“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, ² With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; ³ Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:1-6.

I have had many conversations with people regarding Ephesians 4:5, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,”.  Some use that Scripture to discount the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, while others claim it is evidence that water baptism is a requirement of Salvation.  Sadly, there seem to be few who truly understand the meaning.  There is of course One Lord and that is Jesus Christ.  There is one faith, faith in Jesus Christ and what He did on Calvary’s Cross.   Jesus paid the wage of sin for all but not all will accept His free gift.  “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

Jesus also broke the power of sin over every Believer’s life. “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14.   Many who have fallen under false doctrine continue to try and break these curses after their Salvation, when in reality repentance is necessary.  The religious spend more time rebuking demons than they do seeking God.  It is easier to blame the demon for their sin nature having dominion over them than it is to admit their failure.  They lie to themselves and declare and proclaim their dominion over those demons.  “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? and in Thy Name have cast out devils? and in Thy Name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22-23.  These are those who use the name of Jesus but don’t know Jesus.  They use the His Name as a means to an end and do not have or seek a relationship with our Lord and Saviour.  The name of Jesus is used as an incantation and not with His Authority.   

Then there are many who do not have “one faith” but two faiths.  Their faith is in Jesus for Salvation but in their spiritual warfare (their works) for their victory.  They are fighting battles Jesus has already won but won’t look to Him for their victory.     Faith in anything other than the Cross of Jesus for Salvation and sanctification destroys the Believer’s peace and engages their sin nature…usually in the form of self righteousness. 

“One baptism”, what then was the Apostle Paul speaking when he said there is but one baptism?  “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?  ⁴ Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection:” Romans 6:3-5.  Our baptism into Jesus is the one, the only baptism necessary for our Salvation.  Believing in Jesus, Who He is (the Son of God) and what He did on Calvary’s Cross (pay our sin debt and give us dominion over sin) is the only requirement for our Salvation.  We are baptized into Him, we are buried with Jesus in the likeness of His death and are raised up (here is where so many fail) BY THE GLORY OF THE FATHER.  We, our flesh starts helping.  Religion starts showing us how to help.  The harlot seduces us to another.  We simply cannot wait to be raised up “by the glory of the Father”, through our faith solely and exclusively in Jesus, so we add a little leaven to the lump – we try to do “our part”.  

Our faith is in Jesus for Salvation and we are baptized into Jesus.  However, our faith is in that leaven (our part) for dominion over our sin nature.  We are never “raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father” because we do not have “one faith” as the Scripture teaches.  Our spiritual growth is stunted, we are not raised up by God but by man who attempts to use psychology to convince us this is the “resurrected life”…not so my friend, not so. “Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12.

The glory of the Father will glorify Jesus…not a person or a religious organization.  God’s glory will glorify Jesus in one’s own heart and change their heart.  He will become real to them as He begins to reveal Himself.  Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith, we don’t have to try and conjure it up.  We don’t have to fake it to make it.  Jesus is no respecter of persons.  He will do for one what He has done for others but we must look to Him and not the harlot for our victory.

Too many put on a façade of “love” to show the lost their “Jesus inside”.  They believe doing so will change the hearts of man.  It may make the lost like them, but if they don’t know the Jesus of the Bible Who died for their sins, instead of the “Jesus in you” and accept Him as their Lord and Saviour, they are still going to bust the gates of hell wide open.

The social gospel teaches an evolutionary Salvation.  It lifts up the religious organization in hopes to draw the lost to the church to hear the Gospel.  Instead of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified being proclaimed, we are told to recite a prayer and we are saved then directed to the various self help classes we use to call Sunday school where we studied the Word of God to learn about Jesus, not Purpose Driven Life, Shemitahs, Harbingers and Grace Revolutions.  The lost believe that because they recited the sinner’s prayer that they are saved, while in reality their Salvation never made it to their heart because they did not believe in their heart the words they just spoke.  They honor Jesus with their lips but their hearts are far from Him. “This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:8-9. 

