I writing to the Ephesians church, Paul wrote extensively about the differences between believers and unbelievers. This statement comes from the middle of his discussion.
We frequently need reminded of how the Gospel really changes us from the world around us. I would add that we often need to distinguish between the traditions we learned at home and in church and the direct teachings of Scripture.
The story is frequently told of a lady who was cooking a ham and cut the bone off before putting it in her large cooker. Her husband asked her why she was cutting it off. She answered, I learned that from my mother. He then asked her mother the same question. Mother answered, “I learned it from my mother”. Grandma was still available, so he asked her. Grandma’s answer was, “My cooking pot was too small for the entire ham”. Many of our traditions are good and useful, but that one wasn’t useful, even if it once was useful.
Other traditions can be very evil. Pagan practices are of the devil and should be carefully evaluated. If they in any way disagree with the Bible they must be abandoned. Paul already had addressed many of those practices before this statement in verse 27.
Let’s look at this verse carefully, to learn how to apply it.
“do not” is an absolute form of expression. It gives no opportunity for an alternate or compromise meaning. When God’s word says “do not”, we cannot compromise. Some have thought that they could confess a murder to their priest and be forgiven. Then they thought they could go out and murder someone else and be forgiven again and again. The Scripture says “do not murder” just as it says “do not steal”.
“give”, but some may say, that’s not generous. Until we recognize that the Scripture is stating that we have authority and must not exercise it in any way contrary to God’s will. How does this authority really work?
If God chooses to speak through people and do everything through people does He ever do anything without doing it through people?
In order to understand how God works we need to start at the beginning, to look at how God set up things on this earth at creation.
In Genesis 1:26— God’s plan was for man to be the ruler of everything on this earth. In Genesis 1:28 — God made man the absolute ruler of everything on this earth. Imagine what it would be like if God told you that you have absolute rule over everything on this earth? You could command animals and they would obey. You could even command insects and they would obey your command.
In chapter three Adam submitted to his wife and the serpent (Gen 3:17). Revelation 12:9 identifies the serpent as Satan. In Job (Job 1:6,7) we find Satan’s claim to authority over the earth is not even questioned.
Luke 4:6 “the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.”
Thus, Adam’s authority had been delivered to the devil.
Romans 6:16: “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
Witness Abraham and Abimelek (Gen. 20:1-17) — God spoke directly to a heathen king that he needed to ask Abraham to pray for his healing. Abimelech had acted in integrity and God spoke to him. Why didn’t God just heal Abimelek directly? I will assert that Job was God’s man and when the story ends the other “comforters” are told to have Job pray for them (Job 42:7,8).
Even when God was going to destroy this wicked earth with a flood, He used a man (NOAH) to preserve the human race by following God’s instructions.
This story is for our benefit to understand how God works. God promised Abraham that He would bless those who blessed Abraham and curse those who cursed Abraham. Proverbs tells us that the curse causeless will not come to rest. Not only that, but God promised to send the curses back on those who cursed Abraham.
I was puzzled with a question: did Eli rebuke his sons or not? A comment in my Bible says he did, but 1 Sam 3:13 he did not (NAS “For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them.” 1Sa 3:13 NAS).
If he was not rebuking them then what was he doing when he said, “23 Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. 24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’S people to transgress. 25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.” (1Sa 2:23-25 KJV)
Because Divine Healing has such a controversial past, we will focus on what the Bible teaches directly. We will not attack any others who have differing opinions. Our study is not about opinions, it is about what God has already said and promised all believers.
We firmly hold to the Word of God as our rule of faith and practice. “The goal of our teaching is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith”. –1 Tim. 1:5.
Our purpose is to help train believers in experiencing and using the authority and power given them in Jesus for the healing and saving of people.
Our first question to solve is: Does Jesus want everyone healed?
KJV Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
KJV Luke 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto [upon] you. [two requirements for healing: 1) enter the city, and 2)”they receive you”.] 10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. (Luk 10:10-11 KJV)
17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. (Gen 20:17 KJV)
20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. (2Ch 30:20 KJV)
KJV Isaiah 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. (Isa 6:10 KJV)
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:4-5 KJV)
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1John 2:17 KJV)
That’s s how to survive in this trying time.
