“But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? ⁸ And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drank; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? ⁹ Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow (think) not. ¹⁰ So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” Luke 17:7-10. 

The unprofitable servant attends to their duties first before themselves.  Because the Child of God is justified through faith in the works of Jesus, our good works, which only come through properly placed faith as He molds us into His Divine call on our lives, are our duties – our good works do not, will not and cannot ever profit us any further justification.  There is nothing any greater than what Jesus accomplished at Calvary’s Cross for whosoever will accept Him as their Lord and Saviour, therefore the work we do, no matter the capacity, will not profit us anything.  Will the Lord bless us? Yes!  We are talking about justification.  We cannot be anymore justified than when our faith is placed solely and exclusively on Jesus Christ and His finished work, no matter our good works.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” Romans 5:1.

A Child of God is either in the Will of God or not in the Will of God.  The devil’s goal is to get us to step out of God’s Will.  There will be trials and tribulations in God’s Will.  The difference is, when we are in the Will of God, there are times the Lord will use satan as an instrument to build our faith by testing our faith.  When we are outside the Will of God, we have indeed listened to the lies of satan.  Jesus will lead us into the wilderness only to lead us out stronger in the faith, while satan will push us deeper than we want to go.  To whom we listen, is up to us.

“But he that enters in by the door is the Shepherd of the Sheep. ³ To Him the porter opens; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out. ⁴ And when He puts forth His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice. ⁵ And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” John 10:2-5.

The Divine calling in which the Lord has placed on all of His Children, should never be taken lightly.  Too often, we decide we would rather be a profitable servant of satan instead of an unprofitable servant of the Lord and we step out of the Will of God.  In our flesh, we are not content in the lot the Lord has supplied, so we step in to the work of another calling in which we have not been called.  Let us not forget, the devil is more dangerous disguised as an angel of light than he is a roaring lion and will attempt to push us pass the divine line the Lord has for us.

“And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ:” Ephesians 4:11-12. 

The Lord has called ALL of His Children to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the four corners of the world.  “Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2.  Just because one is not called to the ministry does not mean they are not called to reprove, rebuke and exhort the brethren.  On the other hand, just because we are called to reprove, rebuke and exhort the brethren does not mean we are called to the ministry…it means we are attending our duties as a child of God while remaining unprofitable in our justification.  We are no more or no less justified but we are unprofitable.  We often confuse our good works which are profitable in the Kingdom of God as profitable as well in our justification with God.

We must ever be diligent not to cross the divine line into another calling.  God has a divine calling for each and every Saint of God and we must always be satisfied with that which the Lord gives.  We must not seek to enlarge our own borders which the Lord cannot bless but allow the Holy Spirit, through our faith in the works of Jesus on Calvary’s Cross, to guide us into all Truths.  When Jesus does lead us into the wilderness to stretch our faith, we will know His voice and will not be operating on presumption.

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things,” Matthew 25:21.  It is the faithful servant to whom the Master will say “well done”….not the profitable.

I could care less if I’m the one that when my feet hit the ground in the morning the devil says “oh no, she’s up”.  I would prefer to hear my Lord Jesus say the one I love is awake, let me go sup with her.

-Donna Clark Warren

“Wherefore she (Sarah) said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son (Ishmael): for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. ¹¹ And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. ¹² And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” Genesis 21:10-12.

We must let go of our bondwoman and her son, our works we birthed in the flesh.  Our denominations, ceremonies, feasts and festivals will not be heir with the Son of God in our hearts.  Entire ministries have been birthed with the bondwoman in which the Lord did not ordain.  As grievous as they may be, the bondwoman and her son must be cast out in order for the Holy Spirit to reign in our hearts and lives through our faith in Jesus and His finished work on Calvary’s Cross.

