The gift, the gifts, and the fruit of the Spirit seem to create confusion from time to time. What do these terms refer to?

The gift of the Spirit is spoken of in several places. One of those texts occurs in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost. We are told, “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38). The gift of the Spirit is the Spirit himself taking up residence within each believer, quickening our spirits, teaching us, leading us, counseling us, enlightening us, and transforming us.

But in other places, the gifts of the Spirit are referred to. “God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will” (Heb.2:4). The gifts of the Spirit are the charismata or spiritual gifts discussed and listed in 1 Corinthians 12-14, Romans 12, and other texts. These are the gifts, abilities, or capacities given by the Spirit to each believer that enables him or her to be effective witnesses for Jesus. These spiritual gifts include prophecy, teaching, healings, miracles, tongues, mercy, encouragement, administration, generosity, hospitality, service, and so forth.

The fruit of the Spirit is listed by Paul in his letter to Galatia. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Gal.5:22-23). These are character traits and qualities of Jesus that also belong to the Spirit. He wants to impart those qualities to God’s people. We see all of these in Jesus. The Spirit himself descended and remained on Jesus at his baptism. Then we see Jesus operating in power through healings, miracles, teaching, discernment, casting out demons, and so forth. But, we also see in him the qualities of love, joy, peace, gentleness, self-control, etc. God’s desire is for each of us to be like Jesus – filled with the Spirit, reflecting the Spirit’s character, and administering God’s grace in the form of spiritual gifts to the people whose lives we touch in his name.

In these last days, God is restoring everything to the church. The offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher, and pastor are being restored in remarkable ways. The Spirit is distributing all his gifts again in unprecedented measure and in unprecedented numbers. Legitimate, world-wide ministries of healing, prophesy, evangelism, demon-busting, miracles, raising the dead, and so forth are abounding. More than that, the gifts are being given not just to a few “leading lights” in the church or a few spiritual superstars, but are being distributed to the rank and file of God’s people. I love seeing that. It’s exciting. I want to be part of that.

It’s easy to love the gifts. Who doesn’t want a priceless prophetic word? Who doesn’t want to be able to pray over a loved one or a stranger racked with cancer and see him or her walk out of the hospital cancer free? Who doesn’t want to see angels in the sanctuary or raise a dead child at the scene of an accident and hand her back to her distraught mother? Who doesn’t want to feel the Spirit speaking through us in tongues or watch hundreds or thousands come forward in response to a gift of evangelism? Who doesn’t want to minister in music in a way that takes God’s people into the very throne room of the King?

We love the gifts, and yet the character of the Spirit is of even greater value. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul dedicates an entire chapter to love. The chapter rests in between two chapters entirely about spiritual gifts in an effort to curtail their abuse. Paul tells us early in his letter to the church at Corinth that they lacked no spiritual gift (1 Cor.1:7). Authentic spiritual gifts were rampant there, but so was the misuse of these gifts for personal glory and status in the church. The gifts, in large part, were being exercised for personal exaltation and feelings of “super-spirituality.” A kind of spiritual pecking order was being established there. Paul corrected the situation, not by telling them to curtail the gifts, but by telling them to be motivated by love to use the gifts for the benefit of others rather than themselves. In order to emphasize the importance of the fruit of the Spirit over the gifts of the Spirit, Paul told them that the time would come when gifts would cease to operate but that faith, hope, and love – the fruit of the Spirit – would always remain.

Sometimes men and women are given impressive spiritual gifts. At the same time, they are expected to grow in the fruit of the Spirit because only when the gifts are directed by the character of Jesus in our hearts, will they bear the true and lasting fruit that Jesus desires. Not all of them live up to that expectation. History records a number of men who moved in the power of the Spirit in remarkable ways but whose ministries and lives came to miserable ends because they allowed their gifts to run ahead of their character. They became proud and arrogant and even immoral, believing that their gifts demonstrated God’s approval of their actions. Speaking to the church at Corinth that was abounding with impressive spiritual gifts, Paul said, “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?” (1 Cor.3:1-3).

Operating in spiritual power without spiritual maturity is like a sixteen year old being given a shiny new Lamborghini with a top speed of 201 miles per hour. The combination of the two represents lots of possibilities – most of them disastrous. As we love the gifts that are being liberally distributed by the Spirit, we should remember to love the giver more than the gifts and to seek character ahead of power and influence. Even with amazing gifts of preaching, healing, prophecy and so on, the rule still applies that God exalts the humble and humbles those who exalt themselves.

In the Kingdom, greater gifts are always given to the man who has been a good steward of the gifts already entrusted to him.   According to Paul, good stewardship of anything is not so much about ability as it is diligence, faith, faithfulness, and love. As you pray for the gifts (and you should), be sure to pray first for the fruit of the Spirit that will make you an effective steward of what God entrusts to you. Simon the Sorcerer saw the gifts of the apostles and became enamored with them (Acts 8).   He was so affected by the miracles he saw that he wanted to buy them. Peter rebuked him strongly and told him that his heart was captive to sin. In these days of increasing miracles, we would be wise to guard our own hearts in this matter. Paul instructs us to earnestly desire spiritual gifts. We should do so, but always with a heart for blessing others and glorifying God rather than feeling the rush of the gift or glorifying ourselves. May we have wisdom to always place his presence and his character before his gifts. Blessings in Him.

