blood
“By
the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10)
The
first nine chapters of the Book of Hebrews were written by the Apostle Paul
to persuade the Hebrew Believers that the Christian now has complete and
total access to the Presence of God through the offering of the Body and
Blood of Jesus Christ.
Those
nine chapters all conclude right here in Hebrews 10:10, "We are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ."
Paul
also told the Hebrews "...and without the shedding of blood there is no
remission of sin." (Hebrews 9:22)
The
Bible reveals that God prepared Jesus' Body and Blood as a sin offering for
us. Through Christ's offering of His Body and Blood, we have been made holy
again without having to pay the penalty of death ourselves.
Had
all of humanity been required to pay sin's death penalty for themselves, we
would have been lost unto God for we did not have authority over
death. We did not have the ability to raise from the dead.
God needed someone with authority over death, a human
someone, a sinless someone and someone with the ability to raise from the
dead
to pay the penalty for the sin of humanity. That way, once the penalty
of death was paid that someone could raise again from the dead and not be lost unto
God.
That Someone was
the God-Man, Jesus Christ.
"For
the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the
altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh
an atonement for the soul." (Leviticus 17:11)
In
the Old Testament atonement, or temporary covering, for the sins of the
people was accomplished by offering the blood of animals. However, in
the New Testament remission, or the actual once-and-for-all wiping away, of
sins was accomplished by the offering of the Blood
of Jesus.
When
I hear Preachers hammering away at God's wrath towards humanity, I know
immediately they have not been reading their Bibles. Or possibly they do
read their Bibles but they spend more time hanging out in the Old Testament
than they do in the New Testament. The
Old Testament was a Dispensation of Condemnation. The New Testament is
the Dispensation of Grace and Holiness.
When
Preachers do not temper their Old Testament reading with equal or greater
New Testament reading, they have a tendency to preach condemnation.
Preachers who spend most of their study time in the New Testament have a
much better grip on God's love, God's mercy and the fact that He has made us
holy through the sacrificed Body and Blood of the
God-Man, Jesus Christ.
When
I read through the New Testament I see that Someone is consumed with
thoughts of us. I see that Somebody loves us dearly in spite of
our severe shortcomings.
I see Someone Who was willing to pay whatever price necessary to restore us
to a position of holiness in Him.
That
Someone is Holy God.
“Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through
the veil, that is to say, His flesh;” (Hebrews 10:19-20)
The
word “boldness” used here by Paul is actually “liberty and full access.”
Even
the Old Testament High Priest did not have liberty and full access to Holy
God.
In the Old Testament only the highest of Priests, the High Priest,
could enter into the Holy of Holies and then only once a year.
But
in the New Testament, the least of all saints has daily access to the
Holiest place in Heaven – the actual Throne Room of God. Why?
Because of the offering of Jesus' Flesh and Blood.
"So
let's walk right up to Him and get what He is so ready to give. Take the
mercy, accept the help." (Hebrews 4:16 Message Bible)
Sanctification
comes by the offering of Jesus' Body and Blood. It makes access to Holy God
instant and effortless. It makes us one in holiness with Jesus and that in
itself grants us immediate access into the presence of Holy God.
"For
both He (Jesus) that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one:
for which cause He (Jesus) is not ashamed to call them brethren."
(Hebrews 2:11)
Jesus'
sacrifice at Calvary has literally granted us equal standing with Him before
Holy God. It is in His Holiness and in His making us holy that we become
brethren, and Jesus
is proud to call us brethren. It gives Him inexpressible joy to have made us
holy in Him. It pleases Him more than earthly words can express that through
the offering of His Body and Blood, His brethren can now approach His Father
and their Father without a sense of guilt or condemnation.
This
is one of the primary reasons why
we take Holy Communion. Communion is taken in remembrance of Christ
sacrificing Himself unto death to make us holy.
"For
as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's
death til He come." (1 Corinthians 11:26)
If
you have been condemning yourself and seeing yourself any way other than the
way Holy God and the Lord Jesus Christ see you, simply say, "Thank You, Father. Thank
You, Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. I am holy. Forgive my unbelief."
