True or Feigned Holiness? [podcast]

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

Powerful Prayers from Children-This Will Shake You [video]

The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

The Cup

Holiness is the work of God in the heart of His children. He is moving on and sanctifying the abiding, cross-lifestyle born again believer, causing him to walk in “the new man,” putting off “the old man” (Colossians 3:1-14).

If you had the choice to drink from a cup that was dirty on the inside or one that was dirty on the outside, which would you choose? Would the Almighty not do the same? Which type cup are you? Where are you clean? – Are you clean on the inside or outside, or both?

“TRUE HOLINESS” IS A BIBLICAL TERM (EPHESIANS 4:24). WHAT IS “TRUE HOLINESS” AND WHAT IS THE COUNTERFEIT?

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:22-25

As we just read, “true holiness” is a Bible phrase and so there must by deduction be a countfeit, a false holiness.

WE’D BETTER MAKE SURE WE HAVE HOLINESS – AS DEFINED BY HOLY SCRIPTURE – AND NOT SOME FLESH-GLORIFYING, FABRICATED VERSION OF “HOLINESS” THAT COMES FROM SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS IN OUR OWN WICKED HEARTS ….. THE CROSS – CRUCIFIED LIFE – IS AT THE CENTER OF THE ONLY “TRUE HOLINESS” THAT GLORIFIES GOD …. AND ALL FALSE HOLINESS IS HEADED AND GUARANTEED ETERNAL DAMNATION …..

THERE IS A TRUE AND A FALSE HOLINESS AMONG THOSE CLAIMING TO BE WALKING WITH CHRIST. DO WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?

Holiness is not manufactured, is not achieved in the flesh, by the self-will of mere men. No. Holiness is the very nature of the LORD and is the work of God in the life of the yielded, the crucified saint (Isaiah 6:3; Romans 6-8; 1 Peter 1:15-16).

Self-righteousness seems to cause men to begin imposing things on people that are not clearly expressed in Scripture… making women wear dresses that drag the ground, forbidding women to cut their hair, etc. man imposed fake “holiness”. Beware.

They call it “holiness” but it’s really self-righteousness. Jesus rebuked these vile wolves repeatedly in Matthew 23.

“For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” Matthew 23:4

The old man, or old self, is still with us after we become born again and must be subdued daily. As we read in the passage above, our old self is “deceitful” and, true to its’ character, wants to pass itself off as something that it is not. Our deceitful hearts desire that we project a facade that is not reality. Feigned, or artificial, holiness is not of God. It is a farce because holiness is first and foremost a divine attribute and then, as it involves saved men, it is a state of the heart.

IT’S CONCERNING THAT SOME WHO PREACH THEIR RELIGIOUS BRAND OF “HOLINESS” SAY LITTLE OR NOTHING ABOUT THE SCORES OF SCRIPTURE PERTAINING TO GOD’S MERCY, SAVING GRACE, RESTORATION, AND DESIRE TO BRING HEALING, WHOLENESS, AND FORGIVENESS.

In contrasting true and artificial holiness, one writer notes:

“There is an advocacy of holiness that was never born at Calvary; it is the resuscitation of the Pharisaic spirit, dressed in the garb of Pentecost-an insufferable superiority. The Spirit of God must have a deep indignation at the preaching of holiness that is not the holiness of Jesus. The holiness of Jesus is the most humble thing on earth.”

Personally, I’m long ago done with the 3-piece suit façade. Let’s trash the costume. That has nothing to do with Jesus – because God looks on the heart, not the threads (1 Sam 16:7). Clothes are meant to clothe, to cover the body so that the shame of our nakedness doesn’t appear and not to be used to dress the flesh, bringing attention to self. It’s not about self but the Savior and no man shall glory in His presence (1 Cor 1:29-31). Extravagant dressing is not humble but rather, religious, plastic, fronting. Cheesy, hoaky, inauthentic.

