FEELING TRULY CLEAN - Can It Be?
by Andrew Strom
Let me be very clear in opening this topic: We are talking about
the "inner man" here. And this is the secret to this sense of utter
"cleanness".
Paul wrote about it in Romans - John too in 1 Jn 3. Much of
Wesley's powerful preaching revolved around this one issue. And
Finney wrote about it this way: "I could not feel a sense of guilt or
condemnation by any effort I could make. My sense of guilt was
gone, my sins were gone, and I do not think I felt any more sense
of guilt than if I never had sinned... I felt myself justified by faith,
and, so far as I could see, I was in a state in which I did not sin."
Wow! Shock! Are we saying that it is possible to live in a state in
which there is no consciousness of "present sin" at all? Am I
saying that this is actually "normal" Christianity? -Yes, that is
exactly what I am saying.
"Normal" Christianity is this: Walking before God with a totally
clean conscience and a pure heart - as our 'normal' state before
Him. -Utterly clean. No STRIVING or "TRYING to be good". This
is clearly what the New Testament describes as normal. -Literally
walking before God with "no consciousness of present sin". Notice
that Finney (above) refers to this as a state of "justification by faith".
And he is absolutely right. That is exactly what it is. It is as basic
as that. Elemental Christianity.
The saddest thing of all is that we never hear it preached today.
It is almost as though such a thing is too "lofty" - out of reach
of the average church-goer. Or perhaps the preachers themselves
do not believe it is possible to live in such a state. They do not
experience it themselves, and therefore they do not preach it. How
awful beyond words! How we are robbing people blind with the
neglect of these basic truths! No wonder so few are getting truly saved.
I tell you, this is the basic Gospel we are talking about here. It is
nothing less. Today we somehow think that we preach the 'gospel'
simply by relating the facts of Jesus dying for our sins, rising again
and offering salvation freely. Yes, these things are important. But
what about becoming a "new creature" and walking in it? What
about the fact that Jesus came to 'TAKE AWAY' our sins? What
about a 'new birth' that utterly transforms us from the inside out?
-That actually MAKES us clean and KEEPS us clean? Where is
this basic stuff in our preaching? Where do we actually describe
what happens inside a "truly saved" person?
We have so reduced the gospel today to make it more "convenient"
that it is no gospel at all. And thus we have entire church-loads
of people who are completely unsaved. They go down the front
and pray the "little prayer", then they spend the rest of their lives
paying their tithes and "trying to be good". This is what a lot of
our Christianity amounts to. And it is all garbage. It is no "new
birth" at all. Wesley would be rolling in his grave to see what we
preach as the 'new birth' today.
Such was Wesley's preaching of this "clean" state in his day (and
Finney too) that both of them were accused of "perfectionism".
But I think that what a lot of people misunderstand is that it is
the 'INNER LIFE' that we are talking about here. Yes, we are still
attached to a "fallen" body - which sometimes stumbles - much
as we hate it. Paul says, "Oh wretched man that I am, who will
deliver me from the BODY of this death?" (Rom 7:24). But in the
very next breath he answers: "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord..."
So it is not the 'outer' life, but the INNER one that we are speaking
of here. (-Though the 'outer' will be affected, of course. We must
walk in "NO KNOWN SIN"). It is Jesus who gives us robes of
righteousness to WALK IN - in the "Inner Man". That is what
Romans chapters 5 - 8 are all about. That is what 'justification by
faith' is all about: WALKING in a purified state inside. Pure white
robes - given to us by God - for us to walk in and keep "unspotted".
That is true Christianity: To walk before God with a totally clean
conscience and a pure heart before Him. -No known sin. Anything
less is no Christianity at all. It simply cannot be found in the New
Testament. You are either a "new creation" and WALKING as a
'new creation' - or you are not. There is no room for a "half-way" house.
Today, we are no longer bringing people into this state with our
preaching. And therefore I say to you - "WE HAVE LOST THE
GOSPEL". And when we lose the gospel, we lose Christianity itself.
Wesley spent much of his life preaching on this stuff. (Go and
read his sermon "Marks of the New Birth" for instance. -One of
the most convicting messages of all time). Little wonder that
sometimes when he preached, thousands of people would be left
on the ground under agonizing conviction. Little wonder too that
after Finney preached, sometimes church-goers were in such
shock that they could not speak or stand for days - they were so
stricken. These were people who thought they were 'saved' but
Finney had shown them that they were not - in the most direct
and piercing way.
We say we want "apostolic preaching" and true "Revival" preachers.
I don't think we realize what we are asking for.-Such searching,
direct, bold and convicting preaching as we have never heard in our lives.
In August 2003 God woke me up at 4:00am one morning with a
sudden insight into Finney's preaching - how he would expose "false
assurance". God showed me that I had to start preaching that way
too. From then on, every time I preached this message I began to
notice a big increase in anointing and conviction. I have seen whole
congregations of people come forward weeping and confessing
sin. And I have noticed a similar impact when I preach on walking
before God with a "pure heart and conscience" as our NORMAL
STATE. But I'm convinced that there is a greater anointing yet
unseen, waiting for us all in future days.
[If you want to hear these kinds of sermons, please download
"Repentance in Kansas City" and "Are You Walking in Romans 8?"
at our website- http://www.revivalschool.com ]
So are YOU experiencing this "clean state" today, my friends?
God bless you all.
Andrew Storm
Senin, 30 Januari 2017
More GREAT QUOTES
More GREAT QUOTES
"If you don´t delight in the fact that your Father is holy, holy, holy,
then you are spiritually dead. You may be in a church. You may
go to a Christian school. But if there is no delight in your soul for
the holiness of God, you don´t know God. You don´t love God."
