Servias Ministries Blog

By THE SPIRIT it is written in Exodus 28:

36 “You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet:

HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

37 And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban.

38 So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.

Aaron was to wear a turban with a pure plate of gold covering his forehead representing a Divine, pure thought life.  The purity of thought allowed the children of Israel to be acceptable before FATHER.  FATHER began teaching us a lesson about our thought life as HE instructed Aaron to wear this gold plate on his forehead.  Our thought life is where our battle is fought and as we take on Jesus’ Divine nature (gold) through salvation, we become acceptable to FATHER.

FATHER sees us through Jesus Who sits at FATHER’S right hand thus we are perpetually acceptable in HIS eyes.  This is a result of Jesus taking on the curse of mankind and it was represented by another crown as written in John chapter 19:

5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”

This too was necessary as Jesus Who had purity of thought was required to receive all the impure thoughts (curses) of the world and overcome them by the cross.  Knowing this we must not allow impure thoughts to rule us in any manner for we have been give the victory over our thought life by Christ Jesus.  We can and will change as we take on Christ in our lives.

In Revelation of Jesus Christ chapter 14 verse 14 Jesus is described as “One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown”.  Jesus is eternally accepted by FATHER so we too are eternally accepted by FATHER.  Jesus will receive more crowns at His feet when the kings of the earth accept Him as well.  In chapter 4 it is written:

10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

​11 ​​“You are worthy, O Lord,

​​To receive glory and honor and power;

​​For You created all things,

​​And by Your will they exist and were created.”

The twenty-four elders realized that their lives were as a result of FATHER’S acts and submitted their thought life wholly to FATHER and His Son sitting at HIS right hand.  As we receive and embrace the revelation that IN HIM we have our being, we too will submit our thought life to HIM and we will maintain pure thoughts no matter what the enemy attempts in our lives.  The enemy wants us to focus on ourselves and exalt ourselves above Christ so we must resist by taking every thought captive and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of GOD.

We are to proclaim and declare “As He is so am I.”  If I am accepted purely because of Jesus Christ sitting at FATHER’S right Hand then I am speaking Truth to my mind.  Jesus called the disciples in Luke 24:25 “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!”  Let us not be slow to believe so that we can maintain purity of heart and thought.  Jesus has provided The Way for us to walk in this manner but it is up to us to believe what is written by THE SPIRIT.  We must overcome and cast down any thought which would keep us in bondage.  Jesus has provided the means and it is our individual responsibility to maintain purity of thought.

The Beloved Disciple wrote by THE SPIRIT in 1 John chapter 4:

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

19 We love Him because He first loved us.

As mentioned yesterday, we are no longer in bondage to the fear of death.  As we are perfected in Love, fear is cast out as well as the torment associated with it.  If we are continuing to deal with fear then we know Love has not yet been perfected in us and we need to make a note of that Truth in our everyday living.  By THE SPIRIT Paul prayed and wrote in Ephesians chapter 1:

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Each of us should personalize this prayer for it is an excellent request to be brought before FATHER.  Jesus is sitting at rest next to FATHER has our High Priest interceding for us in righteousness and justice in all Truth.  The Truth revealed to us in Love by FATHER will indeed set us free from all bondage.  There is no authority greater than the authority of Jesus Christ sitting at FATHER’S Right Hand and we have unfettered access to this authority given to us through His Blood at the cross.  Death has been overcome so we should walk accordingly without the fear of death.

Jesus is at rest and we should be at rest as well.  In Matthew chapter 11 Jesus spoke:

28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

It is our responsibility to respond to Jesus’ invitation to rest.  We must come to Him and become like Him for as we do we will be able to proclaim “As He is so are we”.  We need to cease from our own works which produce anxiety and worry.  We do this by hearing and responding to HIS Word and being led by THE SPIRIT so that we are walking according to FATHER’S plan, will, and purpose.  To become as He is we must deal with our thought life and Paul addressed this by THE SPIRIT in 2 Corinthians chapter 10:

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ

If I have a thought contrary to Love, righteousness and Truth, I cast it down and tell my mind to quit thinking about it for my mind is to be a servant and obey my spirit.  It is not the determinant of what I focus on else my ego would take over and lead me away from being pure in heart.  It is our choice of what we ponder on and as we dwell and meditate on HIS Word we train our mind to be subject to The Way of Jesus Christ.  We are able to cast down arguments and anything attempting to exalt itself above Christ.  The final result: As He is so are we!

