Tag Archives: healling

When even God, is not God-centered Enough

“Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The men at the table said among themselves,
“Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”

And Jesus said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.””
Luke 7:48-50 NLT

The context is the forgiveness of sins. Jesus says if you have been forgiven much, you will love much. This is reason, Jesus points ,why the prostitute loved Him so much.

Forgiveness of sins is a big thing, because only God can do it. Only God is judge of the creation that, well, He created. He commands. He holds accountable. There will be a judgment. But He is also merciful and full of unmerited favor. Therefore, King David says, “Happy is the man whom God does not credit sin.” Happy is the man who is forgiven.

Thus there is reason for the crowd say, “how is Jesus able to forgive sins,” if they do not believe He is God’s son and sent from God.

However, the part that I wish to focus on is the last statement. Jesus says, “Your faith has saved you.”

The context is that Jesus is God. Let the sink in. Jesus only speaks and does whatthe Father tells Him. Thus, Jesus says, if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. Let that sink in.

You cannot get more God-centered than God. Or do you think you are more God-centered than God? God says He does all things for His own glory (Ezekiel 36, Romans 11:33-36.)

Jesus has no issue saying statements about the absolute and direct sovereignty of God over all things (John 10:26, 6:44,65). But these are a super minority of the time. Most of the time Jesus speaks on our human level by saying, “your faith saved you,” “your faith healed you,” “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.”

This immediate context is about the forgiveness of sins. This topic is a “central” and linchpin issue for most Churchs and Christians, as it should be. However, when Jesus ends the whole exchange he says, “God saved you.” No, that is not what He said. He said, “your faith saved you.”

If I were to say something as awful as this statement on facebook, twitter (etc.) to a person who just asked God to forgiven them, I would be trolled by elitists and heresy hunting Christians saying, “NO, God is the one who saves, not the person, for even their faith is a gift of God.”

But who is wrong? Jesus or these concerned scholastic cattle? They somehow expect us to put systematic theology into every sentence. Yet if you read them, they do not perform this standard. However, beyond their irrational and hypocritical demands, there is another issue.

They tell me that I am not “God-centered” enough. They use this to scare people. They bully people into thinking they are humble and concerned for the things of God. Yet, all I did was repeat what Jesus did in the same context about forgiveness of sin that Jesus did. So, who is more God-centered, God or men who say they are God-centered?

When even God, is not God-centered enough for you, then you are being played like a demon meat puppet. The bible is not God-centered enough for you, because you are so high on “your” God-centeredness you cannot see reality anymore. However, if you would focus on what “God” is centered on, you would see He is mostly centered on the human level. He is centered on “your” faith in the scripture.

Jesus would beeline to anyone with faith. The Father is the same. Jesus did not beeline to, “God is sovereign, therefore you are forgiven.” No, He would beeline to faith, and say, “your faith healed” or “your faith saved you.” By saying “saved,” as in “your faith has saved you,” he meant it as forgiveness of sins. That is, “your faith has caused you to be forgiven of your sins.” Therefore, I will also say this.

I tell you the truth, those who would correct me saying such a thing, would have also rebuked Jesus, if they were born during His time. If you rebuke the messenger, you rebuke the one who sent him. There is no escaping this condemnation, well, unless you have faith, so that by your faith you are saved.

It is always important to remember the foundation of God’s absolute and direct control over all things, however when we pray, seek and look to God for our daily bread, it is our faith that will save us. Faith in God’s words, is how we engage God. It is how we receive from Him. It is how we please God. Jesus did not stop and asked “who touched me,” because he was annoyed, but because He likes it when faith touches Him.

Do you feel you are one face in a crowd of millions? Who cares. If you have faith, God will beeline to you as if you are the only one there. You want God’s attention? Have faith in His promises. Even a pagan can say, “God-centeredness,” however, only a child can freely ask for healing and receive it in faith.

For those who have faith, and are seeking God, I can say in confidence, “your faith has already saved and healed you.”

What encouragement it is to know, instead to being so high minded that our brains even leave heaven, that if we center on God, who is centered on our faith, our faith will heal us. All we need to do is focus on God’s wonderful and good promises. If we do, it is revealed that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10). There is no fear that this will not happen. And when faith does arise, all things become possible for us. Mountains will obey us. Demons will scream in terror. Broken bodies will fix themselves at our word. And every sort of help will take wings and fly to us. Yes, even God Himself will beeline toward us, and focus on us, when there is a sea of 8 billions faces.

