Tag Archives: Power

Tell It What You Want

“What I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
(Acts 3:6)

 “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.”
(Acts 9:34)

“Stand up on your feet!”
(Acts 14:10)


Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
(Matt. 21:21)

The fig tree was a real fig tree, and it dried up when Jesus spoke to it. Jesus didn’t ask God; He spoke to the tree, and it died. It wasn’t a spiritual fig tree. Thus, the category is material or physical. When facing mountains in the material world, Jesus didn’t ask God for help but spoke directly to the problem. He then instructs the disciples to do the same: to speak to the mountain or problem and command it in faith, knowing God’s power will back their words. Jesus didn’t tell the disciples to inform God of their problem or mountain or to present a sad sob story about how bad it is. Rather, He said to speak to the problem and tell it what you want it to do.

After the baptism of the Spirit in the opening salvo of the Book of Acts, the disciples did just that. In Acts 3, Peter didn’t tell God how awful it must be for the cripple to suffer so long and beg God to find it in His will to heal the man. No. Peter spoke to the mountain or problem—sickness. He said, “What I have, I give.” It’s not what God has or what God gives. Peter declared the power to heal is what he has and what he gives. He then said, “In Jesus’ Name, walk.” He spoke to the mountain and told it what he wanted: “Walk.” This is exactly what Jesus instructed.

In Acts 9, Peter says, “Jesus heals you, get up.” Peter doesn’t tell God about the mountain of sickness; rather, he tells the sickness what he wants: “Get up.” Peter obeys Jesus’ instructions for interacting with material mountains and problems. In faith, tell them what you want them to do, whether it’s killing a tree, casting it into the sea, healing the sick, or telling a fish to bring you money.

In Acts 14, Paul looks at the mountain of sickness and speaks to it like Peter, saying, “Stand up on your feet!”

These commands are both spoken to the mountain and serve as instructions for the person to act on faith. Because they believe they are healed, then they need  to do something they couldn’t do before. This is integrated into speaking to the mountain of sickness. It’s a powerful way to administer healing.

God gave Moses the Staff of God. When they were backed against the sea, God told Moses to stop monologuing about His help and use the Staff of God to divide the sea. Thus, it was not God who divided the sea in the most direct sense, but Moses divided the sea, using God’s power. However, what we have is greater than the Staff of God. We have the name of Jesus Christ engraved on our tongues. We are part of Jesus and so we use His Name as our own.


Jesus didn’t whine to God about fig trees or mountains—He told them what to do, and they obeyed. In Acts, Peter and Paul channel that vibe, bossing sickness around like pros: “Walk!” “Get up!” “Stand!” No sob stories, just faith-fueled commands backed by Jesus’ name. Speak to your problem, not about it—whether it’s a tree, a mountain, or a coinless fish, tell it who’s boss and watch God’s power roll.

I Apologize for the Diversion

[This section was part of my Systematic Theology, but I decided it was to much of a rabbit trail to leave in the book; and so, I published it here as extra reading material]

I am not alone in saying this. The famous John Calvin says in his institutes, as I paraphrase, “that God with His infinite power, could have created Adam to resist the temptation in the garden, but willfully chose to create Adam in such a way, that Adam did not have the power to resist the temptation. And it is wicked to question or look for a further reason why Adam sinned.” Martin Luther, not directly dealing with Adam’s sin speaks of Satan. Satan’s sin is relevant, because as Adam is the original sinner for mankind, Satan is for angels. “So that which we call the remnant of nature in the ungodly and in Satan, as being a creature and a work of God, is no less subject to Divine omnipotence and action than all the rest of God’s creatures and works. Since God moves and works all in all, He moves and works of necessity even in Satan and the ungodly.[1] Martin is saying, regarding the only real level causality, God directly works evil, in evil creatures, just as directly as He works good, in good creatures. As direct as God is, as He works faith in an elect, it is the same as He works unbelief in the reprobate.

Some modern Reformed people, such as R.C. Sproul, call this hyper-Calvinism[2]. This is self-damming because the Bible teaches this, and so it is an attack on God. It is also stupid because Calvin teaches this, and so now we have a history manmade mess, where we need to keep talking about what man said what. God and the bible become secondary at best. Calvin says there is NO such thing as “permission will” with God about anything in reality, thus, God is not permissive with the reprobate. Calvin clearly taught that God is as directly involved in reprobation as He is in the elect. God does not, merely leave the reprobate, yet actively works in the elect. Calvin says,  

Finally, he adds the conclusion that “God has mercy upon whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills” [Rom. 9:18]. Do you see how Paul attributes both to God’s decision alone? If, then, we cannot determine a reason why he vouchsafes mercy to his own, except it so pleases him, neither shall we have any reason for rejecting others, other than his will. For when it is said that God hardens or shows mercy to whom he wills, men are warned by this to seek no cause outside his will.[3]

So, whether it is the elect or reprobate, Calvin says you cannot go beyond, “God Willed it.” God willed it, and not that man willed; God will, and not that God left it, and a nebulous neutral power, outside of God, willed it. God did it directly, by His will and power. Calvin applies God’s will and direct working power, as equally to the elect as reprobate. Thus, if Martin Luther and Calvin are correct, then the WCF teaches a false doctrine, when it talks about secondary causes. I do not want to linger long on history and people, because Christians, like the Jews in Jesus’ day, use traditions to negate the Scripture. However, it might be worth saying that Martin Luther thanked Erasmus for attacking his teaching on God’s direct sovereign power in man, and with the gospel, and not attacking non-relevant issues. That is, Luther saw this teaching about God’s absolute sovereign power that directly works in the saint as it works in the sinner and Satan, as the central argument. Calvin, it seems, saw the importance as well. The WCF, which came later, contradicted what they taught.

Calvin actually gives a summary of this doctrine saying,

The sum of the whole is this,—since the will of God is said to be the cause of all things, all the counsels and actions of men must be held to be governed by his providence. Therefore, as God exerts his power in the elect, who are guided by the Holy Spirit, He also exerts force in the reprobate to do him service.[4]

…When [Augustine] uses the term permission [He means] that the will of God is the supreme and primary cause of all things, because nothing happens without his order or permission. He certainly does not figure God sitting idly in a watch-tower, when he chooses to permit anything. The will which he represents—if I may so express it—is an active will; for if God’s will is not active, then God’s will could not be regarded as a cause.[5]

…When I say that God bends all the reprobate, and even Satan himself, at his will, some object that only happens by the permission, not by the will of God…

[Those who are against the will of God that causes all things, counter this by saying] this is done only by the permission of God, and not by the will of God. However, God himself, openly declares that he does this, and thus, rebukes their evasion of this doctrine.

I admit, indeed, that God often acts in the reprobate by interposing the agency of Satan; but in such a manner, that Satan himself performs his part, just as he is impelled.

Some say, if God causes the counsels and affections of the reprobate, he is the author of all their sins; and, therefore, men, in doing what God has decreed, are unjustly condemned, because they are obeying his will. Such an objection makes a category mistake made between God’s will (decree) and his command, though it is obvious, from innumerable examples, that there is the greatest difference between them.

What we formerly quoted from the Psalms, to the effect that he does whatever pleases him, certainly extends to all the actions of men.[6]

Calvin is defining “providence” as this category proposition, “All things that are caused are things caused by the will of God.” This is not how I hear some Reformed people say it; they use it in a softer, vaguer, and more fatalistic way. I do not know if Calvin is truly representing Augustine about his use of “permission,” however it is not relevant, for the only point I wish to make is that Calvin is saying this because he agrees with the doctrine. Calvin is defining “God’s Will,” as only meaning a “active willing.” This of course lines up with Calvin saying that God does nothing by permitting it. This is important for there are people who use the word for “active” predestination for the elect and “passive” for the reprobate, such as R.C Sproul.  Calving contradicts this in both his negative and positive definition in what “God’s will” means. (1) It never means permission, and it always means active. In addition to this Calvin defends God’s active will, by saying if God’s will is not active, then it cannot logically be defined as a real “cause” of something. That is, if God only permits Pharaoh’s heart to be hard, and Pharaoh only permits, his heart to be hard, then there is no cause for it, which is nonsense. Calvin, like Luther, says that as God uses His power and force to make the saints believe and do, God uses the same power and force to make the reprobates and Satan to not believe and do.  Thus, when Calvin says God willed something he means God causes it, and not something or someone. When Calvin says that God will is the cause of all things, he means that it is the real, primary and active cause of it.

Even if you disagree with my points and copyediting, Calvin says God’s will does not mean permission, and that God’s will always means the same thing applied to all reality. This means you cannot say Calvin taught predestination one way for the Christian and then something less for the reprobate.

Martin Luther says that God is the one who put the evil in man originally. Additionally, as active as God is in causing “faith” in the Christian he is as active in causing “unbelief” in the reprobate. The way Luther talks about God’s causality with faith and unbelief, being the same, we conclude there is no room to say active will this and permissive will that. God makes the reprobate as a defective hammer from scratch, and not that the hammer made itself. God then picks up this defective hammer and uses it (causes them to will and do in life). The hammer makes defective hits, and God judges them for it.

Seriously, if all you do is a word search for “permission” in Calvin’s institutes, you will see Calvin over and over, in many different ways and with many passages say, God’ will does not involve permission for anything, relative to Him. Then modern Reformed people, like Sproul come around and say, God actively wills election, but only is passive or permits the reprobates. To deny passive or permissive will of God for the Reprobate, is for them is hyper-Calvinism. If you read Calvin and Luther a few times, and then read modern reformed fanboys, then you will become as appalled as I have in how much they speak in a continual and habitual slander and false witness against them. Why don’t they just say Calvin and Luther are heretics and just own up to it?