By THE SPIRIT it is written in Hebrews chapter 2:

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

People have many fears such as flying, spiders, snakes, heights… but each of these fears is really a symptom of the fear of death.  A person who is afraid of spiders is afraid of dying by a spider bite so the fear of death is behind phobias.  Jesus came to remove the bondage of the fear of death.  This bondage can last a lifetime if not dealt with through the revelation of Jesus Christ and the unconditional Love of FATHER.  Jesus took on flesh and blood in order to intercede on our behalf and once and for all He destroyed the devil’s power over death.  Jesus died that we might live.

16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.

17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Jesus had to be made like us and experience like passions including death so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest.  What you and I suffer today is not unique for Jesus suffered to even a greater degree as He took on the sicknesses and sins of mankind.  He knows how we feel thus He is able to be faithful to our various situations.  We cannot say that nobody knows how we feel because our merciful High Priest has experienced worse but is still faithful to FATHER’S Word.  This in itself should encourage us to press on to our high calling no matter what our current situation might be.

Jesus overcame the temptations of the devil and is our example in doing the same.  Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in 1 Corinthians chapter 10:

13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Those who attempt to bypass or negate the power of The Blood of Jesus Christ and His work on the cross are subject to the wiles of the devil.  Men who fail to give importance to the work of Christ are exalting themselves in their own minds and are effectively submitting to the power of the devil.  Jesus is our High Priest and no one else can take His place at the right hand of FATHER.  Fear and worry come to those who don’t have or have lost the revelation of Jesus Christ in their lives.  Jesus will always be our elder brother thus we must acknowledge Him in all things.  When we do our worry and fear will depart and in its place will be peace that surpasses all understanding.  In Philippians chapter 4 Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT:

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Notice that Paul exalts Jesus Christ in being the Key to our ability to have sustained peace.  We must never allow ourselves to discount the work of Christ in our lives.  It is only IN HIM and THROUGH HIM that we have life more abundantly.  As His life permeates every aspect of our existence only then will we no longer fear anything including death.

It is written in THE SPIRIT by John in the Revelation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in chapter 12:

10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.”

Who is the accuser of our brethren?  The devil is the one accusing us before FATHER yet he cannot “cast the first stone” because he has iniquity in him.  We see this in Ezekiel chapter 28:

​14 ​​“You were the anointed cherub who covers; ​​I established you;

​​You were on the holy mountain of God;

​​You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.

15 ​​You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created,

​​Till iniquity was found in you.

FATHER’S Throne is based on righteousness and justice thus the devil has no power over us now.  The work done by Jesus on the cross has satisfied the righteous and just requirements to overcome death on our behalf.  We are no longer in bondage so let us embrace His work and not allow fear to plague our minds as we mature in Christ. 

In Luke chapter 12, Jesus spoke:

22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.

23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.

31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

The raven is a scavenger bird and FATHER deemed it unclean.  In Leviticus chapter 11 FATHER classified the raven as an abomination and the children of Israel were forbidden to eat it.  When Jesus spoke in the above passage, His audience were Jewish people and they fully understood the food laws thus when He chose the raven in His comparison, the contrast between their value and that of a raven was great.  If FATHER is willing to feed an unclean bird how much more will HE feed and supply us with food.

Jesus is telling us to stop worrying for we cannot add length to our stature or life span.  Worry is closely associated with lack of faith and trust in FATHER and HIS ability to provide whether it be food, a solution, or overcoming a situation on our behalf.  HE created all life on earth as well as the entire universe but our ego will try to convince us that FATHER will not provide all our need.  Jesus compares Solomon, the richest man to walk the earth, with the lilies which do no work yet they are more beautiful than him.

