Surrender To Jesus Is Only Possible Through Detachment

 

We sing the song, "I surrender all" but what do we really mean? We cannot surrender what we still hold on to. We can only surrender all once we have detached ourselves from the things that we are attached to. Walking with Jesus in full surrender is only possible through detachment from the things of this world. We cannot have it both ways. We find that we struggle to detach ourselves from the things of this world. This is because we are still in the flesh and our flesh will not give up easily. This is a fight where the flesh wants to hang on but the spirit wants to move on. 

 

Jesus said that anyone who wants to follow Him must take up his cross and follow Him. Taking up one's cross is to die to the flesh. This death means detachment from the things of the world that bind us to it. This means we need to forsake all and follow Him. This appears to be a high calling but we can never achieve this through the workings of the flesh. He gave us His Holy Spirit so He will help us in our weakness. This is the only way to follow Him. In the Spirit we can overcome all things. We are not left alone to struggle in life. He sent us a Comforter and Guide to help us in our walk.

 

All talk and no walk will not get us anywhere. Is this the reason for us not seeing the evidence of the supernatural in our lives? Jesus said that we would do greater works than He did but we don’t even see His works being done. Why is this gap between what we say and believe and the supernatural works? I believe this is because we are still attached to things in this world and not detached from them. Let us today detach ourselves from all things that will keep us attached to this world and surrender all to Jesus.

Walking In The Manifest Supernatural Power Of God

 

The manifest supernatural power of God is real and available to all. Why then do so few walk in it? Jesus walked in the manifest supernatural power of God.  His original disciples were commissioned to walk in it. They saw evidence of this  as sick bodies were healed and captives set free. Demons manifested and many were delivered from demonic oppression. This was the Kingdom of God being manifested on earth. The Kingdom of God is still here  but little do we see of its manifestation. There appears to be a gap between what is preached and what is seen. Why is this so?

 

We can only walk in what we know. If we know only what we have been taught and have seen in other ministries then that is all we will see manifested in our ministry.. The disciples saw the manifestation of the Kingdom of God in signs and wonders. Their preaching was followed by signs and wonders. We do not see this in the church today or only see it in fits and starts. God desires us to move in signs and wonders for the Kingdom of God is not just talk but the power of God being manifested. Only those who desire to see the manifest supernatural power of God will walk in it. Do you desire to walk in it?

 

I do and I have seen this with my own eyes. However I don't see it happening in the church as we know it. We seem to have settled for the ordinary and not the supernatural. Till we move in the manifest supernatural power of God nothing much will shift on earth. The preaching of the word must be followed by signs and wonders. This is the litmus test of whether we are living in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is here but few walk in it. We are satisfied with the form and not the substance. The form has no power. It is like a building with no life in it. Let us pray for the manifest supernatural power of God to explode amongst us and manifest as it did in the days when Jesus walked on earth.

The Spoken Word Of God Has Power To Transform.

The Word of God is living and has the power of life in it. The Word is a person and His Name is Jesus. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and dwelt amongst men. The word of God and the person of Jesus are one and the same. This means that when we speak the word of God out of our mouth we are literally speaking the Name of Jesus. The word spoken forth in faith has the power and authority to bring life. Without faith the word is just another word like literature. The Bible is the most popular book in the world yet is powerless because it is not believed and received as the Word of God.

There are many good works of literature but none of them have the power of eternal life in them. The word of God comes from God and therefore is eternal. It has survived many generations and many have tried to destroy it but it continues to live on. God's word cannot be destroyed because God cannot be destroyed. He is the Creator of all things. He can destroy but man cannot destroy Him. It is His authority and power that holds the world together. He created the world through His Word and sustains it through His Word. His endless power is able to transform and renew what is dead and useless. 

His word now spoken by those who believe can do the same works that Jesus did. Jesus spoke and the blind saw and the lame walked. This is the power that is released when we believe His word. How blind we are when we reject His word for alternatives. Satan always has his alternative suggestion but the end is hell. God's word preserves and has the same life as His. Meditate on His word till you receive the promise in it. His word has many layers and has to be mined to have an effect. It is like an onion with many layers. Each layer brings you into a deeper sense of His life and liberty. Come today and be renewed and transformed by His living word.