The question is: “What is the Will of God?” If we want to know the will of God, we need to turn to John 7:17: “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17 KJV)
We need to connect closely to God’s word. It has an amazing effect on other people, when we do what is right and our life is coherent, consistent, has integrity. There is a purpose behind this.”For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” (1Peter 2:15 KJV)
Much of opposition to God’s Word comes not from truth or fact, but from ignorance and tradition. It becomes silenced when we do what God says and they see the results.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (John 14:12 KJV)
He does want us to do His will that others will recognize, that God is at work in me and in others who walk with Jesus. How to do it?
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice… And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom 12:1-2 KJV).
People say, “How can you know God’s Will?” Or “maybe it is God’s will for you to be sick”. If you visit somebody in a hospital and they say, “It is God’s will for me to be sick” Then why are you here in the hospital trying to violate God’s will?
Part 3. How to RetainThe mind is really keeps us going. We start about restoration of the mind and learning to retain. We might retain negative things and forget the positive.
Why do we have to have restoration or renewing of the mind? “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom 12:2 KJV)
How do we get our minds working in love, joy and peace? Natural love is different, than the love of God. The love of God is enduring, steadfast, it cannot fail.
True love, joy and peace starts in the thinking capacity. Everything that enters your heart goes through the mind. “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1Pe 1:13 KJV).
You have total control of your mind. No matter what is going on in your mind you have to approve it. That is why Bible says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2Co 10:5 KJV). You take these thoughts into captivity.
Cynthia Brian, host of World Talk Radio, “The Oprah of the airwaves”, interviewed Tatyana Noel about her book “Finding Your Soul Mate“. Autobiographical in nature, Finding Your Soul Mate narrates Tatyana’s story of divine intervention which led her to her soul mate on the other side of the world and reveals a
method of discovering your God-given life partner.
“And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:15-17)
Who is that woman? What is the flood? In the book of Revelation a lot applies to our generation. When a person reads it and gets confused…Confusion comes when someone was rooted in traditions of men and then he come across the verses that contradict their traditions. Confusion also comes when there is a lack of integrity, which leads to lack of the Lord be able to reveal His Word to you. Revelation from the truth of God’s Word begins with an honest heart. If we lack honesty God will actually withhold the truth from us, He will even send a strong delusion, as in Thessalonians, that you might believe a lie.
Over 3 years ago God told me to resign from my church, to get off of television and radio. People where tremendously surprised, but my wife and I were not. All the bills were payed by the Lord. We never asked for money on television for 7 years.
He totally changed my ministry. We saw millions and tens of millions of people’s lives changed. When God speaks, you must put down any of your egos.
When Ted Kopple took me apart on television and crucified me, he did not know how much he helped to propagate God’s Kingdom. My telephone rang for nights and days. Ted Kopple is no more in the business. God took him out.
Groaning in the Spirit is a form of intercession. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26). “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).
When you are in a situation when you exhausted everything you know of, you need to know about this powerful form of intercession, groaning in the Spirit, overcoming your lack of knowing what to pray about.
So many times in Christendom we go into habits that distance us from God. We don’t experience God in a personal way because we become very regimented. I want us to look outside of the normal way of what we do service. I don’t talk about being disloyal or lack of reverence. But we need to become attached to God, not detached. Let’s not be “churchy”, but let’s keep it real.
Philippians 2:1-2 “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”
I want you to really think with me about the subject of prayer. How should it be performed?
Matthew 6:5-7:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Jesus tells His church how to connect with heaven. We don’t need to be like the hypocrites - those who play out. They love the attention from men. They have their reward and missed heaven.
Eve followed Satan. How enemy deceives us? 1 Peter 5:8-9: “8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
First , be sober - we must not be intoxicated. Our mind has to be cleansed. How? By His Word. We have to watch out for the enemy. Not in fear, because we are not ignorant. He did it before, he will do it again.
