“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”  Luke 4:18-19

The Cross of Christ is the only means by which the sinner is saved and the Saint is sanctified.  Forgers of lies and physicians of no value present ulterior methods to overthrow sin.  Focusing on our works with faith in our performance presents self as the source of our sanctification and the results will always remain the same…utter defeat.

Make no mistake, the modern, seeker sensitive church cares more about corporate church growth than preaching the Gospel to the poor in spirit and having the brokenhearted healed by the Spirit of God.  Because of their unbelief in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit by faith in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross, their source is self, their focus is works, their faith is in their performance and the result…failure.  If victory was possible through methods of man, the Cross of Christ was in vain. God forbid no.

“Neither yield you 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. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under Grace.”  Romans 6:14-15

The Cross of Christ is the only means by which the Saint is sanctified. 40 days of purpose does not sanctify the Believer.  100 days of favor will not result in sanctification. Faith in our performance to gain victory over sin makes the Cross of Christ of no effect in the Believer’s life.

Recognize the source that is being lifted up among the congregation for victory over the world, the flesh and the devil and discern “your part” to “gain” victory.  Our part is faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary’s Cross to give us dominion over sin. The Believer’s victory is “maintained” by Grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus.

“Wherefore He (Jesus) is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them.”  Hebrews 7:25

We are saved to the uttermost by Grace through Faith.  Fight the good fight of faith; faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Be determined to know nothing else.

-Donna Clark Warren

“3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
No matter how much we try to change our thinking, our thinking will never and can never overcome sin.  We must cast down vain imaginations that exalts itself against the power of God to give the Believer victory over sin and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

“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

The power of God is the preaching of the Cross unto us who are saved and simply changing our thinking to overcome sin makes the Cross of Christ of no effect.  It is vanity yet untold thousands, if not millions, attend weekly religious meetings they call church to exalt these vain imaginations of humanistic psychology for victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.  They are in fact walking in the flesh, warring in the flesh and exalting methods of man against the power of God to overthrow the sin which so easily besets 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 has made me free from the law of sin and death.”  Romans 8:1-2

There is but one way to be free from the law of sin and death and that is not by changing our thinking.  The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus requires bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and maintaining our faith in HIS finished work on Calvary’s Cross to give us dominion over sin.  

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under Grace.”  Romans 6:14

The Believer is under Grace, not law.  It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to free us from the law of sin and death but He is only commissioned to do this when our faith is placed in Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He did on Calvary’s Cross to break the power of sin in the Believer’s life.  

“…Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.”  John 1:29

Cast down vain imaginations from the methods of man’s mind and behold the Lamb of God.  Be determined to know nothing else among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9

-Donna Clark Warren

^“5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

⁶ The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God brings abundantly.”  Job 12:5-6

Light is despised by those who think themselves safe.  Those who are at ease, despise a lamp because it is “not needed”.

“¹² For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has.

¹³ Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.”  Matthew 13:12-13.

Seeing they see not and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand because they have despised the light and thought themselves to be safe.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Proverbs 1:7

Fools despise wisdom and those at ease despise light.  They are rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.  Please allow me to be clear, even robbers sometimes prosper, not only those who are in right standing with God.  Don’t ever make the mistake of judging a ministry by their financial prosperity, whether it be good or bad.  Judge a ministry righteously, according to the rightly divided Word of God…discern the ministry by the message they preach.

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”  Matthew 7:24

To show respect of persons is evil.  Has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in Faith? (James 2:5)  Those who show respect of persons according to appearance also show their own price tag and by whom they can be bought.  Some can be bought by the religious soothsayers just as the damsel in distress with the spirit of divination who attempted to seduce Paul and Silas (Acts 16:16-18).  The spirit of divination is rampant in the modern church and many have been seduced by these doctrines of demons to manipulate the Child of God out of God’s Will.

We are living in the days of the Laodicean church.  As many as the Lord loves, He rebukes and chastens; otherwise we are illegitimate sons and daughters.   Be zealous therefore, and repent. (Hebrews 12:8, Revelation 3:19)  The end time church shows Jesus on the outside knocking.  They are rich and increased with goods…they despise the light.

“Behold, I (Jesus) stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”  Revelation 3:20

Seeing, do you see?  Hearing, do you hear?

Prayerfully consider.

-Donna Clark Warren

“²³ 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.

