Jesus said to the lame man “Rise, take up your bed, and walk” (John 5:8).

⁸ Jesus said unto him, Rise, take up your bed, and walk.⁹ And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath.

¹⁰ The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath Day: it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.

¹¹ He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up your bed, and walk.“  John 5:8-9

The religious do not understand the Child of God cannot rest until we walk.  Yet we cannot walk until we take up our bed.  Taking up our bed is a blessing afforded us through the Cross of Christ.  The Cross of Christ was a place of great suffering for our Lord but for us, it is a place of great blessing. We do not have the power to take up our bed until we deny our self efforts; our abilities, talents, etc., and freely choose to trust in Jesus.  When we rise up and believe in Him Who broke the power of sin, Jesus Christ will make us whole.

“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

Unbelief is the problem in the heart of man.  With our mouths we confess the Lord Jesus but our hearts are far from Him.  The hardest part of believing in the Cross of Christ is denying ourselves.  It is US who get in the way of our blessings because of unbelief.

^“13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

My friend, we must repent of our unbelief and decide this day in Whom we are going to follow.  Time is short.  We have Brothers and Sisters who need to rise up, take their bed and walk but are looking unto men to carry them to the healing waters.  The Lord wants to heal them but religion keeps them focused on themselves, therefore they cannot pick their cross and follow Jesus.

Who is going to tell the broken hearted Jesus heals them if the Church won’t?  Who?

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” Isaiah 6:8

-Donna Clark Warren

“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, ² And saying, Repent ye: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. 

³ For this is He that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.” Matthew 3:1-3

As a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, that which we preach and declare unto the people prepares the heart of the broken for the way of the Lord.  Sadly, too many are not making Jesus’ paths straight and are in fact hindering the way of the Lord.  Instead of lifting up the Cross of Christ to a lost and dying world, they choose  methods of man that are born of the flesh from the vanity of their own mind to prepare the heart for the way of the Lord.

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3

The simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is corrupted when fasting 21 days is given for deliverance from sin.  When prophecies from the mind of man are spewed to the people as a distraction from their broken hearts, blinded eyes or the captivity which has them bound; the way of the Lord is hindered.  There is no piercing asunder of the soul and spirit; no discerning of discerning of the intents and thoughts of the heart by the power of the Word of God being preached to the people under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 4:12).  Properly dividing the Word of God, a workman who needs not be ashamed will make straight the ways of the Lord to prepare the hearts of man to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  These unashamed preachers and teachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified will make the path straight for the brokenhearted, the captives, the blind and the bruised to be healed.

^“18 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, ¹⁹ To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19

Every word that comes out of the mouth of a God called preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified should be to prepare the heart of man to receive that which they need from the Lord…whatever that may be.  Make His path straight or get out of the way. Preach the Gospel.

-Donna Clark Warren

^“22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: ²³ But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; ²⁴ But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:22-24

Shallow faith, rooted in the outward observance of signs, does not grow rooted and grounded in Christ but is authored by sight which results in the seeing to see not the Cross of Christ as the Source and the means by which we receive from God.  Those with such shallow faith stumble over the Cross of Christ for daily living for God and live a defeated Christian life.

“(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” 2 Corinthians 5:7

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If faith is seen, it is not faith.  This is the faith that is authored and finished by Jesus Christ.  This faith, being rooted in the Word of God, will always and without fail direct us to the Cross of Christ for all that we need for life and living.  As a Believer, the power of sin is broken by Jesus’ finished work on Calvary’s Cross.  The Holy Spirit superintends the work of God in our hearts as we look unto Jesus, Who He is and what HE has done…not outward observance of signs and wonders.

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto you are also called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12

Lay hold on eternal life.  Fight the good fight of faith…faith in the Cross of Christ.

^“6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: ⁷ Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7

-Donna Clark Warren

^“12 But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name: ¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13

The revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the heart of the Believer is not a mental nod of accepting the possibility that Jesus Christ is the Son of God but a brokenness in our heart of our true condition as a sinner.  This brokenness is the conviction of the Holy Spirit as HE superintends His Ministry of drawing all men unto Jesus when the preacher who superintends their own ministry, lifts up the Name of Jesus to the people.

“And I (Jesus), if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.” John 12:32

To be sure, when the preacher stands behind the pulpit lifting up his own personal prophecies from the vanities of their own mind, they are not superintending their ministry of lifting up Jesus to the people; therefore, neither will the Holy Spirit superintend His ministry of drawing the people unto Jesus under such vanities.

