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Saturday, April 13, 2013

Walking By Faith And Not By Sight

Walking by faith and not by sight is the pathway to partaking in all the benefits of the covenant of grace and truth.
Walking By Faith And Not By Sight


2 Corinthians 5:7  For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Men in covenant with JESUS walk by faith, not by sight.  We are conditioned to live by sight, what we see, taste, touch, smell, and hear.  The gospel of the kingdom of God calls us to no longer behave like mere men.  We are called to walk as the newly created, filled with righteousness and holiness, beings God has given birth to.  The newly created being is conditioned to live by faith in the word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.  17  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

The gospel of Christ is the covenant of grace and truth we have been called to live in.  The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith and there is no other way for God’s righteousness to be revealed.  “AS IT IS WRITTEN, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.  Let’s go back to the prophet God used to write this great revelation.

Habakkuk 2:1  I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.  2  Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.  3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.  4  "Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.

My pastor has preached about this vision; it stirs my heart there are godly men living the life of faith prophesied by Habakkuk.  I thank God for my pastor!  The principles for living a faith filled life are revealed here in the short passage.  Set yourself on watch until you hear from God.  When God speaks let it bring correction that changes you.  Once corrected God can speak words of clarity.  Hearing from God with a corrected heart will give birth to vision.  The vision written out will, in the end, speak for itself!  Those who have truly caught  the vision will be the just living by faith! 

Galatians 3:1  O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?  2  This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  3  Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

Bible faith is defined by those who have put their trust and confidence in Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  It begins with the hearing of the word and believing; the life continues by hearing of the word and believing.  It is trusting in the word of God and the overflow is the supernatural work of God being manifested.  It is witchcraft not to understand we receive the works of the Spirit by the hearing of faith!

Galatians 3:4  Have you suffered so many things in vain; if indeed it was in vain?  5  Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?; 

He who supplies the Spirit to you, and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  It is all provided by the HEARING OF FAITH. 

Galatians 3:6  just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."  7  Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.  8  And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."

Believing in God’s word is counted for righteousness!  To borrow a phrase from my pastor, believe in the raw Word of God.  Yes, the just shall live by faith!

Galatians 3:9  So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.  10  For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them."

Living by faith and living by the works of the law can not be mixed.  There are not compatible.  Living under the works of the law brings one back under the curse of the law,  The blessing without the curse is exclusively found in living by faith!

Galatians 3:11  But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." 12  Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them."

The just shall live by faith.  It can never be about justified by the performance of the law.  Those who preach justification by works are preaching the law; it will never be life giving because the law is not of faith!

Galatians 3:13  Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14  that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Jesus became a curse for us we are not a part of the covenant that bring cursing and blessing.  Jesus took the curse and gave us the blessing.  Hear the word of the Lord and receive the Spirit through faith. 

Galatians 3:15  Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.  16  Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," who is Christ.

The object of your faith must be in the “Seed” Jesus Christ!  Those who will live by faith must understand the covenant of promise that gave them birth into this kingdom.   Mixing law with grace only brings sorrow.

Galatians 3:17  And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.  18  For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Our inheritance is by the covenant of faith and we can not try and live by the law.  The greatness of Jesus Christ and all He has done at Calvary if of promise.  The just shall live by faith!  If the inheritance is of the law it is no longer of promise but of works.

Galatians 3:19  What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.  20  Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.  21  Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.  22  But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Thank God for the law and the purpose that it serves!  However those living by faith must use the law lawfully!  The law was added to make sin exceedingly sinful; the law never had the power to give life!  However the promise is only given to the who believe by faith in Jesus Christ.  It is a lifestyle of faith in Jesus Christ; it is from faith to faith!  It can not be faith to law!

Galatians 3:23  But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.  24  Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  25  But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.  26  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  27  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

When the church is trying to bring the believer back to the law we are using the law illegally!  We are out of order!  After faith has come we are no longer under the tutelage of the law.  We are now living by faith exclusively; It is our faith in Jesus Christ that has made us sons of the kingdom.  If the Son sets you free you are free indeed!

