1. In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, (Col 2:11)

2. So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Rm 7:25b)

Do you see the problem? In the first verse Paul says our sinful nature has been circumcised by Christ. His sinful nature is gone. But in the second verse he admits that he still has a sinful nature, one that keeps him enslaved to sin. So which is it? Do we have a sinful nature or don’t we? Better read some more scriptures:

3. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. (Gal 5:24)

Oh good, our sinful nature has gone. That’s a relief.

4. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Rm 13:14)

Huh? How could I gratify the desires of my sinful nature? I thought I didn’t have one anymore? Guess I still do.

5. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. (Rm 7:5)

Now Paul’s saying it’s in our past again. We were controlled. So we’re not controlled by our sinful nature anymore right? So it’s gone right?

6. Hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. (1 Co 5:5)

Okay, now I’m really confused. This man, who “calls himself a brother,” still has a sinful nature. His sinful nature wasn’t circumcised by Jesus but is now about to be destroyed by Satan so he can be saved. But why would the devil want to destroy someone’s sinful nature? And why would Satan want to help someone get saved?

Isn’t this a little confusing?

There is a simple explanation for these puzzling scriptures – they are all poor translations found exclusively in the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible.

What’s going on at the Zondervan factory?

Now I love the NIV – it’s one of my favorite English Bibles – but its translators really tied themselves in knots when it came to writing about our so-called sinful nature. Do we have a sinful nature? We don’t. Second Peter 1:4 says we are partakers of His divine nature. In truth, the sinful nature versus new nature debate is barely mentioned in the Bible. To say you got a new nature when you were born again is like saying you got a new steering wheel when you bought a car. It’s true, but it’s only part of a larger story. When you were born again you didn’t just get a new nature, but a whole new life. You used to be dead but now you’re alive (Col 2:11). You used to be one kind of creature but now you’re another (2 Co 5:17).

So what’s going on with these six verses above? Not only are they contradictory but some of them seem to say we have something (a sinful nature) that we clearly do not have. In five of these verses (no.s 2-6), Paul is actually talking about our flesh (sarx in Greek). The word “flesh” refers to our physical bodies or our sensual nature. It’s that part of us that we would describe as natural as opposed to spiritual. Our bodies and our natural senses were given to us by God; we need them to live. Theologians who say that our flesh is inherently evil might as well say that Jesus was evil. Afterall, Jesus was the Living Word made flesh (Jn 1:14). True, Jesus wasn’t born under the curse of sin and death like we were. But He had all the same appetites we have and He was tempted in every way. He had the full flesh experience yet remained without sin (Heb 4:15).

Everything God made is good and that includes the flesh. The problems come when we walk after the flesh, when we choose to live in the inferior realm of the flesh rather than the superior realm of the spirit. The sinner has no choice in this matter – he remains in the flesh and the flesh is all he knows. But we who have been born of the spirit can choose. We can walk after the old way of the flesh or we can walk after the new way of the spirit (Rm 8:5). This is why the Bible exhorts those of us who are in the spirit to walk in the spirit (Gal 5:25). It’s saying “renew your mind and choose!” Put off the old and put on the new. There are chapters and chapters that explain this new way of life for us (e.g., Eph 4, Col 3). To choose the way of the flesh is to be, what the King Jimmy writers call, “carnal-minded.” Carnal-mindedness, for the born again spirit-filled believer, is a choice not a condition and it’s a choice that runs contrary to our new nature.

Verse 1 in the list above is a little different. In this verse the words “sinful nature” do not refer to the flesh but the “body of sin” or the “body of the sins of the flesh” that Jesus cut off you. Paul is basically saying that you were a slave to sin but you’re not anymore (see Rm 6:6). Even the NIV is perfectly clear about this: You have been “freed from sin;” “You have been set free from sin;” “You have been set free from sin” (Rm 6:7,18,22). This is wonderful news. When you were in the flesh you weren’t free to choose but now that you’re in the spirit you are!

So why do I still sin?

From time to time you’re going to sin and when you do you may wonder why you did it. If you read certain passages in the NIV you might conclude that it’s because you still possess a sinful nature. You may think that you’re hard-wired to sin and that you need to die to self. But that’s simply not true! You died already. You are not a saint with a sinful nature any more than you are a reformed sinner. Read what the Bible says about you. You are a completely new creation with new desires. We sin because we sometimes choose to walk by sight and not by faith (Rm 14:23). We may do it out of habit. We may do it out of ignorance. But when we set our minds on inferior earthly things and indulge the lusts of the flesh we are acting out of character. We are acting hypocritically by pretending to be someone we are not.

This is an important truth because so many Christians are striving to arrive at where they already are. They’re trying to improve themselves through self-denial and, in doing so, are walking hard after the flesh. They do not do what they want to do so they try harder. But they are only adding fuel to the fire. You cannot fight flesh with flesh.

The new New International Version

Perhaps in view of these issues, the good people at Zondervan recently announced an important change to the 2011 version of the NIV Bible. On page 8 of its Notes from the Committee on Bible Translation, they said, “Most occurrences of ‘sinful nature’ have become ‘flesh.’” In other words, the NIV translators have decided to use the same English word for sarx found in the King James Version and nearly every other English Bible. This is a good change and it’s already in effect. For example, if you look up Romans 13:14 on the latest version of the NIV hosted at Bible Gateway, you will find that it now says this:

“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

But old habits die hard. Take a look at the screenshot of this verse (right) and you will see an interesting footnote. In the note the translators qualify their change by saying:

“In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.”

So we’ve gone from having a sinful nature to living in a sinful state. Big improvement. My earlier point bears repeating: If the flesh is inherently sinful then Jesus was sinful, but it isn’t and He wasn’t. Read the verse above again and you will see that the problem is not the flesh, but thinking about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. See that? Most of our problems originate with our unrenewed thinking, not our corruptible flesh. Jesus had all the same desires of the flesh that you and I have, yet He never sinned. Now Christ is our life (Col 3:4). This means we have the same nature as Jesus. We also inhabit the same sort of flesh that Jesus had. Consequently, we can live the same victorious life as Jesus. How? Certainly not by trying harder in the flesh. No, we live the life we’re called to by renewing our minds and learning to walk after the spirit.

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- Romans 7: The flesh test
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Walking after the old ways of the flesh is abnormal for a believer. It’s like a butterfly who thinks and acts as though he was still a caterpillar. But what does it mean to walk after the spirit? Are there any examples of this in the Bible? There are plenty. Pick just about anything Jesus did and you will see a man filled with the Spirit who consistently walked according to the Spirit. Jesus is our best model of a life lived in step with the Spirit.

But Jesus was not the only one who walked in the spirit. I suspect this way of life was normal for many New Testament believers. However, in my list of 12 examples below, I have taken care to pick stories where the Bible clearly indicates that an individual was walking in the spirit. What do we take away from such a list? It gives us a picture of how life is meant to be for a Christian. It defines what is “normal” and thus exposes the utter poverty of a life lived according to the flesh. As you review this list, tell yourself:  “This is describing the abundant life that Jesus promised to me in John 10:10. This is a picture of the kind of life I wish to live.” Let’s see what that sort of life looks like:

1. Simeon has a date with destiny. For hundreds of years the prophets had been straining to see the promised Messiah. Then Simeon, “moved by the Holy Spirit,” goes to the temple courts and sees what all the others missed. Talk about all your Christmasses coming at once! Those who are led by the Spirit are always at the right place at the right time.

2. Jesus lives free. Like the wind, no one could tell where He came from or where He was going (Jn 3:8). He shunned labels, refused to be controlled, and ate with whomever He pleased. Friends and family tried to manage Him. Politicians and religious leaders tried to control Him. Even Satan tried to tempt Him. But Jesus had no needs that weren’t fully met in His Father. He was not distracted by success nor apparent failure. He could sleep through storms. Jesus was perfectly secure in His Sonship and completely free.

3. Jesus turns water into wine (Jn 2). Initially Jesus didn’t think His time had come but the Spirit had other ideas. The kingdom of heaven is a party (Mt 22:2) and those who are led by the Spirit are the life of the party wherever they go!

4. Jesus heals all the sick (Mt 12:15, 14:36). In his flesh Jesus could not heal a headache any more than you could. Walking in the spirit you can heal the sick, just as Jesus did.

5. Jesus delivers all who are oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). He drove out demons with a word (Mt 8:16). No spooky exorcisms, no prayer and fasting – just a word of irresistible authority backed up by the Most Powerful Being in the Universe: the Holy Spirit.

6. Jesus teaches with authority (Mt 7:29). In contrast with those who minister condemnation by teaching dead religion, those who are led by the spirit speak words of eternal life (Jn 6:68). In contrast with those who preach paralyzing homilies of uncertainty, those led by the spirit declare truth with unshakeable conviction, just like Jesus. Jesus didn’t try to grow His ministry and He didn’t run after crowds. Crowds ran after Him.

7. Peter and John declare the gospel boldly in the face of persecution (Acts 4:8). The Spirit emboldens “unschooled and ordinary” men.

8. Stephen refutes the legalistic arguments of religious trouble-makers (Acts 6:10). So did Jesus, Paul, Peter, James and John. So will you. Those who serve in the newness of the spirit will encounter opposition from those who persist in the oldness of the letter. There will be arguments and you could die (see Jesus, Paul, Peter, Stephen, et al.). But no weapon formed against you will prosper and you will refute every judgmental and critical tongue that rises in opposition to the message of Christ and His finished work.

9. Barnabas reaches out to Paul. None of the apostles trusted the man once known as Saul. They regarded him from a worldly point of view and were afraid of him. “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles” (Acts 9:27). Barnabas saw what no one else saw and through one act of encouragement helped change the course of history.

10. Paul writes down the doctrines of a new covenant. Jesus revealed the grace of God to an orphaned world and Paul wrote it all down so we wouldn’t forget it. With “words taught by the Spirit” Paul preached a message that went against everything he had learned in Pharisee school (1 Co 2:13). Paul had been trained in the old ways of the written code but began to serve in the new way of the spirit (Rm 7:6). In the natural he was unqualified – his own training he now counted as dung. But he said that those of us who minister in the new covenant of the spirit have a “competence that comes from God” (2 Co 3:6).

11. Paul goes to Macedonia instead of Bithynia (Acts 16:7). As a result, the Philippians got the gospel and we got the most joy-filled letter in the Bible. Led by the spirit Paul also went to Jerusalem in spite of the hardships that he knew awaited him (Acts 20:22-3). Those who live in the spirit walk fearlessly into the toughest, most hostile places on earth. No place is out of bounds. No place is given over to the devil. It’s all God’s Country and as His kids we own this world (Rm 4:13).

12. Paul finishes the race in style (see 2 Tim 4:6-8). Paul said his fleshly life was “worth nothing” in comparison to finishing the race and completing his God-given task (Acts 20:24). His mind was so fixed on things above that he was torn between here and there. “To live is Christ, to die is gain” (Php 1:21). While serving time on death row, Paul knew that the end of his fleshly existence was near. We know what was going through his mind because he wrote one final letter. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul penned words that have since been etched on countless headstones:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day. (2 Tim 4:7-8a)

In the last line of his last letter, this spirit-conscious man reminds us of the secret of living well:

The Lord Jesus Christ is with thy spirit… Amen. (2 Tim 4:22, YLT)

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This is how it is for those of us who are born of the spirit but who have not learned how to walk after the spirit. When we were in flesh we walked after the flesh. Spiritually dead, the natural world was the only world we knew and we relied on our five senses to live. But when we were born again we were given a new life with new senses. Like the blind man in the story, we can now live in two worlds: the natural world and the spiritual world; the seen realm and the unseen realm (Heb 11:3).

We use our natural senses to navigate the natural world but in the spiritual world we walk by faith. It is only by faith that we can make sense of things we do not see (Heb 11:1). The trouble is faith often runs contrary to our natural senses. This is why the Bible challenges us to live by faith rather than by sight (2 Cor 5:7). Lean on your own carnal understanding and you will never live the abundant life that God has promised. It is only by faith that you can receive what He offers.

