Tag Archives: Love

Let’s see if your Idols can Save

“Let’s see if your idols can save you when you cry to them for help.”
Isaiah 57:13

God mocks those who rely on idols. This is like the Israelites in Exodus who said the inhabitants were too big and strong and they were to small and weak. God punishes and mocks them by saying, “you will have what you said.” “You will be too weak and they will be to strong.”

Likewise, “you reject Me and trusted your idols, then let them save you from this trouble and calamity.”

The mistake is to think this only applies to obvious things like directly spoken unbelief or idol worship. Helpful tools in life can be abused into idol worship by trusting them more than God. Take for example Joshua going to the promise land. God told them to use swords and shields to drive out the inhabitants. God was not going to remove them like He did with Pharaoh, when they only watched from the sideline. However, this did not mean they were to trust their weapons as the real power that gave them the victory. They did fight. However, Joshua also told the Sun to stop by faith. The the walls of Jericho fell by their faith and praise in God. If they would have trusted their weapons more than God, then God would have rejected them. God would say, “since you trusted your weapons so much, then let them save you.”

The same with medicine. The bible does not condemn medicine but neither does it recommend it or encourage it.  Thus it is ok to use, but not ok to trust it as if it can save you. You only give this trust to God. He is a jealous God.

With Joshua using a Word of Faith to stop the sun, or Israel blowing horns to make walls fall, or Moses holding his hands up, it is obvious their trust is in God. They had faith in God as their salvation. They received supernatural and undisputed manifestations of God’s power and help. With faith, Samson did not even need a sword, but only a jawbone. The point is simple. If medicine is not an idol to you, then you will prove it by faith that shows supernatural healing that no one can dispute. If not, and medicine is an idol you trust to save you, then do not be surprised when you face a difficult medical condition and God says, “why are you asking me for help, let your idol of medicine save you.”

This is why cessationism is so damning. They rely on their own power and the power from men to save them in health, wealth, demons, and troubles. Let their human idols save them.

Only put your trust in God. Have faith in God. Do not fear, only believe. He wants to help you more than you want to be helped. He is faithful to do what He promised. All who came to Jesus were healed. If you have seen Jesus, you have seen the Father. Jesus already was a substitutionary atonement for our sickness and pains. We do not bear them because He already did.

Confess Faith, Not Feelings

[“…I initially worried that what I had said may had been the unpardonable sin but now, looking back, I understand that it was not. Vincent Cheung’s materials helped me realize this…
I am a firm believer, a child of God, and deep down inside I know that God has me and loves me. I have OCD, and it never effected me so much spiritually as it has in the past year.
…The worry essentially comes back every now and again of “what if” I actually did say one of my terrible thoughts out loud. I love God, the faith He has given me is all that matters to me. I keep worrying though about what I might have said, because I literally have no idea what I might have said, and I fear I never will know. I keep moving forward in faith, but the fear keeps coming back. Can I ever have true assurance of my salvation ever again?”]

Billy,

I will give a few quick points, but I cannot promise I will engage you beyond this.

I am encouraged to hear you say you read Vincent’s material on the “unpardonable sin” and this was able to give clarity and relief. I am glad you are moving on with faith. This is the right way to go forward.

“Can I ever have true assurance of my salvation ever again?” Did you get this question from the bible or something else like your feelings? Obviously the bible teaches we can have assurance of our salvation by the Word, The Spirit and our faith. James says if you doubt, then you will be tossed to and fro, and this is what you sound like. One moment you are taking a stand with faith on God’s word, then the next you step off from faith, to then take a stand on feelings, as if feelings can give you knowledge.

There are several issues here in your letter, but the most immediate issue is that you are too focused on yourself, your feelings and even the psychological aspect of faith. Faith is simply an intellectual assent to God’s truth. Nothing more. There is no more to it. Any other focus is not a focus on faith. But only faith in God will save you. Take forgiveness of sins, as an example. Faith is not about “my” intellectual record of my wrongs. Sin is not a nasty feeling. Sin is a record of lawbreaking that God has in His own mind. In God’s mind, because of Jesus, God sees our report card as having no records of lawbreaking. None. It is irrelevant if you still consider it, because only God’s thoughts about it matter. Faith is not you thinking about, “thinking about” your sins or feeling if they still are attached to you or not. Faith is agreeing with God that He sees you perfect and blameless and loved. Anything else is not faith, but doubt and sinful worry.

This is why faith is often said with a faith confession. You are saying out loud what God has said and you agree with Him. Faith confesses and blows the horns of praise before the Wall of Jericho comes down, not after. Because the promises of God are certain, absolute and reality itself, you can praise and confess the reality before you see it. Abraham confessed over and over, every time he introduced himself, that he was the Father of Nations before it happened. He trusted God and so there was no doubting the outcome, no matter how dead his body was, or how he felt about it.