“One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” Ephesians 4:5…just one.  There is only one plan for Salvation and sanctification that is God’s plan…Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a completely different occasion, just as water baptism.  “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:” Luke 3:16.

There is just One, learn Who He is and what He has done – Jesus Christ.

-Donna Clark Warren

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? ² Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. ³ Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. ⁴ Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:1-4.

Instead of God’s way of true repentance, the modern church strives to make peace with the world.  I saw a prayer yesterday for “Christians who live in disagreement and discord with various faiths or church denominations”.  I ask you, how can a Christian live in agreement and accord with other faiths?  Furthermore, denominations are not recognized by God.  As long as one believes the ONLY way to God is through the Blood of Jesus Christ, they are a Christian.  Please understand, I’m not talking about Jesus plus anything (water baptism, baptism in the Holy Spirit,  sacraments, etc.) – Jesus and Jesus alone is the only way for our Salvation.  Water baptism is an outward showing of our inward change the day we are saved but it is NOT a requirement of Salvation.  Baptism in the Holy Spirit, as in the Book of Acts, endues the Christian with power for service but is not required for Salvation.  I would encourage everyone to seek the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and I am thankful for this gift…but not even the mighty infilling of the Holy Spirit is a requirement for Salvation.   The sacraments the catholic religion requires…well that’s just man made adornments added to the Cross of Christ.

The peacemakers are constantly trying to justify what the Blood of Jesus has not cleansed.  They offer up their sacrifice before God.  Their good works and formal rituals are their idols.  ” I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. ²² Though ye offer Me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. ²³ Take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. ²⁴ But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” Amos 5:21-24. 

The peacemakers attempt to multiply what Jesus came to divide.  They are at enmity with God and the Cross of Jesus is the division.  It is There that morality meets immorality and the choice is made to accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour or reject Him.  It is also There, at the Cross of Jesus, that morality will continue to offend.  “Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, O LORD…” Psalms 94:12.   The Peacemakers will quickly comfort the offended and hinder the Lord’s chastening.  They will offer up fruit of the flesh  in the form of a program or man made method to soothe the offense and direct the Believer to another bridegroom for comfort.

Beware and be warned of the Peacemakers.  “¹⁶ Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ²⁰ Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:16-20. 

 They have turned the Grace of God into a law of man.  You will know the Peacemakers by their fruit.  They will quickly be offended and war with their members (James 4:1) when you won’t condone their compromise but will quickly excuse the compromise with other beliefs…they are the Peacemakers, they are friends with the world and at enmity with God. 

“Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:” Luke 12:51.  Jesus Christ IS peace.  He is the Prince of Peace.  It is only in Him that the lost will ever find peace…not in man’s methods of making peace by hindering the conviction of sin in a Believer’s life.  Upon our Salvation and we are baptized into Him, we are immersed in a peace that surpasses all understanding.  If you are a born again Believer and have lost that peace, you have probably been seduced by the harlot to another bridegroom, another comforter.  It is never too late to repent and turn back to Jesus Christ.  He remains at the door knocking…He is the division between rest and rituals.  Turn to Him, Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary’s Cross and allow Him to give you peace.  Quit fighting for peace, yield to Peace – His peace, Jesus. 

-Donna Clark Warren

“ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.¹⁹ For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. ²⁰ Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. ²¹ I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Romans 7:18-21.

We all have friends and/or loved ones who we want to “do right” but they just won’t.  We beg, plead, get mad, get glad and to no avail.  To their credit, they try for a day or so but fail…that is usually the point where we consider strangulation (insert sarcasm).  We fuss and they fail.    The vicious cycle continues to roll on.  The problem is no one can do right until they get right with the Lord Jesus Christ, regardless of one’s nagging and the other’s self efforts.  If we could “do right” and by doing right I mean overcome our sin nature, then Jesus would not have had to pay the terrible price He paid on Calvary’s Cross to pay our sin debt and give us dominion over sin.  Let me be clear, an unbeliever cannot do right…they cannot gain victory over their sin nature because they are relying on their self efforts.  They may say no to sin and yes to their self efforts and self will but their sin nature is stronger than their self will.  Again, if this was not so there would have been no reason for Jesus to go to the Cross to save us from sin.

