Speaking in Tongues and producing The Fruit of The "spirit"- The Christ in US!

 As born-again believers, God gave us the gift of holy spirit, making Him constantly reachable and easy to access. God is such a loving heavenly Father that He supplied our need to communicate with Him. Because God gave us the gift of holy spirit, we can pray to Him not only with our understanding but also in the spirit.
John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
This is accurate capitalisation of pneuma, highlighting the difference between God and his gift. It is important that we recognise and understand this difference when reading the bible.
I Corinthians 14:15:
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

To pray with our understanding is to communicate to God in our own vocabulary. To pray in the spirit is to speak in tongues. Speaking in tongues is one of nine manifestations of the gift of holy spirit, and it has many benefits and purposes. Here are a few: to pray perfectly (Romans 8:26,27), to edify you (I Corinthians 14:4; Jude 20), to magnify God (Acts 10:46), to open your heart to the Father (Romans 8:14,15), and to give thanks well (I Corinthians 14:17).

God as our Father gave us the gift of holy spirit so that we can reach Him. As children of God, we have access to Him by praying with our understanding and praying in the spirit.

God is not only the Creator of the heavens and the earth; He is not only the Almighty God—He is our heavenly Father. Many of us know that we can seek out God in times of great challenge or deep sorrow. Yet we can also seek Him in the routine matters of life as well. Whether the need is great or small, to God it is all the same. We can go to Him with boldness and confidence.

 Speaking in tongues is an overflowing of spiritual power. It is not being filled with God, nor is it a religious outpouring of some devilish emotion. It is the manifestation of the holy spirit within us. This spirit which we freely received at the time of the new birth is ours to energize. It is up to us whether or not we speak in tongues. We do the speaking. It is something we choose to do, something we believe to do, and it is something we control at all times.

THE GIVER and HIS GIFT -- The Holy Spirit is God(Jehovah) our Creator(Elohim). The God and the Father of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the offspring of God, only begotten, physically, by Divine conception of God, the Giver; Holy Spirit! God's gift is holy spirit, which is power from on high. We are baptized by this gift from God, the Giver.

"And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. Luke 24:49.
"And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me."For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Acts 1:4-5.
"endued with power from on high" Luke 24:49.
EQUALS
"the promise of the Father" Acts 1:4.
EQUALS
"ye shall be baptized with the holy spirit" Acts 1:5.

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Acts 1:8.
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
"And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Acts 2:1-4.
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call."
Acts 2:38-39.
1 Corinthians 14:14
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.


When you pray in tongues, your spirit prays but your understanding is unfruitful. In other words your mind gets nothing out of it. Praying in tongues and speaking in tongues does absolutely nothing for your mind. Your understanding is unfruitful, it furnishes nothing because you don't understand a word you're saying. Speaking in tongues edifies your spirit.

Speaking in Tongues is NOT a learned language, it is not linguistic ability, not a translation of a language! Few realize this truth! It IS, as the spirit within gives the utterance(Acts 2:4); inspiration of the spirit of God within the believer. The speaker does not understand the utterance; otherwise it is not tongues, but rather, a known language to the one speaking. This is not a "learned language". Your spirit prays and God gives the words!

SPEAKING IN TONGUES - (defined):
The manifestation of Speaking in Tongues
is your operation of the God-given ability
whereby you may
(at any time in your private prayer life
or in a believers’ meeting, if interpreted) show forth,
by speaking in an unknown tongue,
(unknown language to you),
the external manifestation in the senses world
of the internal reality and presence
of the power of the holy spirit.

How to do it:
John 4:24
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
God gave us the gift of holy spirit and he gave us his word to teach us
about it. Now it is up to us to believe and manifest it. God isn't going
to make anyone manifest anything. It is as we will. When we believe to
operate the gift of holy spirit then God energizes within us and his
power is manifested. This is true spiritual power.
You must speak forth the words, as God gives them, to your spirit! That you speak is
your business; what you speak is God's business!
Tongues is speaking a language, unknown to the speaker.
It is either a known language on earth, or a language of Angels; 1 Corinthians 13:1.

Chapter 14 gives instruction on how the manifestations are to be conducted, in a church
setting. Tongues must always be interpreted "in the church".
Two or three speak forth and each one must interpret their own tongue.
This is by inspiration(in spirit action). All things MUST be done, decently and in order; verse 40.

Ask questions, that you may understand these truths much better.

 Fruit of The Spirit - "The Christ in US!
1 Corinthians 13:1
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity [agapē],
I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

Does this verse say that speaking in tongues is just making a noise like brass instruments and cymbals? No, it does not. It says those who do not walk with agapē, the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation, are just making noise when they speak in tongues. Those who put phileō love before agapē love can speak in tongues all they want, but it is of no profit to them, they are just making religious noise.
If you want your life to be spiritually meaningful, to have spiritual value, you will have to love God first before people, which means you speak up when he wants you to speak up, and you act when he is working within you to will and to do of his good pleasure. This is the walk of anyone who wants to be a disciple, and it is axiomatic that we must first learn to operate the gift of holy spirit properly and accurately for that is the immediate context of this chapter.


1 Corinthians 13:2
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.


Listen, I know you're wonderful and you have a heart for God and want to know his word and do something for him, but really, anyone can run away from confrontation. That takes no ability or courage at all. If we're going to walk with the love of God we will have to deal with situations when God is working in our hearts to do so. That is walking with the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation and that takes courage. This isn't about being nice to everyone and smiling inanely at them. Jesus Christ wasn't nice to everyone. Do you see how this fits within the context of 1 Corinthians 12 and 14? Unless we're walking by the spirit, properly operating the manifestations of holy spirit, chapter 13 is a world away from where we are, and all our talk about love is just noise.

The love of God is not an alternative way to walking by the spirit, it isn't an excuse to not walk by the spirit. The truth is, the only way to learn to walk with the love of God is to first learn to properly operate the manifestations and learn to walk by the spirit. That's the context here. One builds upon the other. This is further corroborated in Galatians, where agapē is listed as a fruit of the spirit.


Galatians 5:22,23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love [agapē], joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.


Fruit of the spirit is not fruit of the good works of man. You can't produce spiritual fruit by doing anything in the senses realm, which includes manifesting human phileō love. You can manifest phileō all you want, you can be the most phileō loving person on earth, but it will never produce fruit of the spirit. You can only produce spiritual fruit by manifesting the gift of holy spirit. This fits perfectly within the context of 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14. Agapē is only attainable by first manifesting the gift of holy spirit accurately and faithfully according to the instructions given in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14.

If we lose this truth and attempt to manifest human love to everyone, we are walking by the senses and not by the spirit. We are attempting to perfect the flesh. Once these truths are lost regarding walking by the spirit, we have lost the meaning of the resurrection and the whole point of the Grace Administration.


Philippians 3:3
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.


Now yes, once we're walking by the spirit, and we recognise God's still, small voice and we decide to be courageous, get involved and deal with situations when God works within us, it doesn't mean losing our temper and shouting at everyone. Sure, God wants us to deal with situations kindly, with love. Walking with the love of God isn't being horrible to everyone all the time, it's being courageous by doing God's will. Every situation is different and that is why we must first be walking by the spirit before we can be effectual ministers walking with the love of God.


1 Corinthians 13:4,5
Charity [agapē] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;


Was Jesus Christ long suffering and kind? Sure he was. He was long suffering and kind even when he was pissing off the religious leaders by calling them whited sepulchres and vipers. That's what the religious leaders were in Jesus Christ's day and they're no different today for the most part.