Top
Sanctification Comes by the Will of the Father
“Jude,
the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are
sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.” (Jude 1:1-2)
So
we have seen that holiness comes to us through the Word and we receive it by
faith. We have seen that the
Holy Spirit is the agency through whom holiness is imparted to us and that Jesus personally paid for
our holiness with His sinless Body and Blood.
Here
Jude reveals, by revelation of the Holy Spirit, that it is the Father Who
conceived, initiated and puts His personal stamp of approval on sanctifying,
or making Born-Again human beings holy.
So,
who are we to argue with Holy God when it comes to the Doctrine of Holiness?
Do our little brains function more proficiently than He Who created our
little brains? Are
we smarter than Holy God? As previously
stated, I know I am
not smarter than God and have proven it time and again.
I can prove
that you, too, are not smarter than God. How? By reminding you of the fact
that you have a belly button. The fact that you have a belly button reveals
that you were connected to an umbilical cord. With the exception of the
God-Man Jesus, all umbilical cords lead directly back
to Adam and Eve. The fact that you are a direct descendant of Adam and Eve
is proof positive that you are not smarter than God. You and I are the proud
offspring of two disobedient dumb darlings who caused the Crisis
of the Ages.
Not
only does our direct blood connection to Adam and Eve prove we are not
smarter than God, but it means that our blood is tainted with sin and
rebellion even as their blood was tainted by sin and rebellion.
However,
in spite of Adam and Eve's rebellion and our being sin-tarnished by it, the Holy God of all wisdom predetermined, as a conscious act of His own free-will,
that He would purchase us back through redemption and make us holy in order to
glorify Himself.
"...ye
were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the
praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)
Some
people have tremendous difficulty receiving answers to their prayers because
they think wrongly about themselves and grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
It is vital that you see yourself as Holy God sees you, particularly in
such perilous times as
these.
As
a Believer, if
you refuse to allow God to be glorified by refusing to see yourself as God sees
you in Christ, you
will soon begin to listen to
the voice of condemnation. Then
it will not be long before you backslide and your condition will become
seven times worse than it was before you ever even heard there was such a
thing as sanctification by faith.
"When
an unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places,
seeking rest, and finding none. Then he sayeth, I will return unto my house
from whence I came out; and when he is come he findeth it empty, swept and
garnished (void of holiness). Then goeth he and taketh with himself seven
other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there:
and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be
also unto this wicked generation." (Matthew
12:43:45)
I
have had many people tell me, “Pastor, I’ve got such a low self-image
problem." or "I have low
self-esteem.”
I
tell them, “Yes. That’s because you don't know what the Word says about
righteousness, sanctification and holiness. Through your lack of
knowledge
Satan has tricked you into thinking that you could never be everything the
Bible says you already are. As a result he's been able to bind you with
guilt, condemnation and an unbiblical self-image."
Satan
is a
fallen angel. Satan is not a travel
agent. So make up your mind right now that never again will he sell you on
one of his world famous guilt trips. If you have made mistakes and blown
it, repent
immediately. Confess it to Holy God in Jesus' Name and the Blood will wash
you white as snow. Then stand up like the holy person of God you really are and
start walking in line with God's perfect holiness again.
“Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new. … For He hath made Him to be sin for us,
Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
(2 Corinthians 5:17, 21)
Man
is the apex of all of God's creation. Holy God cares more about humanity than He
does about all other things which have come into existence through Him.
This
is why He allowed Jesus Christ to come to Planet Earth as Heaven's
Solitary Missionary to sacrifice His Body and Blood for the express
purpose of restoring fallen man to a position of dignity,
honor and holiness.
This
is why Jesus Christ now represents humanity in the Trinity.
Have
you ever thought about that, Reader? Has it ever occurred to you that
humanity, including you, is indeed represented in the Holy Trinity?
Not
only does Jesus Christ represent Born-Again humanity in the Trinity, but the
Bible also says we are seated in Him, to the Father's right hand, in a place
of tremendous spiritual authority.