- R.C. Sproul
"When God is our Holy Father, sovereignty, holiness, omniscience,
and immutability do not terrify us; they leave us full of awe and
gratitude." - Ravi Zacharias
"But saints and angels behold that glory of God which consists in
the beauty of His holiness; and it is this sight only that will melt
and humble the hearts of men, wean them from the world, draw
them to God, and effectually change them. A sight of the awful
greatness of God may overpower men's strength, and be more
than they can endure; but if the moral beauty of God be hid, the
enmity of the heart will remain in its full strength. No love will
be enkindled..."
- Jonathan Edwards
"There is no holiness without a Christ-centered, Christ-seeking,
Christ-serving, Christ-adoring heart."
- J.I. Packer
"Pray fervently or you do nothing. Cold praying is no more prayer
than a painting of fire is fire. How can prayers that do not even
warm your own heart move God´s?... Elijah´s prayer called fire
down from heaven because it carried fire up to heaven."
- William Gurnall
"If you don´t delight in the fact that your Father is holy, holy, holy,
then you are spiritually dead. You may be in a church. You may
go to a Christian school. But if there is no delight in your soul for
the holiness of God, you don´t know God. You don´t love God."
- R.C. Sproul
"When God is our Holy Father, sovereignty, holiness, omniscience,
and immutability do not terrify us; they leave us full of awe and
gratitude." - Ravi Zacharias
"But saints and angels behold that glory of God which consists in
the beauty of His holiness; and it is this sight only that will melt
and humble the hearts of men, wean them from the world, draw
them to God, and effectually change them. A sight of the awful
greatness of God may overpower men's strength, and be more
than they can endure; but if the moral beauty of God be hid, the
enmity of the heart will remain in its full strength. No love will
be enkindled..."
- Jonathan Edwards
"There is no holiness without a Christ-centered, Christ-seeking,
Christ-serving, Christ-adoring heart."
- J.I. Packer
"Pray fervently or you do nothing. Cold praying is no more prayer
than a painting of fire is fire. How can prayers that do not even
warm your own heart move God´s?... Elijah´s prayer called fire
down from heaven because it carried fire up to heaven."
- William Gurnall
One Man
One Man
(En Español)
God's Response to Redemptive Intercession
When Abraham was confronted with the possibility of Sodom's destruction, he did not immediately jump on the "Destroy Sodom" bandwagon; instead, he went before the Lord and prayed for mercy for the city. Abraham's prayer is an amazing study on the effect a mercy-motivated intercessor has on the heart of God. Indeed, my objective here is to gaze into the heart of God as it is revealed in the discourse between the Lord and Abraham.
When we look at Abraham's prayer, we discover an amazing power granted us in intercession. And what is that? God is looking for a mercy reason that would justify Him delaying or canceling wrath. We must not belittle this principle, for in it is great hope for our land as well. The mercy reason for delay is found in the compassionate prayer of an intercessor.
Let us consider the Lord's initial response to Sodom's sin. First, He revealed to Abraham, His servant, what He was about to do. Why? Wasn't the evil so dark that it deserved to be destroyed? Yes, the wickedness in Sodom fully deserved divine wrath. Yet that is not why the Lord revealed to Abraham the pending judgment. The Lord informed Abraham of what was coming not so His servant could criticize, but so Abraham would intercede for mercy. Remember, God delights in mercy (Mic. 7:18) and takes "no pleasure in the death of the wicked" (Ezek. 33:11). The Lord always seeks for opportunities of mercy. Therefore, let's take note of how Abraham approached the Almighty:
"Abraham came near and said, ‘Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?'" (Gen. 18:23-25).
Notice, Abraham did not pray from a place of anger. He never said, "God, it's about time You killed the perverts." There was no finger-pointing vindictiveness in Abraham's soul. Somehow we have come to believe that non-compromising Christians must also be angry. Abraham never compromised with Sodom's depraved culture, yet he was above fleshly reaction. In fact, throughout his prayer,Abraham spent almost no time at all telling God what was wrong in Sodom. He appealed, instead, to the mercy and integrity of the Lord.
This is vitally important for us, because Jesus said, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham" (John 8:39). One of Abraham's most noteworthy deeds involved his intercessory prayer for Sodom, the most perverse city in the world!
Abraham first acknowledged the Lord's integrity, then he spoke to the Lord's mercy.
"Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty?" (Gen. 18:24).
The Lord knew that it would be unjust to slay the righteous with the wicked; Abraham's prayer did not enlighten the Lord of some unknown fact. But God in the process of determining future reality, always prepares a merciful alternative, which is unlocked by the persevering prayer of a mercy motivated intercessor.
In other words, urgent, redemptive prayer shoots straight through the mercy door and enters God's heart. This door is never shut, especially since we have a High Priest, Jesus Christ, ministering at the mercy seat in the heavens (Heb. 8:1). It is open each and every time we pray.
Listen to how the Lord answered Abraham's prayer for mercy: "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account" (Gen. 18:26).
How the truth of God's mercy flies in the face of those so eager to judge their nation! Incredibly, the Lord said He would spare the whole of Sodom if He found fifty righteous people there. Now keep this in mind: the Hebrew word for "spare" means more than "not destroy"; it also means "to forgive or pardon." This is a tremendous revelation about the living God. He will minimize, delay, or even cancel a day of reckoning as long as Christ-inspired prayer is being offered for sinners!
Time and again throughout the Scriptures the Lord proclaims an ever present truth about His nature: He is "slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness" (Exod. 34:6). Do we believe this? Here it is, demonstrated right before our eyes in the Scriptures. He tells us plainly that a few righteous people scattered in a city can preserve that area from divine wrath.
