DailyRhema

Testimony 90. Mei Mei – Praying in the Spirit charges me up and causes sickness to flee

2009-04-05T01:00:00.001+08:00

Name: Mei Mei
Date: Mar 2009
Location: Singapore
Note: Mei Mei shared this testimony tonight during our Grace Fellowship on 26th March (written by Joshua)

Mei Mei shared that she woke up one morning and knew that her husband was praying in tongues in another room. There was some energy generated in the spiritual realm, or some waves that she could pick up. She checked and indeed her husband was praying.

One day, Mei Mei attended a prayer meeting with some 60 people praying in tongue simultaneously. When this happened, the spiritual energy generated was so strong that she felt it surge within her belly. The tongues that she was praying in changed and she asked the Holy Spirit what language was this. The Holy Spirit told her that it was Hebrew.

She said that as they prayed in tongues, she could see in the spirit realm that the force was driving sickness away from the people. Isn’t that awesome?

When we pray in tongues, it is the Holy Spirit making intercession within us (Romans 8:26-27). There is power (or energy, or waves) in the spirit realm. If there is power when we pray, think about the power when the Holy Spirit prays.

The Bible says that when we pray in tongues, we receive edification. 1 Cor 14:4, “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself…” To edify is to charge up – like charging up a battery. When 60 people pray in the spirit, a lot of charging up is taking place. This explains the energy surge.

Praying in the spirit is praying in the language that the Spirit gives. It could be the language of angels or the language of men. In Acts 2, on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples in the upper room prayed in other languages of other men – the mother tongue of the diverse visitors to Jerusalem.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Life. He is the channel of the life of Jesus. The river of life brings healing when we pray in tongues. Sickness has to flee. Romans 8:26 says that the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. Another version says that the Spirit helps us in our infirmities, which include sicknesses.

So the next time you need some charging up, you need an infusion of life, or you have a healing need, you can pray in the spirit. In fact, you can pray in the spirit anytime of the day even under your breadth. Do not underestimate this New Covenant prayer language. Treasure it and use it because they did not have the privilege in the Old Covenant.

Testimony 89. Mei Mei – Look upon Jesus to receive the miracle

2009-04-02T23:54:00.000+08:00

Name: Mei Mei
Date: Mar 2009
Location: Singapore
Note: Mei Mei shared this testimony tonight during our Grace Fellowship on 26th March (written by Joshua)

Joshua: As I share these testimonies, I know there are people who are wary of spiritual experiences. To such, we reaffirm that every personal experience or personal revelation should fall in line with the Word of God. If something contradicts the Word, we will have to discard it – even if it comes from any prophet. God does not contradict Himself. But I am glad to share these testimonies because they all came in line with God’s Word.

The Holy Spirit told Mei Mei that when we look upon Jesus, we will receive the miracle. Whatever the problem, the secret is to look to Jesus. Interestingly, that was the Holy Spirit impresses on my heart to share with the people as we ended the worship.

This is indeed a powerful truth of the redemption work of Christ and the New Covenant. It is so simple that most people miss it. People look for complex formula’s and they want to perform in order to receive the promise. But all it takes is to look upon Jesus.

When the Israelites were bitten by snakes in the desert, a number of them died. Then the Lord asked Moses to make a bronze serpent and raise it on a pole. Anyone who looked upon it would live. Anyone who kept looking at the wounds would die.

This bronze serpent on the pole is a picture of Jesus on the cross carrying all our sins, sicknesses and curses. It is the picture of the redemption work of Christ. When we see Jesus on the cross, we see that He paid the price for us. Our faith then responds to the grace of Jesus to receive the promise.

(Numbers 21:9)
9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

There is another powerful verse. We not only see Jesus on the cross. We also see Jesus on the throne. We see Him in all His glory because we are in Him and He is in us. When we see Him in His glory (without sickness, or disease, or depression, or lack), we will be transformed into the same glory. For as He is so are we in this world (1 John 4:17).

(2 Cor 3:18)
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the GLORY OF THE LORD, are being TRANSFORMED into the SAME IMAGE from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

So look to Jesus and be transformed into His image from glory to glory.

Testimony 88. Mei Mei – The Holy Spirit told me about the rapture

2009-03-31T00:36:00.002+08:00

Name: Mei Mei
Date: Mar 2009
Location: Singapore
Note: Mei Mei shared this testimony tonight during our Grace Fellowship on 26th March (written by Joshua)

Joshua: I had just started on a series on the Holy Spirit during Grace Fellowship. We had been talking about enjoying a living relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. Last session, Sister Mei Mei shared some of her experiences with the Lord. As she is a very simple sister, she does not know very much about the Word. Perhaps her simplicity allows her to relate to God and to communicate with Him in a way that highly intellectual people cannot.

As she shared about what the Holy Spirit showed her, we simply confirmed it with the Word. The degree of consistency was amazing, so much so that the people had a new found faith in the reality of God, and the divine inspiration of His Word. Let me share some of these experiences.

Sister Mei Mei said (in Mandarin) the Lord showed her that when the rapture comes, we would be caught up first into the clouds and then into heaven. She repeated it with actions. She had a vision from the Holy Spirit of the Lord talking to her. Then after the Lord had said so, He pointed to heaven, turned His hands a few rounds. At that moment the wind blew and it started raining like the start of a thunderstorm. Her two children were with her, and they witnessed the incident and were in awe of God.

So I asked her if she knew any Bible verses that talked about the rapture? She said no. I just wanted to be sure that she only heard it from the Lord because I knew there was a verse that spoke of it. This meant that what Jesus told her through the Holy Spirit was 100% in line with the word of God.

So we turned to 1 Thes 4:17 and we read:

(1 Thes 4:17)
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them IN THE CLOUDS to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Yes it said that we will be caught up in the clouds, before we join God in heaven.

The amount of consistency between the Word and Spirit is truly amazing. We are to test every revelation with the Word. But this testimony demonstrates that the believer can enjoy a living relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. And we also have the privilege of receiving the inspired revelations of God through the Word.

We shall continue with more revelations tomorrow.

15.30 SIT, WALK, STAND - The story of Mary & Martha

2009-03-25T23:08:00.001+08:00

Today, we will wrap up on this series with a story that illustrates the truth so well. This is the story of Mary and Mary, and the two approaches. Mary’s approach is the grace approach, while Martha’s is the law approach.

Mary was busy SITTING at the feet of Jesus; drawing on her Savior. Martha was busy SERVING; trying to give to Jesus. Grace is about SITTING at the finished work of Jesus, and depending on His life within us. Law is about being busy on one’s self effort without depending on Jesus.

So what happens under the approach of law? Martha got stressed out and she got anxious over her serving. She felt inadequate and unable to perform. And she complained about her sister Mary. This is the result of walking under law.

(Luke 10:38-42)
38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also SAT at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was DISTRACTED WITH MUCH SERVING, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But ONE THING IS NEEDED, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Most of us would have expected Jesus to tell Mary to help Martha, or rebuke Mary for being lazy. But astonishingly, Jesus told Martha that only one thing is needed – SIT as the feet of Jesus. Today, only one thing is needed, to rest in the finished work and to draw on the life of Jesus. It is not about what we do; it is about what He has done and what He continues to do through us.

Some of us will echo Martha to complain that Mary is lazy. “She should be serving Jesus like the rest of us!” Few people realize that the one who SITs at the feet of Jesus ends up doing the thing that is needed – which has the greatest impact.

It was Mary, who sat at the feet of Jesus, who walked in grace, who knew the heartbeat of Jesus – that ended up anointing Jesus for His burial. And Jesus was so touched that he declared, “What this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Mt 26:13.

(John 12:1-7)
1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. 7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the DAY OF MY BURIAL.

Isn’t it awesome? This story demonstrates the power of SITTING before WALKING. When you hear His heartbeat, you will do the right thing. When you depend on His power, you will experience more results.

That is what Paul experience – He worked zealously for God under law but didn’t achieve anything. After His encounter with Jesus, he labored more abundantly by the grace of God, left a legacy for all and his letters are still impacting the world today.

15.29 STAND – Put on the Lord Jesus Christ

2009-03-24T23:25:00.001+08:00

We won’t go through the armor of God one by one. It is easy to get lost in the details of the armor and to be preoccupied with trying to put them on.

Let me summarize for you what it means to put on the armor of God using another verse from the Apostle Paul. Paul says, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”

(Romans 13:14)
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

The best was to put on the Lord Jesus Christ is to be conscious that you are in Him and He is in you. You abide in Him and He abides in you. The whole of Christianity is summed up in this truth.

Since Jesus is everything; He becomes your everything when you are in Him. He is your truth. He is your peace. He is your righteousness. He is your salvation and redemption. He is your wisdom, etc.

(1 Cor 1:30)
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption…

When you know who you are in Christ, you will stand firm in your identity in Him. You will stand firm in your victory in Him.

With this we will end our series on SIT, WALK & STAND.

To SIT is to rest in Christ and His finished work. To WALK is to live in the reality of the finished work. To STAND is to remain firm in the promises of Christ in the face of doubt sown by the enemy. Remember, those who WALK without first SITTING will end up in self performance of the law. Those who first SIT will end up WALKING powerfully.

The Holy Spirit just brought to my attention to share one example from the Bible about someone who first SAT before the person WALKED, versus one who WALKED without first SITTING. It looks like we will end this series tomorrow instead.

15.28 STAND – Put on the shield of faith

2009-03-23T22:58:00.002+08:00

We shared that to put on the armor of God is to put on the consciousness of Christ. Today we will talk about the shield of faith. What is the shield of faith? How do we put on the shield of faith? What are the fiery darts of the enemy?

(Eph 6:16)
…above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

The Christian walk is a walk of faith. We walk by faith (in the finished work of Jesus); we do not walk by sight (in the natural circumstances). As you live life, you will be faced with many adverse circumstances that are contrary to the promises of God. They are contrary to the finished work of Christ.

It is just like Israel entering the promised-land. God told them that the land had been given to them. But when they sent the 12 spies, they saw the giants of the land. Ten of them gave a bad report that caused Israel to be defeated in faith. They saw how big the giants were.

But two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb were full of faith. They saw by faith how big their God was, and they saw the enemies as grasshoppers. They had faith and they entered the promised-land.

Satan throws fiery darts by causing you to look at the physical mountain. He sows doubts in your heart. These thoughts can rob your faith, and make you respond just like Israel. But if you hold the shield of faith (if you put your faith in Jesus’ finished work), none of these thoughts can shake you.

Like Joshua and Caleb, you will reject every negative thought and confess your faith in Jesus. When you do so, the fiery darts will be quenched and you will stand in victory ground.

Today, we have something better than Joshua and Caleb. They had faith in God, but under the New Covenant, we have the faith of God. Even when we are weak, we just need to rest in Jesus and allow His faith to energize us from within. This is because Jesus lives in us in the New Covenant.

(Gal 2:20)
20I 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.

The next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 26 Mar 09, 7:45. Please contact Jeffrey Teo at 81119307 if you would like to join us for fellowship in Word and Spirit.

15.27 STAND – Put on the belt of truth

2009-03-23T01:03:00.002+08:00

We shared that to put on the armor of God is to put on the consciousness of Christ. Last lesson, we talked about the breastplate of righteousness. It is important to put on the consciousness of Jesus as our righteousness.

Today, we will talk about the belt of truth. The belt is an important piece of the armor. It is the piece that holds the rest together. How do we put on the belt of truth? What is truth? Or rather, who is truth?

Jesus is truth. Truth is a person. It is not a theory, a doctrine, etc. The Bible says that the law was given through Moses, but grace and TRUTH came…

(John 1:17)
17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Jesus is TRUTH and He came personally. He didn’t deliver it through Moses or anyone else. He came. So who is truth? Jesus declares in John 14:6 that HE IS the truth.

(John 14:6)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me..."

Today, the belt of truth is a Person. Everything that we have learnt in the Christian religion may not be the truth if Jesus is not in it. The Pharisees studied the word and knew it inside out but they did not embrace the TRUTH that stood before them.

So today, Christianity revolves around Jesus and His finished work. It does not revolve around the law, or our performance, or deeply complex doctrines. I have been through so many churches and sermons in my Christian life but more than half the time, Jesus is not the focus of the message, and often he is not even mentioned. Can we be honest?

The greatest joy I get is to introduce decade-old Christians to the person of Jesus in the Bible, and to see how it blows their mind, and transform their lives. One sister was released from decades of depression. Another man fell in love with Jesus, received the baptism in the Spirit, and experienced God’s miracle working power in his family. They came to know the Person – the Truth.

If we are seeking the person, we will find Him when we read the Bible, when we pray, when we worship. And when we have Jesus, the belt of truth will hold the rest of the armor together.

Note: Next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 26th March, 7.45pm. Contact Jeffrey Teo at 81119307 if you would like to join us for fellowship in Word and Spirit.

15.26 STAND – How does putting on the consciousness of Christ help you to stand?

2009-03-19T21:24:00.000+08:00

We shared that to put on the armor of God is to put on the consciousness of Christ. When you are conscious of Christ as your righteousness, you have put on the breastplate of righteousness.

The breastplate is a very important piece of the armor because it protects your heart. The heart is the most important organ in the body. The devil likes to attack your heart.

So how does the consciousness of Christ as your righteousness helps to protect your heart. Let me show you an example.

Let’s say that you are a good Christian who approaches God through the law. You believe that God’s blessings and approval come to you based on your love for Him. You do a lot of wonderful things to demonstrate your love for Him.

In spite of all you have done, the devil comes to you and points out a few areas that you had fallen short. Maybe your heart has been a little lukewarm of late. Maybe you haven’t been witnessing enough. When the devil uses the law you believe in to accuse you, you will feel a sense of condemnation. It will result in sin-consciousness. You will feel unworthy of God, and you will keep a distance.

Somewhere in your mind, you feel that God may not be so pleased with you and that you have fallen short of His righteousness. Through the thoughts of condemnation, it results in the curses of the law. If you fall sick, or you feel some pain, you would think that God is allowing it to happen because you have fallen short. Condemnation results in curses of the law and ultimately death. The devil starts by attacking your heart.

Now what if you are a Christian who has learnt to sit well in the finished work of Christ? It will make a world of difference. You know that you approach God not by the law but by grace. You know that Jesus is your righteousness. It does not depend on your performance. It depends on His – for on the cross you became the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. You know who you are in Christ; your eyes are not on yourself.

When the devil tries to being any accusation against you; when he tries to attack your heart, it bounces off the breastplate of righteousness. When you are secure in the righteousness of Christ, how can any accusation bring you down? You have confidence in Jesus.

When you have STOOD your ground, you can continue WALKING in victory. The Holy Spirit will empower you to walk in your new identity and to fulfill the desires that He puts in your heart.

15.25 STAND – How do you put on the armor of God?

2009-03-17T00:18:00.000+08:00

The devil is toothless and defeated but he still attacks through deception, temptations and accusations. He makes the believer feel condemned and when that happens, the believer starts to hide from God as Adam did in the Garden.

So how does a believer STAND against the wiles of the devil? Ephesians 6:11 tells us how. We are to put on the armor of God, to STAND up to the devil, and to STAND on victory ground. Remember, we are fighting from victory, we are not fighting for victory.

(Ephesians 6:11)
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

So the next question is, “How do we put on the whole armor of God?” This is the million dollar question. All my life, I had heard different people teach different methods to do so. Someone said that I had to wake up in the morning, and put on the armor by praying them on one by one. Someone else said that I had to do the action of putting them on one by one. It sounded more like a ritual to me – something mystical.

Let me share with you how you really put on the whole armor of God. We want to demystify it. Earlier in the Chapter, Paul emphasized that Christianity was about receiving the revelation of the finished work of Christ that WE MAY KNOW…

How do we put on the belt of truth? Or the breastplate of righteousness? Or how do you take the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the enemy? This is the answer. It starts with having the revelation of the finished work of Christ (you can’t STAND without SITTING!).

You need to know that Jesus is the truth. And though the law was given through Moses in the Old, GRACE and TRUTH came through Jesus. Truth is the person of Jesus.

What about righteousness. You need to know that Jesus is your righteousness. 1 Cor 1:30 says that Jesus became for us righteousness. And 2 Cor 5:21 says that you are the righteousness of God in Christ.

When you live in the revelation, knowledge and consciousness of Christ, that is how you put on the armor of God. That is how you put on truth and righteousness. You simply put on the consciousness of who Christ is to you. It is so simple.

Now let me continue with a practical example of how the consciousness of Christ as your righteousness actually protects you heart from the accusations of the enemy. To be continued…

15.24 STAND – How to cast down every argument that exalts itself against the knowledge of God?

2009-03-13T00:40:00.000+08:00

Let’s be practical. Let us give some examples of spiritual warfare in the realm of the mind, and how we stand on victory ground.

For example, someone may be sick. The devil comes to him and tells him that God no longer heals. The devil says that his sickness glorifies Jesus. The devil may use friends and leaders to affirm that wrong belief.

How can the person react? If the person does not sit well on the finished work of Christ; if He does not know that the redemption work of Christ includes healing, he would be robbed through the deception of the devil. He would be defeated.

Or what if the person has heard of testimonies of other people who had experienced healing? He has some hope that God can heal but he does not know how? How does God heal? What must I do to get the healing? Different people tell him different things. Some say that he must be faithful in church attendance. Some say he must fast and pray 40 days. Some say that he must make a pilgrimage. Some say that he must confess healing ten times a day. He does all these but does not get the results. Why?

This is because he is not sitting well on the finished work of Jesus. He is trying to get the healing by his own effort or performance. He is trying to fight for victory.

Or what if the person has a friend who shared about God redemption work on healing? The friend tells him that “by the stripes of Jesus, he was healed”. The body of Jesus was broken on the cross for his healing.

He catches the revelation and is excited. But the negative thoughts have also created some doubt. He has to believe one or the other. He decides to cast down every argument that is not in line with God’s Word. He says, “the book of Acts shows God still heals”. He says that “the book of Deuteronomy 28 tells me that sickness is a curse but Galatians 3:13 says I have been redeemed from the curse”.

He brings his thoughts into the obedience of Christ. He chooses to believe that healing has been purchased on the cross. Victory is already his. He does not fight for victory. He fights from victory. He stands on victory ground. He is not trying to get to victory ground. He walks in faith in the finished work of Christ. He experiences the healing.

Well this is not just a hypothetical example. This is the experience of many believers whom I know. We can align our thoughts and faith to the revelation of the finished work of Christ.

15.23 STAND – Why STAND and why not ATTACK?

2009-03-11T01:08:00.002+08:00

The theme of Ephesians is SIT, WALK & STAND. So where is the fighting? Where is the attacking? A lot of Christians talk about fighting with the devil, engaging in offensive warfare with the devil. Where is all this fighting in the book of Ephesians? Well STAND has nothing to do with attacking. This is how it works:

Jesus fought with the devil on the cross. The devil bruised Jesus’ heel but Jesus bruised the devil’s head (Gen 3:15). So Jesus won. Jesus was the conqueror. We showed Col 2:13-15 yesterday. It says that Jesus triumphed over the enemy.

Then Jesus went to heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father. We started our journey in Jesus’ victory. We SAT down in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We started by SITTING. Jesus was the conqueror but we are more than conquerors. Jesus fought for the victory but we received the spoils of victory through Jesus. We did not have to fight.

This is the order. Jesus fought. Jesus won. Jesus sat. We SIT in victory. We WALK in victory. We STAND in victory.

So if we live in victory, what is there to fight? It is called the FIGHT OF FAITH. Why the fight of faith? Because Satan who is defeated likes you to think that he is still in charge (through deception). Or since he cannot defeat you, he makes you defeat yourself (through accusations & temptations). If the lion is toothless, he can at least try to frighten you with his roar, or he could try to gum you to death.

So what do we do? We must know and believe that we are victorious in Christ (SIT). We resist Satan and remind him that we are standing on victory (STAND). We do not fight FOR victory. We fight in faith FROM victory.

So then, spiritual warfare is all in the mind. Satan makes you doubt. You make a choice to believe. You pull down every argument that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We align our thoughts with the finished work of Christ.

(2 Cor 10:4-5)
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ

So to STAND means that in the face of contrary wind, in the sound of the storm from the devil, we stay the course of faith, and we continue in the direction of Christ. That is standing firm against the enemy of faith.

Note: The next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday, 12th March 7.45. Please contact Jeffrey Teo at (65) 81119307 if you would like to join us for an exciting time in Word & Spirit – as we discover more of the finished work of Jesus.

15.22 STAND – Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand (Part 1)

2009-03-09T22:49:00.001+08:00

We have talked about sitting or resting in the finished work of Christ. We have also talked about the Christian walk that proceeds from the finished work of Christ. Today we will talk about standing against the wiles and attacks of the devil.

Sitting has to do with our relationship with Jesus. Walking has to do with the way we relate to other people as a result of our relationship with God. Standing has to do with standing firm in the finished work when our faith is under attack by the devil.

So if we fail to sit, then walking is merely a religious activity with a form of godliness but without its power. And there is no way to stand against the wiles of the enemy if we do not sit tight.

As we talk about standing against the wiles of the enemy, I would like to first define spiritual warfare.

A lot of Charismatics make the devil bigger than he is. They attribute everything to the devil. “The devil caused me to fall sick”, “The devil caused this car accident”, “The devil caused it to rain”, “The devil stopped me from going to church”. From the way they talk, we may even think that the devil is bigger than God. That is giving too much glory to the devil. He is a defeated enemy. Jesus defeated him on the cross, and stripped him of his weapon, and made a public spectacle of principalities and powers.

(Col 2:13-15)
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

He is a lion without teeth. He roars and he uses – deception, accusations and temptations in your mind to rattle your faith. His weapon is the law, which he uses to accuse you. But on the cross, Jesus disarmed him by nailing the handwriting of requirements that was against us (the Ten Commandments written in God’s handwriting). The law was perfect and the devil knew that man was in sin, so he took advantage of the perfect law to condemn mankind. But Jesus forgave our trespasses (paid the demands of the law), and disarmed Satan. So he cannot accuse you anymore. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Notice: The next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 12th March 09. Please contact Jeffrey Teo at 65-81119307 if you would like to join us to discover more of Jesus.