"And
He (God) raised us up together with Him (Christ) and made us sit down
together [giving us joint-seating with Him] in the Heavenly sphere [by
virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One)." (Ephesians 2:6
Amplified Bible)
Holiness
is a miracle performed by the will of the Father to the praise of His Glory!
Holy
God deserves to be glorified for having made His children holy.
Top
Chapter
Three: Flow with His Holiness & Flow with His Power
"Present
yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant
with life, in which you'll serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved
lives up to God." (1 Peter 2:5 Message Bible)
Smith
Wigglesworth, often referred to as the "Apostle of Faith," was a
British pioneer of the 20th century's major Pentecostal revival.
Wigglesworth said, "You must refuse everything that is not pure and
holy. God wants you pure in heart. He wants you to have an intense desire
after holiness."
Andrew
Murray, the 19th century South African Bible Teacher, writer and Pastor
said, "Not only has God chosen and called us for salvation, but also
for holiness - salvation in holiness. The goal of the young Christian must
not only be safety in Christ but also holiness in Christ. Safety and
salvation are, in the long run, found only in holiness. The Christian who
thinks that his salvation consists merely in safety and not in holiness will
find himself deceived."
Many
Christians wrongly believe that simply accepting salvation in Christ is
enough to keep them protected and provided for, but that is not what the
Bible teaches.
One must endeavor daily to cooperate with God's Holiness or
to "put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and
true holiness." (Ephesians 4:24)
As Pastor Murray has
rightly stated, safety and
salvation are, in the long run, found only by cooperating with
holiness.
The
Christian who thinks salvation alone guarantees protection, provision and
long life will find themselves horribly deceived. One must cooperate with
holiness daily. When mistakes are made they must be confessed and removed by
the Blood of Jesus and the Christian must continue to walk out their
holiness. God will forgive all confessed stumblings from holiness and allow His
children to continue to move forward in holiness as if no mistakes were
made. What a wonderful Holy God and Benevolent Father.
"On
the other hand, if we admit our sins - make a clean breast of them - He
won't let us down; He'll be true to Himself. He'll forgive our sins and
purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim we've never sinned, we out-and-out
contradict God - make a liar out of Him. A claim like that only shows off
our ignorance of God. I write this dear children to guide you out of sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have a Priest-Friend in the presence of the
Father: Jesus Christ, Righteous (Holy) Jesus." (1 John 1:9-2:1 Message
Bible)
As
we saw in the previous two chapters everything concerning God is Holy.
He calls His children to fellowship in conformity with His Holiness. How
can anyone be saved in Holy God and have fellowship with Him when he
does not have the same holy disposition as Holy God?
It
is through partaking of Holy God's Divine nature that Believers not only
escape the corruption that is in the world but are also able to partake of
the promises of God.
"According
as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and
godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and
virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the
corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:3-4)
It
is through deliberately partaking of and cooperating with Holy God's Divine
nature that we are able to walk in the supernatural. Cooperating with
holiness
is a vital stepping stone into the realm of the miraculous.
However,
most
Christians are unacquainted with holiness, spend their lives living in sin
and never experience the miraculous. For the most part they do not live in sin because they are hypocrites. They
live in sin because they lack knowledge of God's Word, do not know who they are in Christ and do not
know the power they have over temptation. They simply do not know that they
are holy or how to flow with holiness. The end result is a constant
wondering as to why they never see the power of God manifest on their
behalf. They live with the unnecessary frustration of unanswered prayer and
powerlessness.
Jesus
Christ was the most powerful Man Who ever lived, not solely because He was
the Son of God, but because He was the most humble Man Who ever lived. Jesus
was humble in that He always chose His Father's will over His own will.
Jesus always chose His Father's Word over His own fleshly desires.