In the last few posts we have looked at what it means to walk according to the flesh. (If you missed them, a list of posts is found below.)  To walk after the flesh is to be mindful of natural things – what we see, hear, touch, etc. But to walk after the spirit means we are mindful of spiritual things – what God has said and is now saying, what God has done is now doing. I’m not talking about being born again. Your new birth was a one-time work of the Spirit (Jn 3:5). But once you have been born of the Spirit, you need to learn how to walk in the spirit. It’s a completely different way to live.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Ga 5:25, NKJV)

You have a choice

The unsaved person cannot walk in the spirit. The natural world is the only world he knows. But when you have been born of the Spirit you have a choice. You can interpret any situation with your natural senses or with faith. Let me illustrate. Suppose you go to the doctor and he shows you an x-ray of your brain, says you have a tumor, and tells you that you have a week to live. If the natural world is all you know, you’d better start wrapping up your affairs! Everything you have heard and seen is telling you that you’re going to die. You can choose how you’re going to die – bravely or fearfully – but that’s about the only choice you have.

The spirit-conscious person, on the other hand, has options and he will not accept the doctor’s report as the last word. He might say, “I need a second opinion. What does Dr. Jesus say?” Do you see what he’s doing? He’s switching his attention from the natural realm to the spiritual. He’s looked at the x-ray he’s now fixing his eyes on something unseen and eternal. His spirit is one with the Holy Spirit and through that connection he is being reminded of some life-giving promises pertaining to healing (e.g., Is 53:4, Ps 103:3). Although in the natural he is battling anxiety, he strives to enter that rest which is found only in Jesus. He begins to think about Jesus who carried his infirmities. And as he sets his mind on things above he begins to sense supernatural peace and faith stirring within him.

When you walk according to the flesh, life always has the last word. The circumstances of your life will tell you when to be sick, poor, and anxious. Enemies of sickness and poverty will seek to rob you of your appetite, sleep, and joy. But when you walk according to the spirit you will find yourself talking back to your circumstances. You’ll argue with doctors. You’ll speak to your bank account. You may even shout at sickness. If you think that’s weird, consider Jesus. He spoke to trees and storms and said we’d speak to mountains! The spirit-conscious believer talks back because he knows that life does not have the last word. He refuses to let his circumstances dictate his actions.

Walk the talk

Learning how to walk is a skill. It takes practice. In my next post I’m going to give you some classic examples of walking in the spirit from the Bible and then, in the post after that, I’m going to give you three keys to help you on your way. But I know you can’t wait. You want to know how to walk in the spirit right now. So here’s the short version from Proverbs:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Pro 3:5-6, NIV)

The operative word in this passage is “acknowledge.” It does not mean tipping your hat to Jesus whenever you go charging off on a scheme of your own invention. Neither is it saying “I want to thank the Lord Jesus” in all the little victory speeches of your life. Acknowledging the Lord means knowing Him in all your ways. Here’s the same verse in a literal translation:

In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths. (Pro 3:6, YLT)

When the doctor has just pronounced the sentence of death, you want to know the Lord – what does He say on the matter? It’s His word that counts. When you’ve been offered a promotion or you’ve just met the perfect man or woman and it all seems good to you, you want to know the Lord – what does He think about this? The spirit-conscious believer is not the slightest bit interested in what his experience or natural understanding tells him. His sole desire is to know and follow Jesus every day.

Knowing the Lord as you walk through life will make a crooked path straight. When you know the Lord you’ll walk through the valley of the shadow of death with no fear and you’ll feast in the presence of your enemies.
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Recent posts on walking after the flesh:
- How to walk after the flesh in 20 easy lessons
- When doing good is bad for you
- 12 infamous examples of walking after the flesh
- Romans 7: The Flesh Test

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. (Rm 7:15)

We’ve all been there. But before you pat yourself on the back and say, that’s how I used to be, before I met Christ, let me ask you this: Is Paul describing his old life as a sinner or is he describing struggles he’s faced as a believer? This question divides opinion but my view is that he is describing anyone who is walking after the flesh. In other words, his message is relevant for everyone.

Walking after the flesh

Walking after the flesh is what you do when you attempt to get your needs met independently of God. It’s leaning on your own understanding, relying on your own strength, and drawing from your own resources. Sinners do this routinely but Christians can act this way as well. In either case, the results are disastrous (Rms 8:13). Live solely on the basis of your own will-power and understanding and you will sow death into your relationships, your ministry, your finances, even your health:

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Pro 14:12)

“But Paul, doesn’t Romans 8:9 say, ‘you are not in the flesh but in the spirit’?” It does. But there’s a difference between being in the flesh and walking after the flesh. When Paul says, “we were in the flesh” (Rm 7:5), he is referring to our state before we were born again. We were in the flesh but now we are in the spirit.

But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, (Rms 8:9a, NKJV).

We are not in the spirit because of the way we walk – flesh cannot give birth to spirit (Jn 6:6). But even though you are in the spirit you can still walk after the flesh. Even though you are in Christ, you can still act as though you were in Adam. Capiche?

So how do we know when we’re walking after the flesh? The New Testament is full of examples contrasting walking after the flesh (bad!) with walking after the spirit (good!). But sometimes what we need is a quick test to tell us whether we’re doing one or the other. Romans 7 provides just such a test.

The flesh test

“Am I walking after the flesh, yes or no?” In Romans 7, Paul shows that your answer to that question may be found by asking this pair of questions:

1.    Am I doing what I hate to do?
2.    Is this making me wretched and miserable?

If your answer to both of these questions is “yes,” then you’re walking after the flesh. The problem may not be what you’re doing so much as how you’re doing it. If you’re acting on the basis of your own might – your own resolve, understanding, and strength – then you’re walking after the flesh and God will have nothing to do with it. In Paul’s case he was trying to reform his sinful behavior by keeping the law. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he ended up doing the very thing that he hated. Doing what you don’t want to do is, for the Christian, a classic symptom of walking after the flesh:

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Gal 5:17, NKJV)

Okay, so what about the sinner? Does Paul’s flesh test apply to him as well? I believe it does because anyone who tries to get their needs met apart from God will, from time to time, feel wretched and miserable. Why? Because God made us that way. He created us with a whole bunch of needs so that we would look to Him to fulfill those needs. We weren’t designed to live independently of Him. When we do we can experience intense frustration and heartache. On the surface we may think we’re hurting because someone let us down or things didn’t turn out as expected. But the reality is we’re feeling like that because we were looking to someone or something other than God to get our needs met. We don’t live on the basis of our feelings, but if you’re feeling wretched then your flesh may be trying to tell you something. Your flesh test may be giving you a positive result. That’s good, for it’s doing exactly what it was designed to do!

Wretchedness and frustration are symptoms of walking after the flesh. You will not experience these feelings when you are walking after the spirit. I’m not saying everything’s going to come up roses. I am saying if you are able to stay focused on Jesus, then even in the face of hardship you will experience peace such as the world does not know:

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Rms 8:6, NKJV)

I got a positive test result – now what?

Okay, so you’ve taken the flesh test and discovered that, “Yes, even though I’m in the spirit I’m walking after the flesh. I’m trying to make something happen, it’s not happening, and I’m miserable. Now what?”  Well the answer to that question is not a What but a Who, as we will see in the coming posts. But let me leave you with a quick suggestion by telling you what I am learning to do when I get a positive flesh test result: I go and lie down.

Lying down is not something I like to do. My flesh was built to be driven hard and I think sleeping is a waste of time. However, I often push myself too hard and this can lead to suffering and wretchedness. But by the grace of God I am learning. And one of the things I am discovering about myself is that I am less susceptible to the distractions of the flesh, and more in tune with the spirit, when I am horizontal.

Just this week, for example, I was banging my head against the wall and feeling frustrated about a project that was not turning out the way it was supposed to. Work harder, screamed my brain. I did, but to no avail. “I hate this,” said I. “It’s making me miserable.” Then revelation came. “Aha! I’m walking after the flesh. I’m trying to make something happen.” I immediately stopped. I pushed back from the desk and went and lay down on the rug in my office. (Believe me, this is hard for me!) Then I prayed a deep theological prayer that went like this: “Lord, I give up. I give up trying to make this happen. I give up leaning on my ability. This is not even my problem anymore – it’s Yours! Do whatever seems good to You.”

You have to understand that there was nothing wrong with what I was doing. But when you’re walking after the flesh even doing good can be bad for you. So I quit trying to make it happen and as soon as I did freedom came. My mind was instantly filled with life and peace and inspiration and creativity and solutions I had never dreamed of.

No cordless Christians

“Oh, so you were just recharging your batteries then.” Absolutely not! We don’t run on batteries and there are no cordless Christians! Christ is our life (Col 3:4). I was being transformed by the renewing of my mind. I was saying no to the flesh and yes to the spirit (Rm 8:5). I was setting my mind on things above and fixing my eyes back on Jesus. On this occasion He gave me a solution to my problem; on another occasion He might’ve suggested I drop the project and go play with the kids. Or He might’ve suggested something completely different. In any case I would’ve found life and peace by trusting Him.

If you’ve been feeling frustrated with the way things are turning out, then recognize the death-dealing work of the flesh. The best thing you can do is “put off” whatever it is that you’re doing and fix your eyes back on Jesus. You got distracted there for a bit but thank God for that wonderful flesh test of Romans 7 that has brought you back to your senses and back to Christ who is your life.
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Since most of us have grown up with a works-based view of salvation, we tend to think of sin as doing bad things. If we avoid doing bad things then we’ll avoid sin. But the Bible has a completely different definition of sin. “Whatever is not of faith is sin” (Rm 14:23). According to this definition, walking after the flesh is sin because it takes no faith to do what is right in your own eyes. No doubt that this comes as a bit of a shock. After all, walking after the flesh comes naturally to all of us. But have you ever noticed that the consequences of walking after the flesh are exactly the same as the wages of sin (Rm 6:23, 8:13)?

Instead of judging everything in terms of good or bad works, it is more helpful to think in terms of flesh versus spirit. To illustrate this, I have made a list of 12 of the most infamous examples of walking after the flesh found in the Bible. This is a list of carnal choices that, in some cases, led to terrible suffering.

There are two surprising things about this list. First, it contains both wicked deeds and choices that we would define as harmless, even good. If you think you can please God by doing good works and avoiding bad ones, then this is really going to mess you’re your theology! You need to see that Sin is no respecter of works. Sin doesn’t really care what you do, as long as you do it in the power of your flesh.

Second, the fleshly works on this list were done by both godly and ungodly people and both groups suffered as a result of their choices. Whether you’re in Adam or in Christ, if you sow to the flesh you will reap corruption (Gal 6:8). I am not referring to eternal consequences – what is born of the spirit cannot be undone by the flesh. But the consequences of carnal choices affect everyone, saved and unsaved.

This, then, is a list of righteous and unrighteous people doing both good and bad things. So what’s the common thread? What’s the one thing all these choices have in common? As you read the list, see if you can identify it. I will give you the answer below.

12 Infamous works of the flesh

1. Adam eats the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:6). The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was not a bad tree; God doesn’t do bad trees (Gen 1:31). Everything in the world was good so the serpent had to tempt Eve with something that was “good and pleasing” (Gen 3:6). Compared to the manifest works of the flesh in Galatians 5, eating a piece of fruit might not seem that big a deal. But I’d say the consequences of this were fairly substantial, wouldn’t you?

2. Abraham sleeps with the maid (Gen 16). He knew God had promised him a son but God was taking too long. Yet another work of the flesh that we’re still paying for.

3. Moses defends a Hebrew slave (Ex 2:12). Prince Moses, “mighty in words and deeds” (Acts 7:22), perhaps saw himself as a deliverer of Israel. 40 years growing old in obscurity killed off that idea.

4. The Israelites don’t want to enter the Promised Land, then want to (Num 14). It’s perfectly natural to be afraid of hostile giants – especially if you’ve got small children. But it meant missing an opportunity to see God do mighty exploits. It also meant dying in the wilderness.

5. Saul saves the best for God (1 Sam 15:15). God wanted the Amalekites dead, down to the last donkey. Saul had a better idea. Bye bye House of Saul.

6. David counts his soldiers (1 Chr 21). 70,000 men died as a result. So much for your army David.

7. Elijah runs like a chicken (1 Kgs 19). A scary lady said some nasty things, Elijah got spooked and not even God could lift him out of his funk. It cost Elijah his ministry.

8. James and John want to toast the Samaritans (Luk 9:54). “Well Elijah did it and he didn’t get in trouble.” That was Elijah fellas; Jesus has a different spirit.

9. Peter tries to save Jesus’ life (Mt 16:22). For this Peter receives the most famous rebuke in the Bible (Mt 16:23). And then he does it again (Jn 18:10)! Nice one Peter. You could’ve ruined everything.