I say this because you confessed unbelief, “Can I ever have true assurance of my salvation ever again?” Out of the heart the mouth speaks. You cannot confess unbelief and expect to get better. You must only speak faith, in your mind and on your lips. There is still hope. Stop confessing unbelief and only speak faith. What you think and confess God will give you, is what God will give you. When there is a promise there is a way out.

I am sympathetic for struggling with inner weakness, for I had to craw my way out of a deep pit and take a stand on God’s wonderful promises. I had to play Christian music, listen to encouraging sermons, play promise verses on a recording over and over and over to the point I wanted to vomit. But I kept at it until I was able to renew my mind. You must put everything into agreeing with God. Also, praying in the Spirit and receiving interpretations and God’s anointing presence has been immeasurable in helping me overcome.

Also, it is not God who is resisting you to be sound in mind, filled with Joy and full of peace. God is the one person who is not hindering you. Jesus is a minister of the New Contract (See Vincent Cheung. Our Contract). He is the Vine we are the branches. He only ministers joy, forgiveness, peace, strength, answered prayers and power. He does not minister sickness, pain, suffering and troubles. Satan, your old man (the old way of thinking that needs to be renewed) and false teachers will hinder you, but God will always receive you.

If it is demonic you must resist Satan and he will run from you with his tail tucked under his legs. You must have faith and command the demonic harassment to leave. Vincent Cheung explains this in “On Spiritual Attacks.”

If it is wrong thinking, then you must renew it. If you gave Satan a foothold, then it might take some time to fully renew your mind (but with faith you can always make it go away in a moment), but God guarantees in the Contract that He will write His laws on your minds so that we love obeying Him. He promises to do it. Remind God of this in your prayers and thank Him for it. He is faithful. If you need somewhere to start, then confess Psalm 23 over yourself every day. God wants you to have a joyful sound mind more than you do. He is the only one not hindering you. Have faith in God. He did not withhold His only Son, and so He will not withhold a sound mind.

God has given you the power to renew your mind. Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 says we get stronger in our inner man by knowing and experiencing God’s love for us. The fear of God will start you on the path of wisdom and it keep your feet firmly planted there; however, God’s love will make you mature and powerful.

OCD. He wants you healed more than you want it. Pound healing verses in your mind day and night and confess them out loud. If you seek, then God promises you will find. With faith you can have whatever you ask for. See “Faith Override”

Lastly, it is power that will deliver you. (see my short essay, “Power is what will Finally Deliver You,” Also see Vincent Cheung,  “Cure for Psychological Trauma.” ) God’s power and love are yours for the taking. Through Jesus Christ and His promises, God’s power is a low hanging fruit that is easy to pick by faith.  Do not doubt, only believe.

It is good to rebuke and correct the old way of thinking, but you need to mostly focus on the positive. When you are marching around Jericho see the walls coming down, because they will. God will do His part. Think about God’s good promises and visualize yourself today, tomorrow, next week and next year, completely healed and happy. Give God thanks, knowing His promise are more real than anything you are currently feeling or experiencing.

In Christ, circumstances do not dominate us, we dominate circumstances.
In Christ, our old fears, now fear us.

-from email

What if Abraham Doubted that God will Make his Name Famous?

God cut up His one and only Son into pieces and gave these promises, say “I will do what I promised.” All our sins are forgiven and forgotten. God Himself sanctifies us by writing His laws on our hearts. He personally teaches us. God will never stop from favoring us. And God is forever our God and Father and We are His children and people.

This last promise carries a huge package of goodies and blessings. It is from the blessing and gospel of Abraham. Paul defines this promise as God giving the world to Abraham (romans 4:13) and the baptism of the Spirit and miracle (Galatians 3).  By defining the God’s blessing to Abraham by the words and context of Abrahams life, this blessing to be His God and Abraham His people, includes all sorts of favors for every aspect of life, including supernal health, military victories and prosperity.

Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

The first time God declares someone righteousness in His sight has nothing to do with sin or forgiveness but Abraham believing God will give him all the rewards and blessings God promised. At his faith for good things, God points His finger at Abraham and declares “you are righteous in my sight.”

What if Abraham said he only believes God will give him a son, but doubted that God will make his name famous, that God would prosper him and doubted God gave the world to be his inheritance (Romans 4:13)?

If Abraham did this God would not have declared him righteous in his sight, for James says if you doubt do not expect to receive.

Likewise if you believe God will forgive you but doubt He will heal, prosper and reward you, then do not expect to have God’s pleasure on you, for to please God you must believe He will reward you the good things He promised. How can you be a child of Abraham? How can God declare you righteous if you doubt He will greatly bless you like He promised?

Our identity is part of Abrahams’ blessing. Our definition is that the way God was a Father to Abraham and the way Abraham was singled out to be His people, so are we defined in the same category. God is our God and We are His people.

