“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

The devil is a lie and the father of them.  He wouldn’t be the devil if he didn’t try to steal, kill and destroy.

“I am He that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”  Revelation 1:18

There are some who need to be reminded that Jesus holds the keys of hell and of death…not satan.  Jesus Christ has made a way for whosoever will believe in His redeeming work to escape an eternal hell. He does not send anyone to hell…we all willingly choose our eternal destination.

“⁹ For in Him (JESUS) dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

¹⁰ And you are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power:

¹¹ In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

¹² Buried with Him in baptism (Baptism of His death, Romans 6:3-4), wherein also you are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, Who has raised Him from the dead.

¹³ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

¹⁵ And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”  Colossians 2:9-15

Some like to think that there was a fight in hell between Jesus and satan but this is not true.  Satan wants no part of our Lord.  The devil knows that he is a defeated foe.  Jesus Christ came to die on Calvary’s Cross to blot out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us.  IN HIM we have life and life more abundantly.  We either believe that to be true or we believe it to be a lie.

“¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

¹² Then shall you call upon Me, and you shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.

¹³ And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13.

Seek Him while He can be found.  Know Him…know in Whom you have believed, Jesus Christ and Him crucified…be determined to know nothing else among you.

-Donna Clark Warren

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

For years I smoked.  If any of you have ever smoked, you know what a beast it is to quit. However, before I was born again I tried Chantix and quit.  Now, fast forward 4 years.  I had been saved for about a year,  I loved the Lord, chasing Him night and day…and then I stumbled.  One day with a friend, I thought I could just smoke one cigarette.  Make no mistake friends, sin is not stagnant; it will always take you further than you want to go.

Here I was, declaring the Gospel, attending revivals literally almost every night but fighting for my very life.  Very few people knew this sin had dominion over me…the Bible says it shouldn’t.  I prayed everyday asking the Lord to forgive me.  As much as I prayed, I was trying to quit.  Over and over and over with the same result…failure.  I was indeed forgiven but I had not been delivered.  O’wretched woman was I!!

“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 7:22-24

Finally there came a day; I was broken and confused.  My word of faith friends would say I didn’t have enough faith.  Please let me be clear, no where in the Word of God does it tell us the amount of our faith is relative to our blessings.  Faith of a mustard seed can move a mountain.  We must have faith…absolutely, but it is the Object of our faith that moves mountains, not the amount.  It is there, upon that Cornerstone, the redeeming work of Jesus Christ which broke the power of sin in the Believer’s life, that our faith is authored and finished.  If our faith is in our self efforts, that mountain is going to get bigger and bigger…trust me, I know.  That one cigarette that day, quickly turned in to a pack a day.

As I laid in the floor crying out to God that I can’t quit smoking, I remember specifically praying “Lord you’re going to have to take this from me because I can’t quit.” Granted, I couldn’t at the time articulate “what” it was I was doing or “how” I had just prayed.  All I know is I was speaking the truth.  I couldn’t quit smoking. Many will say you must resolve to quit.  Not so. If we could just resolve to stop sinning, the Cross of Christ was in vain. God forbid no.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

What I had actually done, again without being able to actually articulate this at the time, was FINALLY submit to God.  I had been fighting in vain to overcome this sin that had so easily beset me and when I finally decided to stop fighting; when I stopped trying to say no to the sin, and finally said YES to God, the Lord INSTANTLY took the desire away.  I rose up from that prayer with no desire for a cigarette…none.

“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

Unknowingly, I was bound by the law of sin and death because my faith had been placed in my efforts…my resolve to deny those cigarettes.  Instead of denying myself and picking up my dominion over sin, I was denying God and denying His free gift.

For me, I was bound by nicotine.  However, for others it may be alcohol, pornography or any other “sins of the flesh”.  This is a bondage that cannot be overcome by our resolve. I’m not speaking here of those who believe God’s Grace is a license to sin.  I’m speaking of those who love the Lord but cannot overcome sin.  These are sins that we can see but make no mistake, there are those that cannot be seen but are indeed sin.  They are perhaps the worst kind of bondage.  I speak here of self righteousness, pride, religious spirits, etc.