10. Saul the Pharisee persecutes Christians. Saul was so zealous for God that he was instrumental in the jailing and killing of Christians (Acts 26:10). For this he later calls himself Chief of Sinners.

11. The Judaizers preach just a little bit of law (Acts 15:1). “All we’re asking for is a snip to the tip.” No wonder the men of Antioch were glad when James said “No” (Acts 15:31).

12. Peter draws back from the Gentiles so as not to offend (Ga 2:11). This time it’s not Jesus but Paul who gets in his face telling him he’s “clearly wrong” – not misguided, not confused, but “I’m putting this in the Bible so everyone knows about it,” wrong. Ouch.

What is the common thread running through these good and bad deeds done by godly and ungodly people? Well I gave you a pretty big hint at the top of this post: In each case the person involved did what seemed right to them at the time. This is the hallmark of flesh-based living. It is walking by sight.

The irony of this is that when you walk by sight you’re putting yourself back in the kingdom of darkness. You’re allowing yourself to be influenced by the natural realm which is the enemy’s realm (1 Jn 5:19). Again, I am not talking about your salvation. We’re not saved or unsaved on the basis of works – this is carnal thinking. But when you leave the Giver of Life out of your choices, how can you expect to reap anything other than death? This is why so many of our ventures resemble Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. We’ve tried to bring something to life and only the Spirit can do that (Jn 6:63).

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Pro 14:12)

Creation is still waiting for the mature sons of God to be revealed and we don’t reveal our true selves by acting in the old ways of the flesh. These stories are in the Bible for our edification, to teach us how not to live. Again, it’s not what we’re doing that’s particularly important, but how we’re doing it. Are we trusting in the dead hand of the flesh or are we relying on the life-giving might of the Spirit?
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Related posts:
- How to walk after the flesh in 20 easy lessons
- When doing good is bad for you
- 12 examples of walking in the spirit

Ask any Christian to list the works of the flesh and they will likely respond with the list found in Galatians 5:19-21: adultery, hatred, idolatry, murder, etc. Paul calls these the “manifest” or “obvious” works of the flesh. They are the biggies, the elephantine examples of what it means to live apart from God. But the Bible also provides dozens of lesser examples of fleshly living that you may not be so familiar with. I’ve listed some of these lesser works of the flesh below.

Walking after the flesh is when you attempt to get your needs met independently of God. It’s trusting in yourself (your abilities, your understanding) and living solely from the basis of your earthly experience (what you see, hear, touch, etc.). Now here’s the important bit: You can walk after the flesh in the pursuit of both good things and bad things. Paul’s manifest works of the flesh – the biggies – are all clearly associated with bad deeds, but some of the lesser works in the list below are not bad at all. This is a critical point. We are not comparing good deeds with bad but flesh with spirit. And as we saw in the last post, when you’re walking after the flesh even good things can be bad for you.

A classic example of something that is good yet bad for you is God’s law. It is not sin, it is good! But try to live by it and you will find yourself walking after the flesh. Paul said his ability to keep the righteous requirements of the law was ineffective because he tried to do so in the puny strength of his flesh (Rm 8:3). Living under self-imposed law is one of the primary ways we walk after the flesh – hence its position at the top of my list.

Just a reminder: The wrong way to read this list is the carnal way – identifying things you should or should not do. Christianity is a bit like marriage – it’s a love-relationship. You will kill it if you try to reduce it to a set of rules. We are less interested in the what than we are in the how. So how do we walk after the flesh? Here are 20 ways:

20 ways to walk after the flesh

1. Try to keep God’s law (Rm 7:9-25): Think that you have to do stuff to be blessed (Eph 1:3), that you have to perform to stay saved (Gal 2:21). The old covenant is the fleshly covenant; the new covenant is the spirit covenant.

2. Set your mind on earthly things (Php 3:19, Jn 3:12): Keep your eyes on the here and now. “What you see is all there is” (Col 3:2). Entangle yourself in the affairs of life (2 Ti 2:4).

3. Think about how to gratify the lusts of the flesh (Rm 13:14): If it feels good, do it (Rm 14:17).

4. Pursue your goal through self-denial (Col 2:21-3): Don’t look. Don’t drink. Don’t touch. Fast twice a week. Practice perfectionism (Gal 3:3, KJV).

5. Make sacrifices to impress God (Heb 10:1,8): Be conscious of your debt to Jesus and consider it your duty to serve. Put your ministry or business before your marriage.

6. Load others with heavy burdens (Lk 11:46): Expect your Christian staff to work harder for less pay. Send the message that the work is more important than their families or their health. Shackle them to your vision. Use emotional manipulation or, worse, scripture, to pressure people to support you.

7. Take pride in your independence (Jer 17:6): Respect no one (1 Pe 2:17). Scorn authority (2 Pet 2:10). Flaunt your freedom (1 Co 8:9). “Who needs fathers? I follow Christ” (1 Co 1:12).

8. Worry about your life (Mt 6:25, Lk 8:14, Php 4:6): “What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear?” Entertain fear and doubt. “I can’t do it” (Php 4:13).

9. Cultivate self-belief (2 Co 12:10): “I can do it!” Boast in your accomplishments (2 Co 11:30). Boast in your wisdom, strength and riches (Jer 9:23).

10. See yourself as a victim (Rm 8:37): “Woe is me. I’m not worthy. My sinful nature made me do it.” Blame God (Jas 1:13). Blame the devil (1 Jn 4:4). Blame your circumstances (Deu 28:13).

11. Be a man-pleaser (Gal 1:10): Wonder, what will my boss think? How will the board react? How will this affect the tithers? Say only what they want you to say.

12. Make plans in a worldly manner (2 Cor 5:7, Jer 17:5): Do a SWOT analysis; list the pros and cons; make decisions based on money. Manage the risks and stay in control.

13. Try to grow a ministry (Ps 127:1, 1 Co 3:6). Work hard to make things happen.

14. Define success by human standards (Jn 8:15, 1 Cor 1:26): It’s all about the numbers. “How many soldiers do we have? How many attend the prayer meeting? Are donations increasing? Are we doing better than last year? Am I doing better than my predecessor?”

15. Nurture your reputation (Php 3:8): Put on a good show and make a good impression (Lk 16:15; Gal 6:12). Be face conscious. Make a name for yourself (Gen 11:4) and blame the wife when things go wrong (Gen 3:12).

16. Pray long prayers, especially if others are listening (Mt 6:5-8).

17. Regard people from a worldly point of view (2 Cor 5:16): Engage in office politics. View new-comers as potential recruits or leaders for your programs. Cultivate task-based friendships. Choose the best-looking man for the job (1 Sam 16:7). Show favor to the one with money (Jas 2:3).

18. Sacrifice people on the altar of your principles (1 Cor 3:1-4): “I’m right, you’re wrong.” Judge the weak (Rm 15:1). Distance yourselves from those who aren’t as doctrinally pure as you (1 Cor 9:22).

19. Combat worldly problems with worldly weapons (2 Cor 10:4): Put your faith in politics. Start fights (Zec 4:6). Picket the abortion clinic. Protest the gay parade (Is 42:2).

20. Pretend to be Jesus (Mt 24:24): Draw people to your ministry and build toward yourself (1 The 3:8). Teach others to depend on you. Stand in the gap. Try to crucify yourself (Col 2:20).

This is a yukky list and frankly, I didn’t enjoy writing it. Just about everything on this list, I’ve done. God help me, some of the things on this list I’m still doing! Don’t let this list condemn you. A better response is to get mad because we’ve been conned! The prince of this world has deceived us into thinking that this is how things are done, that the fleshly way of life is normal. But this is not normal life for one born of the spirit. We act this way out of habit and ignorance. We walk after the flesh because when we were in the flesh this was how we lived:

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. (Col 3:7)

I have to say this again: Some of the activities on this list are good! Please don’t think I am against the law or fruitful ministries or planning or praying without ceasing. I am not. But understand that the carnal mind longs to be told what to do when God is much more interested in how we are doing it. Are we trusting in the power of our might or are we resting confidently in His? Are we walking as “mere men” (1 Cor 3:3) or are we being revealed as mature sons and daughters of our Father? Flesh cannot give birth to spirit. Neither can walking after the flesh empower you to live the life God has called you to live.

I encourage you to review the list again and ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify those areas that He wants to deal with today. “But Paul, that’s pretty much everything on that list!” Don’t panic! Your heavenly Father knows you are a work-in-progress. Some of these issues can be dealt with now; others can wait. He loves you regardless, without any reference to your performance. He knows everything that you’ve done and everything that you’re ever going to do. It’s impossible to disappoint Him.

In this post I’ve given you 20 generic examples of walking after the flesh. In my next post I’m going to provide some classic examples of walking after the flesh found in the Bible. Then, in the post after that, I will give you a simple “flesh test” that you can take on your own. This test consists of two easy questions that will help you determine whether you are walking after the flesh or the spirit in any given situation. In other words, it will reveal those areas in your life where freedom and joy and peace are about to come bursting through!
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Related posts:
- Are you religious? Take the test
- Two religions: Works and blood
- Seven signs that you might be living under law

But you know what? God is not only the Lord of your present and future, He is also the Lord of your past. When you were born again, He gave you a brand new life complete with a brand new past. How about that! You have a completely new history! And it begins at the cross:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20a)

In our last post we asked the question, What happened to me at the cross? The short answer is, You died! This is one of the most important things that ever happened to you, yet many Christians are ignorant of it! Just once I would like to hear a believer testify about their past like this: I was born, I did some stuff, then I died. I was crucified with Christ and that old self no longer lives. That’s basically what Paul was saying in Galatians 2. He also said that the basis of our new life with Him is supposed to be a revelation that we died with Him:

“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.” (2 Tim 2:11)

Do you want to live, and I mean, really live, with Him? Then you need to know the answer to three questions: (1) What did I lose at the cross? (2) What did I gain at the cross? (3) What did I retain after the cross?

1. What did I lose at the cross?

At the cross your old self was crucified (Rms 6:6). The person you used to be apart from God – your “old man” – is dead so there’s no point trying to reform him. If your old man gave you a bitter and painful past, then go dance on his grave because he’s gone and he’s not coming back! Do you know what else is gone? All your sin (Ps 103:12). Sin had a death grip on you but Christ cut him loose (Col 2:11). You may still be wrestling with some old habits, but you do so from a place of freedom (Gal 5:1). You are no longer sin’s slave (Rm 6:6).

Your natural inability to please God has also gone (Rm 8:8), as is any relationship you might have had with the law (Rm 7:6). God is pleased with you on account of Jesus so you can say goodbye to guilt and condemnation. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rm 8:1). Rejection is also gone and if you can wrap your mind around the awesome love revealed to you through the cross, then you will find all fear of punishment has gone as well (1 Jn 4:18).

Finally, the world as you knew it is no more (Gal 6:14). Your old sources of identity and security have been replaced with something infinitely better. Any performance anxiety you may have about the future will go when you realize that you are in Him and He has already overcome the world (Jn 16:33, Rev 3:5).

2. What did I gain after the cross?

At the cross, and before you did a single thing, you received peace with God and complete forgiveness (2 Cor 5:19, Col 2:13). When you were placed in Jesus, you gained His acceptance (Eph 1:6), His righteousness (Rms 1:17), His holiness (1 Cor 1:3), indeed, His eternal perfection (Heb 10:4). You don’t act holy to become holy; you act holy because in Him you are holy. Isn’t that wonderful? But wait – it gets better!

As a result of the cross He gave you His life: Christ is your life (Col 3:4). You now stand on His faith (Gal 2:20), are filled with His Spirit (Rom 8:11), and think the thoughts of His mind (1 Cor 2:16). When you were born again you were made into a brand new creature (2 Cor 5:17). As He is so are you in this world (1 Jn 4:17). So obviously you do not have a sinful nature. You are not one person on Sunday and another on Monday. Sure, you can still walk after the flesh and reap corruption, but you are not defined by what you do. And when you do sin, you have a mighty Advocate who speaks to the Father on your behalf (1 Jn 2:1).

But here’s the thing; you no longer want to sin. Because of the cross you have new desires and new aspirations. You used to be driven by the flesh but now you are led by the spirit (Gal 5:18). You used to work to prove yourself but now you are compelled by the love of Christ (2 Cor 5:14). Strangely, you are both more rested and more fruitful than you have ever been before.