²⁴ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

²⁵ For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?”  Luke 9:23-25

Many of my fellow Americans are under the illusion that they are Christian just because they are citizens of the United States.  For the majority of my life I would claim Christianity but was in fact far from God.  I knew God, He was the God of my Grandmother, but I did not follow Him.  In reality, I simply knew of God.

“You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”  James 2:19

I was on the same level as demons.  I had in fact not accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, much less followed Him.  Just to be clear, one is not able to follow the Lord without denying themselves and a sinner is not going to deny themselves.  Sin has dominion over the lost and they are unable to willingly yield unto God…notice I said “willingly”.  God is God and He is Sovereign.

“¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”  John 3:16-17

Sinners are called to believe that Jesus Christ came to die on Calvary’s Cross to pay their sin debt and that ONLY through Him they are saved from an eternal hell.  Once a sinner believes in the finished work of Jesus Christ for their Salvation, the Believer is called to follow Jesus.  The Believer is now spiritually alive unto Christ and enabled (by faith through Grace) to follow Jesus (Romans 6:11-14).

Sadly, for many, religion steps in and begins to present methods of man to “gain” what the Lord has already freely given the Believer…dominion over sin (Romans 6:14).  We suddenly stop denying ourselves and begin relying on our self efforts to overcome the sin that so easily besets us.   Unknowingly we are no longer following Jesus but following methods of man from the vanities of their own mind and sin begins to have dominion once again.

“The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

There is life and life more abundantly in Jesus Christ.  He is the Source and His Cross the means by which all good things come to the Believer…but we must follow Him, and to follow Him, we must deny ourselves.  Just because I was born in the United States, raised in a “good” family and believed that there was a God, did not mean I was saved.  Growing up Jesus Christ was not my Lord and I had not accepted Him as my Savior.  Shameful but true.

Praise be to God for that evangelist who may not have known or understood the “Message of the Cross” for Sanctification but knew It for Salvation and preached it boldly.  He did not follow the Blood Moons, shemitahs or harbingers…he followed the Lord.  The “Message of the Cross”, as many (myself included) have come to call it, IS the Gospel of Jesus Christ for both Salvation and Sanctification…it is the power of God to us who are saved.  Be determined to know nothing else.

“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

-Donna Clark Warren

“⁶ For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.

⁷ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the Father chastens not?

⁸ But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons.”  Hebrews 12:7-8

Many any the modern church claim that God does not chastise His Children.  This heresy claims the conviction of the Holy Spirit for sin is condemnation from the devil.

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”  Hebrews 10:22

Through faith in Christ Jesus and His finished work on Calvary’s Cross, the Believer has dominion over sin (Romans 6:14) and our hearts are sprinkled from an evil conscience, not evil consciousness as this false doctrine teaches.  Just to be sure, Joseph Prince is the leader the pack in this teaching; pun intended.

Conscience is the knowing of what is morally right and wrong.  It is the witness of one’s conduct, whether it be morally good or bad according to God.

On the other hand, consciousness is being aware of or awake to one’s surroundings.  On a side note, you will notice atleast in the NKJV, they have substituted the word “conscience” with the word “consciousness” in Hebrews 10:2 which altogether changes the meaning of the text…just as the devil intended.

As a born again Believer, our evil conscience is sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus.  Our “knowing” of that which is morally wrong is illuminated under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and we fall on our knees in repentance.  We are not unconscious of sin but very much conscious to it and our conscience bears witness that this evil, whatever it may be, is not of God.  Make no mistake, this “evil” will often times appear “good”.

This is not condemnation; this is conviction by the Holy Spirit.  Friend, if you are not being convicted of that which is right and wrong by the Holy Spirit, you are illegitimate…not because I said or think so but because that is what the Word of God says. For what son is he Whom the Father chastens not?

“Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”  1 Timothy 4:1-2

Sadly, if you don’t believe this to be true, it is possible your conscience is seared and not sprinkled.  If the Word of God calls sin a sin, yet your conscience calls it good…your conscience is seared my friend and you must repent.

Prayerfully consider.

-Donna Clark Warren

“²⁶ For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remains no more Sacrifice for sins,

²⁷ But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”  Hebrews 10:26-27

Once the Believer willfully removes their faith from the finished work of Jesus on Calvary’s Cross to overcome the sin that so easily besets them, there remains no more Sacrifice for their sins.  The method given by man to overcome sin, whatever that method may be, becomes the sacrifice offered up to God for victory.  40 days, 12 steps, 21 days, traditions, ceremonies, humanistic psychology, etc. become our sacrifice when we sin willfully (transfer our faith from Christ and the Cross to methods of man for victory) after we have received the knowledge of the Truth.   Make no mistake, sometimes the methods given to “gain” victory are Scriptural but they were not given to us to overcome sin.  Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the only answer given to man to overcome sin.