The Spirit Can Minister To Your Soul And Body.

 

God is Spirit and He created us as a spirit being with a soul and a body. Most of us are aware of our body and soul. The spirit is dormant and needs to be awakened. The spirit died through the Fall and needs to be born again. This is why Jesus came that we may experience an awakening of our spirit from death to life. This life is eternal and Jesus restored our original identity through the born-again experience. This experience is available to all but only a few avail themselves of it.  Even in the days of Jesus many heard the message of salvation but few believed. The religious men in fact accused Jesus of blasphemy and sentenced Him to death. 

 

Our spirit is renewed through the new birth and God now resides in us by His Holy Spirit. We now have direct access to God just as Jesus did with His Father. Now the Holy Spirit is at work in us to transform us into Jesus’  image. This work is mainly in the area of our soul but it affects our body. The Bible says we will prosper as our soul prospers. This means that the Spirit enables us to grow and be sanctified and made whole. Now we have a resource to counter every weakness of our soul and body. The Spirit in us will minister to our soul and body as we surrender to Him. This is Holy Spirit therapy. All we need to do is allow Him to do so.

 

God has called us to be separate and a holy people. He is holy and He is preparing a bride for His bridegroom. We are His bride. We are His chosen people and He is our God. Now we can be filled with His Spirit and be transformed. The more we walk according to the Spirit the more we become like Jesus. All the gifts and fruits of the Spirit are available to us. These are provided for the building of the body of Christ. It is through His ministry that we become united and one in Him. Behold what manner of love is this that we should be called the children of God. Today let us give our all to Him and be made whole.

The Only Certainty In Life Is Death. The Rest Is An Illusion.

 

We live life thinking it is going to be forever. This is one way we cope by denying the fact of death. We will all die one day. There is no escape from this event. Some live longer than others but all will die. This may sound morbid but there is hope for those who have put their trust in Jesus. Jesus came to give us eternal life in Him. We can access this life now and never die. Death was vanquished on the Cross and eternal life restored. Death however will produce its fruits in our body. Disease and disorder are part of the fruits of the Fall. We see this all around us in many forms. Evil is real and Satan is the god of this world. However his days are numbered and his destiny is hell.

 

Life is an illusion when death becomes a reality. What we see and hear and sense will all come to an end. Daily we see things which are only temporary. It is like looking in the mirror. We see ourselves in the mirror as a reflection of who we are. Once we move away we forget what we saw. This is an illusion. So also many things that we see and hear are illusions. They may appear real but only as long as we are near it. Our memories can hold these images but they fade over time. Everything appears to come and go. Nothing appears to be permanent. We fool ourselves by thinking that we have things for life. Death brings home the reality that all these things that we have are only real as long as we are alive. 

 

Jesus confronted death and faced the Cross that would cancel death forever. He is the truth and in Him we can enjoy the fruit of His death, eternal life. This cannot be bought with money or good works. Those who come to Him must believe that He is the Saviour of the world. Many hear the message but fail to enter into the promises because of unbelief. Satan has blinded the eyes of many and only faith can open their blind eyes. Blind eyes will be open as the Spirit moves over hearts that desire to see the truth. The truth will set you free. Come today to the river of life and be saved from death to life.

Jesus Did What He Heard And Saw His Father Doing.

 

Jesus came from heaven to earth to redeem mankind from sin and restore us to a right relationship with His Father.  This was planned as His mission before the world was formed. He came to restore us to the perfect relationship that Adam had with Eve in the garden of Eden before the Fall. Jesus demonstrated this by walking in the fullness of the Spirit and speaking only what He heard His Father speaking and doing only what He saw His Father doing. He then sent His Spirit to fill us, His followers, so that we could do the same things He did. However very few understand this and walk according to the flesh rather than according to the Spirit. It is time to walk in the Spirit and not allow our flesh to dominate our walk.