“There is nothing more disgusting than these preachers that walk around in their suits that cost thousands, but they will not help the people in their own congregation that suffer.” Maureen Lundie

Jesus specifically warns about fraudsters who dress the flesh to cloak their evil, as they devour and make merchandise of their prey:

“Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, 46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; 47 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.” Luke 20:45-47

THE HOLINESS OF JESUS IS BEST DEFINED IN THE WHOLE OF WHAT HE DID AND WHAT HE SAID. THE SIMPLE FACT THAT HE MOST SEVERELY LAMBASTED THOSE WHO WERE FILTHY-HEARTED OUTER-CUP-CLEANERS DRESSED IN RELIGIOUS COSTUMES, MAKES IT CLEAR THAT “TRUE HOLINESS” OR HOLINESS JESUS STYLE, IS IN DIAMETRICAL OPPOSITION TO THE FAKE HOLINESS OF PHARISEES BOTH PAST AND PRESENT.

Holiness God’s way requires the cross – where our lives are laid down and the Holy Spirit is raising us up in His holy power to please Him in all our thoughts, words and deeds. It’s a work of God that begins on the inside of the born again disciple of Jesus.

Speaking of a false holiness, was not this the fruit of the hell-bound Pharisees? (Matthew 23) They outwardly projected themselves to be something they were not. They were masters of hypocrisy.

NO MAN CAN BE HOLY AS GOD IS HOLY OUTSIDE OF THE CRUCIFYING WORK OF THE DIVINE PERSON OF THE HOLY GHOST! HE IS THE ENABLER AND AS WE PARTICIPATE IN THE DAILY CROSS JESUS CALLS US TO TAKE UP, THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOING TO BRING ABOUT THAT HOLINESS THAT PLEASES GOD. MEMORIZE ROMANS 8:13-14. YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!

David prayed:

“LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. 5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.” Psalms 39:4-5

David knew that the LORD knew all of his “foolishness” and “sins”:

“O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.” Psalms 69:5

Paul admitted his own spiritual poverty which is an essential foundation to victory:

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Romans 7:18

ADMITTING our own poverty is the starting place for God’s grace to make us holy. Propping ones self up as holy or sinless perfection is a lie and a sham and is rooted in pride and self-righteousness.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit (desperate for and wholly dependent upon God – not self): for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

You are not holy in God’s eyes unless you are truly born again into Christ and presently abiding in He who alone is “Holy, holy, holy.” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8)

Read and pray John 17 today.

Holiness begins and emanates from the inside out and being one with Jesus and the Father is the essential.

One sister notes:

“I know many “modestly” dressed plain dowdy looking women who are EVIL at heart and are full of adultery, fornication, and the Jezebel spirit.”

Response:

Amen! Amen! The Bible tells us that “The LORD looketh on the HEART” and that all sins come from the un-sanctified hearts of men. God memorize and study 1 Sam. 16:7 and Mark 7:20-23. Oh, and what did Jesus say of the religious posers of His day and how they cleaned the OUTSIDE of the cup but left the INSIDE filthy (Matt. 23). Some seek to impose their own measures on others, ever notice that? God always starts HIS work from the inside – out.

“Rend your HEART and not your garments (outward).” Joel 2:13

According to Jesus, both past and modern pharisees always over emphasize the outward. We ourselves must beware of such.

In my early years of being saved, my attitude was one of upholding some supposed state of spirituality or holiness. Yet, the more the LORD does His work in my heart, establishing it in His grace, the more I am blessed to rely fully on Him and less on my feeble self (2 Cor. 12:9-10; Heb. 13:9). I have come to realize that I am truly only a branch. Jesus is the living vine. By myself, I can do nothing and am good for nothing but to be picked up off the ground and burned. Why? If I am lying on the ground, I am dead. However, if I remain, or abide, in the vine, then I receive the rich nourishment that I need daily if I am to bear good, more and much fruit. It is the vine that does the work. My job is to abide (John 15).

The sin-bent flesh will never subside until we are with Him, and we will be only if we endure to the end (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14; 12:14-16; Revelation 21:8, 27, etc.). The moral coward espouse the unfounded myth of “once saved always saved” in order to evade having to truly give his life to Christ. He is classified by Jesus as “the fearful” and is the first class of sinner listed that will have his part in the very lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). The flesh must be mortified/crucified daily or it will rule and reign in place of Christ (Luke 9:23-24; Rom. 6-7; 8:13-14; Gal. 2:20; 5:24). In order to do this, we must perpetually possess an attitude of need and dependence upon the LORD. Becoming independent of God was the temptation that drew away the first man and woman in the Garden. All souls belong to Him who made all souls and therefore, in reality, no one is independent of Him (Ezek. 18:4). Every soul is dependent upon our Maker for life and every soul will return to Him in judgment (Eccl. 12:7; Acts 17:25).

“Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Hebrews 12:4

No sin nature?

“Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Ephesians 2:3

“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But IF ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Galatians 5:17-18

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” James 4:1

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” Ephesians 4:22

What did Paul say he had to “keep under”? (1 Cor. 9:27)

A sinless state is attainable in the flesh by the Spirit but not by the flesh (Gal 3:3; Zech 4:6; Rom 8:13-14).

It takes the willing obedience of the disciple or holiness will not be attained (Phil. 2:12-13; Gal 5:24).

THE ENGLISH WORD “HYPOCRITE” IN THE KING JAMES BIBLE COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD HUPOKRITES AND MEANS ACTOR UNDER AN ASSUMED CHARACTER, POSER, DISSEMBLER.

Jesus spoke of a false holiness which is despised by Him. Here’s a taste of His lambast of the religionists of His day:

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. ²⁶Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. ²⁷Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. ²⁸Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Matthew 23:25-28

Adding to God’s Word: Going beyond the bounds of what Holy Scripture clearly states on any subject is sinful adding to God’s Word.

The pharisees of Christ’s day and those today feign outwardly to be holy yet are actually wicked in the holy eyes of God who sees the hearts of men.

“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. ²³For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23

Someone has noted:

“Hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for never intending to go beyond promise, it costs nothing.”

There’s no shortcut or replacement for sheer obedience, born out of love for God and faith in Him. Someone has rightly stated:

“Obedience means marching right on whether we feel like it or not. Many times we go against our feelings. Faith is one thing, feeling is another.”

“Holiness speaks more to nature than it does conduct. Good conduct is the spontaneous byproduct of the new nature of the new creation man through the cross and death to the old nature. We are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-18). To preach holiness as conduct without the new nature through the cross understanding is legalism. Holiness is actually derived from ‘wholeness’ meaning the thorough transformation of the whole tripartite man (1 Thess. 5:23). So many of these ‘holiness’ preachers are preaching nothing but conduct under law. Law arouses sinful passions and causes sin to increase and was given in order to provoke transgressions (Rom. 7:5; 5:20; Gal. 3:20). They are enemies of the cross!” TB

YOUR PRAYER: FATHER, IN THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, PLEASE PURGE EVERY TRACE OF HYPOCRISY OUT OF MY LIFE! STRIKE ME TO THE HEART, THE CORE OF MY BEING AND MAKE MY LIFE TO BE SINCERE, AUTHENTIC, LAID DOWN, AND PURE OF ALL DISINGENUOUS MOTIVES, INTENTIONS, AND CHARACTERISTICS. IN JESUS’ NAME, AMEN.

He Must Increase [podcast]

Dear LORD Jesus, please capture my heart for Thee! THOSE WHO WILL BE IN HEAVEN will be those who dared to daily seek God, to pray sincere prayers on earth as they loosed (let go of) of their lives from their own control over into the hands of the Holy God they chose to trust and fully rely upon. “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend (submit) my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” Luke 23:46 You are going to one day give “up the ghost” […]

The Spirit of Holiness [podcast]

The Divine Hope and Prescription for Holiness “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:” Romans 1:4 HAVE YOU ever struggled with sin? If so, you are not alone. It is through the “communion of the Holy Ghost” in relationship with our LORD, that the sinful nature is put under so that the life of Jesus is manifested in our lives (2 Cor. 4:10-11; 13:14, etc.). Please beware of the diabolical, cheap substitutes such as various forms of perfection by way of self – the flesh. These are deadly […]

"Perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God" - Is this possible? [podcast]

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1 What did Paul mean by “these promises”? It was those things, including the conditions, he had just penned of: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye […]

Articles

A Word of Encouragement on Ministering to Others

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:23

It’s God’s Word, the “incorruptible seed” of the truth of God that shatters that which stands between Him and sinners. Listen closely and grasp these divinely inspired Word through the prophet Jeremiah:

“Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” Jeremiah 23:29

The rock of unbelief is broken by the words of God entering the hearts of men. The light of divine truth pierces the darkness:

“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Psalms 119:130

When the very words of God enter the human heart, by its nature – light – darkness is exposed for what it is.

