“Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me.” Matthew 11:4-6.

Jesus’ answer to John the Baptist’s disciples who asked “Are You He Who should come, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3) was to tell them the physical actions of the spiritual result.  It is offensive for many to learn the physical actions regarding their sanctification are not a reaction or a result of their efforts but are a result of their faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work.  However, it would also explain why many are stagnant in their walk with the Lord because their spiritual results are due to lack of faith in Jesus delivering power and abundance of faith in methods of man which results in the physical action of their sin nature having dominion over them.  Many times the physical action we see in the religious is self righteousness.  They have a “form of godliness but deny the power thereof,…” 2 Timothy 3:5.  These are those who look at “positive” physical actions (sanctification, blessings, etc.) as a physical result of religious works and “negative” physical actions as a spiritual result.

Jesus said “blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me.”  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is offensive to those who want to work for victory over the sin nature because it requires nothing but simple faith in His finished work.  Self efforts are the very thing that interferes with victory over sin.  If our self efforts could over come sin, the Cross of Christ was in vain.

“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 law of the Spirit is faith in Jesus for Salvation and victory over sin (sanctification).  The majority of the church has faith in Jesus for Salvation but their faith lies in self efforts for victory over sin.

Self efforts may entail spiritual warfare; fighting fights that Jesus has already won. (i.e. soul ties, family curses, etc.) Demon spirits will keep one engaged as long as one will engage them.  The Word of God says to “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7.  Many times all of these demons those spiritual warfare classes are casting out, binding and rebuking are in reality one’s sin nature having dominion over them because their faith is in  their spiritual warfare (their works) for deliverance and not in Jesus’ power to deliver.  Yes, we have the authority to bind and rebuke in the name of Jesus when our faith is in JESUS for deliverance NOT our authority. “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.  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 7:21-23.  Jesus Christ will deliver us from bondage, if we will just look to HIM for deliverance and quit being tossed to and fro with all of these schemes of man that glorifies man’s ministries and not God’s delivering power.

“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 1:18.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is offensive to those who are perishing.  The dissatisfaction with God’s plan for Salvation and sanctification leads one to spiritual adultery.  This spiritual adultery results in faith in Jesus for Salvation but faith in schemes of man for sanctification.  The physical action of this spiritual result is stagnancy in one’s spiritual growth, in their sanctification – their sin nature continues to have dominion over them.  The lack of physical action is the spiritual result.

Ask the Lord to show you where your faith is appropriated.  I did and He showed me my faith was in my works. I’m not implying you don’t love the Lord, I’m simply trying to explain, albeit poorly, why it is you may not have victory in your life.  The Lord Jesus Christ has a lot invested in you.  He will show you if you ask Him.  He wants to bless you…He wants you to have victory but our faith must be appropriated in Jesus Christ and what He did on Calvary’s Cross.  -Donna Clark Warren