“³⁷ For yet a little while, and He Who shall come will come, and will not tarry.

³⁸ Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.

³⁹ But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”  Hebrews 10:37-39

Believing to the saving of the soul maintains the victory our Lord has already gained on Calvary’s Cross and is freely given to whosoever will believe. The only fight the Child of God is called to fight is the fight of faith…faith in Jesus Christ, our Sacrifice for sin; without which there remains a certain fearful looking for of judgment.

Be determined to know nothing else among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There are no methods of man or works of the flesh that can do that which only the Holy Spirit can wrought on the inner man through faith in Jesus’ finished work.  Recognize the offerings religion offers to overcome as what they are…Cain’s offering and repent.

“⁶ And the Lord said unto Cain, Why are you wroth? and why is your countenance fallen?

⁷ If you do well, shall you not be accepted? and if you do not well, sin (a sin offering) at the door. And unto you shall be his desire, and you shall rule over him.” Genesis 4:6-7

If Cain would have repented instead of pridefully rejecting, God had supplied a Sin Offering at the door and Cain would have had his desires.

God has not changed.  There remains a Sin Offering at the door and His name is above all names…Jesus Christ.  Can you hear Him knocking church or do you have need of nothing?

Prayerfully consider.

-Donna Clark Warren

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

Often we see what is happening but have no idea what is going on while in the midst of unpleasant circumstances.  Cynicism is the result of unbelief and unbelief reveals one’s lack of faith.  As we give vent to emotions, our cynicism is spewed for all to see.

However, and I pray all will hear this, even if we don’t speak it out for others to hear, this unbelief remains in our heart. Superstition will tell you not to speak it and it won’t be true.  Please understand, lying about the condition of our heart does not change the condition of our heart but crying out to the Lord for help in our times of trouble will always guarantee the Lord’s help.  Even when the answer doesn’t come immediately, God’s grace is sufficient in our time of need.

“²³ Jesus said unto him, If you can’t believe, all things are possible to him that believes.

²⁴ And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.”  Mark 9:23-24

We must recognize this cynicism in our hearts for what it is…unbelief.  Whether we admit this to be true or not, the reality remains the same.  Declaring and decreeing a lie from the vanities of our own mind will not change the circumstances.  Sometimes the Lord leads us into the wilderness so we can learn of Him, Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross…but He will never leave us there.

“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

If we will allow Jesus Christ to author and finish our faith, He WILL help our unbelief.  Is the Lord wanting to show you something in the midst of the unpleasant circumstances? During these unpleasant circumstances, what is your spiritual testimony among the principalities and the rulers of darkness?  Are you believing their lie or God’s Word?

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”  Hebrews 12:1.

Run with patience.

-Donna Clark Warren

“For this is the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My Laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people:” Hebrews 8:10

There are many unbelieving Believers in the church today.  Instead of walking after the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus through faith in His finished work, they are bound by the law of sin and death through faith in religious works.

“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 has made me free from the law of sin and death.”  Romans 8:1-2

For some, their head knowledge of the Word of God needs to sink about 18″ down into their hearts. Let us not forget, the devil himself knows the Bible better than most, if not all, Christians.

The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which sets the captives free from the law of sin and death, requires faith in Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross for whosoever will believe.  Faith that HIS work , not ours, breaks the power of sin in the Believer’s life.   It is then, when our faith is properly placed in the Cross of Christ, that we give the Holy Spirit latitude to do what He is commissioned to do…free us from the law of sin and death.

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to put the laws and statutes of God in our mind and write them in our hearts.  This IS the circumcision made without hands (Colossians 2:11). Old things really do pass away and all things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17) for those who will simply believe.

“How much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?”  Hebrews 9:14

Unbelieving Believers are bound by religion.  A religion full of works to maintain Salvation and laws to gain Sanctification; both of which comes solely and exclusively through faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ paid our sin debt and broke the power of sin for whosoever will believe.

