Six Lies That Create Blessing Blockers

God expects us to lay hold of what belongs to us, but we have an enemy who lies to us and tries to stop us from receiving God’s biggest blessings. He sets up roadblocks in an effort to keep us from receiving from God.

Many of these obstacles to God’s best in our lives fall under the category described in Mark 7:13: The tradition of men makes the Word of God of no effect. Traditions are demonic errors -lies really – to keep the Church in the dark. For years traditional ideas and interpretations of Scripture have kept people from receiving healing.

So I’d like to expose some of those lies of the enemy and explain why they are wrong. As we go through them, make a note of any that have become part of your thinking. Then replace those lies with what the Word really says.

Lie #1 – “Miracles have passed away.”

I grew up in a church in which we frequently heard statements like these: “Miracles have passed away” and “Healing has passed away.” But the truth is that in order for miracles and healing to pass away, God would have to change or pass away. And that can’t happen. He has already declared, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; O sons of Jacob, are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6).

He has also said, “I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26). Sickness and disease were never God’s will for man. Sickness only came when man disobeyed God, sinned and died spiritually. At that point man became subject to the evil one. But even then, God made a way to provide healing for His people. If He ever healed anyone, He is still that same healer today. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). But we have to do our part and give Him something to work with by exercising our faith.

Lie #2 – “God gets glory from sickness.”

Sickness doesn’t bring glory to God. Healing does. As Jesus healed the multitudes, Matthew 15:31 says, “When they saw the mute speak, the maimed made whole, the lame walk, and the blind see…they glorified the God of Israel.”

Lie #3 – “All things work together for good…”

A scripture that is often taken out of context and misunderstood is Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good to those that love God.” If you believe this means sickness is somehow for your good, you won’t resist it. But the Bible is very plain in what it says about sickness. The curse spelled out in Deuteronomy 28 includes “every sickness, and every plague” (verse 61).

Curses do not come from God. He is good to everyone (Psalm 145:9). Acts 10:38 says, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.”

When you read Romans 8:28 in context, its meaning becomes clear: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses, for we know not what to pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:26-28).

This is not saying everything that comes along is working for your good. This is about those who love God. Those who love God obey His Word: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3). When we obey God we enjoy the blessing of God.

The will of God is always good, but not everyone is in the will of God. This scripture is talking about the things of the Spirit working for our good. The Spirit makes intercession on our behalf when we pray in the spirit. When we obey God all things work together for good.

Everything that comes your way does not come from God and does not bring good into your life. You have the authority in you to obey or disobey. For instance, cancer does not work for your good. Car wrecks do not work for your good. They come to steal, kill and destroy. If you think these things come from God you will receive them instead of resist them.

Lie #4 – “God puts sickness on you to teach you something.”

Sickness is not good. So when people say, “God puts sickness on you to teach you something,” that is totally unscriptural. The Bible says God uses His Word to teach us. He has sent the Holy Spirit to teach us. In Deuteronomy 28 God says if you don’t obey Me, all these curses will come on you. That’s not the will of God. God’s will is your redemption from the curse in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:13). Through ignorance, unbelief or rebellion and disobedience, we open the door to evil in our lives.

According to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

God sent the Holy Spirit to be the teacher of the Church (John 14:26). He will guide you into all truth (John 16:13). God also placed teachers in the Church to instruct us (Ephesians 4:11-12). Therefore, He doesn’t use sickness to do that.

Many believers labor under the misconception that whatever happens to them is God’s doing. As a result, they take no responsibility for anything and put up no resistance to the enemy when he brings sickness and disease.

If you don’t resist sickness, it won’t go away. The enemy will continue to rule and reign in your life. You must resist the devil if you don’t want him to live with you. James 4:7 says ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee.”

Jesus delivered people from sickness everywhere He went, and He rebuked it! He was never a friend of sickness and disease. He always did the will of God and you never saw Jesus instructing anyone to stay sick.