When participating in spiritual warfare, the Word of God is essential. It is essential not just for discerning what is “scriptural”, although that is extremely important, but it is a powerful weapon to use against the enemy. When confronting the enemy who is harassing, tempting, or afflicting you or someone else, the word of God is essential.

As the Olympics have been broadcast day after day in the past week or so, I have caught several fencing matches. Those who won gold were confident, aggressive, always moving forward, not hesitating to use their weapon. They were also practiced in the use of their sword so that most moves were familiar and automatic. We should wield the word of God against the enemy in the same way.

Paul tells us, when speaking about the armor of God, that the word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Eph.6:17). The writer of Hebrews also tells us that the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb.4:12). In the book of Revelation, John describes a vision of Jesus and says, “In his right hand he held seven stars and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword” (Rev.1:16). That picture of Jesus establishes him as one with great power and authority. His words leave his lips as a sword, saturated with power, as he judges his enemies.

In the wilderness temptation recorded in Matthew 4, Satan came to Jesus to tempt him. The devil always shows up when our strength (spiritual, emotional, or physical) is somehow depleted. We should anticipate that when we have endured a spiritually, emotionally, or physically exhausting season. We should stay focused on Jesus in those seasons and ask others to cover us with prayer. Satan approached Jesus after forty days of solitude and fasting. His energy levels were low and he had been without the encouragement of friends or family for over a month. Satan, believing Jesus to be extremely vulnerable, came to tempt him as he did the First Adam. Jesus fought back with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.

Jesus quoted scripture in response to every temptation of the enemy. The declared word of God accomplishes several things. First of all, the declaration reminds us of what and who is true. It reminds us of our standing in heaven and the power and faithfulness of God. It reminds us of what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf and who we are in him. In addition, the declared word of God establishes authority. It is like waving a warrant in the face of a felon that establishes our position as the authorized representatives of God who have come to make an arrest.

The declared word of God gives us the moral high ground over the enemy. In essence, the word of God establishes God’s law over the enemy and makes it clear that we are present to enforce that law. As believers, our words carry authority and power when they are aligned with the Word of God. Quoting scripture ensures that alignment. In the spiritual realm, our words have substance and weight. But if our words have substance, how much more do the very words of God spoken from our lips. Again, we are told that the word of God is the sword of the Spirit. I believe when we declare that word with faith and conviction it cuts and bruises the enemy. When we are confronting the enemy, declaring appropriate scripture has a powerful affect that afflicts and torments demons.

Declaring the authority of Christ over the enemy is a powerful use of the Word. Scripture is filled with such verses declaring that Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth, that Jesus has a name above every name, that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, etc. In the wilderness temptation Jesus did not give chapter and verse, but simply said, “It is written… We can do the same when confronting unclean spirits. Satan obviously knows scripture and twists the meaning of God’s word as he tempts us. That means that we must know what God’s word truly says so that we will not succumb to Satan’s deception. Jesus resisted the devil with the Word and the devil left his presence knowing that his ploy was futile. We should resist in the same way.

Declaring scripture strengthens our own faith in the moment while it weakens the enemy and torments him. Demons do not always depart with the first command. If a stronghold exists, you may have to “assault the walls of the enemy’s fortress” more than once with numerous commands. Declaring the word of God over that person or a situation takes big chunks out of the walls of enemy strongholds.

Every believer should have a catalogue of scriptures on hand to wield against the enemy: scriptures that declare who Christ is, who we are in Christ, the defeat of Satan, the victory of the church, God’s willingness to heal and set captives free, the Lord’s immense love for us, and scriptures that defeat fear and temptation of every kind.

As believers and those to whom Jesus has delegated authority, our own words carry authority, but the very words of God from our lips, carry even more power and authority with which to defeat and torment the enemy. Make a list of scriptures, memorize them, and keep them handy. It won’t be long before you will find yourself dodging the thrusts of the enemy. That is when you will want to respond aggressively, skillfully, and confidently with the sword of the Spirit.   In the panoply of the armor God, that word is your offensive weapon. Use it often and well.

I believe most of us, as followers of Jesus, find a personal relationship with God difficult because he seems so abstract to us. Father God seems distant and too often we lay the template of our earthly father on our heavenly father. For some, that is a wonderful template of love, protection, strength, gentleness, wisdom and so forth. For many others, it is a template of absence, anger, criticism, and inconsistency. That makes the Father difficult to relate to and makes the idea of intimacy with him unreachable.

Jesus is easier. We have records of him in the flesh. We have childhood pictures of Jesus loving little children, carrying a lamb in his arms, and being kind to everyone…a spiritual Mr. Rogers. That works when you need comfort and understanding, but it is a stretch when you need a warrior or a champion on your side who is fiercely loyal to you and wields a sword like a ninja. But that is also who Jesus is – the commander of the armies of heaven.

The Holy Spirit seems even more abstract. I wonder what the apostles were imagining when Jesus kept talking about the counselor, the comforter, and the teacher who would come to them bestowing power for ministry. They could imagine Yaweh as the God on Sinai and the fierce father who brought his people out of Egypt. They had walked with Jesus for three years and spent time with him after his resurrection. But the Spirit was….well… a spirit. He didn’t even have a name we could relate to like Abba or Messiah or Jesus or Elijah or Bob. What do we do with that and how do we develop an intimate relationship with him?