As we increase in faith we will worry less.  When we quit worrying we enable ourselves to receive from FATHER WHO is quick to respond to our faith.  THE SPIRIT wrote in Hebrews chapter 11:

6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Jesus gives us examples of the tangible rewards: food, clothing, drink, long life, and abundance.  If we have doubt in our heart then we are being doubled-minded so we must let go of our worries and seek the Kingdom of GOD.  We must become “Heavenly-minded” by having our mind subject to our spirit and allow our faith to grow unabated.  We must decide once and for all that we will not be denied the great faith Jesus referred to when He spoke of the centurion who asked Him to heal his servant without making the journey to lay hands on the servant.  As we comprehend and acknowledge the power and authority of Jesus and tap into it by faith, we will likewise see our needs met no matter what they are.  Let us see how much more FATHER wants to do in our life!  Just let go of worry and replace it with faith.

In John chapter 14 Jesus spoke:

25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

Jesus explicitly tells us that it is up to each of us to receive His peace and to cease being troubled and/or afraid.  It is our responsibility to no longer defer our rest because of fear, uncertainty, and doubt.  How long will we delay our rest by failing to heed the directive spoken to us by Jesus?  We are not to be moved by any of the troubles directed at us by the enemy but we are to keep our focus on FATHER’S peace which surpasses understanding.  Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Philippians chapter 4:

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

We must stand on these passages until peace replaces the turmoil in our minds caused from the challenges we each face daily.  We need to quit worrying and start exercising our faith IN HIM because worrying will not change a thing in our lives other than have a negative effect on our bodies.  By what authority does Jesus make this directive?  In Matthew 28 Jesus provides the answer:

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth”.

In Luke chapter 10 Jesus provides a contrast in being troubles versus being at peace:

38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.

40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

As we hear and respond to the Words of Jesus we too have chosen the “good part” which cannot be taken away from us and we will walk in peace.  Let us not become so busy that we lose our peace and become troubled in our hearts.  We should purpose to sow the seeds of peace in our hearts and allow FATHER to bring forth a harvest of peace.  If we are constantly allowing our hearts to be troubled then we will distance ourselves from HIS peace.  Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Galatians chapter 6:

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart (give up).

Are you constantly being attacked?  Stand fast and allow the peace to come… and it will.  As we sow peace we will reap peace but we must let patience have its perfect work because ultimately our response determines success or failure.  When we are at peace, FATHER comes to our aid.  When we are in turmoil, we have taken on the care that is plaguing us.  In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus spoke:

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

27 “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?”

And His directive to us:

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Peace and trust IN HIM go hand in hand.  The more we trust FATHER by truly knowing HIM, the more peace we will have in our lives.  The more we know of HIS unconditional Love, the less troubled we will be when challenges come our way.  FATHER wants us to be well rounded in all aspects of the fruit of THE SPIRIT so we will become fully matured as Sons and Daughters.  Our personal development must not be forsaken in order to comply to the masses.

In verse 25 the phrase “don’t worry” is translated “take no thought” in the King James Version therefore do not take or accept those thoughts that contradict FATHER’S Word to us.  It is our individual responsibility to “let not” those thoughts take up residence in our mind but instead replace them with the sure promises of FATHER.

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Exodus chapter 17:

8 Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

9 And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.”

10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12 But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”

15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner;

16 for he said, “Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

The word “Rephidim” means place of rest.  The name “Amalek” (doubt, haughty, evil eye based on the Hebrew letters) represents spiritual blindness acting arrogantly in the world.  The children of Israel were not looking for a fight but were pursuing rest.  Amalek initiated the battle by coming to fight them.  Joshua was charged with fighting Amalek while Moses was to lift up the rod toward Heaven.  After Joshua defeated Amalek and his people, FATHER revealed the reality that HIS power defeated Amalek and that in the end the remembrance of Amalek would be totally blotted out.  Until then, the Amalekites would cause havoc among the Israelites.