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15.
-Donna Clark Warren

 ^“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: ²⁰ And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, ²¹ And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; ²³ And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. ²⁵ But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” Luke 16:19-25

Something that always stands out in this Scripture is the consciousness of both Lazarus, who was eternally comforted and the rich man, who is eternally entombed in torment.  Before the Cross of Jesus, the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin.  The Saints of the Old Testament were held captive by satan in Paradise, with him hoping to one day get them into the burning side of hell.  When Jesus came, He led “captivity captive”  (Ephesians 4:8-9).  In Paradise, the Old Testament Saints were comforted, just as Lazarus was, as they awaited the Cross of Jesus to deliver them. ” And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:15.  Jesus Christ made a show as He led satan’s captives (Old Testament Saints) captive, triumphing over satan and his minions.  The sin debt for past, present and future Children of God, for whosoever will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, was and is paid in full by the Blood of Jesus.

Then there was the rich man.  The one eternally entombed in torment…consciously.  They’re those Saints who won’t allow anything on earth to keep them from the Lord and then those who remain lost and will not allow God’s richest blessings to bring them to the Lord.  Some who walk in heavenly places and mind the things of the Holy Spirit by picking up their cross daily and appropriating their faith in Jesus, Who He is and what He has done.  Then those who mind things of the flesh, concluding their blessings are due to their works and never realizing their wickedness.

There is an entire religious world that has not realized their own wickedness.  They are being brought together under the guise of unity in the name of God but it is not the God of the Bible, it is not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…it is their own god, the idol they have built to accommodate their lifestyle with a strange fire that brings death.  The only thing that really matters in life is being right with God, the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  There is a Heaven and there is a hell.  It is very easy to step off in to hell, eternally entombed in torment.  However, there is only One Way to make Heaven our home…Jesus Christ.

” Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. ² But he that enters in by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep. ³ To Him the porter opens; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out. ⁴ And when He puts forth His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice. ⁵ And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” John 10:1-5. 

What is keeping you from the Lord Jesus Christ?  Is He calling your name to lead you out?  Are you listening?  Regrettably, the rich man did not listen and continues to this day consciously seeking that one drop of water.  Jesus has won the battle already against whatever you’re fighting.  Allow Jesus to lead you out – follow Him, the Way, the Truth and the Life.

-Donna Clark Warren

“And God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; ⁹ And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” Acts 15:8-11.

How were their hearts purified?  Was it by doing “their part?”  In a sense yes but “their part” was faith.  The modern church feels that faith in Jesus and His finished work isn’t enough to purify the heart so they add their programs, routines, rituals and ceremonies to make the followers feel like they are doing something…doing their part.  These works hinder the grace of God.  “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:21.  These practices hinder God’s grace because if He did in fact move on one’s behalf while they are doing their part (anything other than faith) it would not be Him that is glorified but the person or the method.  We must never believe that God’s blessings are condoning our disobedience or unbelief.  The Lord continued to bless the Israelites in the wilderness in hopes to bring them to the saving knowledge of Him, yet an entire generation perished.

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?¹⁷ But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Romans 6:16-18. 

For some reason many get twisted when they think about the Apostle Paul having a sin nature.  The only One Who was born without a sin nature was Jesus Christ and Him alone.  We are all born with a sin nature due to Adam’s fall.  In Romans Chapter 6, 7 & 8, Paul talks of his warring with his sin nature, as all Saints will do from time to time, and most importantly the Apostle speaks of how to overcome our sin nature through our faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary’s Cross.

“But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 6:23-24.  Many stumble when the mention of the Apostle Paul’s warring against the law in his mind and the law in his members is mentioned and they miss the “how” he overcame this war.   This is not speaking disparagingly of the Apostle Paul by any means but of how the Holy Spirit, through Paul, shows us how to have victory over our sin nature.  Don’t stumble when someone talks about the Apostle Paul warring with his flesh because you will miss how he also obtained victory in that war…faith in Jesus and what HE did, not by doing “his part”.

“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.

The Holy Spirit shows us “how” Paul obtained victory by the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” .  The law of the Spirit requires faith in Jesus and His finished work to free us from the law of sin and death.  The law of the Spirit does NOT require us to do “our part” – our part hinders our freedom from the law of sin and death.  “Our part” will in fact keep us busy in religious works.  We become so bound by those religious works  that we blindly find ourselves in the worst kind of bondage – religion!

