NO RESURRECTION, NO FAITH
Filed under: Deliverance, Holiness & Sanctification, Inspirational Articles, Prophetic Word, Words of Encouragement
Current Mood:
Anointed
Then answered the Jews and said unto Him, “What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?” Jesus answered and said unto them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2: 18 – 19
As Jesus spake to the Jews in this passage of scripture, He was informing them that He would raise His body from the dead 3 days following His crucifixion. This statement was perhaps one of the most profound moments in Christ’s ministry. He was not just stating that He would somehow be resurrected but rather that He would resurrect Himself. This was unbelievable as once a person is dead, we believe they can have no power to do anything let alone raise themselves from the grave. To the Jews back then as to most humans today, death is seen as the end of all things. It was considered by many to be foolish talk that one could come back to life. Yet Christ BOLDLY stated that He would do what all believed to be impossible.
Many of the disciples who had walked and ministered with Christ saw death as the end as well. Even Peter (Petros- little rock) became fearful for his own safety following the arrest of Christ. He became so fearful in fact that he denied Christ three times as he stood warming himself by the fire made by the servants and officers (John 18: 15-27). Peter also went into hiding (John 20: 19 part A) following the crucifixion of Christ from fear of the Jews. “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews.” We can’t look upon Peter’s fear with disgust because if the truth be told, we would have done the same thing. It is human nature to be fearful of death of the body as our natural minds see this event as completion of all things pertaining to us. Peter, as well as the other disciples, thought that the ministry of Christ was over with the death of the Messiah. It was not that they did not believe in the resurrection but it required supernatural faith to believe that Christ would be raised from the grave. As the women went to the sepulcher to anoint Christ body (as was their custom) something happened. On that third day, something… miraculous…. happened.
Two angels were found sitting in the sepulcher, one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Christ HAD lain (John 20: 12). But where was the body of the Messiah? Had thieves come and taken Him away in the night? Had the Jews removed His body to make a mockery of His bold statements? What happened to the body of our Messiah? The answer, He was RESURRECTED from the dead!!!!! But how do you know this to be true? How do you know? After Christ appeared to His disciples inside a locked room (John 20: 19 part B) [“came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you] those same individuals came out from behind those doors and began teaching and preaching Christ with a new found boldness. (Mark 16: 20) “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” They were no longer fearful of being killed. What could make people that were afraid for their lives come out and face death without fear? Knowing that they could be crucified like Christ. What would give these disciples such courage, such bravery and such faith? Seeing that Christ had fulfilled His promise to resurrect, knowing that He had power over death/grave and knowing that life with Him is eternal is the only way to explain such amazing faith. If Christ had not resurrected, the disciples would have probably went into exile and no longer preached the gospel for fear of persecution and death. The disciples of today are now able to face persecution for their faith just like those disciples of old. What gives us such boldness and such faith? The answer my friend is the same today as it was back then, if there was no Resurrection, there would be no faith.
One Blood In Christ Jesus
Brutha Whirlwind
I am ALIVE!!!!!!
Filed under: Godly Principles, Inspirational Articles, Marriage, Our children
Current Mood: Blessed & Anointed
A Prayer to Walk in Sanctification
Current Mood: Anointed
Father, thank You for sanctifying me by the truth; Your Word is truth. Jesus, You consecrated Yourself for my sake, so I’ll be truth-consecrated in my mission. In the name of Jesus, I repent and turn from wicked ways. I wish myself, make myself clean. I cease to do evil, and I am learning to do right.
Father, You dwell in me and walk with me. So I leave the corruption and compromise; I leave it for good. You are my Father, and I will not link up with those who would pollute me, because You want me all for Yourself. I purify myself from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
Father, I confess my sins. You are faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Jesus has been made unto me wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
I submit myself to You, Lord—spirit, soul, and body. I strip myself of my old, unrenewed self and put on the new nature, changing whatever needs to be changed in my life. The desire of my heart is to be vessel unto honor, sanctified, fitting for the Master’s use, and prepared for every good work.