FATHER revealed HIMSELF as Jehovah-Nissi which means The-LORD-Is-My-Banner.  We fight our battles through THE LORD, under HIS power and authority, and we are known by others as being with HIM rather than on our own for the THE LORD is our victory.  In addition HE has further revealed HIS banner over us is Love (Song 2:4) and we should rest in HIS Love.

In Genesis chapter 6 it is written by THE SPIRIT:

8  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

The name Noah means “rest” and this is where we find grace.  In Esther chapter 9 we also see that the children of Israel are finding rest after the defeat of Haman:

16 The remainder of the Jews in the king’s provinces gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth of the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

To provide perspective, Haman was the son of Hammedatha the Agagite and an Agagite is a descendent of Agag who was the king of Amalek, spared by Saul but slain by Samuel.  Once again we see that peace cannot be achieved until the descendants of Amalek who are those with spiritual blindness acting arrogantly in the world.  We are to be a light unto the world and this light will ultimately overcome spiritual blindness.

As we trust in FATHER we able to walk in peace no matter what is happening around us and we are able to rest.  As I rest in work, I am able to work stress-free for I do not allow the challenges to cause me to lose peace.  Men will try to cause us to be stressed by placing unreasonable demands on us but we must let FATHER guide us through our interaction with them and allow FATHER to intervene on our behalf.  HE is still Jehovah-Nissi and will win the battles we face.  In Genesis chapter 3 we find the curse of disobedience:

19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

Before the fall Adam worked without sweating or being stressed but after the fall stress would be a part of his life.  To reverse the curse, Jesus sweat in even a greater degree as it is written in Luke 22:

42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

At the cross Jesus eliminated the need for us to be stressed by becoming the curse for us thus enabling us to work in peace and without stress.  The Hebrew word `amal means painful toil, heavy worrisome labor, weariness, trouble, vexation, and includes being figuratively of the mind.  Amalek is associated with this root word.  The enemy will come when we are resting and at peace.  How we respond will determine whether we win or lose the battle.  Will we trust in FATHER to be our Banner and allow HIM to overcome the enemy or will we take it upon ourselves to sweat and toil over whatever issue arises?

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Psalm 110:

1 The LORD said to my Lord, ​​“Sit at My right hand, ​​Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

2 ​​The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. ​​Rule in the midst of Your enemies!

Our Lord Jesus Christ is at rest while FATHER is defeating His enemies and so should we be at rest in this same manner.  It was not required of Jesus to make His enemies His footstool but FATHER said to rest while HE made each and every enemy the footstool.  In Hebrews chapter 1 this passage is quoted and we are given more information:

13 But to which of the angels has He ever said:

​​​“Sit at My right hand,

​​Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ?

​14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

FATHER sends forth HIS angels to battle with the enemy on our behalf.  I can personally attest to an angel intervening on my behalf in the fourth attempt on my life when I was nearly run over by a commercial van.  I was pulled off my bike and pulled back from harm’s way.  The bike was dragged underneath the van for thirty feet.  I laid on the pavement at total peace.

We are to rest before we see the manifestation of victory knowing that FATHER is Jehovah-Nissi and each of HIS Names discloses an unfailing characteristic of HIS personality which will respond to our need as we seek HIM to intervene in our lives.  Our footstool is where we place our feet in a time of rest.  In Ephesians THE SPIRIT tells us our feet is where the preparation of the gospel of peace is referred to.  As we are in rest during these times of trouble, we become a testimony of the Gospel of peace to others.  As people see our response to turmoil they will seek out the solution we have discovered.  Let our testimony draw them to Christ!

In John chapter 14 Jesus spoke:

25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

Jesus has given us a gift of peace and The Most Holy Spirit has been given to us in order that we be taught these Truths and cause us to be in remembrance when the enemy attack us.  As we are led by THE SPIRIT in a greater manner the Amalek’s of the world will no longer move us and we will trust in FATHER to make the enemy into a footstool where our peace cannot be robbed.