The blood contract guarantees we can make demands on God to always favor us, not because we forced God to do so, but because He wanted us to know the absolute certainty to receive the good things we ask for.  We can make demands on God to heal, prosper and make our names great, because we are sons of Abraham. Jesus said it was necessary to heal a daughter of Abraham on the sabbath. We can make this same demand on God. We can say it is necessary for Him to heal us and give us success because the Contract says we have these promised blessings. God went so far out of His way to make us have this guarantee, that gave up His one and only Son to prove it. God likes when we are confident to ask based on the Contract. Beggers are outsiders, but sons ask in confidence because they are indeed insiders.

God can do the same to us. God can call us to help our family member or to a ministry, by the Contract, and we are bound to follow. We are glad to do so, just as God is happy to be called on the bases of His Contract.

This Contract is a permeant definition about us and God. It stands forever. It is who we are.

We have the Dominion

Dominion: “right of possession and use without being accountable.” (1812 Webster)

This obviously belongs to God in the ultimate sense. God is not accountable because He is free from an authority being above Him. He is the only free being. This is why man is accountable to God; man is not free from God sovereignly controlling and holding him accountable. Thus man does not have free will.

However there is more. God has given His sons and daughters dominion over all created things. Paul says all things are ours; all creation belongs to us. Creation does not wait for the freedom of God, but our freedom. Jesus says all authority has been given to Him. Now think about this, He has given us the right to use His name. The same fullness of the Spirit that empowered Him is the same Spirit that has been poured on us to empower us! All things are under His feet and yet we are in Jesus. Thus all things are under our feet.

We are able to take possession of and use creation without being accountable. We are accountable to God, but we are not accountable to anything within creation. They are accountable to us. Demons are accountable to us. Angels will one day be accountable to us, for we will be their judges. Sickness is accountable to us. Even governments are accountable to us. Money and material substance is accountable to us.

We can do what we want with such things and we are not accountable for our actions to any. This is like eminent domain. The government can take my property and I have no legal right to hold them accountable by a lawsuit. As we advance the Kingdom we can take land by the name of Jesus and no one can hold us accountable. We can destroy the kingdom of darkness and none can hold us accountable. The gates of hell cannot stop us from tearing its gates down. We have the power and the rights to do so.

This glory belongs to the children of God. And their glory belongs to Christ and Christ’s to the Father.

Bait and Switch Scam.

“What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? — [Matt 7:9,10]

Billy gave this commentary about this verse.

“…No loving father would give a stone or a snake to his hungry son if he asked for a piece of bread or a fish. Jesus used the absurdity of that analogy in Matthew 7 to underscore the heavenly Father’s readiness to give good things to His children when they ask Him….”

Ok. So far this is saying what the passage says and so its good. But then the bait and switch scam starts.

“…He wanted them to have complete confidence in the Father’s provision for their spiritual needs…”

Billy says Jesus refers to “spiritual needs.” Both words are not defined, but we at least know from the way it is used by Billy they are meant as non-material needs. See Vincent Cheung for why the idea of “need” is absurd when praying. The bible sees need as anything you “want.” Billy wants it to only be spiritual things like forgiveness or sanctification and so on; however, this is delusional when the direct meaning Jesus is conveying are material things like food. Even if moralized for spiritual things, it does not mean less than the direct meaning of material things like prosperity and healing.

Then Billy continues saying,

“…I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked God for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn to obey.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power and the praise of men;
I was given weakness to sense my need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing I asked for but everything I hoped for;
In spite of myself, my prayers were answered—
I am among all men most richly blessed…”

Now the bait and switch scam is 180 degrees opposite from the original. If you ask for healing God drop kicks you in the face and you are bless for it?

This is nothing less than the shout of Satan. Satan asks for all authority and God kicks him down to earth and will soon body slam him to hell. Because Satan’s desire was answered, he is richly blessed? Supposedly we are the same. We ask for healing and God slaps our face. We ask for money and God round-kicks our stomach. We ask or a good spouse and God breaks our arms.

Every back and forth on this list is a bait and switch with definitions being changed to make you believe what he says out of an onslaught of nonsense. Basically he tries to bully you into believing what he says by mentally attacking with nonsense over and over. Oddly, this is something demons do when attacking people, but I digress.  

Lastly Billy says,
“…Yes, God always gives us what’s best for us.
We ask amiss, but God answers aright…”

I only have time to say a few things. The Bible says what is best for us is faith in God’s promises and us receiving a fish for fish. Healing, as Vincent says, is about the “will of man.” Let man’s will be done. That is how the bible defines what is best for us. What is best for us is not divining circumstance like a voodoo doctor, but defining our identity by the promises of God in Christ. Healing, miracles and prosperity are part of the finished atonement of Jesus and scripture says they are guaranteed to us on the demand of faith. This is our definition and identity.

To admit that you ask “amiss” or for wrong things means you are not even God’s friend.

“You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask; 3 you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions. Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.” (James 4:2-4 NET)

Scripture tells us you do not get your prayers answered when you ask for wicked things like adultery and murder. James defines “wrong prayers and passions” as adultery and murder. If you do this, then answered prayers are the least of your problems because you are God’s enemy.