15.21 WALK – As you therefore have received Christ, so walk in Him

2009-03-04T23:52:00.000+08:00

Today, we will end off with one last verse on walking in the New Covenant. It is a powerful verse that sums it all up. It says that the way that we walk in Christ should be the same way that we received Christ.

(Col 2:6-7)
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

How did we receive Christ? – by grace through faith. Not by the law or through the works of the law. So how should we walk the Christian walk? In the same way we got saved – by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9).

We have shown you so many verses that simply reaffirm each other. Paul says that the righteous shall live by faith. He talks about the fact that we live in the dispensation of grace. And finally, Paul tells us that we reign in life through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. So the overcoming Christian life is experienced when we walk in the power of His grace.

(Rom 5:17)
17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive ABUNDANCE OF GRACE and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

Brethren, have you been struggling in your Christian walk? Do you desire to experience reigning in life – over sickness, and circumstances, and the powers of darkness? Or do you desire to be empowered in your ministry to impact more people? Whatever it is, the secret is as follows:
In the same way that you received Christ, so walk in Him.

Like my, you received salvation by grace. You were probably touched by the love of God when you responded to the altar call. You felt your sins washed away and you felt brand new. It was so lovely. But the problem started when you were introduced to the Christian religion – where you had to perform to be accepted by Him. You had to serve and to fulfill His demands to be blessed by Him. That was how I backslided for years.

If that is your experience, it means that you started by grace but continued in the law. Today, God wants you to walk in the same power of His grace that brought you to Him in the first place. When you do so, you will reign in life.

15.20 WALK – Walk by faith and not by sight

2009-03-02T23:27:00.000+08:00

The next verse exhorts us to walk by faith and not by sight.

(2 Cor 5:7)
For we walk by faith, not by sight.

The whole basis of the Old Covenant was works of the law. The whole basis of the New Covenant is faith in Jesus. Faith and works are always contrasted.

(Rom 3:21-28)
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. ..27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? OF WORKS? No, but by the LAW OF FAITH. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the DEEDS [WORKS] OF THE LAW.

If you were living in the Old Covenant, your success (blessings) would have depended on your ability to keep the works of the law. And if you failed, you would come under the curses of the law. The blessings and curses are stated in Deuteronomy 28.

Under the New Covenant, your success or blessings does not depend on the keeping of the law. It depends on faith in Jesus. So how do we live in the New Covenant? Romans 1:17 says that the righteous shall live by faith. We walk by faith and we walk by faith.

How did Abraham receive his blessings? He received it by faith. Likewise, we are also sons of Abraham.

(Romans 4:13)
13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

How do we walk by faith? We walk by faith by sitting on the finished work of Christ. When our life, our salvation, our righteousness, our healing, our blessings are firmly grounded on the finished work of Christ, we will the walk by faith in its reality. If we try to attain to all those through our self-effort in keeping the law, then we would have fallen short of His grace. When you walk by faith in Jesus, you will experience His resurrection power in every circumstance in life.

15.19 WALK – Walk in good works

2009-02-24T22:15:00.002+08:00

The next verse exhorts us to walk in good works.

(Ephesians 2:10)
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand that we should WALK in them.

Yes, God wants us to walk in good works. Good works is a fruit of being in Christ. It is through our testimony that the world will see Jesus. Bearing fruit is a normal part of the Christian life.

But let us be clear on the cause and effect. Under law, one tries to do good works to be saved, to be righteous, and to be accepted by God. When we try to do that, we will always feel an inadequacy because we can never fulfill the law in our self-effort.

But we are not under that system. We live in the New Covenant. We do good works because Jesus has saved us and made us righteous. Good works is the fruit of our righteousness in Christ. We do good works because God has affirmed us as His children. We do good works because we are a New Creation and Jesus lives in us.

Let us study the verse above. It says that we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Notice that the emphasis is on what He has done. This New Creation is Jesus workmanship (not ours). It is what He has done, not what we have done.

When someone puts his confidence in his good works instead of what Christ has done, he is not experiencing Ephesians 2:10. That is walking under the law in self-effort. Good works is always a fruit of God’s work in us.

In order to bear fruit and to walk in good works, one needs to learn how to sit. How do we sit? We need to rest in the fact that we are His workmanship, and good works will come naturally. We need to depend on His life in us.

15.18 WALK – Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh

2009-02-23T01:07:00.000+08:00

The next verse exhorts us to walk in the Spirit. When we do so, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. There are two forces at work – the Spirit and the flesh.

(Gal 5:16-18)
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Gal 5:18 ends by saying that if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. There are two approaches to morality. You are either led by the spirit or you are walking under the law. It’s one or the other. The first approach is by trying to keep the law. Paul talks about his dilemma in Romans 7 when he tried to keep the law.

(Romans 7:15)
15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.

While he wants to keep the law, he finds himself doing the opposite. This is the problem – the Bible says that the strength of sin is the law. The more you try to keep it, the greater is the temptation, and the greater is the struggle. The strength of sin is the law.

(1 Cor 15:56)
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

So the solution is to be delivered from the law by Christ into the Spirit. Instead of you trying to keep the law (which you can’t in your effort), you should be allowing the life of the Spirit to flow from within you. You are to be led, empowered and inspired by the Holy Spirit. When you WALK in the Spirit, you WALK in the fruit of the Spirit. You will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. If we continue reading the passage in Galatians 5, we will reach the following passage:

(Gal 5:22-23)22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. AGAINST SUCH THERE IS NO LAW.

The verse says that against the fruit, there is no law. The fruit is greater than the law. For example, to love is greater than “thou shall not kill”. Therefore in the new covenant, one does not walk under law (trying to keep the law). We walk in the Spirit and walking in the fruit of the Spirit means that we do not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

15.17 WALK – Walk in newness of life

2009-02-18T21:11:00.001+08:00

We have covered all the verses on “walk” in the book of Ephesians. It is clear that God wants us to walk as a new creation in Christ but the only way to do so is to first sit (rest) in our identity as a new creation in Christ. This is the New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant, they were poor old sinners trying to walk righteously to attain to righteousness. We are not under that system.

There are many other beautiful verses that cover the Christian “walk” in the Epistles. Though we are focusing on the book of Ephesians, I would like to divert from the book to share some of these verses. Romans 6 tells us that we should walk in newness of life – or to walk in the new life as a New Creation in Christ.

(Rom 6:4)
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.

Today, for some strange reason, the church focuses a lot on morality. Their focus seems to turn bad people into good people morally. That is the role of the law in all religions. That is not Christianity. True Christianity is about turning dead people to be alive in Christ. One can be moral and not saved. But when one is alive in Christ, morality follows automatically.

So the law based Christian focuses on keeping the Ten Commandments and keeping morality. But the grace based Christian focuses on the fact the he is a new creation – he died with Christ and is raised with Christ into newness of life.

If we try to walk in morality, we are most likely using our flesh. The law says, “Thou shall, Thou shall…” Keeping the law is through self-effort. But if we first learn how to sit in the revelation of the new creation, we can walk in newness of life by the power of the Spirit.

Right revelation leads to the right action. The secret on the following verse is to reckon yourself to be dead to sin but alive to God in Christ. To sit is to have the right revelation of what happened on the cross.

(Romans 6:10-11)
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, RECKON yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

15.16 WALK – Walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise

2009-02-18T00:13:00.000+08:00

The next verse exhorts us to walk circumspectly or wisely – not as fools but as wise.

(Ephesians 5:15)
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise…

Before we had the life of Christ, our understanding was darkened. We walked in the futility of our minds. In other words, we walked as fools. We followed the passions of the flesh and we did not consider spiritual priorities.

(Eph 4:17)
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God…

But as believers who have the life of Christ, our understanding is now enlightened. We have the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to open the eyes of our understanding. We can walk in wisdom that the Spirit gives.

Let me share a very important truth about walking in wisdom. We cannot walk in wisdom until we have learnt to sit. Most Christians try to walk without sitting. They end up trying to walk in their own wisdom that comes from self – be it their experience, or their education, or what they have seen in their years of ministry, etc. A person who is steep in human wisdom will naturally reject the wisdom of God when God releases a new revelation. In all the wisdom of the learned Pharisees, they missed Jesus. In all the wisdom of Saul (Paul), he persecuted the church of God.

To sit well, we need to rest in the fact that wisdom is a person. Jesus is our wisdom.

(1 Cor 1:30)
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us WISDOM from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

And Jesus lives in us. So wisdom lives in us. The Spirit of wisdom works in us and the Bible declares that we have the mind of Christ. When we rest in the reality of Christ in us, and when we depend on the Holy Spirit, we begin to walk in true wisdom, which is of God.

15.15 WALK – Walk as children of light

2009-02-17T00:32:00.002+08:00

The next verse exhorts us to walk as children of light. We were once darkness but now we are light in the Lord. So we are to walk in the light of Christ, reflecting Him by bearing fruit of the Spirit.

In the New Covenant of grace, we have no fellowship with darkness. In fact, it is the light of Christ in us that exposes the darkness.

(Ephesians 5:8-14)
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:

“ Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”

Let me share a very important truth about walking in the light. We cannot walk in light until we have learnt to sit. Most Christians try to walk without sitting. They end up trying to produce light through their self-effort under law.

To sit well, we need to rest in the source of our light. Ephesians 5:14 above says that Jesus gives us light. John 8:12 tells us that Jesus is the source of light – He is the light of the world. We are not the source, but we draw from the source.

(John 8:12)
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

How do we walk in the light under the New Covenant? We have to draw on the life of Christ. His life is the light of man. When we draw upon Him (sit), we will emanate His light in us and through us. That is why Jesus calls us “the light of the world”. We share the same title that Jesus does.

Remember that in the New Covenant, we are in Christ and He is in us. If we are in the light and the light is in us, we also become the light of the world. The secret is to sit well – do abide in Jesus in order to walk as children of the light.

15.14 WALK – Walk in love as Christ has loved us

2009-02-15T23:55:00.000+08:00

The next verse exhorts us to walk in love just as Christ loved us and gave His live for us. The most important thing in Christianity is love.

When we love, the requirements of the law will be fulfilled without us trying to fulfill them. This in why the following verse tells us against fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolishness, coarse jesting, etc. When one walks in love, one does not harm others or themselves.

(Ephesians 5:1-4)
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And WALK IN LOVE, AS CHRIST HAS ALSO LOVED US and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Let me share a very important truth about walking in love. We cannot walk in love until we have learnt to sit. Most Christians try to walk without sitting. They end up trying to love through their self-effort under law. Most Christians still think they are under the law of Deut 6:5:

(Deut 6:5)
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

That was the Old Covenant where God demanded love from sinful man. They had to prove if they could love God through their self-ability – all their heart, all their soul their all their strength. Sinful man could not find love in them. They failed to keep that law. So if you try to love without learning how to sit, you will be headed towards failure. The law brings you to the end of yourself.

How do we love under the New Covenant? We have to be seated – in the love of God for us. Eph 5:2 actually says to “walk in love AS CHRIST HAS ALSO LOVED US”. Paul prayed earlier in Eph chapter 3 that you may know the width, length, depth and height of the love of Christ towards you. This is the opposite of Deuteronomy 6:5 which focuses on man’s power to love (or the lack of it).

(1 John 4:19)
We love because He first loved us.

When you have the revelation of His love for you, you are seated well. Then walking is easy. You are simply letting the love of God flow through you. You are not “trying” to love. So let us walk in the love of Christ in the New Covenant.

15.13 WALK – You should no longer walk in the old man

2009-02-11T22:36:00.000+08:00

The verse below tells us that we should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles (unbelievers) walk, in the futility of their mind.

(Eph 4:17-24)
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should NO LONGER WALK as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you PUT OFF, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you PUT ON THE NEW MAN which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

The law-based Christian will read this verse and say, “We must behave as Christians. We should not be lewd, unclean and greedy. This is what God expects of a Christian. We must be righteous and holy. If you obey God, you will be blessed.”

Can you identify with that? That would be like trying to walk before learning how to sit!

Let us read the verse in its context. The unbeliever walks like that because he does not have the revelation of the gospel. Their minds have been darkened.

What is the revelation? When you believed in Jesus (faith), you became a new creation. You received a new nature in Christ – the new man. This new man is created in righteousness and holiness by Christ. Your sinful self – called the old man has been crucified on the cross. If you have this revelation, you have learnt how to sit.

So it is not about a Christian trying to keep the law to try to be righteous and holy. It is about what Christ has done – He has made you righteous and holy. What we need is to be conscious of this truth. When we are conscious, we put on the consciousness of the new man. When we do so, the power of God will work in us to cause us to walk in the nature of Christ – in righteousness and holiness. We start to bear fruit if the Spirit.

So when we have learnt how to sit, we will be able to walk. We will no longer walk in the old man. The key is to sit well.

15.12 WALK – How to walk worthy of your calling?

2009-02-08T00:07:00.001+08:00

Let us run through the other verses in Ephesians that contain the word – “walk”. Paul exhorts the believer in Eph 4:1-3 to walk worthy of the calling in which you were called.

(Eph 4:1-3)
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to WALK WORTHY OF THE CALLING IN WHICH YOU WERE CALLED, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE, 3 endeavoring to keep the UNITY of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

A lot of people try to walk without understanding the calling in which they were called. That would be trying to walk without learning to sit. First of all, we need to understand the calling in which we were called. Once we have learnt to sit (rest on His calling), then we will be able to walk in that calling.

What is the calling of God? Jesus died on the cross and gave us a calling. Our broad calling is to be in Christ, and to have Him live in us. We have been called to be righteous and holy by His blood. We have been called to be kings and priests. Once we are in Christ and His Spirit lives in us, He will guide us to fulfill His specific plan for our lives.

Let us go back to the verses above. The verse talks about the Christian walk – that we should bear with one another with love. Christians who have not learnt how to sit will quote this verse and say, “Oh, you are a Christian and you have to love one another. When you love another, God will bless you!” Can you identify with this? The focus is always on “you have to love”. This is trying to walk without learning how to sit.

How do we sit? Eph 4:1 starts with the word “therefore”. So we will have to move back to the preceding verses to see the context.

(Eph 3:17-19)
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,[c] 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

The preceding verses tell us about our comprehension of the width, length, depth and height of the love of Christ. When we know the love of Christ, we will be filled with the fullness of God.

To sit is to know the love of Christ. To walk is to let the love of Christ flow from us to bear with others in love. Many Christians who try to walk without sitting will end up trying to love in their own strength.

The key to walking worthy of our calling (our part) is simply to first understand the calling God gave us (through Jesus' finished work).

15.11 WALK – Walk comes after Sit

2009-02-04T23:59:00.000+08:00

We have explained extensively what it means to sit. Today, we will move on to explain what it means to “walk” as a Christian.

Walking in Christ comes as a result of sitting in Christ. If we take away sitting in Christ, then we will be “walking in the flesh” or “self-effort”. For example, if you believe that your healing is dependent on your effort to confess your healing, or how faithful you are to God; it is walking in the flesh. But if you believe that your healing is because Jesus bore your sickness on the cross, then you can walk in your true healing in Christ.

Or if you serve because you are trying to earn your blessings, you are probably walking in the flesh. But if you serve because God has given you a calling, and empowered you with His Spirit, then you can walk in Christ.

Let us show you how Paul launched into the work “WALK” immediately after establishing the fact that we are “SEATED” in the heavenly places in Christ.

(Eph 2:6-10)
6 and raised us up together, and made us SIT together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through FAITH, and that NOT OF YOURSELVES; it is the gift of God, 9 NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast. 10 For WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus FOR GOOD WORKS, which GOD PREPARED beforehand that we should WALK in them.

Take note that Paul talks about two types of works. The first kind of work is of ourselves (the flesh). Salvation is “NOT OF YOURSELVES” & “NOT OF WORKS”. This kind of works is “WORKS OF THE LAW” which is performed through self-effort. The next kind of works is a fruit – called “WORKS OF FAITH”, which is based on RESTING or SITTING in Christ.

When a person starts to WALK after SITTING, the approach is very different. There is a rest and dependency on God. Instead of focusing on his own WORKS, he focuses on the fact that he is God’s WORKmanship. He focuses on the fact that he is created in CHRIST JESUS. Even the good works were PREPARED BY GOD beforehand for us to walk in.

I pray that we will all discover the joy of WALKING in Christ in the New Covenant because it is empowering and exciting. It is very different from the burden of walking under the yoke of bondage of the law.

15.10 SIT – Resting in the full potential of the seed of Christ

2009-02-03T00:20:00.001+08:00

We understand to sit is about our position in Christ. But some people connect better with the analogy of a seed because “our position in Christ” sounds like something legal on paper. Maybe a lawyer or businessman can relate well to “our position in Christ” but a farmer or those who do gardening can relate better to the concept of the “seed of Christ”.

Peter said that we were born again of the incorruptible seed of Christ. When we received Jesus, He came to live in our hearts.

(1 Peter 1:24)
23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever…

To sit is to rest in the full potential of the seed of Christ in us. In Singapore, we like to eat durians, also known as the king of fruits. A durian seed, even though it is just a tiny seed, contains the full life of a fruit-producing durian tree. There is nothing that we can do to manufacture durians in a factory – through our effort and intelligence. But a little durian seed contains the full life and potential of a durian tree.

Likewise, there is nothing a person can do in his self-effort to be like Christ. He can try to keep all the works of the law but he will not come close to being like Christ. He can try to walk the Christian walk with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, but he will not succeed. It is pointless to talk about the Christian walk if we do not first talk about sitting in Christ.

Likewise, it is pointless to try to manufacture a durian tree or fruit. You can try it with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, but you will not succeed. To have a durian tree, you will need a durian fruit.

So Christianity not about our effort to be moral or good – it is about the seed of Christ that is in us the moment we received Him into our heart and believed the gospel of His grace. The more we recognize, nurture and depend on the life of the seed (ie. to sit) we will be able to grow up in Christ and to bear fruit (ie. to walk in Christ).

Christianity is about the life of Christ – the zoe life. Jesus said that he came to give us life abundantly. He is the light of the world and the life of man. We are to abide in Christ (see our identity in Him) and allow His life to grow and manifest in us. To sit is truly to depend on the full potential of the seed of Christ in us.

You are the sons of God, in the imago of your Father. Do not try to walk right to be like your Father. Instead, recognize you are already in His image, and walk by faith in that reality.

15.9 SIT – Laboring to enter the rest of faith

2009-02-01T23:07:00.002+08:00

To sit is to rest. Today, we will explore the concept of “resting” vs. “laboring”. Resting is a concept that few Christian understands today. Christians appear always pressurized to do witnessing, to grow church numbers, to multiply cell groups, to find new disciples, to serve, to attend cell-groups, etc. Good as these are, the only problem is that Christians are focusing on laboring. The Bible says that resting is the key. It sounds so illogical doesn’t it? In fact, the Bible says that the only labor is LABORING TO ENTER THE REST!

(Hebrews 4:11, KJV)
11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

The above verse talks about failing to enter the rest because of disbelief. So how do we enter the rest? We enter the rest through faith – by believing in the gospel of the finished work of Christ.

(Hebrews 4:2-3)
2For unto us was the GOSPEL preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with FAITH in them that heard it. 3For we which have BELIEVED DO ENTER into rest…

To rest is not only to enter into faith. It is also to cease from the works of the law.

(Hebrews 4:10)
10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath CEASED FROM HIS OWN WORKS, as God did from his.

Under to Old Covenant, they had to labor under works of the law to attain to righteousness and to blessings. A lot of Christians still live under that system today. But under the New Covenant, we are to rest by faith in the finished work of Christ. Righteousness and blessings come as a gift from Jesus – which we receive by faith. Since we don’t have to labor for it, we simply rest in the fact that Jesus has given them to us by grace.

This new principle is clearly stated by Paul. We are no longer under the law of works (laboring). We are under the law of faith (resting & believing).

(Romans 3:27-28)
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds [works] of the law.

Today you are not under the law of works. You are not under the law of the Ten Commandments. You are under the law of faith – a new system of faith. You do not labor in works – but to are to be diligent to enter the rest! When we walk in faith, we will end up with a new kind of greater works – called works of faith.

15.8 SIT – Your position in Christ

2009-01-30T01:53:00.001+08:00

Today, we will explore the concept of “position in Christ” vs. “actions”. Your position is who you really are. That is the real you – the way God sees you. That is the real you – endowed with the power and authority of God. That is the real you – from a spiritual and legal perspective. Your action is your action – how you act and behave outwardly.

Kenneth Hagin shared about a man who went to church, and lived a moral and Godly life. He was a good man but he had never accepted Jesus. During a meeting the man came forward to receive Jesus and the people were surprised. Everyone thought he had been saved all these years. But something different happened. He had an inner radiance or inner glow in him. When he walked down the street, people could see the difference. Now he was really a child of God. Previously, he was acting or living like a Christian without real salvation.

For example, a pauper can “act” like a millionaire and talk like a millionaire – but that does not make him a millionaire. He does not have the real resources, power and authority to execute what he says. Acting like a millionaire does not make one a millionaire.

What is a person deposits $1m in the pauper’s bank account as an inheritance. Legally and positionally, he is now a millionaire. He has the resources to live like a millionaire. But if he does not know about the inheritance, he may still behave like a pauper, rummaging among the dustbins for food. But if he has the revelation that he is a millionaire, he can start to conduct himself like a millionaire.

This is Christianity. To sit is to know our true position in Christ. We are righteous. We are sons of God, we are kings and we are priests. That is the truth and that is how God sees us. That is our spiritual and legal position.

When we understand our true position in Christ (sit) we start to walk as who we are. But if we do not know our position (do not sit well), we will still act like a pauper – living like a defeated Christian, or like a poor old sinner.

There could be Christians who try in their actions to be what they really are. They think that if they can behave 100% righteous, then they will attain to righteousness. That is like trying to walk without learning to sit. That is like putting effort on their actions without understanding their position. Sadly, the Christian who tries hard to earn their position in Christ will never attain to it. The law always results in failure- so that the person can turn to Christ.