Another offense I have found by those who reject this message is the thought that sin is condoned…absolutely and by all means no!  Our sin nature is a fact.  We are all born with a sin nature because of Adam’s fall.  However, when we are born again and baptized with Jesus into our Saviour’s death, we are now dead to our sin nature and alive unto God.  Our sin nature is not dead but we are dead to it.

“ 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. 

It is our faith in what Jesus accomplished on the Cross that allows us to walk in the newness of life.  We don’t celebrate Christ’s death we celebrate what His death accomplished for whosoever will accept Him as their Lord and Saviour.  Praise God, when we know WHO Jesus is and what He accomplished there on Calvary’s Cross, we also know His Resurrection was a given…there was never any doubt of our Lord’s Resurrection!

Once we are buried in the likeness of His death through our faith in what He accomplished there on the Cross, we are raised up by the glory of the Father…not by doing our part.  We are no longer spiritually dead in sin and trespasses but alive unto God.  Before our Salvation we were unable to yield to God, we were spiritually dead.  “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 6:11-12. 

Our sin nature is still alive but we are now alive unto God and not alive unto our sin nature.  However, when our faith gets misdirected to another source for victory over our sin nature (religious works, methods, 40 days, psychology, etc.) through all of these doctrines sweeping through the churches, we begin once more to become alive unto our sin nature.  Does this mean we are no longer born again? No!  This means our Sanctification and spiritual growth are stumped until our faith is redirected back to Jesus and His finished work.  Is there a danger of losing our Salvation?  Yes, if our Sanctification becomes stagnant and our faith begins to fail in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are in grave danger.  Jesus prayed for Peter’s faith not to fail him (Luke 22:32).  The Lord knew Peter would fail but he prayed for Peter’s faith not to fail.  Our faith in Jesus Christ and Him Crucified is satan’s bullseye.  The devil knows if he can misdirect our faith, our faith is in danger of failing us because it is in the wrong object (“our part”, works, religion, denominations, etc.).  As long as our faith is placed solely and exclusively on what Jesus has done, no one can pluck us out of the Lord’s hand.  When we start following every scheme of man coming through the religious circles, we will follow them right in to a ditch….I’m speaking to you as well Hebraics Roots Movement!

How is our heart purified? “And God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us; ⁹ And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” Acts 15:8-9.  Our hearts are purified by faith…faith in Jesus Christ.  A purified heart will want to be obedient to the Word of God.  A purified heart will produce good works.  A purified heart is what will change the world…one heart at a time.

-Donna Clark Warren

“ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells 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.” Romans 7:18-19.

The Apostle Paul’s will was to do good but how to perform that which is good, he found not.  They’re many who will (self will) to live for God but don’t know how to live for God and therefore place laws on their will.  These laws, no matter the good intentions, will not overcome the evil (sin) in our members that war against our self will.  Man has placed many a law to defeat sin, many of them Scriptural practices which were given but not to defeat sin.  They have misappropriated fasting, prayer and even the Lord’s Supper as a means to overcome sin.  As I stated but want to make perfectly clear, all of these are Scriptural but were not given to overcome the evil which is present within us.

“ I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. ²² For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: ²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:21-24.

It is the how that so many Believers have a problem with, the “how” to live for God.  We know what we are suppose to do, our will is present, but the “how” to perform is not present.  We all have to have this Romans Chapter 7 moment that the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul’s humility gave us; that moment when we realize our self will is present but we don’t know how to perform…we don’t know “how” to live the holy life the Lord Jesus calls us to live.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ² 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.