Furthermore, the social gospel to draw men into a social or civic event under the guise of “religion”, has nothing to do with the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  In fact, such “events” bring reproach to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified because it brings lukewarm Christians together under the banner of “unity” which in reality is the banner of “compromise”.  These lukewarm Christians profess Christianity but do not know the Jesus of the Bible.  Sadly, they are deceived and have been sent a strong delusion as they are taught and subscribe to the vanities of man’s mind which are being presented as biblical doctrine because the “man of God” has declared such.

“For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

This conviction, the brokenness of the heart of the believing sinner, is one edge of the two edged sword.  While one edge cuts asunder, the other edge sears and heals the broken heart.  The newness of life becomes a reality as we learn to walk, precept upon precept and line upon line, IN the power of God through faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  The weight of sin being lifted because it’s power is broken at the Cross of Christ, we are now alive unto God.

“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

Continually looking unto Jesus, He Authors our faith in Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe.  As our faith in His finished work grows into a mustard tree, we know that we know that we know in Whom we have believed and are fully persuaded that He is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him(2 Timothy 1:12).

Finishing our faith, we are as children who are completely dependent upon Him.

“And said, Verily I say unto you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3

This revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done to pay the penalty of sin for the sinner and break the power of sin for the Believer, is revealed to those who willingly choose to believe.  The Spirit Himself bears witness that we are a Child of God (Romans 8:16).  This revelation of Jesus Christ is not born of blood, nor of flesh but of God.  Personally, I am convinced that there are untold thousands who have an intellectual knowledge of God but have not yet submitted unto Him.

“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.” John 3:16

This knowledge is not merely intellectual but a revelation to whosoever will believe.  Choose this day in Whom you will believe and be not moved from the power of God and the Truth of which has been given.  It is not about goose bumps and gold dust but a revelation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, for it is He Who lives in the Believer and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by faith in Him.  Be determined to know nothing else among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

-Donna Clark Warren

What we need to be in Christ, we simply cannot be within ourselves. If such were so, the Cross of Christ was in vain. Mankind does not have the ability to overcome the powers of darkness that are against us within ourselves. Our abilities, talents, education and intellect have no power over the devil and his minions.

“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 only spiritual law greater than the Law of Sin and Death is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit, who superintends these spiritual laws, is not commissioned to free us from the Law of Sin and Death when our faith is placed anywhere other than the Cross of Christ. Being born of the Spirit, we are Justified.

“5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit (natural child birth, NOT water baptism), he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:5-6

Buried with Christ Jesus by the baptism into His Death (Romans 6:4), we are IN Jesus and the Spirit of Life (the Holy Spirit) frees us from the Law of Sin and Death. Whether we choose to partake in this liberty we are now freely given through the Cross of Christ is another story all together. Due to religions many methods and vain philosophies, the Believer often gets swept to and fro with every wind of doctrine. The freedom from the Law of Sin and Death which the Believer is now afforded through their faith in the Cross of Christ, we unknowingly set aside for the religiosity that appeals to our flesh because it utilizes our abilities, talents, education and intellect. It is the seducing of seducing spirits; the deceit which creeps in unaware and leavens the whole lump.

“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; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;” 1 Timothy 4:1-2

The life more abundantly, peace beyond all understanding and joy unspeakable are stolen by the lies of the devil as our faith becomes focused on our efforts and the storms swirling around us continually distract.

“17 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.

18 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.

There are a people who are taking back what the devil has stolen. They are embracing the preaching of the Cross, the power of God, for daily living and have learned to deny themselves and partake in God’s Divine Nature. They have cast away the cares of the world and laid them at the Cross of Christ. These are a light on a hill; a peculiar people who have chosen to come out from among religion and follow Jesus.

“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

“Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6

God alone knows the way to life and living and He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as the Sacrificial Lamb to pay the penalty of sin for the sinner and break the power of sin for the Believer so that we may have life. Through the Cross of Christ we are alive unto God and afforded the ability to partake in God’s Divine Nature if we so choose.

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of God’s Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4

The way of man without God is corrupted and leads to death. No matter the vanities of humanistic psychology to overcome the world and live your best life now, it is a product of carnal minds under satan’s dominion. In the modern church, psychology is draped in Scripture to appear “right” to the unknowing Believer, whereby they then equate this doctrine of demons with biblical Christianity. Being deceived, the Believer leads a defeated Christian life because they are not partaking in God’s Divine Nature but learning worldly statutes believing them to be the “Truth”. The Truth (the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified for Salvation AND daily living for God) is no longer Truth when it has been corrupted with a lie. This IS the leaven which leavens the whole lump.