This why we pray for the Lord’s mercy on them instead of strangle them.  Knowing the Lord wants them to come to the saving knowledge of Him so much more than we can imagine, we trust Him and His ways and do our best to stay out of His way.  God is the only one Who can change their heart.  It is not until they are born again that they are able to have dominion over their sin nature.

What about the born again Believers who are under bondage?  Those who sincerely love God but cannot over come their sin nature.  Their sin nature has dominion over them as well.  Why can’t they overcome their sin nature?  A born again Believer should have dominion over their sin nature, right?  Sadly, there are many born again Believer’s who are fighting their sin nature the same way they did before they were saved ….they are relying on their self will.

Upon our Salvation our faith is placed in Jesus Christ for what He accomplished on Calvary’s Cross – pay our sin debt and give us dominion over our sin nature.  The Holy Spirit dethrones our sin nature and gives us authority over it…this is a glorious moment.  Immediately, religion steps in and points us to methods of man for victory over our sin nature which the Lord has already delivered us from, and our faith is placed in our efforts, once again for victory.  The Saint loves God and their faith is in Jesus for their Salvation but in another bridegroom (methods of man) for sanctification. This is spiritual adultery.  When our faith is in anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ for our deliverance, we will have the same results…failure.  The vicious cycle continues.  Our sin nature is no longer isolated when our faith is in our self efforts.

“ If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.

There are far too many Christians who need to humble themselves and realize there are brothers and sisters who truly love the Lord that are under bondage.  They hate their sin as much as they hate others.  I’m not talking about the ones who are bellied up to the bar claiming to be a Christian with a cocktail in their hand – no, they need to get saved.  I’m talking about the Christian’s who don’t know why their sin nature reigns in their heart and don’t know how to live for God.  We, those who are called by God’s Name, need to turn from our self righteousness and get on our face and pray for His children who are under bondage.  We need to pray for their understanding and deliverance.  Again, I’m not talking about those who are comfortable in their sin.  I’m talking about those who are seeking deliverance of their sin and are relying on their self efforts.

We must pray for the saved and unsaved.  We must pray for God’s mercy on the unsaved in hopes they will come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We must pray for God’s deliverance of those who are in bondage.  We also must pray for discernment to understand the difference between the two.  Pray for the lost but understand, they cannot over come their sin nature.  Pray for the saved who are in bondage but understand as well, they cannot overcome their sin nature either BUT they CAN say yes to Jesus and HE has already overcome sin…HE will deliver them from the dominion of their sin nature when their faith is in Him and not their efforts.  The unsaved do not have the ability to say yes to God, they are spiritually dead – they have no hope until they are saved by the Blood of Jesus.  Pray for the lost. – Donna Clark Warren

“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?” Romans 7:1.

The majority of the church world understands grace for Salvation but revert to law for sanctification.  When we begin talking about the Cross of Jesus for sanctification, they think we’re talking about our Salvation.  Upon our Salvation we are justified by our faith in Jesus Christ.  We are declared a Saint of God by God…sorry to disappoint you pope but your declarations are mere titles of man.  However, our position as sanctified is not yet our condition.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit in the new Believer, to sanctify the Saint and bring them into all Truths. “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.” John 16:13.  I’m not speaking here of sinless perfection but of dominion over sin.  Jesus did not come to save us in sin but from sin.

At Salvation every bondage, family curse and soul tie; EVERY sin is forgiven, forgotten and tossed into the sea.  It is now up to the Saint to maintain, not gain, their victory.  Sadly, many will be swept to and fro by different winds of doctrine.  The harlot stands ready to seduce the new Believer into 40 days, 21 days and 100 ways of religious activity.  All of these various activities become a law to achieve what the Believer needs.  There is a program for any and all “problems” the Believer may encounter and not a one of them involve faith in Jesus and His finished work for deliverance…His (Jesus’) work was for our Salvation now it is up to us to “gain” our sanctification according to the programs, we must do “our” part.

