Sanctification and 54 relations of Christ to Christians

Sanctification and Fifty-four Relations of Christ to Christians by Charles G. Finney

   In the introduction W.E. Allen writes, “This book challenges us with the most important question of our Christian experience: are we in touch with the Source of spiritual life and power? It also points out that union with Christ as a real living Saviour is the secret of a happy and victorious Christian Life.”

   The following are miscellaneous quotes from this 105-page book.

   “A state of entire sanctification can never be attained by an indifferent waiting of God’s time… Not by any works of law, or works of any kind, performed in your own strength, irrespective of the grace of God… Not by any direct efforts to feel right. Many spend their time in vain efforts to force themselves into a right state of feeling… Not by any efforts to obtain grace by works of law… No works of law have the least tendency to overcome our sins, but rather to confirm the soul in self-righteousness and unbelief… the backslider and convicted sinner, when agonizing to overcome sin, will almost always betake themselves to works of law to obtain faith. They will fast, and pray, and read, and struggle, and outwardly reform, and thus endeavour to obtain grace.

   “Now all this is vain and wrong. Do you ask, shall we not fast, and pray, and read, and struggle? Shall we do nothing but sit down in antinomian security and inaction? I answer, you must do all that God commands you to do: but begin where He tells you to begin, and do it in the manner in which He commands you to do it; that is, in the exercise of faith that works by love. Purify your hearts by faith. Believe in the Son of God… A State of entire sanctification cannot be attained by attempting to copy the experience of others… Human experiences differ as human countenances differ… the Holy Spirit will reveal Christ to you, in the relations in which you need Him from time to time… Take God at His word. Believe that He means just what He says; and this will at once bring you into the state of mind after which you inquire… Sanctification is to be attained by faith alone… Faith is rather the instrument or condition, than the efficient agent that induces a state of present and permanent sanctification. Faith simply receives Christ, as King, to live and reign in the soul. It is Christ, in the exercise of His different offices, and appropriated in His different relations to the wants of the soul, by faith, Who secures our sanctification. This He does by Divine discoveries to the soul of His Divine perfections and fullness…”

   Christ, do you know Him as King, Mediator, Advocate, Redeemer, Justification, Judge, Repairer of the breach, Propitiation for our sins, Surety of a better covenant, Substitute, Risen for our justification, Man of sorrows, Healer, Made sin for us, Governor, Head over all things to the Church, All-powerful One, Prince of Peace, Captain of Salvation, Our Passover, Wisdom, Sanctification, Redemption of the Soul, Prophet, and High Priest (For the relations of Christ, read further in this book on pages 23-37).

  

   Sanctification results from the revelation of Christ to the soul in all His fullness and relations, and the soul’s renunciation of self and appropriation of Christ in these relations.

Christ-He is Our Life

Christ the Bread of Life

   “We need also to know ourselves as starving souls, and Christ as the Bread of Life, as ‘the bread that came down from heaven.’ We need to know spiritually and experimentally what it is to ‘eat of His flesh, and to drink of His blood,’ to receive Him as the Bread of Life, to appropriate Him to the nourishment of our souls as really as we appropriate bread, by digestion, to the nourishment of our bodies.

   “…Christ also needs to be revealed to the soul as the Fountain of the Water of Life. ‘If any man thirst,’ says He, ‘let him come unto Me and drink.’ ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. To him that is athirst, I will give unto him of the fountain of the water of life freely…

   “…When our utter deficiency and emptiness, in any one respect or direction, is deeply revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, with the corresponding remedy and perfect fullness in Christ, it then remains for the soul, in this respect and direction, to cast off self and put on Christ... But I said that we need to know and to lay hold upon Christ as Our Life. Too much stress cannot be laid upon our personal responsibility to Christ, our individual relation to Him, our personal interest in Him and obligation to Him… Until man knows himself to be dead, and that he is wholly destitute of spiritual life in himself, he will never know Christ as his life…

Christ-He is Our Guide

Christ Our Shepherd

   “…This relation presupposed the helpless and defenseless condition of Christians in this life, and the indispensable necessity of guardianship and protection… If the sheep do thoroughly know and confide in the Shepherd, they will follow Him, will flee to Him for protection in every hour of danger, will at all times depend on Him for all things.