"Let
this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in
Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] Who, although being
essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of
the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was
a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, but stripped Himself [of all
privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant
(slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
"And
after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still
further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death
of the cross! Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted
Him and bestowed on Him the Name that is above every name. That in (at) the
Name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in Heaven and on Earth and under
the Earth." (Philippians 2:5-10 Amplified Bible)
When
a humble Christian receives God's Gift of Holiness and learns to cooperate
with it by resisting sin, they
will soon find themselves flowing with the power of God similar to the way
Jesus did. Of course, no one can experience the power of God to the degree
that Jesus did for the Bible says He was anointed without measure. (John
3:34) But Jesus did say we would do similar works by cooperating with
His Holiness.
"The
person who trusts Me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater
things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to
do that I've been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you
request along the lines of Who I am and what I'm doing, I'll do it. That's
how the Father will be seen for Who He is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever
you request in this way, I'll do." (John 14:12-14 Message Bible)
When
a Believer in Jesus Christ learns to choose God's Word over their own will
the way Jesus always did, they will find themselves walking in the
miraculous similar to the way Jesus did.
To
flow with God's Holiness is to flow with God's power.
Top
Holy
Living Is Simply Cooperating with God's Holy Word
"Follow
peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the
Lord." (Hebrews 12:14)
"For
as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is
dead." (James 2:26)
Once
saved in Christ the Christian must now begin to live in a way that reflects
God's character and nature. The Christian must cooperate with their position
of holiness in Christ through obedience to God's Word. The Bible says that
faith without works, or corresponding actions, is dead. One translation of
the Bible says "dead as a doornail." That is an expression of
powerlessness.
The
true Believer in Christ, the Christ-lover, is ever desirous of their
corresponding actions being in line with Christ's Holy nature. This is done
by saying "Yes" to God's Word and "No" to sin.
For
example, when temptation comes it is a simple matter of the Believer using
the power of words, opening
their mouth and decreeing, "I am free from sin. I am a truth-teller. I
am free from lying in Jesus' Name." Or, "I am free from sin. I
live a holy life. I am free from fornication in Jesus' Name." Whatever
your area of temptation might be, simply declare that you are free from it
in Jesus' Name.
The
Believer must also address Satan and
demonic powers informing them that they are no longer free to harass and
dominate in that area by simply saying, "Satan, you no longer have
control of me in this area. I yield to Holy God, in Jesus' Name."
Let's
go now to the Word of God to see just some of the things written by the Apostle
Paul concerning saying "Yes" to holiness and "No" to
unholiness.
Top
1
Corinthians 6:9-11 The Amplified Bible
"Do
you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or
have any share in the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): Neither
the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who
participate in homosexuality, nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy
graspers, nor drunkards, nor foul-mouthed revilers and slanderers, nor
extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the Kingdom of
God. And such some of you were [once].
"But you were washed clean (purified
by a complete atonement for sin and made free from the guilt of sin), and you
were consecrated (set apart, hallowed), and you were justified [pronounced
righteous, by trusting] in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the
[Holy] Spirit of our God."
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Galatians
5:19-26 The Message Bible
"It
is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all
the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental
and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket
gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition;
all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to
love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and
lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a
rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of
community. This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use
your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's Kingdom.
"But
what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much
the same way that fruit appears in an orchard - things like affection for
others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick
with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a
basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in
loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and
direct our energies wisely.
"Legalism
is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who
belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and
mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off
for good - crucified.
"Since
this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make
sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in
our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That
means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were
better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our
lives. Each of us is an original."
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Philippians
2:12-16 The Amplified Bible
"Therefore,
my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only
[with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I
am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete)
your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with
serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation,
timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the Name of
Christ). [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while
effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and
desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and
delight.
"Do
all things without grumbling and fault-finding and complaining [against God]
and questioning and doubting [among yourselves], that you may show
yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated,
children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a
crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among
whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in
the [dark] world,
"Holding
out [to it] and offering [to all men] the Word of Life, so that in the day of
Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in that I
did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose."
Top
Colossians
3:1-4:2 The Message Bible
"So
if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act
like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along,
eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up,
and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is.