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common Salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints.”  Jude 3

Earnestly contend for the faith.  Fight the good fight of faith.  Purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God.  Dead faith (faith in anything other than Jesus Christ and Him crucified) can only produce dead works.  Allow your faith in the Cross of Christ to circumcise your heart, to quicken your spirit  and produce good works.  Beware of unbelieving Believers who walk after the flesh and not after the Spirit.

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the Living God.” Hebrews 3:12

Prayerfully discern the evil heart of unbelief.

-Donna Clark Warren

“¹⁸ That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:”  Hebrews 6:18

There are two immutable things by which Believers have a strong consolation.

The Promise given to Abraham of a coming Redeemer.  Abraham was justified by faith in God.  The sacrifices of bulls and goats restored fellowship with God but they could not pay the debt of sin which is death (Romans 6:23).  It was in Abraham’s Seed, Jesus Christ, that all the nations of the earth shall be blessed (Genesis 22:17-18); not just any Seeds, as of many, but as of One, which is the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16).  As a Believer in Jesus Christ and His atoning work on Calvary’s Cross as the Sin Offering unto God to pay our sin debt and break the power of sin in the Believer’s life, we are made Children of the Promise (Galatians 4:28).  We too are justified by faith in the Son of God and made heirs to the Promises of God.

“For by Grace are you 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

2.  The second immutable thing by which every Believer may have a strong consolation is that our High Priest, Jesus Christ, is after the order of Melchisedec and not of the Levitical System.  He is our High Priest forever.  The Levitical System addressed the Jews only, not the Gentiles, and was given as a mirror.  It had no power to change the sinner but showed sinner their sin.

“¹⁷ For He (God) testifies, You (Jesus) are a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

¹⁸ For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

¹⁹ For the Law (Law of Moses) made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw near unto God.”  Hebrews 7:17-19

As the Hebraics Roots movement goes about exhorting Believers to partake in the Jewish feasts, blow shoffars and wear prayer shawls and yamakas to “honor” God; they do not understand that our High Priest, Jesus Christ, is not after the order of Aaron from which the Levites came, but after the order of Melchisedec.  The feasts in which they partake are symbolic of Jesus Christ, their wardrobes are nothing more than traditional Jewish attire and the Commandment annulled when Jesus Christ offered Himself as the Sin Offering for our sin.  The Law did not disannull the Promise given to Abraham but when the Promise came, Jesus Christ, the Mosaic Law was disannulled and now written on the hearts of Believers (Hebrews 10:16).

“¹⁷ And this I say, that the Covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the Law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the Promise of none effect.

¹⁸ For if the inheritance be of the Law, it is no more of Promise: but God gave it to Abraham by Promise.” Galatians 3:17-18

Our Lord did not become a sinner as some claim but was the Sin Offering to pay the penalty of sin for whosoever will believe.  Knowing this, Who Jesus is and what He did on Calvary’s Cross, we have no doubt as to His Resurrection.  Jesus Christ IS the Son of God, Who manifested in the flesh to die on Calvary’s Cross for our sin and was raised three days later.  This is fact whether one believes it or not.

The Priesthood of Jesus Christ is forever.

“²⁵ Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them.

²⁶ For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

²⁷ Who needs not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people’s: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself.”  Hebrews 7:25-27.

There are two immutable things by which we are comforted; the Promise of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and He is High Priest forever.  For those who believe upon Jesus Christ and His redeeming work on Calvary’s Cross, we are saved to the uttermost.  The penalty of sin is paid and the power of sin broken for those who will simply believe.

Do you know in Whom you have Believed?  He is the Promise given to Abraham 430 years before the Mosaic Law.  He is our High Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.  He is Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come…He is our blessed Hope.

-Donna Clark Warren

“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 1:8-10

Don’t mistake forgiveness of sin as dominion over sin.  

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the Law, but under Grace.”  Romans 6:14

The Lord is faithful to forgive us our sin when we repent and ask forgiveness.  Any born again Believer hates sin, whether it be their sin or others.  Grace is the answer to overcome sin; not 21 days of this, 31 days of that or 40 days of purpose…but Grace, GOD’s Grace.  

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

The Holy Spirit is not commissioned to free us from the law of sin and death when our faith is placed in various methods from the vanities of man’s mind…no matter how Scriptural they may seem.  We may indeed be forgiven of our sin but are we delivered from sin’s dominion?

Grace requires faith…faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross to break the power of sin in the Believer’s life.  Fight the good fight of faith – faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified and sin shall no longer have dominion over you.

-Donna Clark Warren