You see, regarding smoking, my first mistake was knowingly turning away from the precepts of God when I picked up that first cigarette.  I did that willingly but I was deceived in that I thought I would be able to “just say no” to that second cigarette, then that third cigarette, etc., etc..  Not so friends.

The fight isn’t about saying “no” to sin but saying yes to God. So why didn’t I just try Chantix again?  Honestly speaking, I didn’t have the money to afford Chantix and for that I’m grateful.  If I could have afforded Chantix, I would have probably tried it again and would not now know the power of God to take the desires that are not pleasing to Him away and place His desires in my heart.  Since that day in prayer I have not had a single desire for a cigarette and I give God all the glory.

“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

There is dominion of sin and freedom from captivity in your cross but first we must deny ourselves.  For Jesus, the Cross was a place of great suffering.  For Believers, our cross is a place of great blessing.  The devil won’t flee until we are submitted to God.  It is the Lord who puts the hedge of protection around His Children. Fight the good fight of faith.

-Donna Clark Warren

“¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

¹⁷ For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17

As a Believer, we are justified by faith in the redeeming work of Jesus and we live by faith in the redeeming work of Jesus.  This faith is one and the same.  Once the sinner understands that they cannot save themselves and believes that God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for dying humanity and accepts HIS (Jesus’) finished work as the only means by which they will be delivered from sin and death, they are Saved (John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10, 13;  Ephesians 2:8-9).

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

Under Grace through faith, sin does not have dominion over the Believer.  This does not mean we will not stumble. Sadly, we are human and we will stumble.  We will make mistakes but sin will not have dominion as long as we repent and place our faith solely in the atoning work of Jesus Christ to deliver us from this sin that so easily besets us.

Religion will present distractions or excuses for sin but will never give the answer.  Satan doesn’t want those sincere Christians who truly love God to be delivered from their bondages.  The devil doesn’t want the effective work of the Cross of Christ to deliver dominion from sin to the Saints so he keeps them busy; tossing them to and fro with every wind of doctrine to hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.  Yes, greater is He (the Holy Spirit) in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4), BUT when we are chasing rabbits to do what only the Holy Spirit can do through faith in the Son of God, we are hindering the Holy Spirit.

This is why we preach Christ and Him crucified!  This is why we hold Jesus Christ up to the brokenhearted and preach deliverance to the captives.  There is a joy unspeakable and full of glory and peace beyond all understanding but we must realize that Jesus Christ is the Source and His Cross the means by which these blessing flow…not 40 days of purpose, humanistic psychology or religious ceremonies.

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

-Donna Clark Warren

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

God manifested in the flesh and came to die on Calvary’s Cross to redeem whosoever will believe. His Name is Jesus and He IS the Living Word.  In Italian, the name Jesus is spelled “Gesu”, in Chinese His name is spelled “Yesu” and in Hebrew the name Jesus is “Yeshua“.  Just because a name is spoken in a different language does not mean that the object of the name has changed.  Sadly, too many get caught up on the “name” of the object and never know the Object, namely Jesus Christ, the Word Who was made flesh and dwelt among us.

^“12 But as many as received Him, 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.

¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of Grace and Truth.” John 1:12-14

Jesus came to earth full of Grace and Truth yet many did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave POWER to become the sons of God.

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

The world, who has not received Jesus, are not the Children of God.  How often do we hear “we are all God’s Children”?  This is simply not so.  We are all God’s creation but only those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, has He given them the power to become a Child of God.  The unsaved cannot willingly submit unto God.  It is through our freewill that we choose to believe in Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He did on Calvary’s Cross to pay the penalty of sin for the sinner and break the power of sin for the Believer, that the Holy Spirit is commissioned to bear witness with our spirit that we are a Child of God.

The human heart is made up of the soul and the spirit.  Our soul feels and our spirit knows.  The world can appeal to our soul, the lusts of our flesh which are driven by emotions continually seek but never find the “knowing”…the “knowing” of the witness of the Holy Spirit that only comes by faith in the Son of God.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Until we choose to believe, we will never know.  We may have an intellectual knowledge of the Word of God.  We may indeed know that His Hebrew name is “Yeshua”, or His Italian name is “Gesu”…but until we know HIM, the Source of our Salvation, we don’t know in Whom we have believed.