See things from His perspective. Your old life is dead. Your new life, which
is your real life - even though invisible to spectators - is with Christ in
God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again
on this Earth, you'll show up, too - the real you, the glorious you.
Meanwhile, be content with obscurity like Christ. And that means
killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity,
impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and
grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a life shaped by things and
feelings instead of by God.
"It
wasn't long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any
better. But you know better now, so make sure it's all gone for good: bad
temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk. Don't lie to one
another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of
ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. Now you're
dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made
by the Creator, with His label on it. All
the old fashions are now obsolete.
"So,
chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked
out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be
even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense.
Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless
of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment.
Never be without it. Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each
other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own
thing. And cultivate thankfulness.
"Let
the Word of Christ - the Message - have the run of the house. Give it
plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good
common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in
your lives - words, actions, whatever - be done in the Name of the Master,
Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
"Wives,
understand and support your husbands by submitting to them in ways that honor
the Master. Husbands, go all out in love for your wives. Don't take advantage
of them. Children, do what your parents tell you. This delights the Master no
end. Parents, don't come down too hard on your children or you'll crush their
spirits.
"Servants,
do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum
that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master,
for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your
inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is
Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible.
Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work. And masters, treat your
servants considerately. Be fair with them. Don't forget for a minute that you,
too, serve a Master - God in Heaven. Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your
eyes wide open in gratitude."
So
we see clearly from the precious Holy written Word of God that cooperating
with the Gift of Holiness is indeed a matter of making the daily decision to
say "Yes" to holiness and "No" to unholiness. If the
Believer in Christ did not have the power to say "No" to
unholiness, Holy God would not be within His jurisdiction to require that
they do so. However,
the Believer does indeed have power over sin in the mighty Name of Jesus.
This is clearly revealed in the Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Romans.
Top
Romans
6:6-14 The Message Bible
"Could
it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ,
a decisive end to that sin-miserable life - no longer at sin's every beck
and call! What we believe is this: if we get included in Christ's
sin-conquering death, we also get included in His life-saving resurrection.
We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end
of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus
died, He took down sin with Him, but alive He brings God down to us. From
now on think of it this way: sin speaks a dead language that means nothing
to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word.
"You are
dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did. That means you must not
give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of
day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of
life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and fulltime - remember, you've been
raised from the dead! - into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you
how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer.
You're living in the freedom of God."
Top
Receiving
Holy God's Incomprehensible Forgiveness: The Final Frontier
God
is Holy. Everything about Him is Holy, including His Born-Again
children.
Holy
living is simply making the decision to cooperate with God's Holy Word and
repenting immediately no matter how often we blow it. God will forgive us no
matter how often we come for forgiveness. This is what makes the Blood of
Jesus so precious. Listen to this very revealing conversation between the
Apostle Peter and The Master Jesus.
"Then
came Peter to Him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me,
and I forgive him? Til seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto
thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven." (Matthew
18:21-22)
Peter
thought he was being quite magnanimous offering to forgive someone for the
same offense seven times in one day. The Law only required Peter to forgive
the same offense three times in one day. However, Jesus astounded
Peter informing him that if someone sinned against him seventy times seven,
or 490 times in one day, asking forgiveness each time, Peter must forgive
them.
My
wife, Barbara, once put the pencil to this mathematical forgiveness
equation. Forgiving someone 490 times in a 24-hour period is to potentially
forgive them as often as once every 2 1/2 minutes.
Why
would Holy God require His children to forgive those who ask forgiveness as
often as 490 times in a 24-hour period? The answer is because God requires
His children to imitate Him and He is the Greatest Forgiver of all.
"Therefore
be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved
children [imitate their Father]. And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting
in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain
offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet
fragrance." (Ephesians 5:1-2 Amplified Bible)
God
will forgive even more often than 490 times a day if necessary. There are no
limitations on how often God will forgive us when we ask for forgiveness.
This is just one of the ways God in His Holiness is past finding out. This
is why I always say, "The most microscopic drop of Jesus' Holy Blood is
far more powerful than even the greatest concentration of evil. Christ's
work at Calvary far outweighs Satan's work in the Garden."