Do not fear, only believe.

Outsiders Buy Healing, Insiders Receive It Freely

^“After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
²⁵“Yes, he does,” he replied.
When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”
²⁶“From others,” Peter answered.
“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. ²⁷“But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
Matthew 17:24:27

Jesus makes an interesting point about who pays for the temple. In Jesus’ day, there was a tax to pay for it. Jesus comments on how kings do not charge taxes on their own children, because they are beloved family. They are insiders. Jesus also says the kings charge the payment of taxes to outsiders, or non-family members.

Jesus says the children are “free.” They freely receive from their father king. They do not give or buy things from their father king. The king freely gives a house to his child. The child does not buy it from their father king.

Outsiders pay taxes. The children of the king do not pay taxes; rather, the children benefit from the taxes. They freely receive a supply from their father king. Outsiders, buy property from the king. The children freely receive a house from their father King.

In Romans 12 it commands us to be zealous for the Lord. That is be zealous for the things of God, and His promises and to seek Him.

However, may people are not zealous in seeking healing from their Father King by daily going over promise verses, thinking about them and praying them. We are to be zealots in approaching our Father King as a child, an insider who freely receives healing and all sorts of help.

Those who disregard this command, will nevertheless approach God. They approach Him like an outsider by going to the doctors and “buy” (pay taxes) their healing, despite being children. Like Simon in Acts 8, they do not use faith to freely receive gifts from God, they try to buy the gifts of God. “Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!””

Let it be known, the bible neither rejects or praises medicine. Thus you are not sinning if you go to the doctors. But again, the bible never endorses it; not one single time! Let that sink in.

God freely gives all things to His children. Yet, Satan has many convinced God is an outsider to them, and they are an outsider to God. They must beg, like outsiders to receive from God.

Through the finished atonement of Jesus, healing is an already purchased and accomplished gift, which already belongs by right to God’s children. You cannot buy a “gift” from God. Healing is accomplished by the blood and atonement of Jesus (Isaiah 53:4-5). You cannot buy anything Jesus bleed for, without blaspheming. All benefits of the cross are freely received “only by faith.” There is no other way. If you truly think going to the doctor to get healing, is a benefit of the Cross, then you necessarily affirm you can “buy” the blood and atonement of Jesus Christ.

You cannot buy what God freely gives. You cannot buy God’s gift.

You can buy what man charges. You can buy human help.

Since you cannot buy God’s healing, and if you cannot receive it freely as an insider by faith, then your only option is to buy it from man.

If you want healing that God gives, you only receive it by faith. This is the only way children relate to their Father. It is how insiders have relationship with God. Do not bypass the children’s free access, then go to man, buy man’s help, and then call it God’s gift. Sure, God in kindness can still help the doctor’s hand in a surgery, but at the end of the day, you went and purchased man’s help. IF you don’t like this, then start to act like children and have faith in the free promises of your Father, purchased (not by you) but by the blood of Christ Jesus.

God loves His children. He does not charge you. God does not put His blessings up for sale.

God gives to you. You do not give to God.

Offended At God’s Lavish Giving

Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news,
and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.

Matthew 11:4-6 CSB

Let us not be offended by Jesus healing people, and causing them to have great joy. Let us not be offended by Jesus healing all who came to Him. Let us not be offended by Jesus healing every single person who asked. . Let us not be offended by Jesus raising the dead back to life, and causing their mothers to have great joy. Let us not be offended by Jesus preaching good news to the lowly.

Let us not be offended that Jesus healed, healed, healed and healed some more, rather preaching the gospel more, or talking about sin or hell.

Jesus would not have said this, if there was not an issue of people being offended by Him healing so much.

He is not warning about being offended at His doctrine of sin or hell, but offended at Him freely giving so much good things to people with faith. This lines up with Paul’s definition in 1 Corinthians 2 that a message of wisdom for mature people is a message about freely receiving all the good things from God, and not a message about us sacrificing or giving. Immature and unspiritual people are offended at God freely giving good things. They are offended because they lack the intellectual aptitude and spiritual strengthen to freely receive healing, forgiveness, wealth and blessings. They then spend their time hindering God’s true children from receiving God good things out of spite and rebellion.

It is a confession of unbelief to say, “in my humanity I can’t.”

I read this today and had these thoughts.