People today believe the soul cannot die. We think majority rules, that is popular, so it must be right. But the Bible says otherwise. Ezekiel 18:20: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” If we stay the course of God’s word, we clear up that lie.
It says, if we believe in Christ, we shall not perish, but will have everlasting life, but if we don’t have Christ, we will perish. The enemy taught us, that souls that sinneth will never perish, but will exist for eternity somewhere. Unbiblical, but we laid hold of this. Why? Because it is popular, because some people with higher education teach it.
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Many think today that Christ came to do away with the law and the prophets.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17, 18).
What did He fulfill?
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:9-10)
You are not saved by works, but by faith. The law cannot save. Only through the sacrifice can you be forgiven.
What was abolished in the Coming of Christ? Sacrifices and offerings.
“I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8).
Christ did not alter the commandments of God. They are still here today.
Paul wrote to Timothy, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word.” (2 Timothy 4:1-2).
What are we preaching? Jesus Christ. He is the Word!
We can’t cut pieces of God’s Word out. We must take the full counsel of God.
Jesus told us, “If ye love Me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15).
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage– with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Paul talked about instruction, that comes from the Scripture, which is the Old Testament. He said, “Preach this Word”.
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. (Matthew 5:13-16).
So many times we become involved in church things and our life is consumed by necessary things, like studying. There are many students of the Word who don’t really know Him. We are coming to the living Word of God.
Salt has ability to preserve - a wonderful gift God gave. With our weather we are thinking about salt having the ability to melt. “You are the salt of the earth.” We have the ability to preserve, keep life. In preserving life we share life.
I can’t find life in a grocery store on the shelf and to buy life. The only place to find life is in the presence of the life giver. People teach that we have endless life and that we are immortal. Even though the Bible never calls men immortal, only through the relationships with Christ can we experience real life now and in His coming we will be transformed and become immortal.
Salt can melt lies, melt stony hearts. You are salt. You. Because of Christ indwelling us we can melt down barriers. We can reach the world because we are salt. There is no limit to what we can do.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)
To persevere means: to persist in spite of counter influences or opposition or discouragement; to remain unchaged or fixed in character, condition or position.
We are not developing the character of God. We are very shallow: when a slightest obstacle comes, we’d throw a towel: “Maybe it was not God’s will,” and we’d go on.We are suffering from lack of perseverance.
“3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs– he wants to please his commanding officer.” (2 Timothy 2:3-4)The word is given to you for the benefit of your spiritual soundness. Stand up and quit being candy.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:17).
Let’s be honest, many of you think, “If those children don’t make noise it will be much better.” Children’s hearts remain pure and simple.
Last night I watched my grandson. He sat on my lap and started playing with my face, laughing, pulling my ears. How many of us are like that? How many of us want to look in the face of our Master?
You can also watch this sermon in video format:
Touch the Face of God from Tatyana Noel on Vimeo.How many of us have fun with Christ? How many of us truly know Christ? If we really truly know Him we won’t have regimented, cut and dry, stagnant and boring things. (more…)
We are happy to inform you, that Truth, Light and Life Ministries, Int. now has two official websites - http://www.tllm.org/ (video) and http://tllmi.com/ (audio). There you can watch and listen to many more messages by brother Daniel Rodes, Reuben Esh, Kevin Campbell and other preachers from TLLM.
Tom Deckard teaches on how to have God’s power and anointing in our life, speaking from his over 30 years experience. If you want to know how to get closer to the Lord and get God’s power in your life, this teaching will help you.
“Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:16-18)
Wrong teaching and wrong believing can be a detriment to anyone.
Fasting is to get you out of the way and let the Lord lead. When I am fasting, my discernment is way up and I know a lot about you - it pushes more into the supernatural than the natural world. He just reads “spirit” the reality of your life, where you are really living. I’m seeing you just as you are and that is what I can tell you. After the Holy Spirit comes upon a person he becomes another man.
Fasting must become a way of life. You have to bring yourself under a control. Fasting is humbling yourself before God, because we want to get closer to Him. (more…)
“Do Not Give A Place to the Devil”