Doing “our part” has just become a law, whatever our part may be.  Our part now has dominion over us.  Make no mistake, our part is a sin and we have just allowed our sin nature to reign once again in our heart.  When our faith is on our part for sanctification, we have just crossed over into law and are no longer under grace.  “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:21.

The law incites our sin nature, whether it be the Mosaic Law or any other law man gives to overcome sin.  We are all born with a sin nature because of Adam’s fall.  It is not until we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, that the Holy Spirit comes in and dethrones our sin nature.  We are now dead to our sin nature through our baptism into the death of Jesus and alive unto God (Romans 6).  Upon Salvation our faith is in Jesus, our condition as a sinner is understood and the Holy Spirit quickens our spirit that we are a Child of God – we are born again.  However, as soon as the harlot comes to seduce us with her schemes of man for sanctification, we are swept away into a path of failure.  Are we still saved? Absolutely! I’m not talking about Salvation but sanctification.  Can this path destroy our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour? Sadly and regrettably, yes.  The Holy Spirit will continue working with us, convicting us of our sins but religion will tell us that is condemnation from the devil…which is dangerous territory.

We can be guaranteed the harlot’s path leads to failure because it is not the Holy Spirit pointing us to all Truths but man pointing us to schemes of man.  The Holy Spirit can only isolate our sin nature when our faith is in Jesus, not “our part” (self efforts, self will and religious works).  “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2.  We are not free from the law if the Holy Spirit has not made us free and He (the Holy Spirit) cannot make us free as long as our faith is in our part (our works).  Religion will tell you to look in the mirror and declare we are free when we are not free because our faith is not in Jesus for our deliverance.  In all reality, our faith is in that lie we just declared to ourselves in the mirror.  Christians will lie to themselves much quicker than they will each other. Just because we don’t “claim it” doesn’t mean we don’t have it and if we want deliverance from it, we best look to the One Who can deliver us from it, Jesus Christ.

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24.

If you want your miracle, get on your face before the Lord and cry out to Jesus for your miracle.  Stop lying to yourself about your condition, stop listening to the world about your condition…confess your condition to Jesus Christ and receive your miracle.  The Lord WANTS to bless you…turn away from the harlot and back to Jesus Christ.  – Donna Clark Warren.

“…How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? ³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?⁴ Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: ⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷ For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Romans 6:2-7.

Until we are baptized into the death of Jesus, we cannot be in the likeness of His resurrection.  We are not born again into the newness of life until we are planted together in the likeness of His death.  The body of sin, our flesh, is not destroyed until we are crucified with Him.

We are all born with a sin nature because of Adam’s fall, his original sin.  It rules and reigns in our flesh until we are born again.  Once we are born again, we are dead to our sin nature because we are baptized into Jesus’ death.  Jesus paid the price for our sin debt and our dominion over sin on Calvary’s Cross.  Those who want to just talk about the Resurrection of Jesus, which was a given and I’m oh so thankful for It, are missing the baptism into His death where the debt was paid and dominion afforded.  They are crucifying their own flesh trying to overcome their sin nature, which they cannot do.  We cannot have dominion over our sin nature unless we are dead to our sin nature.  Once we are dead unto our sin nature, we are now alive unto God.

“¹¹ Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” Romans 6:11-13. 

We are not even alive unto God, until we are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ.  It is only, and I do mean only, through Jesus’ shed blood that we are alive unto God.  It is only then that we have dominion over our sin nature – when we are dead to it and alive unto God.

All of this happens upon our Salvation.  We are saved from sin and death by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.  Sadly, what happens many times is religion steps in with their various programs to now help with your “spiritual growth”, or more accurately called your “sanctification”.  They grab the new Believer’s attention and take them down a path of failure.  For the bondage the new Believer once had before their Salvation, they now have a class to help maintain their new found freedom afforded them by the Blood of Jesus.  You see, and make no mistake about this…they (many of the churches) are now pointing the new Believer to another bridegroom.  “³ So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. ⁴ Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.” Romans 7:3-4.