Abraham knew the love of God. He was an intimate friend of God's. Abraham, in truth, had a clear view into the heart of God based on his own experiences. This interceding patriarch had seen the Almighty bless, prosper, and forgive him, so he pressed God's mercy toward its limits.
"What if there are forty?"
The Lord would spare it for forty.
Abraham bargained, "Thirty?"
He would spare it for thirty.
"Twenty?"
He finally secured the Lord's promise not to destroy the city if He could find just ten righteous people there. On God's scales, wrath is on one side and mercy on the other. Put the entire city of Sodom with all its sin and perversion on one side. The scales tip toward wrath as the weightiness of advanced wickedness runs rampant through an entire city. Let's assume that there were two hundred thousand evil people in Sodom. It is weighed heavily on the side of evil. Yet on the other side, place just ten righteous individuals. As the ten are placed on the scale, the spiritual weight of the righteous, with just ten, tips the scales toward mercy!
In God's heart, the substance of the righteous far outweighs the wickedness of the evil! Herein we discover what we are seeking in the heart of God through prayer: the Lord would spare (forgive) sinful Sodom, with its gangs of violent homosexuals, because of the influence of ten godly people who dwelt within it!
How About Your Community?
Now, let's think of your city: Are there ten good people among you? Consider your region. Do you think there might be one hundred praying people living within its borders, people who are pleading with God for mercy? What about nationwide? Do you suppose there might be ten thousand people interceding for your country? God said He would spare Sodom for ten righteous people. Do you think God would spare your nation for ten thousand righteous?
I lived in a metropolitan area in the United States that has about two hundred thousand people. I can list by name scores of righteous individuals, including pastors, intercessors, youth workers, black folks, white folks, Hispanic folks, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Christian business people, moms, dads, godly teenagers, praying grandmothers, secretaries, policemen, and on and on who live there -- far more than the ten righteous needed to save a place like Sodom. There are many who care about this city.
Think about your church and the greater church community in your city. Aren't there at least ten honorable people who sincerely care about your community, who desire that God would bring revival? Remember, the Lord said He would spare Sodom for the sake of the ten.
My plea in this message is that you would see yourself as one who is standing in the gap for your city. See if there are others in your community who will pray with you. The power of prayer can release a tsunami of mercy that can topple strongholds and set captives free in your region.
Finally, let us not give up our communities to the influences of hell. God is able to raise up a standard against wickedness. In fact, He says He looks for a man who will stand in the gap, that He might not strike the earth in His wrath. Will you be that one? You see, the true measure of spirituality is not how angry we become toward sinners, but how Christlike; our mission is not to see men destroyed, but redeemed.
Lord Jesus, forgive me for devaluing the power of prayer. Forgive me for underestimating how passionately You desire to reveal Your mercy. Lord, give me grace to be one who never ceases to cry out to You for mercy. Lord, let me not base my obedience on what my eyes see or my ears hear, but upon the revelation of Your mercy; let me build my life on Thee. Amen!
Limited time offer!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(En Español)
God's Response to Redemptive Intercession
When Abraham was confronted with the possibility of Sodom's destruction, he did not immediately jump on the "Destroy Sodom" bandwagon; instead, he went before the Lord and prayed for mercy for the city. Abraham's prayer is an amazing study on the effect a mercy-motivated intercessor has on the heart of God. Indeed, my objective here is to gaze into the heart of God as it is revealed in the discourse between the Lord and Abraham.
When we look at Abraham's prayer, we discover an amazing power granted us in intercession. And what is that? God is looking for a mercy reason that would justify Him delaying or canceling wrath. We must not belittle this principle, for in it is great hope for our land as well. The mercy reason for delay is found in the compassionate prayer of an intercessor.
Let us consider the Lord's initial response to Sodom's sin. First, He revealed to Abraham, His servant, what He was about to do. Why? Wasn't the evil so dark that it deserved to be destroyed? Yes, the wickedness in Sodom fully deserved divine wrath. Yet that is not why the Lord revealed to Abraham the pending judgment. The Lord informed Abraham of what was coming not so His servant could criticize, but so Abraham would intercede for mercy. Remember, God delights in mercy (Mic. 7:18) and takes "no pleasure in the death of the wicked" (Ezek. 33:11). The Lord always seeks for opportunities of mercy. Therefore, let's take note of how Abraham approached the Almighty:
"Abraham came near and said, ‘Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?'" (Gen. 18:23-25).
Notice, Abraham did not pray from a place of anger. He never said, "God, it's about time You killed the perverts." There was no finger-pointing vindictiveness in Abraham's soul. Somehow we have come to believe that non-compromising Christians must also be angry. Abraham never compromised with Sodom's depraved culture, yet he was above fleshly reaction. In fact, throughout his prayer,Abraham spent almost no time at all telling God what was wrong in Sodom. He appealed, instead, to the mercy and integrity of the Lord.
This is vitally important for us, because Jesus said, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham" (John 8:39). One of Abraham's most noteworthy deeds involved his intercessory prayer for Sodom, the most perverse city in the world!
Abraham first acknowledged the Lord's integrity, then he spoke to the Lord's mercy.
"Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty?" (Gen. 18:24).
The Lord knew that it would be unjust to slay the righteous with the wicked; Abraham's prayer did not enlighten the Lord of some unknown fact. But God in the process of determining future reality, always prepares a merciful alternative, which is unlocked by the persevering prayer of a mercy motivated intercessor.
In other words, urgent, redemptive prayer shoots straight through the mercy door and enters God's heart. This door is never shut, especially since we have a High Priest, Jesus Christ, ministering at the mercy seat in the heavens (Heb. 8:1). It is open each and every time we pray.
Listen to how the Lord answered Abraham's prayer for mercy: "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account" (Gen. 18:26).