   “Christ is the Door, by and through which the soul enters the fold, and finds security and protection among the sheep…

   “Christ is the Way of Salvation… He is not a mere teacher of the way… Christ is truly ‘the Way’ itself or He is Himself ‘the Way… Works are not the way… Faith is not the way…Faith receives Him to reign in the soul, and to be its salvation; but it is   Christ Himself Who is ‘the Way.’ The soul is saved by Christ Himself, not be doctrine, not by the Holy Spirit, not by works of any kind, not by faith, not love, nor by anything whatever, but by Christ Himself…

   “Christ Himself is the truth… the truth lives, and has a being and a home in Christ… He is truth revealed… When the Holy Spirit reveals truth, He reveals Christ. When Christ reveals truth, He reveals Himself…

   “Christ Himself is the true light… Jesus says, ‘I am the Light of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’

   “…Christ is the real and True Light who alone can cause us to see spiritual things as they are…”

 For a more detailed book on the subject of our shepherd, please read “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23” by Phillip Keller.

Christ-He is Our Strength

Christ Within Us

   “The Spirit of Christ, or the real Deity of Christ,

dwells in the truly spiritual believer… Christ not only in heaven, but Christ Within Us, as really and truly inhabiting our bodies as we do, as really in us as we are in ourselves, is the teaching of the Bible, and must be spiritually apprehended by a divine, personal, and inward revelation, to secure our abiding in Him… Romans 8:9, 10.

   “…We must know Him as an inward Saviour, as Jesus risen and reigning in us, as having arisen and established His throne in our hearts, and as having written and established the authority of His law there. The old man dethroned and crucified, Christ risen within us and united to us…”

Christ-He is Our Portion

Christ Our Shield

   “A shield is a piece of defensive armour used in war…God is the Christian’s Shield in the spiritual warfare…

   “The truth is, beyond all question, that sanctification is by faith as opposed to works. That is, faith receives Christ in all His offices, and in all the fullness of his relations to the soul; and Christ, when received, works in the soul to will and to do of all His good pleasure, not by a physical, but by a moral or persuasive working. He influences the will… He influences the will to obey God, it must be by a divine moral persuasion. The soul never in any instance obeys, in a spiritual and true sense, except it be thus influenced by the indwelling Spirit of Christ. But whenever Christ is apprehended and received in any relation, in that relation He is full and perfect; so that we are complete in Him.”

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News.

Who am I? My identity

I am not a sinner in the hands of an angry God

I am a saint who sins in the hands of a loving God

I cannot consistently behave in a manner inconsistent with my self-perception.

John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 3:26; 4:6; 1 Peter 2:9,10;1 John 3:1-3

WHO AM I?

Old: I am unworthy. I am unacceptable.

New: I am accepted and worthy. Romans 15:7

    "Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God"

Psalms 139:13-18    "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

Old: I am a fearful/anxious person.

New: I am free from fear.

Psalm 34:4 "I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."

II Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

I Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

I John 4:18-19a "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he (God/Jesus) first loved us."

Old: I am a weak person.

New: I am strong in Christ.

Daniel 11:32b "...but the people who know their God will firmly resist him."

Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

Old: I am not very smart.

New: I have God's wisdom.

Proverbs 2:6-8 "For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protect the way of his faithful ones."

I Corinthians 1:30 "It is because of him (God) that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption."

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Old: I am unloved.

New: I am very loved.

John 15:9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I (Jesus Christ) loved you. Now remain in my love."

Romans 8:35-39 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ: Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine...? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angles 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."

Old: I am unwanted.

New: I am adopted by God and I am His Child.

Romans 8:16-17 "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ."

Galatians 4:5-7 "..that you might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."

Ephesians 1:5 "he (God) predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will"

Old: I am depressed and hopeless.

New: I have all the hope I need.

Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Psalm 16:11 "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

Psalm 27:13-14 "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in this land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Psalm 31:24 “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”

Old: I am alone.

New: I am never alone.

Hebrews 13:5-6/Deuteronomy 31:6"...because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

    "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Romans 8:38-39 "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels no 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.

Old: I have no one to take care of me.

New: I am protected and safe.

Psalm 32:7-11 "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you...  but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!"

Psalm 27:1-6 "The Lord is my light and my salvation -  whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?...One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple...I will sing and make music to the Lord."

WE BECOME WHAT WE FOCUS ON!

WHAT AM I LOOKING AT TODAY?

WHAT AM I FOCUSING ON TODAY?

WHAT WILL I BE LIKE TOMORROW?

Jesus is the truth

(John 14:6)

the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth

(John 16:13)

the Word of God is truth (John 17:17)

we ought to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)

 

Additional Material

“Victory Over the Darkness” Neil T. Anderson

“How to Listen to God” Dr. Charles Stanley

http://www.ficm.org

http://www.intouch.org

“Wheel and Line” audio Dr. Charles Solomon

“Turkeys and Eagles” audio Peter Lord

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News.

God does not call you a sinner; you are a saint!!!

Victory Over The Darkness by Neil Anderson

   “God doesn’t call you a sinner; He calls you a saint–a holy one…What you do doesn’t determine who you are; who you are determines what you do.” Page 45 Victory Over The Darkness by Neil Anderson

WOW!!! What a statement!!!

   My actual salvation experience dates back to April 1953. At that time my aunt was attempting to teach me the Apostles Creed. I believed that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins. I believed that if I accepted Jesus Christ personally as my Savior, when I died I would be in heaven with Him–period end of lessons. The rest of my life I am to try to conform to the image of Christ. As you can read by all the “I’s” above that this has been a long process.

   For many, many years John 8:32 was my prayer, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” I keep asking, “What is the truth?” Finally in 1992, I met someone who told me that truth is not what but who. In John 14:6, “Jesus told them, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life…’” I was introduced to the Neil Anderson books Victory Over The Darkness and Bondage Breaker. The following are a few of the highlights from Victory Over The Darkness.

   “…But ultimately every Christian is responsible for his or her own maturity and freedom in Christ. Nobody can make you grow. That’s you decision and daily responsibility. Nobody can solve your problems. That’s a process you must initiate and follow through with. Thankfully, however, none of us walks through the disciplines of personal maturity and freedom alone. The indwelling Christ is eagerly willing to walk with us each step of the way…

   …Before you can be truly free from your past, you need to know who you are in Christ…

   …The only identity equation that works in God’s kingdom is you plus Christ equals wholeness and meaning.

   …Your Christian walk is the direct result of what you believe about God and yourself…Walking by faith simply means that you function in daily life on the basis of what you believe…Your belief system determines your behavior…

   Anger signals a blocked goal…Feelings of anger should prompt us to reexamine what we believe and the mental goals we have formulated to accomplish those beliefs…

   Anxiety signals an uncertain goal…You are hoping something will happen, but you have no guarantee that it will. You can control some of the factors, but not all of them.

   Depression signals an impossible goal…Some forms of depression can be caused by chemical imbalances…Depression often signals that you are desperately clinging to a goal you have little or no chance of achieving, and that’s not a healthy goal…

   If Satan can destroy your belief in God, you will lose your source of hope. But with God all things are possible. He is the source of all hope. You need to learn to respond to hopeless–appearing situations as David did: ‘Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance, and my God’ (Ps. 43:5).