One of the reasons I value Graham Cooke’s writings is that he has an intimate relationship with God – all three aspects of God- and his descriptions help me know them better. Let me share some of his thoughts about the Holy Spirit. It might help you relate to him with more clarity. Cooke says, “I love the Holy Spirit. He is the happiest, most cheerful person I have ever encountered. It’s possible to grieve him, but incredibly difficult. Most of us will never manage it personally. The Godhead dwells in an environment of astonishing, everlasting joy. The Holy Spirit is a delight. He is cheerful, exuberant, and amazingly enthusiastic about us. He loves his role as comforter, tutor, and come alongside friend. He gets to talk about Jesus (whom he adores) and equip us to fellowship with the Father. He is an absolute genius at life, a brilliant mentor who knows everything. He has a wonderful sense of humor and is a powerful advocate and warrior. He is never fazed at circumstances but loves to lift us up to see more from his perspective. He is a gorgeous, amazing paradox. He is recklessly cheerful and incredibly wise. He is full of majesty and yet astonishingly gentle. He is completely and radiantly holy, yet comforts us in our struggles and teaches us the ways of righteousness. He is inspirational, generous, kind, gracious and endlessly patient in redeeming us to live in Christ” (Graham Cooke, Coming into Alignment, p.68-69, Brilliant BookHouse).

I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to know the Spirit better. I may not know what he looks like, but sometimes that’s better because we so often judge a book by its cover rather than its content and, in doing so, fail to become familiar with the book. We can certainly hear his voice and feel his heart towards us. And maybe that is the best way to know him.

We also know him by the fruit of the Spirit that Paul delineated for us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal.5:22-23). The fruit of the Spirit is simply his character that he is trying to impart to each of us. Definitely sounds like someone I would like to know. If fact, knowing him will make me want to know the Father and Son in greater ways, as well, because they all share the same character and the same heart for us. Too often I think that God is so serious that I can only come to him in formal prayer, serious, and intense about what I am asking. But no friendship is like that. That are serious moments but there are also lots of chats, jokes, and just doing life together. I think we need more of that in our relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit.

But just for fun, the next time you want to grow your relationship and hear from the Spirit, ask him to tell you about Jesus or the Father. He does love to talk about them and you may be surprised at what he says. Blessings today as you chat with the Spirit.

On several occasions, Paul spoke of being a spiritual father to other believers – those he had not only brought into the faith but had helped grow up in the faith. To the church at Corinth he wrote, “Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel” (1 Cor. 14:15). In addition, he often spoke of Timothy as his true son in the faith.

Paul knew that making disciples did not stop at the “sinner’s prayer,” but continued in a relationship of teaching, encouraging, and sometimes correcting. As a culture, America has lost her fathers. Half of all children will grow up in a single parent family during part or all of his or her childhood. Research indicates that the identity of most children is formed from the father. His opinion of a child carries much more weight than even a loving mother’s opinion. If the father speaks and acts in ways that communicates value and significance for a child, that child will grow up with a healthy sense of self and self -worth. If the father is abusive, critical, or absent the child will grow up with sense of defectiveness and inadequacy. God has created us in such a way that a father is the primary parent for communicating identity, safety, and security to a child. It’s just the way it is.

Kris Vallotton shares a story that underlines this reality. “Curses are the powerful and painful cost of absent and broken covenants. I know this firsthand…After the death of my father, my mom gave birth to my little brother Kelly, the son of my first stepfather. Their marriage disintegrated when Kelly was five years old. After their divorce, Kelly’s dad would call drunk, about once a month to exercise his visiting rights. He would say, ‘I’m going to pick Kelly up at 5:00 tonight.’ Kelly would be so excited to go see his dad that he would be packed early in the morning. He would take his little suitcase and sit out on the front porch, usually an hour or two early. He would sit there hour after hour whether he was in the blazing son or in the freezing cold winter. He would wait outside late into the night…He would fall asleep on top of his little suitcase and I would pick him up and carry him to bed…This pattern continued for years, resulting in deep wounds and a broken heart” (Kris Vallotton, The Supernatural ways of Royalty, p. 132-133; Destiny Image). Kris goes on to say, “The same condition is prominent in the Kingdom. Much like my little brother who was not fathered, we in the Church have given birth to children and then left them fatherless and trying to survive on their own. Jesus never intended for us to maker Christians but rather to make disciples”

I know your first response might be to say “No way.” But think about it. Hundreds of churches teach their members how to share their faith and bring someone to Jesus by leading them through the sinner’s prayer. Then they tell them they love them and go on as if that is all there is. Many times we bring these “spiritual newborns” into the kingdom of God and then immediately leave them to fend for themselves. The great majority of those who are not discipled in a continuing relationship will soon slip back into the world. I have read follow-up studies on all the great Billy Graham crusades of the past where people packed into stadiums to hear this famous man preach.

Through the years, tens of thousands went forward to be “counseled” by a stranger who led them in their confession of faith with an encouragement to go find a great church. The majority didn’t know what a great church was nor were they connected to believers who continued to walk with them. Follow-up research discovered that only a tiny fraction of those men and women continued in their faith. Most slipped back into the world they knew.

Those just born again need spiritual parents in the faith who continue to sow into that man or woman imparting value, identity, and spiritual life skills. They especially need men to sow into their lives but spiritual mothers make a huge impact as well. Parenting is inconvenient most of the time. It is costly and time consuming. It requires loving someone on days when you don’t even like him or her. There will be days when you bandage spiritual scrapes and cuts and days when you wonder if that newborn will ever grow up. But, in time, with the right investment, they will grow up and become spiritual parents on their own.