Prayerfully these Believers run this race to the end and enter the Gates of Pearl still smoking from the fire which continues to burn the many unprofitable works they have been toiling over in the ways of the world, as their faith remains steadfast in the Cross of Christ for Salvation. Sadly however, there are untold millions who give up and turn from God’s Prescribed Order for life and life more abundantly through faith in the Cross of Christ for everything they receive from God and turn from Him. Their faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified for Salvation is destroyed by the commandments of men given as doctrine and they lose their way. It is the devil’s purpose to destroy the Believers faith in the Cross of Christ and he uses religion to achieve his goal. The sincere yet deceived Believer is satan’s tool…just ask Adam.

“ But seek you first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

-Donna Clark Warren

“But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

What we need to be in Christ we cannot be on our own accord. Our self efforts and man mad rules to gain those things of which we should be in Christ are all vanities. Developing the Fruit of the Spirit in the heart of the Believer is the ministry of the Holy Spirit…not man’s. It is the circumcision made without hands. Old things pass away and we become a NEW creature in Christ Jesus through the ministry of the Holy Spirit when our faith is placed in the Cross of Christ. The Holy Spirit only works within the parameters of faith in the finished work of Jesus. He is not commissioned to do this work when our faith is in anything other than the Cross of Christ; not the wooden beam but Jesus Christ and Him crucified…Who HE is and what HE has done for whosoever will believe. Faith in our ability to produce the Fruit of the Spirit is not faith in the Cross of Christ but our own efforts.

If someone isn’t exhibiting the Fruit of the Spirit in their lives it is because their faith has been corrupted into something they must do. Friends, parents, husbands, wives….if there is no fruit, point them to the Jesus Christ and Him crucified for the answer in which they seek so the Holy Spirit can superintend the work He is commissioned to do.

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

There is peace with God through the Cross of Christ; sanctifying peace…peace beyond all understanding. We may not be perfect but we are at peace with our God Who loves us.

“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” Romans 6:22

Discern the fruit. Being made free from sin, we have become servants to God. The power of sin was broken by Jesus on Calvary’s Cross. We are alive unto God through the Cross of Christ and afforded the ability to partake in God’s Divine Nature. Choose this day in whom you will serve. Allow the Holy Spirit to produce in you fruit unto God through faith in the Cross of Christ. Be determined to know nothing else among you.

-Donna Clark Warren

^“13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His Disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?

¹⁴ And they said, Some say that You are John the Baptist: some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets.

¹⁵ He said unto them, But whom say you that I am?

¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

¹⁷ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but My Father which is in Heaven.

¹⁸ And I say also unto you, That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:13-18

This passage of Scripture has been greatly misunderstood through the ages, mainly due to the Roman Catholic’s teaching Peter being “the rock” of which the Lord built His Church.  Not so.  In verse 17 Peter Jesus calls Peter “Simon Barjona”, while in verse 18 Jesus refers to Peter as “Peter” which in the Greek means a “fragment of rock” and not “the rock”.  Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone is “The Rock”.  He is the head of His Church, not man (and that includes the pope).

The world does not know God through wisdom but by revelation alone.  When God revealed to “Simon Barjona” Who Jesus Christ is, the Son of the Living God, Simon Barjona became a living fragment of rock (Peter) of whom Jesus would use to build His Church.  Jesus Christ is the Chief Corner Stone which holds the Church (the Foundation) together.

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done to pay the penalty of sin for the sinner and break the power of sin for the Believer, can only come from God.  Intellectual knowledge of the Word of God does not reveal Jesus.  The natural man cannot receive the things of God.

“But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14

This revelation knowledge of Jesus Christ given by God to Peter, the same revelation given to every born again Believer, is that which Jesus builds His Church.  As living fragments of the Body of Christ, the gates of hell will not prevail.  Jesus; The Christ…The Son of the Living God, has nailed to His Cross the ordinances which were against us.  The principalities and powers of darkness against us have been made a show of by the Cross of Christ and utterly defeated.

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the Children of God:” Romans 8:16

Being born of the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit bears witness to our spirit.  This is the revelation knowledge of which the Church is built.  It’s not gold dust and angel feathers; nor is it sanctimonious ceremonies.  The revelation know of the Jesus Christ results in a new creature in Christ Jesus; not a rehabilitated creature.

^“17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

¹⁸ And all things are of God, Who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

¹⁹ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-19.

The born again Believer has been given a ministry of reconciliation.  This reconciliation was afforded by the Cross of Christ…the Power of God to us who are saved.  The world cannot receive this revelation until they hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified and choose to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Preach the Gospel Preacher.  No matter the amount of intellectual knowledge and charisma one may have, unless a man be born again; born of the Spirit of God, they will not see the Kingdom of God.  Redeem the time.

^“17 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.

¹⁸ 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

-Donna Clark Warren

^“13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

¹⁴ And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

¹⁵ And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them.

¹⁶ But their eyes were holden that they should not know Him.

