From Death to Life

There is no one else who has the power to save us, for there is only one name to whom God has given authority by which we must experience salvation: the name of Jesus .
Jesus said, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life.”
(Acts 4:2)(John 14:6)TPT

We are a spirit living in a body with a soul that consists of your mind, will and emotions. We are called to bring everything in submission to God and surrender everything to Him making Him and only Him the center of our lives for you shall have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3-5). The world is anything or anyone (people and systems) that are not subject to the righteous government of God in the person of Jesus Christ. The god of this world is Satan and, in his world, unholy fleshly desires reign prevalent.

Romans 8: 5-12 state we have an obligation not to live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit and those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

It goes on to say that the mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace and that the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so; those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God and do not belong to Christ. If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of 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 (Galatians 5:16-20). There’s a direct war going on between your soul which could be easily influenced by the world and its fleshly desires and your spirit man. Fleshly desires are something that the enemy uses to distract you from turning to and getting deeper with God. These days the main things he uses is social media and television.

1 John 2:15-17 states, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” All these things turns us away from God and leads us into sin and the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

When you follow your own wrong inclinations, your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group—and there will be wrong doctrine, envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

Ecclesiastes 3:11 mentions that God has planted eternity (a sense of divine purpose) in the human heart (a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God)—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end. When God made us, he put a hole in us that only he can fill. We may try to fill it with these fleshly desires like sex, pornography, drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc. to numb the hurt and pain, to vent and try to escape but those worldly things could never fulfill us. Only Jesus can heal, save, deliver and fulfill us.

Many people often times accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior but they never really turn their will to the Lord which simply means you believe in Jesus but because you never really turn your will to the Lord you aren’t truly saved. When you aren’t saved you selfishly desire and lust after worldly things at the expense of others and you can’t love properly since the unselfish love of Jesus is not in you. You cannot give what you do not have.

People of this world say they don’t like to take instruction or to be told what to do that they want to be free to live their life but certainly they are not free. The thing is there are two forces in this earth good and evil. There is no grey area. It’s either you’re serving God or the devil. It’s either you’re taking instruction from God or the devil. To live for yourself and your fleshly desires makes Satan the god of your life and you are bound by him in chains. Jesus said in James 8:34-36 that everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin and the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever but Jesus came to give us liberty and whom the son sets free is free indeed.

If you say you’re a true believer and have Jesus, take a minute to check yourself. Take a good look at your life right now and ask yourself truthfully: Do you truly have a heart for God? Have you tried to live a life pleasing to God in all you say, do and think? Are you a doer or the word and not a hearer only? Does your life align with the God’s basic principles from the bible? Have you fully surrendered your will for his will for your life?

If your life does not line up with the basic principles of God’s word you are not a true believer and follower in Jesus Christ and aren’t truly saved. Those who love God obey His commandments. You know them by their fruits. A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions (Matthew 7:17-20).

Those who are proud exalt their opinion and understanding above God’s but God resist the proud (James 4:6). Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Pride is what made Lucifer fall, because he wanted to be like the most High (Isaiah 14:14). He wanted to be like God. That’s why Satan hates and are so jealous of us and is constantly seeking to steal, kill and destroy us (John 10:10) because we are made in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27).

Pride fights against your surrender to God and causes us to be stubborn. Robert Morris defines stubbornness as your strong will toward yourself instead of God and that strong will is not bad as long as it’s in the right direction. The key to getting over stubbornness is intimacy with God and others. You’re giving God permission to see into you, the real you. Look and seek for an intimate personal relationship with God.

O Lord, I know that the path of (life of) a man is not in himself; It is not within (the limited ability of) man (even one at his best) to choose and direct his steps (in life) (Jeremiah 10:23).

The wisest realization and choice is to recognize we aren’t smart enough to run our own life. Humility is allowing God to run your life and it’s a by-product of a personal relationship with Him. Humility is not weakness, it’s understanding that God is God and Lord and recognizing your submission under Him. You have to love God more than you love yourself. You cannot pray for humility. God said to humble yourself, you have to make the decision and do it. The way you do it is that you understand your righteousness comes from Christ not from the works of the law and the goal is knowing Him more. If you choose to exalt yourself, God will surely abase you but if you surely humble yourself, you shall be exalted (Matthew 23:12). It’s a scary thought to have the Almighty God abase you.