How the truth of God's mercy flies in the face of those so eager to judge their nation! Incredibly, the Lord said He would spare the whole of Sodom if He found fifty righteous people there. Now keep this in mind: the Hebrew word for "spare" means more than "not destroy"; it also means "to forgive or pardon." This is a tremendous revelation about the living God. He will minimize, delay, or even cancel a day of reckoning as long as Christ-inspired prayer is being offered for sinners!
Time and again throughout the Scriptures the Lord proclaims an ever present truth about His nature: He is "slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness" (Exod. 34:6). Do we believe this? Here it is, demonstrated right before our eyes in the Scriptures. He tells us plainly that a few righteous people scattered in a city can preserve that area from divine wrath.
Abraham knew the love of God. He was an intimate friend of God's. Abraham, in truth, had a clear view into the heart of God based on his own experiences. This interceding patriarch had seen the Almighty bless, prosper, and forgive him, so he pressed God's mercy toward its limits.
"What if there are forty?"
The Lord would spare it for forty.
Abraham bargained, "Thirty?"
He would spare it for thirty.
"Twenty?"
He finally secured the Lord's promise not to destroy the city if He could find just ten righteous people there. On God's scales, wrath is on one side and mercy on the other. Put the entire city of Sodom with all its sin and perversion on one side. The scales tip toward wrath as the weightiness of advanced wickedness runs rampant through an entire city. Let's assume that there were two hundred thousand evil people in Sodom. It is weighed heavily on the side of evil. Yet on the other side, place just ten righteous individuals. As the ten are placed on the scale, the spiritual weight of the righteous, with just ten, tips the scales toward mercy!
In God's heart, the substance of the righteous far outweighs the wickedness of the evil! Herein we discover what we are seeking in the heart of God through prayer: the Lord would spare (forgive) sinful Sodom, with its gangs of violent homosexuals, because of the influence of ten godly people who dwelt within it!
How About Your Community?
Now, let's think of your city: Are there ten good people among you? Consider your region. Do you think there might be one hundred praying people living within its borders, people who are pleading with God for mercy? What about nationwide? Do you suppose there might be ten thousand people interceding for your country? God said He would spare Sodom for ten righteous people. Do you think God would spare your nation for ten thousand righteous?
I lived in a metropolitan area in the United States that has about two hundred thousand people. I can list by name scores of righteous individuals, including pastors, intercessors, youth workers, black folks, white folks, Hispanic folks, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Christian business people, moms, dads, godly teenagers, praying grandmothers, secretaries, policemen, and on and on who live there -- far more than the ten righteous needed to save a place like Sodom. There are many who care about this city.
Think about your church and the greater church community in your city. Aren't there at least ten honorable people who sincerely care about your community, who desire that God would bring revival? Remember, the Lord said He would spare Sodom for the sake of the ten.
My plea in this message is that you would see yourself as one who is standing in the gap for your city. See if there are others in your community who will pray with you. The power of prayer can release a tsunami of mercy that can topple strongholds and set captives free in your region.
Finally, let us not give up our communities to the influences of hell. God is able to raise up a standard against wickedness. In fact, He says He looks for a man who will stand in the gap, that He might not strike the earth in His wrath. Will you be that one? You see, the true measure of spirituality is not how angry we become toward sinners, but how Christlike; our mission is not to see men destroyed, but redeemed.
Lord Jesus, forgive me for devaluing the power of prayer. Forgive me for underestimating how passionately You desire to reveal Your mercy. Lord, give me grace to be one who never ceases to cry out to You for mercy. Lord, let me not base my obedience on what my eyes see or my ears hear, but upon the revelation of Your mercy; let me build my life on Thee. Amen!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Power of One Christlike Life available at www.arrowbookstore.com.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Save up to 53% this week
Limited time offer
Limited time offer
The Three Battlegrounds
Great for a Bible study, home group,
Sunday School class or
intercessor training.
Great for a Bible study, home group,
Sunday School class or
intercessor training.
Five copies, just $29.25 (Retail $62.25)
One to four copies, $7.85 each (Retail $12.45)
One to four copies, $7.85 each (Retail $12.45)
Limited time offer!
Worship: The Purpose of Creation
Worship: The Purpose of Creation
(En Español)
We were created for God's pleasure. We were not created to live for ourselves but for Him. And while the Lord desires that we enjoy His gifts and His people, He would have us know we were created first for His pleasure. In these closing moments of this age, the Lord will have a people whose purpose for living is to please God with their lives. In them, God finds His own reward for creating man. They are His worshipers. They are on earth only to please God, and when He is pleased, they also are pleased.
The Lord takes them further and through more pain and conflicts than other men. Outwardly, they often seem "smitten of God, and afflicted" (Isa. 53:4). Yet to God, they are His beloved. When they are crushed, like the petals of a flower, they exude a worship, the fragrance of which is so beautiful and rare that angels weep in quiet awe at their surrender. They are the Lord's purpose for creation.
One would think that God would protect them, guarding them in such a way that they would not be marred. Instead, they are marred more than others. Indeed, the Lord seems pleased to crush them, putting them to grief. For in the midst of their physical and emotional pain, their loyalty to Christ grows pure and perfect. And in the face of persecutions, their love and worship toward God become all-consuming.
Would that all Christ's servants were so perfectly surrendered. Yet God finds His pleasure in us all. But as the days of the Kingdom draw near and the warfare at the end of this age increases, those who have been created solely for the worship of God will come forth in the power and glory of the Son. With the high praises of God in their mouth, they will execute upon His enemies the judgment written (see Ps. 149). They will lead as generals in the Lord's army of worshipers.