¹⁷ And He said unto them, What manner of communications are these that you have one to another, as you walk, and are sad?”  Luke 24:13-17

After the death of Jesus and shortly after His Resurrection, Cleopas and another man who both knew Jesus but did not yet know of His Resurrection, were speaking of Him when He, in His Glorified Body, drew near and questioned them of their sadness.  Their response is striking.  

^“18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto Him, Are you only a stranger in Jerusalem, and have not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

¹⁹ And He said unto them, What things? And they said unto Him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: ²⁰ And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him.

²¹ But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.” Luke 24:18-21

The two men “…trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel…”.  Even though the prophets of old had declared the suffering Messiah to come; One Who would be despised and rejected, yet they believed them not.

“Who has believed our report? and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed?

² For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.

³ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” Isaiah 53:1-3

Throughout history mankind has chosen to believe certain parts of the Word of God and neglected the full counsel.  This cherry picking which caused many to stumble; the dismissing of that which is not pleasing to the masses, has too often resulted in another gospel and another Jesus being proclaimed.  Scriptures such as:

^“9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, ¹⁰ Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.” 1 Cor. 6:9-10

or

^“13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” 2 Cor. 11:13-15

or lastly;

^“8 This people draw nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. ⁹ But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:8-9, 

are all too often neglected.  Just as Scripture on Israel’s suffering Messiah was neglected by many, even His own disciples, so too are the Scriptures warning of false doctrines neglected in the modern church.  The prosperity and hyper grace gospels abound, while the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is rejected.  This rejection is never on theological grounds but moral.  The moral authority of the Word of God is what is rejected.  The compromise is always on moral grounds.  Look at most in the modern church today and one can clearly see a people who openly condone and accept what the Word of God declares as sin.

^“16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

ALL Scripture, not some, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness.  We either believe this to be true or we believe it to be a lie.

Prayerfully consider.

-Donna Clark Warren

^“17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.)

¹⁸ Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the Righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made Righteous.

²⁰ Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

²¹ That as sin has reigned unto death, even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:17-21

By one man’s offense, the fall of Adam, death reigns in the heart of the unbeliever.  Because of Adam’s original sin we are all born with a sin nature which reigns and grows in our heart.  It is not our sin nature that sends us to hell, if such were so, every child that died young would be in a devil’s hell.  God forbid NO!

However, it is because of our sin nature that mankind is bent toward evil.  Make no mistake, those who may appear “good” in the eyes of man yet they are not born again, are evil in the eyes of God.  Their righteousness is self righteousness.  Grace cannot reign in the hearts of man through self righteousness but only the Righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord imputed to the believing Sinner upon conversion.

The unredeemed do not have the power to deny the devil.  He is their lord who comes with many hats…depending on the particular evil of which they are bent.  If we could deny the devil before our conversion, the Cross of Christ was in vain.

^“3 Know you 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.” Romans 6:3-4

Once the believing sinner accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior, we are baptized into Jesus’ death.  Our sin nature is not dead but through this “baptism into (His)”, we are dead unto our sin nature of which we were espoused to due to Adam’s fall.

^“2 For the woman which has an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he lives; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

³ So then if, while her husband lives, 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, you also are become dead to the law by the Body of Christ; that you should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.” Romans 7:2-4

Being buried with Christ Jesus, we “…become dead to the law by the Body of Christ; that you should be married to another,…“.  No more are we espoused to the Law of Sin and Death which condemned us to death because of Adam’s disobedience but made free by the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus because of Jesus’ obedience that we may be made Righteous and bring forth fruit unto God.

“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 has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death.” Romans 8:1-2

There is but one Law greater than the Law of Sin and Death and that is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.  By this Law the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, Grace reigns in our hearts through Righteousness freely imputed to the Believer.  The devil knows this and trembles.  Satan knows when the Believer’s faith is placed solely and exclusively in the Cross of Christ; our faith in JESUS’ obedience, that we are freely justified unto God by HIS (Jesus’) Righteousness and not our own.  Our righteousness is as filthy rags.

^“8 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. ⁹ For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:8-9

It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to superintend the work of God in the heart of the Believer.  He is the One commissioned to dethrone and isolate the sin nature upon accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior…not man.  Philosophies and vain deceit after the traditions of men are offered up with all sincerity from the religious as doctrine.

“But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:9

Such doctrines, the rules and methods involved, even though cloaked in Scripture and may indeed be an ordinance of the church, are gross error when given to gain righteousness.  Such righteousness is the same righteousness as the heathen; self righteousness.  The doctrines cause the Child of God to live a defeated Christian life as they are swept to and fro with every wind of doctrine.

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

It is by Grace through faith that we are Saved; justified by the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, and it is by Grace through faith that we are kept THROUGH His Righteousness unto eternal life (Romans 5:21).