As a Believer our Bridegroom IS NOT dead.  When we turn to schemes of man for deliverance, we are committing spiritual adultery and this is EXACTLY what the modern church is doing.  They point the Believer to 40 days, 21 days, 100 ways and what ever other doctrine is coming down the pike.

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2.

As soon as our faith is directed to another, the law of the Holy Spirit when we are IN Christ Jesus, because of our faith in Christ Jesus, will no longer free us from the law of the sin nature.  Our sin nature once again reigns in our heart.  We do not have dominion over sin.  The law of sin incites our sin nature.  We were once dead to our sin nature through Jesus but because our faith has shifted to our self efforts, self will or 40 days, the Holy Spirit cannot give us dominion over sin…He is not commissioned to endorse faith in anything or anyone other than Jesus.

There are many defeated Christians out there who truly love the Lord but live a defeated sinful life.  They have tried every program the church organization has to offer but their sin nature still reigns.  They have left their first love for another bridegroom and all the power and dominion they claim, they do not have.  Christians frown on lying to others but they will quickly lie to themselves about their circumstances.  They somehow think this will change things.  Faith in Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross remains the only way to have dominion over our sin nature.  The same way we gained our glorious Salvation the day we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, is also the same way we maintain our dominion over our sin nature…simple faith exclusively in Jesus.

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2.

-Donna Clark Warren

“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. ¹³ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. ¹⁴ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. ¹⁵ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” Matthew 23:12-15

The scribes and Pharisees were hypocrites because they claimed to know God but were far away from Him.  They performed many religious acts and prayed long prayers while pretending to be something they were not – close to God.  They earnestly sought new converts (proselytes) to teach these same religious acts.  Jesus said these hypocrites would receive “greater damnation”.  Religious wickedness is the greatest wickedness of all.

There are many who stand at the gate directing God’s children to another gate for spiritual growth/sanctification.  They shut up the Kingdom of Heaven to God’s children for their deliverance and send them to another bridegroom. This other bridegroom offers many religious acts to overcome sin but all with the same result – a proselyte that is twofold more the child of hell.  “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17.  Look at what some of the churches are doing today and see yesterday’s proselytes, many are indeed two fold.

There is only one way to have dominion over our sin nature and that is through faith in Jesus.  I know as a Believer we have faith in Jesus for our Salvation but where is our faith for our deliverance from that bondage, our victory in this life?  Our faith should be in the same place as it is for our Salvation – Jesus Christ and His finished work.  Sadly, however, we (the church) are being directed to another bridegroom.  Jesus’ death on Calvary’s Cross not only paid our sin debt but as well broke the dominion of sin in a Believer’s life.  That dominion is only afforded the Believer when our faith is in the One Who broke the dominion…Jesus Christ.  When our faith is in our self efforts, self will or schemes of man, that dominion is not broken.  The Holy Spirit does not reign in our heart to isolate our sin nature when our faith is not in the One Who paid the price, Jesus Christ.  He, the Holy Spirit, is only commissioned to dethrone our sin nature when our faith is in Jesus.  “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2.

The Holy Spirit will prick our hearts when we head toward the gate of the other bridegroom and the Pharisees and scribes will tell you “condemnation is of the devil”.  Our faith is shifted to the other bridegroom and we are blinded.  I dare say, if you don’t think you  could be blinded, there is a high possibility you are blinded…I was.  Our spiritual adultery, just as all sin, is fun for a season but the yoke gets heavy.  Just as a frog in boiling water, we don’t realize the weight of the yoke.

“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30. 

Did you blindly follow man to the other bridegroom?  Is your yoke heavy?  Do you feel as though the Kingdom of Heaven is shut up to you?  Jesus remains at the door knocking.  Don’t allow religious pride to keep you out of the Kingdom of Heaven.  His yoke is easy, seek Him, Jesus Christ, for your deliverance – not schemes of man.  – Donna Clark Warren.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. ” Romans 8:1-2.