Therefore to sit is to know our position in Christ. Jesus put us in that position by virtue of the fact that we are in Him. It has nothing to do with our effort. He did everything. When we know our position, we will have the right actions.

15.7 SIT – Abiding in Christ

2009-01-28T21:01:00.003+08:00

Today, we will explore the concept of “abiding in Christ” vs. “performance through self-ability”.

A lot of Christianity is powered by self-effort – be it going to Church, keeping good attendance, being active in activities, doing witnessing, keeping moral standards, etc. When someone becomes a Christian, they usually attend a follow up class where they are taught what are expected of them as Christians. Thereafter, it is a journey to keep more and more expectations – or to perform the Christian life. The Pharisees kept all the religious requirements diligently but yet did not know Christ.

That is not true Christianity. So what is true Christianity? Christianity is summarized as follows – “abiding in Christ & the indwelling of Christ”. Jesus used the analogy of the vine and branches. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. When we abide in Him and He indwells us, then we are transformed from the inside to bear fruit, which becomes evident on the outside. The fruits result in powerful actions that impact people.

John 15:5
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

When Christians perform without abiding in Christ, it is like walking without first sitting. Jesus said that without Him we can do nothing of value. But when Christians abide in Christ, they are sitting – which then results in walking right. Just as we are to sit before we can walk, likewise we are to abide in Christ and the result is bearing much fruit.

Christianity without Christ is an empty self-powered religion that does not bear fruit. It is burdensome and results in frustration. Perhaps this explains why there is so little joy in many traditional churches.

We are to abide in Christ – we are to believe who we are in Christ according to what He has accomplished on the cross. When we see ourselves in Christ, the branch is connected to the vine, and the life of the vine flow to the branches (Christ’s life is manifested in us). We are to sit, and when we have done so, we will know how to walk.

Note: next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 29th Jan 09, 7:45pm Singapore. Please contact Jeffrey Teo at 81119307 if you would like to join us for a wonderful time of fellowship in the Word and Spirit.

15.6 SIT – Christianity is BEING rather than DOING

2009-01-27T23:56:00.002+08:00

Today, we will explore the concept of BEING vs. DOING. Christianity is about BEING – not DOING. A lot of people do things in order to be something – Christians keep the law to attain to righteousness. Or Christians try to act holy so that they can be holy. Or they can engage in a lot of Christian activities to be a good Christian. Can you see that all these things are usually behavior modification rather than inward transformation?

That kind of Christianity focuses on doing rather than being. In fact, I often hear pastors call their flock “poor old sinners” so that they work harder to be good enough Christians. That is the motivation under the Old Covenant of law.

But Christianity in the New Covenant is about BEING. It focuses on who you are in Christ. For example, when a believer understands that on the cross, he received the gift of righteousness from Jesus, he would start to walk righteously. Or when he believes that Christ lives in Him and he is a new creation in Christ, he would naturally manifest Christ through his actions and behavior. He does not need to be taught how to behave (as the law does). He starts to bear fruit of the Spirit from within. This is inward transformation. This is Christianity. You become pre-occupied with the person on Jesus rather than behavior modification.

When I was growing up, I was told that as a Christian, we have to try to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. We had to imitate Him – to do what he did. Whatever situation I was in, I had to ask myself, “What would Jesus have done in that situation?” and I had to do the same. I am certain that many of us probably live by that. Naturally I failed. I couldn’t live up to Jesus’ high standards.

Later, I realized that while the teaching sounded spiritual, it wasn’t New Covenant. How could anyone try to be like Jesus in his actions? How could anyone succeed? How could anyone turn water into wine? Or multiply bread for the thousands, or walk on water, or calm the storm? It would be a futile attempt for anyone to try to act like the Son of Jesus. If we could, then why would we need a Savior? That kind of approach focuses on our self-performance to be like Christ. It focuses on our DOING.

So what is New Covenant? None of us could reach the standards God required. So God sent Jesus to do what we failed to do – to fulfill the law perfectly. And after Jesus was seated at the right hand of the Father, He poured out His Spirit to live in us. So today, Jesus lives in us through His Spirit. We are a new creation in Christ. It is not about our DOING – it is about BEING a new creation in Christ.

When we sit in the reality of our new BEING in Christ, Jesus can live in us and through us. We don’t have to stress ourselves to be like Jesus – we just need to rest in Him and let Him live through us. This is true Christianity.

Note: Next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 29th Jan 09, 7.45pm Singapore. Please contact Jeffrey Teo at 81119307 if you would like to join us for a wonderful time in fellowship in the Word and Spirit.

15.5 SIT – Sitting come through revelation

2009-01-23T00:48:00.000+08:00

To sit is to be established in faith (to rest) on the finished work of Christ. How do we sit? How do we get established on the finished work of Christ? It comes through revelation. Without revelation, we end up in works of the law instead of depending on the finished work. With revelation, comes faith. With faith we start to sit and rest.

Let us show this through the book of Ephesians. We have shared about Eph 2:6 about being seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. But this is a continuation of the earlier verses in Chapter 1:20 which talks about Jesus being raised from the dead and got seated in the heavenly places. After Jesus got seated at the Father’s right hand, we were also raised up in Christ to the Father’s right hand.

(Eph 1:15-23, 2:4)
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He RAISED HIM from the dead and SEATED HIM AT THE RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and RAISED US UP TOGETHER, and MADE US SIT TOGETHER in the HEAVENLY PLACES in Christ Jesus…

But how do we know the reality of Christ being seated at the Father’s right hand? How do we understand and appreciate that? Thereafter, how do we know the reality of us being raised to be seated at the heavenly places? It comes through the SPIRT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION – through THE EYES OF OUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED. Can you see the progression in the passage?

So we can pray for revelation of the Holy Spirit – to see what happened to Jesus at the cross, and to see what happened to us because we are in Christ. When we catch the revelation, we can be established in sitting.

15.4 SIT – We start our journey seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

2009-01-21T00:09:00.001+08:00

What does it mean to be seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus?

To sit is to rest. Christianity is resting on the finished work of Christ. It is not about laboring under works of the law; it is about laboring to enter the rest spoken of in Hebrews 4. It is about resting in all that He has accomplished on your behalf. You can rest in His righteousness for you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. You can rest in His healing for by His stripes you were healed. You can rest in His provision for He became poor that you may be rich. You can rest in His love because He first loved us. You can rest in His blessings for you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. You can rest in all His promises.

What does it mean to be seated in the heavenly place, next to our heavenly Father? It tells us that we have access to the throne of grace. In the Old Testament, the people could not enter the Holy of Holies. It was separated by the veil. But when Jesus died, the veil was torn. God reconciled the world to Himself. Those who believe in Jesus have become sons of God. We are in relationship with God the Father.

Since we are in the heavenly places, we are above satan and the powers of darkness. It is amazing how Christians make such a fuss over the devil. They attribute everything to Him – magnifying his power in their eyes. But they forget that they are seated in the heavenly places, far above powers and principalities.

What does it mean to be seated in the Heavenly places IN CHRIST JESUS? It means to rest in all that we are in Christ. We are in Christ and Christ is in us. This is the New Covenant. The Old Covenant believer did not experience that. We can believe who we are in Christ. We can believe what we have in Christ. We can belief what we can accomplish in Christ. When we belief all that we are in Christ, we experience Christ working in us.

Christianity starts from sitting. We should not try to accomplish what Christ has already accomplished. We should simply believe in the provision of His grace. That is why the New Covenant is about walking in faith. We should not try to do in our own strength that which Jesus wants to accomplish by His power through us. We should simply rest in His power, and let His life flow from us. It may sound passive but we end up achieving more. This is why Christianity is about the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the new vine that is contained in the new wine skin of grace and righteousness.

Let us start by sitting, and resting in His finished work. Let us see the fullness of our position in Christ. Then allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us.

15.3 SIT – The Old Covenant priest could never sit in the tabernacle

2009-01-18T18:12:00.002+08:00

In the Old Covenant, the priest worked in the temple. Day after day, and week after week they tended to the temple – the animal sacrifices at the Brazen Altar, oil for the Golden Candlestand, Change of bread and wine for the Table of showbread, etc. Every year, the high priest would enter the holy of holies to sprinkle the blood of animals on the mercy seat. The blood could not wash away sins – it only covered sins for a year.

For 1,500 years under the system of law, the priest could never sit – the work was never completed. They were always “WALKING”. Righteousness could not be attained by the works of the law. As they repeated the animal sacrifice year after year, it was simply a reminder that the they needed Jesus, the true Lamb.

(Hebrews 10:1-4)
1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they OFFER CONTINUALLY YEAR BY YEAR, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a REMINDER OF SINS EVERY YEAR. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Then God sent Jesus to this earth. He was the fulfillment of each of the furniture in the tabernacle. He fulfilled all righteousness. He offered Himself as the true Lamb for slaughter.

(Hebrews 9:26)
He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the SACRIFICE of HIMSELF.

He became our priest who entered the true Holy of Holies in heaven, to present His own blood to put away sins forever. And something happened for the first time. The perfect sacrifice was accepted as the one sacrifice for sins forever (past, present & future). So Jesus SAT DOWN! No priest sat down after 1,500 years – but Jesus sat down.

(Heb 10:11-14)
11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, SAT DOWN at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

The work was finished. Today, we start seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. You are not an Old Covenant priest – you are a New Covenant priest.

15.2 SIT – We are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

2009-01-17T18:31:00.000+08:00

We will expound on the three words – SIT, WALK & STAND – starting with SIT. The book of Ephesians declares powerfully that:

(Eph 2:4-9)
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and MADE US SIT TOGETHER in the HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

It says that we were once dead in our sins. But because of God’s great love, He sent Jesus to give us life. And at the moment that we got saved, God raised us up together, and made us SIT together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

This is awesome. A lot of Christians think that we get saved on earth now, and suffer for the rest of our life until we return to heaven. Or many Christians still think that we are poor old sinners even after getting saved. Or some Christians are always running from the devil, talking about spiritual attacks. They appear totally detached from the revelation of the Bible!

The passage declares that we are seated the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Jesus is at the right hand of God. And we are in Christ. So we are seated at the right hand of God by the virtue that we are in Christ.

Satan is below us. We have more authority than him. We are not suffering our way to heaven, but heaven is in us. We are already seated in the heavenly places. We are not poor old sinners – we are sons of God in Christ.

Jesus came to this earth to fulfill the law. When His job was finished, He sat down. Jesus ends by seating. But the Christian starts by seating. This is where the Christian starts when he gets saved. He is seated in the heavenly places. If we learn how to sit, we will be ready to walk.

The only way to sit is to be established in the grace of God. In the same passage above, it emphasizes that we have been saved by grace and not of your works. Through the finished work of Christ, we are seated. If we depend on ourselves, we will never be seated. Seating is to rest in His finished work.

15.1 NEW SERIES – SIT, WALK & STAND

2009-01-14T00:35:00.001+08:00

In the last series, we showed that the quest of the believer is to know the finished work of Christ, instead of striving to get what Jesus has achieved. Every world revival started with a fresh revelation of Jesus from the Word.

Today we start on a new series, but will reinforce the above message. This series is entitled “SIT, WALK & STAND”. This is the theme of the Book of Ephesians – one of the most powerful books in the Bible that declares the reality of New Covenant living.

This is the book where the term “In Christ” appears more than any other book. It tells us who we are in Christ, what we have in Christ, and what we can achieve in Christ. It is a book that shares revelations so powerful that the Old Covenant believer may consider blasphemous. For example, it Paul says that we are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Who would even dare to think of such a truth in the Old Covenant when they were trembling at the foot of Mt Sinai, trying to keep a distance from God?

The themes SIT, WALK & STAND are a progression of the Christian relationship. It has to be in that order. We will examine each of these three words in greater detail over the next few weeks. To SIT means to rest in the finished work of Jesus. To WALK means to live by faith in the reality of Jesus. It means to allow Jesus to live through you. To STAND is to stand by faith when the devil comes against us with doubts and fear. It is to remain unmoved in the victory of Jesus.

Isn’t this consistent with our last series? We can only SIT when we have the revelation of the finished work of Christ. Christianity starts from the cross.

Let us be honest. The majority of Christians live in a different order. They try to WALK first before they learn how to SIT. Under the law, people try hard to keep the law. They have no rest or peace until they do so, but they are always stressed with no rest. Whatever they do never seems to be enough. That’s the Old Covenant approach. But we live in the New Covenant. We start with sitting.

Let us share some practical examples. A person who needs healing may be trying very hard to do all the right things so that God is pleased, and he could be healed. Or a believer may be trying hard to serve God and to be obedient in works in order to get God’s blessings. That is trying to WALK before he learns how to SIT.

In the New Covenant, the believer sees the finished work of the cross. He declares – “By the stripes of Jesus, I was healed.” He rests in the finished work. Soon, he starts to walk by faith, and the healing manifests. Or the believer rests in the fact that he has been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. As he rests on the promise, he starts to walk in those blessings.

14.21 Revivals through revelation – the Gospel of Grace

2009-01-11T15:46:00.001+08:00

There is a powerful revival that has been sweeping across the world – which started a decade ago. This is the revival of the Gospel of Grace, where the Church is returning to the truths of the gospel as presented by the Apostle Paul.

If we study church history, we will see that the church had a tendency to depart from the gospel of Christ back to the system of law under the Old Covenant. Frequently, the church mixes the two covenants, which result in confusion.

This is something that I do not take for granted. For most of my Christian life, I did not understand the gospel; I did not understand what Jesus accomplished on the cross. I grew up in denominations, and there was little emphasis of Jesus in the Sunday sermons. It was usually about what we had to do, but always felt lacking in empowerment.

I did not understand the Bible for myself. But when I truly understood the gospel in all its beauty, I did not want anything less. I have met many people who have been so thrilled to understand the gospel after decades as a Christian. It usually brings about a personal revival. It helps us to see the Bible in a different light. Our lives become energized by the reality of Christ living in us.

This powerful revival came through a revelation of the gospel as explained in the Epistles of Paul. It is a revival of BRINGING THE CHURCH BACK TO THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST – BACK TO JESUS.

Every revival which I have shared is really a progression in our REVELATION and EXPERIENCE of Jesus – in an exciting relationship. It is about a daily progression – living in a constant state of revival with Jesus inside you. It is about growing deeply rooted in Christ.

It is not about living in a revival experience of the past. It is not about praying hard enough for God to move again with some external phenomena. It is not about getting stressed up waiting for God to move in the next revival. It is about living each day with a fresh revelation of Jesus – and if we do so, we are already in the midst of revival!

I believe that this revival of the Gospel of Grace is the revival that will prepare the church for the Rapture. If Christianity is about Christ, then this is the greatest revival that will bring us back to the knowledge and experience of the person of Christ.

Therefore, we conclude that in the New Covenant, the quest is THAT WE MAY KNOW and EXPERIENCE the finished work of Christ. Every revival has demonstrated this truth, and we are now in an exciting revival. We encourage you to be a part of this revival.

14.20 Revivals through revelation – the Word of Faith

2009-01-01T23:14:00.002+08:00

Kenneth Hagin was raised from his deathbed in 1934 at the age of 17 in Texas and commissioned by God to “teach my people faith.” He is regarded as the father of the Word of Faith revival in the 1970s and 1980s, and his teachings have established the faith of countless believers in God’s Word.

Hagin was born premature, with a heart deformity and a blood condition. Both were incurable. As a teenager, Hagin lay paralyzed for months on his bed and five doctors gave him up for death. A visiting pastor gave him little comfort saying, “Son, it will be over soon.”

But he wanted to live and he knew by the inner witness that the answer was in the Bible. As he read Scriptures on healing (James 5:15) and faith (Mark 11:22-24), he had no one to guide him except the Holy Spirit through the inward voice.

When he lamented that no pastors came to pray for him, the still small voice told him that he could pray the prayer of faith for himself. When he prayed and nothing happened, he was discouraged.

Being bedfast, he had a lot of time to pray and to read the Word. After struggling for some time, Hagin stumbled upon Mark 11:22-24, and RECEIVED A REVELATION from the Holy Spirit. He prayed the prayer of faith and believed God for his healing but nothing happened. He told God that he had prayed and believed according to Mark 11:22-24. The Holy Spirit told him that the last clause of the Scripture said, “Believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” He suddenly realized that he had to believe he had received the healing in spite of the circumstances. He had wanted to receive his healing first, and then believe it.

After receiving the revelation, he began to thank God for his healing. After thanking God for 10 minutes, the Holy Spirit said that healed people should not be in bed. He answered, “That’s right; I’m going to get up.” Faith takes the answer now.

He had no feeling from waist down. He pushed himself to a sitting position and pushed his feet off the bed. They were lifeless like chunks of wood. He grabbed hold of the bedpost and struggled to stand up. Immediately, his mind was filled with doubts and negative thoughts. He hung on to God’s Word; he declared to God that the Word of God is true, and that he was healed. The room seemed to be spinning. He continued thanking God for his healing. Then he felt a warm sensation flow down from his head. When it reached his waist, feeling began to return to his legs. He received his healing by faith.

God commissioned Hagin to “teach my people faith”. God used him in the Word of Faith Revival in the 1970s and 1980s, where God restored important truths about faith and the importance of God’s Word in the Christian life. The teachings restored the revelation of JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF FAITH. It also restored the truth of FEEDING ON THE WORD (JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE) to grow in faith.

Hagin wrote many books in his “Faith Library” collection. These books have impacted many believers around the world. It has taught believers to stand on the Word instead of walking by sight, bringing stability to their Christian lives. He taught the Word until a ripe old age and fulfilled his divine calling. His testimony and teachings inspired many other anointed Bible teachers, whom God raised during the revival.

Some of the fastest-growing churches and ministries in the world today are churches that grew out from the Word of Faith Revival.

14.19 Revivals through revelation – the Charismatic revival

2009-01-01T23:08:00.001+08:00

In the later half of the 20th century, many evangelical church leaders and members embraced and experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in their own churches. Unlike the Pentecostal Revival which saw Spirit-filled members moving out of their churches, the Charismatic Revival was a renewal within the mainstream churches that had earlier rejected the move.

God raised many leaders within the evangelical churches to play important roles in the Charismatic Revival. One such person was Dennis Bennett, an Episcopalian rector who wrote the book Nine O’clock in the Morning. He heard about this new experience and started on a journey to find the answers. God used him and his book as a catalyst of the Charismatic Revival.

Dennis Bennett was a rector of a large conservative Episcopalian church in Los Angeles. In those days, the non-Pentecostal churches had little understanding of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. One day in 1959, Frank, a young Anglican priest who visited his home told him that a young couple in his church had received the baptism in the Spirit and even claimed to have spoken in tongues, whatever that was. Bennett said that they must be one of those mixed up people.

As Bennett tried to sidetrack the issue, Frank said, “I can’t just brush it away – I have to understand what is going on. I am supposed to be the spiritual leader of the church.” He challenged Bennett to meet them but Bennett didn’t want to get involved in this “emotionalism” business.

Due to Frank’s persistency, Bennett and his wife, Elberta, agreed to meet the couple. With suspicion and apprehension, he told the couple, John and Joan, “What’s it all about? What has happened to you people?” With glowing faces, they shared that they had received the baptism in the Spirit. He asked, “What does that mean?” They answered, “Just like in the Bible.” Bennett wrote:

It was a low blow! As a minister of the gospel – with 16 years’ experience and a graduate degree in theology from a well-known university, I was supposed to know what was in the Bible. Yet as John and Joan talked, I realized that there were some very important things I’d somehow missed.

After the meeting, Elberta said, “I don’t know what these people have but I want it!” Bennett realized he was spiritually dry and hungry deep inside. Could a lack of experience with the Holy Spirit be the reason why Christians today don’t show the same joy, power and assurance that we see in the New Testament? He decided to DO A RESEARCH on the Holy Spirit, which had up till then been a vague, theoretical Being to him.

It was the beginning of a journey to DISCOVER NEW REVELATIONS from the Word of God. He had to struggle to overcome his deep-rooted prejudices against tongues. He had been told by his professor in the seminary that it was emotionalism and offensive. After three months of researching, he said to John and Joan:

“Look here, I’ve been reading my Bible, my Prayer Book, my theological books, my church history, and as far as I can see, this experience you’re talking about is in them all. I want what you’ve got!”

After John and Joan prayed for him for about 20 minutes, he received the baptism in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. He experienced the reality of God’s presence that he had hungered for. Elberta received shortly after and they began to enjoy a newfound intimacy with God. Though he kept his experience at a low profile, the fires of revival began to spread and many members of his church also experienced the baptism.

On 3rd April 1960, he announced publicly to his church that he had received the baptism in the Spirit and had spoken in tongues. He faced immediate opposition from a minority who did not understand this divine experience and he decided to resign as their rector. His controversial story was carried on TV, Time and Newsweek. Soon, he received numerous invitations to share his story both within and beyond his denomination. He also authored a number of books which became one of the catalysts of the Charismatic Revival. It all started with a REVELATION that came through researching the Bible.

(Reference: Nine O’clock in the Morning by Dennis Dennett, Bridge Publishing, Inc.)

14.18 Revivals through revelation – the Pentecostal revival

2009-01-01T23:05:00.000+08:00

When the truth of baptism in the Holy Spirit and tongues was lost during the dark ages of Church history, the Church believed that tongues had ceased. Some groups believed that baptism in the Spirit was one and the same experience, as salvation or sanctification.

But when the time was ripe, the truth of the baptism in the Spirit as a separate experience with the evidence of speaking in tongues was restored to the Church in the 20th century Pentecostal and Charismatic Revivals. Today, the majority in the Christian Church uses this prayer language. The largest and the fastest-growing churches in the world today embrace the full workings of the Holy Spirit.

Two men played important roles in the Pentecostal Revival. Just before Christmas in 1900, Charles Parham gave 40 Bible school students an assignment – to find the New Testament evidence of being filled with the Spirit. Three days later, when Parham returned, his students informed him that the only consistent evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit was speaking in tongues. The STUDENTS HAD RECEIVED A REVELATION ON THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT BY STUDYING THE WORD.