In the Law when one paid restitution for an act of sin against another, it included 20% more than what was originally taken.  In Leviticus chapter 5 FATHER spoke:

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

2 “If a person sins and commits a trespass against the LORD by lying to his neighbor about what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or about a pledge, or about a robbery, or if he has extorted from his neighbor,

3 or if he has found what was lost and lies concerning it, and swears falsely—in any one of these things that a man may do in which he sins:

4 then it shall be, because he has sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore what he has stolen, or the thing which he has extorted, or what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or the lost thing which he found,

5 or all that about which he has sworn falsely. He shall restore its full value, add one-fifth more to it, and give it to whomever it belongs, on the day of his trespass offering.

FATHER believes in being generous when HE restores what was lost for it is HIS nature to be generous.  What is the value of HIS Son Jesus?  Jesus’ value is greater than the sum of all people of all time, well beyond our ability to determine a value.  So when Jesus became our payment of sin on the cross, He more than compensated for Adam’s sin.  By THE SPIRIT Paul wrote in Romans chapter 5:

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.

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

And:

17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

None of us deserved FATHER’S free gift which far exceeds what was required to restore us to HIM.  HIS generosity toward mankind cannot be fully comprehended but we are given a glimpse by what was required through the Law.  Restoration required a minimum of 20 % and in other cases it was much greater.  Proverbs chapter 11 states:

25  The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.

As we are generous out of Love for others, greater blessings will come to us allowing us to grow greater in our generosity.  It is a matter of seedtime and harvest with the proper intent.  My family has experienced this Truth in the past and knows that it still applies today.  Being generous places our soul in the right state and does not allow scarcity to become dominant in our thinking.  FATHER utilizes HIS own Laws to cause righteousness to grow in the land and it will do so until all the earth is covered.  Those who fail to walk in Love and righteousness often end up going to “sleep” early as Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 11:30. 

Generosity does not have to be denominated in money.  Time, acts of kindness and any other resource we have are also counted as being generous.  Some have accumulated “things” which have not been touched for years and could be given to someone in need.  We must remember that FATHER provides seed for the sower so as we seek to be generous let us trust in FATHER and hear HIS voice in this area.  HE will direct our generosity in perfect fashion.

Remember this  " You can not change the Laws of God."

WHEN HE HAS VISITED YOU IN SOME FORM OF ADVERSITY, AND HE BRINGS YOU THROUGH THAT.

THAT’S LIKE HE HAS INCREASED THE STRENGTH OF THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR LIFE

AND YOUR FAITH IN HIM.

– Dr. Charles Stanley

Did I receive the Holy Spirit by faith or by the Law?  When I received The Holy Spirit in 1971 I was oblivious and ignorant of The Law except for the Ten Commandments which I could not quote thus it is quite apparent that I received the Holy Spirit by faith.  Paul wrote in Galatians chapter 3:

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?

2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—

6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”

9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Paul who was an expert in the Law makes a clear distinction of who are true Sons and Daughters.  He also clarifies the Truth that man cannot be made perfect by the flesh.  However, he can be perfected by walking in faith by Love.  Miracles are wrought by the hearing of faith and not by the Law so where should we all focus?  On building our faith!  Paul stated by THE SPIRIT in Romans chapter 10:17 how to grow in faith: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.

Was there anybody who walked in greater faith than Jesus?  He expressed the Truth of spending time with FATHER fellowshipping and receiving instruction as He ministered to the people throughout His ministry.  At the age of twelve He stated that He must be about His FATHER’S business.  The impact of His ministry is clearly defined by His walking in faith by Love according to FATHER’S directives.

Jesus became sin on the cross and we became righteous due to His act on the cross.  It was not by our acts causing us to become righteous but it was His act on the cross that allowed the transfer of sin to fully take place on our behalf.  When we believe and accept Jesus Christ as Our Lord and Savior it is done by faith IN HIM, not our acts.  FATHER’S Love for us sent Him to the cross in order to reconcile us to HIM.  Love and Faith play a critical role not only in salvation but also our growth into mature Sons and Daughters.  The same blessings Abraham was promised are also ours as we who are of faith are blessed in the same manner of Abraham.