Calvin gives a category proposition for Christian metaphysics. He defines what it means and what it does not mean. All things are things caused by God’s active will. How simple and to the point that is. Modern reformed guys trying to complete this by coming up with phrases like, “active and passive,” “double predestination,” “soft this hard that,” “equal ultimacy” (etc.). They do this to make themselves look smart and academic, and to hide their unbelief under long, complicated loaded phrases.

Here is a pro-tip. If you truly want to communicate clearly, just use basic category statements. All, Some or None. The Scripture, along with Calvin and Luther, define Christian metaphysics as “All things are things directly caused by God.” The only two options for disagreement are “Some things are things directly cause by God, and some are not,” or “No things, are things directly cause by God.” Rather than saying “soft this and hard that,” just say “God determines all things by His will,” or “He does not,” or “He sometime does, and sometimes does not.” See, how simple and clear that is?

Calvin says, “the will of God is the cause of all things.” This will is defined as active by “God’s” “force” and “power,” and “never by permission.” Therefore, Calvin denies “secondary causes.” He does affirmed “secondary objects,” like Satan, that are themselves moved by God’s active force and power, but denies secondary cause as it is relative to God. Calvin also says, along with Luther, that the category of God’s decree and command, removes any human complaining about injustice done to them, when God punishes them for things that He causes them to do. Thus, both Calvin and Luther are in direct contradiction to the WCF, when it affirms secondary causes.

The WCF says,

“God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.”

This is outright blasphemy. It denies the absolute and direct sovereignty of God over all things. They are trying to avoid calling God the author of sin, but since God directly controls all things, then He is precisely the metaphysical author of sin and evil. There is no logical maneuver to avoid this. If they affirm God decreed and caused all things directly by his sovereignty, then of course God is the author of sin. One fool tried to tell me that the WCF, in this place, is affirming God and sin are not categorically plausible, the way Gordon Clark would teach on this topic.[7] Yet, this is not the context. The “context” is about metaphysics or ultimate causality, “God ordaining all things by His choice.”

If the WCF by saying “ordaining,” does not mean that God is the only absolute direct cause for all things, then it up-fronts admits that it is affirming Arminianism, and that there is dualism in Christian ontology. I will be kind here, and assume it is affirming God’s absolute and direct sovereignty over all things.

They try to affirm God’s decree and control over all things, but then say God is not the controller of sin—this is said in CONTEXT to God decreeing and controlling all things. They contradict themselves, to affirm a human superstition, which says God cannot be the author of sin and unbelief in the same direct causality, since He is the author of faith and holiness. Some who see the insanity of this try to affirm a mystery or paradox. LOL! You cannot say God ordains or causes “all things,” and then say, God does not ordain or control sin. You cannot say, “All things are things directly controlled by God,” and “This thing is a thing God does not directly control.” Or, “God does control all things, but at the same time God does not control some things.”  Let us try this with something else. “All persons who are saved are saved by Jesus. This saved person is a person not saved by Jesus. This statement is not contradictive or blaspheme, it is a “mystery and a paradox.”” Wow, I am on my way to be a great theologian!

Again, in CONTEXT to the category of God directly causing all things, it is said, “the freedom and possibility of secondary causes are not taken away.” Therefore, we will stay in this same category, so as not to commit a category fallacy.

If God is the direct causality of all things, then all secondary causes do not exist, and there is no freedom or possibility of any created object to do or cause anything; God takes away all secondary causes, because He along directly causes all things.

Some have mentioned to me that the phrase “secondary causes” was used in two different ways a few hundred years ago. One means what the noun phrase naturally says (relative to God there are secondary ontologies), the other meaning is similar to pointing out the category fallacy issue that Gordon Clark often points out. There is no historical evidence this second meaning was widely used and popular, other than a few insistences (as far as I have been able to research it, and even then, I am not totally convinced it wasn’t just a typo or accidently used that way). This is an interesting point, but ultimately a non-relative point for interpretating the WCF’s statement, because the authors all knew how Calvin in his Institutes answered it, and his answer did not use this phrase, or the category of ontology.

John Calvin later in his life wrote a book about predestination, and he does seem to distance God as the author of sin from His predestination, or at least, making contradictive statements about it. It was less popular and less read as compared to his Institutes. However, because it was Calvin’s Institutes that all pastors and theologians were required to read, and that greatly influenced Europe, we will refer to his teaching in this book, as “Calvinism.” History shows the Institutes as hugely popular and influential.  As pointed out in the quote above, Calvin, when addressing the question of author of sin, does not use “secondary causes” (ontology) language, but said, “Such an objection makes a category mistake made between God’s will (decree) and his command, though it is obvious, from innumerable examples, that there is the greatest difference between them.” Calvin does not refer to causes to refute the accusation of God being the author of sin, but merely says it is a category fallacy to combine these. The WCF, was written by pastors who had to read Calvin’s Institutes in school. Yet, they chose to use “secondary causes” (ontology) rather than the concise and easy explanation from Calvin’s Institutes, which they all read and studied.

Seeing these pastors and theologians all studied logic and philosophy, the phrase “secondary causes” would still have ontology as its most direct meaning, even if some used is differently. The WCF chose to use a noun phrase, when its main meaning is about ontology, (and phrase naturally means ontology), in context about ontology. When the Institute’s dealt with ontology and the author of sin, Calvin answered with a category fallacy; yet, when the WCF answered this, it did so with another point about secondary ontology. These are two very different ways to answer the question. The conclusion is that even as early as the WCF the doctrine of God’s sovereignty was already defective and compromised.

It seems beyond reasonable to me that highly schooled pastors, who read the Institutes, Logic and Philosophy, when writing about ontology, would immediately answer with a phrase “secondary causality” or “secondary ontology” and not mean the category of ontology. Maybe an amateur, who is not good at communicating, but a room full of very educated pastors, I do not see that mistake happening.

To avoid this biblical outcome of the author of sin, the WCF commits the blasphemy of affirming secondary causes, at the ultimate level with God. They are pagans who affirm metaphysical dualism with God. Martin Luther is famous for pointing out the category fallacy that Erasmus made with ontology and ethics. It seems the WCF, with their category fallacies and paradoxes (and how modern Reformed people try to excuse this section) has more in common with the Catholic, than Martin Luther.

Again, think about a chess game.

This WCF passage is talking about the real level causality, which would be “Johnny moves white bishop to b4.” This passage is not talking about the relative level, which would be, “white bishop moves to b4.” In order to save the WCF many do the same category error that Arminians do to many passages of Scripture, by changing real level causality to relative level. The Armenians are morons for doing this, and so are the Reformed teachers who try to salvage this WCF passage, when it cannot be saved.

Vincent on this WCF passage says,

…I believe that if a person is a Christian and somewhat intelligent, then if we were to repeat, “If God is not the direct metaphysical cause of something, then something else is,” to his face over and over again, eventually he would realize what this really means and would become just as alarmed and repulsed at the notion as we are. But perhaps both faith and intelligence are rare, and the combination even less likely.

As for secondary causation, I have addressed this a number of times. If all else fails, I can say that I did not write the books, but my computer did. The fact that I was typing on it when the books appeared does not nullify the authorship of the computer or its moral responsibility, but only establishes it. If the reply is that the computer is not an intelligent mind but a dead object, I would insist that Dual Core is superior to a lump of clay (Romans 9). In any case, if God’s authorship is only so distant (I did not make the computer, the software, nor did I make or control the electricity), he might not be so clearly the author of sin….

If I am right, then they must be wrong. The question is, how can they be right without self-contradiction — that God controls all things, but he really doesn’t, that God causes all things, but he really doesn’t? The Reformed is fond of appealing to “mystery,” “paradox,” and “antinomy,” which are nothing but more dignified and deceptive terms for saying, “Clearly, I contradict myself, but I don’t care.” Instead, it seems to me that divine sovereignty is an altogether clear and coherent doctrine. It is so easy to understand. I have also answered the almost universal abuse of James 1:13. Temptation and causation are two different things, and the topic is causation, not temptation.

We must submit to the direct teachings of Scripture and its necessary implications, and not the traditions and good intentions of men.[8]

I apologize for the diversion. Although I do not call myself a Calvinist, I do not like false witnesses and un-needed complexities and un-needed phrases. We can see from this the importance to leave history and fanboys with their slanders, loaded phrases and complexities to themselves. We will focus on making doctrinal statements (all, some or none) and making easy deductive application for ourselves, so that we can walk by the commands of God in joy.

[1] Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will; translated by J. I. Packer and O. R. Johnston; Fleming H. Revell ,1957. 204

Also see my website for an article called, “Martin Luther- The Bondage of the Will – Commentary,” for more about the Bondage of the Will.

[2] R. C. Sproul, Chosen by God; Tyndale House Publishers, 1986; p. 142.
 “The Reformed view teaches that God positively or actively intervenes in the lives of the elect to insure their salvation. The rest of mankind God leaves to themselves. He does not create unbelief in their hearts…”  
Sproul also in page 142 says active reprobation is “hyper” and “sub” Calvinism.

[3] Calvin, Institutes. p. 947.

[4] Calvin’s Institutes. CCEL ebook edition. publish domain. (www.ccel.org). Book 1, Chapter 18.
I have done a medium copyedit on the English (to modernize it), on this material. See original for comparison.