“You have probably heard all your life that God won’t put any burden on you greater than you can bear. Don’t mark me off as a heretic just yet, but I don’t believe it. I believe that God will put heavier burdens on you than you can bear, especially when He is trying to bring you to the place of brokenness. God will allow the burden to be greater than you can bear so that you will finally allow Him to bear it for you. God’s purpose in the breaking process is to bring you to the end of your own resources so that you will be ready to understand that He is the only resource you need in life. As long as your own abilities are sufficient to rise to the challenge, you will never understand that He doesn’t just give strength. He is your Strength. In the breaking process, God has no intention of helping you get stronger. He wants you to become so weak that He can express Himself as the strength you need in every situation.”
-(Billy)

This is one of those statements that I agree with it (in part) because I understand what they mean, despite it not being said well, (I say this in a kind way, for I could be harsher with my criticism).

This answer is like the Reformed answer of compatableist, where it answers the question, by not directly dealing with the specific question, by answering another question, and then acting like they directly answered your question.

When the Paul says to the Corinthians that God will not tempt you beyond what you can endure, it is implied or presupposed you are under the grace, supply and power of God as a Christian. The Christian can take burdens that will kill non-Christians, such as an untreatable sickness. They can survive because they are already born-again and have faith. It does not necessarily mean they every Christian will always win, but that they have the tools and free supply from God to always be successful if they have faith.

Sickness can be a temptation to give into a sin of confessing unbelief. The non-Christian, has no hope, but the Christian can confess Isaiah 53:4 in faith.

I understand the idea of wanting to say “humanly, I can’t do this etc”.. and there is proper place to remind ourselves how we use to be before Jesus saved us. However, If you are a Christian you are not just a human any more, therefore it is a confession of unbelief to say “in my humanity I can’t,” as a correct statement about your present reality. If you are a Christian you are a new creation, a superior species. You are gods; you are a child of God who has God’s DNA in you. You do not have the right to see yourself as only human with human limitations. That old man is dead.

Are burdens too hard for God? Then they are not too hard for you. Are things impossible for God? Then they are not impossible for you. Even if God gives impossible temptations as burdens, then so what? All things are possible for those who believe. God is compassionate and knows if one of His children are weak on faith, and will help them mature. However, the way to grow from immature to maturity is seeing your high identity in God.

God does not want or send you weakness or sickness. Jesus died to free you from weakness and sickness, not give them to you. God sent His word, and healed them. The same for strength. God sends His word (not weakness) and by this we are made strong. Sure, if you are a disobedient child who refuses to be made strong by resting and receiving His Word, He might send Satan to make you weak, and by this cause you to do what you were suppose to do to begin with, which is rely on His Word in faith and by this be strong.

A person who only learns God is their strength by burdens and weakness is not a Christian by definition but a reprobate. A Christian learns God is their strength, ONLY and I mean only, by the Word of God and believing it. Experience is the worst teacher you can have. God’s word is only teacher for the Christian.

Jesus is the Vine, we are the branches. Jesus does not seen up weakness and sickness through the root to the branches, or is Jesus a minister of sickness and weakness and burdens? No. Jesus sends an unmerited and unending supply of righteousness, healing, joy, power, soundness of mind, strength, freedom and love. The Father prunes the branches. He does not give unfruitful branches and grafts them into us. No. We produce unfruitful branches and all the Father does is remove them, so that we can be more fruitful. God takes away burdens and weakness, by giving us freedom and strength. Being a branch grafted into Jesus the vine, is a reality for me; I do not go in and out of being one. I am citizen of heaven, without one line of a sinful record attached to my name. I am a child of God. I am heavenly royalty.

Let the weak say, “I am strong in the strength of the Lord (Eph 6:10.,” and that you always fill my heart with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32). Not that the weak, “will” be strong, but” now” is strong. Not that God is strong, but that in God, “I am” strong.

A Superior Species

We declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden
and that God destined for our glory.
1 Corinthians 2:7

Its all fun, joy and praises when I mention we need to glorify God, praise Him, give Him all the credit, and extol His Name above all others, and this is as it ought to be. However, once I mention how highly God has exalted man as a superior species in Christ, then I am attacked. The reason for this is the church being under the oppression of tradition and false humility. People are stuck at the doorway of forgiveness, being centered on their sin; they are centered on themselves. This doorway into the next life, is so precious and magnificent that they remine there. They never truly inter in the glory and privilege of being children of God. They never experienced what it means to be child and sit at the table of their beloved Father.

