Living the Victorious Christian Life: Established in the Gift of Righteousness

But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 corinthians 15:57 AMPC

But thanks be to God, who is always leading us in triumph in · Christ, and through us is making known the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 MOUNCE

 Winning, who gets tired of winning? Seeing your team or favorite athlete win stirs excitement and jubilation. I have some good news. In Christ, we have already won the victory.

 We have been delving into the truths we must know to walk in victory this side of Heaven. We have seen how wisdom, hope, Faith, and understanding the creative power of words assures us victory. Today, I want to continue and look at a vital truth for believers to walk in continuous victory.

  For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.  Romans 5:17 NASB

For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Romans 5:17 AMPC

 When we receive of the Gift of Righteousness, we will reign in this life as a King. What does a king do? He rules and reigns. He stands upright and fearless not shrinking back with fear or timidity.

 What is Righteousness? Righteousness is God's beautiful and perfect gift that gives permanent right standing with the Father. It is that gift where one can stand in the presence of the Father without any sense, feeling, or impression of fear, guilt, shame, or inferiority. It is that gift where we have been accepted and approved by the Father. It is that gift David himself spoke of, where sin is never again imputed to us. 

 That is, no sin we commit is charged to our account. This gift brings non-imputation of sin. This is why Paul tells us in Romans 5:17 that those who receive abundant Grace and receive OF the Gift of Righteousness reign as Kings in this life. We must receive of this Gift of Righteousness to benefit from it.  

 When we receive of this gift we walk in peace. Romans 5:1 tells us we have peace with God because we are declared Righteous. The work of Righteousness is peace. Peace brings us to a place of certainty and surety.

 Peace brings rest to our souls. We have the confident assurance we are loved by our Father. It brings security, anchoring us in the ever-present reality of abiding in Him, and He will never let us go or forsake us.

 Receiving Righteousness reminds us that we are accepted and approved by God. This is all because of His Righteousness, not our performance. Often, we engage in all kinds of activity to gain a sense of acceptance or approval. 

 When we receive of the Gift of Righteousness we begin to understand we don't have to do something to become approved. We begin to come to God based on Christ's work, not our own. We can come to our Father knowing He is always pleased with us.

When we receive of this Gift of Righteousness, we will not cower under the pressure of condemnation, accusation, and guilt. We will walk free from the lies of the enemy. The enemy accuses us of never measuring up and says we need to do more to gain God's approval.

 The beauty of receiving of the Gift of Righteousness is that we hold on to the truth that we are already accepted, approved, and pleasing to the Father, all because of Jesus. We can't become more loved, more approved, or more accepted. Our actions, deeds, and performance don't make us more approved or loved by our Father. The Father is already pleased with Jesus' Finished Work; what more can we add to a finished work? 

 How do we then receive of this gift? We receive of this Gift of Righteousness by Faith alone. We can't earn it, we can't work for it, and we can't eventually achieve it. It is a gift, a free gift, and a gift can only be received. 

 If we can earn it, achieve it, or work for it, then it is no longer a gift but a wage earned. Righteousness is a free gift—a gift we can't work for; it is only received by Faith. To take full advantage of the gift, we must fully understand what it is, meditate on its truths, and actively lay hold of what is already ours because of Jesus. 

 Beloved, remember righteousness is not something you earn, but a gift you receive. It’s a divine exchange—Christ took your sin and gave you His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Imagine standing before God, completely unashamed, fully confident in His love for you. That’s the reality of righteousness in Christ.

Today, make this truth your anchor. Declare boldly, 'I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! I reign in life because of His abundant grace and righteousness!' Watch as this revelation transforms your walk with God, bringing peace, joy, and victory every day

  In summation, receiving wisdom, His wisdom, clinging to hope, walking by Faith, speaking in agreement only with Christ's redemptive work, all that He provided for us through Grace, and receiving of the Gift of Righteousness is how to walk in victory. This is the victorious life in Christ. 

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Living the Victorious Christian Life: Words

But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 corinthians 15:57 AMPC

But thanks be to God, who is always leading us in triumph in · Christ, and through us is making known the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 MOUNCE

 Who doesn't like winning? We wouldn't follow a sports team very long if all they did was lose every single game they played. It's the same in the spiritual arena. In Christ, we have reason to celebrate. We who have received the free gift of Grace are now victors in this life. We are winners, champions, and triumphant, all because of Jesus.

 Living a life of victory is what Christ provided for us in this life as well as the one to come. He has given us the provision, tools, and keys, if you will, to be victorious in life. Delving into this victorious life, we have seen wisdom, hope, and Faith as important factors in living victorious lives. 

 Today, I want to go further into these areas by looking at the words we speak daily;

For the word of a king is authoritative and powerful, And who will say to him, “What are you doing?” Ecclesiastes 8:4 AMP

 Words are powerful and creative. Words are containers. They either contain life, goodness, Grace, and Faith or death, cursing, unbelief, and condemnation. In desiring to live victoriously, we must ask ourselves what are we speaking? What are we saying?

 Most believers are familiar with the passage in Proverbs that says death and life are in the power of the tongue. What is more powerful is reading it in the context of the previous verse. 