[5] Ibid. Book ,1 Chapter 16.

[6] Ibid. Book 1, Chapter 18

[7] Gordon Clark, in order to make the WCF affirm the correct level of sovereignty he taught, had to bear false witness against the WCF to make it say what it does not. His slander is the opposite of most Reformed teachers, who slander Calvin and Luther, by falsely saying they teach the same thing as the WCF. The WCF is their creed; it is their gate keeper, but Calvin and Luther are also their divine fathers. Yet, they contradict one another. And so, this back-and-forth slander is how it ends up being for fan boys, and traditionist.

Leave them and their tradition, they have their reward.

[8] Vincent Cheung. “WCF, secondary causes, etc.”

From the ebook, Sermonettes, Vol. 1. 2010. Page. 82-83.

Tongues: The Ultimate Life Hack

I have a few essays on the power of speaking in tongues. The reason for this is simple. It’s a command from Scripture to be baptized in the Spirit; we’re commended to have the corporate gifts that edify the body. But to speak in tongues is to edify yourself; it’s a personal gift, and as a personal gift, it’s for anyone who asks for it. It’s so common that Paul assumes it for believers: “Have you received the Spirit?” And the outcome was, again, speaking in tongues as proof.

Speaking in tongues edifies and builds up the inner man. It keeps you from being depressed and empowers you to be filled with peace and joy. Furthermore, praying in tongues is how you put on and keep on the helmet of salvation and wield the Sword of the Spirit. Praying in tongues is also how you keep yourself in the love of God. Lastly, praying in tongues can easily lead to interpretation. This is the category of prophecy, divine knowledge, and insight. It allows Jesus to sit at the right hand of the Power and be a personal counselor to all His children across the world. Interpretation of tongues is, therefore, a gateway into all the powers of the Spirit. It’s a foothold into more and more power.

However, over the past week or two, I needed a new computer because the old one was breaking down. I decided to build my first PC rather than buy one, because I noticed I could build it for a cheaper price with the same parts and get more performance out of it. I built it and enjoyed doing something new for the first time. Praise God, it went well, but with one minor issue. I won’t bore you with the details. But for over a week, I toiled over this issue to fix it. I spent day after day, with long, exhausting hours, with no success. I was on forums asking and getting all sorts of replies, but none helped.

I did my devotions during this time, but they were rushed, including not praying in tongues as much as I usually do. Because of my internal frustrations and my devotions suffering, I remember asking God for help; however, if I’m honest with myself, I felt my request lacked faith or had doubt mixed in. I should’ve done a full stop there and worked on my inner man, but the temptation of a new thing momentarily distracted my discipline.

Then, a few days ago, while I was at work, I listened to a new essay by Vincent Cheung called “The Benefits of Praying in Tongues.” I like this topic, so I engrossed my attention in fully listening and meditating on the essay. It was mostly a review of my own thoughts and teaching on the subject, with a few new insights. I was encouraged to do the very thing I often do and encourage others to do: praying in tongues.

So, while I was still at work, I began to pray in tongues and confess God’s good promises over my life. Soon, I felt my inner man flood with peace, and my mind became sharper and more focused. When this happens, I know from experience that prayer is so much easier and the results better. I asked God to help with the computer issue that was vexing me. Unlike previous times, I felt faith in my heart as I prayed. The next moment, I received an interpretation, and the Spirit spoke to me, saying, “I will help you with this small issue, and I will also help you with big issues.” I barely had enough time to process and enjoy the Spirit’s word when I got a notification from a forum post. A person responded with a possible answer, and upon reading it, I knew immediately it was the solution. And it was.

A few takeaways: Praying in tongues is a cheat code for life. It’s the ultimate life hack that penetrates all aspects of life. If unbelievers knew the power and extreme advantages that praying in tongues gives believers, they’d scream we’re cheaters and demand we don’t use it. It’s a game-changer. It’s having admin rights when others don’t. It’s the NES Nintendo Game Genie. If Christians utilized praying in tongues, unbelievers couldn’t compete with them in life; depression would run away with its tail tucked between its legs, and demons would tremble in fear. If Christians prayed in tongues, they would both experience the love of God in their hearts and see more of God’s love affecting all parts of their health, wealth, work, family, and on and on. To not pray in tongues is to hate yourself.

It’s the ultimate cheat hack. You can be experiencing a slow mind and disturbed heart due to your own lack of discipline, but then bypass the consequences of this by praying in tongues. It’ll sharpen your mind and bring peace to your heart. It’ll supernaturally allow you to bypass everything going on around you and help you boldly walk into God’s throne of grace to ask and receive. Because praying in tongues strengthens your inner man with peace, joy, and mental sharpness, it helps you have faith without doubts. This is what a stronger inner man has: a more continuous joy and peace of God, with fewer doubts intruding. Praying in tongues is particularly good at strengthening your inner man. This stronger inner man means a more confident faith, which results in more answered prayers.

Tongues are the ultimate cheat code—God’s Game Genie for life! Skip the toil, dodge depression, and crank up peace and power with a Spirit-fueled prayer hack. My PC woes? Toast, thanks to tongues and a divine forum nudge. Refuse to pray in tongues and you are benching the Spirit and begging for a cursed slog!

Lastly, to toil is a curse. We’re commanded to work and not be lazy; however, overworking and toiling with little fruit to show for it is the curse of God for Adam’s sin. But Jesus became a curse for us, in our place as a substitute. In exchange, Jesus gave us the gospel of Abraham, which is abundant increase, health, wealth, and fame. We don’t bear the curse of toil but the blessing of Abraham’s abundant increase. Isaac did sow in the drought. He did work. But God gave a hundredfold increase when there was no water. We’re not under the curse but the gospel of increase.

I should’ve realized this when I was troubleshooting the computer issue. I was toiling as if I was still under the curse. This is wrong. Thankfully, the gospel of Abraham also means being given the Spirit, which means the baptism of the Spirit for power. Thus, when I was praying in tongues, I stopped operating under the curse and began to operate under the gospel of Abraham.

I immediately received fruitfulness and increase.

Preaching is Casting Out Demons and Healing the Sick


15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” … 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit…
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed…
38 But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” 39 So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons. 40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus. (Mark 1:15, 23, 32, 38-40 NLT)

A few quick observations:

After Jesus was anointed as a man by the Spirit for ministry, Mark shows His first church service and ministry involved casting out a demon. Scripture reminds us that judgment begins in the house of God. We are also reminded that churches can become safe houses for demons and prisons for the suffering when the faithless and powerless are in charge. Mark presents a sequence: Jesus declares the Kingdom has come, and His first church ministry is casting out the kingdom of demons, thereby ushering in God’s kingdom. If a space is filled with demons, it is occupied by the kingdom of darkness. The first step, then, is to remove them so the kingdom of God can replace it and take residence. That same evening, Mark shows Jesus continuing to cast out demons and heal the sick; this demonstrates how the kingdom of God comes “near us.”

The next observation comes from verses 38-40. Jesus declares He came to preach the gospel. What’s striking is how Mark defines “preaching” in the following verse. It begins with “therefore” or “so,” implying a necessary consequence of the previous statement. Because Jesus was sent to preach, He went to the next town to “preach and cast out demons.” Mark equates preaching with casting out demons, as if they are inseparable. We’re not saying preaching and casting out demons have identical definitions—nor is Mark. However, Mark is defining the ministry of preaching, which is tied to bringing the Kingdom of God near, as preaching with miracles. Preaching the gospel that brings the Kingdom near, cannot be separated from casting out demons and healing the sick. The next verse reinforces this with a leper being healed. As Paul says, “For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.” Preaching proclaims the power of God unto salvation, which requires the very power it proclaims. To Mark and Jesus, preaching that the Kingdom of God has come near isn’t preaching unless demons are cast out and the sick are healed.

Churches with benches full of depressed and demonized people, or sick members who return week after week unchanged, are churches where the kingdom of God has not come near.

“Mark’s Jesus doesn’t just preach with a mic—he kick drops demons and heals the hurting like it’s all part of the sermon. If your church is a demon daycare and the sick leave sicker, maybe the kingdom’s still social-distancing,” (Grok xAi 2025 summary).

You Are A Child Of The Devil And An Enemy

Ques: “How do new covenant Christians understand and apply psalms 139:21“

Ans:

2 Timothy 4:14, Paul says, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.”

Acts 5:5-6 “You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his las\

Acts 13: 9-11, “Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?  Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.”

Paul cursing Elymas (Acts 13:9-11), Peter’s confrontation with Ananias (Acts 5:5-6), and Paul’s prayer about Alexander (2 Timothy 4:14)—illustrate that the early church didn’t shy away from invoking divine judgment against those who blasphemed the Spirit or hindered the ministry of the Word. Jesus’ own words in Mark 3:29 about the unforgivable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit reinforce this. These aren’t personal vendettas; they’re responses to direct attacks on God’s kingdom and mission. This shows us the imprecatory Psalms also apply to the church after the resurrection of Jesus and Him baptizing us with power.

The context is not about personal pet-peeves or personal hurts. When it comes to believers we are called to love and forgive each other as we have been forgiven in Jesus Christ. We are commanded to be long-suffering. We’re commanded to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44) and forgive as Christ forgave us (Colossians 3:13).