Lie #5 – “Lord, if it be Thy will…”

A traditional prayer that will help you die young is “Lord, if it be Thy will, heal my body.” Consequently, praying this shows you have not been reading your Bible, and you don’t have a clue about God or His will. It’s always His will to heal.

Perhaps you’ve been going to the wrong church. You should come out of a church service with your faith more built up than when you went in. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). But if you don’t hear and believe what the Word says, your faith won’t be strong.

Lie #6 – Unbelief is “OK.”

Even Jesus couldn’t heal those who were in unbelief. In His hometown of Nazareth, “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58).

Unbelief is the major blessing blocker, and that’s why it’s imperative for you to know what the Word says and believe it enough to act on it. All the traditions I’m talking about are the result of unbelief.

Unbelief comes by hearing just like faith comes by hearing. So, it’s dangerous to your health to listen to unbelief.

There is no good reason to sit under teaching that’s full of unbelief if you desire to live and live well. Go where the uncompromised Word of God is being taught because your life depends on it.

Galatians 3:11 says, “The just shall live by faith.” That means believers are to live by believing what the Bible says. You are healed by believing and acting on what the Word says about your healing. It takes believing and acting to fulfill the word receive!

Gloria Copeland

Receiving Communion

“To be spoken by mouth three times a day until faith comes, then once a day to maintain faith.

If circumstances grow worse, double the dosage. There are no harmful side effects.”

—Charles Capps

You don’t have to wait until you go to church to receive Communion. You can receive it anytime and anywhere. Take the time to put yourself before God over the Communion table and speak these powerful words over your life.

“Lord, it’s not right that I should suffer from sickness and disease. I judge it now as being from Satan, and I reject it. I refuse to receive it any longer. I partake of the sacrifice of Your body, and I receive the healing that You provided in Jesus’ Name. When I partake of Communion, I make a point of judging myself to the fullest extent. I won’t just receive it halfway. I accept everything Jesus’ sacrifice provided.

Father, we give You thanks for all You have provided for us in Christ Jesus. We confess this day that we are the blessed of the Lord. This covenant we entered into at the new birth is a covenant filled with the exceeding great and precious promises of God, and we are partakers of those promises now!

We are healed. We are redeemed. We are delivered from the authority of darkness. We are translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. We are the head and not the tail. We are above and not beneath. We come behind in no good thing. All that we set our hands to prospers, and we praise You, Father, for the newness of life we now enjoy. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

Words Impact Your Life

“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

 –Proverbs 18:21

The words we speak have power. They can bring life or death. They can build up or tear down. They can empower or destroy. Whether they are the words we speak to one another or the ones we think about ourselves, words make a difference. Right now, let’s look at three ways the words we speak impact our lives.

1.The words we speak are our profession.

“Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.” –Hebrews 3:1-2, KJV

This passage refers to Jesus as the “Apostle and High Priest of our profession.” The word profession can also be translated confession.In the Greek, it means to “say the same thing.” We are responsible to say the same thing that Jesus says. Then He, as our Apostle and High Priest, is responsible to bring it to pass. When we speak words of life that line up with God’s Word, we are trusting Jesus to bring them to pass, and that’s exactly what He will do!

2.The words we speak are our protection.

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.” –Psalm 91:1-2

We serve an awe-inspiring God who is above everything. He’s above every calamity, every illness, every stronghold and every attack of the enemy. And just as Psalm 91 shows us, we’re to proclaim His protection and goodness. We’re to exalt Him, not our adversities. When the enemy strikes, we have a choice: We can either declare the truth that God is on our side and we will never lose, or we can continue to believe the lie that we’re going under. And whatever we set our mind to is what we will receive. If you want God’s goodness, healing, peace, joy and healthy relationships, then begin to proclaiming those things. Remember, you “will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty”!

3.The words we speak are our privilege!