 

Jesus said we would do His works and greater works (John 14:12). Yet this is not what we see in the church. We see a church that has compromised with the world and is defective and sick. We have a taste of His glory but not the fullness of His glory. How can we reverse this situation and fulfil our royal commission? We can do this when we decide to be filled and overflowing with the Holy Spirit. We need to spend time with the Father to be filled like Jesus was. There is no other way to do this. If Jesus had to do it how much more do we?

 

God has made a way for us to operate in the Romans 8 experience where we no longer walk in condemnation. The devil will want us to be stuck in the past. We cannot move forward if we are stuck in the past. The past is cancelled through the blood sacrifice of Jesus. He died once and for all. He said it is finished and dealt a death blow to the devil. His mission was to destroy the works of the devil. Now it is our turn to destroy the works of the devil by living in God’s word, healing and delivering the captives. We can do this as we also do what we see the Father doing.

Electricity Is Like The Power Of God To Move Mountains.

 

Recently we had a power cut for over sixty hours after severe winds battered the state of Victoria in Australia. I have never experienced a power cut this long. There was no power to run the central heating in winter and to power the equipment that we take for granted daily. The Internet was down and so was the television. I was forced into a fast from the Internet and had to look at other ways to spend my time. I began to spend more time with God. I found I was receiving visions and revelations during this time of close communion with my Father in heaven. This was a breakthrough experience for me and others benefitted.

 

I wrote five blogs which I have never done in two days. I received a vision for a lady where Jesus came behind her and healed her back. I was able to minister to her in person the following day. I had a vision of the son of a friend who has been a quadriplegic for eighteen years after a motor car accident. I saw that he was tied up in ropes  and was constricted by the devil. I saw these ropes being removed and his healing come through. I look forward to the manifestation of both these healings. 

 

Most of all during this time I realised that spending time with God is fun. We are faced with so many distractions daily and fail to set aside time only for God. I can see how distractions in this life can prevent the blessings from heaven coming through. The delays to prayers could be because we have strayed away from spending time in the spirit. We are so enticed by our flesh and seek to feed its desires rather than the desires of the spirit. I had to repent of this sin of allowing distractions to keep me away from fellowship with my Father in heaven. This flesh of ours will die one day but our spirit will live on. How much time do we spend on the things of the spirit? The more time we spend in the spirit the more will be the heavenly fruit in our lives. Forgive us Father for neglecting to spend quality time with you.

What Does It Mean To Operate From Your Spirit?

 

God made us spirit, soul and body. God is Spirit and we are spirit beings. However through the Fall our spirit was cut off from communion with God. We became like animals and wandered around lost and without a purpose. God ordained for Jesus to come and restore us to a right relationship with Him. This Jesus did through His death and resurrection. Now He has made it possible for all to be in fellowship with the Father through Him. Jesus said He is the way to the Father. Those who choose to follow Him have this promise of eternal life. Eternal death came through the Fall. Eternal life comes through Jesus. 

 

In the spirit we now can operate by the Holy Spirit who resides in us. He was sent as our Helper, Comforter and Guide (John 14:26 NKJ, AMPC). He will help us in our walk in the spirit. We need to be filled with the Spirit to walk in Him. In the Spirit we are born again but we need to be filled with the Spirit to walk in the Spirit. God has made all this possible for us. All we need to do is surrender to Him. He will do what He promised to do. We have on record testimonies of those who have gone before us testifying that this is true. They faced a lot of persecution and opposition and even death yet they triumphed through the Spirit. Some that faced death were transported straight to heaven. Miracles, signs and wonders followed them and many were saved through their testimony.

 

Today we too can walk in the Spirit. All we need to do is to choose to walk in Him. He said He abides in us. He is resident in us. We can therefore walk as Jesus walked by listening to His voice in us. We don't have to run here and there because God is in us. We can go directly to Him and He will make His ways known to us. We can choose to walk according to other voices that we hear or the voice of the Spirit. To listen to the voice of the Spirit gives joy and peace. He will lead us beside still waters and restore our soul. Through Him we get healed and transformed till we become like Jesus. Choose today to walk in the Spirit and be blessed.