Best of all, you gained a new Father (1 Jn 3:1) and now enjoy the full rights of sonship (Gal 3:26). Before the cross you feared God from a distance, but now you approach His throne of grace with confidence (Heb 4:16). Before the cross you were a beggar living off scraps from the king’s table. But because of the cross your every need – whether for healing, deliverance, or provision – has been supplied according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Php 4:19). You are now an ambassador and a royal priest of the Most High King (1 Pet 2:9). And as His representative you have His authority over sickness and demons. You shall lay hands on the sick and they will recover.

3. What did I retain after the cross?

As we have seen, you lost a lot and gained a lot at the cross. But on the day that you were born again, there were two things that you retained unchanged. First, your physical body did not change. You may have been healed, but your body is still subject to the effects of the fall. Although you personally were saved, your earthsuit is still getting older one year at a time. We are still waiting eagerly for “the redemption of our bodies” (Rm 8:23).

Second, beyond repenting and deciding to trust Jesus with your life, your way of thinking probably did not change. If you liked chocolate and drove badly before you were saved, then you probably liked chocolate and drove badly after you were saved.

The beginning of your new story

God’s intention was for you to reign in this life (Rms 5:17). His plan is for you to be the head and not the tail, to be on top of your circumstances and not under them. However, this will not be your experience, either now or in the future, until you appreciate what God has done in your past. Every believer knows what happened to Jesus on the cross, but not every believer knows what happened to them. Because of this they’re striving to become someone they already are and they’re fighting to obtain something they already have. They pray like beggars instead of commanders and they see themselves as servants instead of sons.

The instant you were born again, God did an amazing work in your life. He gave you a glorious new past and a completely new life. He changed just about everything there is to change about you. But one thing God left unchanged was your mind, your way of thinking. Only you can change that.

Given that there is one part of you that did not change at the cross, what do you think is the key to living the victorious life that God wants you to live? That’s right, you need to change the way you think,

“and be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Eph 4:23)

Our thought patterns are shaped by our past. So which past are you identifying with? Your old man history or your new man history? Everything we need pertaining to life and godliness comes through our knowledge of Him who called us (2 Pet 1:13). If you want to see breakthrough in your life, look to Jesus, look to the cross, and change the way you think:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Rm 12:2a)

Now repeat after me: “On the cross I died and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” This is the glorious beginning of your new story!
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Related posts:
- Who do you think you are?
- Son or sinner: What are you confessing?
- Want to be a transparent Christian? Then reveal what’s really inside

Many years ago I participated in a street outreach in Australia. With our loud and upbeat music we soon attracted a large crowd. This was good. Sinners were going to hear the gospel and get saved. Then the preacher got up to speak and it all went pear-shaped. “I have a lust problem.” Oh-oh. Instead of telling the people about Jesus, this man began to share about his private battles with sexual temptation. He said he had suddenly felt convicted about bringing his problem into the light. I was cringing on the inside. What a witness!

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for being open and honest with our shortcomings but this was neither the time nor the place. The unsaved people who were there needed to hear about their Father in heaven who loves them so much that He sent Jesus to rescue them. I’m sure it was titillating to hear a preacher talk about his sin, but his words didn’t point anyone to the Savior.

Fast forward a few years to another youth outreach, this time in Hong Kong. In front of a large crowd of unsaved teens, the dynamic young man up the front decided that this was the perfect opportunity to confess his sin of “self-sex.” I had never even heard of that expression before but it didn’t sound like it was part of the good news.

What’s wrong with us?!

Somehow we’ve bought into the idea that “transparency” means hanging our dirty laundry in public places. But this is old covenant thinking. In the days of Moses you were supposed to confess your sins (Num 5:7) and sometimes this happened publicly (Ezra 10). But we live under a new and better covenant characterized by the complete and eternal forgiveness of sins. I’m not pretending my behavior is perfect and I’m all for being open and honest. If I sin I’ll talk to my Father about it and if I sin against you I’ll talk to you about it. In any relationship it’s always healthy to own up to our mistakes (Jas 5:16). But I’m not going to stand on a street corner and confess my sins to the whole world. That’s not being transparent; that’s just dumb. Why do we think we’re glorifying God by drawing attention to ourselves? We may call it humility but in truth it’s self-centered. We’re shouting, “Look at me everybody, I’ve got sin!” Well hip-hip-hooray.

Have you ever been in a small group worshiping God when someone interrupts and says, “I got a problem with pornography”? It’s like getting a bucket of cold water thrown over your head! Before you can react, someone else says, “God forgive me, I yell at my kids.” The next thing you know, the confession train’s pulling out of the station and everyone’s climbing on board. “I steal pens from the office stationery cabinet.” “I cheat on my taxes.” “Joey, I’m really sorry I said those terrible things about you.” It doesn’t take long before you’re completely distracted and wondering all sorts of things. What did they say about Joey that was so terrible?

Do you see the problem? We’re called to be Christ-conscious not self-conscious. We don’t honor Jesus by shaming ourselves. You’ve got problems? Guess what – we all have problems! But we’re not here to gather around your sins. We’re here to fix our eyes on Jesus.

We need to redefine what we mean by transparency. In the old covenant they confessed sins because that’s what they were carrying inside. But because of Jesus our sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west. Or think about it this way. Satan is in the business of accusing and shaming the saints (Rev 12:10), while Jesus is in the business of defending us to our Father (1 Jn 2:1). When you accuse and shame yourself, are you acting more like your old master Satan or your new master Jesus?

Transparency in the new covenant means something totally different from confessing sins. It means revealing Jesus who lives within. It means acknowledging every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus (Phm 1:6). It takes no faith to confess our imperfections. It takes faith to declare what God says is true about you in spite of your imperfections! In God’s eyes you’re righteous, holy and perfect. You are a walking, talking trophy of His amazing grace. You are a child of God, seated in heavenly places and the temple of the Holy Spirit.

If you want to be truly transparent, then reveal what’s really inside you. Sure, on the outside you’re just a jar of clay cracked and dusty, but look at the awesome Treasure inside! This is the Treasure that the world needs to see so let Him out. Don’t say, “I dare not – I’ve still got issues.” The Bible pronounces you a competent minister of the new covenant (2 Cor 3:6)! You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world and by the grace of God you are what you are!
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Related posts:
- Son or sinner – what are you confessing?
- Confession, conviction, confusion
- Who do you think you are?

Paul describes the Christian life as a tug of war between the flesh and the spirit. The flesh is that part of us that lives purely by natural experience – what we see, hear and smell, etc. – while our spirit is that part of us that is united with Christ and lives by the word of God. Did you know it’s possible to be in the Spirit (i.e., saved) yet walk after the flesh? Indeed, this is exactly how many Christians live. They are trusting in God for the forgiveness of their sins, but in most every other respect they live no differently from their unsaved neighbors. When they get sick they queue up in the waiting room and when they get in debt they look for extra work. (I’m not against doctors and hard work!) They may be moral and decent people, but their lives are untouched by the supernatural power of God.

I suspect most Christians walk after the flesh simply because they don’t know any better. They don’t know that Christ’s atonement provided not only for their complete forgiveness, but also for their healing (1 Pe 2:24), deliverance (Mk 16:17), and provision (Ph 4:19, 2 Cor 8:9)). They are not receiving the full benefits of the cross because they don’t know the full benefits of the cross or, if they do, they think they must work to get them. They live like this because their minds have not been renewed. If this sounds like you, here are two good books that will help sort out your thinking and set you free.

“Spirit, Soul and Body” by Andrew Wommack

When you were born again, your spirit was instantly made new but your mind and body were essentially unchanged. If you battled with health or emotional issues before you were saved, there’s a good chance you continue to battle with those same issues now that you’re saved. Don’t misunderstand me. There is a huge difference between a sinner and a saint! But until the saint learns to think like a saint, he will continue to think like a sinner and in many ways this is fatal (Rm 8:6).

Paul didn’t challenge the Roman Christians to renew their minds in order to get saved but so that they would see the will of God manifest in their lives – His will for healing, deliverance, and provision. This is a life-long process. At every decision we either choose to walk after flesh (what do our five senses tell us?) or we renew our minds and walk after the spirit (what does God say?). You can walk by sight or you can walk by faith. Some Christians try to do both! They say they’re trusting God to come through for them but at the same time they’re busting their humps trying to fix things themselves. Perhaps they think they’re mixing faith with works but in reality they’re just walking after the flesh. They may talk differently from their unsaved neighbors, but their walk is exactly the same.

A book which will help you grasp this distinction is Spirit, Soul and Body by Andrew Wommack. In this book Wommack explains that merely believing the promises of God is not enough. If I told you that there was a rich treasure hidden in your yard, you would either believe me or reject me, but nothing would actually change until you started digging. Similarly, we will never see the spiritual blessings that God has already given us revealed unless we dig. Whether your need is healing, deliverance, or provision, this book teaches you how to dig.

“Extra Virgin Grace” by Ryan Rufus

Another good book on this subject was published just yesterday. Extra Virgin Grace, by Ryan Rufus, provides a sweeping study of many topics that have long been misunderstood and misrepresented, including the Beatitudes, holiness, eternal security, discipline and one of my all-time favorite subjects, true rest.

In Extra Virgin Grace, Ryan Rufus takes a close look at Galatians 5 and asks “What does it mean to walk by the spirit?” Traditionally “the spirit” has been interpreted as meaning the Holy Spirit. To walk by the spirit thus means doing whatever the Holy Spirit tells you. But if you look at the context of Galatians 4, you will see that Paul was referring to our reborn spirits. Your spirit is one with Christ and is in constant fellowship with the Holy Spirit. So the choice Paul was describing was whether to walk by the limited sensory experience of the flesh, or the unseen reality of our perfectly sanctified spirits. To live by the spirit means learning to make decisions from our spirit rather than our minds. Sometimes we just know things that reason cannot explain because they are spiritually discerned. We sense a prompting to pray for someone only to learn later that it was for them a moment of great need. This is how Adam and Eve lived before the Fall – their thinking was spirit-led rather than flesh-based.

If we understood that our spirits are perfect already (see Heb 10:14), and that we lack nothing (1 Co 1:7), we would spend less time teaching godly character and more time renewing our minds to live by the spirit. Instead of preaching on faith and sanctification, we would seek to reveal our true identity in Christ. As Ryan says, “The church preaches too much about who we aren’t.” Knowing who you now are and Who lives in you is the key to Christian living.

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Related posts:

- What do you think? Two must-read books about transformed minds

- Fear and trembling

- see all E2R’s book reviews here

Below are 50 things you need to know about your new God-given identity. Read these 344 words out loud, with conviction, and I guarantee you it will leave you feeling mightily encouraged… and new!

I Am

I am a saint, a trophy of Christ’s victory

I am born again of imperishable seed
I am a new creation, complete in Christ and perfect forever

I am a child of God, the apple of my Father’s eye
I am one with the Lord and the temple of the Holy Spirit

I am eternally redeemed and completely forgiven
I am seated with Christ in heavenly realms
I am summoned by name and I am His

I am dead to sin and alive to God
I am free from guilt and condemnation
I am righteous, holy and blameless!
I am healed and I am strong in the Lord

I am hidden in Christ and eternally secure
I am loved with an everlasting love and I am highly favored

I am my Beloved’s and He is mine

Selah

I am the head and not the tail
I am blessed with every spiritual blessing and I am a joint heir with Christ

I am a competent minister of the new covenant
I am bona fide and qualified, chosen and anointed
I am His royal ambassador, a missionary to the world

I am a stranger on earth, a citizen of a city whose maker is God
I am not looking back but I am pressing on to know Him more

I am trusting that He will finish in me that which He started

I am a king and a priest; a carrier of the Lord’s authority
I am a healer of the sick and a demon’s worst nightmare
I am king o’ the world because His victory is mine!