The Logic of Denying the Consequent is used throughout the Scripture. If there is a logical necessary connection from the antecedent to the consequent, then if you deny the consequent, you deny the antecedent. The part that makes this work is if the connection is necessary and not merely sufficient. Ultimately, this means it must be a truth, but only God is able to reveal truths. However, since the scripture gives us truth and uses this logic, then so will we.

For example,

Galatians 3:18, “For if the inheritance is of the law, [then] it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.”

M.1. (P) If inheritance if of the law, (~Q) then inheritance is not by promise.
M.2. ~(~Q) It is by promise.
M.3. ~(P) Thus, inheritance is not by the law.

This example is given to lead to our present subject. If you deny the consequences of man’s highly exalted position produced by Jesus’ atonement, then you deny the atonement. There is no way around this.

Does Jesus sit in the heavenly places?
So does man (Ep. 2:6, Col. 3:1-3).

Is Jesus blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places?
So is man (1:3).

Does Jesus have the Mind of Jesus?
So does man (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Was the gospel predestined for the glory of God?
Yet, it was also predestined for the glory of man (1 Corinthians 2:7)

Does Jesus have direct access to the Father?
So does man (Hebrews 4:16, 10:19)

Is Jesus heir of the world?
So is man (Romans 4:13).

Does everything belong to Jesus, including time?
It also belongs to man ( 1 Corin. 3:23).

Does Jesus have the intellectual and ethical power to judge all things?
So does man ( 1 Corin. 2:15)

Jesus is the only begotten son of God, but in this context, I ask, is Jesus a child of God?
Yet, so is man (1 John 3:1,9, 4:13)

Is creation liberated into the liberty of God?
Yet, it is also liberated into the glorious liberty of man (Romans 8:21).

How glorious and valuable is the resurrected Jesus Christ?
Man also has this glory and image (Romans 8:30)

Did Jesus have the fullness of the Spirit of God on earth? (Acts 10:38)
So does man (Acts 1:1-8)

Does Jesus dwell in the house of God?
So does man (John 14:1-3)

Does God judge Angels?
So does man (1 Corinth. 6:3)

The same love the Father has loved Jesus, Jesus loves man. (John 15:9)

The same love the Father loves Jesus, the Father loves man. (John 17:23

The same glory the Father gave Jesus, Jesus gives this glory to man. (John 17:22)

The same Spirit of God, who knows God exactly (because it is God’s Spirit), God has given to us, so that we have the Mind of Christ.

If we deny pantheism (as the bible does), then we must affirm, as the Scripture does that God does these glorious thing to man, not Himself. When Peter says to humble yourself under God’s hand, he says God will exalt “you” and not Himself. It was Jesus, who created all things and sustains all things by His power, who said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” If this is so for a pagan, how much more is this true for all thing magnificent things God as given His children.

God promised to make Abraham’s name great and famous. Abraham became excessively rich and defeated a combination of many armies. Even to this very day Abraham is sung in the songs of millions and millions of Christians. Even in Heaven Abraham is famous (Matthew 8:11). The promise was to make His friend’s name great, not His, and it happened just as God said. God made Moses like a God to Israel and Pharaoh. God promised to do the same for Joshua, by making him great in the eyes of Israel. It was never recorded that Jesus was teleported by the Spirit, but this glory was given to a man, a table bearer named Philip.

To diminish the glory of man, particularly the born-from-above man, is to diminish the glory of God, because God said He has greatly exalted and glorified man through Jesus Christ. It would be to say God is defective and stupid at accomplishing His desires. To trample on the glory, fame and exaltation God has given His chosen ones is to trample on the blood of Jesus Christ as a common and ineffectual thing.

We are part of Abraham’s blessing, fame and glory (Gal. 3-4).

God does not mind sharing His glory, authority and power, for example, with His friend Abraham or giving the disciples 12 thrones, and all saints the inheritance of being His children; however, what God will not share is the credit and praise that belongs only to Him for all the good things He predestined for our value. Praise and credit is one type of glory (there are many types of glory), however, this type of glory, God will not share. Herod learned this the difficult way. Fame, power, favor, thrones, an eternal name, riches God has no issue lavishing these glories on His friends and children.