“And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” –Matthew 12:36-37

When we speak words of doubt and unbelief, we are sinning against God. That sounds extreme, doesn’t it? But if we speak words that are contrary to God’s Word or if we speak words that proclaim that God is something He isn’t, then it is sin. God’s Word tells us that we are joint heirs with Jesus (Romans 8:17), overcomers (1 John 5:4), healed (Isaiah 53:5), joyful (Psalm 28:7) and prosperous (Philippians 4:19). It is our privilege to not only walk in this truth but to announce it for others to hear. Giving glory to God for all that we have is a powerful part of living thankful lives. We are acknowledging that it isn’t through our human strength but by the power of Jesus that we walk in freedom. It is also a declaration that what we say is the truth, and that truth affects change!

The words you speak are important. They hold life within them. If this is an area of weakness for you, then challenge yourself. Commit to changing your life by changing the words you speak. First, ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen, convict and comfort you when you speak words that are contrary to God. Then begin meditating on His Word and declaring their truth over your life. Let God’s Word change you from the inside out. When you do, you will—without a doubt—walk in all God has for you!

Because of the Blood

Just what is the basis for the forgiveness God has extended to us?  First John 2:12 tells us the answer…”for His name’s sake.”  In other words, God has put His Name on an agreement.  He has given us His oath that, because Jesus poured out His blood and paid the price for sin, all men are forgiven in His sight.  He has put  His Name to a document which says He has reconciled the whole world to Himself by Jesus the Anointed, and He is no longer holding anyone’s sin against them.  (Read 2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

Why did God put His Name on that document?  Because of the blood of Jesus.  God forgives our sin because He honors the blood.  He has said,  I will accept any woman, any man, any child from any place in the world regardless of any sin they have committed.  I swore it in the blood and I will do it because of My Name.

Considering our sin, it would be just for God to say to us, “Get out of My sight.  What are you doing walking in here wanting to be a part of My family?  Look at your mean, ugly self!  Who do you think you are wanting to come into My heaven?”

But, praise God, He doesn’t consider our sin.  He considers the blood of Jesus.  He administers justice based on His blood-sworn oath of forgiveness and, because He honors that blood, He justifies us by wiping out all our sin.  The Bible says He remembers our sins no more!

Let me tell you, when I sin there is no way in this world I would go before the throne of grace asking God to forgive me on the basis of how many years I’ve been in the ministry.  I wouldn’t pull a dumb stunt like that.  I’ll just go in and plead the blood of Jesus, because I know God honors the blood.

That’s where my faith rests.  I don’t have to wonder what God is going to do.  I don’t have to wonder if He will forgive me.  I know He will because He swore it in the blood of His own Son.

Pursuit of His Presence, Kenneth Copeland

 

Don’t Shoot!!

In Psalm 64:3, David compared words to arrows.  The wicked, he said, “sharpen their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows – bitter words.”

I was reminded of this comparison some years ago when I was given a compound bow and a set of razor-tipped arrows.  Because of its power and the sharpness of the arrows, this bow is a lethal weapon.  Consequently, I have to be careful how I use it.

As long as I have the bowstring in my hand, I’m in control of the arrow.  But the moment I release the string, it’s no longer in my control.  The arrow will simply go where it was pointed.  I cannot get it back or slow it down.  Once I’ve loosed it, it’s on its way to a target.

And that’s exactly how words are.  As long as words are in your mind and in your heart, as long as you haven’t spoken them, you’ve got your hand on the bowstring.  You’re still in control.  You can let the bow back down and not shoot at all.  But if you let go of the string – speak the words – the arrow flies.  There is no way you can recall words once they’re spoken.

And if your words are ‘deadly arrows’, they may do unintended harm.

Suppose I carry my bow to work some morning when I’m angry and just start shooting arrows in every direction.  What happens?  When I cool off and look, I see people lying all around with arrows sticking out of them.

Of course, I can run over to the nearest victim and apologize.  “Oh, man, I’m sorry.  I was upset about something.  I didn’t mean to shoot you.  I wasn’t even thinking about you.  I was just shooting.  I’m sorry!”

But the trouble is – you’ve still shot the arrows!  I can pull the arrow out and pour oil and wine over the wound, but no matter how much I apologize, I can’t unsay the words that wounded you.  You’re still shot, and I have some idle words to give account of to God.  Matthew 12:36 – “But I say to you that for every idle word that men speak, they will give an account on the Day of Judgment.”