   A godly goal is any specific result reflecting God’s purposes for your life that does not depend on people or circumstances beyond your ability or right to control…The only person who can block a godly goal or render it uncertain or impossible is you…

   A godly desire is any specific result that depends on the cooperation of other people or the success of events or favorable circumstances you cannot control. You cannot base your self-worth to your personal success on your desires, no matter how godly they may be, because you cannot control their fulfillment…”

   On page 115 of the study guide, Neil Anderson writes, “Healing emotional wounds from the past will enable you to find victory over the darkness and freedom in God’s light. Dealing with any rejection you’ve experienced is also essential to realizing victory.” There is a word of prayer in which Dr. Anderson writes, “All-knowing and all-loving God, I come before you with David’s words on my lips, ‘Search me, O God’ (Ps. 139:23a). Maybe there is something in my past that, brought to light, into Your healing light, can mean freedom for me. Show me, merciful and gentle God, who I need to forgive and of what I need to forgive them.”

The Believer's Journey to the Cross

John 12:23-27

New International Version (NIV) downloaded from Bible Gateway

²³ Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
²⁷ “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour."

   We all know that Jesus walked the road to Calvary, but did you know that believers also journey to the cross? We've all been positionally crucified with Christ, but those who hunger for Him participate in a deeper experience of this reality. Jesus lovingly takes their hand and leads them to the cross. Even though this is the last place anyone wants to go, it's the only way to partake of God's best for our lives.
   The trip to the cross is not one you take with family and friends. It's a lonely journey with just you and Jesus. He strips away everyone and everything you've depended on so that you'll learn to rely only on Him. While we're at the cross, He uncovers layer after layer of self-deception until we begin to see ourselves as He does. Soon our self-centeredness, inadequacy, and failures are laid bare.
   The cross is a place of brokenness, but it's necessary because there's no other way we'll ever bear fruit. If we hang onto our lives and refuse to take this journey, we'll be like a grain of wheat that is never planted and never grows. But those who willingly die to themselves will produce an abundance of spiritual fruit. The only way Christ can live His life through us is if we've allowed ourselves to be crucified.
   God doesn't want you to be content with just your salvation. There's so much more He desires to give you and achieve through you. Are you willing to take the road to the cross with Him? Yes, it's painful, but the rewards in this life and in eternity far outweigh any suffering you will experience.

Stanley, Charles F., The Believer's Journey to the Cross, daily devotions, In Touch Publication, April 2014, page 47.

How to get my needs met: false beliefs

"MYTHS" regarding my needs

 (formed from the sin nature + childhood perceptions of family, culture. school, religion, etc.)

(from the Parrotts):

* Everything in our relationship will get better

* Everything bad in my life will disappear

* We expect exactly the same things for marriage

* My spouse will make me whole (happy, content, peaceful, joyful) Plus.

* My spouse is to be my completes, otherwise, why marriage?

* I am entitled to my spouse giving me respect, appreciation, encouragement, listening .......... and

* If he/she doesn't, it is destructive to me. I can never get over this.

* If we don't verbally communicate about our emotions, we can't have intimacy.

* We become one person at the marriage union.

* I am entitled to my husband being the spiritual leader, and assuming his role as "head".

* I am entitled to my wife being submissive and compliant.

* I am entitled to my husband/wife meeting my sexual needs.

 

 "MYTHS" regarding my needs

* I am responsible for my "other's" emotional well-being", so

* I am responsible for "seeing to it" that he/she is content, that the "waters are calmed", and for "fixing" (or giving solutions) and making things right (because)

* "My peace and emotional well-being is dependent on my spouse and others being O.K.

and on their opinions ...... and

* Then I will have acceptance and love and know I am of worth.

* I need a person (spouse) to be O.K.

or, * I am entitled to him/her making things O.K., making decisions for me, and keeping me on track, (so I can avoid being criticized and thus, avoid bean,- less than perfect)

* I must be perfect and avoid seeming a failure so I will be loved.

* My security is to be found in my mate's behaviors (emotional, financial, physical, etc.)

* If my husband/wife doesn't appreciate me, it means I'm not worthy of love.

* I am entitled to my husband/wife giving me space to make mistakes, to be my own person without her/him trying to change, criticize or ignore me.

* Our relationship must be fair, and I can't accept that I am not entitled to what the Lord commands my wife/husband to do and be.

* My unhappiness is my spouse's (or my circumstances') fault.