At almost midnight, New Year’s Day 1901, a student, Agnes Ozman, asked to have hands laid on her to receive the baptism. As other students did so, the Holy Spirit fell and she began to speak in tongues. Three days later, Parham himself received. Persecution came almost as quickly as the baptism.

William Seymour, a black preacher, approached Parham and sat under his teaching. When Seymour started TEACHING THE REVELATION that speaking in tongues is the evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, he was locked out from his church.

Seymour then began to preach in an abandoned church at 321 Azusa Street. After about six months, revival broke out. In 1906, worshippers in Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles, United States, experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues and falling under the power of the Holy Spirit. News of the Azusa Street Revival spread and Christians from all over the world flocked to Azusa Street to experience the move. They then carried the fire with them wherever they went.

The established churches rejected the revival of the Spirit that was gathering pace as it challenged the established beliefs and practices of their day. They did not fully understand the phenomena because they thought that tongues had ceased. For several decades, this Pentecostal Revival flourished outside the established denominations. Every Pentecostal group today can trace its lineage directly or indirectly to the Azusa Street Revival.

It all started with a revelation from the word that restored the experience of JESUS THE BAPTIZER IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. In the 1990s, the Lutheran church that I attended experienced a revival through the revelation of Jesus our Baptizer. As the youth president, I got the youths baptized in the Spirit by showing them the revelation of the baptism in the Spirit from the Word of God.

14.17 Revival through revelation – the Reformation Revival

2008-12-30T16:39:00.000+08:00

I trust you had a Blessed Christmas – and a renewed revelation of Jesus who came to be the Lamb of God for us. Today, we shall resume Daily Rhema.

Recap - True revival is about RECEIVING A NEW REVELATION ABOUT CHRIST that leads to a new experience of CHRIST WITHIN US. Remember that Paul prayed THAT WE MAY KNOW. When we know a new revelation of Christ, we start to experience revival. It is not about self-performance and human effort in moving the hand of God. It is about KNOWING CHRIST.
We will share demonstrate this truth as we walk down Church history to study some major revivals – starting with the Reformation Revival.

In the dark ages of Church history, the Church became corrupt and lost sight of the gospel. Ordinary people did not have the Word of God and were in bondage. There was no revelation of Christ.

They tried to reach God through their human efforts, like beating themselves, kneeling on rocks, fasting and praying. The Church even taught that indulgences (pieces of paper bought with money) could secure forgiveness of sins. This was a convenient way for the corrupt Church to raise money from the people.

Martin Luther was a monk who did all these yet the guilt of sin hung over his conscience. The turning point in Luther’s life came while he was a lecturer of Theology at Wittenberg University. As he studied the Bible, he was fascinated by the Apostle Paul’s Epistles, especially Rom 1:17, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’ ” He HAD THE REVELATION that the righteousness of God is through grace and received by faith. It was a revelation of JESUS AS OUR LAMB OF GOD – a truth lost in the dark ages.

Luther began teaching the doctrine of justification by faith alone in direct contrast with the prevailing teaching that one is saved by faith and good works. On 31st October 1517, Luther nailed the famous 95 Theses (or arguments) on the door of the church in Wittenberg. He argued strongly against the abuse of indulgences and invited a debate.

For his unwavering stand on the authority of the Bible and justification by faith, he was expelled from the Church and declared an outlaw by the emperor. He almost lost his life for the gospel. The teachings of Luther caught on and resulted in the Reformation movement in the Church. It was a revival that brought the revelation of JESUS THE LAMB OF GOD back to the Church, which resulted in a deeper experience with Christ.

Today, the Church of Christ believes in the doctrine of salvation by faith rather than works, and that Christ’s own righteousness is imputed to those who believe.

Blessed Christmas 2008

2008-12-24T13:07:00.003+08:00

Dear Daily Rhema subscribers,

Wishing everyone a Blessed Christmas!

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us remember His love. The Bible says that we may know the width and length and depth and height of the love of God. The majestic Son of God gave up heaven's glory just for you. The cute baby Jesus was born with one purpose - to die for you. Jesus was the demonstration of God's love. So as you celebrate Christmas, may you celebrate His love for you.

Please note that I have not been sending out messages because I am in the midst of settling in a new place. We will resume soonest.

By His Grace
Joshua Lye

14.16 Revivals in the New Covenant dispensation of grace

2008-12-16T22:54:00.000+08:00

We have demonstrated that the quest of the New Covenant believer is TO KNOW CHRIST and HIS FINISHED WORK. Today, I would like to walk you down the major revivals modern day Church history to demonstrate this truth.

What is a revival? As a Christian, I grew up chasing after revivals. I thought if I fasted and prayed long enough, God would send revival down from heaven. Or if I loved Him enough, He would appear in my room as a bright light, or in person. Christians look for some outward phenomena – like seeing gold dust, having gold tooth, etc.

First of all, revival does not come through us doing enough to move God’s hand. Secondly, revival is not about looking for an outward phenomenon, to confirm God’s visitation.

Firstly, Jesus has finished the work on the cross – which enables every believer to walk in the fullness of Christ (revival). There is nothing that we can add to His work or revival through our effort. When Jesus went to heaven, He poured down the fullness of the Holy Spirit to indwell the Church. There is no amount of prayer or fasting that will move God to pour out any more of His Spirit.

Secondly, revival is not about outward phenomenon as we know it. When we chase after signs and wonders, we will be disappointed. The hope of glory in the New Covenant is Christ dwelling in us. He is the fullness of everything.

True revival is about RECEIVING A NEW REVELATION ABOUT CHRIST that leads to a new experience of CHRITST WITHIN US. Remember that Paul prayed THAT WE MAY KNOW. When we know a new revelation of Christ, we start to experience revival.

After praying overnight for Jesus to appear in my room, I was disappointed that God did not visit me. I tried hard and I was looking for a sign.

As I grew mature in the Lord, I came TO KNOW that Jesus lived in me. He was in my room all along because He was in me. I learnt to live by faith in His Word and not by sight in outward phenomenon. As I came TO KNOW more about Jesus through His Word, I began to experience more of Him. When I was enraptured in the revelation of Christ, I found that signs and wonders followed me. When I was conscious of His indwelling presence, I experience His tangible love and power.

I used to pursue revival which was hard to come by. But through the knowledge of Christ, I have been living in a constant revival for many years now, and I also have the privilege of bringing revival to others simply by sharing the knowledge of Christ.

14.15 The true minister of the New Covenant

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As believers, it benefits us to know what our inheritance is. What exhortation do we have for ministers? Paul calls himself a minister of the new Covenant. Likewise, we are also ministers of the New Covenant. Do you know that you are a minister of the New Covenant?

A minister of the New Covenant is contrasted by a minister of the Old Covenant. There is a big difference. Let us show you from the scriptures the way Paul contrasts it:

(2 Cor 3:3-9)
5 Not that we are SUFFICIENT OF OURSELVES to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our SUFFIFIENCY IS FROM GOD, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the LETTER [law engraved on stones] but of the SPIRIT; for the LETTER KILLS, but the SPIRIT GIVES LIFE.
7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

1) Sufficiency of ourselves (under law) vs. sufficient from God (grace)
2) Minister of the letter (law) vs. minister of the Spirit (grace)
3) Ministry of condemnation (under law) vs. ministry of righteousness (justification under grace)
4) Ministry of death (under law) vs. ministry of life (under grace)

For example, we can have a New Covenant prophet vs. an Old Covenant Prophet. An Old Covenant prophet brings forth sins to remembrance and brings forth condemnation. A New Covenant brings forth edification, comfort and edification through the finished work of Christ. Once, a person went forward to a prophet to pray for healing. The prophet told him that he was sick because of his sins. The man was placed under condemnation. In the New Covenant, it works differently. When the paralytic was brought to Jesus, Jesus declared that his sins were forgiven. The man received his healing. We must be able to tell an Old Covenant prophet apart from a New Covenant prophet.

We can also have a teacher of the Law vs. a teacher of the New Covenant. The teacher of law focuses on the system where you have to keep the works of the law to get the blessings. The focus is on your sufficiency. But the teacher of the New Covenant unveils Christ and the finished work. The focus is on the sufficiency of Jesus. This is clear in the Bible. Paul declared in Galatians that anyone who preaches any other gospel apart from the gospel of grace shall be accursed (Gal 1:6-9). We must know the difference.

14.14 Reading for yourself what Christ has done on the cross

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Let us go back to the illustration. The son received an inaccurate message from the messenger, which deprived him of his inheritance of the $10m, and he could not fulfill his calling. But the son had the will of his father. He had the opportunity to read for himself the message. Instead of depending on the will, he depended on the messenger.

Today, it is the same with the believer. Jesus has given us His will or testament or covenant. This is called the New Covenant that was established through the death of Jesus. We should be reading the Bible to find out about the New Covenant.

However, many messengers have not fully understood the New Covenant. In fact, they tend to rely a lot on an obsolete covenant called the Old Covenant – which works very differently. The Old Covenant tells us what we must do to attain to righteousness and blessings. That was made obsolete because man could not fulfill it and Jesus came to fulfill it. The New Covenant tells us what Christ has accomplished. Therefore it is important to read and understand the New Covenant for ourselves.

The Bible is divided into three sections - the Old Testament, the Gospels and the Epistles of the New Covenant. The Old Testament was not written to us. It was a covenant between God and Israel. We can learn from it but we are not under that covenant. Israel did not attain to righteousness. So the Old Testament pointed to the coming of Jesus as the Redeemer and Savior.

The Gospels tell of the coming of Jesus, His life, His death and His resurrection. The Gospels is not the New Covenant because Jesus was sent not to the Gentiles but the lost sheep of Israel. The New Covenant was not cut until the point when Jesus went to the cross – which is at the end of the Gospels. A lot of what Jesus said to Israel was under the context of the Old Covenant. The Gospels do not explain why Jesus went to the cross and what He accomplished on the cross.

The Epistles are the letters written to the Church. They are based on the New Covenant and they apply directly to us. This explains why the Epistles are so different from the other parts of the Bible. We should be spending most of our time on the Epistles.

Only the Epistles (Romans) explain what happened on the cross. It explains what the Gospel is all about. They tell us what has changed after the cross for us the New Covenant believer. They are like the will for us as children of God. Ministers of the New Covenant will usually teach from the Epistles. I encourage you to study the Epistles, especially the letter of Paul – which are revelation packed.

14.13 Laboring to fulfill your calling (Labor of the New Covenant)

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Let us go back to the illustration. If the son knows that he has received $10m in the bank account. He could have embarked on the project to build the orphanage immediately. He did not have to labor to be qualified to build. He has already been qualified to fulfill his calling.

This is the kind of labor under the New Covenant. We do not have to keep works of the law to qualify for righteousness and blessings. Jesus has qualified us by going to the cross. Today, you are righteous. You are blessed with every blessing in Christ Jesus. You have received an inheritance as co-heir. You have received a calling with gifts of grace endowed upon you to perform.

This kind of labor is like a burning bush that never burns up. You are on fire from within, and you do not feel weary in the Spirit. You are resting in His grace and power to perform. You are not striving for anything – you are flowing with His power and the leading of His Spirit. Though you are rested from within, the things that you do produce results and great impact on others. You do not strive for a breakthrough because Jesus is your breakthrough. You do not strive for the next level, because you are complete in Christ and you are transformed by beholding His glory. Does that sound ideal? Beloved, this is the New Covenant that Christ established for us.

This kind of labor is motivated by passion from the Holy Spirit – not zeal in the flesh. Those who are strong in grace put no confidence in self-performance. There is nothing to boast in the flesh because everything comes from Jesus.

Most people will think that under grace, believers will perform less. They may become lazy and start slacking. Let us go back to the example of Paul. He was zealous under the law but his labor counted for nothing. Nobody was blessed by his zeal. Then he met Jesus (grace) on the road to Damascus.

His life was transformed and he started to preach the gospel of grace. It was a 180 degree switch. In fact, he labored more abundantly than all the other apostles – powered by the grace of God.

(1 Cor 15:10)
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

He was the channel used by the Holy Spirit to explain the gospel to us. He wrote two thirds of the New Testament. His writings continue to inspire revivalists like Martin Luther, John Wesley, and New Covenant teachers of today. This is the labor of the New Covenant. Paul fulfilled his calling. Paul prayed that WE MAY KNOW the hope of our calling that we may fulfill ours.

14.12 Laboring to qualify (Labor of the Old Covenant)

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Let us go back to the illustration. When the son received the wrong message from the messenger, he started to labor hard to save up the $5m – to qualify himself to build the orphanage.

This is the kind of labor under the Old Covenant. Israel had to keep the works of the law in order to qualify for righteousness and to attain to the blessings of Deuteronomy 28.

It is a labor that makes a person tired and weary because it draws upon the resources of man. You are constantly pushing yourself with the hope to be blessed, but blessings seem to evade you. You are busy with activities but there seems to be limited impact. You don’t seem to see much result. In fact, you are constantly pushing yourself to get a breakthrough. You are constantly trying to get to the next level, but you never seem to get there. Does this sound familiar?

This kind of labor produces a lot of zeal but in the flesh (self-ability). Those who are strong on the law tend to be confident in their performance. Paul was extremely zealous under the system of the law. He had all the credentials and performed well. He even persecuted the law-breakers – the Christians of his day. He went as far as to Damascus.

(Phil 3:4-9)
If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

But all his laboring under the law counted for nothing – when he came face to face with Jesus. The glory of Christ was so much greater than the glory of the law that he counted all his achievements under law as rubbish.

He realized that trying to attain to self-righteousness under the law is nothing compared to receiving the gift of righteousness by faith in Christ. He labored hard to persecute many Christians but there is no lasting benefit to anybody.

But from the moment he met Jesus and forsook the law, he embarked on a new kind of labor that shook the world. We will continue tomorrow.

14.10 Has the messenger been conveying the right message?

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We have shared that the devil robs believers of their blessings by making them strive to earn it. We have shared the examples of Eve, Jesus & the healing of the blind man in the book of John.

Today, it makes a world of difference for us to have messengers who convey the right message. Going back to the earlier illustration, if the messenger tells us that we don’t have an inheritance of $10m, we would have to spend a lifetime trying to earn that $5m. But if the messenger tells us that we have an inheritance, we can start our project to build the orphanage.

If, the messengers are ministering the law to us – that we have to earn our righteousness and blessings, we will spend a lifetime trying to earn it. But if the messengers tell us that Jesus has made us righteous and given us an inheritance on the cross, we will spend a lifetime fulfilling his calling – which is far more fun, rewarding and fruitful.

The Bible tells us that Paul was a minister of the New Covenant, as opposed to the Judaizers who were preaching a mixture of grace and law. Paul tells us of righteousness apart from the law. The Judaizers told the believers that they had to have Jesus and the law at the same time, like many of the messages we hear today.

(2 Cor 3:5-6)
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as MINISTERS OF THE NEW COVENANT, NOT OF THE LETTER BUT OF THE SPIRIT; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Paul said that the Minister of the New Covenant ministers life, but the ministry of the letter (the Ten Commandments engraved on stones) kills. Why is this so? What is the heart of the issue? Paul was not against morality. He says that morality cannot be achieved through the law (which is external and does not change the heart) but through grace (which transforms the heart).

The issue is that the ministry of the New Covenant tells us that Jesus has finished the work on the cross. We can come to Jesus to receive everything; to receive life. But the system of the law tells us that we must perform works of the law in order to attain to righteousness and blessings. It ignores the fact that Jesus has already finished the work. As in the examples we shared earlier, when we strive for what Christ has already given, we end up drifting further from it.

Today, we should be discerning to sit under ministers of the New Covenant – and through listening to such – THAT YOU MAY KNOW – and experience that which Christ has given you. When you respond by faith, miracles begin to happen.

14.9 How does the thief steal, kill and destroy?

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Today, let us share another example to reinforce how we get robbed of our blessings. There is a famous verse which is often quoted – the Satan came to steal, kill and destroy.

(John 10:10)
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

But who was Jesus referring to? If we read the verse in its context, Jesus was actually referring to the Pharisees & teachers of the law who came before Jesus.

(John 10:7)
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

Jesus had just healed a blind man who did not deserve to be healed (it was by grace). The Pharisees were indignant the he has been healed on the Sabbath. Under the law, he should not have been healed. So they excommunicated him. They did not like the doctrine of Jesus that a sinner could be healed (grace). They said that they were Moses’ disciples (the law).

(John 9:28)
28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”

So Jesus was saying that the teachers of the law were robbing the man of God’s blessings give through grace. When we revert to the law, we fall from grace. When we try to earn that which Jesus has given on the cross, we end up losing it. Israel did not attain to righteousness because they tried to earn it under the law, instead of receiving it as a gift from Jesus by faith. Paul said that they DID NOT HAVE KNOWLEDGE. Through their ignorance of the grace of God, they missed receiving the gift of righteousness.

(Romans 10:2)
2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to KNOWLEDGE. 3 For they being IGNORANT of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

All these verses reinforce the truth that in the New Covenant, God WANTS US TO KNOW in order to RECEIVE by faith.

14.8 How did Jesus redeem us?

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After Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan, He heard the Father tell Him that He was God’s beloved son. Isn’t that so affirming and so sweet?

(Matt 3:17)
17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, in whom I am well pleased.”

God also told Jesus that He was pleased with Jesus. You must remember that Jesus had not started His ministry. He had not healed anyone or preached the gospel. Yet God affirmed Him.

When Jesus was tempted in the desert, the devil used the same modus operandi of making Jesus strive for what He already was. He told Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread…”

(Matthew 4:2-4)
2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD, command that these stones become bread.”4 But He answered and said, “IT IS WRITTEN, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

If Jesus tried to do something just to try to be the Son of God, He would have fallen for the temptation, and mankind would not be redeemed. He would have been robbed of the reality that He is the Son of God. But Jesus was secure in what the Father had told Him. Jesus knew that He was the Son of God. He didn’t have to try to be the Son of God. He believed God more than the devil. He replied, “It is written…,” putting His confidence in God’s word.

Today, it is the same in the New Covenant. The devil may say, “You must be faithful to God and then He will be faithful to you.” By believing that, you will then strive to earn God’s faithfulness by trying to be faithful to Him. The more you try, the more your action reaffirms that God is not already faithful to you. You have uncertainties of His faithfulness. It robs you of that reality.

But if you KNOW the truth, you would reply, “It is written that God remains faithful even if we are faithless.” Your faith in His faithfulness towards you does not waver. When you believe Him, you will be victorious over the temptation. Then when you experience His unconditional faithfulness, you begin to love Him more. You respond by being faithful to Him. You begin to bear fruit of faithfulness. This is the New Covenant – THAT YOU MAY KNOW His love and faithfulness.

14.7 How did mankind fall in the Garden of Eden?

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Yesterday, we said that the devil robs us from what we have by making us strive to get it. This is his modus operandi. He uses the law to achieve this. Let us show you some key examples – that have changed the course of history.

Join me as we go back in time to the Garden of Eden. God made Adam and Eve in His image. They were made like God – in the image of God. In the Garden was the tree of life (which represents Jesus the bread of life). There was also another tree – the tree of knowledge of good and evil (which represents the law which tells between good and evil). They were to eat of the tree of life (Jesus) but not from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (the law).

This is a picture of how God wants us to live on the basis of His work and His providence. It was not God’s will for man to live on the basis of the law because man is estranged from God when they live on the basis of right and wrong. Man can live independently from God under religion. God wants us to have relationship and communion with Him.

The devil came to Eve in the form of the serpent to make her eat from the tree that represents the law. How did he do it? He tells us that if she would eat of the forbidden fruit, she could be wise like God.

But the reality is that God has already made her like God – in the image of God. If she KNEW the reality, she would have ignored the devil. She would have said, “I don’t need to do that because I am already made in God’s image!” Her ignorance allowed the devil to make her strive to get something she already had.

When she partook of the law, she fell. The way the devil tempted her is similar to how the law works. The law tells us that we have to keep the works of the law to get what Jesus has already purchased on the cross. Romans 4:4 says that to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

When Jesus went to the cross, He brought an end to the law as the means to approaching God, and ushered in a new covenant on the basis of faith (believing what He has done).

(Romans 10:4)
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Today we are under a system called faith. The righteous shall live by faith. When we KNOW what Christ has done on the cross, it causes faith to rise in our hearts to believe. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing the gospel of Christ. The quest of the new covenant believer is THAT WE MAY KNOW…in order to respond in faith.

14.6 Striving for what you already have - actually robs you of it

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Let us recap the illustration used earlier. If the father deposited $10m into the son’s bank account, but he does not know it, it is as good as not having the money. The lack of knowledge robs us of what we have. That is why Paul prayed that WE MAY KNOW.

There is another way that we can be robbed of what we have. How? It is when we strive to get it, because it reinforces our belief that we don’t have it yet. When the son strives to save up $10m, it reinforces the belief that he does not have the $10m. The more he channels his energy to get $10m, the further he drifts from the reality.

Have you tried to look for a pen, only to realize that you were holding it in your hand all along? You could have gone looking all over. The harder you try to find it, the more likely you will fail.

Or have you watched the cartoon Madagascar 2, where Gloria was looking for the love of her life, only to realize that Marty was all along by her side. The truth is that when we strive for something that we already have, we are robbed of it. So how does this apply to our Christian lives?

On the cross, Jesus has given us everything. But if we go back to the law – to the system where we have to earn everything, we will not be conscious of what Christ has already given us. If we strive to get righteous, we forget that Jesus is our righteousness. If we strive to get His love, we forget that we already have His love. If we fast and pray for His Spirit, we forget that His Spirit already lives in us. If we try to get healing, we forget that by His stripes we were healed. If we try to earn His blessings, we forget that we have been blessed with every blessing.

When a Christian reverts to live under the law, he actually falls from grace, because he tries to earn what God has given freely. He gets robbed of the blessings of Christ.