Limited time offer!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(En Español)
We were created for God's pleasure. We were not created to live for ourselves but for Him. And while the Lord desires that we enjoy His gifts and His people, He would have us know we were created first for His pleasure. In these closing moments of this age, the Lord will have a people whose purpose for living is to please God with their lives. In them, God finds His own reward for creating man. They are His worshipers. They are on earth only to please God, and when He is pleased, they also are pleased.
The Lord takes them further and through more pain and conflicts than other men. Outwardly, they often seem "smitten of God, and afflicted" (Isa. 53:4). Yet to God, they are His beloved. When they are crushed, like the petals of a flower, they exude a worship, the fragrance of which is so beautiful and rare that angels weep in quiet awe at their surrender. They are the Lord's purpose for creation.
One would think that God would protect them, guarding them in such a way that they would not be marred. Instead, they are marred more than others. Indeed, the Lord seems pleased to crush them, putting them to grief. For in the midst of their physical and emotional pain, their loyalty to Christ grows pure and perfect. And in the face of persecutions, their love and worship toward God become all-consuming.
Would that all Christ's servants were so perfectly surrendered. Yet God finds His pleasure in us all. But as the days of the Kingdom draw near and the warfare at the end of this age increases, those who have been created solely for the worship of God will come forth in the power and glory of the Son. With the high praises of God in their mouth, they will execute upon His enemies the judgment written (see Ps. 149). They will lead as generals in the Lord's army of worshipers.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Three Battlegrounds on sale this week at www.arrowbookstore.com.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Save up to 53% this week
Limited time offer
Limited time offer
The Three Battlegrounds
Great for a Bible study, home group,
Sunday School class or
intercessor training.
Great for a Bible study, home group,
Sunday School class or
intercessor training.
Five copies, just $29.25 (Retail $62.25)
One to four copies, $7.85 each (Retail $12.45)
One to four copies, $7.85 each (Retail $12.45)
Limited time offer!
Jumat, 27 Januari 2017
FEELING Truly 'CLEAN' - REPLIES!
FEELING Truly 'CLEAN' - REPLIES
JASON writes:
As a word of encouragement, I have been screaming the message
of deliverance from sin, freedom from bondage, and slavery to
righteousness from Romans 5 - 8 for about the last five years.
The most common response is a list of reasons (actually,
justifications) of why these verses simply CANNOT mean what
they seem to mean. Another response is that simple "mystified"
look - as when one cannot quite process what they have just been
told. Still another sad response is that of sheer anger.
Nevertheless, "He is able to save to the uttermost." The Book of
Revelation declares that He has, "freed us from our sins by His
blood." In yet another place we are told that we "died to sins that
we might live for righteousness."
---------------------------------
MARY BELLE writes:
I just read your word, "My Experience of a CLEAN HEART", and it
is a word that the Body of Christ must hear. If we only lived out
from Romans 6, our lives would be revolutionized. We are not living
the "normal Christian life" because we don't believe that it is
obtainable except through struggle and trying to do our best.
Most of the believers in Christ have never walked or lived according
to what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross for us.
We have no idea what the "new birth" really is or means, and it is
only through those, like you, who have truly experienced this that
the Truth will be known.
Please, Andrew, continue to write the Truth. We have lived the
"sub-normal life" and believed it to be the truth. The lie of satan
must be exposed and the Church of the Living God come into the
complete fullness of who she really is.
------------------------------
BERNIE writes:
It is what I've said many times, but have been heavily criticized for
saying it as if I'm claiming something impossible, putting myself on
a pedestal, instead of describing mature Christianity... The
misapplication of Romans 7 is a great disservice to the church,
the thinking that Paul lived in some kind of hellish bondage to sin
while wanting to live otherwise.
------------------------------------------
DELYNN writes:
I want to tell you how wonderful it is to hear someone else not only
believe for the fullness of the New Covenant, but to actually preach it.
What little truth we hear from pulpits. The deception that "we are
all sinners" is freely spoken from pulpits while we in the pews
shout "amen!" - not realizing that the New Covenant offers us
freedom from our sin-consciousness. False doctrine disguised as
humility has deprived the Church of holiness, purity, power and the
true knowledge of God because we constantly deceive ourselves
that we can not be holy. Compromise has marched through this
gaping doorway as we agree with such seemingly humble words.
BUT these are the words of pride and unbelief... nothing more than
false humility keeping us blind, naked and poor.... a state far too
familiar for the people of God. We live so far beneath the truth of
who we really are.... a real new creation. Carnality has become
our way of life all the while quoting scripture "I am more than a
conqueror through Christ who loves me."
We have walked as mere men, carnal and blind to our carnality,
not embracing the life of Jesus, much less His death and
resurrection power. We've believed many subtle lies of darkness,
one of which is that we cannot live sinless lives. 'Perfect' has
become a dirty word, while we stone those who dare believe God
for true purity.
---------------------------
TERRY writes:
I think your article is exactly right! In fact this has been a normal
life for me. Whenever conviction arises I do something about it and
return to that place of rest and freedom from sin. I don't think there
is any other kind of Christianity, unless a person is willing to live
under conviction of sin and not do anything about it.
-----------------------------
NONNIE writes:
I understand and walk the same. I didn't always. I was raised in
a church that taught that not one person could be free from sin
and repentence---almost moment by moment---was a necessity.
I grew up believing that, if I worked hard enough, repented often
enough, and if God were in a good humor on the day I died, I might
have a chance at heaven. But our Lord is a rewarder of them that
truly seek Him, and He brought me out of that bondage into a wide
place where freedom in Him reigns supreme. Do I never "mess up"?
Well, I'm still alive and still very much human, but I am also very,
very much free from sin by His perpetual grace and the cleansing
power in the blood of Jesus.