The law of the Spirit (the law of the Holy Spirit) of life in Christ Jesus is HOW we are made free from the law of sin and death.  “For by Grace are ye saved through faith;…” Ephesians 2:8.  The Holy Spirit is only commissioned to free us from the law of sin and death when our faith is placed on Jesus, on Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross to free us from the law of sin and death.  When we place a rule on our will, no matter the religious appearance, as a means of “how” to perform or “how” to live for God,  we are living under law and not grace.  We unknowingly and unwittingly place our faith in that law as a means to live for God.  Just as the Jews had placed their faith in the Mosaic Law to save them when in fact  it condemned them, we too place our faith in the taskmaster we have put in place as a means to overcome sin.  The Mosaic Law was holy and the Lord Jesus Christ was the only One Who could fulfill the Mosaic Law.  Even with good intentions, unless our faith is placed in Jesus and His finished work, we are living under law and not grace as a means to perform that which is good. 

“But my faith is in Jesus!”  I understand your faith is placed in Jesus and His finished Work for Salvation, praise the Lord and rightfully so.  But where is your faith placed when it comes to how to perform that which is good today?  What do you do when the law in your members war against the law of your mind?  What do you do when you will to do that which is good but how to perform you know not?  You do what the Holy Spirit showed us to do through the Apostle Paul, “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2.

We don’t have to be swept to and fro with every wind of doctrine that places a new law on Believer’s in order to direct their faith to another means of victory over sin, that is the work of the devil.  “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:4.  God’s grace come through faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified, not by law.

-Donna Clark Warren

“For by Grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.

Sin cannot be improved upon.  It cannot be rehabilitated.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ² God forbid. 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 6:1-7.

We are all born with a sin nature because of Adam’s fall.  It is only through our faith in Jesus, in Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross, that the Holy Spirit is commissioned to baptize us into Jesus’ death…that we are alive unto God because the Spirit of God dwells in us.  “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. 

Until we allow the Holy Spirit to baptize us into the death of Jesus through faith and faith alone, we are alive unto our sin nature and dead in sin and trespasses.  We cannot do this through fasting (as Scriptural as fasting is, it was not given to overcome sin), through 40 days of purpose or any other scheme man has declared to overcome sin.  None of these rituals or ceremonies will baptize one into the death of Jesus, whereby we are then planted together in the likeness of His Resurrection.  The Holy Spirit is not commissioned to baptize us into the likeness of Jesus’ death, which is the only way we are freed from sin, when we have anything other than simple faith in Jesus and His finished work.

The Cross of Christ is the power of God to save man from death, hell and the grave…all others are perishing.  “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.

Sin is the problem in the world today and the modern church wants to rehabilitate sin.  Jesus Christ defeated sin and made a mockery out of every demon in hell.  When the church decides to follow Jesus Christ to the Cross, preach and proclaim His victory over sin through His death on the Cross…they will be raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father.

“Again He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. ⁵ Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: ⁶ And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.”  Ezekiel 37:4-6.

Oh ye dry bones, won’t you hear the word of the Lord?  We can not rehabilitate sin.  Faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone is the only way the Holy Spirit can free us from sin through the baptism into His death…”Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6.  His Spirit baptizing us into His death which can only be done through faith in His finished work…Jesus Christ – be determined to know nothing else among you.

-Donna Clark Warren

“And he said, A certain man had two sons: ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. And he divided unto them his living. ¹³ And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.” Luke 15:11-13.

The prodigal son failed when he wanted his father’s goods without wanting his father.  The son’s failure did not come because of his riotous living but his riotous living was a result of his failure.  We do not see the failure in a person’s heart until we see the manifested result of the failure.  Once the result of the failure has manifested and the sin nature is once again on it’s throne in one’s heart, we blame the result for the failure instead of the failure for the result.

“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men:” Isaiah 29:13.

Satan’s goal is to remove our heart from the Lord.  The devil knows the result of this failure will be death.  I want you to understand, the modern church failed a long time ago and we are now beginning to see the results of fallen hearts…hearts far from the Lord Jesus.  They have sought, decreed, declared and proclaimed the promises of Jesus Christ but have not lifted up the name of Jesus Christ…they wanted the Father’s goods without wanting the Father.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. ² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, ⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. ⁶ For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,⁷ Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:1-7.