Walking
in holiness includes seeking God's forgiveness as often as it is needed. The
Believer in Jesus Christ must not make the mistake of limiting God's
willingness to forgive to the small channel of human reasoning. If God says
He will forgive as often as we will come seeking forgiveness, then He will
forgive as often as we come
seeking forgiveness.
Seeking forgiveness, no matter how often, is all
part of cooperating with the Gift of Holiness.
"He
has not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our
iniquities. For as the Heavens are high above the Earth, so great are His
mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear
Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our
transgressions from us. As a Father loves and pities His children, so the Lord
loves and pities those who fear Him [with reverence, worship and awe]. For He
knows our frame, He [earnestly] remembers and imprints [on His heart] that we
are dust." (Psalm 103:10-14 Amplified Bible)
The
Lord does not deal with us according to our sins. He deals with us
according to the ability of Jesus' Blood to wipe away our sins. He
removes our confessed sins so far away that we will never encounter them
again. He loves us. He pities us and He remembers that we are just
human beings.
"Behold,
it was for my peace that I had intense bitterness; but You have loved back
my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have cast all my
sins behind Your back." (Isaiah 38:17 Amplified Bible)
This
verse literally says, "For You have placed my sins between Your
shoulder blades." Why does God say He will place our sins between His
shoulder blades? Have someone place a tennis ball between your
shoulder blades. Now turn around and try to look at the tennis ball. It is
impossible. God places our confessed sins where it is impossible for Him to
ever see them again.
You should be shouting right about
now, or at least crying some very happy tears!
"And
therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and
therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the Lord
is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him." (Isaiah
30:18)
I
once heard someone say, "God had mercy on the people of the world while
Jesus was here but since Christ ascended, He no longer has mercy on the
sinful people of the world, not even His own children." I
thought, "That's not what my Bible says. My Bible says Jesus was
exalted to Heaven that He may continue to have mercy upon the people of the
world, especially His own."
Isaiah makes it perfectly clear that
Christ was exalted to extend mercy not to withdraw mercy. The Lord has
judged our confessed sins as forgiven and wiped away! Blessed are they who
believe it.
"He
was looked down on and passed over, a Man Who suffered, Who knew pain first
hand. One look at Him and people turned away. We looked down on Him, thought
He was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains He carried - our
disfigurements, all the things wrong with us! We thought He brought it on
Himself, that God was punishing Him for His own failures. But it was our
sins that did that to Him, that ripped and tore and crushed Him - our sins!
He took the punishment and that made us whole. Through His bruises we get
healed. We're all like sheep who have wandered off and gotten lost. We've
all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins,
everything we've done wrong, on Him." (Isaiah 53:2-6 Message
Bible)
Here
Isaiah perfectly expresses how Holy God put the wrong on Jesus so He could put
the right on us. To not accept God's forgiveness even for sins committed
after being Born-Again is to simply allow Jesus to die in vain. What
Christ-lover would ever do such a thing?
"For
I will forgive their iniquity and I will [seriously] remember their sin no
more." (Jeremiah 31:34 Amplified Bible)
"I'll
wipe the slate clean for each of them. I'll forget they ever sinned! God's
Decree!" (Jeremiah 31:34 Message Bible)
God
seriously forgives and forgets our sins. When Holy God wipes our sin slates
clean, you can be sure of this one thing, they are as clean as a whistle!
"God's
loyal love couldn't have run out, His merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning. How great Your faithfulness! I'm
sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left."
(Lamentations 3:22-24 Message Bible)
Because
Holy God's mercy rises up new from within Him every morning, it is
impossible for His mercy, love and forgiveness to run out. Holy God is a
Fountainhead of love, mercy and forgiveness.
"Where
is the god who can compare with You - wiping the slate clean of guilt,
turning a blind eye, a deaf ear, to the past sins of Your purged and
precious people? ... For mercy is Your specialty. That's what You love most.