We can avoid disasters like this by following the principles in God’s Word.  Proverbs 15:28 says “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.”  And James 1:19 tells us to be “slow to speak..”.

So, the next time you’re tempted to “shoot off your mouth”, stop and consider whether your words may become “deadly arrows”.  Study the effect of your words before you speak, and then you won’t have to apologize for them later.

Keith Moore,  moorelife.org

The Power of Your Words

Have you ever noticed in the Bible that most of God’s champions who were facing a challenge or in the middle of a battle, commonly referred to as a “faith fight”, had to say something that sounded totally ridiculous to the natural mind before they received their victory?

Here are a few examples:

  • Daniel 3:17-18: “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to “deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
  • 1 Samuel 17:46: “This day the Lord will deliver you unto my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”
  • Luke 8:52-53: “Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.”

How about in the Old Testament where the only son of a couple had died? The mother took the son and laid him on the bed of the prophet who would stay in their home when he came through that part of the country. She didn’t tell her husband that the young lad was dead. In fact, she said, “All is well” (2Kings 4:26). Now if that didn’t qualify for a lie, I don’t know what does!

To the natural mind or intellect, their words were ridiculous. What would compel three young Hebrew men confronted with certain death in a hot fiery furnace to defy the king and declare their God would deliver them?

How could David, a young shepherd boy who was never trained for battle, fearlessly face a nine-foot giant whose armor alone weighed almost 125 pounds, and declare he was cutting off his head? David was probably no taller than Goliath’s waist! And how could Jesus say that the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue was only sleeping when everyone else had declared her graveyard dead?

Jesus said, “But since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke”, we also believe and therefore speak.”

What you truly believe, which is based on the image on the inside of you, will eventually be revealed by your words. Luke wrote, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).

Here’s a kingdom principle that many Christians sometimes miss: To change our inner image, we often have to say the ridiculous before we believe the impossible. That is, we have to say what God says even when there is no physical evidence that it’s yet true. But the more we say it, the more we are making good deposits (treasure) in our hearts and changing our image. One man said, “Faith often puts you in a place of ridicule” …but not for long!!.

2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Temporary means brief, fleeting or subject to change. The change, however, is not automatic. As believers, we have a part to play in creating the change we desire. We must do, or more accurately, say something that may sound ridiculous or absurd. It doesn’t make sense, but it will eventually make FAITH, if we keep saying it.

Through words, we shape the unseen and change the seen. Many Christians don’t understand that their words have the power to bring life or destroy it and that the source of many of their problems, and conversely their answers, is an inch below their nose – their mouth.

The Bible says, “death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21). Notice, the verse didn’t say the power was in the devil or other people or the government. No! It said the power was in the tongue.

Words are the most powerful weapons in our kingdom arsenal to dominate this earth and to enforce the victory that Jesus died to give us.  This is why the devil will try to put pressure on us to say wrong things (something God didn’t say) when we are in a faith fight.

For example, if you are believing God for healing in your body, don’t speak the problem or the symptoms, Don’t look at the things which are seen. This is what the woman with the issue of blood did in Mark 5:25-28: “Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment; for she said, ‘If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

Some translations say that “she kept saying.” Her words probably sounded ridiculous to those around her. I can hear some of her unbelieving friends now, “Girl, you think you’re just going to touch Jesus’ clothes and be healed? Are you crazy? You better stay inside this house before you get stoned.”

This woman had a “grow worse” image for twelve years. But she took faith-filled words and destroyed her negative inner image, shaping the unseen and changing the seen… “Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.” (verse 29) As long as she kept her new image, sickness could never again dominate her body.

Remember, what you believe is what you become…and where you will end up. To experience God’s redemptive plan for our lives (prosperity, peace, healing, wholeness), we must have the right inner image or belief system. Ask yourself, “Like this woman with the issue of blood, do I have a wrong self-image that is blocking God’s redemptive blessings in my life? Am I blaming the devil, other people or the government for the financial situation I’m in, instead of changing what I’m believing and speaking?”