Matthew 12:34
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.


Jesus Christ took the religious leaders on so he could be kind and long suffering to God's people. Is that so hard to figure out? Are fathers loving and kind when they fight to protect their wives and children? Sure, they are. Love is not weak. Not even human love is that weak. Not even animal love is that weak! It takes strength, courage, and a sense of duty to live with this kind of love. Religious love isn't love at all, it's a disease.


1 Corinthians 13:13
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity [agapē - the love of God].

 If you're born again and you don't speak in tongues, you need to get started immediately. Whether you speak in tongues or not is entirely up to you. God has made everything available in Christ Jesus, now it's our job to believe and learn to walk by the spirit.
John 4:24
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
God gave us the gift of holy spirit and he gave us his word to teach us about it. Now it is up to us to believe and manifest it. God isn't going to make anyone manifest anything. It is as we will. When we believe to operate the gift of holy spirit then God energises within us and his power is manifested. This is true spiritual power.
You must speak forth the words, as God gives them, to your spirit! That you speak is your business; what you speak is God's business!
Tongues is speaking a language, unknown to the speaker. It is either a known language on earth, or a language of Angels; 1 Corinthians 13:1. Chapter 14 gives instruction on how the manifestations are to be conducted, in a church setting. Tongues must always be interpreted "in the church". Two or three speak forth and each one must interpret their own tongue. This is by inspiration(in spirit action). All things MUST be done, decently and in order; verse 40.

Spiritual Warfare - "Our Spiritual Competition"! Part 4- "TWO" Gods!

"TWO" Gods:
Among many of God's people there is a little known truth; there are two Gods. There is the God and Father of the lord Jesus Christ and there is the“so-called" god of this world.
Both are described and defined by different names and titles.
Our father meant for us to fully understand what was going on in the spirit realm.
The One True God is the God of light in whom is NO darkness at all...no variableness...he does not even have a shadow of turning. He is who He says He is...always. He is not a schizophrenic who is good one second and devours the next.
The lord Jesus said that there was none good but God. Knowing him, that is quite a statement.
He only and always works for our good. He is the God of all grace and the Father of mercies.
He only speaks the truth; he is not a man that he should lie. He can be trusted, believed and we should have confidence in Him.
He is a God of His Word.
The other god does not keep his word. The lord Jesus called him, the father of lies. He is called a serpent in Genesis 3 by the figure of speech Hypocatastasis, the strongest figure of comparison in the human language.
A serpent is known for its ability to conceal itself in its environment; he is crafty. We have an expression,
"He is like a snake in the grass."
Revelation 12:9 aptly reveals him to us.
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old [ancient] serpent, called the Devil and Satan, that deceiveth the whole world:
he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
His one distinguishing characteristic is that he "deceives the whole world". He is so good at it that most people think he is a fictitious character.
Both gods are spirit. You cannot see spirit, hear, smell, taste or touch it. You can only see the manifestation of it.
Jesus Christ said that the devil came to steal, to kill and to destroy.
God sent Jesus Christ to make Him known both by his words and his works. He always did His Father's will.
He came so that we might have a more abundant life.
Who are you going to believe: the God of all truth or the liar; the deceiver? God's Word allows us to separate truth from error; to understand spiritual matters so that we are not ignorant. That is why He instructs us to,
"Study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
The One True God reveals Himself in His Word so that we can't miss Him; no darkness in Him, AT ALL!! The God of love, light, grace, mercy, deliverance, forgiveness, etc.
The other one is” the father of lies” and “the deceiver”; “the accuser of God’s people”. He uses God's Word against God's people. He has his ministers wrongly divide it and use it against God’s people to enslave them.
He kills, steals and destroys them.
Heeding devil spirits of worshiping Jesus; and you as much as carry this heresy to the extreme, by actually making and professing him as God himself. Attributing evil to God AND Jesus Christ. Burning souls(they are never immortal) extremely and eternally. Confessing that the dead are alive, rather than fully unconscious. Denying the great and ONLY hope for the believers. Heeding assorted doctrines of men, which blind you of the doctrine of the only true God. Deny the operation of the gift of holy spirit; replacing this with human emotion and feelings, and attributing this possession to God. Diminish free will or disregard it fully. Earnestly expecting God to control you! NEVER! but the adversary will possess you in a heartbeat, if you open yourself up to the offer of it. The devil is seriously in the business of blinding, in order to trick and possess. I offer THE(only) WAY out via my Google+ page - Jesus Christ is the WAY to God! Take an exhausted look, and believe God, unto deliverance. Thanks, Tom.
God says in Hosea that His people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. He is not talking about knowledge from the latest periodicals; He is speaking of His Word.
It is high time we woke up to the truth.
"It is written" should be our motto!
Why would God tell us that we wrestle with a spiritual adversary if it were not true?
Ephesians 6:10-20 KJV
10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit(Speaking in Tongues), and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 ¶ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Who are you going to believe?

Spiritual Warfare - "Our Spiritual Competition"! Part 3

 Confess the Word List:
Confessing the Word of God as you believe that Word in your heart results in receiving from God.
 1.  I will confess that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13) rather than confessing that I can't.
2.  I will confess that my God shall supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19) rather than confessing that I lack.
3.  I will confess that God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7) rather than confessing fear.
4.  I will confess that God is the strength of my life (Psalm 27:1) and that they who know their God shall be strong and do exploits (Daniel 11:32) rather than confessing weakness.
5.  I will confess that greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4) rather than confessing the supremacy of Satan over my life or living in peaceful co-existence with him.
6.  I will confess that God always causes me to triumph in Christ (11 Corinthians 2:14) rather than confessing defeat.
7.  I will confess that Christ Jesus is made unto me wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30) rather than confessing that I lack wisdom.
8.  I will confess that by Christ's stripes I was healed (1 Peter 2:24) rather than confessing sickness.
9.  I will confess that I am carefree and that I am casting all my cares upon him who cares for me (1 Peter 5:7) rather than confessing worries and frustrations.
10.  I will confess liberty for where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17) rather than confessing bondage.