When our faith is placed on what we have done for our sanctification, we are not free from the law of sin and death.  Faith that is placed in our self efforts, self will, schemes of man, rituals and/or ceremonies allows the law of sin and death to blind the Believer of their error.  It is a spiritual law.  The Holy Spirit is not commissioned to free someone from sin and death when their faith is not on the finished work of Jesus for their deliverance.

There are many who truly love the Lord and have been taught many different ways to have victory.  Even the most scriptural doctrines profit us nothing when our faith is placed on US doing those doctrines.  We believe in Jesus’ finished work for Salvation but we turn to schemes of man and self efforts for sanctification.  Suddenly, our free gift is no longer free but we feel we earn it by merit.  We begin to believe if we merit enough, God will give the increase and our sanctification becomes more about our works than Jesus’ work.

Before we are born again by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we are led by the flesh.  The flesh has been rebuking the devil for a long time.  As soon as the season of “fun” is over and we start saying no to the sin we once enjoyed, we are utilizing our self efforts and self will to fight sin.  Sin is not stagnant, it will eventually overcome both the Believer and unbeliever if our faith is not properly placed on Jesus.   We, as an unbeliever OR a Believer, cannot overcome our sin nature.  If this was so, Jesus would not have had to go to the Cross to defeat sin.  Sadly, it seems as though many accept Jesus as their Saviour, in which He absolutely is, but few accept Him as their Lord.

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?” Once we are born again, we are baptized into His death and alive unto God.  Before our Salvation, we were dead unto God.  We could not worship God because satan was our god…whether we like it or not.  The Holy Spirit is a Gentelman and will not overtake our will unless He is invited into our heart and still we must yield our will to Him.  satan on the other hand, will overtake our self will and has the ability to do so – again, otherwise there would have been no reason for Jesus to go to the Cross to give us dominion over sin.

“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Romans 6:13.  Once we are baptized into Jesus’ death upon Salvation, we are now dead to our sin nature.  We were all born with a sin nature because of Adam’s fall, no matter how “good” we think we are.  If we are not baptized into the death of Jesus at Calvary’s Cross, we are not dead to our sin nature.  Our sin nature is not dead but we are dead to it and we are now ALIVE unto God.  We are now able to seek God and resist the devil.  We don’t go around fighting satan ourselves.  We have been doing that all of our lives.  We now rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ and He handles our fight.  Jesus Christ is our rest, HE is our Sabbath.

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12.  Our fight is the fight of faith.  Faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified for our Salvation AND our sanctification – our victory in this life to have a good profession before many witnesses.  Please understand, if you think victory is a pocket full of $100 bills, you are seeking filthy lucre and not Jesus.  The Lord Jesus Christ can give you peace in your circumstances and guide you out of them…we just have to LOOK to Him and not method’s of man.

With our faith as a Child of God placed on Jesus finished work on Calvary’s Cross for our sanctification as well as our Salvation, the Holy Spirit sets us free, He gives us dominion and liberty from the spirit of sin and death.  If the sin nature is still on the throne of a Believer’s heart, it is because the Holy Spirit is not authorized to set the captive free whose faith is not in Jesus but in their self efforts.  They are blinded by the spirit of sin and death.  Will God still bless them?  He blessed the Israelites in the wilderness in hopes they would see His mercy and grace.  God led them out of Egypt to teach them to believe in Him but many never did and perished.  He showed some the promise land and they slandered it to their brethren.  “And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,” Numbers 14:36.

We can’t measure one’s spiritual maturity by the amount of time they have served the Lord, nor can we measure it by their circumstances.  However, we can see in whom their faith lies for sanctification.  Many believe the Cross of Jesus is Christianity 101 and have “moved on”.  I had a friend tell me once there is more to Christianity than the Cross of Christ.  These are those who are constantly trying to grow in the Lord by their works and are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine.  They truly love the Lord but don’t understand how to live for the Lord.

“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:17-18.