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” Psalms 19:7

YOUR PRAYER: Father, please make me a consummate soul winner, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Many times, due to a lack of the cross in our lives, are we not rather in the flesh instead of the Spirit and therefore do we not attempt to force or coerce the truth of God on others?

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6

EVER BEEN THERE? There are times when we are to “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” and other times when the enemy is trying to get us to take the bait, to bite on something minor and not be quiet, listen, and meekly minister the Word and love of God (Jude 3-4; Ephesians 4:15; 2 Timothy 2:24-26). May God bless each of His children to be led by His Holy Spirit in each instant and glorify Him, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Preaching AT someone and ministering TO someone are mutually exclusive. Are we preaching in our own self-righteous wrath and don’t yet realize it? The words of James are stinging and should be memorized:

“For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James 1:20

May God fill us with His love and bless each of us to edify (build up) the members of His body.

Both rebuking and ministering are certainly Scriptural and yet, personally, I can look back in regret and see that when God wanting me MINISTERING TO someone, I was instead preaching AT the intended target/person. They are not a target but an eternal soul heading to Heaven or hell. And at times, God will mercifully lead His people to send forth a strong rebuke in order to turn the sinner to Himself.

There are many instances in Scripture where unrepentant rebels are dealt a hard blow with strong preaching, strong rebuke – the call to repent (Matthew 23; Acts 13:10; Revelation 3:19, etc.).

I wonder if it would help up today if we paused to consider the process that transpired in our own lives. Though salvation is instantaneously imparted upon repentance, it most likely took a few people sowing the seed of God’s Word in our hearts before we repented and received Christ, right? Is that what happened in your life? It sure is in mine. I didn’t stop and get saved the first time some bless-ed disciple ministered to me. Did you?

When we put a seed in the ground to get a crop, it has to first be planted and then it begins to germinate, right? Then comes the crop and the fruit. This is a process and Paul speaks of it when he writes:

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Here below is a passage the LORD quickens my heart to pour prayerfully over on a regular basis:

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Timothy 2:24-26

PEOPLE go public about a lot of things. It’s time for God’s people to GO PUBLIC about JESUS!

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Like everything in Christ’s kingdom, nothing works outside of the cross – the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ happening in our lives daily.

Evangelism | The Cross in Ministering

Preach the Word [podcast]

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 The man who is truly faithful to God will search out, diligently study, devour, and learn the words of God and be used of Him to communicate them to others. “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” Nehemiah 8:8 They read the Word itself. They gave the sense to help the people understand it. Phillip was able to give the sense […]

Getting Gospel Grounded [podcast]

Explosive Podcast Featuring Expose’ of the prophesied end times wolves and rich Christology! Refusing to sit under the false gospel, false doctrines, false teachers, and wolves is not forsaking the assembling of the saints. It’s obedience to the LORD! See 2 Corinthians 6:17-18) There is a “difference” between the true and the false leaders today. True disciples will always warn and help God’s people distinguish the false teachers and “discern between the unclean and the clean”: “And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel […]

Articles

Recovering Biblical Womanhood [podcast]

by Lindsey Griffin

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 ‘𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱’ 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗱?

The more I think about this, the more I wonder whether we have been taught to look at male responsibility through the eyes of a child watching someone else get something she didn’t get.

“He gets to be in charge? That’s not fair! I want a turn.😠”

But what if what we have been calling a privilege was actually a responsibility?

The more I study the responsibilities Scripture places primarily upon men, the less I find myself coveting them. Headship sounds wonderful if all you see is the seat at the head of the table. It looks very different when you realize that the man sitting there is supposed to answer for what happens at that table.

Biblical authority isn’t simply getting your way. It comes with responsibility, sacrifice, service, provision, protection, difficult decisions, and ultimately accountability before God. Scripture repeatedly connects greater authority with greater accountability. “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:48). James even warns that not many should become teachers because teachers “shall receive the greater condemnation” (James 3:1).