Take Up the Shield of Believing
Dearly beloved, we now stand in Christ Jesus as righteous, holy and without blame before our Father. We are accepted in the Beloved. Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Take up the shield of the right way of believing!
We are now free to live as dead men who were raised to life again. God gave us the spirit of life in Christ Jesus and we are sealed for the Day of Redemption when we will acquire the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ! Stand in the liberty wherewith Christ made us free!
Our adversary does not want us to know, much less believe these wonderful realities. He does not want us to understand our exalted position in Christ. He wants us blind, ignorant, deceived, and living in denial of these truths. Instead, arm yourself with the shield of the right way of believing with which you can extinguish all the fiery darts he throws at you. Believe the full measure of who you are in Christ, beloved.
We are complete in Christ and we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us; take up the shield of believing.
The old serpent is the father of lies. He is the deceiver, the tempter, the accuser of the brethren, and the condemner. He attempts to torment us by bringing up our past sins, he plagues us with deadly doubts of unworthiness, and haunts us with the shortcomings of our flesh. He is the accuser of God’s children, but beloved, new things have come! We are in Christ now, we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus on the basis of his accomplishments.
Don’t listen to the adversary any longer, utilize the shield of believing, and quench these attacks.
Stand against the adversary by believing who God says you are in Christ, beloved. Our Father, by His exceeding great grace, has freely given us all things with Christ.
Romans 8:35, says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”
Whether the adversary orchestrates situations that afflict us with vice-like mental pressures (tribulation), or he sets up extremely distressing situations that put us between a rock and a hard place (distress), they cannot separate us from the love of Christ.
Whether our enemies constantly hound us (persecution), or whether we are destitute and suffer severe lack at times (famine or nakedness), or whether we are hit head-on with dangerous situations designed by the adversary to paralyze us with fear (peril), they cannot separate us.
Whether we are the victims of the cutting words of character assassination by the accuser and his minions, or whether we face death itself (sword), nothing can separate us from the love of Christ!
None of the adversary’s assaults can separate us from Christ’s love for us. These are his attempts to burden, obstruct, depress, discourage, and intimidate us so that we faint in our minds; “take up the shield of believing, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the wicked one.”
If we are to overcome these challenges we must be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might; lift up your shield.
Romans 8: 38 and 39: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Whether in life or even in the grave; no spiritual power – whether angel, spiritual principality, or power; nothing in the dimension of time – whether past, present or future; nothing in the dimension of space – whether on earth or in the heavenlies; no created thing can separate us God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord . . . in whom we are more than conquerors.
We are “more than conquerors” because our victory in Christ Jesus is not only during the fleeting period of this life – it is over death itself!
In Christ Jesus, we are not only “more than conquerors” today, but throughout eternity!
In Christ Jesus, we are “more than conquerors”, not only in the senses realm but also in the spiritual realm. Our Father delivered us from the power of darkness. Nothing in the spirit realm is as powerful as the spirit of God that dwells in us. Beloved, God gave us the power to tread over all the power of the adversary; believe it!
The reality that “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” is a greater reality than any obstacle we may face! Lift up the shield of believing and use the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God. On guard, beloved!


'Putting On The Full Armor of God -We Win'
We win in the spiritual competition by thinking and acting on God's Word, therefore, we are strong in the Lord. By The power of Jesus Christ who won the victory over the adversary setting us up to win in the spirit competition. -We win day by day.
Ephesians 6:10,11: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
"Finally" is in conclusion of the pervious directives. We can determine to act on the truths of the great mystery recorded in Ephesians 3, and we can decide to walk worthy of the vocation in which we are called of Ephesians 4. In Ephesians 5 we are exhorted to become followers of God walking in love, light and to be circumspect. Here we delve into Ephesians 6 "Being Strong in the Lord and in the power of his might."
God also tells us we are to put on all the equipment of God in order to stand against the methods of the devil. We put that Word of God on "just right," as headgear and we keep it on to win in the spiritual competition.
In Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (from on high).
Our competition is a mental competition against an already defeated ruler of darkness and spiritual principalities and powers. That's why we need to keep the Word of God on in our minds, like headgear in sports. Our competition is not against people- "flesh and blood" but, of the adversary and his regime.
The adversary rules the devil spirit powers referred to in Ephesians 6:12. He knows he's already been defeated by Jesus Christ. However he does not want born-again believers to know it and to claim the victory. If the Adversary can help it he'll try keep the believers ignorant of his defeat and laying distractions in order to prevent us from putting to mind, God's Word. The Words of God have power against the adversaries' realm when fitly spoken.
Ephesians 6:13: Wherefore take unto you the whole armour (the complete equipment) of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day(the evil one), and having done all, to stand.
"Wherefore" could be rendered "because of this." We wrestle in our minds against the spiritual realities of verse 12 in the spiritual competition, we need to take into manifestation the complete equipment of God. He has given to us in the Bible, He has written His Words for us to believe and the manifestations of the spirit for us to utilize to win against the spiritual competition. We have everything we need and every reason "to stand" in victory over our adversary, the devil.
Ephesians 6:14: Stand therefore, having your loins girt (our commitment center) about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
The phrase, "having your loins girt about with truth" in verse 14 can be understood as committing ourselves to the truth of God's Word. The expression, "tighten up your belt a notch" gives a present day understanding.
The way we stand is to commit ourselves to believe and live the rightly presented and handled truth of God's Word.
This verse also exhorts us to have on the "breastplate of righteousness." The "breastplate" refers to the heart of our renewed mind. We renew our mind to what God via His Word, His Will says about our righteousness spiritually. In (2 Corinthians 5:21:) tells us as believers of Christ, we have the righteousness of God. Will you stand on what God has done for us in Christ Jesus?! Yes- we as committed believers of Christ we do!
Ephesians 6:15: And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
The "gospel of peace" is referring to the good news of the Gospel. Once we put on God's Word in our hearts and minds, remaining strong in the Lord we hold forth the gospel to others. This is a vital part of winning in the spiritual competition, speaking the truth in love!
Ephesians 6:16: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
The "shield of faith" can be rendered as discus of believing. Just like a well trained athlete, an olympian is skillful hurling a discus with all their might in the right direction, we commit with all our might to believing in the right direction what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. " The wicked" is referring to the evil one, the adversary. We quench the fiery darts of the wicked, which come at us at times from the fives senses realm.
These fiery darts can be a form of corrupt communication which contradicts truth of God's Word.
That's why we hold our mouths in subjection to the instruction of God's Word such as only speak words of grace and which are of edification or, building up someone. The opposite from tearing someone down. As it is written, Life and death is in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21:)
Also we guard our minds from words spoken to us which are to break us from the holding the Truth of God's Word in our minds. (Proverbs 4:23) tells us to guard our minds because, our thoughts run our life.
Ephesians 12:17:And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
By the Athletic understanding, the "sword of the spirit" could more practically be render the javelin of the spirit. A well trained javelin throwers hurl the javelin to make their mark to win in their competition. Our javelin is the fittly spoken Word of God. We win in the spiritual competition by properly utilizing the words inspired by God via, His Word in every aspect in our lives hitting our mark as we have that God in Christ in us in operation to go the distance.
Our aim has always been as seen in (Ephesians 6:10-17:) how each believer can win in the spirit competition of life. These truths from Ephesians shows us how to keep winning as we discipline our minds like athletes utilizing the gift of holy spirit moment by moment.
Just as Jesus Christ did in defeating the adversary and exposing his regime of devil spirits -we have also, the instruction in the Bible. When he would cast them out of people and healed them. "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:" (Matthew 8:16:)
We stand against the methods of the devil, by believing God's Word, operate in the gift of holy spirit, and prevailing over any discouragement -One thought at a time.
As we remain strong in the Lord and the power of his might. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." (Ephesians 6:10) God will meet our every need as He has fully equipped us in all aspects of life.
We are exhorted and enabled to win daily in the spiritual competition by continuing to stand and utilize all the equipment of God; when we do, we win!

Spiritual Warfare - "Our Spiritual Competition"! Part 2. Confusing The Enemy!!

       

Spiritual Warfare - "Our Spiritual Competition"! Part 2.

                                       CONFUSING THE ENEMY!!
Do you ever feel like you can’t quite put your finger on what’s going on in your situation? The circumstances seem daunting and the future looks bleak.
Guess what?? We need to remember that we are engaged in a spiritual battle and that the enemy is looking for opportunities to infiltrate and seize the victory!
Jesus came to declare who His Father was and to destroy the works of the devil.

John 1:18 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
No one has ever seen God. God’s only Son, the one who is closest to the Father’s heart, has made him known.
I John 3:8 (New American Standard) 
the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

He also enabled those who now stand in the Body and in whom he now lives, with a true and real ability to perceive spiritual matters.