If you ask for wicked things in prayer God will not give you a better spiritual thing, because you are now God’s sworn enemy. This is the only time the Scripture says God answers with a “no,” to our prayers, (with the exception to direct persecution for the gospel’s sake. But even then we are still equipped with powerful weapons.) Thus, people who keep admitting they are asking for wrong things and not getting prayers answered are admitting they are reprobates. If God keeps giving you a “no” to your prayers, then you are a reprobate and an enemy of God.

You need to repent and ask for good things that Jesus died for, such as healing, prosperity and constant miracles, both for yourself and those around you.  

If you asked for healing and God gave you cancer on top of your diabetes, then God is a bad Father. There is no way around this logic. It is because of the logic is so unbendable that there are only two choices if it does not happen. Either you lacked faith, or God is a bad Father. Since these supper humble people are so good at debasing themselves and saying how sinful they are, then obviously the one thing it can’t be is their sinful unbelief, thus, God is a bad Father. But they cannot outright say it, so they combine Scripture with voodoo, masochism, Buddhism and personal experience to give you a bait and switch scam that even Satan would be proud of.  

Excommunicate such people from your life at hyper-sonic speed. They are not your friends; they are not God’s friends. They are God’s enemies. You need to talk to them with apologetics as you do with outsiders.

Don’t You Dare Sit there and Only Sip on Some Water

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?,’ for the pagans seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Matthew 6 31-33.

The Bible is always true. Jesus teaches that pagans want the good material things on earth. Pagans seek more than just getting by in terms of wealth. Thus it is true that pagan seek wealth, because Jesus presupposes that they do.

Wealth as a blessing, is lesser if compared to forgiveness and sonship, yet Jesus wants and promises to give them to His covenant insiders. Because He wants to give pagan-level-seeking wealth to us, then it is good by definition because He says it and does it. To resist this is evil, wicked and rebellious. We are not seek pagan-level-seeking wealth by our strength and time, and neglect our God and family. Rather we seek pagan-level-seeking wealth by seeking God’s kingdom first. Even though it is by this indirect way, yet, we understand God wants us to have it. Thus, we seek it in order to please God. We get this wealth by God’s command and ordained way.

I received a response to this saying that “because material wealth is a lesser blessing then we should not seek it, but seek a relationship with God instead.”

This passage in Matthew 6 is only level one regarding how to receive God’s blessings of wealth. There is more to it. Matthew 6 is only an indirect way to receive it, but there are direct ways to receive wealth by faith.

Galatians 3 tells us Jesus became our curse so that we have the blessing of Abraham. This blessing included financial increase. Jesus was nailed to our curses of financial lack (which was in the law as curses) and gave us the blessing of Abraham. Paul says in Corinthians 8-9 that Jesus was a substitute atonement for us in the aspect of our poverty, so that He gave us His wealth in exchange. In context of Paul’s dialog it was not about spiritual wealth but material wealth.  

Also, since James and Paul moralizes Old Testament examples for us to use for ourselves, to use the prayer of Jabez is more than fair game to use for us. Because it was by faith, as an inheritor of Abraham’s blessing Jabez is for us, because we have the same blessing and faith.  

Thus, God gave us His one and only Son, His only Son, to bleed and gasp to death on a cross, hour after hour, to take our property away and give us His material wealth. If you look, there are blood stains on that money, and it is belongs to God’s only Son, Jesus Christ.

Also, Jesus made material substance multiply that would equate to over a year’s wages in money. He made fish to come in an abundance for financial gain and picked money out of fish. Jesus said that “whosoever believes in Me, will do the same works, and even greater.”

Thus, even if material wealth is a lesser blessing as compared to being born-from-above and reconciled to God, it is still a blessing with Jesus’ blood stained on it. To receive wealth is thus part of the gospel, if we define the gospel as all the good things Jesus accomplished, at that time and place, by His substitutionary death and resurrection. To reject any command of God is to be rebellious and wicked. It does not matter the priority of the command. To be disobedient is to be disobedient.

God commands and promise over and over that the righteous will increase with wealth to be blessed and be a blessing, particularly to the ministry. It is not a suggestion to partake of Abraham’s blessing. It is a command to walk in your identity and live it. Thus, to reject seeking wealth to be blessed and to bless the ministry is to treat the blood of Jesus Christ as a common thing, to spit on the Christian identity in Christ, and to reject God’s command as a reprobate.

If you have so much god-centered humility, then the Bible promises to exalt you. Thus, if you are so godly, and you don’t need wealth, you should have some compassion and think about getting 1000 houses to give to those who need it? How awesome would it be to give a billion dollars to ministries and missionary groups? But you are so godly you cannot even strain out a gnat to give, because you are too busy seeking a relationship with God first. How spiritual of you. But this same God says if you do this, then He will give you the level of wealth the pagans seek after, and we know pagans seek a large amount of wealth. No, the fact that you do not have pagan-level-seeking wealth, is because the way you have defined a “relationship with Jesus” is anti-Christ and blaspheme. And thus, you do not seek God first. A correct relationship with Jesus would include gaining such wealth because God wants to give this to us “in our relationship with Him”; He has commanded; His Son bleed for it.