I am as bold as a lion and more than a conqueror
I am a towering testimony of the Spirit’s power

I am the salt of the earth and the light of the world
I am the sweet smell of Jesus to those who are perishing

I am a tree planted by the water, and I am a fruitful branch
I am the disciple whom Jesus loves

And by the grace of God I am what I am

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Sources:
I am a saint (Rm 1:7, Eph 1:1, Php 1:1 Ju 1:3), a trophy of Christ’s victory (2 Cor 2:14, AMP); born again (1 Pe 1:23), a new creation (2 Cor 5:17); complete in Christ (Col 2:10) and perfect forever (He 10:14); a child of God (1 Jn 3:1), the apple of my Father’s eye (Ps 17:8); one with the Lord (1 Cor 6:17) and the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19); eternally redeemed (He 9:12) and completely forgiven (Col 2:13); seated with Christ in heavenly realms (Eph 2:6); summoned by name and His (Is 43:1, 2 Cor 1:22); dead to sin and alive to God (Rm 6:11); free from guilt and condemnation (He 10:22, Rm 8:1); righteous (2 Cor 5:21), holy and blameless! (Eph 1:4); healed (1 Pet 2:24) and strong in the Lord (Eph 6:10); hidden in Christ (Col 3:3) and eternally secure (He 6:19); loved with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3); highly favored (Eph 1:6 charitoo); my Beloved’s and He is mine (Son 6:3); the head and not the tail (De 28:13); blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3) and a joint heir with Christ (Rm 8:17); a competent minister of the new covenant (2 Co 3:6); bona fide and qualified (Col 1:12), chosen (Jn 15:8, Col 3:12, 1 Th 1:4, 1 Pe 2:9) and anointed (1 Jn 2:27); His royal ambassador (2 Co 5:20), a missionary to the world (Mt 28:19); a stranger on earth (He 11:13), a citizen of a city whose maker is God (He 11:10,16, 12:22); pressing on to know Him more (Ph 3:14); He will finish what He started (He 12:2, Ju 1:24, 2 Co 9:8); a king and a priest (Rev 1:6); a carrier of the Lord’s authority (Lk 10:19); a healer of the sick (Mark 16:18) and a demon’s worst nightmare (Mt 10:8); king o’ the world (1 Jn 5:4) because His victory is mine (1 Co 15:57); as bold as a lion (Pr 28:1) and more than a conqueror (Rm 8:37); a testimony of the Spirit’s power (1 Cor 2:4, 12:7, 2 Co 1:9); the salt (Mt 5:13) and light of the world (Mt 5:14); the sweet smell of Jesus to those who are perishing (2 Cor 2:15); a tree planted by the water (Ps 1:3, Jer 17:7), and  a fruitful branch (Jn 15:8); the disciple whom Jesus loves (Eph 1:6) and by the grace of God I am what I am (1 Co 15:10). Hallelujah!

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Related posts:
- Son, servant or friend of God?
- Son or sinner – what are you confessing?
- Grace and love in the Chronicles of Narnia

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In my last post I looked at what it means to take communion in an unworthy manner. Contrary to what you may have heard, this has nothing to do with examining yourself to see whether you are worthy or not. (Jesus died for unworthy people!) To take communion in a worthy manner is to honor the body and blood of Jesus that was sacrificed for your salvation. A proper definition of salvation includes forgiveness, healing, deliverance, indeed, everything that is part of the abundant life that Jesus promised (Jn 10:10). Because of Jesus’ costly sacrifice, you have full rights to every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3), along with healing (1 Pe 2:24), forgiveness (Eph 1:7), a guilt-free conscience (He 10:22), and unrestricted access to the throne of grace (He 4:16).

You will never take communion in a worthy manner until you appreciate and value His worthiness. If you are in the habit of asking Him for things that He has already provided (e.g., healing, forgiveness, provision), then you are not attributing to Christ the full worth of His sacrifice.

A big part of the communion-confusion stems from a misreading of Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians. As I have not found a good translation of 1 Corinthians 11:26-32, I have provided my own paraphrase above. (I looked at the meaning of the original Greek behind some of the words in my earlier post.) Take care when you quote me for I am not a Greek-speaker. I am sure I have missed some things. But I daresay my rough paraphrase may be closer to Paul’s original meaning than many of the English translations we have today. Paul never wrote to condemn Christians. He wrote to free them from sin and all its effects. If you are not being set free when you read his writings, something is wrong.

Incidentally, if you do find a good translation of 1 Cor 11:26-32 – and by that I mean a translation that releases life and freedom clearly, in plain English, and without ambiguity – let me know and I will paste the link here.

Finally, I will paste here Joseph Prince’s rearrangement of 1 Cor 11:29-30. Sometimes it helps to read things back-to-front to arrive at the intended meaning. This is one of the best reasons for remembering the Lord’s death through communion:

“For he who eats and drinks in a worthy manner eats and drinks God’s favorable judgment to himself, discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are strong and healthy among you, and many live who would otherwise be dead.”

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Related posts:
- Not by sight
- A better way to pray
- Taking communion in an unworthy manner

From the moment we’re born we’re conditioned to perform and pretend, to pursue what Ralph Harris, in his recently released book God’s Astounding Opinion of You, calls trivial nobility. We sweat on the treadmill of dissatisfying delusion hoping to become recognized as a good person, a good husband or wife, perhaps even an achiever. We get saved and learn kingdom principles that aid us in our quest for success. We have kids and raise them the same way, viewing them as little lumps of clay to be molded. We tell them they need to change, just as we are changing. But we don’t tell them that we’ve already been changed and radically so.

The most important thing in the world is to know what God thinks of you. If you have been born again, then you have been given a new nature that is holy and perfect. In God’s eyes you are blameless, righteous, royalty (Eph 1:4, Rm 5:17, 1 Pe 2:9). You may not feel like you are radiant royalty, but God says you are and you’re just going to have to take it on faith.

God’s Astounding Opinion of You is a book about what God thinks of us and how He treats us. Its message will leave you breathless at the majesty of God’s grace and gift to you. What is this gift? It is Himself and His unfathomable love. While we were sinners Christ died for us that we might be reconciled to God and made sons and heirs. Perhaps you know that you are His son, but do you act like it?

In this book Ralph Harris compares Christians who are unsure of their identity to Lazarus walking out of the tomb. They’ve been resurrected but they’re still wearing grave clothes. Their eyes have been opened but they can’t see. They’re saved for eternity but Christ is of no value to them now (Galatians 5:2). Because they do not see themselves as God sees them, they end up pretending to be something they’re not. They strive to tame their flesh and hate themselves when they fail.

This question of identity just may be the biggest issue in the church today. The sons and daughters of God don’t know they’re sons and daughters or, if they do, they think they are flawed and stubborn sons and daughters. They think they are little pieces of cement that God needs to whack into shape before they can be useful. “Rubbish,” says Ralph.

“Everyone born again by the Spirit has been born of a new nature… Giving my dog a whack to her backside might send her a message, but she’s a dog, and we don’t speak the same language, we don’t have the same nature, and I don’t live in her! I may get the behavior I want (and the lowered head and tail between the legs as well), but so what? Do I get any glory for what I’ve done? Any worship or praise? Is she glad and thankful for the whack? No! She just wants to do whatever it takes to avoid it in the future. Is that how God treats us – like His special pack of dogs? That’s a dog’s life, but it’s not mine, and it’s not yours.” (176-7)

What is this life that we have in Christ? It is “true nobility” that makes the pursuit of worldly nobility trivial in comparison. This is why Paul exhorted the saints to keep their eyes fixed on things above (Col 3:1). We live here but we’re from there (Jn 17:16). As Larry Norman once sang, we’re only visiting this planet. Problems start when we forget we’re aliens and our perspective shifts from there to here. Before you know it we’re playing by the rules of this world and walking after the flesh. This is why Paul, when he confronted the sinning Corinthians, didn’t preach law but reminded them of who they were (“sanctified in Christ”) and who they belonged to (“He will keep you strong and blameless”).

I would say I have a fairly secure identity as a son of God and yet I sometimes find my gaze has shifted earthward. I don’t see it in condemnation so much, but in competition and that old fleshly desire to perform and impress. Most of us have decades of conditioning to deal with and it will take a little time to rip the lies away. Renewing the mind isn’t something that happens at the front of an altar call. Thankfully, Ralph Harris doesn’t gloss over this stuff. In his book he provides a number of practical suggestions on how to live the life that Jesus promised. There’s a chapter for parents and another on burn-out. There’s a great description of different avenues of the flesh (chicken flesh, NASCAR flesh, whiny flesh, etc.). One thing that really struck me in this book is how the ministry of reconciliation is a calling to be a spectator rather than an initiator. (How different from what I used to teach!) This really is God’s show and He’s the best at everything He does.

My only gripe with this book is that many who need to read it may be turned off by its physical appearance. It looks like most every other book you would find in a Christian bookstore. I suspect middle-aged, middle-class folks will read it (people like me!), but teenagers, young guns and busy Moms won’t touch it. That’s a pity because they need to hear this message too. My advice to Ralph Harris and the good people at Harvest House is that they do a shorter version of the same book targeted for these different demographics. Every believer needs to hear the good news of what God thinks of us.
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Related posts:
- “Destined to Reign” by Joseph Prince
- “Grace Walk” by Steve McVey
- see all E2R’s book reviews here

“The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing. You can count on it.” (Jn 14:12, MSG)

I suspect the chief reason why many Christians live no different from their unsaved neighbors is they don’t know about the awesome authority that God has given us. So instead of healing the sick, as Jesus instructed us to do, they’re asking God to heal the sick. Instead of proclaiming life over their hurts, they’re complaining and speaking death over themselves.

In this short series on prayer, we have contrasted the Biblical way with the traditional way to pray. In Part 1 we saw that there is a difference between praying with hope and praying with faith. In Part 2 we learned that faith doesn’t move God – He’s already moved! In Part 3 we saw from scripture that answered prayers are sometimes delayed by the devil. The enemy is surely opposed to our prayers, but he’s probably not the main reason why our prayers aren’t answered. No, the hindrance to most of our prayers lies between our ears. The problem is we don’t appreciate what God has already done for us. More to the point, we don’t know how awesome and powerful is the One who now lives within us.

“Children, you belong to God, and you have defeated these enemies. God’s Spirit is in you and is more powerful than the one that is in the world.” (1 Jn 4:4 CEV)

Who do you think you are?

In Part 3 the punch-line was resist the devil. Here’s today punch-line: Renew your mind and learn to interpret your circumstances through the finished work of the cross. What do I mean by that? I mean it should be normal for you to see yourself as completely forgiven, sanctified, righteous, healthy and prosperous – all because of Jesus. Is this how you see yourself? Here’s a simple way to find out. When you get sick, which of the following statements best describes how you respond?

(1) “I am sick but I’m going to ask God to heal me.”
(2) “I am healthy but the devil’s trying to rob me.”

If you chose response No.1 then you’re starting from a place of defeat. By asking God to do something He’s already done, you are confessing ignorance of what Jesus has accomplished on the cross. Maybe you’re not sure of what He’s done. Then you had better find out because faith, by definition, is being sure (He 11:1). How can you be sure when you’re unsure? Look at what you’re saying: I am sick… The focus is squarely on your physical condition. Do you know what the King Jimmy Bible calls it when we are more mindful of our physical circumstances than God’s word? Carnal mindedness. And you know what that means, right?

“To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rms 8:6, KJV).

Do you know that you can be in the Spirit yet walk after the flesh? This happens when you put your feelings (what you see and hear etc.) ahead of your faith in God’s word. In effect, you are trusting in your praying performance instead of resting in His finished work. Pray like this and you will reap nothing because your faith is misplaced. Instead of standing on what Christ has done, you’re essentially saying God needs to act again and He won’t unless I first do something. You have more faith in you’re doing than in what Jesus has done.

If you want to release life and peace into our circumstances, be spiritually minded. That doesn’t mean “think spiritual thoughts.” To be spiritually minded means be led by the spirit. Your renewed spirit, like the Holy Spirit, already trusts God regardless of the circumstances. To be spiritually minded is to walk by faith, not by sight. So speak to your condition and say, “By His stripes I have been healed” (1 Pe 2:24).

If you chose response No.2 then you’re starting from the place of victory. You might declare, “As He is so am I in this world. The old man who suffered sin’s curse is dead and buried and I am a new creation. Sin and sickness no longer have dominion over me.” I’m not asking you to deny your physical reality but to have faith in a higher reality. I’m not saying the problem you are facing isn’t nothing; I’m saying that this Jesus who lives in you is Really Something! Here’s Andrew Wommack writing in Grace – The Power of the Gospel:

“I’ve changed. I know now that I’m not the sinner trying to become holy. I am the righteous whom Satan is trying to make unholy. I’m not the sick trying to get well. I am the well that the devil is trying to make sick. I’m not the poor trying to be prosperous. I am the prosperous that the Enemy is trying to make poor. This is a totally different attitude and mindset. But I’ve found it much easier to fight from the position of victory than to try to fight to obtain a position of victory. It’s infinitely easier to release something I already have than to go get something I don’t.” (pp.117-8)

When you’re sick your flesh will pull in one direction (“I need healing!”) but your spirit will pull in the other (“By His stripes I am healed!”). Flesh and spirit are opposed to each other and you will have to choose (Gal 5:17). The carnally minded believer will heed the flesh, but the spiritually minded believer will heed God’s word. This is not a question of having more or less faith – you already have the same measure of faith as Jesus (2 Pet 1:1). This is about putting your faith to work and releasing what God has already given you.

