Part 2 of a teaching by Margaret Ochsner, a member of Women’s Apostolic Alliance
Our job is to bring our thinking and will in line with God, and His Word and ways.
Genesis 1:26; 27
Then God said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness”
“So, God created man in His own image; in the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them.”
Genesis 2:7
And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
God is a Spirit and we were made in His image. So, we are primarily a “spirit being.” The body is the house the spirit lives in and we express life through our soul – (the mind, will, and emotions.)
Before Adam and Eve sinned, God would come and walk with them and talk with them spirit to spirit, in the cool of the evening in the Garden of Eden, but after they sinned, they started to operate out of every area of their soul rather than their spirit.
They felt (Emotions = soul) – afraid, guilty and ashamed
The thought (Mind = soul) God would be angry with them
They didn’t want (Will =soul) Him to be angry with them so, they went and hid.
From this time mankind has tended to operate out of his soul rather than his spirit. It is our soul that Satan has targeted. God wants our soul healed.
Psalm 23:1-3 Jesus is the Good Shepherd who comes to heal our soul.
3 John:2
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
Isaiah 53:5 He was wounded that we could be healed.
He wants us to come back to be spirit-led with our soul healed and operating in agreement with our spirit.
Jesus finished the work He came to do at the cross. It was a total, complete work. He cried out “It is finished” (John 19:30)
1 John 3:8
For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil.
Colossians 2:15
Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
He totally defeated Satan, sin, sickness, evil and death at the cross and rose triumphant over them.
· It is our job to appropriate the power of the finished work of the cross to get our soul healed.
· It is our job to bring our will in line with God and His Word.
To love Him is to obey Him.
John 14:15
If you love Me, Keep My commandments.
· It is our job to bring our thinking in line with God and His Word.
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may be able to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
So, what can we truly believe in our heart?
Can we believe that Jesus paid the price for all our sin at Calvary?
God’s Word says – Colossians 2:13-14
He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Can we believe that we can be forgiven all our sin?
God’s Word says – 1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Can we believe there is total freedom in Christ Jesus and we don’t have to be bound by anything anymore?
God’s Word says – Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Can you believe that God is bigger than any problem or circumstance and that He has the answer?
God’s Word says – Genesis18:14
“Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
God’s Word says – Matthew 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Can you believe that you don’t have to be anxious for anything any longer, but can be at peace in the midst of your circumstances?
God’s Word says – Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
One study says there are 5,467 promises of God in the Bible! Some are just because God loves us. Some are conditional on our doing our part.
The promise in the verse above does depend on us doing our part.
We need to believe that –
· Jesus defeated anxiety and fear on our behalf at Calvary. (Colossians 2:15 He defeated every principality and power and rose victorious over them.)
· We need to bring our requests to Him in prayer.
· We need to believe that He is large and in charge and for us. He is in us in the power of His Holy Spirit just waiting to get out to be God in us, and to us, and through us; to release His protection, wisdom, strength, His courage or peace whatever we need.
· We need to bring those requests with thanksgiving, because He inhabits the praises of His people.
If we do this, we can know His peace that surpasses understanding in the midst of any circumstance or problem. Knowing that –
God’s Word says – Romans 8:31
If God is for us, who can be against us?
God is a promise keeping God. He is not a man that He can lie! (Numbers 23:19)
So, if God or His Word says something we need to choose to believe, despite how we think or feel!
It should be “Yes, Sir! I am choosing to believe, because You, or Your Word, say so and I thank You.
Continue to confess it and believe it until you build it into your life so that is what you operate out of.
So, let’s seek out these promises. Truly be Christian believers and doers of His Word! Do our part and start to enjoy the benefits of being a child of the Most-High God.
It cost Jesus His life, that we might have abundant life!