The devil uses the law as a weapon to rob believers of their blessings. He uses the law to tell the believer to fulfill requirements that Jesus has already fulfilled. But Jesus nailed the law to the cross and disarmed the devil.

(Col 2:14-15)
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having DISARMED principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Tomorrow, we will show you how the devil uses the law to rob believers.

14.5 Paul prayed “THAT YOU MAY KNOW the love of Christ…”

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(Eph 3:14-19)
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,[c] 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; THAT YOU, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 MAY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Along with Eph 1:16-20, the above prayer is one of the two most powerful prayers in the New Covenant. I also encourage you to pray this prayer over yourself. Personalize it with your own name. Now, let me explain more on this verse.

Firstly, Paul did not pray for the believer to receive more love from God. Secondly, Paul did not pray that the believer would love God more. The majority of Christians would be shocked by this verse because they have grown up being told that they must love God more. Christianity becomes a burdensome because they never seem to be able to love God enough. The verse does not tell them to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength – contrary to what was demanded in the Old Covenant.

This powerful prayer from Paul is THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND the infinite love of God! This is the love that has been poured out and demonstrated on the cross. There is a change in direction of the flow of love. The Old Covenant demanded for your love for God. The New Covenant tells of God’s love for you.

God is not going to pour more of His love down to this earth. We are not to ask God to love us any more than He has. We are not to try to love God more with our self-effort. The quest of the believer is to know; to comprehend the love of Christ. This could be a lifetime journey considering that His love is infinite.

This verse also answers another question. How do we have more of God? How do we get filled with more of God? Is it through prayer or fasting? Is it through serving God faithfully? Is it through loving Him more? As important as these are, the answer is none of these. The key to being filled with God is simply TO KNOW the love of Christ.

When WE KNOW the love of Christ, we will fall in love with Him. We then love Him because He first loved us. We then live our lives for Him because He first loved us. We enjoy serving Him because He first loved us.

This is the key to the New Covenant. THAT YOU MAY KNOW the love of Christ. All God’s love has been poured out on the cross. What’s left is for us to KNOW and COMPREHEND it. This is our quest.

14.4 Paul prayed “THAT YOU MAY KNOW…”

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(Eph 1:16-20)
16 ...do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; THAT YOU MAY KNOW what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places...

The above prayer is one of the two most powerful prayers in the New Covenant. The prayer itself is fully packed with revelations. Kenneth Hagin used to pray this prayer over himself regularly. In the midst of praying, the anointing of teaching came upon him like a mantle through the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.

I encourage you to pray this prayer over yourself. Personalize it with your own name. Now, let me explain more on this verse.

In the New Covenant, Jesus completed the work on the cross. All righteousness, blessings, power, love, grace, etc flows from the cross. Many Christians talk and act as if the work was not completed. They then try to complete the work through their prayer, worship, and spiritual activities. This is not possible. We have to know for sure if the work was completed.

Paul did not pray for the believer to get anything. He didn’t pray for them to receive blessings. He prayed that they may know what they have – based on what Jesus had done. Specifically, he prayed that we may know:

1) The hope of His calling (who we are in Christ)
2) The riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (what we have in Christ)
3) The exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe (what Christ can accomplish through us by His power)

This means that the people had a great need to know and to understand. It is a life time quest for the believer to discover and experience the fullness of the cross. But it doesn’t come naturally. We need the help of the Holy Spirit. He is now our teacher. He came to reveal the finished work of Jesus to us. We need the Holy Spirit’s wisdom to receive the revelation of the cross.

The more we know, the more we believe, and the more we experience the reality of it. Today, you don’t have to earn it; you just need to know it.

14.3 Knowing what Jesus accomplished is the quest of the New Covenant believer

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Under the Old Covenant, the quest of the believer is to attain to something through his self-effort. For 1,500 years under the Old Covenant, they were under the system of Deuteronomy 28. They had to perform all the works of the law in order to attain to righteousness, and to qualify for the blessings of God.

They desired to attain to righteousness and blessings. They struggled and strived to qualify. They had to earn all the blessings of Deuteronomy 28. The wonderful blessings include healing, promotion, provisions, blessings, etc. It was not theirs yet. It was conditional upon their ability to attain to it.

I have been a Christian some 28 years and have met a lot of Christians. The majority do try in one way or another to earn their righteousness and blessings through their actions. Maybe when they fall short, they depend on God’s mercy. But most of the time, they depend on their good works, fasting, praying, tithing, doing their quiet time, and winning souls. How many of you can identify with me.

It is commonly said that if you prayed hard enough, God will heal you. If you are not getting the results, you need to pray harder and fast. If you obey God, He will bless you. If you are faithful to God, He will be faithful to you. If you forgive others, then God will forgive you. As a student, I was told that if you go to church faithfully, God will give you good grades.

How many of you recognize that in all the statements above, the blessings of God are still a distance away, and they are conditional upon you fulfilling some requirements. I grew up under that system, so I know it well. But the Holy Spirit has led me to the land of the New Covenant.

If you read the New Covenant Epistles, you will find that it does not talk in that manner. The book of Ephesians tells you as a statement of fact – “who you are in Christ”, “what you have in Christ” and “what you can accomplish in Christ”.

Let us study two of the greatest prayers in the Bible. In both prayers, Paul does not ask God for anything. Paul knows that Jesus has accomplished everything on the cross. Instead, he prays for the New Covenant Christians that “THEY MAY KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE…” He did not pray for them to “TRY TO GET SOMETHING”.

In fact, he acknowledges that it does not come naturally for Christians to have this paradigm shift. He knows that if left to our own, we will drift back under the old paradigm. He knows that we need help. So he prays for the Holy Spirit to help us “that we may know…” We will share the powerful verse tomorrow.

14.2 Do you know what Jesus accomplished on the cross?

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Let’s recap the story I shared yesterday. The son DID NOT KNOW that he had $50m in the bank account. So he spent his lifetime laboring to raise the $10m instead of taking the $50m to build the orphanage. He was laboring for the wrong thing, he missed out on the fulfillment of building the orphanage, and he failed to save up the $10m.

Today, we live in the New Covenant. With His dying breath, Jesus cried, “It is finished.” Now what was Jesus referring to? What did He accomplish on the cross? Do you know with great confidence? Or are we like the son who “DID NOT KNOW what was accomplished?”

What are the messengers telling us? Are they ministers of the New Covenant who share clearly from the finished work of Christ, or are they unsure themselves about what fully transpired on the cross? As we go down this series, we will contrast both approaches.

What about us? Do we check the will or testament for ourselves – especially the New Testament Epistles? Do we have the revelation of the cross when we read the Bible? Or do we feel like we are reading with a veil blocking our understanding? Do we feel inhibited by a lack of revelation when we read the Bible?

What have we been laboring for in our Christian life? Are we laboring for something that Jesus has already given us? [We will cover this in greater detail] Or are we laboring out of the abundance of all that Jesus has given us? Are we laboring so that we can be qualified? Or are we laboring because Jesus has qualified us?

Do we feel that we always fall short in our labor? Do we feel that you are laboring under stress and external pressure? Or are you enjoying the fulfillment of the labor in Christ? Do we feel the demand placed upon us? Or do we feel empowered and liberated to accomplish great things for God? These are two different kinds of labor.

So often I hear people tell me that they have been a Christian all these years without the revelation of Christ. Others say that they feel robbed through the traditional messages they have grown up with. Recently, a Christian friend in need for a healing of a loved one was at a loss of what to do. We shared with her the revelation of Christ. It brought faith, calmness and joy. It is never too late. What is most important is to come to the revelation of the cross as soon as possible.

The quest for the Christian is THAT YOU MAY KNOW what happened on the cross. The lack of revelation robs us of what we truly have in Christ.

Note: The next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 27th Nov 08 at 7.45pm. Please contact Jeffrey at 81119307 for details. Please bring your Bible, notebook & pen for a solid time of Bible study on revelations of the New Covenant.

14.1 NEW SERIES – THAT YOU MAY KNOW….

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The Lord has called me to be a minister of the New Covenant – to bring forth the wonderful truths of the gospel of Jesus – which is life transforming. I consider this the greatest calling – to bring people back to the finished work of Jesus – and to understand the heart of the gospel. In bringing forth these truths, it usually come with what I call a “Paradigm Shift”.

Over the years, the Lord has brought many defeated Christians to us. Often, they had been defeated by the doctrines that they have grown up with. When they hear the revelation (paradigm shift) of the gospel of Jesus, most of them tell me that it is so different from what they have learnt for many years as a Christian. They usually find it liberating, provocative and empowering.

So today, we continue of a series titled – “THAT YOU MAY KNOW…” Why this title? I present to you that the pursuit of the believer in the New Covenant is not about “doing” but “being” a new creation in Christ. It is not about “getting” but “KNOWING” what you already have..

Why is this important? Let me give you an illustration. On his dying bed, a rich man leaves a will for his son who is overseas. In his will, he states that he has left behind $50m in a bank account. Then he gives instruction to his son to fulfill his dream of building an orphanage (costing $10m). He also conveys the message through a messenger.

The son returns but did not really read the will carefully. He depends on the messenger to convey the message. The messenger did not understand the first part of the message, and conveyed only the second half of the message. He tells the son that the father wanted him to build a $10m orphanage, without telling him about the wealth his father had given him. He sincerely advises the son to work hard to get the $10m to fulfill the dream.

As a filial son, he slogs for the rest of his life to save up $1m to fulfill his father’s dream. Unfortunately, it was a tall order, and the son fails. He had done his best to save $10m, but only managed 90% of it. He did not manage to start on the project. He was filled with regrets, guilt and condemnation.

What was the moral of the story? If only the son “knew” that he had $50m, the outcome would have been different. He would not have labored to earn that $10m. He would have labored differently, to build the orphanage, and blessed many children. The servant should have conveyed the right message, but it is only human to err. Instead of relying fully on the messenger, he should have read the will carefully for himself to find out what the father had given him. This is the tragedy of many Christians. Could that story be about us? Follow us on this series to find out…

Note: The next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 27th Nov 08 at 7.45pm. Please contact Jeffrey at 81119307 for details. Please bring your Bible, notebook & pen for a solid time of Bible study on revelations of the New Covenant.

13.15 The conviction of the Holy Spirit in evangelism

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When we share, we should be conscious of the fact that it is not our persuasiveness that convicts someone to receive the Lord. The battle is in the deepest part of the heart and thoughts of the person.

Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will convict the unbeliever of sin and the need for Jesus. As we share, we should rely on the Holy Spirit.

When the Holy Spirit convicts a person’s heart of sin, it becomes unbearable. When He convicts a person of righteousness in Christ, Jesus becomes irresistible (John 16:8-10).

John G. Lake – The Power of Conviction of the Holy Spirit

During a meeting among the Zulus in Africa, John G. Lake preached a message on real repentance – the complete separation from the world, its sin and its spirit, like Jesus had separated Himself unto all righteousness in the river Jordan. There was a quiet stillness that pervaded the meeting as the Holy Spirit convicted the people of their sin.

Suddenly, a man arose from the back of the audience and came towards the altar. Before he could reach the altar, the Holy Spirit struck him and he fell flat on his face. Another man arose and walked calmly and steadily to the front. When he came to where the first man had fallen, the Spirit struck him and he fell on top of the first man.

One after the other they came forward. Each one in turn fell at the same spot until 15 men were piled up, one on top of the other. Lake said that he had seen many manifestations of God before, but none like this.

Lake was bothered because he was afraid that the person on the bottom of the pile would be smothered. Soon his human sympathy overcame him and he tried to pull a few men off the pile. The Holy Spirit said, “If God has slain these, can you not trust Him to keep them from being smothered?” Lake promptly returned to his seat.

After 15 minutes, one of the prostrate men began to confess his sin at the top of his voice! After a short time, he arose with the light of God in his face and returned to his seat. All 15 men confessed one after another and returned to their seats.

When they interviewed the first man via the interpreter, he said that he saw Jesus remove all his sins and He made his heart white. The Holy Spirit had convicted the people of sin and they received Jesus.

(Reference: Adventures in God by John G. Lake, Harrison House)

Note: The next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 27th Nov 08 at 7.45pm. Please contact Jeffrey at 81119307 for details. Please bring your Bible, notebook & pen for a solid time of Bible study on revelations of the New Covenant.

13.14 Testimony: Led by the Spirit to witness to the office cleaner

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[Florence shares] In my previous company, there was an elderly lady by the name of Aunty Fanny who cleans my office every afternoon. She saw the photos of my family and said that we looked like a blessed family.

I was prompted by the Spirit to share with her about God’s goodness and God’s blessings whenever there were appropriate moments. It was just a “touch and go” sharing. It could be just a simple statement of the goodness of God, or some comments about how God has blessed our children.

After some time, Aunty Fanny was attracted to the reality of God in our lives. She indicated her desire to know more. However, I left the company and we did not get to meet. Thereafter, we only communicated a few times over the last two years.

In September 2005, the Holy Spirit prompted me to invite Aunty Fanny for a Chinese evangelistic meeting. I bought the tickets by faith, not even knowing if she would be free to attend as she often works on weekends. But if God gave the prompting, I knew that the arrangements would fall into place. When I invited her subsequently, she gladly accepted.

During the meeting, she made a decision to receive the Lord. I was filled with great joy over this miracle of salvation! It was the work of the Holy Spirit who lives in me.

13.13 Be led by the Spirit in witnessing

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We should allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in witnessing because He has perfect knowledge of His lost sheep.

Let us study the divine principles of witnessing from the story of Philip the evangelist in Acts 8:26-38. Philip had just preached the gospel in Samaria where many received Christ. God gave him specific instructions on what to do next and he obeyed. This resulted in the salvation of the eunuch from Ethiopia, a high-ranking official.

From the passage, we can follow these truths on witnessing:

1) Be Led. Follow the leading of God. Philip followed the instructions of the angel to get to the right person at the right place.

2) Follow God’s Timing. At the right time, the Holy Spirit asked him to overtake the chariot and he heard the eunuch reading the Scriptures.

3) Be Invited. Philip flowed with the Spirit. As he heard the reading, he asked if the eunuch understood the Scriptures and received an invitation. Christians should seek consent to share without being imposing.

4) Share Jesus. When the eunuch’s heart was open, Philip opened his mouth and preached Jesus.

5) Administering Salvation. When the eunuch indicated his desire to receive the Lord, Philip led him to his confession of faith and baptized him.

Many Christians approach evangelism like a salesman doing their job, armed with fix processes and presentation materials. They go door to door and with great persistency, often putting people off.

That isn’t God’s way. We should be sharing the good news motivated by God’s unconditional love. We should be led by the Spirit to talk to the right person at the right time, just as Philip did. There should be dependence on the Holy Spirit.

13.12 Testimony: Reinhard Bonnke - Signs and wonders in Africa

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Reinhard Bonnke, the German evangelist to Africa, is the leading evangelist of our day. He preaches the uncompromising gospel of Jesus with great signs and wonders following. His campaigns are attended by up to 1.6 million people in a single meeting. There is only enough room to stand among the sea of people present.

There are many testimonies of signs and wonders under his anointed ministry. The following are some examples. A young man who lost his speech for 8 years after a horrible accident regained his speech and started calling out the name of Jesus. A woman who was wheelchair-bound for over 20 years was healed and ran on stage to demonstrate God’s healing.

A man with a broken hip was healed and was able to perform exercises on stage. A female spiritualist received the Lord and surrendered her idols on stage. A man who was blinded with terrible migraine received his sight. An owner of a disco received the Lord and converted his disco into a church. These are powerful testimonies.

Raised from the dead after 3 days
But the most awesome story is about a pastor who was involved in a car accident and died. He was rushed to a doctor who confirmed his death. His body was sent to a mortuary and embalmed.

Three days later, the man’s wife removed his body from the mortuary because she held on to a promise that God had given her. The rock-hard and lifeless corpse was then taken in an ambulance to a Reinhard Bonnke meeting.

As the body was placed on a table, signs of life began to return. The man started to breathe and his blood began to flow. He came back to life after 3 days and shared about his encounter in heaven. God sent him back as a sign to our generation.

As God confirmed His gospel with signs and wonders, as many as 1.093 million souls received salvation in one night, and 3.45 million souls received the Lord throughout the 6-day Millennium Crusade at Lagos, Nigeria. God is doing an awesome work in Africa.

(Reference: 1) MSI: Miracle Scene Investigation with Reinhard Bonnke, DVD by Full flame LLC. Distributed by Full Flame Asia Pte Ltd. 2) Mighty Manifestations by Reinhard Bonnke, Full Flame GmbH)

13.11 Signs and wonders to confirm His gospel

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As we share the gospel, we will experience God’s power to confirm His gospel. This is God’s promise for every believer:

(Mark 16:17-18)
“And these SIGNS WILL FOLLOW those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Signs and wonders are God’s way of attesting that Jesus Christ is Lord. Therefore, the preaching of the gospel of grace has to be accompanied by signs and wonders. This will result in great salvations with people putting their faith in the Lord Jesus. This is the consistent approach to evangelism throughout the Bible (Luke 10:9; John 3:2-3, 11:47-48, 20:30-31; Acts 2:22, 4:16-17, 4:28-30, 8:5-7, 9:34-35; Heb 2:4). According to research done by Peter Wagner, a leading researcher on church growth, 95% of the growing churches in the world today are those that experience signs and wonders.

Paul said that his preaching was not with words of human wisdom but with the demonstration of the Spirit’s power so that the faith of the people may rest in God. The power here refers to signs and wonders (2 Cor 12:12).

(1 Cor 2:4-5)
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT AND OF POWER, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

When we share the gospel with others and when we pray for their needs, we should expect a miracle from God. We must not rely on our human wisdom or persuasiveness but on the power of God.

During the Healing Revival, crowds of people thronged to the tent meetings – some to hear about Jesus, some to receive prayer for healing, while others went to witness the demonstration of God’s power through the gifts. One thing was for sure, the gifts of the Spirit drew in the crowds to hear the gospel message.

People would queue up for hours to get into a Kathryn Kuhlman meeting. Oral Roberts ordered the largest tent and it got filled. In the year 2000, Reinhard Bonnke’s team had to clear up a huge field in Lagos, Nigeria to accommodate 6 million people over a week during the Millennium Crusade.

Whenever the gospel is preached with the demonstration of the Spirit, many receive the Lord. Like in the days of Jesus, and in the book of Acts, the gifts of the Spirit continue to bring great results in evangelism.

13.10 Power to be witnesses

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When the disciples were given the great commission, Jesus said that they had to first receive empowerment before they could share the gospel message (Acts 1:4-8). Today, we should not run off to fulfill the great commission without first receiving His empowerment.

Jesus tells us to receive power to be witnesses through the baptism in the Spirit (Acts 1:8). We need to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants us to “be witnesses” which is more than simply to “do witnessing”.

A sister was sharing in our meeting earlier about how she had struggled to “do witnessing” as a Christian because she didn’t feel like a victorious Christian. She didn’t feel empowered and God wasn’t real. The secret is not in “doing” but in “being”.

To be a witness, it has to be by the power of the Holy Spirit that transforms us from within through the reality of Jesus.

As a witness, our lives reflect Jesus and doing witnessing will flow naturally as part of our daily lives. Our lives speak louder than our words. We are an epistle of Christ for the world to read (2 Cor 3:2-3).

To be an effective witness, our lives should be a living testimony of the reality of Christ. The Bible says that our lives are an epistle of Christ for the world to read. We display His fruit and we experience His power. Our experiences can be shared as testimonies.

Personal testimonies are a powerful witness of Christ’s reality and love. When we share our testimonies, the devil will be defeated. Rev 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”

13.9 Testimony – Overcoming the curse of sickness and death in the family

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A spirit of infirmity and death had gripped John G. Lake’s family. Eight family members died from illnesses. For 32 years, some members of his family were invalids. His boyhood was filled with memories of sickness, doctors, nurses, hospitals, hearses, funerals, graveyards and tombstones; a sorrowful household; a broken-hearted mother and a grief-stricken father. Lake himself was afflicted with rheumatism of the leg in his younger years.

He traveled to John Alexander Dowie’s Healing Home in Chicago where he received his healing. Then the rest of Lake’s terminally-afflicted family members were healed at Dowie’s home as well.

Two short years into Lake’s marriage with Jennie in 1893, sickness and disease crept into their home. Jennie was diagnosed with tuberculosis and heart disease. Her irregular heartbeat would cause her to lapse into unconsciousness. She became an invalid and in 1898, doctors told Lake that there was nothing more that could be done for her. Where was God’s power now?

On April 28, 1898, when Jennie’s final hours seemed to be ticking away, a minister encouraged Lake to resolve himself to God’s will and to accept Jennie’s death. His words weighed heavy and Lake stiffened in resistance. Still the reality of death seemed imminent.

In utter hopelessness, Lake threw his Bible against the fireplace mantle and it fell onto the floor and the Bible opened at Acts chapter 10. As he walked over to pick it up, his eyes drifted to verse 38: “…God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil; for God was with him.”

Those powerful words ripped through his thoughts: “OPPRESSED OF THE DEVIL!” That meant that God wasn’t the author of Jennie’s sickness, or any sickness! It was the devil that was destroying her life.

There was no doubt in his mind that Jesus died for the healing of his wife, just as He died for her sins. And he determined that absolutely nothing could rob Jennie of that gift. Lake decided to let God, not Satan, have the last say. He marched into the bedroom and declared to the seen and unseen that his wife would be healed at exactly 9:30am.

When 9:30 arrived, Lake knelt at her side and called on the living God. When he did, the power of God came upon Jennie and permeated her body from head to foot. Her paralysis left, her heartbeat became normal, her cough ceased, her breathing regulated, and her temperature returned to normal. Then she cried out, “Praise God, I’m healed!”

Soon, the story of Jennie’s healing became national news and propelled them into a highly sought after ministry.

(Reference: God’s Generals –Why They Succeeded and why Some Failed by Roberts Liardon, Albury Publishing)

13.8 Third kind of suffering – suffering for God (to go through)

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We always hear Christians talking about suffering for God. Most of the time, it is one of the first two kinds of suffering we talked about earlier. We have to be clear. So then, what is suffering for God?