We need men and women in churches all over America to step up and be parents to new or immature believers. The kingdom is not about programs or sheer numbers, but about relationships. Jesus taught us to identify God as our Heavenly Father, first and foremost. It’s not complicated. For the most part it is spending time with that new believer, speaking spiritual greatness into his or her life, praying with them, imparting values by example, taking them with you to serve, and talking about the things of the Kingdom.

If you are not already being a spiritual parent or mentor to someone, you may feel that no one would want you to be a spiritual mother or father to him or her. What I have found is that a fatherless world is clamoring for someone to be a father or a mother – to value them and to believe in them even if they are already forty years old. If nothing else, just let your pastors know that you are willing to invest in a new believer. Invite a new believer to your home for a meal and start a conversation. Invite a long time believer who hasn’t matured much to your home or your group and ask that person if he or she wants to get on an accelerated growth curve. Commit to give them a year of meeting on a regular basis, doing Bible study together, serving together in a ministry, speaking greatness over them, and answering lots of questions about faith and life. Doing life together is God’s way of making disciples much more than attending another class or reading another book.

Most of the brokenness in the world comes from father wounds. Those wounds will not be healed without the touch of our Heavenly Father through spiritual parents in the church. Without a mentor or a spiritual parent, our growth in the Lord becomes years of trial and error with lots of opportunities for the enemy to capitalize on our mistakes. Like children without a biological father or mother, we can spend years trying to discover who we are and wondering about out true value in the world or the church – usually looking for love in all the wrong places.

If you are that new believer or an immature believer truly wanting to grow in the Lord, ask someone you know and admire to give you some time to help you grow and discover who you are in Christ. Even breakfast or lunch, once a month for a year could be invaluable. The relationship you establish over those twelve months will last a lifetime and bless both of you in innumerable ways. If the first person you ask is too busy, don’t take it as rejection. They may, in fact, be too busy to take on another relationship at this time and do it justice. Ask God to connect you with just the right person for your growth and development and trust that he will. You may also join a small group and find a group to mentor you rather than just an individual. God wants none of his children to be orphans. Don’t be too proud to ask for help and don’t be too busy or insulated to offer it. God delights in those who are fathers to the fatherless.

As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7 ( KJV)

Most of us are familiar with the proverb quoted above. In contemporary language, it means that a man typically lives up to his self-image – the view he holds of himself. If he sees himself as small and insignificant, incompetent and failure prone, he will accomplish little in life because he will attempt little. He will never see himself as a leader and, therefore, will not step into that role even if it is offered to him. He will settle for lesser jobs than he is capable of because he doesn’t believe that he is capable and will settle for lesser relationships because he will feel he doesn’t deserve more. It’s not just men who are crippled by a small and insignificant self-image, women fall into that trap as well.

I am the convinced that the church has fallen into that trap as well. The church, typically, has a much smaller view of herself than God does. The enemy has done an outstanding job convincing us that the words of Christ are not really true when he said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his church.

Somewhere, Satan planted a distorted interpretation of certain passages in the Bible that has become a prevalent theological view, especially in the past 50 years. The view is that in the last days, evil will abound more and more and that the church as well as goodness will dwindle and become week. The idea is that things will get so bad and the church will be so down trodden that Jesus will simply pull his people out in moment called the rapture. Basically, this view declares that Jesus will have to evacuate his people from a lost cause. Of course, then after the tribulation, he will return with his saints and establish his millennial reign. Scriptures do say that the world will get darker in the last days but light always shines brighter in the darkness. The question is how do we respond to this growing kingdom of darkness. Does the church find herself helpless to push back or do we walk in the authority of the King and take planet earth back in his name?

Many prophecies declare just the opposite of this view that in the last days the church will seemingly have no power against the darkness. Isaiah declares, “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (Isa.2:2-4).

This is a picture of the church that has been exalted above earthly governments and the nations are drawn to the wisdom and glory of the church. Isaiah says that this will occur in the last days. In Acts 2, Peter declared that the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost marked the “last days.” Many theologians refer to this period as the church age. We are still in those days and believe it or not, many leaders of nations around the globe are meeting with God’s prophets in private meetings in search of wisdom and problem solving for their nations. They are already coming to the church for answers and finding those answers just as Isaiah prophesied.   Entire nations such, as Honduras, are inviting the church in to preach and share the gospel in schools, universities, and even police stations because they sense we have the answer to something they desperately need.

Habakkuk also prophesied, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab.2:14). Later, Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations because he had been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt.28:18-20). In recent years, the church has decided that Jesus meant for us to make a few disciples in every nation rather than to make disciples of entire nations. We have settled for less.

In the Book of Acts, Peter preached, “Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets” (Acts 3:19-21)

What restoration is Jesus waiting for? Could it be the restoration of the church to its intended glory – the bride of Christ, strong and radiant, and reigning on the earth so that she is a glorious bride waiting for her glorious groom? For centuries, Christians believed that they had a hand in the return of Jesus and that when they had preached the gospel to every creature under heaven he would return. Now, many Christians believe that the trigger point for his return is when the world inevitably gets bad enough and the church inevitably gets weak enough that we must be rescued. With that view, who would even try to redeem culture or nations? Who would even try to cover the earth with the knowledge of God, disciple nations, and draw world leaders to herself? Even if a believer has a desire to do those things, he or she is told that it would be futile because it is not God’s plan. But what if Jesus is waiting until the church restores the glory and leadership of God’s people that he always intended? What if he is waiting for the church to restore glory to the Kingdom so that nations come to us as in the days of Solomon when kings and queens travelled to Jerusalem to seek his wisdom and see his glory?