From the fruit of a man's mouth is his belly satisfied, From the increase of his lips he is satisfied. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:20-21 YLT

 Words continually spoken reveal where we are in our thinking and what we have been feeding on consistently. Words of doubt, fear, worry, and anxiety show that we are feeding on and giving attention to the symptoms, the problem, the lack, and the current circumstances we face. 

 It's not that we should ignore what we are going through. It's not that we should pretend nothing is wrong or deny what is happening or what we face. Walking in victory means we shift our focus, thinking, and belief onto God's provision and promise. 

 Look at an athletic event for example of what I am speaking of. Say it's the 4th quarter with 5 minutes left to play and the team is down 14 points. Does this mean it's over? No hope of winning the game? 

 That depends on what the players and coaches are giving attention to. If they only see the deficit on the scoreboard, the abilities of the opposing defense, and their own deficiencies, they will not overcome the odds. Champions look not at the circumstances but at the possibilities of victory. 

 In other words, they have hope, they don't quit. They have positive expectations to overcome the deficit. They exercise wisdom in calling and executing plays. They believe they can and they act on their belief and go for it. 

 So what are we feeding on? What are we giving attention to? If we feed on the Word of Christ, what He has done, what He has provided, and what the Father promises, our beliefs and thinking begin to align with what is written and what He accomplished. Our words then begin to agree with God and not disagree with Him.

 We can talk ourselves out of the promises and provisions of God. I know that cuts cross grain the hyper-sovereignty view so many preach about God. This is not God withholding from us. This is not God saying no I won't bless you now because of poor performance. 

 This is us disagreeing with God and unwittingly telling Him no. He will not override our will. Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 

 Words are a powerful force in the universe. God created the whole universe by speaking to it. Faith and confession, or agreement, are inseparable truths. Faith is released by words. We got saved by words spoken. Now we didn't cause the salvation but words made it real in our lives. 

 By faith [that is, with an inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, wisdom and goodness of God] we understand that the worlds (universe, ages) were framed and created [formed, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose] by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:3 AMP

 Our words are framing our own world. If we agree or disagree with God, we will see our lives framed by that which we speak. If we believe He holds our sins against us and speak that out, our lives will be framed with guilt, shame, inferiority, and condemnation. On the other hand, if we agree with God that we are forever forgiven and made Righteous, our lives will be framed with peace, confidence, and freedom.

 Faith's confession agrees with the reality that Grace already made. Faith's confession creates that reality in our own life. Speaking in alignment with Christ and the promises of the Father frames our world with Faith, hope, victory, and wholeness in every area of life.

 Abram spoke in agreement with God and manifested the promise. God changed his name to Abraham. That means father of a multitude. He called him the father of a multitude when he currently wasn't. Abraham kept agreeing with God, calling himself the father of a multitude, and soon after Isaac was born. 

 So let me ask what are you saying? The Word doesn't let the weak say I am weak. it says to let the weak say I am strong. What are you saying? 

 "God can't forgive me, I have sinned so terribly."

 "God won't forgive me this time, I have committed this sin once too often!"

 "There is no way God can help me. This situation is impossible."

  "I can't receive healing, this is incurable."

 "God can't provide for me, this is too big for even God."

 In summation, words are one of the most powerful forces in the universe. Let's add our agreement with the Grace of God, the Finished Work of Christ, and God's Word. Let's speak out in agreement with God and not the situation. Let's consider Jesus and the Father's great Love for us and not the problem. Let's embrace the victorious Christian life with the words we speak. 

 I declare victory, hope, healing, power, and blessing over every area of your life in Jesus' name. 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Living the Victorious Christian Life: Faith

 

But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 corinthians 15:57 AMPC

But thanks be to God, who is always leading us in triumph in · Christ, and through us is making known the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 MOUNCE 

 What comes to mind when you hear the word "victory"? Maybe it’s when your favorite sports team wins or a long-standing problem finally gets resolved. Victory brings a sense of relief, joy, and fulfillment when challenges are overcome.

 The Good News of Jesus Christ is that in Him, we have victory—not just occasionally, but as an ongoing part of our lives. Through His work on the cross, He has equipped us with everything we need to live victoriously. As we delve into living the victorious Christian life, we’ve seen how wisdom and hope empower us. Today, we’ll explore another vital key: Faith.

 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 1 John 5:4 NKJV

 Faith is the foundation for walking triumphantly. Now, Faith is not merely what denomination you belong to or the religious belief system you hold to. Let's define Faith so we are on the same page.

 A simple definition and understanding of faith is being fully persuaded. Persuaded of what? That God is a Good Father and is for us, not against us. In essence, it's having a good opinion of God. 

 More precisely defined Faith is the assurance, the conviction, the "title deed" of the things we hope for (positively expect for), being the proof of things we do not see, the conviction of their reality, Faith perceiving, fully assured, as real fact what is not yet revealed to the senses. This is a detailed definition and understanding of Faith.

  I believe this definition beautifully captures the essence of Faith as described in Hebrews 11:1—Faith is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." The perspective that Faith is a "title deed" is powerful because it emphasizes that Faith is our legal, spiritual claim to what grace has already provided. When we have Faith, we’re holding the title deed to promises and realities that may not yet be visible in the physical realm but are assured in the spiritual realm.