The root of pride is insecurity which is why we need to know and be sure of who we are in Christ. Jesus showed us how much He loves and values us by what He accomplished on the cross. Our security goes to whose we are by grace. You are not your own; you were bought at a great price by Jesus, therefore choose to honor God with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-21). Our lives aren’t our own, we are to live for Him and be imitators of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think, then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2).

You cannot come to church on a Sunday and have God as your God and as you leave church you worship the god of this world Satan. No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other (Matthew 6:24). You have to choose whom you serve the almighty God, Creator of the universe or the god of this world Satan? You cannot be double minded. For a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways and he shall not receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7-8). If you live by this carnal world you are limited to it but with God, we have supernatural provision and blessings.

The reverential fear of God leads you to life, wisdom and blessings and it will make you follow and obey God. Matthew 10:28, states to do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. To fear the Lord is to hate evil for He hates pride, arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech (Proverbs 8:13).

Jesus mentioned twice in Luke 13 that if you don’t truly repent, you shall perish there’s no question about it. According to Charles Finney, true repentance is a permanent change of character and conduct it is so deep and fundamental that the man never changes back again. The love of sin is totally abandoned. False repentance has occurred where the love of sin is still present, when you are grieved because you have to withdraw from so many things you love and when you continually relapse on old sins. A true convert’s most obsessive sins before conversion are the furthest from them now. If you are willing to give up sin, you are willing to promise to do it and willing to have it known that you have done it. But if you resist conviction and still love your sins, all your convictions will not help you. They will only sink you deeper in hell for resisting them.

True repentance is essential and is the basis of your Christian life, it’s where you grow from. According to James Robison repentance is required for redemption and repentance is the result of redemption. All God requires of us is to truly repent.

It is God’s goodness and kindness that leads you to repentance (that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life) but hard, stubborn and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: for God shows no partiality [no arbitrary favoritism; with Him one person is not more important than another). (Romans 2:4-11)

God designed us to feel remorse over sin in order to produce repentance that leads to victory. This leaves us with no regrets. But the sorrow of the world works death (2 Corinthians 7:10 TPT). Are you ashamed to talk about your sins? If so, then your sorrow is only a worldly sorrow which ends in death.

Repentance is not remorse, it’s not simply being sorry for your sins because being sorry simply means you’re sorry you got caught and the consequences of the sin has finally overtook you. It’s not enough to say I’m sorry. Repentance is also not regret. Regret is saying ‘I wish I could start over,’ or ‘I wish I had another chance’. You can’t live It over, but you can have a spiritual new life in Christ and be born again. Reform is also not repentance, it’s worse. Reform says, ‘from now on I’m going to live right and I’m going to do all the right things’. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). You are not going to be saved by your works but it’s only by grace. If you reform and say you’re going to do the right things this is not salvation. It may last a little while but it’s only with the Holy Spirit through Jesus can we truly change not in and of ourselves and in our own strength.

Repentance is not an emotion but a decision that springs from your will. It means in the Greek, to change your mind or change the way you think. It’s saying that I’ve been living for myself to do my own thing but now I’m going to live to please Jesus my savior, it’s a decision. Robert Morris says that we don’t have the ability to change our heart only God can change a human heart. God did gave us the ability to change our mind and if you change your mind, He will change your heart and if your heart is truly changed your entire life changes. Once you have repented you are able to turn from sin and turn to God.

Jesus came preaching for us to change the way we think about having a right relationship with God. The way they thought before Jesus is that to have a right relationship with God is by what you do. Jesus taught that He is the Messiah, and a new covenant is being established, not a covenant of works but by grace.

You can’t change the way you’re living; you can change your mind about who Jesus is and then Jesus can change the way you’re living.

We may need to repent and change our minds multiple times throughout our lives that’s why it’s incredibly important to stay in the word daily to renew our minds. Proverbs 12:1 states that whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. We often think that if we need correction then we are bad as a person but that’s not so, it’s just your behavior that needs to be corrected. Robert Morris states that if you have a problem with correction you should go to a spirit-filled counsellor to work through certain things that may stem from your childhood or in a broken relationship. In essence you could be viewing correction through that incorrect correction you received.

After we are saved we may still struggle with some things in our life but all we have to do is repent (keep changing your mind). Do not allow guilt or shame to enter. Do not allow Satan to convince you that you are worse than everybody else because many people are struggling with the same thing because once condemnation sets in that will lead you to death. Be careful, not to judge yourself since God will judge you and at the same measure you have used on yourself (Matthew 7:1-6). You need to change your mind about the way you see yourself and forgive yourself. If you want God to forgive you of your sins you need to forgive yourself and others first (Matthew 6:14).