However, the bible, even in the New Testament has a special place for those harming the church, and those directly hindering the ministry of the word and hindering or opposing the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus goes out of His way to say those who blaspheme the Spirit will never be forgiven. If God will not forgive them, then I do not forgive either. Who am I to resist God? This would even have some application to governments, but because most Christians lose their minds over the subject I will reframe from this topic. I will only make one quick point. In chapter 4 the disciples ask for God to empower them to fight back at the Jewish government, who were trying to persecute them, by bold preaching, healing and various miracles. God approved of their request. One such miracle was an earthquake that broke prison doors. It damaged government property. The church ought to call on God to act against opposition to the gospel.

There are other ways to apply this, but I wanted to keep it short and on the applicable issue. Paul caused physical harm to a person hindering the gospel and called him cruel names. The Holy Spirit was the power that blinded the man, but Paul is the one who pointed the gun at the person and commanded the blindness, not God. Peter, by the Spirit, killed two people, in church. Paul prays, saying God will repay the coppersmith the harm he caused him in ministry.

Remember the Psalm you quoted? David loves God. Psalm 139 is a deeply personal psalm where David marvels at God’s omniscience, omnipresence, and intimate care for him. Verse 21 arises in this context—David’s zeal for God leads him to despise those who despise the Lord. Then says these wicked people mis-use God’s name. In essence, David hates them, because they hate the God who David admires so much. It is fake love if you are not enraged at someone who hates and targets the object of your love. Imagine a parent who shows no concern when a person hits and abuses their child? You must have the same outrage over people who hate the God, you say you love so much.

In short: Psalm 139:21 calls us to love God so fiercely that we hate what opposes Him. The New Testament examples teach us to channel this anger by prayer and through the Spirit’s power, not our own hands. We forgive personal wrongs but stand firm against assaults on God’s kingdom. Because most do not have power or faith to get their prayers answered, they are left with two bad options. Just do nothing and make kindness your official religion, or become a political zealot. Neither is the way commanded in the book of Acts. When all you have is human power, your options are limited to carnal outcomes. But if you have faith and the Spirit, a whole new world of possibilities opens.

[Grok xAi, aided in some summaries]

The Correction of Righteousness

“And when [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged,” John 16:8-11 NLT

Picture this: Jesus ascends to the Father like the VIP He is, and the Holy Spirit swoops down to earth like a divine fact-checker, ready to set the record straight on sin, righteousness, and judgment. Jesus even gives us the SparkNotes version of each.

First up, “the” sin of the world—singular, folks—is that people refuse to buy what God’s revealing, especially the whole “Jesus is God’s Son” revelation.

Second, the cosmic swap meet—our sin for Jesus’ righteousness—went down at the atonement, but the official press release? That hit when Jesus rose and got the VIP seat at the Father’s right hand of Power. This was the courtroom gavel slam declaring that everyone Jesus died for is now rocking the “Righteousness of God” title. And trust me, it’s not because of our stellar résumé—God’s the one with the authority, power, and dominion here. The law’s DIY righteousness kit? Total flop, thanks to its pesky human origins.

Third, judgment. Salvation’s a two-parter (we will only focus on the first aspect), Judgment. This is like storming the gates, with guns blazing, to free your enslaved loved one by taking out the bad guys. Exhibit A: Israelites wading through the Red Sea while Pharaoh’s army gets a watery goodbye. Exhibit B: Jesus on the cross, shredding Satan’s accusation privileges (Revelation 12:10) and teleporting us from the devil’s grip (Colossians 1:13) to His kingdom. Greater is Jesus in me than that cosmic loser out there. By judging and trashing Satan’s works, Jesus pulls off the ultimate rescue mission. Jesus vs Satan in this context, is the archetype of Hero vs villain. Jesus won. Pharaoh’s army drowned while Israel was delivered; Satan’s power was broken while humanity was redeemed. This frames judgment not as something believers fear but as something already accomplished on their behalf, securing their freedom. We’re free, because our enemy’s toast.

Now, let’s get to the juicy bit. Jesus dropped this as a mic-drop moment for the whole sinful world, but if you’re already “born-from-above”—congratulations, you’re in the club—what’s this mean for us? We’ve already had our sin epiphany, repented, got the forgiveness stamp, and unlocked the power to heal sickness and evict demons like it’s our day job. So, what’s the Spirit correcting now?

For believers, who have already accepted Jesus, the sin of unbelief no longer defines them. Instead, the Spirit’s role shifts to a positive correction—reminding them of their new reality in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “Paul writes, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (NLT).

The big idea: if you’re already God’s righteousness, the Spirit isn’t here to wag a finger and say, “You’re not righteous, you naughty thing.” No, He’s correcting you when you forget you’re basically divine royalty and start moping around like a spiritual peasant. The word “convict” here means “correct”—when you’re off-the-mark. Pre-salvation, the Spirit was all, “Yikes, you’re a mess.” Post-salvation? It’s, “Honey, you’re dazzling—act like it.” The correction’s positive now, a holy hype session. You’re not seeing yourself as the perfect, glorious righteousness of God? That’s what He’s fixing.

Romans 8:1 declares, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

If you’re saved and still hearing a naggy voice droning on about how sinful you are, newsflash: that’s not God. It’s either Satan doing his accusatory shtick or you secretly loving a good self-pity party. Sure, the Word’s a sharp sword—ouch, it’ll call out sinful behavior when you’ve been sinful. But that’s about your actions. The Spirit’s correction we’re vibing on here? It’s about your shiny new reality in Jesus. He is correcting our vision when we forget our royal status as co-heirs with Jesus. It’s a call to live boldly from that identity He’s whispering (or shouting, if you’re stubborn) in our hearts, “You’re perfect, righteous, glorious—a prince of heaven! So why are you slumming it with sin? It’s beneath you.” You’re righteous, so act righteous. You’re heaven’s VIP, not some back-alley chump chatting up thieves and creeps. You’re a co-heir with Jesus—stop rummaging in human resources’ dumpster and cash that check from heaven’s bank account: withdrawing from “heaven’s bank account” for all the good things Jesus has already give to you by grace.

That’s the Spirit’s vibe today. So, double-check the voice you’re tuning into—it better be the Spirit’s, not some sleazeball demon with a guilt trip agenda.

 ——

[Grok (xAI), 2025. Proofreading, copyediting, and stylistic enhancements.]


Send Freedom To The Oppressed

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,”
(Luke 4:18 LSB)

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him,”
(Acts 10:38 LSB).

“On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
(Luke 13:10-16 NIV).

“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven,”
(Matthew 18: 18-19 NIV).

Jesus isn’t just here for the spiritualized allegories; He’s the ultimate freedom fighter, breaking chains of demonic oppression like it’s his day job. He’s passed on that Spirit-powered liberation toolkit to us.

It’s all fun and theological games when you read the words, apply basic reading comprehension, follow the rules of logic, and let the Bible interpret itself… until you bump into a doctrine you don’t like. Suddenly, there’s a line in the sand. Will you be faithful to let the Bible be your only first principle of knowledge and authority, or will you swap it out for some human concoction of observations? Will you atone for the Bible’s so-called “mistake” of its radical faith doctrine by sacrificing it on the altar of your own observations and sensations? When Christians do this, they’re being religious, but not in the good “fear of God” way. It’s more like a religion, a sacrifice, and a doctrine straight from central casting for demonic doctrines.

In Luke 4, Jesus reads from Isaiah, applying it to Himself. He says the Spirit of God has anointed Him to proclaim the good news. Then He adds He’s anointed to proclaim freedom to captives and sight for the blind. Notice the pause in the “proclaiming” parade, where Jesus shifts gears to say He’s anointed to set free, or “send freedom” to the “oppressed.”

Although some Christians love to spiritualize and allegorize the Bible as if they were a Buddhist drunk on the blood of mystics, we’re going to fear God and stick to what’s actually written. The beauty of spiritualizing the Bible is you control the narrative, bending definitions like playdough when you don’t like what you read. You might argue, “Works are works, grace is grace, and these categories are set in stone,” but your tune suddenly changes when its not about your pet doctrines. Then, suddenly, everything’s up for reinterpretation. They can’t heal the sick, and their prayers might as well be on mute when they pray; therefore, they rewrite the Bible in their image, making prayer outcomes as unpredictable as a coin toss. They make the bible a reflection of their own image.

What does Jesus mean by being anointed to set free the oppressed? Are we to spiritualize this too? If Jesus says He’s anointed to proclaim the good news, does that mean He’s just sending out spiritual vibes? No way. When He talks about giving sight to the blind, He means actual, physical healing, not some metaphorical eye-opening. The repeated examples make this as clear as day; to claim otherwise is like saying your brain’s still loading from the ’90s dial-up era.

Our focus is on Jesus saying He’s anointed to “set free the oppressed.” Not just to “proclaim” freedom, but to actively do the freeing. To keep letting the Bible interpret itself, let’s look at where Jesus sets the oppressed free. The most direct wording comes from Peter in Acts 10:38, where he says Jesus was Spirit-anointed, by the Father, for this exact mission. It’s likely Peter is thinking of Isaiah 61 and remembers Jesus’ calming of it, because they resemble each other so much. However, instead of “set free the oppressed,” he uses “healing” for “oppressed.”

The Bible teaches that sending freedom by the Spirit heals those made sick by demonic power. Peter sums up that all the sick Jesus healed were under demonic oppression, not merely cursed from Adam’s fall. Luke 13 gives a direct example of Jesus, anointed by the Spirit, healing a woman oppressed by Satan for 18 years. She had a physical defect caused by demons. Jesus called her a daughter of Abraham, indicating her election, as He does not call all Jews children of Abraham. Despite her status as one of God’s elect, Satan oppressed her with sickness for many years, making her bow and look at her feet in torment.