Building on this, Faith is our confident trust in God’s character, promises, and His Finished Work through Jesus. Faith is a fully persuaded heart that embraces what God has already done by grace, even when our senses or circumstances don’t yet align with it. It’s a stance of inner certainty, holding onto God’s truth as more real than any other reality.

 In practice, Faith operates from a place of rest and expectation, not striving or uncertainty. It is the active assurance that what God has promised is not just possible but certain, and we live in accordance with that conviction. When we "speak in Faith," we're not trying to manifest something new; we're simply releasing into our lives what has already been accomplished in the spiritual realm through grace.

 Faith is not about earning or striving. Yes, there is an effort in Faith, but the effort is not about earning or attempting to gain something from God as payment for our doing, our performing, or our works. The fight of Faith is to rest in what He has already accomplished.

 Walking by Faith is key to living victoriously in this life. We have a positive expectation of good because of Jesus' Finished Work. His triumphant work of redemption brings us hope. Faith is what gives substance to that which we hope for. Without hope there is nothing for Faith to give substance to. Without Faith, what we hope for is merely wishful thinking because we have nothing to give substance to our expectations. 

 Faith is not moved by time, by circumstance, or how we feel. Faith declares God's Word is true. God's Word isn't true because I feel it or experience it. God's Word is true because God said it. Faith having a good opinion of God, is fully persuaded that His Word is true regardless of experience, and because it is true, we will experience it in our personal lives. 

 Faith is not "blind faith." Faith is not a fantasy or fairy tale. Faith is rooted in what Jesus has done, what He has procured, purchased, and provided for in the Finished Work of redemption. 

 Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ Jesus. The more we hear about Jesus, the more Faith comes. The more we continue to hear and act like what He said and has done for us is true and actively believe for His provision to manifest, the more our Faith grows and develops.    

 Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. That is whatever is contrary to Grace, to redemption, to the Finished Work, to His Love, His Goodness, Faith is what overcomes that. Faith is the victory! 

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Living the Victorious Christian Life

 

But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 corinthians 15:57 AMPC

But thanks be to God, who is always leading us in triumph in · Christ, and through us is making known the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 MOUNCE

"Victory! Who doesn’t love the thrill of winning, the joy of a hard-fought triumph? Whether in sports, life, or faith, we all want to experience the elation of victory. When our team wins, we erupt with joy, shouting, high-fiving, and savoring the victory. But when we lose, even though we may be good sports, the sting of defeat lingers. We all crave that feeling of winning—whether in sports or in life.

  But here’s the best part: as Christians, we don’t have to wonder whether we’ll win or lose. In Christ, the victory has already been secured. Every day, no matter the challenges we face, we can walk in triumph because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. 

Victory in Christ!

 Jesus has already won the ultimate victory through His finished work on the cross. He became the curse for us, fully redeeming us from the curse of the Law. His triumph over sin, death, and the enemy is final—and that victory is ours to live in every day.

 Through Christ, we are more than a conqueror. We are not victims but victors in Him. Throughout the New Covenant, we see the keys and the truths we must know to live a victorious Christian life.  

 As always, we must be clear, we are in the New Covenant. I am not inferring there are rules we must keep or tasks we must complete to receive something from God. I’m talking about the principles and truths of the New Creation. When we walk in these, we experience the fullness of our new identity in Christ, leading to a life of victory. Let's begin looking at the victorious overcoming Christian life. 

 As believers, we're called to live a victorious, overcoming life, Jesus and New Covenant writers like Paul, and Peter offer us profound insights into how to walk in triumph while we’re still here on Earth. One foundational truth for living victoriously is wisdom—knowing how to navigate life with godly discernment and making choices that align with God’s plan.

 The Good News is Jesus is our wisdom;

Instead, credit God with your new situation: you are united with Jesus the Anointed. He is God’s wisdom for us and more. He is our righteousness and holiness and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30 VOICE

  The amazing truth is that Jesus is our wisdom! Through our union with Him, we have access to the boundless wisdom of God, the Creator of all things. And this wisdom isn’t just for spiritual insights—it’s practical. It applies to every decision, every challenge, and every moment of our daily lives.

 Walk in His Wisdom

 Wisdom gives us the ability to apply knowledge. It is God's knowledge and the know-how to apply it to whatever we face. James tells us we can ask God for wisdom, and He will hear and answer our prayers for wisdom.

 Take note that James didn't teach us to strive for wisdom. He didn't teach that we must earn wisdom. He didn't teach if we perform well enough, God will give us wisdom. No, he said all we must do is believe and not waver. 

 We all need wisdom to manage our possessions and finances better. We all need wisdom when it comes to our health and longevity, not falling prey to fad diets and pills or schemes that supposedly will make us lose fat and be healthier. We all need wisdom to follow God's plan and purpose for our lives and not follow bad counsel or unsound advice. 

 Again, this wisdom has been made available to us through our union with Christ. We can ask and receive wisdom. We can walk wisely in this world knowing as we trust in Him, bring our concerns to Him, and follow His leading, He will direct us toward the right paths.      

  In Christ, we are called to live as overcomers—victorious, triumphant, and filled with the abundant life Jesus promised. But what does this look like practically? It’s easy to say we are overcomers, but when the storms of life hit—when finances are tight, when relationships strain, or when sickness arises—it can be challenging to see ourselves as victorious. 