God has made us a superior species in Jesus Christ. Any denial of the unmeasurable magnitude of this reality is a denial of the gospel and blood of Jesus. There is no risk of pride, for we know God has give all these things to us by unmerited favor and mercy. Jesus loved us to the point of the cross. To accomplish these great things for us He was nailed to our curses. However, by the magnificent promises of God we partake of the divine nature itself. It is our new identity. We are glad to recognize this and praise God for eternity. We are filled with inexpressible joy for all the good things God as lavished so freely upon us. Oh, what great love this is, that God calls us His highly beloved children.

The Path of Faith & the Spirit

It just dawned on me, that when I learned about (or that God personally taught me) God’s sovereignty and occasionalism and decrees, was when I was a teenage and had never heard of John Calvin or any reformation. It was a time I was praying in tongues and experiencing the anointing presence of God, and often hearing prophecy in my church. It was in this environment God revealed to me these doctrines from His word, without any man involved. The Spirit taught me these doctrines; no man or system or book did. It was in the power of the Spirit I learned them.

I now see how the evil one took advantage of my overall ignorance and immaturity to lead me to the reformed world to try and snuff this out with unbelief (and contradictive theology). I thanked God I never stopped my belief in faith and the Spirit, but it was being chocked by an onslaught of unbelief material. I was deceived to think reformed material would help me fight sin, when it was the very thing weakening my ablity to fight. I thought Reformed doctrine would not only give me some more knowledge but help with things such fighting besetting sin. Oh boy, was I wrong.

God in His kindness did not forget me. I was in the middle of transcribing Jonathan Edward sermons for Yale University, and even asked by John Piper’s team for possible collaborations, that the Spirit of God overwhelmed me in my house and I fell to the ground. I felt a hand touch my back and I heard Jesus say to me 3 times. “Oshea I love you, and I have forgiven you of all your sins.” I was then aware that despite all the reformed theology I was reading it was not translating into inner growth and faith. In my heart I wanted out, but didn’t know how. I knew something was wrong.

I few years later Vincent Cheung began his transition to faith and inner strength and God worked on my heart to completely leave the reformed world and showed me a better way. I saw that the way of faith and the Spirit was always the good path, the right path. It is a path that will cause God to stop and boast about you, exalt you and uplift you. It is a path that will fill you with joy, power and glory.

Basic doctrines like God’s sovereignty, occasionalism, and the eternal decrees is child level easy to understand, and no one should boast about understanding it as a great intellectual feat. Faith and miracles is something to boast about; indeed, even God will boast about you if you have faith.

Suggested reading:
God Will Boast About You.

Only Believe

“Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”
– Jesus

Faith and fear do not exist in the same place together. This is why Jesus said, “only believe.” Some have a mixture of faith and fear, and thus, their faith is not pure and only partial. Partial faith will get partial results, because of God kindness. However, if you want true success in miracles, then do not fear, but “only believe.”

A Disciplined Son, Sitting In His Room, In His Father’s House

What is the fear of the Lord? The fear of the lord is defined by its context. At times is simply means to worship the lord, as Jesus quotes to the devil. But at times it means awful dread of judgment. And lastly it can mean, as a legitimate son, to fear the discipline (not condemnation) of your father.

Vincent Cheung writes regarding a besetting sin,

It is good that instead of excusing yourself, you admit your sin and you are taking it seriously. Even if the sin persists, remember to never lose this – never begin to make excuses or to think that it is not a sin.

It is correct that true faith in Jesus Christ leads to holiness. However, a stubborn sin – or two or three – can tend to capture our attention to the exclusion of other aspects of our lives. When you take your entire life into account, is the basic disposition toward holiness? Is there an overall growth in knowledge, reverence, purity, and good works? If so, then this is consistent with a genuine faith in Christ. Instead of allowing a stubborn sin to become a stumbling block for your whole faith, you should consider the fact of your continuing growth in Christ to draw strength and encouragement in the ongoing battle against the remaining evil… So even if you draw on the strength and pressure of a Christian community, see to it that your main focus remains on Jesus Christ. He is the sole Mediator, the Lord of the conscience, and the Shepherd of your soul.[1]

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?[g]
10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way,”
(Hebrews 12:1-3,7-11. NLT)

“Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going,”
(John 13:38, 14:1-4. NIV)

“He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.”
(Romans 2:6-7 NLT)

“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord,”
1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

So right after Jesus tells Peter that Peter will betray Him (people have forfeited their souls for less), Jesus says not to worry, but remember He is preparing a room in His Father’s house for all the disciples, including Peter.