“My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” James 3:1

And that has made me rethink the entire way women have been encouraged to view male leadership.

Maybe instead of asking, “Why does he get to have that authority?” we should have been asking, “What does God require from the person to whom He gives that authority?”

Because I don’t think we can demand all of the authority traditionally associated with men while simultaneously asking society to make allowances for us whenever the realities of being women become inconvenient. We cannot insist, “Don’t treat me differently because I’m a woman. I can do anything a man can do,” and then turn around and argue, when accountability becomes painful, that our hormones, emotions, reproductive stage, or sex should substantially change what is expected of us.

If we want identical authority, then logically we are also asking for identical accountability.

The Bible never says that men are more valuable and women are less valuable. God gave men and women DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES, with DIFFERENT BURDENS attached to them, and neither sex needs to covet what God entrusted primarily to the other.

I’m increasingly grateful that I don’t have to occupy every position a man occupies simply to prove that I am his equal in value.

I have a seat at the table. I don’t need to usurp his seat in order for mine to matter.”

“I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.” 1 Timothy 5:14

Abiding

Either Crucify the Flesh or it will Crucify Christ out of Your Life [podcast]

Fight the temptation or die the death?

Where’s the victory come from?

The Cross – something counterfeits intentionally evade (Philippians 3:18-19). The cross is how we know who is real and who is fake. Refusing to take up the cross means one has denied Christ. This would account for the vast majority of men in ministry today. They are cross-less.

The only people who are truly following Christ are those who are doing it HIS way – and His stated way is the cross, the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24). There is no other way to follow Jesus.

If we don’t crucify the flesh, the evil deeds of the body, the flesh will crucify Christ out of our lives. Pray and read Romans 6 each morning this week.

Jesus conquered sin, death, and Satan by dying and not by first rising up (Hebrews 2:14). This is how we also are brought forth into His victory by Him – through our own weakness. Let’s give our ear to hear Christ’s apostle Paul:

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

It’s interesting that the vast majority of pastors today insist that it’s impossible to stop sinning and be delivered – as if Jesus failed, didn’t provide a perfect redemption that dealt with past, present, and future sin and complete victory through it all (1 Corinthians 15:57-58; Titus 2:11-14).

“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. … 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:31-32, 36

Victory and our place with Christ are contingent upon our continuing in His truth, abiding, remaining in Christ after He saves us (John 15:1-6).

They have no faith in the overcoming grace of Christ but instead treat it like a license to justify their sin, as they pretend to be trusting God by grace and faith… yet they never make the connection that Jesus came to redeem us and establish us with Him in His holiness as we look with joy for His soon return (Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16, etc). | Walking in the Full Victory of Christ!

The cross is surrendering. Don’t try harder, just die deeper!

The reason so many don’t take sin seriously and sit under sin-justifying wolves in sheep’s clothing, is because they do not fear nor take God seriously. Then they attack the true messengers of Christ who are declaring that God is holy and His requirement is non-negotiable: that anyone who will know and be with Him eternally cut off occasion for all sin as Jesus commanded in Mark 9:43-49 KJB. They talk about grace but only in the respect that their sins were initially forgiven, yet never in respect to divine grace being the divine influence and enablement in their daily lives to overcome all that displeases Him – as they worshipfully with great gratitude deny self, take up the cross and follow, abide in Jesus (Titus 2:11-14; Luke 9:23-24; John 15:1-6, etc.).

Death, Burial, Resurrection – You go down and God raises you up, daily. That’s the Gospel re-enacted in your daily life. There’s no other way to walk with, to follow Jesus (Luke 9:23-24).

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12

Once He shows you this cross revelation it’s over for your sin and Satan! This is the way we “Taste and see that the LORD is good” beloved (Psalms 34:8). The divine economy is a cross economy which cannot be short circuited. There are no shortcuts.

The safest place in His Universe is for us to be “HID with Christ in God.” How does such occur? (Colossians 3:1-4)

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3

The more His Word runs rich in your spirit, soul, and mind, the richer, the more cutting and divinely blessed your praying is going to become.

We are crucified with Christ today saints. Christ alone is reigning supreme in us, raising us up out of that death and burial posture. In Jesus’ Name, the “old man” is dead and buried and Christ now lives and reigns in His resurrection power in our lives through us! (See Ephesians 4:22-24.)