Galatians 5:6  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

Opening Our Eyes To His Power

There is the greatness of the Father's power at work in every believer; oh, that we might surrender to the power working in through us. Friday night prayer gave birth to this in my heart. Saturday morning I attended my church men's breakfast and the men's leader begin to speak about the power of God. It stirred my heart even further to complete these bible study notes about the great power of God working in and through the believer.
Opening Our Eyes To His Power

Ephesians 1:17  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,  18  the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,  19  and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power  20  which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,  21  far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.  22  And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,  23  which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

The end of Ephesians 1 is jammed full of revelation about God the Father and His desires for His children.  He desires for us to walk with the spirit of wisdom and revelation that causes us to know Him in intimacy. 

1.  There is the hope of His calling!  God has a destiny and design for your life from the foundation of the world.  When we walk in this truth it builds a hope that will anchor our soul in relationship with the Father.  Hebrews 6:19

2.  There are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.  Jesus has made us joint heirs in the beloved!  What a great revelation of truth when we understand we are joint heir with Christ.  Romans 8:16-17

3.  There is the working of His mighty power toward us who believe!  This power is the same power that he worked in Christ when He raised Him form the dead and seated Him at His right hand in heavenly places.  This power exerted by the Father placed Christ far above all principality and power and might and dominion; this is the same power that is at work in the believer!  It is time for the church to get a greater revelation of the power that is at work toward us by the Father Himself!

God has been stirring in my spirit about the power that is at work in the believer!  It is indeed His power at work in us.  When the revelation of the greatness of His power, the accepting of the hope of His calling, and the understanding of the riches of the glory of His inheritance is brought together you have a believer walking in the triumph He is always leading us to.

Ephesians 3:20  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  21  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

God the Father is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us!  Oh how the church needs a revelation of the power of God at work in the believer.  It may be time to allow God to expand your expectations.  The God we serve will do exceedingly and abundantly above…  What are your expectations of God?  What are you asking Him for?

2 Corinthians 4:6  For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels!  It is the power of God working in us!  This is the supernatural at work in the believer’s life.

Mark 16:15  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  16  "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  17  "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  18  "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Jesus spoke the expectation of the believers life.  Signs will follow those who believe.  Demon cast out, speaking with new tongues,  deadly things unable to hurt, the laying hands on the sick and the sick recovering!  It is the power of God that is at work in the believer.  Why preach and teach about the power of God at work in the body of believers?  I believe therefore I speak!

Matthew 28:18  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

We live in the covenant where all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus Christ.  We the believer are called to rise up and walk in His authority!  Satan holds sway over the world; however Jesus has all authority over heaven and earth.  Those who come into the covenant of grace are covered by the blood of the lamb.  We can overcome the enemy of our soul, by resisting Him steadfast in the faith.  We have a power that the Father has called us to walk in!

Colossians 1:16  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.  17  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  18  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Jesus is the head of the body, the church!  We are not slaves to the circumstances that surround us; Jesus has preeminence over all! 

2 Peter 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,  4  by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The Father’s divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness!  His divine power provides for life, yes the abundant life.  The Father’s power makes us participators in the exceedingly great and precious promises.  The Father’s power makes us partakers of the divine nature.  The Father’s great power is at work in every true believer.

1 John 4:4  You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Let it be said we are overcoming because of the power that is at work in us!  Greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world!  Too many believers have settle for less than God’s expected end for them.  You are not enslaved to your circumstance because Christ is in you.  Christ in you the hope of glory..

John 14:12  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  13  "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  14  "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Our expectation should be set by the authority of the words of Jesus Christ!  Jesus declared that “he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”  What are your expectations what is it you believe the power of God can do in and through you?  We need to declare the words of JESUS over our circumstances, “.  Oh that the church will become a reflection of the word of God.  Surrender to the resurrection power that is working in you!