Who else other than Satan preaches and teaches and trolls all over the internet telling people to not accept the blood-stained blessings of God? Paul was right, Satan disguises himself as a messenger of light. Satan disguises himself as Christians who spend much time trying to convince Christian to reject the blessings of God. I am still amazed so-called Christians spend time convincing others to reject God’s goodness. Blessings that Jesus died for and blessings God has commanded that we receive in faith. Surely, no person in their right mind would do such a thing? Only someone possessed or influenced by demons could participate in such rebellious and stupidity. Such people are imprisoned in a demonic stronghold.

Jesus, in Mark 1:23 starting casting out demons with a demon who was comfortable attending church. It is our job to do the same. We need to start our judgment with the church and begin to cast out Satan and demons. Its time to set the prisoners free and expel the darkness.

The only way out is to obey God and receive all His gospel blessings in faith and without qualifications or excuses. This is the type of relationship God wants with His chosen ones. Those who reject this are in fact without a relationship with God. They are outsiders to Him and His covenant. They are reprobates, and this is why they reject God’s command and reject His relationship.

Let us who enjoy obeying God, or that is enjoy having a relationship with Him, enjoy all the benefits of this relationship. Our Father has invited us to His rich table. He has spared no expense and wants everyone to know how lavish it is. He wants all to know that He paid for all it. He wants you to thank Him by sitting down and enjoying all the good things He has prepared for you. Don’t you dare sit there and only sip on some water and think you are honoring your God. The more you partake, the more you honor Him.

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Drive Out and Take Possession

When you cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan,  
you must drive out all the people living there. … 
Take possession of the land and settle in it,
because I have given it to you to occupy. Exodus 33:51-53 NLT

In Salvation Jesus saves us and we do nothing. This is typified with Israel crossing the Red Sea. God defeated their enemies, and they did nothing. All Moses did was wave his staff around a little. When they passed through the water, their baptism was one of freedom; they were no longer slaves. However, there was another baptism at the Jordon. (see Vincent Cheung, The Edge of Glory). God commanded two things after this second baptism into power. They were to “Drive Out” the inhabitants and then “Take Possession,” of the mike and honey, houses, gold and vineyards.

This archetype is realized in the baptism of the Spirit in Acts 1:4-8.
The decrees of God are logical (supralapsarian), and thus what we see in history is a reverse of the decrees. The book of Acts is the original, the promise land and Joshua was reversed engineered from the story of the church as described in Acts. They were the illustration, and Acts the original. Thus, the 2 baptisms in Exodus was the illustration for God’s original 2 baptisms of water and the Spirit.

Thus, we see Jesus and the disciple “Driving Out” demons and the religious leaders. Jesus and his disciples “took possession” of the good things, such as health, money, knowledge, spiritual powers, lands, leaderships and even kings.


This is where many Christians fail. They are like the people of Israel and are still stuck in the desert. They are there not because of persecution for the gospel sake, but because of their unbelief in God’s promises. God commanded Israel that the second baptism was one of power. Instead of God doing all the work Himself, He would empower them drive out and take possession. Because Israel had no faith they rebelled against God and refuse to be used by Him.

The issue is that good things like healing, prosperity, good relationships and so forth are in the promise land ready for God’s people to take procession of them. These are not like conversion and freedom, where you did nothing for it. The Spirit, like the wind blowing wherever it wants, gives new-birth and you were freed and started to believe. This is again like the Red Sea baptism. But after conversion God’s commands us to be baptized in the Spirit, which is seen in the Jordan. When Joshua and Israel come out of Jordan they had swords and shields. They were going to fight with God’s power, unlike with Pharaoh, when they did nothing.  In order for Jacob to grab his inheritance he must take up a sword.

God as already given healing and blessings in the finished atonement of Jesus. But unlike conversion, you must drive out Satan and take possession of these blessings by the fight of faith. Some are still in the desert and claim it is the will of God they are not healed. Like Israel, they put all the blame on God and overlook their unbelief. It is the same story over and over again. Some step into the promise land for 17 steps and claim they cant get healed because of the will of God, yet they haven’t faced one city or driven out one demon to take possession. Jesus commands us to pray and never give up. We are to keep driving out and take procession.

To be a good soldier one must develop internal power of faith, and be clothed with the power of the baptism of the Spirit.  When these are developed properly, there is no giant that can stop you from driving out and taking hold of any promise of healing, prosperity, relationships and moving mountains that Jesus said, no matter how big and glorious the promise.

The Hittites were the first Israel faced. Their name symbolizes fear. This is how demons, the old man and the 2 million Israelite unbelievers will try to pressure you to not go and take possession. But faith is stronger than fear, because faith has absolute confidence in God’s Word and not man’s sight or feelings.