And compassion is on its way to us. You'll stamp out our wrongdoing. You'll
sink our sins to the bottom of the ocean. You'll stay true to Your word to
Father Jacob and continue the compassion You showed Grandfather Abraham -
everything You promised our ancestors from a long time ago." (Micah
7:18-20 Message Bible)
God
sinks our confessed sins to the bottom of the ocean where they can never be
found again. This is all made possible by the precious shed Blood of Jesus.
Confess your sins to Holy God and put up a sign to the Devil that reads,
"No fishing in the Blood!"
Someone
said that all the verses I have just shared with you are in the Old
Testament, have only to do with Israel and nothing to do with the New
Testament Church. The Holy Spirit says, "I beg to differ."
We just read that God promised to stay true and continue the compassion He showed to
Grandfather Abraham.
The Bible says if we belong to Christ that we are
Abraham's offspring and all the promises to Abraham and Israel are promises to
us, as well.
"Do
you remember the Scripture that says, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a
tree'? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross: He became a
curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse. And now, because of that,
the air is cleared and we can see that Abraham's blessing is present and
available for non-Jews, too. We are all able to receive God's life, His
Spirit, in and with us by believing - just the way Abraham received it. ...
Also, since you are Christ's family, then you are Abraham's famous
'descendant,' heirs according to the Covenant promises." (Galatians
3:13, 14, 29 Message Bible)
Here
again, the Word of God completely dispels the human reasoning that says God's promises
to Israel do not include the New Testament Church. A big hallelujah to that!
"Fortunate
those whose crimes are carted off, whose sins are wiped clean from the
slate. Fortunate the person against whom the Lord does not keep score."
(Romans 4:7 Message Bible)
When
Holy God carts off our sins, He does not keep score of how many there were
or where He dumped them. The devil keeps score. Our enemies keep score
and even we might keep score. But not Holy God. We must never do what
God Himself will not do. The Apostle Paul said we are to "imitate
God," not "imitate the devil." (Ephesians 5:1)
"Let
us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the Throne of Grace
(the Throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy
[for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need
[appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]."
(Hebrews 4:16 Amplified Bible)
Holy
God commands His holy children to come fearlessly, confidently and boldly to
the Throne of Mercy and Grace where they will find forgiveness and help, no
matter what the problem may be. Many through fear, condemnation and
intimidation refuse to do this.
I have had more than one individual tell me,
"Pastor, I simply cannot bear to go to God and tell Him what I have
done." My response is always basically the same, "Believe me, dear
one. When you do tell Him, it won't be the first He's heard of it. It will
not be a revelation to Him. He's waiting for you to come, not for you to
reveal what you have done, but rather that He may cleanse and conceal what
you have done. He knows all about it and still He beckons. God is not your
problem. He is your solution."
"I'll
be their God, they'll be My people. They won't go to school to learn about
Me, or buy a book called God In Five Easy Lessons. They'll all get to
know Me firsthand, the little and the big, the small and the great. They'll
get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins
forever wiped clean." (Hebrews 8:11-12 Message Bible)
Here
again the Apostle Paul makes it forever clear that Holy God, our Father,
wants us to know Him by His kindness, His mercy and His willingness to
forgive no matter how often we need cleansing. This is how the Believer
maintains their position of holiness in Him.
The
end result of Born-Again Believers seeking forgiveness of God as often as
necessary and continuing to flow with God's Word is always their flowing with God's power. This
is not a license to sin. This is a license to receive forgiveness when we do
sin and to flow with God's power once again.
Christian
America has not experienced great, consistent manifestations of God's power
for nearly sixty years. This is because Christian America, in her great
God-given wealth and spiritual complacency, has shown contempt for the
Holiness of the God Who has protected and provided for her. For the most
part Christian America has not yet bothered to ask God's forgiveness for her
national sins.
Four
of the primary ways Christian America has said "No" to God's
Holiness is through 56 million abortions
since the U.S. Supreme Court's "Roe v Wade" decision in 1972, the
normalization of homosexuality, rampant
fornication and adultery even within the Church and tampering with Israel's
national security.