Plant this seed

In this short series I’ve given you some keys on how to pray effectively. I have given you truth in seed form. Perhaps you’ve been blessed reading these posts. Maybe you even clicked the “like” button or forwarded posts to your friends. But understand that nothing will change in your life unless this seed takes root in your heart and grows. It’s now up to you. Are you content to live no differently from your unsaved neighbors? Or do you want to see the Kingdom come and His will done in your world?

Be warned that neither the devil nor your flesh will like what you’ve read here (Ga 5:17). Jesus said the devil is a thief who likes to steal seed (Mk 4:15). Right about now this thief will be suggesting you go visit Facebook or he’ll be reminding you to take care of some task that really needs to get done. He’ll do whatever it takes to get your focus off Christ and the cross. But we are not ignorant of his schemes.

I began this series with Wommack and I’ll finish with him. Here he is writing in Spirit, Soul and Body:

“I’d confess aloud, ‘By His stripes I was healed.’ My body would counter, ‘Oh no you’re not!’ Then I’d answer, ‘Yes I am – the Word says so!’… You will have to overcome the same conflict! You don’t just say, ‘All right, I see the truth. Flesh, I now renounce you and choose to walk by the spirit!’ No, it’ll be a traumatic experience when you turn around and head the other direction. Your mind and emotions have been indulged now for many years. They’ve always said that whatever you see is more real than what’s invisible. There’s going to be a fight.” (p.117)

The good news is it’s a fight you can win, for greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Have faith in Jesus! Speak to your mountains! Heal the sick! Rebuke that storm! Change the world!
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If you missed them, here are the other 3 posts in this series:
1. A better way to pray
2. Speak to your mountain
3. Dealing with unanswered prayer

If you’ve been following this short series on prayer, I’m hoping you can spot at least two things wrong with these statements. First, it is always God’s will to heal the sick just as it is always His will to save the lost. Jesus died to save us and His atonement provides for our forgiveness, healing, deliverance and provision. Second, there’s no power in asking God to do something He’s already done. As we saw in Part 1, Jesus instructed us to “heal the sick,” not “ask God to heal the sick.” And as we saw in Part 2, Jesus wants us to speak directly to our mountains.

On my journey I have discovered that there is a huge difference between the traditional view of prayer and what the Bible teaches. We have already looked at six differences. Here is one more:

Traditional: Sometimes the answer is no
Biblical: God is faithful!

Some people will tell you that God hasn’t answered your prayers because you are not doing enough works. They’ll say you’re out of fellowship with Him or you haven’t pounded the gates of heaven or you haven’t confessed all of your sins. Others will try and manage your expectations with doctrine based on their experience rather than His word. Listen to these sorts of people and I guarantee it’ll neutralize your faith.

We need to rest in Jesus’ promise that whatever we ask in His name we shall receive (Jn 14:13, 16:24). “Ask me,” says Jesus, “and I will do it” (Jn 14:14). What is the key to doing the works and greater works of Jesus? It is simple faith in Jesus Christ (Jn 14:12). But sometimes we pray and there is no immediate manifestation. The sickness lingers. Does that mean God said no? Not according to Matthew 21:22 and John 16:24. Let God be true and every man a liar! God’s faithfulness is the one constant in the equation. He is the Rock on which we stand.

Daniel famously prayed two prayers that were both answered instantly. But the manifestation of one prayer took a few minutes, while the other took three weeks (Dan 9:23, 10:12). What was the variable? Not God! In Daniel’s case there was demonic resistance to the second prayer.

One reason why our problems sometimes linger is because the enemy is challenging our authority. He wants to see how serious we are. What should we do? Should we quit? Should we ask God to take over? No. Be encouraged. The devil will flee when we resist him and we do that by submitting to God and His rock-solid promises (Jas 4:7). That sword in your hand isn’t for decorative purposes. Use it! Here’s Andrew Wommack in his book A Better Way to Pray:

“When I minister healing to someone, I’ll pray for them two, three, four, or more times. I don’t care! I’m willing to pray for them until I rub all the hair off of their head! However, I’m not going back to God and saying, ‘Father, it didn’t work the first time. Let it work now, please!’ No! I believe it happened because God is faithful. He gave, but something’s wrong with our receiver. So I work on it. If the devil withstands one dose of the Holy Spirit, I’ll shoot him again! Just like Jesus did with the blind man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), I pray until I see the answer manifest. You need to get this attitude that God is faithful and He’s already met your need before you ever had it.” (p.125)

Understand that we’re not fighting to get the victory; we’re fighting to enforce the victory that Christ has already won. Satan and sickness were disarmed at the cross (Col 2:15). That’s why we’re called to stand rather than advance (Eph 6:13). We’re not taking ground, we’re holding ground that’s already ours through Christ. So stand firm and declare God’s word over your circumstances. Your tongue holds the power of life and death (Pro 18:21), so proclaim life and grace and health and freedom over your situation.

If the devil’s one variable, guess who’s the other? We’ll find out in the fourth and final part of this series.
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Related posts:

I have had many good teachers but much of what I write here has been inspired by Andrew Wommack’s helpful book, A Better Way to Pray. If you want to dig deeper or if you have questions, I strongly recommend that you get a hold of this book.

In Part 1 of this study I outlined five contrasts between the traditional and Biblical ways to pray. Probably the most important lesson I have learned so far, is that Jesus wants us to speak directly to our mountains.

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.  “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mk 11:22-24)

When you are faced with a mountain-sized problem, the temptation is to run and tell God all about it. But He already knows about your problem and He’s already provided everything you need to overcome it. Perhaps you need healing. He has already provided it (1 Pe 2:24). Perhaps you need finances. Already done (2 Co 8:9). As usual, your heavenly Father is a million steps ahead of you.

Don’t talk to God about your mountain; talk to your mountain about God! Okay, so what do you say? How do you talk to a mountain? Well you could talk about your mighty King whose name is above every name (Ph 2:9). Your mountain has a name. Cancer has a name. Depression has a name. God has commanded that all these things must bow to the name of Jesus (Ph 2:10). Wommack suggests you could pray like this:

“Father, thank You that Your name is above every name… These things the doctor told me are in my body have names. You are above them all! Thank You that You are greater, stronger, and more powerful than all of this.” (pp.33-34)

Notice how we have begun by focusing on our mighty Father and not the problem. In small groups there is a temptation to gather around our problems, but in that way lies death. We are to gather around the name of Jesus. Sometimes this is not easy! When we’ve heard bad news there is often a battle between fear and faith. We have to strive to enter His rest. But don’t pray while you are full of fear. Fear will get you speaking worry and negativity turning your prayers into words of death. “What he says will happen,” said Jesus. So watch your words and take care where you put your faith.

The best thing to do with your anxieties is cast them on the Lord (Ps 55:22). Fortify your mind by declaring God’s promises to yourself. When I’m battling with a bad report my two favorite words are, “Surely He…” (Is 53:4). He surely did! Praise Him for it. Then when faith has risen in your heart, you are ready to deal with the problem:

“Father, this is so small in comparison to what You’re able to do. I shouldn’t even have to ask, but the doctor did say I’m going to die. So since Jesus has already provided my healing, I’ll just receive it!” (p.34)

Traditional: Faith moves God.
Biblical: Faith moves mountains.

God has supplied everything you need by grace (Eph 1:3). Faith doesn’t move God to do what He’s already done; faith moves mountains. Praise the Lord for carrying all your infirmities on the cross and then command your mountain to bow to Jesus. Jesus said all authority on heaven and earth had been given to Him (Mt 28:18). He has jurisdiction everywhere and there is no place your mountain can hide from His authority. The problem you are confronting may be the result of a generational curse, bad DNA, bad behavior or whatever. It doesn’t matter. Jesus is Lord. Period. When we pray in Jesus’ name, we are re-presenting His cross-wrought victory and His irresistible authority:

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” (Lk 10:19)

Have faith in God and speak to your mountain! “Rebuke with all authority” (Tit 2:15) and send it into the sea.

In Part 3 of this study, I want to look at how we can respond when our prayers seem to go unanswered. Stay tuned!
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Related posts:

“It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs…” (Php 3:1-2)

Perhaps Paul was motivated to write the same things again and again because of what had happened to the Galatians:

“I suspect you would never intend this, but this is what happens. When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace.” (Gal 5:4 MSG)

The Galatians never intended to cut themselves off from Christ, but this is what happens when you are seduced by the dead works of religion. One moment you’re under grace, the next you’re back under law. One moment you’re free, the next you’re enslaved. It is a subtle shift unmarked by signposts. Paul’s solution was to trumpet the dangers of law-living in all its forms. With the benefit of hindsight we read his letter to the Galatians thinking, “it’ll never happen to me.” Yet despite this brilliant epistle, many Christians are doing exactly what Paul warns us not to do and are in danger of falling out of grace.

Watchman Nee famously distinguished grace and law like this:

“Grace means that God does something for me; law means that I do something for God.”

To fall from grace is to buy into the idea that we can compel God to bless us (or not hurt us) through our performance. It is infinite hubris to think that we can manipulate the Creator in this way. Paul said that nothing we do matters, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision; the only thing that counts is faith expressed through love (Gal 5:6). Faith responds, it never initiates. Faith is a positive reaction to what God has already done. If you live by faith in the goodness of a grace-giving God, then none of the following symptoms of a law-based life will apply to you.

Watch out for these dogs – seven more symptoms of a law-based life

1.    You always try to do the right thing (while avoiding the wrong thing)

A preoccupation with doing the right thing is a classic sign that one has been eating at the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. To live by a code of conduct is infinitely inferior to the life Christ wants to live through us. In choosing the wrong tree, Adam chose independence from God. An independent spirit wants to decide for himself and thus prefers rules to relationship. But someone under grace says, I trust Him from start to finish. He will lead me in the right path (Ps 23:3). Your choice is rules or relationship. You cannot reduce relationship to a set of rules. Live by rules and you’re setting yourself up for failure, for the law stimulates sin and produces death (Rms 7:5). Even when you do the right thing it’ll be the wrong thing because you’re operating in an independent spirit instead of walking by faith (Rms 14:23). But if you choose to abide in Christ, you’ll find yourself doing the right thing at the right time every time.

2.    You think we must do all the things Jesus said

Jesus said “be perfect” (Mt 5:48). How’s that working out for you? If you can’t score yourself a perfect 10, then you’ve already failed the test and there’s no hope. It’s true, God requires perfection and nothing less. But we have a perfect High Priest whose perfect sacrifice has already given us perfect standing before God forever (Hebs 10:14). Jesus was born under law and preached the perfect law to those under law in order that our sin – and our desperate need for a Savior – might be fully revealed (Gal 3:24, 4:4). Jesus preached the law and then fulfilled it on our behalf. The new covenant of God’s grace did not begin at Matthew 1:1, but at the cross when God’s own blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins (Mt 26:28). If you fail to filter Jesus’ words (before the cross) through Jesus’ actions (on the cross) then you may have settled for an inferior covenant. For more, read this.

3.    You think poverty is a good thing (it teaches character)

If you believe this, then you’ve never been poor. If poverty is a good thing, then abject poverty must be great! But there is nothing admirable about a 12 year old girl having to sell her body for food money or babies dying from preventable diseases. The devil wants you to think that poverty is a gift from God or that it is a controversial subject. It is not. Poverty is part of the curse, while prosperity is part of the package of God’s provision made available to us through the cross. (What do you think “blessing” means?) A poverty mentality is a natural consequence of living under law, for the law constantly reminds us of our indebtedness. But grace reveals a God of the “more than enough.” Live under the “weak and beggarly elements” of the law (Gal 4:9), and you’ll end up weak and beggarly! There’s no such thing as a prosperity gospel, but neither is there a poverty gospel. There’s only the gospel of Jesus Christ who became poor so that through Him you might become rich (2 Co 8:9). There was no lack in the Garden and there’s no poverty in heaven. If poverty is not God’s will there, it is not His will here.