As born-again believers, we are made like God, and God used words to create everything in and on this planet. Genesis 1:1-28 – Each time God created something new, we read, “Then God said.” God’s original purpose for words was more for creation than for communication. AND THIS PURPOSE HAS NOT CHANGED!!! Speaking God’s Word in faith first brings “Heaven to Earth” in our spirits, creating the image of what God has already created and provided in heaven. Then, when we speak based on that image, the Holy Spirit brings that word to pass in the earth.

Jesus had to teach this principle to His disciples in Mark 11:23, “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”

Jesus had spoken to a fig tree the day before, saying, “No one ever again shall eat fruit from you” (Mark 11:14). The Bible says the disciples were listening to His words. I can imagine that some of His disciples thought that talking to a tree was a little crazy.   But they didn’t think it was crazy the next day when they saw the tree had withered from its roots.

I remember working this principle years ago when my car wouldn’t start on one very cold Chicago morning. I knew according to Mark 11:23 that I had the authority to speak to things. So I went outside, looked around to see if anyone was watching me (trying to avoid shame and ridicule) and told my car to start in the Name of Jesus. I went back inside the house and waited for a few minutes. When I came back out the car turned over like it was brand new. Praise God!!

Shaping the unseen and changing the seen is important for every believer to live a life of victory. Romans 10:8 describes how this God-given process works, “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach: For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (unto deliverance, unto healing, unto preservation and soundness.” In other words…say it until you see it. DON’T GIVE UP! The enemy might try to convince you that it’s not working when it is. Cast down the images that satan tries to put in your mind. We, as believers, are designed and expected to think and talk like God.

     James gives further understanding as to the power of your words when he compares the tongue to bits in horses’ mouths and to the rudder of a ship. James 3:3-5 “Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.”

He is saying, just as one can pull the reins of a horse and direct him or use a small rudder to turn a huge ship, you can use your tongue to speak God’s Word and control the destiny of your life, no matter how great the forces are that might come against you.

So, to get rid of the seen or what you don’t desire and replace it with what you do desire, God’s precious promises, you must get your mind and your spirit programmed with the Word of God that will reject anything that doesn’t agree with God’s Word. Now you’re ready to change the see. What you speak is what God will deliver. This is a spiritual law and it WORKS EVERY TIME. (See Mark 11:23)

Find a promise from God that meets a need you may have and begin to speak it. Say it until you believe it. Then decree it because you believe. “You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways.” Job 22:28) And I might add…no matter how impossible.

Bill Winston Ministries

“I Plead the Blood”

I went for years not knowing anything about the blood. I heard Pentecostal people plead the blood. You’d hear them all the time: ‘I plead the blood”. I could tell it was powerful, and I could tell they knew what they were doing, but I didn’t have the foggiest notion what pleading the blood actually meant.

I don’t know why I didn’t make the connection based on my background being American Indian. I should have. Indian life is based around blood covenants. They cut covenant. But when I finally did realize that God Almighty, in the blood of Jesus, has covenanted Himself to us…Man! I knew what those old-timers were saying and doing.

The devil has to respect the blood. When you say, “I plead the blood of Jesus in this situation,” that’s the blood by which the covenant was ratified, and the devil can’t touch it. There’s protection in the blood. There’s deliverance in the blood.

When you plead the blood, you have laid down your case and put your entire confidence on an oath that is covenant-sworn by Almighty God.

When Jesus took the Communion-cup in the upper room, He said, “Take this and drink it. This is the New Covenant in My blood, ratified for you.”

The blood guarantees certain things. It guarantees that every word in the written Word of God is a blood-sworn oath. That blood-sworn oath is an anchor to your soul. It becomes an inner strength on the inside of you. God is your Father and Jesus is your blood brother.   Everything that’s His is yours and everything that yours is His.

To be afraid to act or speak before you can see or feel something is to doubt God’s sworn oath, the Name of Jesus and the blood of the lamb.