 Yet, this is precisely when we must lean on the truth of who we are in Christ. We are not defined by our circumstances but by our union with Jesus. Growing in Grace and the knowledge of Jesus is key to walking this victorious overcoming life in our daily life. 

 As we deepen our understanding of Christ’s victory, our faith strengthens, enabling us to stand firm in trials. Through Christ, we are empowered to overcome, not by our strength, but by His grace working through us. The victorious life is one of continual growth in faith, grace, and the assurance of His love and promises.

Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

Thinking God's thoughts on Righteousness

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

 Renewing the mind—this powerful concept stirs up a whirlwind of ideas across the Body of Christ. But is it really the daunting, complex task many make it out to be? Is it some deep, unreachable principle reserved for only the spiritual elite?

 The beauty of our walk with God lies in its simplicity. Like every other aspect of our salvation and relationship with our Good Father, renewing the mind is far from complicated. It’s about aligning our thoughts with God's thoughts. It’s about agreeing with His Word, and letting His truth reshape how we see ourselves and the world around us.

 We do this by feasting on God’s Word, learning to rightly divide between the Old and New Covenants, and gaining a deeper revelation of all that Jesus accomplished for us through His victorious redemption. The key to living a life of victory is to come into agreement with God! When we start thinking God's thoughts—rather than those shaped by the world, culture, or tradition—we step into the fullness of the abundant life He’s always intended for us.

 Let’s hit the reset button on how we see Righteousness. It’s time to see it the way God does—as a pure gift, not something we can earn or work hard enough to achieve. Righteousness isn’t some spiritual trophy we get for being "good enough." It’s a lavish gift straight from God’s heart!

 Here’s where traditional religion misses the mark: it teaches that Righteousness must be earned as if we can somehow measure up on our own. But the truth is so much better! Righteousness is a Gift we receive not a work we achieve. Righteousness is not a reward for good behavior—it’s a divine exchange. Jesus took on our sinfulness, and in return, He gave us His perfect Righteousness. 

And since we now have His Righteousness, it means that as believers, our righteousness isn’t even our own—it’s fully Christ’s! Think about it: if it's Christ’s Righteousness that we have been given, then we stand as Righteous as Jesus Himself! That’s the astonishing reality of this incredible gift, and it’s time we live with the confidence that comes from knowing we are just as Righteous as our Savior!

 Imagine this: every single benefit, every blessing, and all the access that Jesus Himself has with the Father—we have that same access in Him! We are not half-loved, half-approved, or half-accepted. No, the Father loves us just as much as He loves Jesus! We are fully accepted, completely approved, and unconditionally loved—just like Jesus!

 Now, if we really grabbed hold of this truth, it would completely change how we approach our relationship with God. We wouldn't dive into spiritual disciplines hoping to be found worthy, accepted, or approved by Him. Let’s be clear—effort in our relationship with God is valuable, but it’s not about earning His favor or love. God is all for effort (in relationship), but He’s absolutely against striving to earn what’s already ours. There’s a big difference between pursuing Him out of love and performing to earn something that was freely given.

 Here’s where our minds need serious renewal: when it comes to the Gift of Righteousness, this is the very thing that makes us fully accepted and approved by the Father. Righteousness isn’t just a label—it’s a life-altering truth! It means we are forever free from condemnation. No more guilt, no more shame hanging over us like a dark cloud.

 Condemnation is the voice of the enemy, a relentless lie that tries to suffocate believers with guilt, shame, and feelings of unworthiness. Condemnation whispers, "You’ve messed up too many times. God is done with you." It says, "You deserve to be punished for all your failures, your sins, and your mistakes." But that’s nothing but a soul-crushing lie from the pit of hell!

When condemnation tries to creep in, we need to stand firm and declare the truth: we are the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! No more condemnation. No more expecting punishment. Why? Because in Christ, we have been set free from condemnation forever. We are accepted and approved, not because of our own actions or efforts, but because of what Jesus has done for us.

 This Righteousness is a divine gift—a gift that allows us to stand in the presence of God without the slightest hint of guilt, shame, or inferiority. It’s the gift of absolute freedom from condemnation, the gift of perfect acceptance with the Father. Let this sink in: you are as accepted, loved, and approved as Jesus Himself. Now that’s a truth worth celebrating!

 Walking in victory is closely tied to thinking the same way God thinks. We walk in a greater measure of peace, a sense of wholeness, and joy when our thinking comes into alignment with God's. When it comes to Righteousness we must remember it is a gift, not something we can achieve. Embrace this radical truth, we are just as accepted, approved, loved, and Righteous as Jesus our Lord. 

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thinking God's thoughts on Salvation

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

In Romans 12:2, we are encouraged not to "copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." This transformation begins when we align our thoughts with God's thoughts, especially regarding salvation.

One crucial aspect of thinking God's thoughts about salvation is understanding His definition of sin. Under the New Covenant, sin is often described as "missing the mark." But what mark are we missing? According to the New Testament, the ultimate mark is love, the God kind of love. Jesus gave us a new command, to love. Paul summed up the morality of the Law and commandments as walking in love.

  Actions such as sexual immorality, lying, cheating, dishonoring others, and stealing all fall short of this divine standard of love. Therefore, sin, in essence, is missing the mark of love. We cannot let religious tradition, this fallen world, or the ever-changing culture define sin. God's Word remains clear and unchanging—sin is anything that falls short of His perfect love.