James 5:16 states to confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. One great step to repentance and being healed from your sins is to first stop running away and face and admit the things you have done and confess it to one or two people close to you, it could be a Christian counsellor, family member or friend who is able to give a godly perspective that you may not have to help heal you. Once you get that perspective you can change your mind and then God could change you and you will be set free. The fact is that the more you live in the darkness, the more the enemy works.

You must firstly, confess your sins to Jesus. Confessing your sins to one another may be incredibly difficult but it’s the only way to come to the light to inherit eternal life. When you do evil and continue to do evil you live in darkness and may not want to come to the light because your deeds will be exposed, you get caught and suffer consequences. Now consider the alternative. If you do not come to the light and stay in the darkness you shall perish for all eternity which is far worse. Rest assured in this, once you do come to the light and humble yourselves (with an attitude of repentance and insignificance) in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you (He will lift you up, He will give you purpose) (James 4:10). This is the cure for worldliness.

The truth is we all are sinners, we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24). If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us and we are only deceiving ourselves (1 John 1:8). Since Adam fell, we have all been judged and sentenced to death.

In Luke 7:34 Jesus ate and drank with the sinners because He is their friend. Jesus ate with the sinners to tell the sinners that He and the Father loves them and that they do not judge them because they’re already judged. When Jesus heard the scribes and Pharisees asking how He eats and drinks with sinners and tax collectors, Jesus said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Jesus came to forgive us and to reconcile our relationship with God. God is an all-knowing God and He is love, He’ll never be mad, disappointed or surprised by anything you have done or could do. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

Paul described himself as the chief of all sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) because before Jesus saved him, he persecuted followers of Christ. If He could save Paul, He could save you. Live with confidence be persuaded like Paul did when he said that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love.

John the Baptist’s message was all about repentance, clearing the way for Jesus. Here we see repentance clears the way for Jesus to save us. Robert Morris states that repentance first gets us into the kingdom but as Christians it’s an on-going lifestyle of continuing to change our minds according to the will of God, allowing then for God to change our hearts and our lives. What is God’s will? His will is His Word. If you abide in His word (the Bible), you are truly Jesus’ disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:31-32). Jesus said, “If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death” (John 8:52).

Change your mind today about how God feels about you, how much God loves you and does not judge or condemn you and how others could help us to change our minds. Recognize your sins today and come humbly and boldly before the throne of grace to seek forgiveness, obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus already paid for your sins so you don’t have to, all you have to do is receive it, believe it and call in done in Jesus’ name.

There’s no sin big enough to keep back God’s grace and mercy. In this world we will all have trials, tribulations and trouble, if you stay a lover of this world you will continue to face these things and worse because this path leads to death and eternal damnation in hell but if you repent, turn to Jesus and make Him Lord over your life surrendering your will for His will, just as He overcame the world so you will do also. You can be confident in this that Jesus’ path will lead to eternal life in heaven.

Salvation comes in these basic steps, you first repent of your sins, believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, confess what you believe and act out what you believe. Believing and confessing go hand in hand, the more you confess (speak out loud) the word of God the more you will believe and the more you believe it, the more you say it. Finally, act out what you believe by being baptized, give thanks and be led by the Holy Spirit about God’s plan for your life. Today is the day of salvation. The fact is we aren’t promised the next hour or minute of our lives and right now God is ready to welcome you, He is ready to save you. When God starts to turn don’t turn away from or resist Him otherwise you may perish. Don’t miss this opportunity because you might not get it again.

Picture Jesus standing right next to you just as He stood with the adulterous woman full of sin whom He did not condemn but he told her to go and from now on sin no more (John 8: 2-11). Once you truly repent (change your mind) feel Jesus’ light shining within you to your heart destroying the darkness (John 1:5). John 8:12 says that Jesus is the light of the world and whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.