Jesus’ blood shed for you obliterated your sin on the cross. When you received Jesus as your Lord, you took your place in your part of the new covenant and activated your freedom. And every time you repent of sin, it is destroyed forever and you are cleansed of its effect. That’s why you can walk free of condemnation.

If the devil accuses you, don’t walk in guilt. Guilt isn’t yours. You’ve been given freedom. When you feel like you’re in front of a judge and he asks, “How do you plead?” say, “I plead the blood of Jesus! I’m innocent of that.”

“Case Closed – lack of evidence!!”

Hallelujah! The devil has to honor the blood!

By Kenneth Copeland

Further Study:

Ephesians 1:7;  Hebrews 9:11-10:23

How Do You Value Your Worth?

Taken from ‘Jesus Calling’ by Sarah Young

My children make a pastime of judging one another – and themselves.  But I am the only capable Judge, and I have acquitted you through My own blood.  Your acquittal came at the price of My unparalleled sacrifice.  That is why I am highly offended when I hear My children judge one another or indulge in self-hatred.

If you live close to Me and absorb My Word, the Holy Spirit will guide and correct you as needed.  There is no condemnation for those who belong to Me.

Luke 6:37 – “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you.  Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”

Evaluating your worth on the basis of how you look, to yourself or to others, is always a trap – it’s as if you are sifting sand, looking only at the grains of sand filtering through the sieve, ignoring the gold nuggets that remain.  My approval of you is based entirely on My righteousness, which is yours for all eternity.  When you look in a mirror, try to see yourself as you truly are – arrayed in perfect righteousness, adorned in glowing approval.

Isaiah 61:10 – “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!  For He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness.  I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.”

Food for Thought:  Measure your worth by what is eternal: the ‘gold’ of a well-nurtured soul that rests in My unfailing Love.

It Is Finished!

They are the three most important words you will ever read….

  • Three words that broke the power of sin in your life.
  • Three words that freed you from every bondage.
  • Three words that brought you into a new covenant with God.

If you’ve ever felt like you’ve got to try harder or do better to please God, I want you to get these three words into your spirit today:  IT IS FINISHED.

In John 19:30, these are the words Jesus cried out on the cross..and He cried them out for you!

Because you’ve received the Lord and His finished work at the cross, there is now no more working to earn God’s favor.  No more sacrifices and rituals.  No more separation between you and God.

Jesus did the work neither you nor I could ever do.  His sacrifice guaranteed our righteousness before the Father.

  • His work is sufficient!
  • His work is a gift!
  • His work is finished!

So why do we still struggle with guilt and condemnation?  Why do we still try to earn our right standing with God?

Imagine this scenario with me…  Let’s say you have a service come and clean your house.  They clean each room from floor to ceiling.  Dusting, vacuuming, cleaning windows, scrubbing every corner and countertop – they clean it all.

Now, when they leave after their work is done, if you get out your scrub brushes and begin cleaning again, there can only be one reason … You didn’t think their work was good enough.  It wasn’t sufficient.

This is what man’s attempt at righteousness looks like.  When we try to clean ourselves up, when we try to be our own righteousness, we are saying the work Jesus did wasn’t good enough – that it wasn’t sufficient.

Rather than looking to yourself, look to Jesus.  Rather than trying harder rest in His sacrifice.

Jesus did the work.  You are accepted and approved before God.  His is sufficient.

Second Corinthians 5:21 tell us this:  “For (God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Notice where your righteousness comes from…it comes from being in Christ.

It’s not in your efforts.  It’s not in your abilities.  It’s not dependent upon your successes or your failures.

The perfect, finished work of Jesus had made you righteous!

And because of His finished work…  You can reign over addictions.  You have health and wholeness in Him.  You can walk in divine wisdom and favor.  You are forever accepted and approved before the Father.

This is not telling us to be lazy and do nothing.  But as you continue to fulfill your daily responsibilities, know that these blessings (and so many others) come as a result of you resting in Jesus’ sacrifice.

His shed blood speaks total forgiveness, righteousness, favor, healing, and peace for you!

Joseph Prince Ministries