Much of the church today does not see herself as the glorious bride of Christ triumphing in victory over the enemy and bringing in a harvest of nations for her king so that God’s intent – that his children will rule this planet as his representatives – will be restored and then Jesus will return. We are like the Israelites who saw giants in the land and saw themselves as grasshoppers in comparison. Even though God had promised them that he would give them the land and every place they set their foot, as grasshoppers, they saw no point in even making the effort.

At this point, most of the church is suffering from a poor self-image – the bride of Christ, weak and worn, tarnished and looking desperately to escape this planet rather than winning the war. It is true that Jesus came the first time as the meek and submissive Lamb of God who would not lift a hand to defend himself against the enemy. But he rose as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Rider on the White Horse and the Commander of the Armies of Heaven with all authority in heaven and on earth. It is not his nature to role over and give the earth to Satan after he died to take it back. It is not his nature to retreat when he declared that the gates of hell would not prevail against his church and it must not be the nature of his church or our nature, as followers of the King, to retreat or see ourselves as weak and helpless either.

As the church thinketh in her heart so is she. We need to redefine our view of the church and with that to redefine our view of ourselves as those who make up the church. There are sports teams who have a tradition of winning and confidence that they will continue to win. When they walk on the field or the court they see themselves as the victors before the game even begins and they walk with a certain swagger that intimidates their opponents. Even when things get hard in the game they still believe they will win in the end because, in their hearts, they are champions. We need to believe that we are champions because the leader of our team cannot be defeated and that leader lives within each of us.

The Lord tells us that we are more than conquerors, that we can do all things through Christ, that we have been given power and authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy, that we can make disciples of all nations, and that Satan himself will flee when we resist. How does that add up to a desperate church waiting to be evacuated from the planet their King died to redeem?

If I know I am part of a winning team, then I can see myself as a winner. If I know I am on a championship team then I can see myself as a champion. As we define the church, we define her members. We define ourselves. We need to begin to speak and prophesy victory rather than defeat, glory rather than insignificance, and exaltation rather than humiliation. We are the body of Christ in this world and Jesus doesn’t lose. As you go out today, walk and think like a champion because that is who you are in Christ.

Whenever we review the events of our lives apart from the blood of Jesus, we subject ourselves to the influence of the spirit of deception. In reality, my sinful past no longer exists. The Lamb of God purchased it with a payment in blood, forever removing my sins from the records of Heaven…The devil keeps records of our past. Yet those records are powerless without our agreement. He is the accuser of the brethren, but Jesus is our defender. We make an agreement with the accuser whenever we look at our past apart from the blood. When we agree with the devil, we empower him. When he is empowered, he devours. On the other hand, agreeing with God empowers us…This empowerment is not independent of God; it is empowerment because of God. (Bill Johnson, The Supernatural Ways of Royalty, p.51, DestinyImage Publishers)

When you can’t say something better than the way someone else has expressed it, a quote is on order. I really like Bill Johnson’s quote above and it expresses a truth that the majority of believers, including myself, need to get more deeply in their hearts. It is true, that Paul tells us to examine ourselves and to even judge ourselves in 1 Corinthians 11, but he is not talking about an examination or rehearsal of our pasts, but only the present. As soon as our present sins are confessed with repentance, they also are part of our pasts.

Peter echoed this truth in a sermon to the Jews recorded in Acts 3. There he counseled them, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord^” (Acts 3:19). The idea of blotting out something is to erase it so that no record of it remains. In the first century, some documents or records were written on parchment or vellum. These materials were made of animal skin because they lasted much longer than the forms of paper that were used. The ink used at that time had no acid that ate into the skin. It simply dried on the surface and set on top of the parchment lightly bonded to it. A wet rag would erase it from the parchment like dry erase markers from a white board. That was “blotting out.” When it was gone, there was no evidence of what had been written before. Scripture says that your sins have been treated that way in heaven. That is why, when speaking of the New Covenant, God can say, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Heb.8:12). John also tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

The truth is that the blood of Jesus washes away our sins. The blood doesn’t file away our sins or bury our sins for later retrieval. As we confess with a heart of godly sorrow, our sins are washed away and blotted out. When you stand before Jesus, two things will be read from the books…your name that is written in the Book of Life and your service to God which will be translated into rewards. No sin records will be brought out to shame you or condemn you because no records exist. Scripture declares, “Those who trust in the Lord will never be put to shame.”

The enemy loves to role out his records, but they have no legal standing in Heaven. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom.8:1). As much as he wants to shout out our failures, he will be silenced in the courts of Jesus. We need to remember what Jesus taught us to pray – “on earth as it is in heaven.” If there are no reminders of our past failures in heaven, we should not allow them on earth either. For a believer, those condemning thoughts are illegal.

If you continue to dwell on your past and if you constantly feel shame and condemnation for things done months or years ago, you are coming into agreement with the enemy. God says that your past is gone. The enemy says that it is very present. Every time you lift your past up again to God, asking for forgiveness, you are expressing unbelief in his Word that says the past is forgiven and forgotten – as if the blood of Christ is not sufficient for your failures. But it is!

Satan’s goal for your feelings of shame, guilt, and condemnation is for you to feel disqualified to serve God in significant ways or disqualified to have your prayers answered. In that setting, discouragement reigns rather than triumph. But Jesus has qualified you and your past does not affect that at all.