If your faith is in anything other than the Cross of Christ, you are perishing.  The Holy Spirit is not on the throne in your heart but your sin nature remains the monarch.  Even though you love the Lord, it is entirely possible for your faith to be in your own self efforts for victory and this is spiritual adultery.  We are warned of this over and over in the Word of God and it is entirely possible that you have been blinded.  Pray and ask God.  Repent of your spiritual adultery.  God chastises those He loves.  Once our eyes are opened to our faithlessness and His mercy and grace, we are humbled and grateful for His chastisement…at least I was.  To God be all the glory!  – Donna Clark Warren.

“And He (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My Name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16:15-18.

Today’s social gospel does not seem to understand the Great Commission.  We no longer preach the Gospel of Jesus to the sinner which will lead them to church but we lift up the church in hopes they will come and hear the Gospel.  These good works they are doing are indeed good but let us be clear, they are not evangelistic.  They glorify the organization and not The Lord Jesus Christ.

Religion is often used as an instrument for oppression but because it is religious we don’t discern who or what is being glorified.  Make no mistake, self righteousness is oppression in its ugliest form.  “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:5.   Am I saying all of the people partaking in the community event are self righteous, absolutely not.  I am saying, however, they are headed down the path of a social gospel and not the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This is not fulfilling the Great Commission given by Jesus, it is fulfilling the commission given by the organization/church.

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.” John 12:32.  It is only the Holy Spirit who can draw the sinner but the name of Jesus, Who He is and what He has done, must be lifted up.  Jesus came to die on Calvary’s Cross.  He had the purest motive for doing such and that is love for His creation.  Because of Adam’s original sin, we (His creation) were cut off from fellowship with the Lord.  Blood of bulls and goats reconciled the fellowship but could not take away the sin.  It took the shed Blood of the Perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, to take away our sin and pay our sin debt.  Jesus made a show of every demon in hell when He paid the price for our sin.  For us to lift up anything other than the name of Jesus Christ to a lost and fallen world is another gospel and another Jesus.  “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:9.

Discern who is being lifted up and who is being glorified when we get busy doing all of these good works.  Yes, they are good works but don’t mistake them as evangelistic.  The devil wants to keep us busy doing things that do not lift up the name of Jesus to the lost but he doesn’t mind us lifting up the name of a church or organization.  These churches and organizations have never saved anyone, nor do they have the ability to change someone’s heart.  Our Great Commission is preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ which will set the captives free…not another gospel.  – Donna Clark Warren

“²⁸ But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. ²⁹ He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. ³⁰ And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. ³¹ Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. ³² For John (John the Baptist) came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.” Matthew 21:28-32.

I wonder how many of God’s people spent time sitting on the pews in “church” learning about the blood moons, shemitahs and harbingers all in the name of “worshipping” Jesus?  How about those who worship Jesus in ceremony and sabbaths?  We have Christians running around in prayer shawls like they are Jewish Rabbi’s.  We are instructed to pray in the Name of Jesus, not in a prayer shawl.  To be sure I haven’t missed anyone, let’s talk about the 40 days of purpose.  What happens the other 325 days without purpose?  Have you taught or have you been taught we must break those soul ties and family curses after we are saved?  I thought what Jesus did on the Cross broke those curses once I accepted Him as my Lord and Saviour.  If I go back and partake in that sin again, don’t I repent and ask the Lord to deliver me from that bondage?  Or do I just cast that demon out?  It’s not my fault, right?

I have heard it said we need to put Christ back in Christianity.   Can you see how all of those different methods can confuse and deceive a Believer?  Do we even want to discuss how they appear to unbelievers?  Did not the blood moons and shemitah debacle make a mockery out of what the world views as God’s people?  They see us running around in our prayer shawls and we appear as the Orthodox Jewish people who don’t even believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah.  I by no means wish to insult my Jewish friends and that is EXACTLY why I don’t pretend to be Jewish.  40 days of purpose tells us how to grow spiritually in 40 days without ever placing our faith in Jesus, Who He is and what He has done, to have victory in our life.

Yet, we, who still believe in the sanctifying power of the Lord Jesus Christ and refuse to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, are the ones who are bound up in religion.  We are legalistic and do not understand God’s mercy because we don’t follow schemes of man.  While those who follow schemes of man have in fact mistaken God’s mercy for approval of their sin.  I present the Israelites wondering around in the wilderness for 40 years, did God approve of their rebellion?  I think not.