“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” 1 Timothy 1:2

-Donna Clark Warren

“For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged 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

The Word of God, the sword of the Spirit, lays waste vain imaginations and philosophies of man.  This IS the two edge sword with which Christ subdues His enemies and It does not come back void (Isaiah 55:11). God’s Word is the axe at the root of the tree which doesn’t bring forth good fruit.

“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

For the Believer to pick up carnal weapons prescribed by man to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil, we are in fact picking up another sword.  The pulpits who pick up any other sword other than the Word of God to advance the Kingdom will in fact perish with the weapon by which they have lifted up among the people…for all who take the sword shall perish by the sword (Matthew 26:52).

The axe is at the root of the tree.  Judgment begins at the House of God.  Discern the weapon we bear.  Is it carnal?

God’s weapon is His Word and cannot be used against Him.  It will divide asunder the evil intent cloaked with good intentions and place those who have believed and chose to follow Jesus Christ on solid ground.  The Word of God is the sword by which our hearts are circumcised and our faith is built on a sure foundation of Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross for whosoever will believe. If it’s not Jesus Christ and Him crucified, it is another sword…it is another Jesus.

From Genesis to Revelation we are told of God’s Redemption plan for all of humanity and it was and is by Grace through faith…faith in Jesus Christ and His redeeming work on Calvary’s Cross. Knowing Who He is and what He did, we have no doubt as to His glorious Resurrection and because of His Resurrection we know, that we know, that we know that every sin was paid in full.  The penalty of sin was paid and the power of sin broken by the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

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

Preach the Word, sword by which the Lord subdues His enemies.  Be instant in season and out of season.  Know in Whom you have believed.  Be determined to know nothing else among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

-Donna Clark Warren

“³ 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.

⁴ For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4

Sadly, there are so many false apostles and deceitful workers on television that have passed for preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that much of the Body of Christ no longer recognizes the difference.  Those who at one time knew the difference, they knew the voice of the Lord, chose to bear with these preachers preaching another Jesus and they themselves have been deceived…the serpent has indeed beguiled them.

“¹⁴ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

¹⁵ And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is Salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you;

¹⁶ As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things before, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

¹⁸ But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:14-18

Beware of being led away with error by the twisting of Scriptures which are not easily understood and molded to mean something the Holy Spirit never intended. Grow in Grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The Word of God is ALIVE…it is a discerner of our thoughts and intents of our heart (Hebrews 4:12) and can therefore never be exhausted.  Do not bear with those preaching another Jesus.  Jesus plus anything is another Jesus and is accursed.

“But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8

Search the Scriptures daily.  Work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling. We will all give an account of how we rightly divided the Word of God.  Bearing with those who use Scripture as bait to seduce those who are unlearned has caused/allowed many to stumble.  A “Purpose Driven Life” is another gospel. Blood Moons, Shemitahs and Harbingers…another gospel. Humanistic psychology is another gospel.  None of these direct our faith to the Author and Finisher of our faith…Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done for whosoever will believe, but distract and destroy our faith in their vain attempt to author and finish it themselves.

“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

-Donna Clark Warren

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

² For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2-4

The means by which satan holds the Believer captive is sin.  Yes, Believers are held captive by satan because of sin because their faith is placed in methods of man for victory over the world, the flesh and the devil and they are bound by the law of sin and death.

There is no law stronger than the law of sin and death.  Self effort cannot break this law. Sit ups will not overcome this law.  Religious ceremonies, even Scriptural ordinances of the church (water baptism, fasting, communion, etc.), will not and cannot loose us from the law of sin and death.

God has given us His answer to sin and that is Jesus Christ Who came to die on Calvary’s Cross to pay the penalty of sin for sinners (John 3:16) AND to break the power of sin for Saints (Romans 6:14).  Our faith in the redeeming work of Jesus gives the Holy Spirit latitude to do what He is commissioned to do…free us from the law of sin and death.

The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus requires faith in Jesus, Who He is and what He has done to give us (Believers) dominion over sin…not our self efforts or self will.  The fruit of the Spirit is temperance but if we our bound by the law of sin and death, we’re not going to have that fruit.