There is one kind of suffering that is experienced by a believer who walks in the perfect will of God. 2 Tim 3:12 says, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” This is the suffering that we enter into for the sake of the gospel.

The Bible uses the following phrases – “suffer for His sake” (Phil 1:29), “sufferings for the gospel” (2 Tim 1:8), “suffer for doing good” (1 Pet 3:17), “suffer for righteousness’ sake” (1 Pet 3:14), “suffer as a Christian” (1 Pet 4:16), “partake in Christ’s sufferings” (1 Pet 4:13), and “fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil 3:10).

Jesus did not suffer any sickness during His earthly walk (He only carried the sickness of the world on the cross). No, He did not suffer for His wrongdoing, but He suffered great persecution from the religious leaders. This is persecution from within.

As for David, he suffered persecution from King Saul, his own leader.

Persecutions can also be from the external. Believers in the underground churches in China were persecuted by the authorities for their faith in Jesus, just as the early believers suffered under the Roman Empire.

Persecution comes from Satan. God allows tribulations because they help us to develop character, to be dead to self and to manifest the Life of Christ. Rom 5:3-4 says, “Tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Paul speaks in 2 Cor 4:10 about his persecutions and tribulations, “Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”

We do not need to exercise our faith to believe for suffering through persecution. On the contrary, 1 Tim 2:1-2 says that we are to pray for those in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. When there is no persecution, the gospel can be preached. For example, when Saul was converted, persecution ceased; the Church had peace and multiplied (Acts 9:31).

We should not invite persecution through our lack of wisdom in speech and behavior. If ever persecution comes as a result of our walking in His perfect will, we should believe God for the strength to come out stronger (1 Pet 5:10).

This is suffering for Christ. We will develop character as we walk closer with Jesus in the fellowship of His suffering. We will also manifest His Life in us.

13.7 Second kind of suffering – for wrong actions (something to be avoided)

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The first kind of suffering is that which Christ came to redeem us from. Let’s be clear on that. If we attribute sickness to God, it’s like saying that the doctor inflicts sickness on his patients. That would make it hard for the patient to get help from the doctor. It would be like trying to switch role between Christ the Redeemer and the Devil who came to steal kill and destroy.

Today, let’s talk about the second type of suffering. Peter talks about it in this passage.

(1 Pet 4:15)
But let none of you SUFFER as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.

Peter is saying that we should not suffer from wrong actions – from sinful actions that have negative consequences, from not walking in the wisdom of God and from walking out of God’s perfect will.

David suffered greatly as a result of committing adultery with Bathsheba. It was not God’s will and he should not have entered into that kind of suffering. Moses suffered the consequences of disobeying God by striking the rock twice instead of speaking to it (Num 20:11). He went out of the perfect will of God.

Christians who are willful tend to walk out from the perfect will of God. They will usually go through a molding process where they learn to yield to the leading of the Lord. The sooner we learn to yield to the Lord, the faster we move out from the desert to the promised land.

Another common area is when Christians do not walk in the leading of the Holy Spirit who warns us of dangers ahead. We end up walking straight into a problem or making a wrong decision. God didn’t put that upon us as a punishment. Instead, we simply made the wrong decision. This is a reminder of how important it is to walk in the leading of the Holy Spirit as sons of God.

Suffering from our wrong actions is not suffering for Christ. We have to walk in wisdom, in His perfect will, and in the leading of the Holy Spirit.

13.6 The sufferings of Job understood in the light of Christ

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Most Christians quote the book of Job to show that such suffering is in God’s will. There is confusion because people have not understood what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Please keep an open mind as I share with you a powerful revelation. The book of Job can only be unlocked with Christ, a principle we shared earlier.

Job’s sufferings fall into the first category (sufferings that Christ redeemed us from). His afflictions came not from God, but from Satan, who had a legal right because of sin.

First of all, in the book of Job, Satan appeared to have legal access to the presence of God in heaven. When Adam fell into sin, Satan usurped his authority, and received the legal right from Adam. But when Jesus went to the cross, the access to the throne of Grace has been restored to the body of Christ. Satan lost his right. Jesus said that he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Today we are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, and we can trample upon the powers of darkness.

(Luke 10:18)
He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Secondly, let me ask, was Job righteous before God in the sense that he was without sin? We must understand that though Job was more upright than anyone else on earth, he was born in sin too (Rom 5:12). The Bible gives the verdict that man’s own righteousness is like filthy rags before God (Is 64:6).

(Romans 3:23)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

Job was not righteous by the perfect standards of God because he was not clothed with the robe of righteousness (Is 61:10; Job 9:2, 33:12). As such, he needed a mediator but did not have one — which points to the need for Jesus (Job 9:33, 33:23).

Thank God that today, Satan does not have the legal ground to afflict us anymore with the curse of sin as we have been made righteous in Christ. Satan no longer has access to God’s presence to accuse the saints because he has been cast out from heaven (John 12:31; Luke 10:18; Rev 12:10).

We also have a mediator - Jesus the High Priest that Job did not have. Job was called a “servant” (Job 1:8) but today, we are not servants but “sons of God” through Christ (John 1:12). We should not suffer as Job did because Jesus has redeemed us. Being under the curse is not suffering for Christ. Jesus has redeemed us and we are to overcome in the battle of faith.

13.5 Reconciling the Gospel with the sufferings of life

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Many Christians are afraid to share the good news because they do not know how to reconcile it with problems that they experience. We acknowledge that Christians will experience problems and sufferings in life (John 16:33). However, we must understand the root cause of these sufferings in order to respond correctly to them. Frequently, a problem is an opportunity to experience God’s miraculous intervention resulting in glory to God (John 9:3).

There are generally 3 different categories of sufferings and we will use the life of King David to bring out these powerful truths.

1) Sufferings that Christ Redeemed Us from (Problems to Overcome)

King David said:

(Ps 23:4)
Yea, though I walk through the VALLEY of the SHADOW OF DEATH, I will fear no evil;
For You ARE WITH ME; Your ROD and Your staff, they COMFORT me.

This means that David experienced problems. But God was his comfort and the rod of God, which signifies the power of God, delivered him. He faced the lion and the bear (1 Sam 17:36). Subsequently, he faced Goliath which is a type of Satan. Then he faced the armies of the enemies, but God always delivered him and he overcame.

Just as David defeated Goliath on behalf of Israel, Jesus defeated Satan on behalf of the Church. He paid the price for our sins to redeem us from the curse of the law, which is the curse of sin. The real author for these curses is Satan. In the Garden of Eden, Satan, through sin, brought about sickness, poverty, oppression and death. He came to steal, kill and to destroy (John 10:10). All our sins have been nailed to the cross and Satan has lost his legal right to inflict us. Col 2:14-15 says that Jesus triumphed over Satan, and disarmed Satan of his weapon — the law that condemns.

Today, we no longer need to suffer from the curse of the law that Christ has already redeemed us from (Gal 3:13). We need to go to the cross and take hold of our covenant promises by faith.

The curse of the law mentioned in Deut 28 includes poverty, barrenness, confusion, destruction, sickness, disease, oppression, defeat, weakness, demotion, hunger and many more. Some Christians believe that poverty and sickness are blessings from God. Deut 28 tells us that they are not blessings but curses, which Christ has redeemed us from.

For example, a Christian may fall sick. Since Jesus has borne our sickness on the cross, we should battle the symptoms and draw upon grace for healing.

13.4 What is the gospel message?

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What is the gospel message? Gospel means good news. What is this good news? Jesus has died for the sin of the world and He has given them His gift of righteousness. The gospel reveals the true righteousness of God that comes from Jesus. This is opposed to the righteousness of the law (Rom 3:21; Phil 3:9).

(Rom 1:16-17)
For I am not ashamed of the GOSPEL of Christ, for it is the power of God to SALVATION for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

The true gospel is also called the “gospel of the grace of Christ” (Gal 1:6-9) or “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). There is no other gospel acceptable before God. When the Galatian Church was swayed towards the law, Paul said that they were turning to a “different gospel” (Gal 1:6). He said that those who preached the law “pervert the gospel of Christ” (Gal 1:7).

We have to be clear about this truth because if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain (Gal 2:21).

The Full Gospel of Christ

The good news of the gospel is holistic. It is not just forgiveness of sins, but it is the message of love, peace, joy, healing, wholeness, protection, deliverance, etc. The root word for salvation, “sozo” in Greek, is all encompassing. This is the full gospel. It is also consistent with what we shared earlier – that our covenant promises cover every aspect our lives. Let us look at the good news that Jesus proclaimed.

(Luke 4:18)
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the GOSPEL to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed…”

Jesus’ gospel message includes good news for the poor (financial), healing of the brokenhearted (soul), freedom for captives of sin and Satan (spiritual), recovery of sight for the blind (physical) and liberty for the oppressed (spiritual, soul). God cares for us holistically.

13.3 We are the light of the world

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Earlier we shared that God is life and God is love, but God is also light (1 John 1:5; John 8:12). Since God lives in us, we have light in us (Eph 5:8). Jesus said that you are the light of the world and you are to let your light shine before men.

(Matt 5:14-16)
“YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN…”

The Bible uses several important terms in its instructions pertaining to the great commission. Let us lay down these terms to expound on our calling with greater clarity.

Who do we represent? We are the ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor 5:20). It is a high calling as we represent the King of kings and the Lord of lords from the heavenly kingdom.

What is our function? God has given us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18). Our role is to tell the world that Christ has reconciled them to God (verse 19).

What is our message? We preach the remission of sins (Luke 24:47). God is not imputing their trespasses against them (2 Cor 5:19).

What is the proof that Christ lives? The early disciples were witnesses to the fact that Christ died and rose again on the third day (Luke 24:46-48; Acts 1:22). What about us? We can only be effective witnesses if we first experience the resurrected Christ in a living relationship. The Holy Spirit also helps to bear witness through signs and wonders (Heb 2:4).

How do they see the resurrected Christ? They see Christ through our lives. We are an epistle of Christ to be known and read by all men (2 Cor 3:2-3). The Life of Christ displayed in us is the light that shines in this world.

What is the desired outcome? Make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19). A disciple is a follower of Christ. We want to help people to receive salvation and to walk with Christ in the newness of life.

What is the follow up action? We are to teach the new disciples to follow everything that Christ has taught us through the Word. This will help to establish their faith in Christ (Matt 28:20).

13.2 Jesus gave the great commission

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Jesus preached the gospel for 3 years. He taught and healed the sick. Before He ascended to heaven, He gave His disciples the great commission:

(Matt 28:19)
Go therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…

God loves the world and desires for none to perish. He wants us, who have received His great love, to share it with those who do not know Him. God desires that the gospel be preached to all the nations before Jesus returns again. Every single lost sheep is precious. Luke 15:10 says that there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. God rejoices and delights in the salvation of the sinner.

We are the End-time Church

Do you know that we are living in the last days? Major prophecies have already been fulfilled, including Israel being restored as a nation in 1948 (Matt 24:32). The Internet age and the age of global air travel as prophesied in Daniel 12:4 are already at hand. We are becoming a cashless society and chip implants in humans for all types of transactions are already a reality (Rev 13:17). The stage has been set for the appearance of the anti-Christ.

Over the last 5 centuries, every major truth of God hidden in the Tabernacle of Moses has been restored to the Church through world revivals. Even today, as God is preparing the Church for the rapture – to enter boldly to the Throne of Grace – we are experiencing a powerful revival of the Gospel of Grace. Even as we prepare to meet the Bridegroom – Jesus – the Church is being pointed back to the Jesus through this revival.

We are the end-time Church that will be Raptured soon. We must share the gospel and do our part to fulfill the great commission as a response to His love and grace. Our immediate responsibility is to share with those around us.

13.1 NEW SERIES - REVELATIONS ON EVANGELISM

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We have finished the series on worship. I hope that you have enjoyed it. Today, we shall start on a new series on the topic of evangelism, a very popular topic among Christians.

When I was a student, a senior told me that I had to evangelize and win souls for God in order to get God’s affirmation – and get to heaven. As an impressionable teen, I was fired up to evangelize and even got one soul saved. But then I realized that I did not know what the Gospel message was all about. And after evangelizing zealously for weeks, trying hard to convert souls, I got burnt out. Have you been through that before?

Let’s launch into our discussion. Some people say that the purpose for our existence and the mission of the Church is to fulfill the great commission. That is only half the truth.

(Matt 28:19)
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…

Jesus said that we are to seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt 6:33). What is the kingdom of God? What is His righteousness? They are both related. Rom 14:17 defines the kingdom of God.

(Rom 14:17)
…for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The kingdom of God is within us. It is experiencing righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. To experience God is to walk in relationship with Him. Our relationship with God is first priority for we were created to fellowship with Him. When we have experienced Him, we would be transformed to share His reality with others and to fulfill the great commission.

When we go for evangelism without a relationship, we are trying to expand the kingdom of God without first seeking to experience the kingdom of God. That will not work. We will be trying to get people into a religious system because we can only replicate what we have experienced (or what we have not). When we go through a religious routine, like me, we will soon we will be burnt out.

In this series, we share important revelations pertaining to fulfilling the great commission.

12.32 The best expression of worship

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The lifting up of our hands is a powerful expression of worship. It is a posture of worship and a posture of faith to receive. A person’s posture is very important because it can affect a person’s emotions, faith and spirit. In the case of Moses, it even determined his victory or defeat.

Whenever you come before God in worship, you must see your hands the way God sees them – holy hands. When you lift your holy hands by faith, your spirit instantly enters the mode of worship. Your concentration is fixed on God and your consciousness of His presence increases. You can try this exercise. Firstly, try worshipping God with your hands and head hung down. Next, try doing it with you hands and head lifted up towards heaven. You will feel the difference immediately.

As you worship God with hands lifted up, you will also begin to talk to Him in prayer. You may be making supplications or intercessions. You may be praying in faith for a miracle. With hands lifted up, you are in a posture to receive. You will feel faith arising in your hearts to receive your miracle.

The right posture of submission and faith makes a difference. Start to lift up your holy hands in worship and in prayer as prompted by the Spirit.

THE BEST EXPRESSION OF WORSHIP

In the New Covenant, worship is inspired by the Spirit, and it starts from our heart. We are to be led by the Spirit and to flow with Him by faith. You may be led to raise your hands, sing in the spirit, or to sing a new song during different moments in worship.

Some other expressions of worship mentioned in the Bible include bowing down and kneeling before God (Ps 95:6), dancing and playing instruments (Ps 150:4-5), clapping of hands and shouting to God with the voice of triumph (Ps 47:1), and falling down before God (Rev 5:14). The best expression of worship is that which is prompted and inspired by the Holy Spirit.

12.31 Lifting up holy hands in worship

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Lifting up of hands is an expression of surrender and worship to the Lord. When we walk with God and our lives are surrendered to Him, we will find ourselves worshipping God with hands lifted up.

(Ps 134:2)
LIFT UP YOUR HANDS in the sanctuary, And bless the Lord.

(Ps 141:2)
Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The LIFTING UP OF MY HANDS as the evening sacrifice.

Lifting up of hands is also the posture of faith to receive a miracle from God. Frequently, when we have surrendered to God in worship, we will also find ourselves praying in the midst of worship with hands lifted up to receive.

(Ps 28:2)
Hear the voice of my SUPPLICATIONS
When I cry to You,
When I LIFT UP MY HANDS toward Your holy sanctuary.

(1 Tim 2:8)
I desire therefore that the men PRAY everywhere, LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS…

When Joshua led Israel to battle against the Amalekites, the victory was won not on the battleground but on the mountain where Moses lifted up his hands in prayer.

(Ex 17:11-13)
And so it was, when Moses HELD UP his hand, that ISRAEL PREVAILED; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

It was strange that when Moses’ hands came down, the enemies prevailed. But when Aaron and Hur supported his hands, Joshua defeated the enemies. I do not think that we should make a formula or ritual of this. Rather, the lesson is that we should position ourselves with a posture of faith to receive the promises of God.

12.30 Worshipping in a higher dimension – in the spirit

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As we sing a new song to the Lord, we may find the words of the known language inadequate to express what is in our hearts and spirits. We find ourselves worshipping in the spirit (in tongues) in a realm of expression beyond the ability of our limited minds.

We are spirit beings and our spirit-man finds expression through worshipping in the spirit as the Holy Spirit gives us utterance (Acts 2:4). John 4:24 says that God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit. He has given us this ability through the Holy Spirit.

On the birthday of the Church on the day of Pentecost, there was a great celebration and the disciples worshipped God in the spirit – declaring the wonderful works of God (Acts 2:11). It was a higher dimension of worship made possible only by the Holy Spirit.

When the first Gentile received salvation, there was a celebration and all at Cornelius’ household who received, worshipped God in the spirit – magnifying God (Acts 10:46). It was an expression beyond the ability of their limited minds.

Today, the prayer language of tongues enables us to worship in a higher dimension with spiritual songs (Eph 5:18-19). We should be worshipping more in the spirit because this is the worship that God desires; which He designed for the New Covenant.

As we worship in a new song in the spirit, we will often receive the interpretations of that expression and we can sing out that new song in our known language.

(1 Cor 14:15)
I will SING with the SPIRIT, and I will also SING with the UNDERSTANDING.

The divine order is always to worship in the spirit followed by interpretation with our understanding. We will be amazed at the wonderful things that we sing in the understanding because it comes from the Spirit.

12.29 Testimony – An illiterate peasant composes the Canaan Hymns

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New songs often accompany a revival from the Lord. These are the songs to rally the people and songs of victory that express their real-life experiences. In the midst of the revival in China, God raised up a simple peasant girl called Xiao Min to be a channel of His new songs. She would receive a new song in her heart and teach it to the church. Soon, the songs would be sung throughout the churches in China. They became like an anthem of revival.

In order to help her, someone bought her a tape recorder to record the new songs. Another person would write the musical chords for the songs. Not a single person could believe that a simple uneducated peasant girl wrote these anointed songs.

To date, she has written close to 1,000 anointed songs known as the Canaan Hymns. This is a phenomenal miracle! Each of the songs provides great inspiration to the churches in China and around the world.

(Reference: The Documentary Short Subject – The Canaan Hymns by China Soul for Christ Foundation)

12.28 The Expressions of worship – singing a new song to God

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Christianity is a living relationship. As we experience more of God, we will often find the songs we sing in church inadequate to express the marvelous revelations of God and the emotions of our hearts. The Psalmist exhorts us to sing a new song to the Lord. The book of Psalms contains many spontaneous songs that David sang to God in the midst of his real-life trials and victories.

(Ps 98:1)
Oh, sing to the Lord a NEW SONG!
For He has done MARVELOUS THINGS

New songs are written in every revival to express the revelations and experiences of the writers. While John Wesley was recognized as the leader of the Methodist movement, it was his brother Charles Wesley who articulated the doctrines of salvation that they preached, in the voice of worship through hymns.

In the current Worship Revival which started from the late 1980s, God has liberated the Church into a higher dimension of worship. Even in traditional churches, new contemporary worship services were started to allow for greater expression of worship. One of my favorite worship leaders in the 1990s was Kent Henry whose worship CDs always had a dimension of singing new songs to God. As a worship leader, I enjoy leading the congregation to sing new songs to the Lord.

When the anointing of God is upon you to sing a new song, you will desire to express a good theme in your heart, and your tongue will flow like the pen of a ready writer. You should let the river flow and simply enjoy worshipping the Lord from your heart. Walk by faith on water as you sing.

(Ps 45:1)
My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Note: Next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday, 23rd October 2008 at 7:45. Please contact Jeffrey @81119307.

12.27 Receiving your reward in heaven

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In the New Covenant, we understand that salvation is by grace. When we received Christ, we became children of God with an eternal inheritance. In addition, Jesus has market out a race for us (Heb 12:1-2). Let us be clear, this race is not about trying to perform works of the law or trying to attain to righteousness – as under the Old Covenant.

Today, we stand on the finished work of Christ and we are already righteous by grace. This is the race of faith in Jesus (Heb 12:2); allowing Jesus to fulfill His purpose in us and through us.

The grace of God propels us to run our race (1 Cor 15:10). The unconditional love of God is our motive (1 John 4:19). We do it not to earn anything, but because we have received everything from Christ. We experience great joy and adventure in running our race of faith, and in leaving by the leading of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:14). Even though we don’t live for rewards, the Bible tells us that we will receive rewards in heaven. Isn’t our Father God good? Let us consider this important verse.

(2 Cor 5:10)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may RECEIVE the things done in the body, according to what he HAS DONE, whether good or bad.

“Judgment Seat” is translated from the Greek word “bema” which means an elevated platform where victorious athletes (eg. During an Olympics) went to receive their crowns. It is the place where the Lord will sit to evaluate believers’ lives for the purpose of giving them eternal rewards. It is not a place for judgment of sins because our sins have been judged in the body of Christ on the cross (John 3:18, 5:24).

“Things done in the body” refer to activities believers do during their lifetime. In the phrase “whether good or bad”, the word “bad” does not refer to sin or evil actions. It refers to actions that are of no value or no consequences.

Sometimes, we may think that our actions are of little value but we do not know how our small actions can impact others. A young lady who was at the brink of suicide was touched by a song from a CD that a friend had given her. She changed her mind and later received Jesus.

2 Cor 5:10 tells us that there is potentially a reward for every believer in heaven. We can look forward to it and live for it. Paul said, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:14) When he had completed his race, he said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day, and not only to me but to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim 4:7-8)

12.26 Living your life as worship to God

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Living a life of worship is a progression. As we grow in relationship with God, we will desire to yield more of our lives to Him in order to have more of Him in us. We will be transformed into the expression of the Person of Christ and His perfect will.

We have a unique race which has been marked out for us (Heb 12:1-2; Ps 139:16). We have also received gifts of grace to fulfill His calling (Eph 4:7-8). When we run this race, it gives us great satisfaction within that cannot be explained. This is the satisfaction that comes from knowing that we are walking in what God has prepared for us beforehand (Eph 2:10).