Peter did suffer the disgrace and sorrow for what he, but Jesus restored him, and Peter upon receiving this freely given love, freely gave it back to the brethren by strengthen them. Peter never stopped from having a room in the Father’s house.

When I was disciplined by my parents, my mom would make me wait in my room for my dad to come and give me a spanking. As Hebrews 12 says, discipline is not pleasant. How obvious this is. It is proper to “fear” the unpleasantness of discipline. The point to remember is this, it is discipline, and not condemnation. For those in Christ Jesus we never fear condemnation, because Jesus was already condemned in our place. [2] This is a fear a Christian should never experience, and any voice or feeling that says otherwise is a lie from Satan. Our judgment has already happened. Only grace and life are before us. It is a bight day, today in Christ. It is a brilliant future.

However, I want to bring your attention to this aspect. I waited for my dad’s discipline, in my “room” in my “father’s house.” Think about that. The same is for our heavenly Father. For all those truly born-from-above, we never leave our Father’s house. Even if we wait for discipline, we wait as sons, in the safety of our own rooms. And even in the extreme example of the parodical son, when the son left his room on his own, the father’s always had a room waiting for the son’s return.

Any discipline is to help you mature as a son. That is, the good things you are seeking, such as blessings, health, prosperity (etc.) God our Father wants to give this to us, more than we want to receive it. We are already in Christ, righteous in God’s sight, reconciled and co-heirs with Jesus. By faith, at any time we can approach God’s throne; our sins do not negate this. However, if our sin is to often or too big, it can hinder our conscience to be sin focused and not righteousness focus, and this will hinder our faith, and this will hinder us freely receiving all the good things from our Father. God’s discipline for His sons, is not to remake us as sons because our sins stopped us from being sons; no, our Father desires to mature us to understand we are beloved sons through Jesus and on this foundation, in faith freely receive the good things promised us. God wants to give more than you want to receive.

When we are sick, we need to have a relentless focus on our healing, on the word of God about healing day and night. We are not to focus on our sickness, we are to focus on the healing already accomplished by Jesus in His finished atonement. We are not to focus on the pain, but the how much God loves us and wants our healing more than we want it. Sickness is from the devil, it is a curse of the law and Jesus started to demolish it in His ministry and has commanded all His disciples to continue this battle. We are commanded to have faith to be healed.

The same for sanctification, even in besetting sins. We need to have a relentless focus on our righteousness in God, and not our sin. Hebrews 12 in context about the sins that so easily ensures us, says to focus on Jesus who began and will strengthen our faith. The application is obvious. We do not focus on what our eyes see, or minds feel, or body experiences; rather, we focus on all the promises of God that are yes through Jesus Christ. We focus day and night that we are the righteousness of God in Jesus, that we are children of God, beloved and reconciled once and for all time. We can march into the throne of heaven at any time and place to ask and receive from Almighty God, as dear children. We need to see that even all our future sins are forgiven, forgotten and gone. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1 that not only did Jesus become our righteousness for us, but also our “sanctification.” Jesus did not only start our faith, but He will be faithful, (not you), HE will be faithful to mature and finish our faith. In blood, Jesus promises in the New Contract, that God will write His laws on our minds so that we love God, by obeying His commands. This was not your promise to God, but God’s promise to you. The Father pointed to His Jesus’ bloody corpse and said on that day, I promise I will cause you to love Me. This is love, not that we loved God, but that God so loves us that He sent His son to be a wrath appeasing atonement for us. The old man has already died, and the new man is already here. We are free from the law of sin and death and now we reign in this life through Jesus Christ.

This does not diminish our sickness by focusing on our healing promised in Jesus, instead of the pain, but is obedience to focus on what God tells us to focus on. The same for sin and righteousness. It is obedience to focus on our righteousness, sonship and value in Christ and not sin conscience. Psalm 1 says you will have success in all that you do if you think on God’s word day and night. We know the way. It is Jesus. It is a relentless focus on our beloved identity in Him, and that all the good promises are our definition and yes through Jesus.

ENDNOTES

[1] Vincent Cheung. Habitual Sin. Sermonettes Vol. 6. 2012. Pg.81.

[2] Now, if you are in extreme, gross sin (there are degrees of sin), it is not wrong to remember the dread of condemnation, in the sense that Paul says, check and see if your election is sure; yet, these are extremes that most Christians should not relate to (2 Corinth. 11:20-22, 27, “guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.”). Yet, even in this extreme, God killed them with sickness before they could forfeit their salvation. And yet, in this extreme James 5:15 still applies, “Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven,” NLT. God wants you to prosper.