 Religious tradition says things like watching television, going to a dance, or women cutting their hair and wearing makeup are sinful deeds. Many say men having long hair or getting a tattoo is sinful. Some say listening to music that isn't church hymns is sinful. We must stay with the Word, not the world or religious tradition. 

In thinking His thoughts about salvation, it's also essential to recognize that not everyone is saved. Salvation is not an automatic or forced gift. God offers salvation to all, but He respects human free will. Grace extends the invitation of salvation to everyone, but each person must freely choose to accept and receive it through faith. Salvation is by grace through faith.

For it’s by God’s grace that you have been saved. You receive it through faith. It was not our plan or our effort. It is God’s gift, pure and simple. You didn’t earn it, not one of us did, so don’t go around bragging that you must have done something amazing. Ephesians 2:8-9 Voice

 It is not based on human effort or striving to make ourselves acceptable to God. Salvation is not "lordship salvation," where sinful man makes promises to cease sinning, pledging to live perfectly, and then earns God's approval. This approach places the focus on human effort rather than God's grace. True salvation is a gift of grace, accepted by faith in Jesus alone. It’s about receiving eternal life—not through works, but through trust in Jesus and His finished work on the cross.

Salvation, at its core, is about being saved from eternal separation in hell and entering into a loving relationship with a gracious and good Father. God is not a distant taskmaster waiting for us to get it right before He saves us. Instead, He is a loving Father, extending His arms wide through Jesus, offering forgiveness, grace, and eternal life. Salvation is not merely about avoiding hell, but about being saved *unto* a life of intimacy, grace, and relationship with God.

In summation let's renew our minds to what God says. Let's think God's thought about salvation. We must reject worldly and cultural influences distorting salvation's true meaning. In the same way, religious traditions that place the burden of salvation on human effort must be challenged. God’s grace is sufficient, and faith in Jesus is all that is required to be saved.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Thinking God's thoughts

 

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

The importance of right thinking is an essential element in living the victorious life in Christ. Christ purchased and procured our redemption and complete victory at Calvary. Yet we will never experience it fully if our thinking isn't aligning with God's.

 That is a strong statement. It is but is it true nonetheless. For example, Christ paid the price for our forgiveness. Yet if one thinks their sin is too great for God to forgive, they will cower in God's presence. They will shrink back from Him, disqualifying themselves, and seeing their sin as a barrier between themselves and God. 

 We must renew our minds to think God's thoughts. We must relinquish the thinking of the world system and embrace God's thoughts. We must pull down strongholds of traditional religious thinking and wholeheartedly accept and receive God's thoughts. 

 Sometimes our thinking is born out of negative experiences we have endured. We must allow our experiences to be challenged by His Word. We must align our lives with His truth and not our experience. 

 True freedom and victory are only found in embracing God's thinking. When we renew our minds to who God is, what He has said about our circumstances, our identity, and how He sees us and has forever accepted us in Christ we will walk in His fullness and promises. Thinking His thoughts bring hope and peace that surpasses human limitations.

 So how do we think God's thought? First, we have to know Him. I would never know someone's thoughts on a given topic if I didn't know them, or didn't spend quality time with them. 

 How do we get to know Him? First, look at Jesus. Jesus revealed the Father to us. I like how one minister described Jesus, the will of God in action. If we have seen Jesus we have seen the Father. 

 I don't see Jesus condemning people. I don't see Him sending disasters or plagues. I don't see Him causing someone's death. I don't see Him bankrupting businesses or making someone sick. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the enemy. 

 Secondly, we need to know the Word of God. We need to know it  rightly divided between the Old and New Covenant. We need to know the Word revealed through Jesus and His Grace and the Goodness of God. 

 Jesus is perfect theology. He perfectly revealed the Father. He revealed a Good Father whose desire is to do good and heal all who were oppressed by the enemy. Supernatural provision, deliverance, raising the dead, forgiving sins, and bringing the gift of no condemnation revealed a loving Savior and a Good God. This is who Jesus is.

 Thirdly, we need to receive of God's gifts to the Church, the fivefold ministry. No, not ministries blinded by tradition but ministers who are anointed and have received the fullness of the Gospel of Grace, understand His Goodness at all times, and are full of Faith and not unbelief. God's gifts help break the bread of life so we can freely feed on God's Word. Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ.

 We will renew our minds by fellowshipping with God in personal prayer time. We will renew our minds by looking at Jesus and seeing the Good Father He revealed to us. We will renew our minds when we read and study the Word of God rightly divided. We will renew our minds by feeding on God's Word taught by ministers of Faith and Righteousness. 

The more we continue in this, the longer we do this, and the more attention we give to this, we will see a radical shift in our thinking. We will be able to rightly divide the Word from tradition to truth. We see a Good Father who is for us and not against us. We will embrace a different outlook concerning our circumstances. We will trust in Him and see Him as the help and hope rather than the one ordaining difficulties.   

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Goodness: Now and Later!

8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 1 Timothy 4:8-9 NKJV 

 Our God is a Good Father. Christians serve a Good God. Serve doesn't mean earning, or striving for, but in service of the King, we are ambassadors for Christ. God is such a Good God, He always has our best in mind.