As Strange as it Sounds, the Bible is For You

“I Can Do All Things Through Jesus who Strengthens Me”

Critics say this is only about suffering, so you cannot use this verse for prosperity, for example. However, Paul also mentions in context that Christ strengthens him for prosperity and good things as well.

Even if we narrow it down Paul’s own life, the “good” would include all his miracles, favor, visions, resurrections, powers and one supernatural thing after another. To teach at that school for a few years, is a supernatural success.

Thus, it would mean God gives strength for miracles, visions, resurrections, powers and one supernatural thing after another. If the critic cannot agree to at least this, then they are the ones ignoring the context.

Paul spoke how he was a shied to his churches, taking on the persecution of Christ for them. Thus, it is wrong to say all Christians should expect to suffer “like Paul.” We should expect some sufferings “for the gospel sake,” but “like Paul” is a different category. Most Christians can apply the promise of the Psalms to themselves, where it says to “seek God and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Paul was an exception to this in that God said He as called him to a specific type of ministry that will include much suffering. Most Christians are not in this type of binding ministry that Paul was in, and so some make composition fallacy at this point with Paul.

With that said, why would God, who who gave us His only Son, and who will freely give us all things, only strengthen us for suffering but not success? The Spirit strengthens us to have faith for all scripture, including when Jesus said, “whosoever believes in me, will do even greater things.” Thus I am strengthened to ask and receive all types of success and miracles. Because the Spirit was a promise of the gospel, then I can say, “by Christ.”

Also, the bible speaks of God empowering His children and promises to do so in many ways and in for all types of situations. The critics act as if God’s many promises to help and strengthen His children only apply to Paul when He suffers? How does that work? The fact is, many (if not a super majority) of the promises are for strength for good things like salvation, healing, prosperity, relational blessings, productivity in life and spiritual power and fruit.

And lastly, this whole thing can simply be dealt with one brut slap. The bible moralizes itself. (see Vincent Cheung. All Things are Yours) James moralizes Elijah to the horizon and back, and Paul does so in Corinthians 10. Thus, even if I were to moralize the text for myself to be wealthy, there is nothing wrong with it. If you are are Christian, then Paul and Peter are yours: yes, even time itself belongs to you; even the world belongs to you, that is, reality belongs to you. And as strange as it sounds, even the bible is for you to be strengthened for all things and be victorious over all things in this world.

Humility Without Exaltation Does Not Exist

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand,
that he may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)

It is odd to hear people boast of their humility before God. They tell us how they are the greatest of sinners and lowly before God. And yet, they are still sick, still have defective body parts, poor (or work 3 jobs, so that the only money they have is by human power), depressed, their neighbors, co-workers and family vex them. There is no sign of God’s miraculous power in their life; there is no sign of the gospel of Abraham on them. They look like outsiders to the Covenant. Basically, Satan steamrolls over them, and they have the audacity to call it humility before God.

Yet, Peter describes what happens to a humble person. God exalts them and lifts them up. What does Peter mean by God exalting someone in context of his own letters? Peter quotes Psalm 34 as an example of God blessing you. (read it). Four times the Psalmist says, “God delivers him out of ALL his troubles.” Let us say that 3 more times to get the weight of it. God delivers him out of ALL his troubles. God delivers him out of ALL his troubles. God delivers him out of ALL his troubles. Peter says by such promises (which include Psalm 34) we “Partake of the Divine Nature.”

Thus in context Peter’s own understanding of God lifting up and exalting someone is to “deliver them from all their troubles.” Peter also mentions in chapter 2 that “by His stripes we are healed,” which is understood by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 8:17) as bodily healing. We will not deal with genuine gospel persecution since that is a logical different category from troubles of life. To be healed is to partake of God’s promises, and to partake of God’s promises, is according to Peter, partaking of the divine nature.

Thus, it is delusional to claim you are humble by a biblical standard and not have God deliver you from all your troubles. Not possible.

You might look at your life and see that you are not delivered from all your troubles. Will you blame God or yourself? Will you throw off your responsibility given to you by God and caste it off? Will you free yourself from God’s burdensome commands to be healed, helped and delivered from all your troubles. Will you call what is humble, proud and will you call what is proud, humble, in order to hide your failures? Will you negate the bible, or will you negate your own calculations? If you are truly a child of God, then do not be bitter at your Father’s discipline. He loves you. It is meant to help and build you up. He wants you to be helped and blessed more than you want it. It’s not Him you need to convince, its your own unbelief that needs to be convinced of His love and faithful promises.