-------------------------------------
LINDA writes:
Much of these truths aren't taught in a lot of churches... Not death
to self, not the crucified life, and as you know - that's where it all
starts. Many don't know who they are in Christ Jesus, have no
idea we are Clean, Justified, released from our old nature to take
on His nature.
------------------------
Isn't God good? Isn't His gospel powerful? May we all experience
this wonderful "cleanness", my friends.
God bless you all.
Andrew Strom.
JASON writes:
As a word of encouragement, I have been screaming the message
of deliverance from sin, freedom from bondage, and slavery to
righteousness from Romans 5 - 8 for about the last five years.
The most common response is a list of reasons (actually,
justifications) of why these verses simply CANNOT mean what
they seem to mean. Another response is that simple "mystified"
look - as when one cannot quite process what they have just been
told. Still another sad response is that of sheer anger.
Nevertheless, "He is able to save to the uttermost." The Book of
Revelation declares that He has, "freed us from our sins by His
blood." In yet another place we are told that we "died to sins that
we might live for righteousness."
---------------------------------
MARY BELLE writes:
I just read your word, "My Experience of a CLEAN HEART", and it
is a word that the Body of Christ must hear. If we only lived out
from Romans 6, our lives would be revolutionized. We are not living
the "normal Christian life" because we don't believe that it is
obtainable except through struggle and trying to do our best.
Most of the believers in Christ have never walked or lived according
to what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross for us.
We have no idea what the "new birth" really is or means, and it is
only through those, like you, who have truly experienced this that
the Truth will be known.
Please, Andrew, continue to write the Truth. We have lived the
"sub-normal life" and believed it to be the truth. The lie of satan
must be exposed and the Church of the Living God come into the
complete fullness of who she really is.
------------------------------
BERNIE writes:
It is what I've said many times, but have been heavily criticized for
saying it as if I'm claiming something impossible, putting myself on
a pedestal, instead of describing mature Christianity... The
misapplication of Romans 7 is a great disservice to the church,
the thinking that Paul lived in some kind of hellish bondage to sin
while wanting to live otherwise.
------------------------------------------
DELYNN writes:
I want to tell you how wonderful it is to hear someone else not only
believe for the fullness of the New Covenant, but to actually preach it.
What little truth we hear from pulpits. The deception that "we are
all sinners" is freely spoken from pulpits while we in the pews
shout "amen!" - not realizing that the New Covenant offers us
freedom from our sin-consciousness. False doctrine disguised as
humility has deprived the Church of holiness, purity, power and the
true knowledge of God because we constantly deceive ourselves
that we can not be holy. Compromise has marched through this
gaping doorway as we agree with such seemingly humble words.
BUT these are the words of pride and unbelief... nothing more than
false humility keeping us blind, naked and poor.... a state far too
familiar for the people of God. We live so far beneath the truth of
who we really are.... a real new creation. Carnality has become
our way of life all the while quoting scripture "I am more than a
conqueror through Christ who loves me."
We have walked as mere men, carnal and blind to our carnality,
not embracing the life of Jesus, much less His death and
resurrection power. We've believed many subtle lies of darkness,
one of which is that we cannot live sinless lives. 'Perfect' has
become a dirty word, while we stone those who dare believe God
for true purity.
---------------------------
TERRY writes:
I think your article is exactly right! In fact this has been a normal
life for me. Whenever conviction arises I do something about it and
return to that place of rest and freedom from sin. I don't think there
is any other kind of Christianity, unless a person is willing to live
under conviction of sin and not do anything about it.
-----------------------------
NONNIE writes:
I understand and walk the same. I didn't always. I was raised in
a church that taught that not one person could be free from sin
and repentence---almost moment by moment---was a necessity.
I grew up believing that, if I worked hard enough, repented often
enough, and if God were in a good humor on the day I died, I might
have a chance at heaven. But our Lord is a rewarder of them that
truly seek Him, and He brought me out of that bondage into a wide
place where freedom in Him reigns supreme. Do I never "mess up"?
Well, I'm still alive and still very much human, but I am also very,
very much free from sin by His perpetual grace and the cleansing
power in the blood of Jesus.
-------------------------------------
LINDA writes:
Much of these truths aren't taught in a lot of churches... Not death
to self, not the crucified life, and as you know - that's where it all
starts. Many don't know who they are in Christ Jesus, have no
idea we are Clean, Justified, released from our old nature to take
on His nature.
------------------------
Isn't God good? Isn't His gospel powerful? May we all experience
this wonderful "cleanness", my friends.
God bless you all.
Andrew Strom.
GREAT QUOTES on THE BLOOD
GREAT QUOTES on THE BLOOD
"Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us, yet if we withhold
ourselves from that blood, we will be unclean forever."
-Aiden Wilson Tozer
"What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus."
-Robert Lowry
"Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Jesus
Christ to keep you out of hell."
-Charles Spurgeon
"If the guilt of sin is so great that nothing can satisfy it but the
blood of Jesus; and the filth of sin is so great that nothing can
fetch out the stain thereof but the blood of Jesus, how great, how
heinous, how sinful must the evil of sin be."
-William Throsby Bridges
"Atonement by the blood of Jesus is not an arm of Christian
truth; it is the heart of it."
-Charles Spurgeon
"Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us, yet if we withhold
ourselves from that blood, we will be unclean forever."
-Aiden Wilson Tozer
"What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus."
-Robert Lowry
"Morality may keep you out of jail, but it takes the blood of Jesus
Christ to keep you out of hell."
-Charles Spurgeon
"If the guilt of sin is so great that nothing can satisfy it but the
blood of Jesus; and the filth of sin is so great that nothing can
fetch out the stain thereof but the blood of Jesus, how great, how
heinous, how sinful must the evil of sin be."