 When we think of prosperity, healing, and goodness in this life, many conjure images and examples of excess and abuse in their thinking. When we mention wholeness and goodness for the here and now, many say no, the good life is for the future, in Heaven. Yet the Father made these promises and provided for them in Redemption. He did this to demonstrate His Goodness and lovingkindness to a lost and hurting world.

 Prosperity, healing, and wholeness are God's ideas. It is His way to visibly demonstrate His all the time Goodness. God wants to show His people off and let all the world know He is a good God. 

 Paul spoke of this idea of blessing in this life and the one to come. He wrote under the inspiration of the Spirit the text for this study. He states truly Godliness is profitable for this life and the one to come. He also wrote about this in 1 Corinthians 15;

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 1 Corinthians 15:19 NKJV

 In context Paul was preaching the Gospel of Jesus and addressing those who claim there is no future fulfillment, the resurrection has passed, and those claiming there is no resurrection. Therefore claiming Jesus didn't rise from the dead. Paul was not saying there is no promise for this life but only the next.

 Paul was not contradicting himself. The Spirit doesn't lead to contradictions. The problem with relegating everything to the afterlife and discounting healing and prosperity as excess and abuse is twofold. 

 The first problem is we take away from God's Goodness. We make God out to be a terrible Father. What would someone think if they saw a wealthy father have a child who had holes in his shoes, malnourished, and dirty, old tattered clothes? They would say that is a terrible unkind and neglectful father. 

 Secondly, we diminish what Christ suffered and died for. We take away from the fullness of what He procured and purchased and provided for in His work of Redemption. This limits God and causes people not to awaken to the fullness of their inheritance in Christ. 

Now in a fallen world suffering is a reality. While suffering exists, it doesn’t negate God’s compassionate desire for His children to experience blessings now. Misinterpreting suffering as God’s will can prevent believers from standing in faith for healing, prosperity, and breakthrough It's of vital importance to differentiate between the trials of living in a fallen world and God's will. God is always for us, never against us, and wants His children to walk in His promises.

Matthew 6:19-21 teaches about storing up treasures in heaven, emphasizing eternal rewards. However, this does not mean earthly blessings are excluded. It’s about prioritizing God’s kingdom while also recognizing that God cares for our needs in this life (Philippians 4:19).

And it is he who will supply all your needs from his riches in glory because of what Christ Jesus has done for us. Philippians 4:19 TLB

 In summation, The belief that all blessings are stored up in heaven often stems from a misunderstanding of God's character and the fullness of His promises. God's goodness includes a desire for us to experience healing, provision, and a blessed life here on earth, as well as eternal life with Him. Godliness is profitable for this life as well as the life to come, we have a Good God we can trust and rely on. 

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Your Best Life Now?

8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 1 Timothy 4:8-9 NKJV

God is a Good God. Jesus is a loving Savior who laid His life down to redeem us. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and Counselor and the fire from on high indwelling all those who believe. How do we see God though? How do we see the Christian life? 

 If God is a Good Father and His Son loved us so much that He went through the sufferings of the Cross on our behalf, how does this shape our view of the Christian life? How should we then live in light of this? 

 If God is Good, Jesus loves us so much and God sent His Spirit to indwell all who believe, how does He want us to live this life? Does He want our lives filled with misery, mistreatment, and misfortune? What is the life He desires for us?

 When I look at the life Jesus lived on earth, I don't see a life filled with despondency, despair, depression, or desolation. I see Jesus going around doing good and healing all! Jesus dealt with persecution from religious leaders, but his real suffering was only when He was paying the price for our redemption. 

 Religious tradition has decided to ignore all Jesus did and claim that the Christian life is meant to be a life full of nothing but affliction, agony, and anguish. To them, tragedy, torment, and tribulation are all one should expect in this life. They also say we should be thankful to receive all these things.

 Yet when I read the Bible why do I see God and His people bringing healing, hope, and help to so many? Religion would respond that Jesus and the disciples went about doing good just to preach the Gospel and get people saved. Yes it is true goodness on display points the lost to a loving Savior, and people respond, this is certainly an important reason but isn't the only reason. God brings wholeness, and relief, and alleviates suffering simply because He is Good and desires to do good.

 Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, He healed the Centurion's servant and did many other works of goodness, healing all who were oppressed by the devil. He did this to demonstrate His goodness and God's love. If we were to apply modern religious traditional teachings to these events, Jesus shouldn't have gone about doing good and healing. 

 Jesus should have asked Jairus why are you focusing on seeing your daughter healed? You should be more focused on becoming righteous and holy. You should be focused on how sinful you are and how your best life is in heaven not here. Jesus should have told the little girl, your best life isn't here so just accept this sickness and eventual death. 

 When the Centurion beseeched Jesus to come heal his servant Jesus should have responded, you gentile, you heathen! You are sinful and wretched, how can you dare ask me anything?! You need to realize your best life is never here. Repent and keep repenting, and only expect misery and hardship in this life. I trust you see the fallacy of the religious traditions of men. 

 Does God want our best life now or only in the hereafter? The true, biblical answer is both. Father God is Good and wants only our best. The interesting fact about the religious leaders proclaiming God wants our worst life now, all live in affluence, possess many earthly goods, and do what they can do to provide comfort and happiness to their own kids. 