“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

We cannot follow Jesus until we deny ourselves.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

We cannot resist the devil unless we are submitted to God.

The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus is the only way to be free from the law of sin and death.  As long as well-intentioned Believers look to and point to humanistic psychology, superstition and any and all other methods of man from the vanities of their own mind, they will remain bound – captives of satan because of sin having dominion in their hearts and lives.  I did not say they were lost and condemned to hell, no…they are bound by the law of sin and death.  Many of God’s Children are bound and in need of deliverance.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:14-15

When the enemy comes, in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19).  The Lord is bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified back to the church to free the captives from the law of sin and death.  The picture of the end time church is one of Jesus on the outside knocking.  They have left their first love…not lost Him.  Do you hear Him knocking?

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

-Donna Clark Warren

“⁹ Know you 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 Corinthians 6:9-10

There are Believers out there that know this Scripture all too well.  They truly love the Lord but they are bound by sin (alcohol, pornography, homosexuality, SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS).  They hate their sin just as much as others hate their sin but they cannot stop.  We will often find them in various programs at the church seeking counsel to overcome this “addiction” and because of this they are accepted into the fold.

On the other hand, there are those who struggle with the same problems alone.  We often sit by them weekly at church, having no idea of the spiritual battles they face on a daily basis.

These Believers I speak of, our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, are held captive by satan and being told by well meaning church folk to “just say no”.  “Repent” from their wicked ways.  Hear me when I say this, amen – we MUST repent. Without repentance, there is no forgiveness. However, forgiveness is not deliverance and what these people need is deliverance. I’m not speaking of those who claim Christianity merely as a title, creed or dogma and don’t want to forsake their sin as in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, those people are not saved irrespective of their claims.  I’m speaking of those who truly love the Lord, have repented but are still bound.

“¹⁹ For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

²⁰ Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.

²¹ 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 7:19-24

When we all come to that O wretched man moment, it is not a matter of just saying no – if that were so, the Cross of Christ was in vain.  It is not a matter of repentance – we repent often, we stumble often…WHO shall deliver me from the body of this death?

“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 Gospel of Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He did on Calvary’s Cross to BREAK the power of sin in the Believer’s life will set the captives free.  Sin does not have dominion over us, we are under Grace not law (Romans 6:14).  The same Gospel of Jesus Christ and that paid the penalty of sin for sinners, also broke the power of sin for the Saints.  It is the Gospel that the church needs, not 12 steps, 40 days of purpose, religious ceremonies, traditions, feasts, festivals and every other wind of doctrine that comes down the pike.

They, those who are bound, need to know the power of God to deliver them.  They need to look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of their faith, and SEE the Salvation of the Lord in their life…not some humanistic philosophy from the vanities of man’s mind with a twist of Scripture as the bait to deceive the very elect.

“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

When the well meaning Christians direct God’s Children who are being held captive by sin to other methods for deliverance from sin the captives will remain bound by the law of sin and death.  The Holy Spirit is not commissioned to free us, no matter our “good intentions”, from the law of sin and death when we are looking to man made methods to overcome sin.  When the Gospel is preached to the captives and their faith is directed to the Person and the work of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit isolates our sin nature enabling us to submit to God and resist the devil (James 4:7). This IS the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus…denying our self efforts and submitting ourselves to the Lord.

Friends, it is not a matter of “just saying no” to sin…it is a matter of submitting to God. We are unable to willingly submit to God unless our faith is in Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He did to break the power of sin in the Believer’s life. When our sin nature is on the throne in our heart, we do not have the power to submit to God. It is stronger than our free will and can ONLY be isolated by the power of the Holy Spirit when our faith is in Jesus Christ and His finished work…not philosophies or humanistic psychology.

Have you preached to them deliverance?  It is the Power of God to us who are saved.

“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:23-24

-Donna Clark Warren

There are three separate baptisms mentioned in the New Testament.