FAITH QUOTES

[These quotes are from various preachers and teachers from the “2022 Southwest Believers’ Convention.” From Aug 4-6, 2022, from the Kenneth Copeland twitter page.]

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer,
believe that you have received it, and it will be yours
– Matthew 11:24

If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts,
ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
-John 15:7 (AMPC)

“The destroyer is rebuked for our sake and His weapon of sickness and disease cannot prosper against us.”
– Kenneth Copeland

“We resist sin…we resist sickness and disease.”
– Kenneth Copeland

“When you can’t recognize yourself, doubting likely has become a habit in your life.”
@jesse_duplantis

“God never anointed Jesus to go about putting sickness on anybody.”
@terripearsons

“Fear is not okay.”
– Kenneth Copeland

“You are supposed to be healed today!”
-Kenneth Copeland

“Jesus paid the bill for our healing with His own blood.”
-Kenneth Copeland

“Doubt will steal your face, because it has no face. It’s an identity thief.
@jesse_duplantis

“An unlimited God can be limited by His own people!”
@jerrysavellemin

“You start acknowledging God over all the good things that happen to you and more good things will happen to you.”
@jerrysavellemin

“The battle may not be your choice, but the outcome is.”
@jesse_duplantis

“We can limit God through small thinking and negative talking.”
@jerrysavellemin

“God’s warehouses are full! All He wants to do is Bless His kids!”
@jesse_duplantis

“Faith brings our hopes into reality.”
@jerrysavellemin

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
– Hebrews 11:1

“Faith knows ahead of time what God will do.”
– Keith Moore

“When God tells you that He wants you to do something, and you have an assignment, you can get bold — Nothing can stop you, nobody bigger than Him.”
-Keith Moore

“Get out of the boat of religion and start walking on the water because Jesus is not in the boat He’s on the water.”
@jesse_duplantis

“You’re moving from Victory to Victory. Your Victory is already done!”
@Creflo_Dollar

“Now is the time to know that without Him you can do nothing.”
@Creflo_Dollar

“The very law of mankind should be total dependence on God.”
@Creflo_Dollar

Declare it until you believe it: “I am the righteousness of God.”
@Creflo_Dollar

“The thing that gives you eternal value is that God Himself chose you and paid the highest price for you.”
Keith Moore

“We’re not righteous in God’s eyes because we do right. We’re righteous because of Jesus.”
@Creflo_Dollar

“Righteousness is your stance and position with God. It’s the ability to stand in the presence of the Father with no fear, shame, guilt, inferiority, or condemnation.”
Creflo Dollar

“There’s absolutely nothing that God’s favor can’t accomplish.”
@jerrysavellemin

“The favor of God changes rules, regulations and policies in your behalf.”
@jerrysavellemin

“Start putting your faith in what Jesus has already finished.”
@Creflo_Dollar

“You don’t have to talk God into it. He wants to do it, He desires to do it, He gets great pleasure out of it.”
@jerrysavellemin

“Zero + Zero is Zero. Zero + Faith is plenty!”
-Kenneth Copeland

“I depend on favor every day of my life.”
@jerrysavellemin

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
– Hebrews 11:6

“I’m righteous because of Jesus. As long as Jesus is alright, I’m alright.”
@Creflo_Dollar

“You can’t leave up to God, what God has left up to you.”
– Keith Moore

“Victory is a finished deal.”
@Creflo_Dollar

“God wants you to depend on Him so He can show you His commitment to take care of you.”
@Creflo_Dollar

“Doubt makes you the center of your belief.”
@jesse_duplantis

“When the disciples obeyed Jesus, their boats were so full they began to sink.” Kenneth Copeland

“Grace is God speaking to you, faith is you speaking to Him.”
@JeremyPearsons

“Religion makes beggars out of men and women.”
-Keith Moore

“The household of faith is faith in the morning, faith in the noontime, faith when the sun goes down.”
@JeremyPearsons

“There’s always somebody telling you you can’t, God says you can. Who’s lying?”
jesse_duplantis

“Jesus did everything by faith in His Father, and it’s the same Father dwelling in you and me, and it’s the same faith.”
Kenneth Copeland

“We are the body of Christ, in this hour — we are the transition piece.”
@terripearsons

“Doubt is an unconscious atheism.”
@jesse_duplantis

“You can’t come to Him in faith and not have something happen!”
@terripearsons

“People who know how to use their faith are operating on a different level.” @terripearsons

“Don’t talk the world. Talk The WORD.”
@jerrysavellemin

“Divine moments change your entire existence!”
-Kenneth Copeland

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.
– Matthew 21:22

Substitutionary Atonement: Curses For Miracles

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corin.5:21 LEB).
“Though (Jesus) was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.” (2 Corin. 8:9 NLT)
“Surely He has borne our sickness, And carried our pains… And by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5 LEB).