 Godliness is profitable for the hereafter and the life we live today. God has plans and purposes for our lives. He has a destiny for His children. He has great things He wants us to accomplish. Now the scale is different for each of us, but it is still great nonetheless. 

 Perhaps He purposed us to help lead our family to Christ, or that coworker to find help and restoration for their past trauma. God has plans for us and they are always good. Each part of the Body of Christ is important, vital, and needed. You are valuable and have a calling, gifts, talents, and a destiny only you can fulfill.

 Don't allow religious tradition small-minded people to steal God's dreams and visions and destiny He has planned for you. Favor surrounds you like a shield. Goodness and mercy follow you all the day.

 In summation, disregard the goofy ideas of religious tradition. Stay with the Word. God is always good. He has promise for the life that now is and the one to come. It is time to live your best life now. 

 

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God is Good all the time!

For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind, and his faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation. Psalm 100:5 TLB

8 The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. Psalm 145:8-9   

  One of the most profound truths that will change a person's life is the reality of knowing and understanding the Goodness of God. When the believer is not just aware of His Goodness but has his heart established in this truth, he will see greater Faith, greater joy, and greater trust in the Father. The Goodness of God seems so elementary but it is the foundation of all other Gospel and Redemption realities.

 Faith is having a good opinion of God. Knowing just how Good God our Father is enables a trust in whatever He has promised and declared will come to pass. In fact, Faith declares whatever God has done in the Finished Work is already mine. Faith comes into agreement with what The Father has spoken and declared over our lives. 

 Only a Good God can make promises that will come to pass. If an earthly father told their child get ready we are going to get ice cream, but never took the child, and did this repeatedly, what would be the end result? If the father said again to get ready we are going for ice cream, the child would not trust what he said and more than likely wouldn't even get ready. Why? He couldn't trust those words, because those words weren't coming from a place of goodness.

 God's Goodness at all times is the single greatest foundation all other truths are built upon. Faith builds on the foundation of Goodness because it's the character of the one promising that produces trust. Goodness is the foundation Grace builds on, His character reveals He is merciful, and will give us unearned and undeserved and unmerited favor. 

 God's Goodness is revealed in His blessings. He blesses us because He is Good, not because we are good. He blesses us because He is Good, His Goodness takes pleasure in blessing and providing and prospering His people. 

 God's Goodness is revealed in His Grace and great Love for us. His Grace is greater than our worst sins. No matter how far we have fallen or fouled up, His Grace is far-reaching and will always find us. His Grace covers, cleanses, and completely forgives all our sins. Nothing we can do can be so terrible that Grace can't overcome it and bring redemption, mercy, and transformation. 

 God's Goodness is revealed in the Word of Faith. We can come in agreement with God and receive all He has purchased, procured, and provided in the Finished Work of Redemption. We can make bold declarations of Faith because we know the character of the One who promised. We can rest in what He said in His Word because He is a Good Father and He can't lie. We can take Him at His Word and freely receive. 

 God's Goodness is revealed in His healing power and the wholeness He procured for us at Calvary. He was healer when He walked the sandy shores of Galilee and He has not changed. Look again at the Gospels. Many times when Jesus healed, it states He was moved with compassion. Is He any less compassionate today? He is our healer and He is Good. 

 One area we all need to develop in is seeing God's Goodness in the face of catastrophe. In a fallen world, there exist calamities, crises, and cataclysmic events. We must gain greater insight and understanding of God's Goodness in these times. We too often assign blame in some way to God for these events. 

 We say God is sovereign. Therefore this must mean He caused the event, He ordained the event, or He allowed it for some mysterious purpose. Look again at the character of Jesus. He said if you have seen Him you have seen the Father. 

 Jesus never crippled anyone to teach them empathy for others who were infirm. He didn't bankrupt anyone to teach them humility and to ensure they didn't get too high-minded. He didn't send a storm or disaster to punish, afflict, or chastise. He didn't crush and destroy lives claiming a mysterious purpose. No, He came to save men's lives not destroy and wreak havoc in their lives. 

 When we see disaster, calamities, or tragedy, our response should be to render help, to be there for those afflicted. Our response should be us being the hands, feet, and mouth of God and His Love and Goodness. We shouldn't be claiming that disaster is God's judgment on people. We shouldn't be saying this trauma was ordained of God because He is in control and He allowed it for His purposes. 

 When we are in a trial, when we are experiencing hardship and going through a challenge, we should be running to our Good Father. We shouldn't be accusing Him of causing the affliction or allowing it for some purpose. We shouldn't be asking God why are YOU doing this to me? 

 The enemy likes to bring accusations against you for all your failings, your faults, and foul-ups. He likes to bring condemnation for the sins you commit, the very sins he tempted you with. However, when you become established in Grace these accusations lose their effectiveness. 

 The enemy has another tactic and scheme. If he can't accuse you when you fail, he will try to get you to accept accusations about God. The enemy accuses God to you. He will claim God isn't always Good. If God was Good then this thing wouldn't have happened. If God was so Good why are you still struggling? If God is Good why are your prayers going unanswered? The enemy wants you to question and doubt His Goodness and faithfulness to you. Take those thoughts captive and instead begin to praise your Good Father! Your praises still and silence the enemy. 