These beliefs (can lead to behaviors that can look good or bad. They lead to

 

CONTROL, MANIPULATION, false submission or domination

 

Hurt, rage, arguing, whining, pouting, dependency, unforgiveness, anxiety, hopelessness, depression, illness, irresponsibility

  Answers to MYTHS: John 8:32 and John 14:6

How to surrender to God

Lord here I am, my sacrifice to you.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God―this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is―his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2

   If our hearts are going to truly surrender to God, we must be willing to allow God to define good and evil and shape us according to His will. We must be willing, not only to do what is right, but to let God define what is right. Good is whatever God desires, evil is whatever God prohibits.

   At first, conforming may simply be an act of the will. We may obey God, not necessarily because we want to, but because we may know we should. However, if we are faithful in surrendering our will to God, over time we will soon begin wanting to obey. [William] Law said, “When you love that which God loves, you act with Him, you join yourself to Him, and when you love what He dislikes, then you oppose Him and separate yourself from Him.”

   This is why it is so spiritually debilitating to ever willfully rebel against God. Obedience and disobedience are both habitual. Our appetites and passions are like our taste buds-we crave what we grow used to. To experience true surrender, we must die to our own desires so that God can give us new desires.

   When God birthed thanksgiving in my heart, my purest cry was simply, “God I want to be on your side.”

   Consider this beautiful doxology recorded by Paul in Romans 11:34-36: “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

   Paul’s amazing confidence in God shines forth throughout history and has affected innumerable generations. No matter what happened to Paul, he had faith in God. He trusted that God’s wisdom and power far outclassed his own.

   Which is why Paul admonished, “I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1).

As Paul, whenever anything happens in your life, it is an opportunity to worship God. You have a choice. Either you will turn away from God because you blame your troubles on Him, or you will turn to God and cling to Him.

Your life can be a song of worship to the God who loves you and has a perfect plan for your life. He is wise and full of love for you.

   Will you depend on God for every area of your life? Will you trust His hand in the most difficult circumstances? Will you reject His ways or sing His praise?

July 2001 In Touch page 27

Grace - The Grace of God

IT IS ALWAYS ALL OF GRACE!

    When we learn about grace we learn what life is all about.  We learn about who we are.  But more importantly we learn about who God is, what the gospel is and our relationship with Him.  We enter into a dimension of life we never dreamed possible.  Nothing is changed and yet everything is changed.  Grace is not just getting what you don't deserve.  Grace is getting the opposite of what you deserve.  Grace is not just another doctrine.  Grace is the way God relates to us.  Grace is the gospel as the bible says (Acts 20:24).  What is grace?

1. Grace is knowing that there is no more guilt, condemnation and punishment (Rom, 8:2).

2. Grace is knowing that God loves me and accepts me just the way I am not because of what I do, but because of the cross (Rom. 5:5-8).

3. Grace is knowing that Satan was defeated at the cross and has no power over me and the only weapon he has is the lie. (Col. 2:15).

4. Grace is knowing that because I died to the law and have been released from it (Rom. 7:4,6), I don't have to live up to anyone's standards.

5. Grace is knowing that I am not under law but under grace (Rom. 6:14) and that Christ is the end of the law (Rom. 10:4), it is not up to me to live the Christian life, but to trust Christ in me to do it (Gal. 2:20).

6. Grace is knowing that there is nothing I can do to make God love me more and nothing I could do to make him love me less (Rom. 8:39).

7. Grace is knowing that Jesus said that all who come to Him will find that the Christian life is easy and their burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30).

8. Grace is knowing that it is not up to me to do or die or strive and strain, but to believe that He will do it all for me (1 Thess. 5:24).

9. Grace is knowing that my sin and failure cannot overcome the grace of God (contrary to popular belief) (Rom. 5:20,21).

10. Grace is knowing that no matter what I do or how I mess up, God is going to love me through all eternity (Rom. 11:6; 1 John 3:1; 1 John 4:6).

11. Grace is knowing that I have all I need because Christ is in me and I am in Him and He is in the Father (John 14:20).