4.    You think nothing will get done unless we first bind the strong man

A law mindset will always get us to think in terms of things we must do, even if they things that Jesus has already done. Who is the strong man Jesus spoke of in Matthew 12:29? He is the devil who had been keeping the planet in bondage ever since the fall. But at the cross Jesus disarmed and triumphed over His enemies (Col 3:15). Now it’s our privilege to plunder the enemy’s house and set prisoners free. To live under law is to say that Jesus can’t do it, won’t do it, or hasn’t done it. But grace rejoices that the work Jesus came to do – which included taking down the devil (1 Jn 3:8) – was finished at the cross. We empower a disarmed enemy when we believe him to be dangerous and in need of binding. Instead of focusing on the enemy and ourselves, look to Jesus who is our victory. Satan is already under His feet (Heb 2:8). Now put him under yours (Rms 16:20).

5.    You don’t think of yourself as righteous

Watchman Nee is Watching!

Then you need to repent and believe the good news! Before the cross righteousness was demanded of sinful man (Deut 6:25). But at the cross righteousness was freely given (Rms 5:17). If you have not received the gift of righteousness, if you still think there are things you need to do before getting saved/blessed/whatever, then you are suffering from a full-blown case of “under lawism.” The law says “do, do, do,” but grace says it’s “done, done, done!” The gospel of grace reveals the gift of righteousness that comes from God (Rms 1:17). There are only two things you can do with a gift. Receive it or reject it. We receive it by renouncing our sinful self-righteousness and acknowledging our need for a Divine Savior and His righteousness. God doesn’t make you righteous because you are good, but because He is good!

If you are a believer but still don’t think of yourself as righteous, train your mind to agree with God’s word: “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21). That’s not describing some future event. That’s describing what happened at the cross. Under first Adam you were literally a sinner; in last Adam, you are literally righteous. “If anyone is in Christ… the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor 5:17).

6.    You don’t think of yourself as holy

Then you’re in trouble because “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebs 12:14). Dead religion defines holiness in terms of behavior, but this definition falls far short of the perfect holiness required by God. Just as you cannot make yourself righteous, neither can you make yourself holy. But thank God for Jesus who is “our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Co 1:30). It is by His sacrifice – not yours – that you have been sanctified (Hebs 10:10).

The next time you’re struggling with this, go read 1st Corinthians. Few would say the Corinthians acted holy. Yet despite their bad behavior, Paul addresses his letter to the “church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ” (1 Cor 1:2). It takes a lot of faith to call the Corinthians saints, yet that is what they are in Christ! Holiness is not based on your behavior, but your identity. Jesus is holy and righteous. In Him, you are holy and righteous. A preacher of law says we must strive to become holy. That’s like saying, “I don’t identify with Christ who is my holiness.” But under grace we exhort one another to be holy (1 Pe 1:15), because that is what we are!

7.    You think you have disappointed God

Under law, it’s natural to think that you have disappointed God. No one – except Jesus – has ever fulfilled the requirements of the law. All fall short of God’s glorious standard (Rms 3:23). But here’s the good news. It is impossible to disappoint God. Disappointment results from unmet expectations and God doesn’t have any. The word “disappoint” is neither in His vocabulary nor in the Bible. Before you were born He knew everything you would ever say and do. He knew how long it would take you to come to the cross. He knew exactly how many times you would stumble. He knew in advance when you would run like a coward and act like a dullard. He even knows about all the mistakes you haven’t made yet. And He still loves you! Isn’t that wonderful?

Under law it’s natural to think of our shortcomings and project them as disappointments onto our heavenly Father. But grace opens our eyes to a good God who loves us with an unfailing love (1 Cor 13:8) and who, knowing all our faults, chooses to remember them no more (Heb 8:12). The next time you do something dumb, don’t listen to the lie that says you’ve disappointed Him. That’s the path to guilt and condemnation. Instead, have faith in His shadowless love and rejoice!

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Related posts:
- Seven signs that you might be living under law
- Seven more signs that you might be living under law
- Fear and trembling

Paul said the Galatians were “bewitched.” Some translations say they were under a spell. Paul wrote to set them free from the spell of the law and that meant asking a few pointed questions. Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard (Gal 3:2)? Are you trying to complete with human effort that which God began (Gal 3:3)? Does God manifest His presence among you because of your moral striving or because you believe what you heard (Gal 3:5)?

If the road to law is unsignposted, then one way to remain free in grace is to erect signs that reveal law’s boundaries. This is exactly what Paul does when he flags grace-killers like human effort (Gal 3:3), the traditions of men (Col 2:8), rules and regulations (Col 2:21-23).

In Part 1 of this series I said I wished Adam had put a big fence around the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He didn’t, so guys like Paul have had to warn believers like the Galatians about the dangers of nullifying grace by returning to the law. Self-imposed law can take many forms. In Part 1 I listed seven signs that will alert you when you’re in danger of trading free grace for enslaving law. Here are seven more…

1.    You feel rejected, guilty, condemned, or unworthy.

Condemnation is the number one symptom of a law-based life for the law is a ministry that condemns (2 Co 3:9). Before the cross, Adam’s sin meant condemnation for all men (Rms 5:18). Before the cross, God held us responsible for our sins and not even sacrifices could clear a guilty conscience (Lev 5:17; Heb 9:9). There’s only one thing guaranteed to clear a guilty conscience and that is the blood of Jesus (Heb 10:22). Now there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rms 8:1). By God’s perfect standard, all of us are unworthy, all of us fall short. Not one of us deserves what God has given us and that’s why it’s called grace. He qualifies the worst of us and makes us His beloved sons. A life captivated by His grace responds with “thank you Jesus!” But a life under law ignores what Jesus has done and chooses to remain under condemnation. For more, read this from CS Lewis.

2.    You think working out your salvation means working for your salvation.

It doesn’t. Jesus’ work on the cross was perfectly perfect and completely complete. Because of His sacrifice you have been made perfect forever (Heb 10:14). As He is, so are you in this world (1 Jn 4:17). Your work is to rest in Him. Click on the link to learn what it means to work out your salvation.

3.    You treat the Bible as a road map or instruction manual.

We are to live by the Spirit, not by the book (Gal 5:16). God wants us to have a relationship with Himself, not with His love letter to the world. Jesus gave us a pattern for Bible study on the road to Emmaus when He pointed out in the Scriptures all those things concerning Himself (Lk 24:27). Don’t read the Bible merely to find out what to do. Read it to discover Jesus.

4.    You think the remedy for lukewarmness is to get zealous for God.

Contrary to what you may have heard, we are not in a Mr or Miss Enthusiasm contest. God is not watching you on Sunday morning to see if you’re singing or clapping louder than the person next to you. Jesus is not going to vomit you out if you don’t get up and dance or hand out a gazillion tracts. Carnal zeal gets you nowhere with God (Rms 10:2). Genuine enthusiasm comes not from what you have done for God, but from appreciating what God has done on your behalf. And what has he done? He has made you, a born sinner, righteous and acceptable through the blood of Jesus. There is no middle, lukewarm ground. (Click here if you’re thinking of the Laodiceans.) You are either “the people” of God or you’re not (1 Pet 2:10). We don’t declare His praises to become a people belonging to God. We praise Him because we are a people belonging to God and He is praiseworthy!

5.    You are conscious of your debt to God.

What debt? You were in debt but Jesus redeemed you. On the cross, the righteous demands of the law that stood against you were fully satisfied. If the debt had not been met in full, Jesus would not have risen from the dead (Rms 4:25). Or perhaps you think this unfathomable act of grace now obligates you to God, that He bought your debt and now you owe Him. A law mind-set will always get you to focus on what you have done, or in this case, what you have not done and cannot do. A perception of indebtedness will cripple you and make you grace-resistant. God didn’t redeem you because you deserved it or because He was looking for an army of indentured servants. He did it because He is the Ultimate Giver and it’s His nature to love on us. See every good thing in your life as a gift from God (Jas 1:17). He gave you His Son (Jn 3:16), His Spirit (Acts 2:28), His life (Rms 6:23), His righteousness (Rms 5:17) – even your faith is His gift to you (Eph 2:8). Stop trying to pay Him back for His priceless gifts – it’s an insult to generosity of the Giver. Just bow your grateful soul and just say “thank you Jesus!” Then go tell other people the good news about this Great and Giving Redeemer.

6.    You think your illness is God punishing you for your sin

It’s quite possible that your illness is the result of sinful choices you have made, but God is not making you sick. A law mindset says you reap what you sow, that if you do bad (eg: sin), you get bad (eg: sick). But grace declares that God already judged all your sin at the cross. Jesus went around healing people. If God the Father is making people sick while God the Son is healing them, then they’re a house divided. Jesus provided for your salvation and healing at the cross. A person under grace won’t take sickness lying down but will proclaim the Lord’s death over their infirmities.

7.    You think there is too much emphasis on the goodness of God.

And let me guess – not enough emphasis on the badness of God?! “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” (Deut 32:4). There is no variation, no shadow of turning with God. He is good all the way through and He is good all the time! It’s no more possible to overemphasize His goodness than it is to grasp the width, depth, height and length of His love (Eph 3:18). (But I encourage you to try!) We need more emphasize on the goodness of God, not less! If you’re not convinced, read this post on the goodness of God.

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Related posts:
- Seven signs that you may be under law
- Forsaking your first love: What was the Ephesians’ problem?
- What makes Jesus sick (Rev 3:16)?

In the movie Eli carries the last known copy of the Bible. He comes to a town where Carnegie, the local strong man, is looking for a Bible to control people. Eli’s not about to give up the world’s last copy of the KJV to a Pharisee, so conflict ensues. Mid-way through the story, one of Carnegie’s thugs asks why they are being pushed so hard just to get a book. In an explosion of rage, Carnegie reveals his diabolical motive:

“It’s not a book! It’s a weapon. A weapon aimed right at the hearts and minds of the weak and the desperate. It will give us control of them. If we want to rule more than one small town, we have to have it. People will come from all over, they’ll do exactly what I tell ‘em if the words are from the book. It’s happened before and it’ll happen again. All we need is that book.”

There’s a world of truth in that statement. The Bible is universally known as “the Good Book” and rightly so. Its words are inspired and it will point you to Jesus. If you read the whole Bible through the lens of the cross, you will find redemption and life. If you read the written word to discover the Living Word, it will set you free.

But when handled incorrectly the Bible is utterly lethal. Buried within lies the law which, the Bible fairly warns, ministers death (2 Cor 3:7). For thousands of years, men like Carnegie have been using the law-bits of the Bible to control and manipulate others. Their goal is to enslave and dominate and their tools are fear and condemnation.

People have been living under self-imposed law ever since Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Jesus died to set us free from the curse of the law, yet some of us keep returning to the forbidden tree for another bite. Paul warned that we become “estranged from Christ” to the degree that we are under law (Gal 5:4). What makes the grace of God ineffectual in our lives? It is getting entangled again in religious notions about what it means to do the right thing.

I’d like to think that if I’d been Adam, the first thing I would’ve built was a fence around that tree. Then I would’ve put warning signs all over that fence. It’s too late for that now, but it’s not too late to put warning signs all around the law. Below is the beginnings of a list of signs that reveal whether you are living under the enslaving yoke of law or walking free in His divine grace. My purpose is posting this list is not to judge you, but to see you standing firm and free in Christ!

Seven signs that you may be under law

1.   You’re not 100% sure if you’re 100% forgiven

God doesn’t do forgiveness in installments. All your sins were forgiven at the cross (Col 2:13) when God the Son abolished sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb 9:26). Neither God the Father (Heb 8:12) nor God the Holy Spirit (Heb 10:17) remembers your sin any more. Still not convinced? Then read this.

2.   You believe Christians have a duty or responsibility to serve the Lord

Duty and responsibility are synonyms for obligation so this is a mind-set that says we are obliged, or indebted, to God. I’ve heard it said that “Jesus has done so much for you, what will you do for Him?” Indeed, God has given us everything. Ever wondered why? He did it “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:7). He is not just rich in grace, but exceedingly rich. You cheapen His grace by thinking you have a duty or responsibility to pay Him back. Your responsibility is to believe that He is good and true! It is not our obligation to serve the Lord, it is our royal privilege. It is not our duty, but our great delight.

3.   You suffer from performance anxiety.

Performance anxiety is a rational response to the uncertainty of life under the old covenant. But anxiety has no place in the new. We are to draw water from the wells of salvation with joy (Is 12:3). We walk under law in anxiety and fear, but we walk under grace with joy and thanksgiving! “Happy are those whose wrongs are forgiven, whose sins are pardoned! Happy is the person whose sins the Lord will not keep account of!” (Rms 4:7-8, GNB) God has made us His Sons, and with such a Father we need not be worried about anything (Mt 6:32). He is our Provider who delights to give good gifts to those who ask Him (Mt 7:11). Those who serve under the law are insecure, but sons are secure.