 We have to establish our hearts and renew our minds to this truth, that God is Good all the time! Look at Psalm 34. We see a powerful truth and establishment of His all the time Goodness.

I sought the Lord, and He heard me And delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 NKJV

This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him And saved him out of all his troubles. Psalm 34:6 NKJV

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17 NKJV

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:19 NKJV

 Psalm 34 reveals Man has fears, troubles, and afflictions. However, what other pattern do you see? What is God's role in this? God is the one bringing deliverance and salvation. He is not the One bringing what's causing the fear. He isn't sending the trouble. He isn't the author of the affliction and He never will be. 

 In summation, embrace the Good News. God is always a Good Father. God is always for us and never against us. He is our advocate, He is our comforter, He is our deliverer, He is our Father. He loves us with everlasting unconditional Love. God wants an intimate relationship with His children, and knowing just how Good He is, is the foundation for that relationship. All the time God our Father is Good! 

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The Acts of Grace

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God may be proficient, fully equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 MOUNCE

 God's Word is truth. It is our supreme source for discerning truth from error, lies, falsehoods, and untruths born from the spirit of deception, and the religious tradition of men. God's Word is our source of truth, doctrine, and instruction. 

 It is not a rule book to follow dogmatically. It is a divine love letter revealing the heart of a loving Father and a gracious Savior who gave all, laying down His life to redeem lost and rebellious souls from sin, and satan's hold and spiritual death. It's called the "good book" for good reason. 

 This "good book" reveals to us the Grace of Almighty God. Grace is spelled out to us from Genesis to Revelation. Grace is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Salvation, newness of life, life eternal, and total and complete forgiveness and Righteousness are found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. 

 Now traditional religion and the deception of the enemy rob believers of all the Goodness God offers them. Jesus spoke of this. Look at His words here in Mark;

making void the word of God by your traditional teaching which ye have delivered; and many such like things ye do. Mark 7:13 Darby

 Tradition and religion make the Word of no effect. It renders the Word useless, invalidating it, thus negating it in the life of the hearer of religion. Religion is the enemy of growth and Christian victory.

 In sharing the Good News of the Spirit's power made available as a gift to all, religious tradition objected and based this objection on an absurd claim. The justification they gave for this objection was that the entire book of Acts was not a book of the Bible one could teach from. The claim is that Acts is not a book of doctrine. 

 I discovered a religious tradition that should be allayed and dismissed as utter foolishness. Religion claims Acts is a mere descriptive book and not a "prescriptive" book. They claim there is no doctrinal truth in Acts.

 Religion if followed would make the Word of Grace missing and lacking in the life of the believer. The cessationists, those clinging to religious tradition are so against the power of the Spirit for today that they are willing to disregard an entire book of the Bible. They are leaving behind some amazing truths of the Gospel in doing so.

 Some Christians have such a Religious bias and prejudice against Tongues, the active Gifts of the Spirit, the infilling of the Spirit, and Charismatic (supernatural) ministry that they can only see Acts as a Charismatic/Pentecostal book. I want to show that Acts is so much more than that. The Gospel of Grace is introduced in Acts and it is for us today!

 The Acts of Grace are seen throughout this wonderful book. This book describes the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the lives of early believers in the Church. It is also prescribed because it reveals a ministry that turned the world upside down.  

 The world was transformed not just through signs and wonders, but also through preaching the radical message of God's Grace. All of the faiths, (religions) in the world were based on the actions, performances, and behavior of their followers up until this point. Here is a message being preached, that the God being proclaimed through preaching, being revealed through teaching, is the same God that already did all the work required. All one needs to do is simply believe.

 Throughout this book, we see Grace demonstrated and see Grace proclaimed to all. We have a full sermon of the Apostle Paul, the Apostle of Grace, given in this book. Acts not prescriptive? Not a book of doctrine? Foolishness! 

  The Word declared that great power was on the Church, the Spirit's power yes. We also see that great Grace was upon the Church. Grace is on the Church, Grace is the Gospel message we preach. Lost, rebellious, dead in sin, humanity can freely come to a Holy God and receive forgiveness of all sins, Righteousness, and eternal life. Not because they deserve it, not because they worked hard enough, but simply because of His Love and Goodness.

 This is the message that turned the world upside down.  

Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. Acts 13:43 NKJV

 Grace is proclaimed throughout the entire book of Acts. We see it first here that we as the Church are no longer under Law but His Grace. We see that we have been freed from the Old Covenant and the new has come. We see the opposition from religion and tradition to the message of Jesus and His Grace.  

 We can't allow religious bias to rob us of the fullness of God. Religious bias formed, creating further wrong thinking, and producing unbelief in the hearts and minds of some Christians is what's behind ideas like these. The book of Acts is a book about the power of the Spirit yes but even more about it's a book proclaiming the word of His Grace.

 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. Acts 14:3 NKJV

This passage says it all. Grace and the Spirit's power are inseparable. They are the effective ministry that turned the world upside down then and it's still the same today. Proclaim Grace with power and demonstration and see God confirm His Grace with signs following. 

 In summation, Acts is a book of doctrine. It reveals the availability of the Spirit today. It reveals the supernatural ministry the Church should be walking in. It also reveals the message we should still be proclaiming. The Grace of God! 

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