Susan and I paid off our house a few years ago. When we did, we got a legal paper from the bank saying, “Paid in full.” The bank has no claim on our house whatsoever. If some guy from the bank showed up at our house telling us that we needed to pay more on the loan, we simply have to wave our “paid in full” receipt in front of him and send him on his way. That is how we should treat Satan when he comes calling and telling us that our debt is not paid. It is paid. Paid in full. And we need to say so. As far as God is concerned, that is the gospel. Don’t let anyone tell you different! Be blessed today and know that your past mistakes and failures are fully and totally covered. They are covered by the eternal blood of Christ. You will be resurrected, but your past never will. Rest in that.

I remember when I was a child waiting for Christmas to come. Once school was out for the holidays, we had long days at home waiting for the presents to appear under the tree. At our house, we gave each other presents on Christmas Eve and then Christmas morning revealed the “Santa” gifts. One year in my haste for Christmas, I stumbled upon my parents stash where they had hidden away our Christmas presents. Each present already had our names written on them. I decided that I couldn’t wait the three more days until Christmas to discover the treasures that I would be receiving, so I carefully opened each one to discover what was inside and then carefully wrapped them back. That was, perhaps, my worst Christmas. Not only was I disappointed in what had been chosen for me but all the excitement and anticipation of Christmas was gone. On top of that, when Christmas actually arrived, I had to fake excitement and surprise as I opened each gift. I was never again tempted to unwrap a present before its time.

God’s answers to prayers are that way sometimes. It is hard to wait. We want it now and we want it just the way we described it. Two things can happen when we are impatient with God. The first is that we simply decide that God has said “No” to our prayers because we didn’t see evidence quickly and so we stop praying.   When we stop, God often stops the process that was moving toward our answer.

The second thing is that we can run ahead of God and try to engineer our own solution. That typically has disastrous consequences. Before a battle with the Philistines, King Saul was told by the prophet Samuel to go to Gilgal and wait for Samuel to come and present a burnt offering to the Lord so that God might go ahead of them into battle. As the appointed day waned, Saul decided he could no longer wait for Samuel so he himself offered a sacrifice to the Lord, although Saul was not of the priestly tribe.   Just as he finished the sacrifice, Samuel arrived and declared, “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, ‘When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.’ ‘You acted foolishly,’ Samuel said. ‘You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command’” (I Sam. 13:11-14).

Waiting is often required if we want to see our prayers answered. Abraham waited decades after God’s clear promise of a son to see his wife Sara bear their first son Isaac. By the time the prayer was answered, Abraham and Sara both were well beyond the age of reproducing children. However, Abraham continued to believe God regardless of the natural circumstances surrounding the promise.

How do you maintain faith year after year for an answer to a prayer that has not yet come to pass? The answer is that you focus on the unchanging, faithful character of God and the promise he has made rather than focusing on the circumstances or the symptoms. We must choose to trust God rather than our eyes and believe his word rather than the words of Satan who will whisper that God does not keep his Word – at least, not for you. When Satan whispered to Eve that she would not surely die if she ate from the Tree, he essentially said that God does not keep his Word. Saul thought that Samuel had not kept his word so he ran ahead and offered the sacrifice himself. If Saul had waited 30 minutes longer he might have kept his kingdom.

Faith focuses on the promises not the circumstances and we are often forced to wait because God is preparing the way for our answer. Faith believes before a thing happens regardless of the time that is passing or the circumstances we see before us. When Israel crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho, they were forced to stand on the promise of God that he would give them the land and the city. They faced a walled city full of veteran fighters with men who had little to no combat experience. Then God commanded them to march around the city once a day for six days in silence before he acted. How foolish. How imposing the walls must have seemed. What taunts and jeers they must of heard from those walls.

And yet, God had told Israel that he would give them every place where they set their foot. For six days, they set their feet around Jericho. For six days they marked off their territory in the spiritual realm. For six days they were preparing the victory although they could not see any of that with their natural eyes. On the seventh day, they were told to march around the city seven times, and when the priests blew the ram’s horn the people were to shout and the wall would crumble. By faith they did just that.

Any rational approach to taking the city would have never considered anything like that. It would have seemed utterly foolish. But faith looked at the promise not the circumstances. F.F. Bosworth says, “Faith does not wait for the walls to fall down, faith shouts them down.” In other words, faith is not belief that arises after God has acted but is confidence that arises before he acts, simply standing on his promises.

When you have to wait for answers to your prayers, the focus must be on the promises of God and the character of God who never lies, rather than on the apparent circumstances. A focus on the circumstances gives Satan every opportunity to point out the enormity of the problem before you, rather than the enormity of the God who stands before your problem. Remember…those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. Blessings and may your prayers be answered quickly, but if they are not … continue to stand on the promises of God.

I’m currently reading a book by F.F. Bosworth written in 1924. It is entitled, Christ the Healer. The interesting thing about old books that open up the scriptures is that they still speak to us because God’s truth does not change. Bosworth had a phenomenal healing ministry and has some great insights into praying for healing and how to receive healing. I found one analogy really interesting and insightful.