Here is the big idea. Humility starts with your starting point for knowledge. Humility starts with knowledge and faith; it does not first begin with behavior. The bible is the sole standard of good and evil. The bible says sickness(Acts 10:38, Deut. 28:61) is evil and healing is good. Because Jesus died for sickness as a substitutionary atonement (Isaiah 53:4-5), so that He took on our sickness (the bad) and we have the healing (good), it would trample the blood of Jesus to call sickness good. It is the same with poverty (bad) and wealth (good). Jesus was a money substitute for our poverty (bad) (2 Corinthians. 8:9) and gave us His wealth (good). Thus to call poverty (good) and wealth as (bad), is to spit on the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. It is the same with sin, which is (bad) and righteousness, which is (good). Jesus was our substitute for our sin (bad) and gave us His righteousness (good).

Just because Jesus said if you have been forgiven much, then you will love much, does not make sin good. This does not make lots of sin good, just because the result led to a person loving much. Just because poverty (bad) kept a person from forsaking God, does not make poverty good. You can simply not forsake God by faith in His word. To have wealth(good) so that Abraham’s blessing makes you happy, and you give richly to the kingdom is always good.

The same with other categories such as sickness and healing. Just because Jesus said this man’s sickness was designed to give an opportunity for God’s power to work, does not make the sickness good. Jesus healing was called “works of His Father,” which is good, and did not include the sickness as part of His Father’s work. In fact, the bible commands us to be healed (James 5:14-15). To obey God is always good, and thus, to be healed is always good and to stay sick is always bad. Therefore, it is evil to stay sick but it is good to be healed, in regards to your accountability before God.

Thus, the only way to “humble” yourself before God if you are sick, for example, is to regard your experiences and observations about sickness as garbage and horse s#5@. This is putting off the old man and his old way of thinking. Then you put on the new man. You replace your trash experience and trash observation with the superior word, commands and promises of God. You repent of human speculation over God’s Word, and start to read, meditate, and confess the promises of God about healing. This is how you begin to “humble” yourself under God’s mighty hand. And as Peter says, God will then lift you up and exalt you. Imagine the God of Gods, the king of kings exalting you! Truly nothing in this world compares to it. No one can exalt you the way God is able to do so.

Look at Job at the end of his life. Double the wealthiest guy in the whole area. Excessively wealthy. Double long life. Many children. This is a man who God exalt. This was a humble man. Moses was a humble man, and God exalted him to be the leader of Israel. Joseph was humble and God exalted him in one day to the right hand of Pharaoh. Look at all the people in the gospels and Acts who humbled themselves with faith in God’s healing promise. God delivered them ALL from their sickness troubles. All of them. We are not talking about the obvious examples of God exalting sinners for the day of slaughter. Thus, show me a man whom God has exalted, and I will show you a humble man. Why is this the case? Because if you humble yourself, God will exalt you.

Outsiders Beg; Kings Command

“…It is taught (from Characteristics) that a one-time prayer is enough, and all other prayers after should be in thanksgiving. I found this useful when I first followed the WOF, because Reformed prayer is just begging in unbelief...”

Read Vincent Cheung, The Extreme Faith Teacher.

This is the standard of faith and the immediate effects that come from a single prayer of faith. This is the standard Jesus held His disciples to. This is the same standard He will hold us to. This is the standard of faith and its effects we will be judged against. There is only one definition for what faith and its effects look like, and that glory belongs to scripture alone. This standard is not just a suggestion, it is a command. If you love God you will obey it, if you hate God you will disobey it. This is not rocket science.

I understand the context of a person coming from a teaching of unbelief and then hearing the many voices of the charismatics and Word of Faith. They are broadly correct on the topic of faith, but have many wrong points that come from Arminianism and self-imposed narrow applications that do not belong to Scripture (such as the 5 or 9 fold gifts of the Spirit ministry). With that said, this idea of faith is simple enough for a child to grasp, and so, one ought to be ashamed theologians can confuse them.

The reformed prayer is a beggar’s prayer, and this is why they see no results. Begging is for those who are outsiders of God’s contract. Insiders relate to God differently. I am glad you see this. Faith is “confidence” or “absolute certainty” God will do what He promised. One man asked Jesus, “if you can,” and Jesus was offended and said, “if I can?” Jesus never commanded us to “beg for the things we want.” Jesus commanded us to speak His Name in faith and make demons scream and mountains fly. The difference is huge. We are children of God. Children do not beg as if they are outsiders sitting abandoned on the road. Some theologians are indeed outsiders to God’s Contract and so all they can do is beg, and then try to deceive God’s children in following their outsider behavior. Yet we are indeed children of God. We sit at His table as co-heirs with Christ. Children ask the Father for a fish and they get a fish. They ask for the Spirit of God (can anyone put a value on the Spirit of God?), and the Father will absolutely give this to His sons and daughters. He will withhold nothing good from you. And “good” is defined by Jesus, as asking what you want and God giving this to you. The bible is the only definition of reality. Only God defines good and evil. God defines good as asking whatever you want and God giving it to you. This is good, because God thinks so.