-William Throsby Bridges
"Atonement by the blood of Jesus is not an arm of Christian
truth; it is the heart of it."
-Charles Spurgeon
Prayer Changed the Mind of God
Prayer Changed the Mind of God
(En Español)
The visible glory of God descended, then manifested on the top of Mt. Sinai. As many as six million Israelites heard the audible voice of God speaking to them from the majestic fire. The entire nation quaked and trembled in holy fear. In response, Israel's leaders begged Moses that no further words be spoken to them by God. Moses agreed, then turned and ascended the mountaintop and entered this frightening holy blaze where He remained for forty days. (See Exodus 19:17-20:19; 24:18.)
Incredibly, when Moses delayed his return, the Israelites began to rebel, making for themselves an idol, a golden calf, similar to the idols of Egypt. They did this in full view of the glory of God, defying His glory with their outrageous idolatry. (See Exodus 32:1-8.)
Nothing angers the living God more than man's idolatry, and this brazen act was enough to have destroyed all Israel, both the sinners and also those who saw their sin and did nothing to stop it. In response, the Lord said to Moses,
"I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them, and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation" (Exod. 32:9-10).
This is an amazing verse. It reveals something of the inner workings of the divine mind. I am thinking in particular of the Lord's statement: "Let Me alone." The implication is that if the Lord is "alone" -- that is, without an intercessor to appeal to His mercy -- divine wrath can be fully expressed. Conversely, the opposite is also true: wrath can be restrained if we, as intercessors, do not withdraw our entreaty.
As long as Moses does not withdraw from prayer, there is a mercy opportunity that is being made possible.
The goal of an intercessor is to remain in prayer; i.e., to "not let God alone." This is not to imply that we are more merciful or forgiving than God. That would be quite untrue. What is true, though, is that some measure of divine grace and forgiveness -- an unreasonable measure -- is reserved in God's heart and only escorted to earth by human intercession. God's holiness demands that sin be punished; His mercy, however, triumphs over judgment and can be enlisted by prayer.
Our quest is to unite in oneness with the mercy of God. Conversely, the devil's goal is to create the opposite relationship between us and God where we act, not as an intercessor, but as an accuser. Satan seeks to embitter us against our loved ones and associates, neighbors and nation so that our desires are not redemptive but accusatory and judgmental.
Peter tells husbands to not be embittered against their wives so that their "prayers will not be hindered" (1 Pet. 3:7). Underline this truth: bitterness hinders intercession. The Lord desires we climb into His very thought-processes in extending mercy to earth. The mercy-oriented intercessor attracts the full attention of God.
The Lord declared, "Let Me alone!" Yet Moses refused. Instead, he reminds the Lord of His promises for Israel as well as the Lord's relationship with Israel's forefathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exod. 32:11-13). Too many intercessors misinterpret the Lord's initial pushback and report, erroneously, that God has exhausted His mercy. He has not. In fact, His mercies are new every morning. Moses' answer was to prevail upon God's love. He reminds the Lord of His purpose, repeats the Lord's promise, and he does not stop praying for Israel.
Moses became a mature intercessor. He stayed close to God, prevailing in prayer. Even though the Lord said He could start over and make of Moses a great nation, Moses ignored the prospect. He knew all people would have times of sin and failure. Moses had come too far to start over. This journey was about a covenant that was made with Israel's forefathers.
Remember, your prayer assignment is to bring an imperfect people with a promise from God into fulfillment. The intercessor's role is to pray from the beginning of that journey, through the valleys of sin and setbacks, and continue praying until the promise from God is obtained.
You may be a pastor of a church or an intercessor or a parent. Regardless, whoever you are praying for, you must have this attitude: "Lord, I am not letting You alone concerning my loved one."
When I pray, my focus is for mercy and grace to fall. I agree with God that wrath is justified because of man's sin, and I pray that the Holy Spirit will bring conviction of sin. Yet my main focus is for mercy and correction to come. I know that mercy triumphs over judgment.
The Result
The result of Moses' intercession is utterly amazing:
"So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people" (Exod. 32:14).
May this be a revelation to us all! Moses' prayer changed God's mind!
Much of how God relates to the future of a nation is based upon how the people in that society pray. The Spirit has made one truth plain to me: the future of a society does not belong to sinners; it belongs to those who pray. Thus, Jesus tells His disciples that whatever two of them agree on "about anything that they may ask" (Matt. 18:19), it will be granted by the heavenly Father. Two or three servants of God who refuse to abandon their faithfulness in prayer can release the unfailing mercy of God into their world.
For Moses and the Israelites, the outcome was profound: "The Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people" (Exod. 32:14).
Think of it: prayer changed the mind of God.
Lord, thank You for always remaining open to our cries. Help me to persevere, to give You no rest, until You fulfill Your highest purposes with my family, church and nation. Thank You that one voice is not too feeble that You cannot hear it. Master, I stand in the gap for those I love. Reveal Your mercy to them.
Updated and revised, The Power of One Christlike Life
carries a cargo of gold from the heart of a man after God's heart. This
book by Pastor Frangipane contains the nectar of his walk with God. It
is packed with revelation about the nature of God in Christ, and how the
key to everything spiritual is found in the pursuit of Christ's
likeness.
View Francis introducing this book
We've been taught, and rightly so, that grace is God's unmerited favor. Yet it is more. Grace is God's promise to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Learn how to interact and work with the powerful, transforming grace of God. In truth, in every facet of our lives, our progress is the result of faith working with God's grace.
The life of an intercessor is a call to power, not perplexity; to faith, not fear. The prayer warrior examines today’s emergencies with the mind of Christ and speaks Christ’s words to the yet unformed substance of tomorrow.