4.   You think, “God will bless me as I do my part”

The essence of a life enslaved by law is the mindset that says, “I must do something for God.” The motivation may be to earn salvation or some other blessing. But this mindset is anti-Christ and anti-cross. Contrary to what you may think, we are not justified by what we do but grace alone (Rms 3:24). Grace and works don’t mix (Rms 11:6). (And if you’re thinking of James 2:24, read this.) Grace, peace, and every spiritual blessing have been given to us by God our Father through Jesus Christ (Eph 1:3). We are not called to work for God, but to do the work of God. (Click the link to learn more about mixing grace with works.)

Grace is God’s part; faith is our part (Eph 2:8). Faith is a positive response to what God has done. Faith is saying, “thank you Jesus!” Faith is healing the sick and casting out demons, because Jesus made provision for our healing and deliverance at the cross.

5.   You think we need more preaching on repentance.

Repentance saves lives, but preaching on repentance doesn’t lead to repentance! A law mind-set emphasizes what people must do (repent!), but grace proclaims what God has already done (everything!). A law mindset uses inferior incentives (fear, judgment) that lead to temporary changes in behavior, but grace (God is good and He loves you!) changes the hardest heart. If you want people to genuinely repent, preach the goodness of God (Rms 2:4).

6.   You think you have to overcome life’s trials or Jesus will blot out your name.

It really isn’t about you. Jesus is our overcomer and our victory (Jn 16:33). Everyone who believes Jesus is the Son of God has already overcome the world, because The Overcomer lives in them (1 Jn 5:4-5). Jesus promised the overcomers at Sardis that He would never blot out their name. Ever since then insecure performance-oriented believers have feared He might change His mind and do exactly that. For more on overcoming, read this.

7.   You mainly think of following Jesus in terms of giving up things.

Christianity is a divine exchange, our life for his. No doubt you’ve heard people say that following Jesus costs you everything. And it does. You cannot call him Lord without renouncing the right to your own life. But see what you get in exchange! If salvation means nothing more to you than self-denial and personal sacrifice, you’ve missed the whole point. Christ offers us an unfair exchange; our life for His. God favors us with this exchange. We give him our sinful little selves and get everything in return. A law mindset looks at what we give up, but a grace mindset rejoices at what He offers in return! Stop thinking about what you gave up (nothing you could keep) and start enjoying what He has given you (everything!).

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Related posts:
- Two religions: Works and blood
- How do we pervert the gospel of Christ?
- Seven More Signs that You Might Be Living Under Law

This is a verse that religious-types love to quote. They use it to say that salvation is something we need to work for, that we must tip-toe fearfully through life lest we upset a wrathful God and find ourselves thrown into hell. It sounds spiritual, but it’s an anti-christ message that insults the Spirit of grace.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Jesus did it all! His work was perfectly perfect and completely complete. Because of His sacrifice you have been made perfect forever. As He is, so are you. Rest in Him.

Work out your own salvation…

But what does it mean to “work out your own salvation”? We have this idea that salvation equals forgiveness, but it is so much more than that. Salvation here is the word soteria which includes “deliverance, preservation, safety, and salvation.” It is a picture of a new life where all your needs – your need for forgiveness, deliverance, healing, provision – are supplied according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Ph 4:19). On the cross Jesus provided for your complete salvation, your complete healing, and your complete deliverance. If your old way of life was characterized by poverty, curses and never enough, then your new life in Christ is one of abundance, blessings and more than enough.

But you might say, I don’t see it. I’m not healthy. I’m not prospering. I’m not overcoming. Then work it out. Don’t ask Jesus to come – He’s come already! Don’t ask Him to provide – He’s provided already! He forgave you and healed you at the cross. You lack nothing (Eph 1:3). The problem with asking God to do things He’s already done is that it makes us passive and requires no faith. In Philippians 2 Paul is exhorting us not to be idle but to work out in our own lives the implications of His powerful sacrifice. It begins by changing the way you think. Renew your mind. Look to the empty tomb, behold the glory of your risen King, and declare His goodness and grace over your situation. Grace and peace will be multiplied to you as you grow in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord (2 Pet 1:2).

For more on what it means to work out your salvation, I encourage you to read this excellent article by my friend Cornel Marais. But today I want to focus on the second part of the verse…

…with fear and trembling

I used to think that this phrase was describing our proper state before God – that we should be afraid and tremble because even after a lifetime of service God might judge that we haven’t done enough for Him. Well thank God for the cross! God isn’t looking at me but Jesus who is our perfect and acceptable sacrifice. I no longer fear judgment because my sin has been punished and I am now clothed with Christ.

In this passage, Paul is not talking about judgment at all, but the outworking of our salvation. Surely this is a good thing, seeing the fruit of Gods work in our lives. So why is fear and trembling involved? Because sometimes trusting God can be scary!

The other day I saw a paralyzed lady get out of a wheelchair and take her first tentative steps in 23 years. (You can see it here on YouTube.) She was trembling when she did it. We can only imagine what was going through her mind. What if she tried and failed? What if she rose to her feet and fell on her face in front of hundreds of people? Her wheelchair was her comfort zone, but in faith she faced her fears and received a miracle. The healing that Jesus provided for her 2000 years ago was apprehended by faith.

Faith is risky! Faith does not come naturally and is often accompanied by fear and trembling. How do you think Abraham felt as he was about to plunge the knife into Isaac? We know that Abraham was fully persuaded that God would raise the dead – that’s faith – but he would not have been human if his hand had not trembled. Or consider Rahab. Do you think she was in a joyful mood when she welcomed the spies of Israel into her home? Her faith meant a death sentence if the soldiers of Jericho discovered her treason. What about Daniel in the lions’ den, or David facing the giant, or Moses standing up to Pharaoh? Is it so hard to imagine that these heroes of faith acted with fear and trembling?

Faith means putting something on the line. It might be your comfort, your reputation, your family, your funds, even your life – but something is risked or else it’s not faith.

You may want to run away…

My favorite line in the film Avatar is “Run! Definitely run!” Apparently this is the proper thing to do when you meet one of Pandora’s more aggressive beasts. Fear often manifests as a desire to run away. Indeed, the words “fear” and “flight” are connected in the Greek language. So our choice is often one of faith versus flight. I know something about that. Years ago when it became apparent that Camilla and I were going to be handed the leadership of a church, I told her “pack your bags, we’re leaving.” I feared failure. I didn’t want to do it. Paul felt the same way about going to Corinth:

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.” (1 Cor 2:1-3)

Would you say that Paul was a mighty man of faith? Definitely! Yet here he is admitting that he came to Corinth in “fear and in much trembling.” In other words, he didn’t want to go! In fact, Paul was so fearful that God had to step in and say “do not be afraid” (Acts 18:9).

There’s grace for us here folks. Paul is saying, “it’s not wrong to be fearful.” But in the presence of these feelings, work out your salvation anyway. Take the faith-risk, because you will be blessed if you do. I’m not comparing myself to Paul, but by the grace of God Camilla and I didn’t run away. We stayed and preached the gospel and for ten years had the awesome privilege of leading Hong Kongers to Christ.

…but you will be blessed if you stay

A preacher of works will use Philippians 2:12 to motivate you to perform out of fear. But if you’ve been following my series on James, you will know that there is a big difference between works done under law and works done under grace. Under law we work for God, but under grace we do the work of God. The work of God is to believe in Jesus and reveal His finished work in our broken world. Which kind of works do you think Paul was describing here in Philippians 2 – the works of man or the work of God? Take a look at the next verse:

“…for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Php 2: 13)

If God is the one working, what part do we play? Well we are the ones who decide who gets to see the King! God is sovereign, but in His wisdom He has chosen to reveal Himself through the faith of His saints. We preach and His signs and wonders follow. We lay hands on the sick and His healing is released. So guess what happens if we don’t preach or lay hands on the sick?

Paul didn’t want to go to Corinth but he went anyway. Despite his “fear and much trembling” he preached Christ crucified and the result was that “many Corinthians” believed and were baptized (Acts 18:8). Jonah didn’t want to preach in Nineveh but he did and an entire city was saved. Both Jonah and Paul took faith-risks despite their fears. As a result, the kingdom of God came to two cities and thousands of hell-bound sinners were saved.

Fear and trembling are normal. What you do with fear is the thing. We can live afraid and see nothing change, or we can face our fears and see the kingdom come. Working out our salvation means that at some point we’re going to have to get out of the boat and take a risk. God won’t punish us if we hold back – this has nothing to do with punishment. But we will blessed, and the nations will be blessed through us, when we reveal Jesus.

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Related posts:
- By which gospel are you saved?
- Does God give and take away?
- Mixing grace with works: It’s not about the widow (Lk 18:1-8)

I know some of you will be reading this because you want some kind of conference review. I’m not going to give you one because I don’t want to diminish with my clumsy words what was a truly profound encounter with God and his man. All I can say is that Bill Johnson really loves Jesus and he feels deeply the Father’s compassion for an orphaned planet. I will tell you that many people were healed and all of us were touched by God’s goodness. If you want to know more about what happened at the last meeting of MP10, buy the DVD.

However, to give you a taste of Bill Johnson’s preaching during the week, I’ve selected 20 of my favorite quotes. The hard part was limiting my list to just 20. Bill Johnson is very quotable! He says things that are both new and obviously true once you hear them. Someone at the conference put it like this: “Bill is an orator who puts into words things that were already in our hearts.” That is a great gift, this ability to articulate revelation that we had only before felt in our spirits.

To be honest, I couldn’t limit myself to just 20 quotes. So today I’m going to give you a sampler of what Bill said on three R themes – renewed minds, representing God, and reformation – and in a day or two I will post his thoughts on the goodness of God (these were really good!). Enjoy!

On the renewed mind

1.    “What is the will of God? On earth as it is in heaven. If it doesn’t exist there, it’s not supposed to exist here. If it does exist there, it’s supposed to exist here.”

2.    “Oftentimes what you see cancels out what you perceive.”

3.    “The mind is either at war with God or it is being renewed. There is no middle ground.”

4.    “Practical atheism is when you act the same way as an atheist does even when you believe in God.”

5.    “I will never blame a loss on God. I will never base a theology on what didn’t happen… Whether they raise the dead or they stay dead, the pay’s the same. I have to manage my heart. I feed my soul on what God has said. Then I take my losses into the secret places of the Lord and I stay there until I give it to him.”

6.    “Faith is not opposed to the mind. It’s superior to the mind which is why the renewed mind enhances faith.”

7.    “An area of life that does not have hope is under a lie.”

8.    “We don’t believe because we understand. We understand because we believe.”

On representing God

9.    “I can’t promise that every person I pray for is going to be healed. I’m not at that place yet. But I can ensure that they’re going to be loved.”

10.    “We have to redefine the sovereignty of God… There’s a difference between being in charge and being in control. God is in charge, but to think he’s in charge of everything is sad because that means he sponsored Hitler… God is not willing that any should perish, yet people are perishing. That means not everything is his will.”

11.    “Do you know why we pray for the sick? Because we want Jesus to get what he paid for. We’re just passing along a check that somebody else wrote.”

12.    “The principles are what I turn to when I can’t sense the presence. But it’s to be the exception not the rule… We are designed to live from the presence.”

13.    “He’s in you and he wants out! He’s in us like a river. He’s not in us like a lake.”

14.    “When Jesus performed miracles, he wasn’t demonstrating what God can do, but what God can do through a man.”

15.     “Jesus is returning for a bride whose body is in equal proportion to her head.”

On reformation

16.    “Transformed people transform cities.”

17.    “Heaven invades earth when there is agreement here to what exists there. Honestly, that’s how it happens.”

18.    “Someone wrote a book against us and gave us a great compliment. They said, ‘Bethel is just another Disneyland.’ That’s awesome! Disneyland’s the ‘happiest place on earth’.”

19.    (Regarding the millennium) “It’s theologically irresponsible to put off the promises of God into a time when we have no responsibility.”

20.    “John said the works of Jesus would fill the planet if they were all recorded. That’s the Holy Spirit unquenched for three and a half years in one man.”

Related posts:
- Bill Johnson on the goodness of God
- Dealing with unanswered prayer
- The Christchurch earthquake: Four questions Christians can answer
- Have you heard the news? It’s good!