I Cor 2:14  (International Standard Version)
A person who isn’t spiritual doesn’t accept the things of God’s Spirit, for they are nonsense to him. He can’t understand them because they are spiritually evaluated. 
Eph 6:10-13 (Berean Study Bible) 
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.13 Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.          

What can I do you may ask??
Many times we don’t even know what to pray for. I assume that is why God blessed us with the gift of holy spirit and specifically the ability to speak in tongues. Ultimately speaking in tongues magnifies God but in the process of doing so, it makes perfect intercession and says things to Him we could never verbalize in our native language. Let’s leave the purposes of the spirit to Him and stop trying so hard to direct God to what we desire.
It has been said that if we knew how powerful speaking in tongues was, we would do it all the time.
This is so cool!! So amazing!! So simple!! We have tremendous ability to pray perfectly and bring perfect praise to the Father.
Praise confuses the enemy!! Our adversary is thwarted when we take the opposite approach to his evil doings and set ups. Instead of falling into the trap of whatever scenario he is coming at us with, what do we do??
MANIFEST SPIRIT POWER!! Be proactive with the spirit and begin to PRAISE GOD perfectly when the attack is on!!
This is certainly one thing we can do to stay blessed and experience practical victory.

Speaking in Tongues is NOT a learned language, it is not linguistic ability, not a translation of a language! Few realize this truth! It IS, as the spirit within gives the utterance(Acts 2:4); inspiration of the spirit of God within the believer. The speaker does not understand the utterance; otherwise it is not tongues, but rather, a known language to the one speaking. This is not a "learned language". Your spirit prays and God gives the words! The unusual behavior of some when they speak in tongues, have led others to declare  that the act must be of the devil. Also, non-Biblical based movies and documentaries have shown speaking in tongues to be a matter of confusion. Then people quote the Bible to say that God is not the author of confusion: "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints" (I Corinthians 14:33). When people witness the confusion of people speaking in tongues and rolling around the aisles, and being "slain in the spirit," they attribute this all to the works of the adversary. The tongues are genuine, but the foolish acts are influenced by the devil. I have experienced being in a church service, when all of a sudden people are babbling sounds and flopping about on the floor. This embarrassing scene happens all too often in certain churches that believe they are possessed by the spirit of God and give over their physical bodies to roll around and do all sorts of contorted movements. The true God never violates a person's free will. The True God and Father of our Lord and Savior performs all things decently and in order. He expects us to do so, as well (I Corinthians 14:40: Let all things be done decently and in order). God loves us and would never put us in awkward situations that would not bring glory to Him. When someone speaks in tongues, it is by the freedom of will of that individual. They start and end when they so choose. The evil one tries to trick people into giving over their minds and bodies to his control. That is why someone may be speaking in tongues and yet possessed by the devil doing weird things. This is due to either wrong teaching or devil spirit possession. As we operate this manifestation, our actions should be with the love of God. Satan has worked overtime to discredit speaking in tongues and make it look ridiculous. God has given us freedom of will, so we are responsible for how we act while speaking in tongues. We need to remember what I Corinthians 14:40 states, "Let all things be done decently and in order." The integrity of God's Word is always at stake. We must continue to be workmen of God's Word, rightly dividing it, in order to avoid causing a most awkward error to occur. The sad result is that this turns many people off from speaking in tongues, because they do not want to be associated with the devilish antics! These misconceptions and fears should not hold the believer back from manifesting speaking in tongues. Once someone recognizes that God desires to hear from you via speaking in tongues, you will simply walk out and do it. There is absolutely no fear once God's Word is fully known. At that point, nothing will inhibit you from speaking in tongues. God's Will is that each and every believer, speak in tongues, for our spirit prays, demonstrating the power of God forth in our prayer life! SPEAKING IN TONGUES - (defined): The manifestation of Speaking in Tongues is your operation of the God-given ability whereby you may (at any time in your private prayer life or in a believers’ meeting, if interpreted) show forth, by speaking in an unknown tongue, (unknown language to you), the external manifestation in the senses world of the internal reality and presence of the power of the holy spirit. How to do it: John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. God gave us the gift of holy spirit and he gave us his word to teach us about it. Now it is up to us to believe and manifest it. God isn't going to make anyone manifest anything. It is as we will. When we believe to operate the gift of holy spirit then God energizes within us and his power is manifested. This is true spiritual power. You must speak forth the words, as God gives them, to your spirit! That you speak is your business; what you speak is God's business! Tongues is speaking a language, unknown to the speaker. It is either a known language on earth, or a language of Angels; 1 Corinthians 13:1.  Chapter 14 gives instruction on how the manifestations are to be conducted, in a church setting. Tongues must always be interpreted "in the church". Two or three speak forth and each one must interpret their own tongue. This is by inspiration(in spirit action). All things MUST be done, decently and in order; verse 40.

Born of The "spirit-seed" of God!

Born of The spirit of God:

Once we are born of God's spirit we have incorruptible seed in us, which can not be revoked nor removed. Seed is always permanent. Your body and soul is the result of seed from your father, likewise with God's seed, but this seed is incorruptible and therefore eternal.
1 Peter 1:23
being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
The seed of God is spirit!
John 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Body, Soul & Spirit
I Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the beginning (Genesis 1:1) God created the heaven and the earth including all the elements that make up the physical body of man.
Soul is life. It is the life that all creatures that move and breathe (including man) have in common. Plants which grow have life. But plants do not have "breath life" that was created in Genesis 1:20. Soul life in man makes man an alive moving being.

In Genesis 1:27 God created man in his own image. The image of God is spirit according to John 4:24. Spirit is also life but it is on a higher plane; just as soul life is a higher life form that the growth life present in plants. When God gave man spirit he put man in His own category of life.
God's nature lost!
Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
God formed the body of man from the elements He had created in Genesis 1:1. God placed in man (breathed into his nostrils) the soul life He had created in Genesis 1:21 and thus he made man a living moving being.
The Word of God uses the word "create" when God brings something into existence for the first time. In the case of "spirit", which is the nature of God, the Word always uses the word "create" indicating that an act of God is necessary to create spirit in any individual. Spirit cannot be passed from person to person as body and soul elements are at birth. Only by an act of God can a man become a spiritual being. In the beginning this spiritual nature was created in man on a conditional basis:
Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
When Adam and Eve violated this condition they did surely die that very day. Spiritually they died. They no longer had the nature of God abiding within them. They were no longer three-fold beings in God's category. They still had life. They had growth life as do plants and they had soul life (moving breathing life) as do all living creatures. But they no longer had spiritual life. This was the fall of man. This was the event that left man in the state of needing a savior - a redeemer. Man needs spirit to be that which God intended man to be in the beginning: a spiritual being in God's category.

The promise of holy spirit
Throughout the old testament when God wanted to communicate with man or direct His chosen people He would place spirit upon a very limited number of individuals. The spirit was always conditional and was removed when a man or woman failed to walk with God. However, throughout this time God's promise of a redeemer and the coming of spirit on a permanent basis where all mankind would have the opportunity to once again be body, soul, and spirit beings in God's category was looked forward to by those who held the Word of God in esteem.
The promise of God was that a redeemer would come and that God would be able to pour out His spirit to all who believe unto salvation.
Jesus Christ came to redeem man and make spirit available. He reminded a Pharisee ruler named Nicodemus of God's promise:
John 3:5-7, 9-10 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water [body & soul] and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh [body & soul] is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit...Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Jesus was surprised that a Pharisee did not understand about the promise of spirit to come. The spirit that would be poured out by way of the accomplishments of Jesus Christ would be born within man. No longer on a condition - it would be seed born within a man or woman who believed. Jesus understood this and expounded God's Word to a woman drawing water from a well:
John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is [almost here!] when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Jesus spoke to his disciples and those he taught about the coming of holy spirit:
John 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost [spirit] was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [not conditional] Even the Spirit of truth [the true spirit]; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Acts 1:4-5 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost [holy spirit] not many days hence.