The
power of God is a manifestation of the Holiness of God. When nations or
individuals show contempt for God's Holiness, they must not only learn to
live without His holy power, they must prepare to face His loving
judgment.
Repentance,
reverence and a restoration of holiness is the answer to Christian America's
present judgment.
Repentance,
reverence and a restoration of holiness is the answer to your present
dilemma, dear Reader.
If
you have not been cooperating with God's Holiness by cooperating
with His Word, simply repent and you can begin to flow with His power.
Remember, God is Holy and He has supernaturally made you holy.
Whenever
a Christian stumbles and falls from their holy position in Christ, they must
run to God and not
away from Him in it. That is what Holy God is all about. He is the Blesser, not the damner.
The
penitent Christian will be cleansed by the precious, powerful Blood of Jesus
Christ and allowed to walk
and live in holiness once again no matter how much Satan
or demonic principalities and powers do not like it.
"The
Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all of His works."
(Psalm 145:9)
Keeping
in mind that King David said by inspiration of the Holy Spirit that
"God's tender mercies are over all His works," let's take a look
at something the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church of all ages in his Epistle
to the Ephesians.
"For
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God
hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)
The
Apostle Paul said that you, Reader, are God's work-man-ship. King David said
that God's tender mercies are over all of His works. This can only mean one
thing. No matter what you may have done wrong, God's
mercy hovers over you right now. If you will repent, you are marked for
Holy God's incomprehensible forgiveness.
No
matter who you are, where you've been or what you've done, you must make up
your mind to receive Holy God's incomprehensible forgiveness. It's the
Christian's final frontier.
Jesus
once told a Pharisee He was overwhelmingly pleased by the fact that those
whom He forgave the most would also be those who would love Him the most.
(Luke 7:36-43)
Possibly
this is you today, Reader. Possibly you have been thinking your great sins
are far beyond God's capacity to forgive. Holy God wants you to know He is
well aware that you will love Him more than most because He forgives you
more than most. The thought of forgiving you greatly in exchange for your
equally as great a love is exciting to Holy God. He longs for this great
exchange with you.
"How
much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who through the Eternal Spirit offered
Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve
the Living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)
Holy
God not only desires to forgive His holy children's sins when they have been
wrong, He desires to cleanse their guilty conscience from the effects of
their wrongdoing. Actually, being cleansed from the guilt of sin is an
added bonus for having the humility to seek forgiveness for sin.
Holy
God desires for His holy children to serve Him with complete peace of mind.
God
is Holy and you really are holy, too. Holy God has made it possible!
"How?
you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on Him Who never did anything wrong,
so we could be put right with God." (2 Corinthians 5:21 Message Bible)
Top
Prayer
of Repentance & Restoration
"Dear
Heavenly Father, please forgive me for ever believing that my sins were
beyond Your capacity to forgive.
"I confess that I have not sufficiently pulled myself in
line with Your precious Holy written Word. I have not adequately offered
myself up to You as a living sacrifice. I have not purposefully pursued Your
plans and Your purposes for my life. I ask You to please forgive me in each
of these areas
"Beginning
this very hour I commit not only to obeying Your Word but to seeking Your
plan over my own plans. With Your help and with my whole heart I will begin
to cooperate with holy thinking, holy speaking and holy living.
"I
now dedicate myself to a life of reverencing You and cooperating with Your
Holiness in all that I think, say and do.
"Father,
I also ask that You would send Godly sorrow and the Gift of Repentance to my
Christian countrymen for rejecting Your Holiness. (2 Corinthians 7:10; 2
Timothy 2:25-26)
"Thank
You for sending Your Son to pay the price for me to be made holy. Your Word
says You are Holy. Your Word says I am holy.
"Therefore,
I decree before Heaven and Earth that I am now walking in holiness and
flowing with Your power, in Jesus' Strong Name."
How
to Be Born Again (Receive Christ as Your Savior)
How
to Receive The Holy Spirit & Power
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