Jesus was not there to “use signs to confirm His ministry,” but to fulfill an old promise to Abraham. These are two different categories. He said it was necessary, for a daughter of Abraham to be healed on the Sabbath. The sabbath, was the day that God provides. Thus, is not merely a sufficient reason, but a necessary reason that God provides healing for the children of Abraham on the Sabbath. He promised to bless Abraham and his children, and this included supernatural health and healing. This is obvious from what God promised Abraham and the context. And Jesus affirms that healing must be given to Abrahams children. 

The specific word Jesus used was “bound,” and “set free.” Jesus was anointed to set free the oppressed. He found a lady bound by demonic sickness and so Jesus set her free. Notice, Jesus did not preach to her about healing, or other aspects of the gospel. Rather, he went straight to her and commanded the healing, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” This is exactly what Jesus said. He was anointed to set the oppressed free. Not to merely proclaim it, but to do the freeing Himself.

Peter, in his Pentecost sermon, explains that Jesus was promised the right to pour out the Spirit for power as a reward for His atonement and resurrection. This Spirit baptism is for missional power, distinct from inward sanctification. The Book of Acts shows this empowerment through speaking in tongues, healing, visions, prophecies, and other miracles. Jesus was the forerunner, anointing us with the same Spirit. We are to preach the gospel and free the oppressed, as seen when Peter healed a cripple. His statement would get him kicked out of many churches for stealing God’s glory and not acknowledging God’s sovereignty. Peter does not preach, but commands, saying, “What I have, I give, in Jesus’ Name, Walk.”

The man, like the woman, was “bound” by demonic oppression through demonic power. Words are not enough for their situation. Preaching will not cut it. These oppressed people’s only hope is unstoppable power. We have greater power. And faith is the only way to get it. Jesus and Peter, loosed them from their torments. Jesus said we would do these things, saying, “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

In the context of Matthew 18, forgiveness is mentioned, but so is faith to ask for and receive anything. Matthew 16 also discusses this, where Jesus promises to build His church on Peter’s declaration of Him as the Son of God, stating that the gates of hell will not prevail against this confession. In this context He says, “what you lock I will lock, and what you unlock I will unlock.” This suggests a broad application for this conferred authority, which Jesus gave to us who confess He is the Son of God. It’s an all-encompassing power. It is the same faith used for salvation, healing, moving mountains, expanding His kingdom, forgiveness, and asking for our desires. Consider using faith to receive wealth for funding gospel work. Not only did you unlock a financial door here on earth, but by sowing this back into God’s work you have unlocked treasure for yourself in heaven. Faith opens doors on earth, in heaven, and beyond; it’s the master key. Jesus teaches to give to Caesar what is “his,” and if you command a mountain to move with faith, it will obey “you.” You cast out demons, free souls, and what you loose on earth will be loosed in the next life.

Now, for us, the baton’s passed. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit for power, not just for personal holiness but for mission work, as seen in Acts with miracles galore. Peter, taking after Jesus, healed a cripple just by commanding it. He said, “What I have, I give, in Jesus’ Name, Walk.” We are commissioned with the same power and authority to do the same. We don’t need to beg God for it. It’s a packaged deal with the finished atonement of Jesus. You already got it. If you need to be baptized in the Spirit, then ask by faith and receive.

Unless your faith’s been stuck on dial-up, it’s time to log into the divine network and start freeing folks from their physical and spiritual shackles. Remember, in this game of faith, you’re not just playing; you’re meant to change the scoreboard.

[Grok 2025, personal. Helped with proofreading and a few witty summaries.]


Extra Baskets Left Over #2

*17 In my experience, no matter how farfetched a heresy may seem, it almost always limits God. The only exception is if the doctrine directly takes glory that belongs to God and assigns it to man. Because God’s infinity, is well, infinite, and His sovereignty is direct and absolute, there is no bigger way to describe God and His ability than what the bible teaches. Take for example the Mormons teaching on us becoming a god and owning a planet. Despite what it might look like, this is a slap in the face of God by limiting Him. Only one planet? You got to be kidding me! Make it at least 100,000 planets, and then maybe the insult won’t be so bad.

God will not give up His praise, and we will never be worshiped as God, but God has highly exalted and glorified man in the gospel (1 Corinth 2:7, 3:22). In the next life there is no limit for good things God will give us. No man has seen or even considered how big it is. One planet. You might as well slap God in the face and be direct with your insults rather than play games like that.  Reality, and even time itself has been given to me in Christ, and you want to limit it to one small planet. Only a brain the size of a pea could think so small.

The lesson here is that all liberal theology, whether it is cessationism, free will, one planet, evolution, directly attacks God by limiting Him and by limiting who we are in Christ and limiting what we are able to accomplish in Him. 

*18 The sad truth is that people still think the blood and resurrection of Jesus is worthless and does nothing to affect us today. If “your” righteousness is still nasty rags, then you are a reprobate on their way to hell.

I remember the first time I understood Christians referring to their righteousness as filthy rags and it shocked me. Did Jesus do nothing for you? Are you not a new creation? Are you not God’s righteousness? Does not the Spirit empower you to do righteous acts? Do you not have the Spirit and the Mind of Christ? Do you still think God sees you as unrighteous?

No wonders Christians can’t heal the sick and cast out demons and perform miracles, they can barely believe they are forgiven, if even that. They don’t believe any good thing God’s say about them.

Some ere by thinking their limited power is stronger than God. God has put His power and Name on you. The Father planned your salvation, and Jesus did it, and the Spirit makes you do it. The Spirit empowers you to do righteous acts. If not, then you must admit your weakness out powers God’s ability to work in you to perform righteousness. It is about God’s power not yours.

*19 Why does Hebrews focus on faith rather than some other ethic that God is so pleased with and turns humans into everlasting heroes, whom the world was not worthy to have known.

There are a few reasons, but I want to focus on one aspect. Faith testifies about a certain attribute of God, that God is very concerned with. God’s word is true. God’s word is faithful. God’s word does not fade away, while everything else fades. God’s word is 7 times tested and sure. God’s word is permanent and absolute. God is a God of truth and faithfulness.

God is not a physical Body. He is Spirit, or a Mind. Or in a technical way, an infinite, eternal, immutable system of propositions. Truth is at the very heart of who God is!

This is why you will see commands (ethics) that state “ABOVE ALL, let your yes be yes,” (James 5:12). Or Jesus saying in the sermon on the Mount., “let your yes be yes and no be no,” (Matthew 5:37). OR the many commands to know, believe and speak the “truth.” Or in proverbs there are 6 things that Yahweh hates, and two of them directly deal with the issue of truth (“A lying tongue, false witness.”)

Faith not only directly obeys God’s command, but it is a loud testimony of the surety, faithfulness, permanent and enduring nature of God’ Word. Such a testimony greatly pleases God. This is why, unbelief toward the good promises of God, (forgiveness, healing, prosperity, miracles etc), is so hateful to God. It not only is direct rebellion to the command of God, but it is also a testimony against the faithfulness, permanence, and enduring nature of God’s Word.

Therefore, in Hebrews 11:6 we are told if you please God you must believe He rewards those who seek Him. Faith like this, is a testimony of glory of God’s Word. Let our lives be continual acts of faith in God’s rewards, so that not only do we have joy, but our lives become continual shouts to the faithfulness, permanence, and everlasting nature of the Word of God.

This is also why it is good to practice faith confessions. Confess Psalm 23, and 103. “My Cup overflows.” “You forgive all my sins, and heal me of all my sicknesses.” When you confess and praise God, like Israel about the walls of Jericho falling down (before they fall down), your life becomes a loud broadcast to the world and God, that His world is more faithful, more permanent, more tested, more true and more enduring than anything we see or anything related to man’s speculations.

Let us strive for such a loud broadcast in all our lives.

*20 “Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles.”

(1 Timothy 1:18)

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

(2 Timothy 1:6-7)

Paul commands Timothy to remember, the scripture? No, he said to remember the prophecy, regarding his life in ministry, and to remember the gifts and spiritual power God conferred on him when Paul prayed for him. By remembering these, Timothy will be empowered to fight the Lord’s battles and be effective in ministry. This is how God, not man, but how God sets people apart for ministry. It cannot be faked, or given by man’s recognition. The scripture is assumed here by Paul. Why was the scripture not enough to fight the Lord’s battles? Because the scripture tells us to be baptized in the Spirit for power and to chase after spiritual power and miracles. This includes specific prophecies given to us, that we are to follow and obey. Without it you will fail to fight God’s battles in life and ministry.

If you are going to obey God, then you cannot chase Him without also chasing miracles and healing.

*21 Chasing God, without chasing miracles, is a God that does not exist, a delusion of human speculation. God commands that we be healed, ask for anything and get it, and to chase for the gifts. To think you can chase after God without obeying Him, is insanity. You might as well call it atheism or Satanism, but the one thing it is not, is Christianity.

*22 People are waiting on God, however, at the same time God is waiting on them.

God is waiting for their faith. Thus, they will be waiting forever.

God waits for faith, after this we stop waiting, because God gives us whatever we ask in faith.

With faith the waiting stops. Even aged wine, which takes a long time, took no time when Jesus turned water into wine. The same for many types of healing.