The Kingdom Of God Is Within You.

 

Most of us are dependent on seeking external stimulation  to keep us entertained. However during this period of lockdown when my electricity was cut I needed to look within myself to keep me stimulated. Of course it is here where all the stimulation we need exists. The Kingdom of God is within us so all His gifts and fruits are within us. Do you need love, tap into it. Do you need joy, there is plenty of it in the Kingdom. However it is only in times of desperation that we seek for these fruits from within us. We would rather go to meetings and another conference to get  another boost from God. God is saying I am in you. Seek me within you for I abide in you.

 

How easy it is for us to be distracted from without. Our senses yearn for stimulation. The lust of the eyes yearn to see something new. We will waste time listening to and watching what is the counterfeit of the real. When we watch the counterfeit we will receive counterfeit love and joy. How foolish we are to waste our time in seeking the counterfeit that the world offers rather than the real that the Kingdom of God offers. God renewed our spirit and put His Holy Spirit within us. Now we are complete in Him. It is like the treasure is within us but we must dig to find it.

 

Digging for treasure appears like a lot of hard work. However in the Spirit it means spending time with the Lord Jesus. The more time we spend with Him the more we become like Him. The goal of Holy Spirit is to transform us into the image of Jesus. Just like the potter who moulds and remoulds  the clay to make the magnificent pot of clay so also Holy Spirit is the potter moulding us into Jesus’ image. Like gold is purified in fire He purifies us through a process which sometimes is painful. All growth involves pain. A child will never walk if he is afraid of falling. Let us spend time with our Maker and see Him mould us into the image of Jesus.

Is Your Fear Of God Greater Than Your Fear Of Man?

 

Fear of God was once a motivator for good behaviour. This is however not so now as man has forsaken God and has become god in his own eyes. The focus has shifted from being God-centred to being man-centred. This has been the story from the beginning since the fall of man in the garden of Eden. Man wanted to be like God and in a disobedient act lost his relationship with God. Man had the potential to rule and reign on earth as all authority was given to him to do so. However Satan bewitched man and man fell to his temptation. Ever since then man has feared man rather than God. This shift is what has brought about the chaos and strife we see in this world.

 

Fear of man leads to all kinds of ailments both physical and mental. Look around you and see the destruction caused by man on nature and how all creation groans for the revelation of the sons of God (Romans 8:19 -22). Jesus came to redeem us from the fear of man and to walk in the fear of God. This fear is not where we are afraid of God but have a holy respect and love for Him. God is love and He can be trusted at all times. The fear of man leads to distrust and therefore jealousy and envy and other lusts follow. We don't trust each other because we are so self-centred. All we care for is me, myself and I. This can never lead to trust but only mistrust. We therefore create a world of lies to cover up for our sins. This cover up then leads to a fake world of show and glamour but not much substance. What a sorry state of affairs.

 

Jesus came to restore us to a right relationship with God. His relationship with His Father was one of intimacy and fellowship. He only did what He saw His Father doing. He walked in close fellowship with His Father. He travailed in the garden of Gethsemane to be delivered from temptation and to face the Cross before Him. Yet He said not my will but your will be done. He was abused by man and suffered for righteousness sake and took on the punishment we deserved. This holy exchange led to our deliverance.  Now we can walk in the fear of God and be delivered from the fear of man.

What Is The Source Of Your Reality?

Reality is a function of many factors both internal and external. We use our senses to make sense of the world around us. We see things and hear things and our brain then interprets these inputs. The interpretation is based on past experience and processes that paint a picture of reality. I may see the same things but interpret what I see differently from you. A half empty glass of water may be perceived by one person as half empty but by another person as half full. Our interpretation makes it real to us. This is our reality. A person could be operating from their life experience and never see the light of day. An elephant is tied to a tree by its leg by a rope and learns that the rope restricts its movement. However when the rope is removed the elephant still thinks it is tied and bound. The reality for the elephant is still bound by its past experience then the present truth.