Each of us will discover our divine calling as we walk in the leading of the Holy Spirit. Hi will write His will and put His desires in your heart (Heb 8:10). When you are out of His calling, your spirit man will not be fully at rest. When you are walking in His calling, you will experience great peace, joy and satisfaction from within.

For the majority of Christians, I believe that God wants us to impact our family and friends. That is our spiritual domain. For example, I knew that I was the first to receive salvation in my family so that I can bring the light of the gospel to the rest of my family members. I also take great joy in sharing Christ with my friends.

In the local church, God will use us according to the gifts of grace given to us (Eph 4:7-8). The majority of us will flow in some spiritual or ministry gifts, while others may be called to a 5-fold ministry. For example, I know that God has called me to teach His word and I find great satisfaction from fulfilling His calling. Every life that is transformed by the revelation of God’s word brings great joy to my heart.

Make a choice today to live a life of true worship – to live by His Life and to be driven by His passion. Lay hold of the abundant grace and calling that He has given you. Pray this prayer with me:

Heavenly Father,
I know that all the days of my life are already written in your book. You gave me a destiny when you knitted me in my mother’s womb. You have marked out a race for me. Lord Jesus, I desire to be the expression of Your life and Your perfect will. As you live through me, empower me to run my race and to fulfill my divine calling. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

12.25 Testimony: Oral Roberts – Fulfilling his divine calling

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Oral Roberts was born to godly parents in 1918 in Oklahoma, America. His mother had dedicated him to God even before he was born. As a child he was often bullied because he stuttered. As a teenager, he was rebellious towards God and his parents; so he left home at an early age. He wanted to pursue his own dreams although he knew God’s hand was on his life.

One day, he collapsed and the doctors found that he was in the final stages of tuberculosis. In those days, there was no cure for the disease as antibiotics had yet to be discovered. He was bedridden for 163 days and had no chance of survival. While he was being driven to an evangelistic meeting, he heard the audible voice of the Spirit:

“Son, I am going to heal you and you are to take my healing power to your generation. You are to build me a university and build it on My authority and the Holy Spirit.”

It seemed impossible. He had no money, no status, no education, no pattern to follow, he stuttered and he was on his deathbed.

During the meeting, he was miraculously healed. As he shared his testimony, he realized that his stammering had been healed as well. He went on into the ministry and pastored a church.

When the time was ripe, the Holy Spirit began to stir his comfortable nest. As he sought God’s power, he received empowerment. At the leading of the Holy Spirit, he conducted a miracle service where a lady was healed of a crippled hand. That marked the beginning of his ministry as an evangelist.

During his first crusade, he had his first brush with death. A man shot at him with a revolver, narrowly missing his head. The newspapers headlined the shooting, and overnight he was labeled a controversial evangelist. What Satan had meant for evil, God turned it around for good. His name became nationally known and his healing ministry took off in the face of persecutions.

After the healing ministry was established, he rose to the challenge to build the Oral Roberts University based on God’s authority and the Holy Spirit. The university was to raise up students to accomplish the purposes of God and to further the gospel with His healing power. The story of how he overcame all the odds through the help of the Holy Spirit is an inspiring one.

Oral Roberts is considered one of the most successful evangelists of the 20th century and a leader of the Charismatic Revival. Throughout the years, he also had the opportunity to meet with and pray for many of the presidents of America.

He fulfilled his divine calling to take God’s healing power to his generation and to build God a university based on His authority and the Holy Spirit.

(Reference – Expect a Miracle, My Life and Ministry by Oral Roberts, Nelson Word Publishers)

12.24 True Worship in the New Covenant

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When we experience God’s blessings in thanksgiving, His character in praise, and His Person in worship, our lives will be transformed. Our love for Him will grow. We begin to yield more of our lives as a living sacrifice to Him. Our desire to honor and obey Him increases. Like David, we desire to be a man after God’s heart, to do His perfect will and to glorify His name.

(Rom 12:1-2)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and PERFECT WILL of God.

In the Gospels, the life of Jesus was the perfect example of worship. He came to fulfill His Father’s will and was obedient unto death. Even as a child, Jesus was mindful of His calling. He said to His earthly parents in Luke 2:49, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” When Jesus started His ministry, He said to His disciples in John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

Today, there is a difference in worship in the New Covenant. True worship is not about our obedience to God. It is about the obedience of Christ & the fact that He lives in us. True worship is not just living for Christ. He came to be our Life. Gal 2:20 says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me...” Christ has placed His Life in us so that He can manifest His Life through us.

True worship is not just doing His will. He came to be our will. He has placed His Spirit in us to put His passion in our hearts and His desires in our minds (Heb 8:10).

True worship is the expression of Christ living in and through us. It is to have His perfect will written in our hearts and revealed through our lives. You are called an epistle of Christ for others to read (2 Cor 3:3).

As we live by His Life and are driven by His passion, we will fulfill our divine purpose in life. Heb 12:1-2 says that God has marked out a race for you and me, a unique calling for your life and mine. We are to put aside everything that hinders us from running and completing our race.

12.23 Experience a life of worship

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Worship goes beyond simply knowing His promises (thanksgiving) or His attributes (praise). It is a faith that comes from knowing His person (worship) – knowing Him as our Heavenly Father.

The Christian life is a life of worship. Adam and Eve were created to commune with Him in His presence but sin got in the way. Today, Christ has reconciled us to God through the cross so that we can enjoy an intimate relationship with our Abba Father. We have been given a ministry of worship as New Covenant priests of God.

Set aside some time to worship. As you spend time in His presence, you will also grow in your consciousness of His Person. He is Love and He is full of love. He created the universe and He made us in our mother’s womb. In His presence, you will experience being seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

As you behold Him, your life will be surrendered to Him as a response. Through His eyes, you will see life in a different perspective. Whatever problems you may have, they diminish before Him. As you commit your problems into His hands, you will receive strength and faith for your victory.

Set your heart to the mode of worship by being conscious of His Person and Presence throughout the day. Occasionally, you will feel led by the Spirit to worship Him by singing and making melody in your heart (Eph 5:19).

(Ephesians 5:18-20)
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...

You may feel inspired to sing a song, or a new song, or to sing in the spirit. Let worship be a part of your daily lives and let worship fill your temple.

12.22 Testimony- Reeciving breakthrough in prayer through worship

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When I was still in the university, I attended a Lutheran Church that was experiencing a revival of the Holy Spirit (the Charismatic Revival). During the revival, people were not only experiencing God through prayer, the baptism in the Spirit and the Word, but also through worship.

While I was attending a home group, I had a prayer need and I went forward for prayer. As my heart was burdened, I focused on the problem and could not receive a breakthrough in prayer. After the prayer, my heart remained heavy. So I stepped back while the leaders continued praying for others.

After a break, Sister Eunice asked me to go forward for a second round of prayer. I went forward but this time, I raised my hands and lifted my heart to worship God as the group started singing.

I began to look to my heavenly Father instead of my problems. My problems became small as I saw how big God was. As I worshipped, I saw a vision of Him parting the Red Sea before me. I felt a release in my spirit.

Sister Eunice confirmed the breakthrough when she shared a vision that promised victory. Her husband, Brother Ting also shared that he saw a vision of an eagle that settled on a rock. I received that vision as a promise of victory upon the Rock of Jesus.

I went back with God’s promise and vision and I subsequently experienced my victory over the problem. The breakthrough was first received through worship.

If you have been praying to God about a problem without experiencing a breakthrough, try to spend time worshipping God instead. Worship doesn’t change God, it changes our perspectice of God and the problem. It unlocks our faith and helps us to release the problem to God instead of holding on so tightly to it.

12.21 Relationship at the Holy of Holies - Worship

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From the Holy Place, we enter the Holy of Holies where the presence of God resides. It is the place where the only source of light is His glory. It is where we come face to face with the Person our heavenly Father in His glorious presence.

We know the Father because Jesus had revealed Him (John 14:9). In addition, Jesus has given us perfect access to the Father. Jesus said in John 14:6, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

At this phase, we have gone beyond His works and His ways to know His Person. We know Him for who He is – as our Father and our God. There is none like Him. This knowledge consumes us and we live our lives for Him.

We have become His close friend. We share the deepest secrets and desires of our heart with our Father and He shares His with us. There is an intimacy with Him that not even our closest friends would understand.

Enoch walked so close to God that he was caught up to heaven and never tasted death. Abraham walked so close to God that He said in Gen 18:17, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” Moses walked so close to God that He would speak to him face to face instead of through dreams and visions (Num 12:6-8). The Apostle Paul was so consumed with God that he would rather be in heaven than on earth (Phil 1:23).

Our only response to the Person and presence of our Father God is worship. The Psalmist says, “Because He is your Lord, worship Him” (Ps 45:11). We go beyond His works and His ways to encounter His Person; to know that He is truly our Lord and Heavenly Father.

Whatever needs we have, we should first seek Father God in worship. When we stand in His presence and truly see how big, how great and how powerful He is, our problems will become so small.

12.20 Experience a life of praise

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Praise works hand in hand with thanksgiving. We thank God for His promises as an expression of faith. But when we praise Him for His love and faithfulness, we have greater certainty for our faith.

Praise is a one step progression from thanksgiving. We thank God for His promises. We praise God for his character or attributes that motivates His actions.

The Christian life is a life of praise. Our heavenly Father has demonstrated His love and His faithfulness to His promises by sending Jesus. We can receive a deeper revelation of God’s wonderful attributes when we see the life of Jesus.

We can respond in praise as a people of praise. 1 Pet 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may PROCLAIM THE PRAISES of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…”

When we grow in praise, we also grow in our consciousness and appreciation of God’s attributes. This in turn causes gives us greater certainty for our faith, which then results in a deeper experience and knowledge of His attributes.

Let us do an exercise. For the next two minutes, I want you to praise God aloud for His love, His mercy, His faithfulness and His goodness towards you. As you praise Him and meditate on His attributes, your will experience a greater appreciation for Him. You will also experience a greater certainty of your faith in Him.

Set your heart to the mode of praise by being conscious of His wonderful attributes throughout the day. Occasionally, you will feel led by the Spirit to praise Him or to sing songs of praise. Let praise be a part of your daily lives. You will find yourself saying, “Praise the Lord!” or “Hallelujah!” in every situation – for His love, goodness, faithfulness, etc.

When was the last time you declared “Praise the Lord” or “Hallelujah”? If the river of praise is not flowing in our lives, we are missing out on this wonderful privilege. Today, you can start to experience a life of praise.

12.19 Relationship at the Holy Place - Praise

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From the Outer Court, we enter into the Inner Court or the Holy Place. The Holy Place is enclosed and cannot be seen from the outside. The only source of light is from the Golden Lampstand within. It is a place of deeper understanding and experience of God’s attributes that the world cannot see.

Jesus has demonstrated the perfect attributes and character of God through His life, as revealed through the Word of God. The Holy Spirit leads us to grow in our understanding and experience of the Father’s attributes. At this phase, we begin to know and experience God in a covenant relationship. We begin to understand the love, faithfulness and wisdom of our covenant-keeping God.

We begin to look beyond His “works” to understand His “ways”. The Bible says that He made known His ways to Moses, His acts (or His works) to the children of Israel (Ps 103:7). The Israelites received God’s blessings (His works) but did not progress further to know Him (His ways).

When we understand God’s ways, we move beyond thanksgiving. We can praise Him for all His wonderful attributes.

When the enemies attacked King Jehoshaphat, he feared and set himself to seek God (2 Chr 20:3-17). He prayed to God for deliverance and called upon the covenant of God. The Spirit of God came upon one of the prophets and promised deliverance to the king.

God asked the people to position themselves to see the salvation of the Lord. How did King Jehoshaphat position himself? He did not sit idle. He appointed singers to praise the beauty of holiness and to praise God for His mercy endures forever. He surrounded himself with praise to usher in God’s victory in battle.

(2 Chr 20:21)
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should SING TO THE LORD, and who should PRAISE THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS, as they went out before the army and were saying:
“PRAISE THE LORD,
For HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER.”

He knew God to be a merciful God who had consistently delivered them according to His covenant. When he praised God’s mercy, he was strengthened in his faith and God gave them a great victory that day.

Note: Next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 9th October 7.45pm. Please contact Jeffrey Teo @ 81119307

12.18 Testimony – Receiving miracles through thanksgiving

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I knew of a couple in Singapore who went into business which then failed. He lost all that he had. Because he needed finances to get married, he had to go back to the job market. All he had was God, his wife and a small old car that had rain-water dripping through.

But he believed in the power of thanksgiving. So together with his wife, as they drove home from church in their humble car, they would give thanks to God for all that did not exist yet.

They thanked God for financial restoration. They thanked God for a wonderful home. They thanked God for promotion at their workplace. They thanked God for a new car. They thanked God for lovely children. They thanked God for wonderful health. They thanked God for growth in their spiritual walk. They called forth every promise of God that they could find in the Bible.

As they thanked God, something happened. Their perspective of God changed. Their attitude changed to be very positive. Their faith level rose. They started walking by faith instead of circumstances. When they started walking in the realm of faith through thanksgiving, they started to experience the miracles of God.

As each year passed, the things that they had thanked God for became a reality. God restored them financially. God gave them a wonderful home miraculously. They experienced favor and promotion at their workplace. God gave them a new car. God gave them lovely children. God gave them good health. They grew spiritually.

Thanksgiving changed their lives. This is why it is God’s will for us to give thanks at all times. Circumstances change when we give thanks – but first of all, change happens inside us.

Note: Next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 9th October 7.45pm. Please contact Jeffrey Teo @ 81119307

12.17 Relationship at the Outer Court - Thanksgiving

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Our relationship with God starts from the Outer Court with thanksgiving. The Outer Court is the external court of God’s temple that is visible under open sunlight.

Christianity starts from the finished work of the cross. We did nothing. Jesus did everything. In Christ, we have been blessed with every blessing already (Eph 1:3). As a new Christian, our journey starts with thanking God for our salvation. Thereafter, it is a journey to experience more of God’s works, miracles and provisions in every area of our lives. The works of God can be seen and are evident to all.

We respond to God’s abundant grace in our lives with thanksgiving. As we experience more of His grace and blessings, our thanksgiving grows. As we grow in thanksgiving, we will also experience more of His grace and blessings. Thanksgiving is an important experience in our New Covenant of grace.

A person who has received much but is not thankful for what he has will not be able to enjoy his blessings. The person will be discontented and will always feel a sense of lack. Someone who gives thanks to God for every blessing will be conscious of His blessings and will enjoy them immensely. We value whatever we give thanks for. The more we give thanks, the more blessed we feel. Therefore, we are to live life with a thankful heart.

The Christian life is a life of thanksgiving. 1 Thess 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Eph 1:3 says that we have already been blessed with every blessing given by the Spirit in Christ Jesus. We don’t have to ask for blessings anymore. When Christians receive this revelation, they will end up asking less and giving thanks more. When we give thanks, we are saying to God that we have received His blessings by faith. Giving thanks puts us in the right posture of faith to experience its manifestation.

Let us do this exercise now – give thanks to God out loud for all the blessings that you already have for two minutes. Let it be spontaneous. You will feel an appreciation to God for all those blessings and you will enjoy them even more. For example, when you thank God for your children, you will begin to treasure and love them more.

Next, give thanks to God aloud for the promises that you desire to possess by faith. As you do so for the next two minutes, you will sense faith arising in your heart and you will be in the posture to experience its manifestation.

Set your heart to the thanksgiving mode by being conscious of His blessings throughout the day. Occasionally, you will feel led by the Spirit to speak out your thanksgiving or to sing songs of thanksgiving. Let thanksgiving be a part of your daily lives. You will find yourself saying, “Thank you Lord!” for the weather, for your children, for the parking lot, for the completed project, for a successful sale, and for all the blessings given in His Word.

Note: Next Grace Fellowship is on Thursday 9th October 7.45pm. Please contact Jeffrey Teo @ 81119307

12.16 Worship is a progression of our relationship with God

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We have shared about worship as an experience of entering God’s presence. The key to entering boldly to the throne of grace is through righteousness-consciousness. It is a wonderful thing to experience the tangible presence of God in worship.

Today, we will share on another aspect of worship. Worship is also a progression of our personal relationship with Father God. As we grow in our relationship, we also grow in our worship.

Earlier we quoted these verses, “Enter into His gates with THANKSGIVING, And into His courts with PRAISE” (Ps 100:4). Psalm 96:9 says, “WORSHIP the Lord in the beauty of Holiness!” It is the progression of our relationship with God.

The progression of our Christian walk starts with thanksgiving, progresses to praise and culminates in worship. A new believer first experiences the grace of God and responds with thanksgiving. Then he begins to understand the character of God and he responds with praise. When the believer comes face to face with the person of Father God who is so magnificent, majestic and awesome, the only response is to worship in His holy presence.

There is a transformation within our lives as we progress from thanksgiving, to praise and to worship. We come to a point where our lives become the expression of the Person of Christ and His perfect will.

Over the next week, we will elaborate on worship as a progression of our walk with God. This will help believers to understand the 3 phases of our relationship with God, which culminates in true worship that God desires.

12.15 Wearing Jesus’ robe of righteousness

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Your righteousness-consciousness will determine the intimacy of your relationship with God and the degree that you are able to reign in life. Righteousness-consciousness will enable you to enter into the presence of God through worship. If you are a worship leader, you can lead the congregation into God’s presence through building up their righteousness-consciousness.

Say this prayer with me:

Heavenly Father,
I thank You that You see me forever righteous in Christ. Lord Jesus, I thank You that on the cross, You became sin so that I may become the righteousness of God in You. Holy Spirit, I thank You for convicting me of my righteousness always. Help me to be always conscious of my new identity in Christ so that I can reign in life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

I want you to visualize yourself wearing Jesus’ robe of righteousness (Is 61:10). It is also called the breastplate of righteousness, which is part of the armor of God to be put on (Eph 6:14). This breastplate is important because it protects your heart.

We put it on by being conscious of it. Start by being conscious of the robe of righteousness whenever you enter into worship in church. Put on this robe whenever you feel unrighteous or unworthy. Wear that robe each morning, as you get dressed for work. Over time, extend that consciousness to the rest of the day.

When you live in a perpetual state of righteousness-consciousness, you will also live perpetually in God’s presence. It will guard your heart from the accusations of the enemy. It will protect you against sin-consciousness. You will experience being seated with Christ Jesus and you will reign in life as a king.

12.14 Repentance for practicing sin

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God doesn’t want the ordinary believer to be sin-conscious. But even as we share these important truths, you may ask, “What about the minority who may be living in a lifestyle of sin?” Obviously, such a believer would struggle with sin-consciousness, and find it hard to enjoy the promises of God’s word. The solution is for such believers to repent.

To repent is to have a change of mind. For an unbeliever, it is to repent for the remission of sins, to receive salvation in Christ (Acts 2:38). For the believer, it is to turn away from practicing sinful deeds to walking in righteousness and holiness (2 Cor 12:21).

This is not about normal believers who fall into sin unintentionally and occasionally. It is about believers who practice sin or who indulge in a lifestyle of sin.

Jesus told the churches of Pergamos and Thyatira to repent for practicing sexual immorality and for eating food offered to idols (Rev 2:14, 20). Paul asked the Corinthian Church to repent of the uncleanness, fornication and lewdness which they PRACTICED.

(2 Cor 12:21)
…lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have SINNED before and have not REPENTED of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have PRACTICED.

In 1 Cor 5:4-5, Paul told the believers to withdraw fellowship from a person living in sexual immorality, so the person gets the message that God does not want him living in sin. After he had repented, Paul asked the believers to reaffirm their love and forgiveness for him, so as not to give any room to Satan (2 Cor 2:6-11).

The Holy Spirit also helps a person to turn back to God by convicting the person of righteousness in Christ (John 16:8, 10), which results in repentance with justification rather than condemnation (Rom 5:1, 8:1). If repentance is motivated by condemnation, the person would remain far from God. He keeps repenting but is unable to overcome. Repentance by a believer should be motivated by the goodness of God. Rom 2:4 says, “The goodness of God leads you to repentance.” It restores his fellowship with God.

When a person repents, there is a sense of godly sorrow (2 Cor 7:10). The person is sorry for taking God’s grace for granted. He feels even sorrier knowing that God still loves him so much. He embraces the forgiveness that was given on the cross 2000 years ago. When he knows that he has been forgiven much, his response is to love Jesus much (Luke 7:47).

God wants us to come boldly to the throne of grace with no consciousness of sins. The role of the worship leader is to declare to the people that they can come boldly to the throne of grace because Jesus’ blood has made them worthy. When we enter boldly into God’s presence with righteousness-consciousness, we will enjoy an intimate relationship with Him.

12.13 Living in Christ in the New Covenant

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Beloved, let us now describe how a believer (you and I) should be living in the New Covenant. The Holy Spirit convicts us of righteousness. We are conscious of our righteousness in Christ (our new identity). We have no consciousness of sins (Heb 10:2), just like Adam before he fell into sin. We do not go into a sin-search. Instead, we confess the Word to wash our conscience and to remind ourselves of our righteousness in Christ.

When we walk by faith in the free gift of righteousness, the Holy Spirit is able to work powerfully in us. We bear the fruit of the Spirit and we manifest the Life of Christ. We walk above sin and Satan. We live perpetually in our Father’s presence and we enjoy an intimate and loving relationship with Him. We are a joy to His heart and we fulfill our calling in Him.

Rom 5:17 says that the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness will cause us to reign in life.

Comparing the Law vs. Grace Approach to God’s Presence

1) The law gives us knowledge of sin (Rom 3:20). But grace points us to Jesus the Lamb of God (Eph 1:7; John 1:29).
2) The law makes us sin-conscious (Heb 10:1-4). Under grace, we become Jesus-conscious and righteousness-conscious (Heb 10:2).
3) Under law, Satan uses the law to accuse us (Col 2:14-15). Under grace, the Holy Spirit convicts us of our righteousness (John 16:8-10).
4) Under law, we constantly and repeatedly confess our sins (Heb 10:1-4). Under grace, we constantly confess our righteousness in Christ (2 Cor 5:21). We confess Jesus as our High Priest.
5) Under law, we feel condemned and unworthy (2 Cor 3:9). Under grace, we receive assurance of justification (Rom 3:24; 5:1).
6) Under law, we fail to enter the throne of grace (Heb 10:19-22). It is more a throne of judgment. Under grace, we can boldly enter the throne of grace and remain there (Heb 4:16).
7) Under law, we experience defeat and death (Rom 7:9; 2 Cor 3:7). Under grace, we reign in life (Rom 5:17).