Our works are a result of who we are, not the determinant of who we are thus we must not expect our works to take the place of walking in faith.  Having said that, we should focus daily on hearing FATHER in order that our faith grow and remain strong which will result in doing good works just as Jesus did.  Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Romans chapter 8:

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, (set their minds on) the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

When we set our minds on the things of the SPIRIT, our Love grows stronger and our faith increases enabling us to minister to others in a more effective manner.  We become less frustrated and increase in patience toward others thus we will walk in peace even while the heathen rage all around us.  As I have said in the past, these writings are meant to promote the maturing of the saints in a personal manner.  As we mature personally then the Body of Christ matures corporately.  His Body will not be made up of immature, double-minded sons and daughters but those who set their minds and focus on the things of the SPIRIT.  There is no need to memorize the 613 commandments and statutes of the Law when you can know and walk in the Commandment of Love for it fulfills the Law.

Jesus received our sins on the cross and we received His righteousness which is the ultimate act of unconditional Love.  This act fulfilled the Law because of Love and faith in Its power which is greater than the Law.  Yes, the Law has its place to expose sin but it does not bring forth righteousness.  Faith in Him is what caused each of us to receive salvation and change our lives.  Each of us should assess our acts and determine if they arise out of minding the things of THE SPIRIT or result from submitting to our flesh.  As we mature in Love and faith, our acts will reflect the state of our maturity.  First Love, then faith.

When we hear and obey we are said to be obedient.  By THE SPIRIT Paul frames the book of Romans with being obedient as he starts in chapter 1 with:

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God

2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,

3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name,

6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

And by THE SPIRIT he finishes his letter to the Romans by writing in the final chapter 16:

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began

26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—

27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

Obedience to the faith means that you believe in HIS Son Jesus Christ our Lord Who was declared to be the Son of GOD with power.  Jesus displayed this power for three and a half years by many signs and wonders, confirmed and witnessed by the disciples and countless others.  This power was according to THE SPIRIT of Holiness and was completed by being resurrected on third day.  This Truth originated from FATHER WHO alone is wise and has revealed this to us.  The Holy prophets wrote of the coming Messiah in order to prepare the world for His arrival.  This was done throughout the ages in order that no man could claim personal authorship but received by revelation from FATHER.  Once Jesus Christ came forth and fulfilled the prophecies the revelation of the mystery has been revealed.  Hallelujah!

What does Paul say about those who fail to receive and hold on to the revelation of this mystery?  It is found in Galatians chapter 3:

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?

2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

Let us not be foolish but bring our focus into obedience of faith in Christ.  It is not by human effort that enables us to be made perfect.  Our works are completely insufficient to perfect us and thus by attempting to obey the Law even in a sustained manner will not complete the process.  Only by hearing and obeying the Word of Faith and accepting the Love from Above are we able to be perfected.  You can go about doing good works all your life yet without submitting to the work on the cross by Our Lord Jesus Christ, you will still fall short of being made perfect.

Obeying the Truth means to believe the right thing.  I can attest the Holy Scriptures are the “right thing” by the fact when one believes the Truths contained therein, they produce manifested, positive results.  The Promises work and they produced good results in my life.  I have received miraculous healings, received the Holy Spirit, delivered from certain death five times, delivered from those who sought to do me harm, and the list goes on.  I am a testimony of the veracity of the Holy Scriptures and the power of Christ in my life.  I claim no success in the flesh but only claim to be a willing vessel to THE SPIRIT because Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.  The key is to hear and obey The Word of Life in every aspect of our lives.  The more we hear and obey, the better the results in our lives.

As we focus on hearing and obeying we set ourselves up to receive greater revelation from FATHER.  As the seed of the Word is planted, It will produce good fruit in our lives.  We must be patient, expect the fruit to come forth, and not allow the enemy to bewitch us with some other philosophy of man.  We must take the pressure off ourselves to perform and allow ourselves to hear and respond in faith to HIS Word whether it is written or verbal.  As we respond FATHER will show HIMSELF mighty in our lives.