These are those who are ever learning with every wind of doctrine that comes down the pike of the church but never coming to the knowledge of the Truth in Christ Jesus…their hearts are far from God.  They are seeking the Father’s goods without seeking Him and the results have manifested.  The failure occurred when their hearts turned away from the Lord Jesus Christ and sought other means for their deliverance.

“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.

Anything that directs our faith away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary’s Cross is an attempt of the devil to steer the heart’s of His Children away from Him.  This includes many of the doctrines in the churches today which incorporate psychology (worldly means) into the Gospel of Jesus in order to achieve godly results.  Make no mistake, worldly means will never manifest into godly results but in fact turn a heart away from the Lord.

Discern what is being preached by where it is directing your heart and not by the words being said.  Does it direct your heart toward self will or self efforts?  Does it direct your heart toward that prayer shawl?  Where is your heart being directed?  God knows.  “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. ²⁵ Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.” Luke 15:24-25.  The elder sons heart also failed.  His heart was directed toward his works and he was left in the field…his Father knew his heart was not toward Him and the manifested result of the failed heart was self righteousness.

Where is your heart?  Don’t answer, ask the Lord to show you…daily.

-Donna Clark Warren

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” James 4:7-8.

Satan is much more dangerous disguised as a humble and respectful religious person than as a roaring lion.  To make him flee, one only needs to resist him.  However, to stand against him, we must engage the whole armor of God.  “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11.

Through the mouths of the religious, satan will exhort one to stand when the Lord has said resist, which in turn causes the Child of God to stand without the whole armor of God being engaged, thus destroying their faith.  It is our faith in Jesus’ finished work, in Jesus’ utter defeat over satan and his wiles, that satan tries to destroy.  If our faith is not placed solely and exclusively on Jesus’ finished work (not ours) we do not have dominion over satan (Romans 8:2).   By satan continually tempting the Saint to stand against him, when the Lord says to resist him, one’s faith in Jesus’ victory is eventually destroyed because they are standing without the full armor of God and failure is imminent.

For a Child of God to stand against the devil without the full armor of God engaged, reproach is brought upon God and he is not glorified.  We have no strength in and of ourselves, it is God’s strength that the Believer needs for victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.

“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 power of God comes through our faith in Jesus and His finished work.  It is not conjured up through self will or presumption.  When our faith is placed on Jesus’ finished work on Calvary’s Cross, the Holy Spirit is then commissioned to isolate our sin nature (which we were all born with because of Adam’s fall).  “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.

With our sin nature isolated, satan will continue to tempt the Child of God in order to “activate”, if you will, the sin nature.  As we engage instead of resist satan, we begin to make rules to overcome our now “reactivated” sin nature.  Through the mouths of the “humble and respectful religious”, satan will tell us the most Scriptural doctrines to do in order to once again isolate our sin nature.  These doctrines, although Scriptural, have now become “rules” to overcome sin.  Make no mistake, there is but One place sin was dealt with and that is at the Cross of Jesus Christ.  Because of these religious doctrines being used to overcome sin instead of the power of God through faith in Jesus, there is no dominion over sin.

There are times the Lord will lead us into the wilderness to author our faith, as His Word says He will do, and He will use satan as His instrument.  It is there, in that wilderness, that we stand on God’s Word, in the full armor of God, and understand that the devil is on a leash.  If our faith is in Jesus for our dominion over sin and death, if it is in HIM, for Who He is and what He has done, we can be assured our trial or tribulation will result in our faith being strengthened and not destroyed.

“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 12:2.  satan is fully aware of Who a Child of God belongs to and what his limits are.  The devil wouldn’t be the devil if he didn’t lie and try to convince us otherwise.  It is up to us, God’s Children, to choose this day in Whom we are going to believe.  Even when our circumstances are not pleasing, look to Jesus for the lesson before rebuking satan.  The Lord may in fact be using satan as an instrument to show us something in order to build our faith.