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,” in order that the [gospel] might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the [gospel]
of the Spirit [ & miracles, – verse 5,8] through faith,”
(Galatians 3:13-14 LEB).

Sin for righteousness.

Poverty for prosperity.

Sickness for health.

Curses for Spirit and Miracles.

Interestingly, the reverse for curses is the baptism of the Spirit and miracles. Tradition the rejects these things as a common experience for the believers and so put themselves under a curse, by doctrine and practice. If you are not under miracles, then by Paul’s argument you are still under a curse.

Paul argues in the beginning of chapter 3 that by faith they were filled with the Spirit and miracles, and not by doing the law. Thus, Spirit and Miracles are put together by Paul. Next, Paul says this is the blessing of Abraham that God promised, and this promise is also for gentiles who have faith. Then Paul says, the Scripture preached this blessing as the “gospel” to Abraham.

Two important notes in how Paul is using terms. Paul uses the terms “God” and “Scripture” as interchangeable, and terms “blessing to Abraham” and “gospel” as interchangeable.

Thus, when verse 14 says that we might receive the Spirit, it has already been defined by Paul along side with “miracles,” and that they are together defined with the interchangeable terms, “blessing and gospel.” By defining the gospel as the Spirit and miracles Paul is defining the gospel or blessing by important specific effects, and not defining it in its broadest meaning. Therefore, in Paul’ argument it is not a straight “curses for blessings” conclusion, the way it might mirror, sins for righteousness. Paul is going straight to the effects. Curses for the Spirit and miracles.

This should not be a surprise if you consider the origin of this gospel, which is Abraham. God’s blessing to him equated in an onslaught of miracles after miracles. Physical miracles of his and his wife’s bodies, prosperity, favor, military victories over multiple kingdoms, the King of Salem giving him bread and wine and talking with God face to face (etc.). Thus, when we are grafted into this blessing by the atonement of Jesus and faith in Him, we are grated into an onslaught of miracles.

Paul’s argument is that through Jesus by faith, we have the same gospel that was promised to Abraham is given to us. Simple and beautiful.

Thus, even after the death and resurrection of Jesus, Paul’s argument is the gospel of Abraham is the foundation for the abundant miracles and Spirit of power being demonstrated in the Galatian church. The church receives this freely in faith and not by works of the law. Thus, the foundation for the current New Testament church dispensation is the ongoing gospel of Abraham. Therefore, any argument about miracles ending with the apostles, is stupid, anti-scripture and anti-gospel.

The reason people say such things, is because they are men who are focused on men, albite good men, but men nonetheless. They love men, love the praise of men and will do anything to side with men. God is just an afterthought and decoration. As demonic as it is, God is used as an exegesis principle to help them focus on men.

The Scripture is focused on God. God and His swearing by His name to bless Abraham with unending miracles in the foundation. All those who turn to this God and His gospel of miracles, will not be put to shame.

The important point is that the “age of miracles” is interchangeable with the “age of the gospel of Abraham.” If this gospel stands, it is an age of miracles and the Spirit. The only 2 ways for abundant miracles to stop is (1) God stops being faithful to His promise to Abraham (which He swore by His Name to do, Heb. 6:13-14) or (2) people do not believe in God’s gospel promise (Rom. 10:16).

Many men have conspired with demons to say it was the first reason and not their lack of faith that explains the lack of the effects of the gospel, which is miracles and the Spirit in their life. They have their reward.

But for us, let us partake of the Lord’s Supper and remember the sufferings of Jesus that exchanged our sin for His righteousness, our sickness for His Health, our poverty for His wealth, and ours curses for His miraculous power. Let us be Christians and live the gospel of Abraham that Jesus made ours by being literally nailed to our curses on that tree. God wanted this. Just as God wanted Abraham to be blessed with a life of miracles, He wants you to be.

Oshea Davis

Systematic Theology. Logic. Faith. Healing. Power.