In fact, we reign as kings in this life through the credited righteousness of Jesus and His unmerited favor (Romans 5:17-21). A king who begs is not a king. A king who does not speak is not a king. A king who does not decree is not a king. A king decrees and it happens. Royalty commands, and they are obeyed. “YOU will say… [then] nothing will be impossible to YOU, (Matthew 17:20).” “If YOU have faith … it will obey YOU, (Luke 17:6). When gods speak, reality obeys THEM.

Of course, it is God power at work in us, and not own power, but because the Bible rejects pantheism, when WE speak it is us, NOT God. Thus, reality will obey us when we speak in faith.

The basic idea is simple: read the promises, meditate on the promises, decree (in Jesus Name) the promises over yourself and then thank God for giving you the things you prayed/proclaimed. Some charismatic fools can get narrowly hung up on saying, “once you do this only keep thanking God for the results and do not pray the prayer again.” This comes from an overzealous fear of words. As Numbers 13-14 shows, you need to be careful with your words. (see Vincent Cheung, The Edge of Glory). If you speak unbelief, then God will give the evil you spoke; yet, if you speak faith, God will give the good you spoke. However, the bible says more about this. Consider David in Psalm 31:22 spoke a word of unbelief, but God helped Him.  Obviously, David repented and re-asked for help and God helped him. Peter denied Jesus 3 times, but then re-affirmed his devotion and God received him back. This is the big idea, unbelief is strong, but a word of faith is stronger. If you made a mistake, turn around and speak the word of faith again, and God will help you. The Word and Spirit are stronger. A Confession of Faith is much stronger. Do not fear.

Also, Jesus directly commands that we pray and never give up. Thus, to say you cannot repeat your prayer, is a direct rebuttal of Jesus Himself. Jesus had to pray for a blind man twice. A person with “great faith” and who as developed a mature faith will indeed speak short one time prayers or confessions and will often see it happen immediately. We are all to strive for this level of power and faith. We will all give an account for how well we sought to obey Jesus in acquiring this standard of faith. Here is the big idea, if we had perfect faith, then we would only need one prayer for all things, but even then there might be a few exceptions, like Jesus praying for the blind man. But since no one has perfect faith, we are commanded to pray in a group (when two or three are gather..) we are commanded to have our elders come and pray with us, and we are given the gift of faith to help compensate for our imperfect faith.  God loves us so much that He has given us many tools to help us get the things we ask for. He wants to give you many good things. He is more than willing and able.

Thus, many charismatic teachers teach faith in practical steps (although flawed), to help struggling saints develop faith. Thus, we have two categories. One is the standard of faith as taught by Jesus, and the Second are pastors giving practical steps in how to get to that standard. Do not confuse the two. Some of these steps are not commandments, but can be helpful tools, and yet others are just wrong.

Back to our basic teaching, “read the promises, meditate on the promises, confess/pray the promises and (if you need to wait), then thank God for granting your request. This is great teaching. However, some say only repeat the last one, but as shown above, this is not necessarily so. Sometimes it is better to repeat the whole process. Maybe your mind is not renewed enough, and you need to establish the promises in your mind more. Thus, the practical application of this does depends on person to person, but the overall biblical applicable is the same for all.

Another reason why the advice to never repeat your prayer, but only give thanks, is bad, is because it puts the focus man and brings up fear. It puts the focus on you and then fear comes from this. Giving thanks for the prayed outcome is great, but if your mind is not renewed as it ought to be, then just giving thanks will not work (although, God still might grant it out of sheer kindness). You do need a honest self-evaluation, but remember that the focus of faith is God, His Word, His faithfulness and His love toward you. If you are focused on your self-evaluation and feelings, then by definition you are not in faith any more. Often, when developing faith and even keeping it, you need to re-read the promises, re-meditate and then on this foundation pray, and faith will naturally arise by God’s power.

Because Jesus wants you to have the things you pray for, He made it a command to pray and never give up. Stop and think about that for a moment. He wants you to have your request so much, He commanded that you never give up. He promises God will absolutely give you what you ask for. This is how much He loves you. He wants you to have the things you pray for, more than you do. Thus, it is not God you need to convince to give you what you ask; rather, it is your stubborn mind and unbelief, that needs convincing. God has already convinced Himself to give you whatever you ask for in faith. Thus, if there is a lack of results, it is not on God’s part, but you. So, in the confidence of God’s love for you re-read the promise, re-meditate and re-confess the promises of God.  

The important thing to do when praying is to not hedge your prayer in uncertainty and unbelief. Leave no room for your prayer to not be answered, because God has already convinced Himself to give you what you ask. This is essentially what a Word of Faith declaration is. It is a short-hand prayer that knows the outcome is certain. Thus faith speaks this way, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, standup and walk.” No fear, no hedging. Just absolute confidence in God doing what He said He would do. And if you have read the gospels, Jesus loved this kind of faith. In fact, Jesus publicly boasted about such people before God and men. And if you have this kind of faith, Jesus will boast and exalt you before God and men. Imagine, the God of Gods and the King of Kings exalting you. Surely there is nothing greater in all reality.