I will quote a bit from the book. His grammar is dated but not his understanding. “We will now endeavor to make plain how to appropriate healing. Getting things from God is like playing checkers. After one person moves, he has nothing to do until the other player moves. Each man moves in his own turn. So when God has provided healing, or any other blessing, and sent us his Word, it is our move before he will move again. Our move is to expect what he promises when we pray. This will cause us to act our faith before we see the healing. The healing comes in the next move, which is God’s move…. By expectation I do not mean hope. One writer has well said, ‘We hope for what may be possible, but we expect what must be possible…with the expectancy that shuts out doubt or fear of failure, and shows unshakeable confidence. Faith never waits to see before it believes…all that a man of faith needs to know is that God has spoken’” (F.F. Bosworth, Christ the Healer, p.103, Baker Publishing Group).

Bosworth is very clear that God has promised healing for all believers through the sacrifice of his Son. In fact, Jehovah Rapha is one of seven covenant names of God in scripture and means, “ I am the God who heals you.” The present tense “am” reveals that the nature of God is unchanging. It is always present tense. Therefore, God was, is, and shall always be the God who heals you. Once God has provided healing through the cross and established in his word that it is always his will to heal, then our move is to take him at his word with a rock-solid conviction that God does not lie and his word is true. He will do what he says he will do. So, when we pray, we pray with the firm expectation that God is going to heal or meet any other need and then, having prayed, wait expectantly to see God move.

That sounds simple, but most of us know that faith resides in the heart not in the head and that we often have an intellectual conviction about some biblical truth or promise but, deep in our hearts, the expectation is still more of a hope than a certainty. The key, then, to receiving from God is to grow in our expectation that God will always do what he said he will do regardless of the circumstances or what we see with our eyes. But how do we grow in that expectation? Here are a few approaches to that growth that I am employing now in my effort to increase the expectation in my heart for healing and several other things.

First, all the men who had amazing healing ministries in the past insist that getting God’s truth in us about the thing we want to fully believe for is essential. The idea is that you cannot have faith for something until you have studied it and know that the Bible absolutely teaches that not only is God able but he is willing to do what you ask. You begin with an intellectual certainty based on the Word of God that what you are praying for is God’s will.

Secondly, if there are conditions attached to the blessing, you will need to be clear about the conditions. God’s love is unconditional, but his blessings often have conditions attached such as repentance, confession, forgiveness, generosity, etc. For instance, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.” Healing is an expression of God’s mercy and the condition is that we must extend mercy to receive mercy. “Confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed.” Confession is a condition for healing. “Judge not, or you will be judged.” Illness can be a judgment, so if we want the judgment lifted, we must repent of our judgmental attitudes.

Thirdly, we can ask the Holy Spirit to increase our faith and expectation for whatever promise we are seeking. Faith is a spiritual gift that comes from the Spirit. We have permission to ask for more. At the same time, the Word of God is living and active and does its work in us when we activate it. We activate it by speaking it or declaring it. As you find confirmation of the promise you desire in the scriptures, you should list the most compelling scriptures you find and speak them daily because doing so helps to write them on your heart. When the Word gets down in our hearts, it produces faith.

Fourthly, put yourself in places or around people where you see the promise of God you are looking for being fulfilled. For instance, if you want to believe God for healing, go on an evangelism mission in a third world country with a ministry that preaches the gospel, heals the sick, and casts out demons – New Testament stuff. God heals more people in third world nations because they run to God rather than running to doctors. Seeing miracles of healing will increase your expectation. You can also find God moving in healing in the U.S. You may need to go where God is moving to increase your expectation. Whatever you are praying for, find a place or some people where God is making good on that promise. Jesus didn’t expect the apostles to have faith for healing until they had seen him heal on numerous occasions.

Each of those actions constitutes a move that you can make, so that God can move next. Perhaps, you have been believing God for someone’s salvation. It may be that it is your move, and that move would be sharing the gospel with them. Perhaps, you have been praying for financial blessing and your move would be to begin to tithe, believing that God will give the increase. If you have been praying for a healing gift, your next move might be to begin to pray for strangers at Wal-Mart, choosing to believe that God will heal just as he has said.

Whatever you have been hoping for, it may be time to convert hope to expectation. Ask God if it is your move. If it is, then make it. Blessings in Him.

For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Luke 12:30-34

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus has just spoken about the human tendency to worry and fret over what tomorrow may bring. He responded with the truth that if God cares for flowers and birds, how much more will he care for his own children. In the middle of his response, he makes a very significant statement that most of us have not yet fully grasped – Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. What did Jesus mean when he said that God has given us the kingdom?

Before commenting on that, I want to review a prophetic text from the Book of Daniel. Daniel had received a powerful vision and had asked for the interpretation of what he was shown.

In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14

This prophetic passage foresees Jesus coming in clouds, entering the throne room of the Father, and receiving authority, glory, power, and dominion. In Matthew 28:18, after his resurrection, Jesus declared, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto me.” A few years later, Paul declared that Jesus had been given a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” “Phil. 2:9-11).   Daniel’s vision was fulfilled when Christ ascended to the Father after his resurrection and sat down at the right hand of the Father. But there’s more. Going back to Daniel we are told:

“I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me. I approached one of those standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this. “So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things: ‘The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth.    But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.” Daniel 7:15-18

In the days of Daniel, not only was it prophesied that Jesus would be made King of Kings and Lord of Lords in the courts of heaven, but that the saints (followers of Jesus – you and me) would be given the kingdom as well. That is what Jesus referenced in Luke 12.