1.  Baptism into Death: ^“Know you not, that so many of us as were Baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 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
2.  Water Baptism that witnesses to all that the Believer has accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and dedicated his or her heart and life to Him as seen in Matthew 28:19, “Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:“
3. Baptism in the Holy Spirit: “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the Promise of the Father, which, said He, you have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Acts 1:4-5

There is a difference in being born of the Spirit (John 3:5) and being Baptized with the Spirit.  At Salvation, the Holy Spirit comes into our heart and Baptizes us into the death of Jesus, into the Body of Christ, and we are “born of the Spirit”.

After our Salvation…and ONLY after our Salvation, can one be Baptized in water or Baptized in the Holy Spirit.

“⁴ But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

⁵ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

⁶ Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

⁷ That being justified by His Grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7

The washing and regeneration of our heart begins at Salvation, when we are born again…born of the Spirit, baptized into Jesus’ death.  This is the ONLY baptism required for Salvation, the Baptism into the Body of Christ when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

The human heart is made up of the soul and the spirit.  Our soul feels and our spirit knows. When the Holy Spirit enters our heart and begins His mighty work and we are “born of the Spirit” through our faith in Jesus Christ,  He isolates our sin nature and places in our soul the desire to know God and bears witness with our spirit that we are a Child of God (Romans 8:16).

“¹¹ In Whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

¹² Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, Who has raised Him from the dead.” Colossians 2:11-12.

We are justified by faith through Grace, not works.  The Baptism into the Body of Christ is the only baptism necessary to be born again.  That is not a matter of interpretation…that is a matter of fact.  The minute we add to what Jesus Christ did on Calvary’s Cross to justify fallen man, we are adding to His finished work and have fallen from Grace.

“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from Grace.” Galatians 5:4

-Donna Clark Warren

The Word of God is the only revealed Truth in the World.  It speaks of the creation of man (Genesis 1 and 2), the fall of man (Genesis 3) and the redemption of man (Genesis 4 – Revelation 22:21).  The Blood of Jesus has always been God’s Plan for redeeming mankind.

At the Cross, the righteousness of the Law was fulfilled in its entirety by Jesus’ perfect life (Matthew 5:17).  It is to HIM that the porter (the Law) opens the door to righteousness, not climbing up another way.   The porter does not open the door to our feasts and our festivals that are mere symbols.

“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 who 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.

Jesus as well satisfied the demands of the Law at Calvary’s Cross for whosoever will believe.  The penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and sin is the means by which satan holds us captive.

Furthermore, at the Cross, Jesus gave the Believer dominion over sin for daily living (Romans 6:14).  The Cross was a place of great suffering for Jesus, but for us it is a place of great blessing.

“And He (Jesus) 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

We cannot follow Jesus Christ until we take up our cross…our blessings, and we cannot take up our blessings until we deny ourselves.  Such is why self efforts and self will cannot suffice.  Self control (temperance) is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and can only be obtained by denying ourselves, picking up our cross and following Jesus, not by merely changing one’s mind.

Now let us talk about what Jesus DID NOT do at the Cross that is rampant in the word of faith doctrine.

1. Jesus DID NOT die spiritually on the Cross.

“For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death IN THE FLESH, but quickened by the Spirit:” 1 Peter 3:18 (emphasis added).  To be spiritually dead is to be separated from God, just as all are before Salvation.

2. Jesus DID NOT become a sinner on the Cross.

“For such an High Priest became us, Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” Hebrews 7:26

3. Most importantly, Jesus WAS NOT defeated at the Cross.  It was His Blood shed at the Cross that washed our sins away (Revelation 1:5).  We are washed because we are loved…not loved because we are washed.  The word of faith’s claim of defeat at the Cross is blasphemy.

  “¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross;

¹⁵ And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:14-15

This is the problem with the word of faith doctrine.  One cannot be saved believing in this doctrine.  When we get the Atonement wrong, we get God’s entire redemption plan wrong.  Knowing Who Jesus is and what He did on Calvary’s Cross to redeem fallen man to God, there is no doubt as to His Resurrection.  The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof that every sin, past, present and future was paid in full…it is finished.

“Beloved, when I (Jude) gave all diligence to write unto you of the common Salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints.” Jude 1:3

Contend for the faith.  Defend the doctrines of Christianity according to the Word of God…not man made doctrines. Study to show thyself approved. Try the spirits…search the Scriptures daily.

In Him,

-Donna Clark Warren