12. Grace is knowing that freedom is my birthright as a child of God and not something I have to attain (Gal. 5:1; John 8:32,36).

13. Grace is knowing that I am dead to sin and alive to God because of what God has done and nothing that I do (Rom. 6:4-7).

14. Grace is knowing that I am righteous because God has placed me in Christ and not because of anything I do (I Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21).

15. Grace is knowing that I have died to the world, it's customs, ways, values and people's demands and expectations of me (Gal. 6:13).

16. Grace is knowing that the important thing is not what I do or don't do, but faith in what God has done and who I am in Christ (Gal. 6:5,14).

17. Grace is knowing that I am secure in Christ, that I do not have to fear any person and that He will never leave me or forsake me (Heb. 13:5,6).

18. Grace is knowing that Christ is my life; that my life is hidden in Him and I have everything I need for life and godliness (Col. 3:3,4; 2 Pet. 1:3).

19. Grace is knowing that victory is not something to work for, but it has already been given to me (1 Cor. 15:56; Eph.2:6; Eph 1:19-21).

We have just waded into the vast, limitless ocean of God's grace.  The list is endless and we will spend the rest of eternity adding to our list.

Spiritual Bondage

 How We Get Into Bondage and Why We Don't Get Out

1.  Our greatest needs are to be accepted (loved) and have worth (value).  This is what drives us to do what we do.  It is the motivation behind all behavior.  God made us that way and His design is that He will meet all our needs when we look to Him.

2.  As we grow up, have problems and go through life we get messages about who we are.   At first they are only feelings about ourselves, but they quickly turn into what we believe about ourselves.  It is the way we see ourselves and who we believe we are.

3.  As a result we all develop a false identity about who we are.  This false identity comes from the world (family, environment, hurts, trauma), our flesh (ways we try to live life in our own resources) and the devil, who constantly accuses us and tells us lies about ourself, God and what we need in life.  It shapes all of our life and everything we do.

4.  We begin to try to meet our needs for acceptance and worth the best way that we can -- in our own resources (flesh).  As a result we develop ways of living as we attempt to cope, escape, defend ourselves, succeed (or avoid failure). These are flesh patterns or ways that we learn to live life independent of God.  We develop these patterns based on how we perceive ourselves, what we believe about God and how we think life works.

5.  A flesh pattern is simply a way that we have learned to meet our needs independent of God.  All of us have them because none of us were born Christians and none of us look to God to meet all our needs all the time.  We wrongly think it is just the way we are. One of Satan's biggest lies is that what we do determines who we are.

6.  Some of these ways (flesh patterns) are unacceptable such as irresponsibility.   Some of them are very bad such as drug and alcohol addiction.  But some of them are acceptable such as perfectionism and driven to succeed. We need to know that anything that we do to meet our needs apart from God is flesh.  It could be good, right, noble and even spiritual, but if we are trying to meet our needs instead of looking God, it is flesh.

7.  Some of these ways develop into strongholds such as drug addiction which causes a lot of problems in our lives.  As we seek help, more than likely the counsel is to focus on the wrong behavior and try to change it.  This is the reason we don't get free.   The root problem is not the behavior.   The root problem is the misbelief behind the behavior.  As long as a person believes lies about himself he will never get free, no matter what he does.

8.  Alcoholism, addiction, eating disorders, etc., are not the problem.  The problem is the lies we believe about who we are that causes us to try to meet our needs in our own resources. The reason we don't easily give them up is that the way we meet our needs for acceptance and worth is the way we find life and identity.  It is deeply ingrained in us.

9.  When a person learns that they are not a failure, an addict, unloved, insecure, inferior and guilty -- BUT are forgiven, accepted, competent, complete, righteous and secure in Christ, they will begin to change and experience freedom. A person who understands who they are in Christ will not engage in self-destructive, addictive behavior as a life style.

10.  The reason few are finding freedom is that they are trying to change their behavior. They may be trying to change it through spiritual disciplines, but that is nothing but Christian behavior modification (legalism). A person will always act in accordance with how they perceive themselves.