To be given the kingdom means that we have been given all the blessings of the kingdom and the resources of that kingdom have been made available to us. That is why Jesus encouraged us not to worry because even when we give everything away, the storehouses of heaven are always full and their contents will be made available to God’s children. The first time Jesus sent out his twelve apostles to preach and heal, he instructed them not to take any money, shoes, luggage, or extra clothes. They needed to learn that the kingdom belonged to them and therefore they could anticipate with confidence that God would always meet their needs in supernatural ways. Jesus fully understood that principle so when he was faced with feeding 5000 men plus women and children with a few fish and a handful of bread, he had no worries. He prayed, thanked the Father for the resources he could draw on and watched the Father multiply the food so that twelve basketfuls were left over. Not just enough, but more than enough.

If you are a follower of Jesus, the kingdom has been given to you. You didn‘t have to nag, plead, or cajole the Father to get your inheritance. Jesus said that the Father was pleased to give the kingdom to you. If he is pleased to give it, then he is pleased for us to use the resources stored there for the purposes of the kingdom. Money is there, clothing is there, salvation is there, food is there, healing is there, peace is there, jobs are there, and even power is there. It all belongs to you because God has given you the kingdom. ;/

When Jesus was about to feed the 5000, Matthew says that he simply looked up to heaven, gave thanks, and broke the loaves. Notice that Jesus did not bow down and beg God for a miracle. Instead he gave thanks for the provision that was already his to use and then as acted on the expectation that his Father was pleased to meet the need. He is our model.

When we pray, we should not pray as if we must beg or talk God into meeting a need, but rather give thanks that the resources of heaven are already ours to use. So…the next time a bank officer asks you to list your assets, simply add The Kingdom of Heaven to your list! Be blessed and know that the Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

I believe that Satan’s greatest ploys against us are rejection, condemnation, and fear. Each of these is related to the others. Rejection leads to a feeling of condemnation and condemnation leads to feelings of fear. If we experience constant rejection as children, we will develop a sense that there is something wrong with us that keeps others from loving us and meeting our needs. That sense of defectiveness then brings on a sense of shame and self-condemnation expressed through the constant question, “What’s wrong with me?”

As we feel that, we begin to fear that our needs for identity(significance), protection, and provision won’t ever be met. When we begin to fear that no one out there will ever love us, protect us, or provide for us we take on an orphan mindset and begin to build all kinds of walls around our hearts to protect ourselves while at the same time becoming more desperate for someone to love. When we are desperate, we make bad decisions. We trade sex for the temporary feeling of love. We become control freaks in an effort to maintain any relationship that even hints at love. Or we give up and withdraw to places that human love can’t touch.

The real goal of Satan, is to get us to take our human fears, hurts, and disappointments and lay that template on God so that we assume or fear that he, like others before him, will not love us, protect us, or provide for us. If we could look back and see the invisible realm, we would discover that Satan is the one who had been whispering condemnation to us all along which robbed us of our self-worth (identity) and instilled fear in our hearts that our greatest needs would never be met.

I see this dynamic in the parable of the son who left home in Luke 15. Jesus told the story of a young man who grew up with a loving father who provided him with identity, security, and provision. However, the arrogance of youth overcame his surroundings and his good judgment. He demanded his inheritance long before his father died and departed for the big city. We are told, “He squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death. I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of the hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father. ” (Lk.15:13-20).

Because of destructive choices, this young man had lost his identity. He had experienced rejection and abandonment from all of those who had been his friends when he used to party and he had felt the sting of hunger and homelessness. He no longer saw himself as the son of a wealthy father but as a hired man or a servant. He was full of shame and condemnation and he feared more rejection even from his father. This young man had forgotten who he was, but he had also forgotten who his father was. He had taken the template of his experiences in the world and laid that template on his father.

I have no doubt that he debated going home for much longer than he should. He anticipated that his father would pile shame on the shame he was already feeling and add rejection to the rejection he was already administering to himself. Only when he felt absolutely desperate did he decide to go home, take his father’s anticipated verbal beating, and settle in as a servant in order to survive.

That is the picture Satan always paints for us when we have stumbled or fallen. He whispers condemnation. “You are no longer worthy to be a son or daughter of God. You have sinned against God and are despised in heaven. You don’t belong there anymore and because you have defiled your birthright, God will no longer provide, protect, or treat you as family. At best, he will take you as a hired-hand, but all you will ever have will be hard work, meager food, basic housing, and the fear of being dismissed every day of your life.”

But that is not who God is and that is not who you are. When the son came home, he had already determined that he had squandered his position as a son. He awaited the disdain of a father whom he had forgotten. But the Father saw him when he was a long way off. He ran to the son and threw his arms around him. He stopped the condemning speech of the young man, declared that his son was home, put the family robe on him, slipped a son’s ring on his finger, and called for a celebration.

The father waited all that time without condemnation in his heart. He still considered the young man to be his son. He watched longingly for him daily and when the son returned with sorrow in his heart for the life he had lived, he was restored immediately with shouts of celebration. God is not a rejecting father or an abandoning friend. He is not the author of rejection, shame, or condemnation. Satan is the author and sustainer of those dark feelings.

When the enemy comes and whisper’s his lies, refuse to put the template of a worldly father or a failed friend or spouse on him for his love is an everlasting love. Even when we wander away, God always leaves the light on for us. When fear, rejection and condemnation come from the enemy, remember who God really is and who you are in Christ. Be sure to remind Satan as well.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

For we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. 1 Timothy 1:7

God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ Hebrews 13:5

Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:6-7