Thank you, Lord, that I eat the good of the land, because You have given me a willing an obedient heart. Amen.
Scripture References
John 17:17, 19 Isaiah 1:16, 17
2 Corinthians 6:17 message 2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV
1 John 1:9 NKJV 1 Corinthians 1:30
Ephesians 4:22-24 2 Timothy 2:21
Isaiah 1:19
Prayer from ‘Prayers That Avail Much’, 25th Anniversary Commemorative Gift Edition, written by Germaine Copeland; 1997
http://www.naimawilliams.com/blog/2009/09/04/prayer-to-walk-in-sanctification/
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. II Timothy 2:21
The Unseen Reality
Filed under: Biblical Teachings, Godly Principles, Testimonies
If you are a person who believes in the “One True” and “Living God,” I am sure that you realize that we live in a world of unseen realities. People find it strange (even some believers); thinking of it as some sort of mysticism. I am not talking about things that go bump in the night, I am talking about an unseen enemy that is looking for our destruction and is very capable of causing us to lose our spiritual, physical and eternal life. We have an enemy that acts like it is our friend while pretending that it wants us to have every opportunity in life. This enemy wants us to believe that they are even concerned for our well being and prosperity. It is no wonder that people and Christians alike are so easily fooled. Our enemy pretends to be the light but it personifies all that is dark and evil and ungodly.
I often wondered who sold me out so long ago. Who was it that introduced me to drugs, how was it that I was able to have so many illicit affairs with so many women? Who was it that literally put a gun to head and threatened my life, that pistol whipped me on another occasion and tortured me on another?
I’ve always blamed myself for the terrible things that happened to me in my life. I was taught that we have to be accountable for the things that we do; that when we transgress, we must be prepared to accept our punishment. However I have learned that life is not as simple as all that. That everything isn’t so black and white, that there are shades of gray in every portrait painted of our lives.
The Bible tells us in Eph 6:12: ”For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies-the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.” (TLB) That means that even when I have a problem with another person, although that person is despicable, I am not to hate that person, I am to hate that unseen entity within that person that makes them despicable.
The problem with reality is that most of our problems are unseen until the problem itself becomes a physical reality. Satan lures us into these unseen problems and sells us a bill of goods. We don’t believe that it is Satan, we believe that we are being blessed, that we were given an opportunity, even though deep down inside we know that something is not right.
Jesus said to Simon Peter: Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat…” (NAS) That is what Satan and his minions want to do to all of us. The Bible says in John 10:10: “The thief (the devil, our enemy) comes only to steal and kill and destroy….” (RSV) That means that our unseen enemy doesn’t mean us any good regardless of the short term benefits that is offered, and the benefits are short term. Whatever Satan gives you I promise you that he will take it back. The afore mentioned problems that I had, all came with what seemed to be some kind of perverse promise, yet Satan has a way of taking away even the hope that is within you, leaving you with a despair that will drive even the strongest of men (and women) to the point of suicide.
Glamour, recognition, prestige and money are some of the things that Satan promises. Can he deliver? Sure, but “what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26 KJV)
Scary isn’t it? There is “Good News.” Remember earlier I mentioned in Scripture that Satan ‘asked for permission’ to sift Peter like wheat? The Good News is that those of us who have been saved by the “Blood of the Lamb of God” cannot be touched by these creatures without permission. The Bible tells us in Rom 8:38-39: that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (RSV) We have a Savior, someone who is not willing to let us suffer the abuse of the unseen world, but we must submit to HIS power and HIS love.
I know what most of you are going to say. I’m saved, I’m covered in the Blood and I’m exempt from the powers of darkness. The Bible tells us in James 4:7: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (KJV) What we forget about is the submitting part. We must therefore submit ourselves unto HIM first in order to have power over the evil that exists in the unseen world and this world, and then God will allow us to see the world to come. God bless you.
About the Author
Name: Chauncey, aka "Brutha Whirlwind"
Email:
Web Site: http://www.myfaithgroup.org
Bio: A soldier who was saved from the gates of hell. Bought with the price of The Blood of The Lamb. Do or die 4 Christ!!!
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