What is real is therefore a result of what we sense, interpret and experience in life. A poverty mental set will always see life as a struggle and never rise above it. Change the experience and a new reality dawns. Many are stuck in the reality of their experience of life. The past traps many in thinking that the future is a repeat of the past. No change is possible for the security of the past holds them back. When God comes into the equation a new reality is formed. He comes to remove the past and to bring us to a new future. This is what Jesus did. He knew we were stuck in our sin and there was no escape. He came to remove the blemish of sin and bring us to the land of hope.

Spiritual blindness is a real thing and only God can remove it from us. God's reality is heaven and earth is just a creation. He is our Creator and all we see is but an illusion or copy of the real. Our real being is our spirit. Our body is just the outside casing for our spirit. Reality takes a new meaning when we come to realise that we were born spirit beings and are on a earthly journey. This reality then shifts our whole perspective on life from a earthly realm to a heavenly realm. This shift is what brings about the born again experience. We live in a reality of heaven on earth. Life is eternal and all that we see and feel down here is an illusion, here today and gone tomorrow. Today shift from an earth bound reality to a heavenly reality by confessing Jesus Lord of your life.

Jesus Knew That His Father Knew

 

Jesus was always going about doing His Fathers will. He knew His Father knew what was best for Him. He rested in this intimate knowledge and understanding of His Father. Before the foundation of the world He knew He had to come and suffer and die. He willingly came and did not question His Father's plan for the redemption of mankind. This wonderful plan of salvation was not understood by the people and so they rejected Him. The Pharisees and scribes could not accept that the Messiah had to suffer and die. Jesus suffered at their hands and finally was put to death because He claimed He was the Messiah.

 

Today we too will suffer because the world does not accept that Jesus is the only way to God. The devil knows and trembles at the mention of the name of Jesus. He knows he was defeated on the Cross. What was meant for evil now turned out to be the means to eternal life. The devil was given a death blow on Calvary. He knew his end would come. Now we who follow Jesus suffer at the hand of the devil and his followers. The world is in darkness because the ruler of the world is judged and his time is short. God wants all to hear of His plan of salvation and be saved. 

 

Now is the day of salvation. Do not delay for we do not know how much time we have left. The events in the world point to the soon coming of King Jesus. He promised He would return and we wait with hope for our redemption. This world and all that is in it will pass away. There will be a new earth and a new heaven. We will reign with Him as our King. We have a wonderful future and a hope that will never be denied. He said it and it will be done in His way and in His time. Maranatha.

God Wants Everyone Saved And In His Kingdom.

 

God created us in His image. However through the Fall we were cut off from His Kingdom. Now there is a kingdom of darkness and a Kingdom of God. The kingdom of darkness is ruled by Satan, the fallen angel who rebelled against God. He now seeks to take all his followers to hell with him which is his destiny. Those who are not in the Kingdom of God are in the kingdom of darkness. This darkness is like a curtain that separates the two kingdoms. “Once I was blind and now I see” is another way of describing this. When the light comes through it dispels the darkness. Saul was converted by a bright light that surrounded him and he heard Jesus call him to Himself. 

 

In heaven there are books written about each person on earth. We are all destined for heaven but we have to choose to follow Jesus, who came to make the way to the Kingdom of God. He is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). All other ways promise a better life but are in darkness. We were all once deluded in thinking that we had everything in our control till some calamity happened. A crisis always results in an awakening. We can live our lives thinking all is well but death is real. Once we come face to face with death we become more vulnerable and then search for meaning. 

 

Jesus came to give us a reason for living. His love turns the worst sinner into a saint. The light of the Kingdom of God will dispel all darkness. Life becomes a triumphant melody and our walk becomes a song of victory. Yes, death was conquered once and for all and we inherited eternal life. Today, whatever your state, come to Jesus and be saved. He loves sinners and came for sinners like you and me. No matter what your religious background or persuasion, He is enough for all. In His Kingdom there is love, joy and peace everlasting. You can live eternal life now and forever.