If you have faith, you have no wait.

—

This is an area where even those who think they have mature faith can keep growing. Let us always strive for 100 fold in faith, and not be settled with anything else. It’s is fine to start with 30 fold, or even 10, we all must start somewhere. But let us never be satisfied accept with the impossible standard that Jesus promised that we can achieve with faith. There is too much of our own joy and His glory at stake for anything less.

*23 Arminianism is so stupid. I hear stuff like this all the time.

“I affirm God is sovereign, however, God limited himself to what He can do through man.”

Then God was “past tense” sovereign but not anymore, otherwise you have a true contradiction.

One thing that is so bad about this, is that the faith teachers who are correct in reminding us not to limit God, affirm that God is already limited. What a big mess.

Hahahahaha.

Arminianism is the piss of Satan. Stop standing in that stream.

*24 “When Jesus becomes bigger than your sickness, then miracles happen.

When Jesus becomes bigger than your problems, then the problems go away.”
-Benny Hinn

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinth. 5:7

When people’s faith became bigger than their sickness and troubles Jesus said, over and over, “Your faith saved you, or, Your faith healed you.”

*25 “Everyone bumps into reality eventually. So, if the ultimate reality that God has envisioned is benevolent, we can bump around in the dark as many times as we want to, but we will eventually fall into benevolence because that’s at the foundation”  — Rachel M. Rasmussen

This is incomprehensible to the Christian definition of God.

God and His decree would be the only definition for “ultimate reality,” not creation. Yet, “ultimate reality” in this statement seems to be undefined, or creation itself, or at the very least not “God and His decrees.” If God decreed to be benevolent to all persons, then God, who is ultimate reality makes it happen by His decision and His unstoppable power. There is a way to keep categories separate without making an error with ultimate reality and the relative level. However, because ultimate reality is mentioned, then for the Christian God it is only by God’s decree and power. It is intellectual and determined. God has not decreed all to know His benevolence (salvation, Romans 9), thus the statement is not true.

If taken as un undefined, broad statement it is hard to say the consequent (reductio ad absurdum) makes the antecedent false. “Ultimate reality” is undefined. How you define “benevolent” would be the key if what you see around equates to absurdity or not. Also, if all ultimate reality is benevolent and ultimate reality is all there is, then of course you will find it; in fact you are already in it. But if it is just one part of ultimate reality and ultimate reality is infinite, then even an infinite amount of time will not be enough to find it.

*26 I want to see proof.

Let those who like to make truth skeptical or relative or non-binary, deny the law of contradiction without using it.

Let them deny their existence without using their existence? Show me.

Let them program a program or an AI, but the AI or program cannot apply the law of contradiction and identity to binary 0s and 1s. Even in quantum computing, they must use the LoC to say what they want to communicate, otherwise they deny their own statements, otherwise quantum computing works, means it does not work.

Prove it by drawing a square circle. Show me.

If they can do this then I will believe them.

*27 “Oshea, don’t be so harsh in your rebukes. “

Ok. I will just quote the Bible when I rebuke.

Ezekiel 23:3,18 ,20 NET

 They engaged in prostitution in Egypt; in their youth they engaged in prostitution. Their breasts were squeezed there; lovers fondled their virgin nipples there…

 When she lustfully exposed her nakedness, I was disgusted with her, just as I had been disgusted with her sister…

 She lusted after their genitals – as large as those of donkeys, and their [cum] was as strong as that of stallions.

Jude 1:10-13 NIV

Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct

—as [dumb] animals do—will destroy them. Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

Jesus, “Your bind morons.” Matthew 23:19

Jesus, “Your father is Satan.” John 8:44

Paul, “you teach a doctrine of demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1

I could keep going but then the post would get long.

*28 Unbelief Makes You A Liar

“Look, I am giving all this land to you! Go in and occupy it, for it is the land the LORD swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to all their descendants.’” (Deuteronomy 1:8 NLT)

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.” (Exodus 33:1 NIV)

“Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.” (Proverbs 12:22)

“But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!”  So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites.” (Numbers 13:30-32 NLT)

“Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say. 29 You will all drop dead in this wilderness (Num.14:28 NLT)

In proverbs we learn that God hates lying lips. Lying is an abomination to God. We also read over and over in the scripture that truth is only revealed by God and never produced by any other means. Truth is not produced by man’s observations or experiments, which commits the triple fallacy of empiricism, observation and affirming the consequent.

God revealed the truth to Abraham that He was giving Canaan (Promise Land) to him and his descendants. God restates this truth to Moses when He calls him to lead the Israelites from Pharaoh into Canaan. These were not by man’s observations or speculations. This knowledge came by God’s revelation, the only source of truth.

Caleb and Joshua had faith in God’s revelation and so affirmed they can take the land, even though they saw with their eyes the large inhabitants and fortified cities. Their faith has a by product that is not often stated as much as it should. Their faith makes their lips tell the truth. Their faith makes them testify that God word is truth and man is a liar. God loves people to tell the truth.

The other elders were filled with unbelief and said they could not take The Land (Hebrews 4:2). Their unbelief led them to an inevitable consequence. Their lips poured out lies. God alone made and controls reality. God knows the truth about the material world because He made it and controls it; He decreed its beginning to its end. So of course, God alone knows the truth about reality. God revealed that He gave Israel the land and took the inhabitant’s protection away from them.

Thus, when the leaders spoke unbelief, they lied about reality. They testified that God’s word is not true. They testified that what they saw and heard by their human observation was a correct statement of reality and what God said was not a correct statement of reality. To not believe God’s good promise of health, wealth, property, fame and miracles is to call God a liar. Although  John 3:33 and 1 John 5:10 are specifically about Jesus the same can be applied to all of God’s revelation, when it contradicts man’s observation.  There are two testimonies that contradict, which is God’s revelation and man’s observation. You cannot pick both because Jesus shows in Mark 12:35-37 that a contradiction invalidates your interpretation of scripture. You must pick a master for knowledge. This choice is automatically made by faith or unbelief. If you believe, then you testify God is truthful, if you doubt then your lips utter lies about God and reality. Love rejoices in the truth. And God considers liars an abomination.

* 29 Yeses For God’s Glory

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us,” 2 Corin. 1:20 NKJV.

How do we give glory to God? We give glory to God when God’s promise manifests as a no, through Jesus, in us, when we ask for healing, right? This is obviously not what it says, and yet this is how some teach about the promises of God. They teach that when God’s promise is a no, in the name of Jesus through us, that it somehow gives glory to God. What a scam! What a lie. It is a lie from Satan to steal the glory of God, and so-called Christians fall for it all the time.

If the glory of God is so important to you, then let every promise be a yes in the Name of Jesus, through you. Let every promise for healing be a yes in the Name of Jesus, in you, to God’s glory. We give glory to God when His promise manifest as yesses, in our life, through our faith in Jesus. Do not deceive yourself that noes through Jesus, in you, give glory to God. They do not. Only yesses, give God glory and exalt the name of Jesus.  When we consider this we realize, some who scream about the “glory of God,” give Him the least amount of glory.

* 30

God did not kill your child.
God did not make you sick.
Satan killed your child.
Satan made you sick.

This is as true and needing no qualification or correction as much as Jesus’ statement, “whom Satan has bound for 18 years,” is true, needs no qualification and needing no correction.

If you want to bring in ultimate level ontology, you better do it in a way that doesn’t slap Jesus, correct Him or trample His blood.

* 31

How can a person belittle prosperity gospel, which is made possible by Jesus’ substitutionary atonement (2 Corin.8:9), without belittling forgiveness gospel, which is produced by the same substitutionary atonement (2 Corin.5:21)?

The answer is painfully obvious.

Since both are produced by the same thing, you cannot “logically” belittle one without the other. The gospel is a packaged deal, by the sovereign work of God. No man is able to subdivide it. You either believe the substitutionary atonement of Jesus worked or it did not. The stakes for believing the prosperity gospel are as high and important as believing Jesus’ atonement was a substitutionary exchange all of me and not just part of me.

* 32

When Peter, (even after baptized with the Spirit), commanded the man’s sickness to leave (stand up), Peter did not speak to God about the problem; rather it was more like Peter spoke to the problem about God. In the broad sense, a word of faith command like this, is just a shorthand way to pray without hedging. And because it is a prayer, you are aware God is listening to you and that you are using His authority and that you are standing on His promise. However, in the most direct sense, these types of prayers are spoken to the problem, and not God. Jesus did not say to “speak” directly to him about your mountain, “oh God, I am nothing and I need your help.” No, Jesus told us to “speak” to the mountain and tell it to get out of your way. Is this Jesus not God-centered enough for you, or are you more God-centered than Him? Jesus teaches us that we already have His authority and His approval to pray like this and get powerful results. To command and get what we want. The fact many Christians do not pray like this, means they are disobedient to God’s command and do not believe or understand their identity in Christ. They do not understand prayer. So the lesson to learn here is this, when you have a problem you speak directly to it. It is not wrong to go to God in prayer about your problem, but Jesus has officially instructed us how to pray in such situations. It is like the sermon on the Mountain. Jesus is raising the bar for His teaching about how we pray and get results. Who am I to alter Jesus’ instructions? Therefore, speak to your problems about God, telling them to throw themselves into the sea.