FINALLY the day arrived!
Acts 2:1,4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place...And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost [holy spirit], and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted [talking about Jesus], and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost,[holy spirit] he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Today the promise of holy spirit is available by believing Romans 10:9-10. When we confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead we too become, as God originally intended, BODY, SOUL, and SPIRIT.
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation [wholeness - spirit is the missing part needed to be whole]: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Today the spirit of God is born in us when we believe. It is not conditional. It is incorruptible seed. It is eternal life! It is the nature of the living God born in us. We are once again in God's category: Spiritual men and women with eternal life!

John 4:24
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Speaking in tongues is true worship. It is prayer in the spirit and it is always in accordance with God's Word, so pray without ceasing and pray much in the spirit.
I Corinthians 14:14-15
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
There are two methods of prayer: in the spirit and with the understanding. Both are important and both are available to believers today. When we pray in tongues we do not understand the words but our prayer is spiritual. It is our holy spirit in direct communication with The Holy Spirit: God.
I Corinthians 14:2
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
I Corinthians 14:18
I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
The Apostle Paul prayed much in tongues in his private prayers to God.
Jude 1:20-21
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost [pneuma hagion - holy spirit],
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Praying in the holy spirit is praying in tongues.

THE NEW BIRTH GIVES A PERSON SPIRITUAL LIFE!
Man is dead spiritually, in trespasses and sins, until one is born again. See John 3:5-7 for how man acquires spirit.When Adam & Eve sinned they lost their spirit life, their connection to God, who is Spirit. This spirit can only be regained for a person, through the second Adam, Jesus Christ. See 1 Corinthians 15:20-23. This happens upon being born of the spirit.
Acts 2:38.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
How does a person know they have the gift of holy spirit in them?
Acts 10:45 & 46:
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.
Acts 2:4:
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance.

The evidence of the spirit within them was that they spoke in tongues. This is true with the Gentiles who got born again and the twelve apostles on the Day of Pentecost. Anyone who operates the manifestation of speaking in tongues, has the evidence that they will be in the Gathering Together, because they have the spirit of God within themselves.
As soon as someone does what it says in Romans 10:9, which is to confess Jesus as Lord and believe in their heart that God raised him from the dead, they are born again, they receive the gift of holy spirit.
This isn't talking about people receiving God, it's talking about people receiving the gift of holy spirit from God.
The key is to get peaceful, thank God for it, and you simply speak the words forth, God always makes sure that the words are there for you. It will sound foreign because it is a foreign language to you. Just speak forth whatever words are there. I recommend to say something to jump start and then you will see the words are available to speak. Let it flow and never mind thinking, just speak. Remember that you are not supposed to understand the words.
Let me know how it goes for you, and if you would like more help. Thank you.
You must speak forth the words, as God gives them, to your spirit! That you speak is your business; what you speak is God's business!
Ephesians 2:1.
And you hath he quickened [made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins;
The FREE gift of salvation: It is by incorruptible seed - 1 Peter1:23 and Galatians 3:16. 1 John 3:9 the seed remains. It is a gift - Romans 6:23 and 1 John 2;25.
Ephesians 2:5,8. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us [made us alive] together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) For by grace are ye saved [sōzō - made whole] through faith [believing]; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Romans 5:15
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
The free gift refers to the gift of holy spirit, the Christ in you, the incorruptible seed that was born within us at the time of the new birth. Just as we suffer death because of one man, Adam, we now enjoy life because of one man, Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:18.
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Justification is the legal side to righteousness. The Christ in us is incorruptible, it cannot sin, it cannot miss the mark. There is nothing anyone can do to make their spirit sin. It is impossible to corrupt it with sin. That is why it is eternal life When we are born again, God takes his gavel, slams it down and declares us not guilty, not because of our body and souls, not because of our old man, but because of the gift of holy spirit that is born within us. It is the spirit that makes us righteous. Righteousness and justification come wrapped up with the new birth. They are supernatural rights that come with the Christ in us.
Romans 5:19
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.


Adam's disobedience made us all guilty of death, and so death was the penalty we all had to pay. That's why we were all born dead into this world, with no spiritual life. God didn't do that to us, the devil did. Man committed a sin so vile, it legally warranted the death penalty. Man died and the devil became the god of this world. Thankfully, God came up with a way to spring us from death, and that way was Jesus Christ, who died in our place to accomplish our redemption.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF GRACE- THE GREAT MYSTERY -"REVEALED"!

The Administration of Grace

Ephesians 3:2-5
If ye have heard of the dispensation [administration] of the grace of God which is given me to youward:
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

The apostle Paul was given revelation regarding the administration of the great mystery. The word translated "dispensation" is the Greek word for "stewardship" or "administration." Just as we think of a president's administration as a time period in which certain procedures and rules are in effect that reflect the president's stewardship of the country, the apostle Paul was given revelation from God regarding the procedures and rules that are presently in effect during this administration of the grace of God.
In the Bible lands it was customary for the head of a household to engage one of his poorer relatives as his steward. When the steward was hired, everything pertaining to the affairs of the household was turned over to him. He could buy and sell property. He could sign deeds. He could lend money and forgive debts. He could do anything the head of the household could do. He was given the keys to all properties, the records, and the bookkeeping. He was also given the family signet ring.
The signet ring was engraved with the name of the owner or with some family emblem and was a symbol of authority used in the Bible lands to seal legal documents. A document without a seal would not be legal. A merchant's letters and bills had to be sealed. Even today, modern Egyptians and Eastern businessmen wear a seal-ring on the little finger of their right hand. The seal represents the owner and is used to indicate that sealed property belongs to him.

Ephesians 1:11-14
In whom [Christ] also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

In this administration of the grace of God believers have received God's gift of holy spirit as a token of the inheritance that God has predetermined to give each of us at the day of redemption. Holy spirit is the "earnest" of our inheritance. Just as earnest money is given as a token when a property is purchased, God has given us a token of the inheritance that He has laid up for us to be claimed at the day of redemption when He also will claim His purchased possession (us!) We have an inheritance coming to us and God has an inheritance coming to Him at that day. We have been redeemed, bought with a price, from the world; yet we are still in the world. God has purchased us with the life of His son. He placed holy spirit in us as a SEAL indicating that we belong to Him. When He sends Jesus Christ back to claim that which He owns, we will be gathered unto Him and receive the fullness of our inheritance.
All those who have confessed with their mouth the Lord Jesus and believed in their heart that God raised him from the dead [Romans 10:9-10] have been SEALED with God's gift of holy spirit. It does not matter who you are, what you were, or what you might do in the future. If you have believed and received, then you are SEALED. This is the greatness of the mystery of the grace of God. We are all members of the body of Christ. We are individually SEALED with that holy spirit of promise. We belong to Him!

2 Corinthians 1:21-22
Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

We belong to God. We have the SEAL of holy spirit as a token in our hearts that we belong to Him. There should NEVER be any question of our salvation or of that which God has predestinated to give us at the day of redemption for we have the proof. We have been given holy spirit as a SEAL of our sonship. We can speak in tongues. We know that we know that we know that we belong to Him.

Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

What is it to "grieve the holy spirit of God?" Well, to deny the greatness of the grace of God given to us would certainly be grieving. We have the SEAL of holy spirit. We will have it until the day God claims that which is His. To deny the gift, to deny the grace and power given to us is to grieve. God wants us to walk, utilizing that spirit that He gave us and renewing our minds to His glorious grace. God wants us to live like His sons because we belong to Him.

"When the first century believers failed to continue to act in the light of the great mystery as unfolded so magnanimously in the epistle to the Ephesians, they lost the true teaching concerning the mystery which is the center of all true Christian faith, the one body of Christ.
The immediate consequence of the loss of this truth of the great mystery produced glowing errors. It initiated the different so-called "bodies" with all the subsequent division and schism in the church body. Instead of rightly dividing the word of truth and recognizing the "one body" which God made (Ephesians 4:4), men set about making their own ecclesiastical bodies and sects.
The truth as to the believer's perfect standing before God in Christ was the next major loss. The truth as to what God made every believer to be in Christ, how every believer is justified by the faith of Jesus Christ and saved by God's grace was all basically lost. Failing to adhere to the truth the teachers began to propagate error regarding the Lord's promised return from heaven, the gathering together and the resurrection." Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille - The Great Mystery Revealed

ONE BODY BY GRACE

Galatians 1:6-9, 11-12
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel;
Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. . .
. . . I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

God called us in one body, the body of Christ. He SEALED each of us with His gift of holy spirit - Christ in you! We have all that God has given by His grace. To teach, as some were in Galatia, that a believer needs to do some work or keep the law to be saved is to deny that which was accomplished in Christ. The gospel which these "believers" where promoting was a perversion of the truth designed by the adversary to trouble the body of Christ. The result was division and schism in the church. This is the first step on the road down. To lose sight of the mystery of the one body of SEALED believers with Christ as the head and to establish all sorts of divisions and "churches" is to turn away from the administration of the grace of God.

JUSTIFIED BY GRACE

Romans 3:24
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;

God paid the price to redeem us. He gave His son Jesus Christ. We have been judged righteous in Christ. We are justified. It is just as if we never sinned. And what did we do or can we do to earn our justification? NOTHING! We have it freely given to us by his grace! When believers turn away from the truth of the administration of the grace of God and that which we have received in Christ, they begin promoting works. They forget that they are SEALED. This is the second step down. We need to recognize the greatness of all we have received and will receive freely by his grace.

According to the riches of God's grace recorded in Ephesians we have:

Been chosen in him before the foundation of the world.
Been made holy and without blame before him in love.
Been predestinated unto sonship.
Been made accepted.
Been redeemed through the blood of His son Jesus Christ.
Been given the forgiveness of sins.
Been given wisdom.
Been given a knowledge of the mystery of his will.
Been promised that He will gather us together in Christ in the fulness of time.
Been promised an inheritance at the day of redemption.
Been made alive together with Christ.
Been saved.
Been raised up and seated in the heavenly places in Christ.
Been promised a show of God's exceeding grace in the ages to come.

GATHERED TOGETHER WITH CHRIST BY GRACE

1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Philippians 3:20-21
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savious; the Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

The mystery of the gathering together of the body of Christ was first revealed to the apostle Paul as steward of the grace of God. Ten times in the above verses God indicates the things that SHALL absolutely happen at that day. To turn away from that which is revealed in the epistles written to the church regarding the gathering together is another step down. The great hope we have for the day of redemption, our inheritance, and eternity with God must NEVER be replaced by preparation for death, destruction, and fear of the wrath of God. We have been delivered from the wrath to come and given a glorious hope.

1 Peter 4:10
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

We have freely received the gift of holy spirit by grace. We are SEALED until the day of redemption. We have been given the same responsibility as the apostle Paul in that we are to serve one another by ministering the SAME gift as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Let us never lose sight of the administration of the grace of God given to us. Freely we have received - Freely give! 

God's offspring, our promised seed of Genesis 3:15.

... and you call yourself a christian!

Professing that God is Jesus! For religiously poisoned folk that care to be cured; NOT for the lame folk that sucks up to dogma of religious bullshit!!
You are believing the lie. How many others is the question from this point forth!
You will not believe sound doctrine if it just fell on ya!! This is idolatry, spiritualism, blasphemous, and furthermore "YOU all have chosen a false God!"
The trinity is NOT logical(and what to F is this insipid ball of wax of "ONENESS, as you ignorants pull up for ego sake!?. Scripture tells us that God is “immortal,” which means “not subject to death,” but Jesus died. - 1 Timothy 1:17
Jesus Christ was the offspring of Mary and God. Thus he was born with no sinful nature in him (as the life of the flesh which was corrupted by sin is passed from father to son by the seed of the father), yet he was totally a man. He had to grow and mature and learn to walk with God just as any other man. He had to learn of his mission to redeem man and he had to fulfill all the genetic requirements of the promised seed of the woman.
Genesis 3:15
15 and I(Jehovah God) will put enmity between thee(the Devil) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed(the promised Messiah; the Christ, our Lord); it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

He had to be a descendent of Adam, Abraham, and David. He was and is God's plan for the redemption of man. He is the only begotten son of God.


Matthew 1:18
Now the birth [gennēsis] of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.