^“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? and in Thy Name have cast out devils? and in Thy Name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21-23.

Do you ever wonder who the Lord was speaking of in that passage?  I have.  Christians have encompassed the tares and wheat as unity.  In the name of love they have embraced the tares.  While in reality if they loved the tares, they would tell them they are tares and what happens to the tares.  “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.” Matthew 13:40.  How is embracing them, so as not to offend them while knowing what will happen to them loving them?  “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” Galatians 4:16.

Religion has always twisted the Word of God to fit their doctrine and directed our attention and faith away from what Jesus has done on Calvary’s Cross…pay the full debt of sin for whosoever will accept Him as their Lord and Saviour.  He, Jesus Christ is the One Who broke the curse of sin and He is the One Who will deliver us from that bondage.  We don’t have to seek all of those schemes of man for victory over sin, we seek the One Who made a show of the demons openly for our deliverance. We hold His Name, the Name of Jesus Christ up for our deliverance.  All of those schemes of man are spiritual adultery and are not of God.

There are many out of Covenant teachers, preachers and prophets who have set up their altars before God and sacrifice their works in the name of Jesus.  “And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen,  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” Genesis 4:6-7.  Many of the out of Covenant preachers, teachers and prophets now see their error and repent not.  Why art thou wroth?  If thou does well, shalt thou not be accepted?  Repent and be accepted…be determined to know nothing among you accept Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Hold His name on high and testify of His power to set the captives free.  – Donna Clark Warren.

“”Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the Right Hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2.

I have attended teachings where we were told to repeat scripture over and over until our faith builds.  Please don’t misunderstand, we all memorize scripture, especially our favorite but the repetition of it is not what builds our faith.  I mean, if we believe what Jesus accomplished on the Cross is true, then that Scripture we are repeating over and over to build our faith, is a given fact or else we are calling God a liar.  I’m not talking about when the Lord puts a certain scripture on your heart and you stand on that scripture, by all means no.  I’m talking about taking a particular scripture, many times out of context, and repeating it over and over convincing one’s self this is how we build our faith.  More often than not, this is presumption.  We presume God does not want us in a particular situation because it is not pleasing to us.  Instead of seeking Him, the Author and Finisher of our faith, for the lesson, we are actually resorting to a type of witchcraft…yes, witchcraft to build our faith.  Our deliverance of our situation becomes dependent on us authoring our faith according to our will and not God’s will.

Many times it is easier to pray for our will than it is God’s will.  We want God to bless our will, while never seeking His.  The Lord will sometimes bless our will but please don’t misunderstand His blessing for His approval.  Remember, He blessed the Israelites in their error as well, all in hopes they would one day see His mercy, which most never did and perished in the wilderness.

“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” 1 Corinthians 1:5-7.

It is not the amount of faith but the object of our faith, Jesus Christ.  When we understand what Jesus accomplished for us on Calvary’s Cross for our Salvation and our victory over sin and our faith is exclusively on Him, Who He is and what He has done, then we also understand the entirety of the Word of God, including every promise, is a given.  This is why we fight the fight of faith, faith in Jesus and Who He is…because when we know Who He is and what He has done, we also know the Word of God is true.  We don’t have to do all of these vain repetitions to build our faith.  The Lord Jesus Christ authors our faith.  When our faith is in Him, God gives the increase.  The faith of a mustard seed soon becomes the faith of a mustard tree!

These vain repetitions become a form of works and our faith becomes placed on OUR self efforts.  Our religion becomes about us, who we are and what we must do. Prayerfully discern “who” your religion is about.  As scriptural as it may “seem”, deceit does not come with a red flag warning.  We must know the Word of God for our selves and pray for discernment.  “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.” John 16:13.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is about Jesus – Who He is and what He has done…not about us and what we must do.  Trust Him to build our faith and guide us into all truth.  -Donna Clark Warren