*33 Don’t Waste Your Faith

One spiritual pervert said, “Don’t Waste Your Cancer.” Jesus said “don’t waste your faith.” (Matt 17:20)

 Paul said if you give up your body to suffer fire, but do not have love, then you profit nothing. For “love” defined by Paul is a love that works spiritual power for healing, prophecy and miracles. With power you are to love, rather than being a self-centered show-off. With power to heal, you love by making the suffering of your neighbor stop. Love Never Fails. The bible does not know of a love that does not heal the sick and produce miracles to make those who suffer to stop suffering. If you give up your body to suffer sickness, but do not have powerful-love to be healed, then you profit nothing.

*34 You Do it.

God gave dominion and authority to Adam and told him to name the animals. God said, “you do it.”

God gave Moses the Staff of God. When he was crying out for help, God told him to stop crying, “stretch out the staff” and “You divide it.” God said, “you do it.”

Jesus said we do not tell God about our mountain, rather we tell our mountain about God and command it to move. Jesus commanded us, “you do it.”

Jesus had the fullness of the Spirit to do ministry, and He gave the same Spirit He had to us, to be filled with power. He said we were to tear down the gates of hell, heal the sick and cast out demons. Jesus said, “you do it.”

This only works if Jesus already gave us the power and authority to do this, and He has. Therefore, Peter in Acts 3 says, “what I do have, I give to you.” Peter commanded the man to stand up and walk. Peter had the power and authority to heal, thus he gave what he already had. He wasn’t waiting for God to move, because God already moved and was waiting for Peter to use what he already had. We have the same authority and power (baptized in the Spirit) they had. We are not waiting for God to do something (such as helping us with healing), because God already did something. He is telling us to do something, because it already belongs to us. We have the Staff of God. This staff of God is in our mouth when we speak faith. Stretch out your mouth and command it to move.

*35 Observation never judges the Bible

“… I don’t think human observation and lack of experience should play a part in determining that. I’d rather the debate be centered around the text,” (Objective Believer, from Facebook.).

This is correct, because the bible gives infallible testimony of human observations being incorrect. The subject is our source of knowledge, or epistemology. It is significant if only one time your source is mistaken, because then it means you have no way to know if any given instance of knowledge from that source is now true. For example, if the bible was shown to be wrong one time, in that Jesus was born in Corinth rather than Bethlehem, the whole bible would be shoved into the category of skepticism. Since the source was wrong, then any knowledge from that source has no way to prove if it is true or not, because the source is not reliable.

However, 2 Kings 3:22 the bible gives an infallible testimony that Moab thought they saw blood, when in fact it was just water. The source of the Moabites knowledge (epistemology) was empiricism and observation, but this led to them being incorrect about reality. Because empiricism/observation has been shown to give false results, there is no way for any given instance of observation to prove that it is true. This means you must know that you do not know. And so, empiricism/observation as an epistemology leads to skepticism. But to say “you do not know that you know,” is to deny the law of contradiction. But even Jesus appealed to the law of contradiction in Mark 12:35-37. Thus, if you have violated the law of contradiction you are wrong.

This is why it is always wrong and dumb to use observation to negate the bible on any point of truth. Observation leads to skepticism and skepticism denies the law of contradiction, and so of course it should never be used as a source of knowledge. The idea that what you observe leads to knowledge is superstition. To use observation to disprove the bible on any given point, is using superstition and skepticism to disprove the bible; it is never intelligent to do this.

*36

I always find it odd that so-called Christians want to affirm how awful they are.

Such a confession would logically lead back to God, and how ineffective He is, at forgiving, sanctifying and empowering His chosen ones. There also could be some connection to the unforgivable sin against the Spirit, by connecting your confession of sinfulness, worthlessness, and patheticness to the Spirit who lives in the believer.

At the end of the day God gets to play with reality and define reality the way he wants. God credited His righteousness to me and not Himself. I am what I am, by the grace of God. The Bible rejects pantheism. This means when God creates a frog, it is a frog and God is not a frog. Thus, what God creates and gives me, are now part of my DNA, my very definition. I am the righteousness of God. I am a child of God, a prince of heaven, with free access to the throne, while other created beings do not have this access. This is me. I am what I am, by the grace of God. When God credits me with His righteousness, it is just as part of my definition as me saying, “I am 6 feet tall.” I do not need to qualify this by saying, “I am 6 feet tall, by the sovereignty and grace of God,” as if to distance this aspect of my definition from me, as if it is somehow not 100% my definition.

God sovereignly caused me to be born as a sinner, (Rom 5) and this was part of my definition. But now in Christ my definition is righteousness. Or is my past definition of being born a sinner, more permanent and foundational than God sovereignly causing me to be righteous? My definition and reality is based on God’s thoughts about me. When God thinks of me, He thinks I am holy; He thinks I am righteous with His righteousness, blameless, and empowered with His power. God thinks I am amazing and glorious. Who am I to disregard God, unless I’m a reprobate?

It is for this reason, the word of faith confessions of reprobates is a confession in how sinful God sees them, because that is who they are.

*37

Peter Masters interpretation of Galatians is faulty because Paul’s argument was that all Christians were given the blessing of Abraham and this combined with faith produced miracles among them. Paul did not say, “because Paul was given the blessing of Abraham and Apostleship therefore Paul worked miracles among the Galatians.” No. Paul said they were given this blessing because of faith in Jesus. Paul made it about Jesus. Its all fun and games, when it comes to being gospel-centered and God-centered, until we find out that being Jesus centered means we are all to be baptized in the Spirit and work constant miracles.

As usual, the theological maximum for traditionalist is that man (Paul and Apostles) is the foundation for miracles; however, the Bible says God (God giving the blessing of Abraham to all through Jesus) is the foundation of miracles. Tradition hates God for this because they are the original “little gods” heretics. By making all believers filled with the Spirit and given the same power and authority to heal and work miracles, the traditionalist do not have an excuse to call their founders “fathers” and worship them as little gods. They don’t have an excuse to elevate their creeds as more equal than the scripture.  

*38  Sovereignty like a mere human King?

Andrew Wommack says God’s “sovereignty” is defined correctly by the dictionary. The definition Wommack quotes has to do with a king or government ruling a nation. His argument is that because an earthly king does not control all the thoughts and actions of his people, then God does not.

This is a careless mistake. When was it a good idea to define things by a mere dictionary lookup? Wommack, in teaching other doctrines such as, “You already got it,” (which I find edifying) will define them by how the text and passage does it. Why not do it for God’s sovereignty? Why not define God’s sovereign control how Romans 9 defines it? Before the twins made choices of good or bad God already decided to love and hate one of them. Why not define God’s sovereignty how the bible tells us God uses His power and control?

The lesson here is that when you here a pastor boil down an entire doctrine to one dictionary lookup and then inductively apply it to God, then you need to mock it and disregard it as trash. If they call themselves pastors, then they need to define terms how the bible and the relevant passages do. In this case the “p” for pastor stands for theological “pervert.”

Wommack also has the same category errors when talking about God’s command and His causality. He also wrongly assumes that responsibility presupposes freedom, which is still one of the dumbest things I have ever heard.

At any rate, Wommack as a faith teacher has some good things to say on the narrow aspect of faith and healings, but beware anytime he speaks about God and His nature.

*39

“… I pray you may
prosper concerning everything
and be healthy,
just as your soul prospers.”
(3 John 1:2. LEB)

Some people like to spiritualize the bible to oblivion and back, but verses like the above show they are wicked and stupid. They want to say the “prosperity” and “health” in this verse is about “spiritual” prosperity and health, but this is obviously wrong, because the last part of the verse mentions the spiritual prosperity of the soul. To those who are accustomed to reading and believing scripture, we recognize God is smart enough to communicate truth to us in a precise and coherent way. If God wants to talk about spiritual prosperity, it will make it plain by calling it prosperity of the soul. We normally use health and wealth to refer to it as health for the body and money to buy things; this is why the verse above had to make a point to call it soul prosperity, because that is not how it is normally used. The first use of prosperity and health, in the verse, is how we normally use the words and so no clarification is needed. The verse also shows us there is a category difference between the two. It shows us, through the Apostle John, God’s own desires for us to prosper in material things as well as our souls; in fact, the verse boldly says, “just as.” That is, as much as I want your soul to prosper, I want your body to be healthy and abound in money.

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, for your sake he became poor, in order that you, by his poverty, may become rich.”

Thus, when we hear a person saying that poverty and riches in 2 Corinthians 8:9, is about spiritual poverty and riches, we know they have conspired with wicked men to revolt against God.

Thomas Jefferson is infamous for cutting out parts of the bible to make it agree with his own personal worldview. However, our leaders are cowards, so that rather than making it clear they are cutting out parts of the bible, which they do not like, they say things like, “this prosperity is a spiritual/soulish prosperity.” They spiritualize the parts of the bible Jefferson would have boldly cut out, so as to give the appearance they still respect the bible, all-the-while they trample it.

They are the worst type of trash and sum.

The Age of Abraham’s Blessing

“What I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
(Acts 3:6 NIV.)

Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? (v.12)

Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days… He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.” (v.24-25).

The first statement from Peter would get you kicked out of most churches. God’s power healed the cripple. This is the context. Peter didn’t say, “What Jesus has, Jesus gives to you,” or “what Jesus has, I give it to you.” No. Peter said, “What I have, I give to you.”

Peter did affirm the ultimate level of reality by saying, this was not our godliness or power. This is like saying, “when I shot the man who was trying to kill me, the gun and the bullet is not my power. It wasn’t my power that blew a hole through his chest.”

The power is God’s, but God gave the power to Peter and Peter pulled the trigger by saying, “in the Name of Jesus, walk.”