The word birth is the Greek word gennēsis, from which we get our English word genesis.
Genesis means beginning.
There can be no doubt as to the meaning of the word genesis. Its meaning is not open to debate. Jesus Christ had a beginning and it was right here in Matthew when he was born. Jesus Christ was not around before this point in time. His birth was his beginning, his genesis.
Prove that you can think, please!?
For Jesus to be the Messiah he could not be born dead in trespass and sin. Man’s sinful nature is passed down from Adam through the blood. For Jesus not to be born dead in trespass and sin he had to be born with innocent blood. What does that mean and why would it be legally important?? To understand the legal significance of Jesus’ innocent blood we first have to understand Jesus’ miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit.
The following are excerpts from the book “Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed” by Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille.
Dr. Wierwille states “…As the Messiah, Jesus Christ had to fulfill certain genealogical requirements promised in the Old Testament among them, (1) he had to be a descendent of Adam; (2) he had to be a descendent of Abraham; and (3) he had to be a descendent of King David. The Old Testament further stipulated that the Messiah’s royal lineage would trace its way through King David and Solomon. Finally besides being the son of Adam, Abraham, and David, the Messiah would also have to be the Son of God. That Jesus Christ had all of these qualifications will become indisputably clear in studying his conception and genealogy.
Jesus Christ’s genealogy, as with all people, was determined by his mother and her predecessors and his father. So in researching God’s Word for the great truths of Jesus Christ’s genealogy we need to begin by noting certain details regarding his conception…”
Mat 1:18
(18) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit].
“…Before they came together” means that before Joseph and Mary had sexual intercourse Mary was already pregnant, and the child she was carrying was conceived in her by God, who is the Holy Spirit…”
Luk 1:35
(35) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
“…Therefore, from a physical, genetic point of view, Jesus Christ’s Father was God and his mother was Mary. Joseph, Mary’s husband, became Jesus’ human father by the circumstances in which he found himself, but not by his genetic contribution. Joseph by God’s direction accepted the responsibility of rearing Jesus as a son in his household.
There is no question that the Bible teaches divine conception, that God was literally Jesus Christ’s Father. In any conception there are two necessary elements: the egg and the sperm. The egg is supplied by the mother, who in this case was Mary. The sperm is supplied by the father, who in this case was God, who is the Holy Spirit. Being Spirit, God did not, of course, have sexual intercourse with Mary, for spirit cannot cohabit with flesh. Rather, by divine creation, God put seed inside Mary [I would add that if Mary had sex with God she would no longer be a virgin who gave birth.] That is how Mary, who had never had sexual relations, had Jesus conceived within her. This is the miracle of Jesus’ conception…[And…only Mary fulfilled all the prerequisites necessary in order to carry the promised seed. God said He would have an only begotten Son, and He chose Mary in whom to create the seed that would give birth to that one Son.
There are several genetic and physical considerations involved with Jesus Christ’s conception. The Bible teaches that all men since Adam are born “dead in sins” (Eph 2:5). Man is conceived and born with a sinful nature. Psalms 51:5 states, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Romana 5:12 states, “Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all have sinned.”
Not only is man born spiritually separated from God, he is born physically with sin, corruption, and impurities in his blood and in his soul life. This soul life which is the natural life of man, and attested to by a person’s breathing, is found in the blood.
Lev 17:11
(11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood…
While the mother and father both make genetic contributions to the flesh and blood of a child, the soul life in the blood is contributed by the sperm, the seed. It comes from the male side. In the conception of Jesus Christ, this truth is pointedly stated in Hebrews.
Heb 2:14
(14) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers [Greek: “koinoneo,” to share fully] of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part [Greek: “metecho,” to take a part or portion] of the same [flesh and blood]…
All children share fully of both the flesh and blood, genetically passed on to them since Adam and Eve the first man and woman, but Jesus Christ took only part. He did not share “fully.” Here in Hebrew 2:14, the figure of speech “metonymy” of the adjunct is found, in which the word “blood” is used to represent the soul life in the blood. This usage of “blood” is common in the Bible, especially when it is used with the term “flesh,” which here is used for the physical part of man as opposed to the soul part. In partaking of the flesh and blood, all people have inherited their bodies and their soul life from Adam and his descendants. This soul life in the blood is corrupt with a sinful nature inherent within it.
This is why it is necessary to understand from Hebrews 2:14 that Jesus Christ “took part of the same.” What part did he take? He did not “share” fully in both the flesh and blood of man. Physically, according to the flesh, part of Jesus’ genetic makeup came from Mary. However, the soul life in his blood was not inherited from Mary, Adam, or any other human being. The life of the flesh is in the blood, according to Leviticus 17:11, and the life within the flesh of man, within his blood, is corrupt. But Jesus Christ’s came from God. That is why Jesus Christ’s soul life was conceived without sin or corruption.
As we have seen, natural life, which is called “soul life,” is in the blood. Sin is transmitted through this soul life, in other words, through the blood, and not through the flesh. That is why Hebrews 2:14 is such a tremendous statement. How marvelously God arranged for a child to be conceived that would be completely a man, having complete freedom of will, but also having a sinless nature.
With masterful foresight God prepared for the sinless birth of His Son, Jesus Christ, from the very beginning. In order to produce a sinless man descended from Adam, God provided a way whereby Jesus would have a human body derived from Adam’s line, yet uncontaminated by Adam’s sinful soul life. To accomplish this, God created the sperm containing a perfect soul life which impregnated the egg in Mary’s fallopian tube. Therefore, the dominate characteristics of the genes determining the makeup of Jesus Christ came from his Father, God.
The miracle of the birth of Jesus Christ was his divine conception in Mary. His birth [itself] was not miraculous, for like any infant he developed within Mary’s womb and was born according to natural processes. But, the miracle of his divine conception enabled man’s redeemer to come into the world as a sinless, perfect human being, yet having the freedom of will to sin or not to sin; to believe or not to believe God. God did not go beyond any of His previously instituted laws to bring His son into the world.
Understanding all of this, many scriptures concerning Jesus’ descent from the linage of David become much more meaningful. That is why the following scriptures are so accurate.
Act 2:30
(30) …that of the fruit of his [David’s] loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ…
Rom 1:3
(3) Concerning his [God’s] Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which [who] was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.
These verses do not say Jesus Christ was of the seed of David “according to the flesh and blood.” That would be totally inaccurate. These verses all say “according to the flesh,” for Christ’s soul life in his blood came from God. It did not come from David or David’s descendant, Mary. But physically, according to the flesh, Jesus Christ can properly be said to be of the seed of David. That is the great accuracy of these key verses of scripture…”
In his book Dr. Wierwille then goes through the details of the genealogy of Jesus Christ showing by the scripture that both Joseph and Mary were descendants of King David. It’s way too long to add here but after covering Jesus’ genealogy Dr. Wierwille continues with the following paragraphs.
“…A person’s standing in a family was normally recognized by the lineage of the father. From a human point of view Jesus needed patrilineal credentials in order to function in a society built upon paternal genealogy. He would not be accepted in the Judean society without a pedigree traceable through both parents. Since few would believe that on his Father’s side he needed no pedigree, his Father being God, he had to have socially acceptable credentials through the human being whom society considered to be his father, Joseph. Since Joseph assumed the responsibility for Jesus as his son, it was Joseph’s line that gave Jesus full legal standing in the house of David. Whereas Joseph’s genealogy listed in Luke 3 gave Jesus his standing in the House of David by the assumed responsibility of Joseph, it was in truth the genealogy listed in Mathew 1 which gave Jesus Christ true standing in the House of David with the right to inherit his throne by the family line and genetic contribution of Mary.
The genealogy given in Luke 3 is not Jesus Christ’s royal lineage. Mathew 1 indicates his royal lineage from Solomon and others who sat on David’s throne...
…Both lineages, - that of Mary, in the Gospel of Matthew, and that of Joseph, in the Gospel of Luke – have Abraham and David common to their ancestry. Since Joseph assumed the responsibility as Jesus’ father, this gave Jesus during his earthly walk a legal standing in the house of David. But as Mary’s son by birth, Jesus had more than legal standing in the House of David; because of Mary’s genealogy, Jesus Christ was descended from the royal line of the House of David, so that he could genetically and legally inherit the throne of David. Being conceived by the Holy Spirit (who is God) Jesus was the true and only begotten Son of God, the “ssemah” or offspring of God.
Jesus was the offspring of Mary and God. Thus he was born with no sinful nature in him, yet he was totally a man, a male child who would have to mature and learn in order to complete his God ordained mission. As the offspring of both God and Mary, the Christ came into the world fulfilling all the genealogical requirements of the promised seed: he would be a descendant of Adam, of Abraham, and of David. He would also be the only begotten Son of God, the promised seed, God’s perfect plan for man’s redemption.”
And that is the last of the excerpts from Dr. Wierwille”s book, “Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed.”
And so now we know the legal significance of Jesus’ “innocent” blood. It should be noted the first Adam, though he was never born, started life with innocent blood, and the last Adam, Jesus Christ, also started life with innocent blood. And all of these things confirm God does things on a legal basis.
We have seen who and what Jesus legally had to be for him to be eligible to be the promised seed. If Jesus is anything other than 100% a man who is the Son of God, and nothing else, it would legally eliminate his being eligible to be the promised seed. If Jesus is God/man then he is more than man which means he is not the second Adam which means he cannot possibly be the promised seed and no one who believes in Jesus Christ is saved. God made a way for Jesus to be His only begotten Son and yet be 100% percent a man by creating a human sperm to fertilize Mary’s ovum. Jesus was born totally a man with innocent blood and yet at the same time he was the Son of God, nothing more, nothing less.
Jesus is the Son of God because God created the sperm with perfect genes that with Mary’s ovum became Jesus. I suppose you might even say Jesus was the ultimate designer baby designed by God and yet with free will to obey God or not. Even though God was Jesus’ Father Jesus did not inherit any genes from God because God is spirit and spirit does not have chromosomes because chromosomes are part of the physical system God instituted for man to have seed to be fruitful and multiply. God being spirit is not a physical being. The seed that produced Jesus was 100% physical seed, 100% human seed, and human seed cannot multiply to become God.
As the last Adam, Jesus had to be equally a man like the first Adam, who was not God. If Jesus Christ is God/man then he is more than man and thus cannot be the last Adam. But he can be 100% a man and still be the Son of God because God created the human sperm that impregnated Mary.
If Jesus is a man, which God says he is, then Jesus is also less than God. Man is finite. God is infinite. Infinite can never be less than infinite. God can never be less than God. Therefore Jesus cannot be God.
Heb 2:16-18
(16) For verily he took not on him the nature of angels (spirit beings); but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
(17) Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
(18) For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Heb 4:15
(15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Jas 1:13
(13) …for God cannot be tempted with evil…
All of the following 10 verses are reproof pointing out the wrong belief that Jesus is God.
Mat 12:32
(32) And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
If both Jesus and the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) are God then this verse is saying whoever speaks against God it will be forgiven but whoever speaks against God it will not be forgiven. That would be nonsense. And what if someone speaks against the Father?? But notice how this verse makes perfect sense if Jesus Christ is the man who is the son of God and the Holy Spirit is God, the Father. The Holy Spirit and the Father are one supernatural being who is God and not two supernatural beings who are parts of one God. When read with accurate understanding this verse is totally logical.
Mar 13:32
(32) But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
God knows everything and if Jesus is God then he knows everything. This verse says Jesus didn’t know everything.
Joh 7:16
(16) Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
If Jesus Christ is God how could his doctrine not be his?
Joh 14:28
(28) Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
No one is greater than God. If Jesus was God then the Father cannot be greater than Jesus. God cannot be greater than God.
Rom 8:3
(3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
1Co 8:6
(6) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
1Co 11:3
(3) But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
1Ti 2:5
(5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Jn 5:5
(5) Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1Jn 4:15
(15) Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
2Jn 1:3
(3) Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Spiritual Warfare - "Our Spiritual Competition"! Part 1.