Do you feel like you are in the wilderness?  Did the Lord lead you there to show you something?  If so, stand on His Word and seek Him for the lesson.  Is it possible you did not resist the devil and he has in fact redirected your faith into something other than Jesus Christ and Him crucified?  Did satan give you other means and methods to overcome sin?  They won’t work.  Has Jesus become of no effect for you because your faith has been placed on that method for victory instead of Jesus for your victory?  “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:4.  Have you fallen from Grace or been led to the wilderness?

These are all questions that are between you and the Lord.  The Holy Spirit will guide us into all Truths.  Seek the Lord…submit to Him and resist the devil – satan will flee.

-Donna Clark Warren

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:6-8.

Satan, through the mouth of the religious, teaches the traditions of men through basic fundamental skills of worldly reasoning.  We must understand that worldly ways will never have a godly outcome.  The seeker sensitive churches preach a gospel of psychological means to draw the masses to the church instead of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to draw the masses to the Lord.  They, the seeker sensitive, preach what they know and know what they preach.  Through vain deceit they attempt to place the foundation of worldly ways into the Gospel of Jesus Christ in order to seduce the unaware.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hosea 4:6.

The masses are being led into a ditch by following a gospel based on traditions and philosophies of man with their faith placed on these philosophies instead of Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done.  I want you to know, if you cannot see this it is because of your lack of knowledge or you are blinded by the deceit.  I do not say this disparagingly, I say this because I want you to know the God of the Bible… the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  I want you to know the One to Whom we are begotten by the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I want you to know that there is only One Way to fellowship with Him and that is through faith – faith in Jesus and His finished work on Calvary’s Cross…not man’s traditions, rituals or philosophies.

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.  Sanctification, our spiritual knowledge, maturity and growth is found only through faith in Jesus.

Again, we preach what we believe and believe what we preach.  Discern what you believe by discerning what you preach.  Do you advocate faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified or do you advocate man’s traditions, philosophies or rituals as a means of victory to “glorify God”?

“For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:20.  There are those who cannot speak and then there are those who cannot help but speak.  In Whom or what can you not help but speak?  The Holy Spirit will always speak of Jesus Christ and glorify Him.  Satan will use the mouth of false teachers and preachers to glorify traditions of man through worldly ways…which will never result in a godly outcome.

-Donna Clark Warren

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the Truth: ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.” 1 John 1:6-10.

As soon as a Believer confesses their sin to the Lord, victory is resumed.  True repentance is a deep regret and sorrow for sin committed against the Lord.  Unconfessed sin is unforgiven sin and it is not in God’s Will for us to live in sin.  When the Believer is outside the Will of God, victory is not attainable.

“And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23.

Taking up our cross daily is taking up our victory over our sin nature through faith in Jesus and His finished work on Calvary’s Cross and denying our self efforts to obtain this victory which can only come through our faith in Jesus.  Taking up our cross daily is fighting the good fight of faith…faith in Jesus and His finished work and taking up our victory.

Following Jesus will sometimes lead us into the wilderness where denying ourselves and follow Him becomes a necessity…following Jesus out of the wilderness guarantees our victory.  “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. ¹⁵ And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.” Hosea 2:14-15.  The Lord will give us our vineyards from “thence”…from the wilderness. 

Our faith is authored and finished by Jesus in the wilderness.  Sadly, there are too many who continue to rebuke the “wilderness” instead of seeking the Lord for why He brought them there.  Often we are led into the wilderness for the Lord to reveal to us our own weaknesses.  Sometimes we take longer in the wilderness than others but when we decide to quit our moaning and groaning and look to the Lord for the lesson, our defeat in our flesh is revealed and our victory is resumed as soon as our repentance for faith in ourselves (self will, self efforts, stubbornness) is met with God’s Grace.

“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9.

Instead of rationalizing one sin by comparing to another sin, look to Jesus for the lesson.  Maybe the Lord is just trying to get you to confess YOUR sin so He can forgive and deliver you from the wilderness….maybe He is trying to show you the door of hope.  When sin is faithfully dealt with through confession/repentance, Gods grace and blessing will always provide the victory.

-Donna Clark Warren.