If you know you aren’t saved, if you’re not sure, or if you want to renew your faith, sincerely pray this prayer in faith believing, to repent of your sins, to receive your salvation and be baptized with the Holy Spirit:

Heavenly Father, I come humbly before your throne of Grace and mercy in the name of Jesus and fully submit and totally surrender to You. I admit that I am not right with You, and I want to be right with You. I’m not running away from my sins anymore I’m facing and owning up to them and laying them down at the cross. I recognize that Your mercy and grace is a gift You offer to me because of Your great love, not based on anything I have done. I have greatly sinned in my life and ask You to forgive me of all my sins. I lay aside my desires, plans, ambitions and my will, for your will for my life. I choose as an act of my will to live your way God for I know only You know what’s best for me. You tell me what to do and I will obey. Here I am God use me! Jesus come into my heart let your light shine and destroy the darkness. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10-19). Heal my heart and make me whole. Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise (Jeremiah 17:14). Jesus you are my deliverer, deliver me Father from the bondage of Satan and his cohorts. Deliver me from _____________. Lead me not into temptation but give me your strength to fight against it.

The Bible says if I confess with my mouth that “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead, I will be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10). I do that now; I believe with my heart, and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is the Lord and personal Savior over my life and I believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead. Thank You for saving me and for freeing me from bondage! Help me to keep on your path of righteousness that leads to eternal life with You. Jesus since you have set me free, free I am indeed!

I am now reborn and renewed! I am a Christian— a child of Almighty God! I am saved! You also said in Your Word, "If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: HOW MUCH MORE shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11:13). I’m also asking You to fill me with the Holy Spirit and love. Holy Spirit, rise up within me as I praise God. I fully expect to speak with other tongues as You give me the utterance (Acts 2:4). Grant me peace rest and joy that surpasses all understanding. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Now that you are in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], you are a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life] (2 Corinthians 5:17-19). You are a new man!

Water baptism now is crucial, Mark 16:16 states, “whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” Water baptism completes and claims your salvation, it publicly symbolizes your choice to choose God, your choice to live a better life pleasing to God and a submission of your will for His will. Join a good bible-based church and be water baptized today, showing God and everyone that you are all in.

Now that you’re saved…

GIVE CONTINUOUS THANKS, Praise and Worship Him!

As you have made Jesus the Lord over your life, continually submit your will for His and strive in all do say and think, to seek to please Him. It is only by God’s mercy and grace that brings salvation that teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly (immoral) desires, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives with a purpose in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).

Always keep in mind that friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4). We are in this world and not of it. Our citizenship and home is in heaven. Paul warns God’s people to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14). We must remain near to Jesus, continually abiding in God’s Word. Remember the desire of the flesh and the desire of the Spirit is always “at war” in our lives — the winner is who we feed more.

Always keep in mind that friendship with the world is enmity (true hatred) with God (James 4:4). We are in this world and not of it. Our citizenship and home is in heaven. Paul warns God’s people to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14). We must remain near to Jesus, continually abiding in God’s Word. Remember the desire of the flesh and the desire of the Spirit is always “at war” in our lives — the winner is who we feed more.

After salvation Satan keeps coming after us but now you fight from victory not for victory. We are to submit to God and resist the devil and he will flee. When the devil comes to tempt you, tell God that you submit to Him and forcefully tell the devil, “Satan I resist you!” and he will flee. In facing life’s trials and tribulations know His grace is always sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9), He is faithful and He would never give you more than you can bare (1 Corinthians 10:13). He gives us more and more grace (through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation) (James 4:6).

A continuous transformation of your mind is needed for your salvation, healing and deliverance in order to maintain and hold it. Renew your mind by reading the word of for until it becomes a lamp unto your feet and light unto your path (Psalm 119:105). When you read it, you’ll get to know and be reminded of who He is and how much He loves you. Read in faith believing knowing it’s true and hide it in your hearts so that it comes alive in you. Speak the word which is your sword against the enemy. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12).

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the great plans and thoughts I have for you,” says the Lord. Plans of good and not of evil, plans for peace, well-being and prosperity and not for disaster or calamity, to give you a future and a hope.

Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others] (1 Peter 4:8). Love does conquer all. Just as Jesus has showed you His unfailing love, do so for others as well. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23).

This world carries a heavy weight, but Jesus said in Matthew 11:29, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened, and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.” Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all will be given to you (Matthew 6:33).

No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back (to the things left behind) is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). Never look back at your sin because it will cost you, accept Jesus’ forgiveness and move forward in your new life in Christ. He tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19); completely forgotten, as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:1). For a list of Faith Confessions to speak over your life daily see my blog post, “Daily Confessions for a Faith-Filled Life.”