I think we all want to live a life which is more abundant. We all want to live powerful lives, victorious lives, with each day an adventure in living. That kind of life is available.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus Christ came so we could have an amazing life, but unfortunately there's a thief who comes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy and that's why at times life can be anything but fun.

          Romans 8:37
          Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

This verse does not say we are more than conquerors by our own muscles or brain power, or by the amazing solutions we figure out all by ourselves, it says we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. This concurs with John where it said that the more abundant life was made available by Jesus Christ. Both of these verses are in harmony with Philippians.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

  The more abundant life, therefore, is not something we make available, it is something God makes available through Jesus Christ. Note that the verse does not say God is going to do it all for us either. It says, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. In other words, this is not automatic. We have a part to play in this.

Ephesians 3:20
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to(by means of) the power [Greek - dunamis] that worketh [energeō] in us,

  God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power, the dunamis, the inherent power that works in us. We get words like dynamo and dynamic from this Greek word dunamis. It is potential power, latent, inherent power. Worketh is the Greek word energeō, from which we get the words energy and energise. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the potential power, the inherent power that is energised in us. 
 What is this power and how is it energised? We read the bible to find out. The bible is the manual on how to energise this power and learn how to live the abundant life Jesus Christ came to make available. This power is what is referred to in Philippians 4:13 when it says I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. When this power is energised, it opens the door to God doing exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Of course, if this power is not energised it will do nothing, even though it is there.

Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [metamorphoō] by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 This is a promise to us, it is something we get to do if we renew our minds. We can prove that God's will is good, acceptable, and perfect. 
  If you read the bible and apply the principles, you get to enjoy an abundant life.
  The god of this world spreads his lies into the world through television, movies, newspapers, magazines, computer games, the internet, and a thousand other ways so he can steal, kill and destroy. He pumps a continuous diet of poisoned filth into the world that makes us mentally sick, that strips our souls of vitality and passion. We are to put it off by renewing our minds according to God's word. We change our mental diet. Instead of the world's filth, we feed our minds with a healthy, clean, vital, nutritious, delicious, strengthening diet of God's word.

Look, the world spews its poisons into homes, schools and universities, into politics and business, in hundreds of languages and dialects, in every country on the face of the planet, every minute of every day of the year, yet no one forces you to turn on your television instead of reading your bible, do they? Does the world march in, twist your arm, chuck your bible into a closet, and force you to watch TV? No, it is a decision you make. If you want mental health and the power of God in your life, change your mental diet.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 This isn't about cutting off the world and having no fun, it is about having a healthy, sane mind so you can enjoy life. A healthy daily diet of the word brings deliverance and strength.
 Reading and understanding the bible isn't drudgery, pain and boredom, it is refreshing and invigorating. Understanding the word gives us life in all of its abundance. A healthy daily diet of God's word is the way of life for us today, just as it always has been. So if you want life, if you want strength to be more than a conqueror every day, make a decision to eat and digest a healthy diet of God's word.

Jeremiah 15:16
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Did Jeremiah eat scrolls? No, this is a figure of speech emphasising that Jeremiah did more than just snack at God's word a couple of times a week. He ate it, he digested it, it provided the mental strength he needed to do his spiritual job, which was to walk by the spirit in his day and time.

Regarding figures of speech, is there a figure of speech God employs to illustrate this power we can energise? Let's see.

John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on [in] them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost [holy spirit]:

Jesus Christ was instructing his disciples on how to energise the power when it arrived.
  The word on is the Greek word en and should be translated in. Jesus Christ breathed in, and said, receive holy spirit. He took a deep breath, and told them that was how they were to receive the holy spirit when it eventually came. And that's exactly what the apostles did.

Acts 2:1,2 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind [a heavy breathing], and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

The words as of a rushing mighty wind are as of a heavy breathing in the text. The twelve apostles did what they had been instructed to do, and they all took deep breaths to receive the gift of holy spirit. The heavy sound of their deep breathing filled the temple because of the superb acoustics. Those old temples didn't have state of the art sound systems, but they did have state of the art acoustics to ensure anyone sitting anywhere in the temple heard what was being said on the main stage. The heavy breathing of these twelve men filled the temple.

Acts 2:3,4 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled wtih the Holy Ghost [holy spirit], and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

  Think of your study of God's word, your renewing of your mind as your mental diet, and speaking in tongues as your spiritual breath, your spiritual breathing. As we breathe spiritually, as we speak in tongues, as we walk by the spirit, we have power for abundant living.
 Who is responsible to look after our mental diet and keep ourselves healthy and strong? God? No, we are. God gave it, but what we do with our minds is up to us. God does not possess us. Who gave us eternal life, the power from on high, the gift of holy spirit? God did. Who is responsible to energise it, to ensure we grow and mature, so we walk by the spirit and not by the senses? God? No, we are. God gave it, but what we do with that spirit is our business.

The more abundant life is here. The power is available. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, but only according to the power that is energised in us. We really can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. No matter what the world does, we can be more than conquerors through him that loved us.