As we discuss on the topic of worship, it is important to know that we can only experience worship in a fulfilling relationship with God by approaching God on the basis of the finished work of Christ (the grace of Jesus) in the New Covenant.

12.12 Understanding 1 John 1:9

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The favorite verse which is commonly used to support the practice of regular confession of sins by believers to receive forgiveness is 1 John 1:9.

(1 John 1:9)
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Those who believe that this verse is for Christians are saying that forgiveness of sins is received only when they confess their sins. When they fail to confess newly committed sins, these sins are held against them. These could be sins committed in action, thought, attitude or speech. Should they die with any unconfessed sins (big or small), they would be condemned to hell’s fire. They would have to confess their sins all the time to maintain their righteousness and salvation.

This verse is inconsistent with Rom 4:8 which says that our sins are not imputed. It is inconsistent with the many other verses we shared earlier on the eternal work of Jesus. Let us now explain this apparent inconsistency. This verse actually refers to the confession of sins for “salvation”. It does not refer to the confession of specific sins by a believer.

In 1 John chapter 1, John was dealing with the wrong teachings of Gnosticism that had crept into the Church. Gnostics believed that salvation was by special knowledge (gnosis) rather than faith in Jesus. They denied that their immoral actions were sinful and they denied that they had sin. They also denied that Christ came in the flesh. There were Gnostics among the believers and their teachings were influencing the believers.

John begins his epistle in 1 John 1:1 by telling the Gnostics among the believers that Jesus did come in the flesh. He said that he had seen and touched Jesus. In verse 2, John declares the eternal life of Christ to the Gnostics so that they may believe and have fellowship with the true believers. Then in 1 John 1:8 & 10, John repeats twice to the Gnostics that they were in error by saying that they had no sin, and thus did not need Jesus.

(1 John 1:8-10)
If we SAY WE HAVE NO SIN, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NOT SINNED, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

He gave them the solution in verse 9 saying, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” John was not dealing with specific acts of sin as he uses the phrase “cleanse us from all unrighteousness”, referring to repentance for salvation.

Subsequently, in John 2:1, John directs his letter to true believers, addressed as “my little children”, saying, “And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” He points us back to Jesus our High Priest who upholds our righteousness.

12.11 What is our confession in the New Covenant?

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The Bible says that Jesus is the High Priest of our confession (Heb 3:1). What is this confession? Would you like to know? The answer to this question will tell us “The Confession” for our New Covenant. This simply truth is a powerful revelation that can lead the Church and us into a powerful paradigm shift.

The Amplified Bible says that this is the confession of Jesus as our High Priest. What does it mean to confess Jesus as our High priest? In the Old Covenant, the standing of the people is wrapped up in their High Priest. If they performed well on the Day of Atonement, their sins would be covered for another year. But the work of the Old Testament High Priest was never finished. They could never sit down. They were always working.

Then Jesus came as our High Priest. He entered the true Holy of Holies in heaven and presented His own blood as our sacrifice to wash away our eternal sins. Because it was accepted by God the Father, Jesus became the final sacrifice.

Then Jesus did something that none of the High Priests could do. He sat down at the right hand of the Father! Yes, He sat down! The fact that Jesus is seated shows that the work of redemption is finished. Today, God sees us as perfectly righteous in Jesus. For 2,000 years, Jesus has been fulfilling His ministry as our high priest. When the Father sees the nail pierced hands of Jesus, He is constantly reminded that our sins have been washed away.

In the light of this powerful truth, now we can understand what it means to make the confession of Jesus as our high priest who is interceding for us. The confession of the New Covenant believers is that all our sins have been forgiven and we have been made righteous in Christ. It is the confession of our new identity in Christ. It is summarized in one powerful verse:

(2 Cor 5:21)
For He made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Christ].

If you have grown up under the confession of sins, today is the day for your paradigm shift. Today is the day for a change in your confession. You can confess Jesus as your High Priest. You can put your faith in Him who is faithful. You can live on the basis of your new identity.

12.10 Regular confession of sins is a practice under the Covenant of Law

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Regular confession of sins is a practice that came from the law. The nation of Israel had to offer their animal sacrifices repeatedly on a regular and planned basis, as the blood of animals could only cover their sins for a year.

(Heb 10:1-4)
For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these SAME SACRIFICES, which they offer CONTINUALLY YEAR BY YEAR, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had NO MORE CONSCIOUSNESS OF SINS. But in those sacrifices there is a REMINDER OF SINS every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

The above verses give a picture of Israel going into a repeated and regular sin-search followed by the confession of sins. This naturally gives rise to sin-consciousness. This is still happening in the Church today because of a lack of revelation of what Christ has already accomplished for us in the New Covenant.

The animal sacrifices are a reminder of sins to point us to Jesus, the perfect sacrifice. Then Jesus came and gave Himself as one perfect sacrifice to remove sins forever (Heb 10:5-14). Because the work was finished and there would be no more sacrifices for sins, Jesus sat down. The believer has been perfected in his standing in Christ. Today, there is no longer an offering for sin and the worshiper should have no more consciousness of sins.

(Heb 9:11-12; 10:11-14, 18, 2)

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with HIS OWN BLOOD He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained ETERNAL REDEMPTION.

And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered ONE SACRIFICE FOR SINS FOREVER, SAT DOWN at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Now where there is remission of these, there is NO LONGER AN OFFERING FOR SIN…

For the worshipers, once purified, would have had NO MORE CONSCIOUSNESS OF SINS.

We have received the perfect solution that the Old Covenant believers never had. We have received righteousness in Christ that the law could not give them. We have the perfect blood of Jesus while they only had the blood of animals. We have crossed into a better covenant in the dispensation of grace.

12.9 Confession of sins vs. Confession of Christ

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Consistent with our new identity in Christ and the Holy Spirit’s conviction of righteousness, the emphasis for the New Covenant believer is the confession of faith in Christ rather than the confession of sins to God.

Paul’s letters are significant because the revelation of the gospel was given to him for the Church. Study the letters that Paul wrote to the churches and see how he called even the believers in the Corinthian Church (the most carnal of the churches) saints. He focused on who we are “in Christ”. The word “in Christ” or “in Him” appears 109 times in Paul’s Epistles. The word “confess” appears 8 times in his Epistles. All 8 times refer to the “confession of Christ” while there is no reference to confession of sins at all.

The reason is because sin was not imputed (Rom 4:8) and righteousness was imputed apart from works (Rom 4:6). Grace abounded to cover every sin (Rom 5:20). Our righteousness came from Jesus’ righteousness as a free gift (Rom 5:17).

From Acts to Revelation, the word “confess” appears 22 times, of which 18 times refer to the confession of Christ. Only in 1 instance does it refer to confession of sins to God for forgiveness. This is in 1 John 1:9, a favorite verse used to promote the regular confession of sins for forgiveness. I will explain as you read on, that 1 John 1:9 actually refers to confession of sins by unbelievers (Gnostics) for salvation.

There is not a single verse in the Bible after Christ had died on the cross which tells believers that their act of confession of sins is the condition for forgiveness to be dispensed by God. I searched the Epistles but I could not find any such verse. I also did a corresponding search for verses that talk about forgiveness of sins by God to believers. I found that the Bible talks about the forgiveness of sins in the past tense for the New Covenant believer because eternal forgiveness had been given on the cross 2,000 years ago.

(Eph 4:32)
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ FORGAVE you.

God really meant it when He says that Christ has offered one sacrifice for sins forever (Heb 10:12), forgiven all our trespasses (Col 2:13) and He will remember our sins no more (Heb 8:12). He has obtained eternal redemption (Heb 9:12), given us everlasting righteousness (Dan 9:24), and perfected forever those who are being sanctified (Heb 10:14).

2 Cor 5:21 says that we have become the righteousness of God in Christ. It is permanent and unchanging. John 14:16 says that the Holy Spirit will abide with us forever. All our sins have been imputed to Him and all His righteousness has been imputed to us (Rom 4:6-8).

12.8 The Holy Spirit convicts us of righteousness, not of sin

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What does the Bible say about conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit? Traditional thinking tells us that the Holy Spirit is always convicting us of all our sins. We would be surprised to know that Jesus said the exact opposite.

(John 16:8-11)
And when He has come, He will CONVICT the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of SIN, because they DO NOT BELIEVE IN ME; of RIGHTEOUSNESS, because I GO TO MY FATHER and you see Me no more; of JUDGMENT, because the RULER OF THIS WORLD is judged.

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of only one sin – not believing in Him. He has already paid the price for all the sins of the world and people are condemned for only one sin – failing to receive forgiveness. When the gospel is preached and unbelievers are convicted of sin, they will respond to the call to receive Jesus.

Now that we have received Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit lives in us to convict us of righteousness because Jesus is interceding for us at the Father’s side. When the Father sees Jesus’ pierced hands, He declares we are righteous. The Holy Spirit’s job is to convince us of our new identity in Christ so that we can come boldly to the throne of grace to commune with the Father.

Traditional thinking tells us that conviction of sins is the solution to turn a believer from sin to righteousness. In fact, conviction of sins by the law causes a believer to feel condemned and far from God. The law says, “You have failed God again, you are not worthy.” When the believer feels condemned, far from God, helpless, alone and depressed, he will end up in greater sin.

But when the Holy Spirit convicts a believer of righteousness, it brings about repentance, and empowers the believer to walk in righteousness. The Holy Spirit says, “You are the child of God. You are righteous. Why are you eating filthy food when Jesus is serving wholesome food at home? Let me lead you home!” It makes the person want to run back to God, and to eat from His table.

Conviction of righteousness is the key to reigning in life (Rom 5:17). Let me give a natural illustration. Imagine you are an athlete who competes in the Olympics. Would you succeed with a coach who keeps telling you, “You are not good enough, you keep falling short, you are a loser and you are not worthy to compete in the Olympics,” or a coach who keeps giving encouragement saying, “Your father was an Olympic champion, the champion is in you, I believe you can make it and I know you are a winner.” The answer is obvious.

What about conviction of judgment? The judgment referred to by Jesus is for Satan and not for us. Our judgment has been borne by Jesus and it makes us want to treasure and love Him even more.

12.7 Sin-consciousness prevents us from entering God’s presence

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Sin-consciousness in the Church peaked during the dark ages of Church history when the Church lost the revelation of Jesus the Lamb of God. People tried to approach God by the law through self-effort. They even tried to purchase their forgiveness with money through indulgences. During the Reformation led by Martin Luther, the Lord restored the revelation that the righteous shall live by faith in Christ.

Today, sin-consciousness is still prevalent because many people have unknowingly placed the law and self-performance as the key to the Christian walk instead of the grace of Christ. The law which gives the knowledge of sin is the cause of sin-consciousness (Rom 3:20).

In order to be righteousness-conscious, we should always declare that “we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus” at all times; especially when we enter into worship. There is no need to deliberately enter into a sin-search followed by confession of sins. They are all covered by the grace of Jesus and your sins are not imputed to you (Rom 4:6, 8). It was imputed to Jesus on the cross. Your righteousness is based on Jesus’ performance. Eph 1:6 says that God has made us accepted in the Beloved (Christ).

Heb 10:2 says, “For the worshipers, once purified, would have had NO MORE consciousness of sins.” We have been purified by the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. The issue that remains is whether we really believe what He has accomplished for us. That is why Christianity is a walk of faith. Heb 10:14 says, “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” The subsequent verses say:

(Heb 10:19-22)
Therefore, brethren, having BOLDNESS to enter the HOLIEST by the BLOOD OF JESUS, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true HEART in FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH, having our hearts SPRINKLED from an EVIL CONSCIENCE and our bodies washed with pure water.

Satan wants you to be sin-conscious because it keeps you far from God but we must look at Jesus’ blood to receive full assurance of faith. Faith in His blood removes all consciousness of sins (called an evil conscience) and gives us complete consciousness of righteousness, in order to have boldness to enter the Father’s presence.

Righteousness-consciousness allows us to enjoy an intimate fellowship with our heavenly Father. He wants us to enter His presence completely relaxed, as a child enters the presence of his loving father to commune with him. Would you want your child to be afraid to come to your presence, or would you want your child to run to you when he sees you, and be close to you? Your obvious answer is the desire of our Father.

12.6 Living at the throne of Grace & what prevents us from entering

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In the Old Covenant, the High Priest could only enter the Holy of Holies once a year. When Jesus died, the veil of the temple that separated the Holy of Holies was torn (Matt 27:51). The way to God was permanently opened to those who are in Christ. The Bible calls this a new and living way (Heb 10:20).

When Jesus entered heaven, the true Holy of Holies, He sat down at the Father’s right hand (Heb 10:12). Jesus is on the throne of grace. Eph 2:6 says that God “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” Today, we are seated in the Holy of Holies in Christ.

This is a picture of the New Covenant believer who not only enters, but also lives perpetually in God’s presence. Psalm 91:1 says, “He who DWELLS in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty…” We can experience dwelling in His presence by living a life of worship.

A Common Mistake that Prevents Us from Entering

There is a common mistake which many worship leaders commit, including myself in the past. We have a tendency to start off a worship service being sin-conscious and feeling unworthy to enter God’s presence. We see ourselves in tattered clothes instead of His robe of righteousness.

Unknowingly, some churches officially address themselves as “poor sinners” in the opening prayer, or they may enter into a sin-search which results in condemnation. We were sinners before we received Jesus, but now He has made us saints.

This is the identity problem in believers. Some of us still see ourselves in Adam instead of Christ. We become fearful to come before God as we see Him as a judge instead of our loving father. When we start off on that wrong footing, carrying the burden of condemnation, the rest of the worship service will be dampened.

If we see ourselves as unworthy sinners, we will still be sitting at the outer gate. We will not have the boldness to enter, or to remain in His presence. Beloved, have you experienced going through the motions in worship but felt like you did not contact Father God at the throne of grace? Sin-consciousness prevents us from entering God’s presence.

12.5 Entering boldly to the throne of grace

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Beloved, have you ever experienced sin-consciousness and heaviness in your heart as you searched for and confessed your sins before a worship service? You felt so unworthy to come before God because you keep failing to live up to His expectations.

Today, the Bible calls God’s throne the “throne of grace”. It used to be called the “mercy seat” in the Old Covenant. It was thus named because it was the place where God showed mercy to the people, with the sprinkling of the blood of animals to cover their sins. Mercy was shown when God withheld the judgment that they deserved for their sins. It was a fearful experience to enter God’s presence – like coming before a judge to plead for mercy.

How was the mercy seat transformed into the throne of grace? How did a place of judgment become a place of receiving undeserved favor? How was the image of God as a judge transformed into the image of a loving father? The Bible says that we are to boldly enter the throne of grace to receive grace in addition to mercy.

(Heb 4:16)
Let us therefore COME BOLDLY to the THRONE OF GRACE, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Why boldly? It is due to Jesus’ finished work on the cross. We do not enter on our own merit. Our standing is wrapped up in Jesus’ blood and perfect work. Because the judgment for all our sins has been exhausted on the body of Jesus, today God is no longer a judge to us but a loving Father. Jesus has also fulfilled all righteousness on our behalf and given us the free gift of righteousness. Therefore, today we have the legal right to come boldly to the throne of grace without condemnation.

Let us give an illustration on the gift of righteousness. Imagine you are the bride of a royal wedding but you cannot attend your wedding because you do not have a wedding gown. The prince of the kingdom hears you crying about your unworthiness and your tattered clothes. He buys you the most beautiful white wedding gown and adorns you with diamonds. Now you are dressed for the occasion and you can boldly be part of the royal wedding ceremony. All the guests arise and admire your beauty and grace.

(Is 61:10)
For He has clothed me with the GARMENTS OF SALVATION,
He has covered me with the ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a BRIDE adorns herself with her JEWELS.

Jesus is the bridegroom and we are the “bride of Christ”. Today, we are worthy to boldly enter the throne of grace because we are dressed in Jesus’ garment of salvation and robe of righteousness. Jesus has paid for this privilege. The angels of heaven are all looking at the glory of Christ in us. In addition, He has adorned us with precious gifts – the gifts of the Spirit.

12.4 What is worship (part 2)? - Entering the presence of God

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The presence of God brings forth tangible blessings. In the Old Covenant, the Ark of the Covenant represents the presence and the glory of God in worship. While David was bringing the ark back to Jerusalem, a mishap happened. So the people had to stop the journey and David placed the ark in the house of a man called Obed-Edom for 3 months.

When the presence of God (the ark) was in the house of Obed-Edom, God prospered him and his entire household. Perhaps his livestock and crops multiplied. In just 3 months, his possessions increased visibly. When David was told about the blessings that came upon Obed-Edom with God’s presence, he was determined to take the ark back to Jerusalem. He would not settle for anything less when it comes to God’s presence. Neither should we.

(2 Sam 6:11-12)
The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord BLESSED Obed-Edom and ALL his household. Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has BLESSED the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, BECAUSE of the ARK OF GOD.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness.

During our present Worship Revival which started in the late 1980s with Integrity Music and Maranatha Music, followed by Hillsong in 1992, live worship was brought into our homes by tapes and CDs. This ushered God’s presence into our daily lives. Worship is no longer limited to Sunday worship services in church. This revival of worship is still going strong today.

I encourage you to invest in good praise and worship music CDs, play them at home and in your car when you are driving. Do not listen passively, but join in the worship and enter into God’s presence daily.

If possible, open your home for home meetings so that the corporate anointing of worship fills your home. As you usher in God’s presence, you will experience the blessings of His presence like Obed-Edom did.

12.3 What is worship (part 1)?

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Worship is traditionally defined as an expression of devotion and love to Father God, through songs to Father God, and music. We think of a Sunday worship service where believers express their thanksgiving, proclaim His praises and sing beautiful songs of worship. It is a joyful celebration of the finished work of Christ.

An Experience of Entering God’s Presence

Worship is also an experience of entering into the presence of Father God. The Bible says that He inhabits the praises of His people (Ps 22:3, KJV). In the Old Covenant, the high priest could only enter before the presence of God in the Holy of Holies under the covering of the cloud of incense (Lev 16:11-13). The cloud of incense represents worship, which brings us into the presence of God. Sometimes, God’s presence may be manifested tangibly. At other times, it is our consciousness of His presence within us.

We know our position is in Christ and being in Christ, we live in God’s presence in the Holy of Holies. Eph 2:6 says we are seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit lives in us and we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, but most believers may not be experiencing His presence all the time.

For example, after a busy week of work, a believer may be so conscious of his challenges at work that he may not be conscious of God’s presence. God could be the furthest thing on his mind. He goes for a church service and as the service begins, he realizes that he is now coming before God’s presence. How many of us have experienced that before? Thanksgiving, praise and worship help us to be conscious of God and to experience the reality of His presence.

The Psalmist uses the earthly tabernacle to illustrate the progression of entering into God’s manifested presence. The tabernacle consists of the Outer Court, the Inner Court (Holy Place) and the Holy of Holies.

The Psalmist says, “Enter into His GATES with thanksgiving, And into His COURTS with praise” (Ps 100:4). Psalm 96:9 says, “Worship the Lord in the BEAUTY OF HOLINESS!” The beauty of holiness speaks of the beauty of His holy presence. God’s presence is with the ark of God, which is kept in the Holy of Holies. Therefore, we can see it as a progression through the gates into the Outer Court, followed by the Inner Court (Holy Place) and into the Holy of Holies.

This is true spiritually as well. During a worship service, we often start with lively songs in thanksgiving, and then we progress deeper into praise. Finally, we sing slower worship songs and enter into worship, where we find ourselves at the feet of our Lord, before His presence. Worship is a natural response to the presence of God. This explains why the four living creatures around God’s throne worship Him without rest, day or night.

Today, the New Covenant believer not only enters, but he can remain in God’s presence perpetually. This happens when we grow in our consciousness of God’s presence through worship.

12.2 You are the temple of God – the house of worship

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Heaven is full of worship. We should start enjoying worship on earth right now. Worship will be continuous in heaven for eternity in the awesome presence of God. From the description in the book of Revelation, heaven’s worship is majestic, vibrant and lively. It is neither solemn nor heavy-hearted. There are four living creatures that worship God day and night declaring, “Holy, holy, holy” (Rev 4:8). The saints are also constantly worshipping God in heaven (Rev 4:10-11).

A group of people were worshipping God and the session was recorded on tape. When the people played the tape, they were shocked to hear the voices of angels singing in the background. I heard the singing on tape and it was truly majestic and glorious.

In the last series, we shared that we have been called as New Covenant priests to offer up incense of prayer and worship. It is the highest calling to worship God. Every creature in heaven finds fulfillment in worship. God made us royal priests so that we may proclaim the wonderful praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

(1 Pet 2:9)
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may PROCLAIM THE PRAISES of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…”

In the Old Covenant, the temple in Jerusalem was the place of worship (John 4:19-21). When Jesus was talking to the woman at the well, He said that worship in the New Covenant would not be at a physical location, but in our spirit (John 4:21-24). Today, we are the real living and walking temple of the Holy Spirit and worship reigns in our hearts. We carry the presence and glory of God within us.

(Eph 5:18-19)
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, SINGING and MAKING MELODY in YOUR HEART to the Lord…

The Holy Spirit is in us not only to make intercession but also for worship. The above verse shows that being filled with the Spirit is related to worship in our hearts. When we worship, we will be filled. When we are filled, worship will flow out. The Holy Spirit in us gives us the spiritual songs to sing. Beloved, have you experienced having a song in your heart and singing it throughout the day? This is the Holy Spirit working in you – the living temple.