How does Peter have this power? Do we have it?

The power is the Spirit and the authority is the access to use Jesus Name. Jesus said, “if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God.” And so, it was the Spirit’s power not Jesus’ power, when He was healing and casting out demons. In John 14:10 Jesus also says, the Father does His works, referring to the miracles Jesus was doing. Thus, Jesus was not doing miracles by Jesus’ power, but the Spirit’s power. The power of the Spirit, Jesus gives to us, as Peter argues in Acts chapter 2. It was promised by the Father, and Jesus sitting at God’s right hand ensures the Spirit of power is poured out on all those God calls to Himself.  Jesus said, referring to the Spirit, that life giving waters will flow out of our inner man. The authority is given to us to use Jesus’ name to ask for whatever we want. Jesus says this 4 to 5 times in John 14-16.

Our identity in Jesus, as Peter says, means we are a royal priesthood. We are not just sub-heirs with Jesus, but co-heirs with Him. We are called children of God. Paul says in Ephesians that all blessings have already been given to us, and that we are already seated in the heavenly places with Jesus, above all names, times and authorities. All of this means we have divine, heavenly and royal authority. The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable.

Also, as purchased gifts we have power and authority. The power of the Spirit is a promise of the Father to Jesus, to give to us, upon His resurrection. It is part of the finished atonement and resurrection of Jesus. The authority to use Jesus’ Name is our definition for having our identity in Jesus. Water baptism means we are raised in new life, with Jesus, as part of Jesus. This new identity includes having the definition to wield Jesus’ name to ask for whatever we want.

What is interesting about this, is that it has nothing to do with apostles. It is centered on the finished work of Jesus and His current position of ruling from the Power’s right hand.

Peter makes a last reference to Abraham. The context is why the man was healed in the Name and power of Jesus, and how Peter did it, and how the man received it by faith in Jesus. Peter’s last point to explain all of this was Abraham and God’s promise to bless all people through his offspring. Think about that. According to Peter, the ability to use Jesus Name, and power to heal, is based on the blessing of Abraham. This blessing, as Peter also says, means forgiveness and salvation. But our point of interest in the context of Peter explaining the healing to the authorities.

It was not as if Abraham is so important, but that God made a promise. Abraham was asleep. It was all God. God gave a promise to bless Abraham with fame, favor, healing, supernatural healing, wealth, victories and etc, and to do the same with his children, and by this bless the whole world. Paul argues in Galatians 3, that the atonement of Jesus did not replace Abraham’s blessing, but Jesus’ crucifixion grafts us into this blessing. Jesus took on our curses and in substitutionary exchange gave us the blessing of Abraham. Paul also sums up this gospel as the “Spirit and miracles,” which is received by faith in Jesus. Paul says the power of the Spirit for miracles is part of Abraham’s blessing, and Peter sums up the access to use Jesus’ Name to heal as part of Abraham’s blessing.

Acts opens of with Jesus’ command to receive power by the baptism of the Spirit. The first miracle is Peter claiming to have Jesus’ authority. Rather than saying it was a gift of the Spirit, Peter says it was faith in Jesus that caused the healing. Thus, the first miracle was performed by normal discipleship faith. Peter knew his identity and authority in Jesus. He knew about the privilege and command to use Jesus’ name to heal the sick and cast out demons. He then used it. Peter then says this is part of Abraham’s blessing.

Why is this important. It is important because we have the same blessing of Abraham. The blessing of Abraham is not one thing for one person and something different for another. The only real factor is faith. Your faith determines how much you can extract out of your blessing in Abraham. This is why Paul rebuked the Galatians. Their faith in Jesus, giving them access to Abraham’s blessing, extracted miracles for them. But now they want to abandon faith for works. A relationship of works will stop the miracles that came to the Galatians, from being grafted into Abraham’s blessing.

Lastly, remember again, this has nothing to do with apostles. It is about God and how faithful, true and awesome He is in keeping promises. God made a very old promise, and after all these years, He still keeps His promise. And so, if you hear someone say, “but the book of Acts, is about the apostles; the miracles are only for them; the miracles stopped with them,” then you understand how dumb and perverted they are.

“So, the Book of Acts isn’t just a highlight reel for the apostles. No siree, it’s the kickoff for the “Age of Abraham’s Kids Doing Cool Stuff.” It’s not about how special the apostles were; it’s about how faithful God is. He made a promise to Abe, and centuries later, He’s still like, “Yeah, I got you.”

In short, if you believe in Jesus, you’re not just saved; you’re also signed up for the spiritual sequel where you get to do the stuff. The power’s there, the name’s yours to use, and the only limit? Your faith. So, go out there and make some divine mischief in the name of Jesus, because according to Peter, it’s all part of the family business!”[1]

The book of Acts, is not the age of the apostles. It is not about the apostles. The book of Acts is about the Acts of Abraham’s children. It is the Age of Abraham’s blessing. It is the Age of the power of the Spirit and authority of Jesus Christ spoken by the lips of His children. The book of Acts is the age of faith and power, in the Name of Jesus Christ.

“Get up and Walk!”

[1] Grok AI, fun mode 2024, summary of this essay.

You Resist Satan & He Will Flee From You

James says that if God resists Satan, no, wait that’s wrong; he says if you resist Satan then he will flee from God, no wait, that’s still not right. If you resist Satan, then he will flee from you.

James tells us, if you tell Satan to skedaddle, he’ll scram faster than a cat at a cucumber party. But here’s the kicker: some folks are out there praying like God’s their personal bouncer to kick Satan to the curb. Spoiler alert: that’s not how it rolls.

Some people pray prayers that make no sense. One such prayer is to ask God to make the devil leave you. This is crazy, because God’s standing command is that you resist, and you make the devil leave, not God. God has given you His divine authority to make the devil leave and has also given you the command to use that authority.  You can pray, beg and cry all day long, asking God to make the devil stop harassing you, and God will ignore it.

It is possible that God might still answer a sinful prayer like this out of extreme pity, but do not bank on it. It is a sinful prayer, because you are willfully disobeying God’s command that says you make the devil leave. You are asking God to do something He commanded you to do.

You cannot say, “well, if Satan is harassing me with temptations, or sickness, or depression or evil thoughts, (or however he is victimizing you) and so it is God’s will for me to grit my teeth and just bear with it. It is not God’s will, because God will is His commandments. His command is that you resist the devil and make him stop victimizing you, and make him leave with his tail tucked beneath his legs.

God will not do this for you. You must do it.

God’s like, “Hey, I gave you the authority to ghost the devil yourself. Use it!” You can wail and flail in prayer all you want, but God’s just gonna sip His ambrosia, waiting for you to step up.

Two things that Jesus did, as a man, when Satan harassed Him. First, Jesus used the scripture. Second, Jesus commanded Satan to leave. If you only do one of the two, then you will have a partial victory and never know true triumph. If you only do one of the two, then Satan will not fully leave you and thus, you will still be disobeying God’s command to make the devil leave. You must renew your mind on the scripture. You must confess the promises of God with your mouth as part of your reality and definition. But you also must command the devil and any demonic harassment to shut up and leave. Jesus, the OG of devil-ditching, showed us the ropes: quote scripture like it’s your favorite movie line and tell Satan to hit the road, Jack. Do one without the other, and you’re not really fighting, but just playing at this spiritual tug-of-war.

You are already a royal priesthood. You already have the royal authority of God as an heir and priest of God. This has already happened. You do not need to ask God for the use of His Name and authority, because you already got it. This is why God commands you to cast out demons and to resist the devil and make him flee, because you already got the authority to do it. It is not an emotion. It is reality. It is part of your identity in Jesus that you got when you were born from above. The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable. Thus, you always have this authority and power. You cannot lose it. It is you.

Remember, you’re not just any Joe; you’re a royal priest with the kind of clout that makes demons check their calendars for any other appointments. So, when Satan or his minions come knocking, don’t wait for God to answer your “please evict this evil” prayers. You’ve got to swing the door shut yourself, with the authority you’ve had since your spiritual rebirth.

Even if you were foolish and allowed the devil a foothold into a part of your life, you, not God, you must resist and make the devil flee. Even if you were foolish, you still have the command and authority to shove Satan’s foot out of the door. Take the sword of the Spirit and cut off that foot trying to worm its way in.  This goes without saying, but whatever you were doing to allow the devil a foothold must be corrected. Confess the promises of God over you, and command the devil to shut up and leave. No one else can do this for you, not even God, because He commanded you to do it.

When I say not even God can do it, I am not referring to a limitation in God, but to a category fallacy.

And just like you wouldn’t ask God to brush your teeth for you, don’t ask Him to do the devil-defying for you. It’s your gig. You confess, you command, and you reclaim your space. Because in the grand reality show of life, you’ve got the power, the script, and the divine right to tell any satanic squatter, “Not today, Satan, not today.”[1]

This is the same with conversion and forgiveness of your sins. Not even God can do this for you, because only you can confess your sins and ask God to save you on the account of Jesus Christ.  The same for healing. You must command the sickness to leave. It is your responsibility, and you already have the authority and finished atonement of Jesus to do it. The healing is already yours. You don’t need to ask God for it. He already gave it to you. To ask God to heal you is like asking God to give Jesus another 39 stripes, because it was by the stripes of Jesus that you are healed. It already happened. You already have it.  But you must be the one to resist the sickness and command it to leave.

[1] Used Grok AI (fun mode) 2024, for some witty summary statements.