Say, pray, memorize Galatians 2:20 beginning right now. Let it be the original Gospel anthem of your life from this day forward.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Becoming prayerfully and steadily saturated in the cross message, concept, and application, is the only thing that brought a consistent victory over sin to this disciple.

In the divine economy, the death and burial guarantees the resurrection!

When we His people are dead and buried, His resurrection power is guaranteed. Nothing could stop the resurrection of Jesus Christ when the stone was rolled away! And nothing can stop the resurrection power of Christ working in His saints as they lay down their lives in this fleeting world!

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” John 11:25

Must Take a Ruthless Stand

Concerning the necessity of a ruthless perspective toward the flesh via the cross, we must recognize that the flesh is a terrorist which means it cannot be negotiated with.

Yet there must be forged in us a ruthless perspective, toward our perception of the “never-going-to-die” flesh, a veritable terrorist with which you cannot negotiate or give place to. It will not die until forced, therefore the disciple must take a ruthless posture toward it – showing no mercy to the enemy of God! See Romans 6, 8; Galatians 5.

Never ever underestimate the depth of the deceit that is in the fallen human heart, human nature 1 (Corinthians 10:12; Hebrews 3:12-14; Genesis 6:5, 12; Jeremiah 17:9).

We must allow no mercy for what God calls sin…the iniquities, the relentless evil within. It must be honestly dealt with, and perhaps we can observe that there are onion-type layers of evil, of deceit that we are buried in from which only God calls us and brings us forth (Proverbs 8:13; Psalms 97:10; Mark 9:43-49).

While Satan and his masquerading ministers seek to diminish the violation and penalty of sin, Jesus exponentially heightens our awareness of sin’s offense against a holy God when He warns us to cut off the hand and pluck out the eye that cause us to offend Him (Mark 9:43-49).

There is nothing in existence more important to stay safe from than HELL. That’s exactly what Jesus Christ taught. Read Mark 9:43-50 in the King James Bible (new versions have butchered that passage).

Rom 7. The cross must be applied with no respect to the evil desires, the sinful dictates of the flesh.

Our outlook toward the flesh should be “kill or be killed.”

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” Romans 8:13

Kill or be killed – picture yourself being put in a room, locked in with just one opponent. Only one of you will be exiting.

A showdown – conquer or be conquered.

Life or death.

Sink or swim.

“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” 1 Corinthians 9:27

Either the cross will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the cross.

“The Cross = The Signature of Jesus.” A disciple

“WHEN THOU WAS LITTLE IN THINE OWN SIGHT”

The LORD removed Saul from his place of kingship due to the pride found in his heart that previously was not there. We must remain humble before our God and the only way this can happen is the daily cross.

“And Samuel said, WHEN THOU WAS LITTLE IN THINE OWN SIGHT, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?” 1 Samuel 15:17

The Bible clearly teaches us that if we do not obey the LORD, He will replace us. We are not irreplaceable and only pride in the heart of a person would convince him of such a lie.

When Esther was called upon by the LORD to go before her husband, the king of Persia, and intercede for the people of God, she was warned that if she chose not to obey God, she’d be replaced and her father’s house destroyed.

“For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

Ruthless simply and only applies to the PERSPECTIVE the believer must take toward the terrorist, the flesh.

There can be no concession, no compromise, no negotiating with the flesh. It must die and that only happens as we submit to the LORD.

The flesh will never be reformed, it is inherently evil, and must be crucified.

Those who’ve been saved and aren’t learning the daily cross, the crucified life, will never grow in Christ. The cross life is at the center of the kingdom economy of Christ. There are no shortcuts. Jesus taught that in order to follow Him, we must “deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23-24). Any person whom Jesus has saved and isn’t learning the daily cross, is not truly following Jesus. Listen to the Lamb:

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24

PRAYER: Holy Father, in Jesus’ Name, please do Your deeper work in me. Bless this life You died for to be truly crucified with Christ. Please make me Your authentic disciple. Cut away, circumcise every falsity, fakery, deceitful thing from my heart – everything that defiles me in Your holy eyes. Use me LORD, please. I love You. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Cross Cache, Cross Saturation

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