Limited time offer!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(En Español)
The visible glory of God descended, then manifested on the top of Mt. Sinai. As many as six million Israelites heard the audible voice of God speaking to them from the majestic fire. The entire nation quaked and trembled in holy fear. In response, Israel's leaders begged Moses that no further words be spoken to them by God. Moses agreed, then turned and ascended the mountaintop and entered this frightening holy blaze where He remained for forty days. (See Exodus 19:17-20:19; 24:18.)
Incredibly, when Moses delayed his return, the Israelites began to rebel, making for themselves an idol, a golden calf, similar to the idols of Egypt. They did this in full view of the glory of God, defying His glory with their outrageous idolatry. (See Exodus 32:1-8.)
Nothing angers the living God more than man's idolatry, and this brazen act was enough to have destroyed all Israel, both the sinners and also those who saw their sin and did nothing to stop it. In response, the Lord said to Moses,
"I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them, and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation" (Exod. 32:9-10).
This is an amazing verse. It reveals something of the inner workings of the divine mind. I am thinking in particular of the Lord's statement: "Let Me alone." The implication is that if the Lord is "alone" -- that is, without an intercessor to appeal to His mercy -- divine wrath can be fully expressed. Conversely, the opposite is also true: wrath can be restrained if we, as intercessors, do not withdraw our entreaty.
As long as Moses does not withdraw from prayer, there is a mercy opportunity that is being made possible.
The goal of an intercessor is to remain in prayer; i.e., to "not let God alone." This is not to imply that we are more merciful or forgiving than God. That would be quite untrue. What is true, though, is that some measure of divine grace and forgiveness -- an unreasonable measure -- is reserved in God's heart and only escorted to earth by human intercession. God's holiness demands that sin be punished; His mercy, however, triumphs over judgment and can be enlisted by prayer.
Our quest is to unite in oneness with the mercy of God. Conversely, the devil's goal is to create the opposite relationship between us and God where we act, not as an intercessor, but as an accuser. Satan seeks to embitter us against our loved ones and associates, neighbors and nation so that our desires are not redemptive but accusatory and judgmental.
Peter tells husbands to not be embittered against their wives so that their "prayers will not be hindered" (1 Pet. 3:7). Underline this truth: bitterness hinders intercession. The Lord desires we climb into His very thought-processes in extending mercy to earth. The mercy-oriented intercessor attracts the full attention of God.
The Lord declared, "Let Me alone!" Yet Moses refused. Instead, he reminds the Lord of His promises for Israel as well as the Lord's relationship with Israel's forefathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exod. 32:11-13). Too many intercessors misinterpret the Lord's initial pushback and report, erroneously, that God has exhausted His mercy. He has not. In fact, His mercies are new every morning. Moses' answer was to prevail upon God's love. He reminds the Lord of His purpose, repeats the Lord's promise, and he does not stop praying for Israel.
Moses became a mature intercessor. He stayed close to God, prevailing in prayer. Even though the Lord said He could start over and make of Moses a great nation, Moses ignored the prospect. He knew all people would have times of sin and failure. Moses had come too far to start over. This journey was about a covenant that was made with Israel's forefathers.
Remember, your prayer assignment is to bring an imperfect people with a promise from God into fulfillment. The intercessor's role is to pray from the beginning of that journey, through the valleys of sin and setbacks, and continue praying until the promise from God is obtained.
You may be a pastor of a church or an intercessor or a parent. Regardless, whoever you are praying for, you must have this attitude: "Lord, I am not letting You alone concerning my loved one."
When I pray, my focus is for mercy and grace to fall. I agree with God that wrath is justified because of man's sin, and I pray that the Holy Spirit will bring conviction of sin. Yet my main focus is for mercy and correction to come. I know that mercy triumphs over judgment.
The Result
The result of Moses' intercession is utterly amazing:
"So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people" (Exod. 32:14).
May this be a revelation to us all! Moses' prayer changed God's mind!
Much of how God relates to the future of a nation is based upon how the people in that society pray. The Spirit has made one truth plain to me: the future of a society does not belong to sinners; it belongs to those who pray. Thus, Jesus tells His disciples that whatever two of them agree on "about anything that they may ask" (Matt. 18:19), it will be granted by the heavenly Father. Two or three servants of God who refuse to abandon their faithfulness in prayer can release the unfailing mercy of God into their world.
For Moses and the Israelites, the outcome was profound: "The Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people" (Exod. 32:14).
Think of it: prayer changed the mind of God.
Lord, thank You for always remaining open to our cries. Help me to persevere, to give You no rest, until You fulfill Your highest purposes with my family, church and nation. Thank You that one voice is not too feeble that You cannot hear it. Master, I stand in the gap for those I love. Reveal Your mercy to them.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Power of One Christlike Life available at www.arrowbookstore.com.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Save 38% this week
Limited time offer
Limited time offer
The Power of One Christlike Life
Updated and revised, The Power of One Christlike Life
carries a cargo of gold from the heart of a man after God's heart. This
book by Pastor Frangipane contains the nectar of his walk with God. It
is packed with revelation about the nature of God in Christ, and how the
key to everything spiritual is found in the pursuit of Christ's
likeness.View Francis introducing this book
Book - $8.37 (Retail $13.50)
Ebook - $8.37 (Retail $13.50)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ebook - $8.37 (Retail $13.50)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Grace Unveiled
Audio or video series
Audio or video series
We've been taught, and rightly so, that grace is God's unmerited favor. Yet it is more. Grace is God's promise to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Learn how to interact and work with the powerful, transforming grace of God. In truth, in every facet of our lives, our progress is the result of faith working with God's grace.
Message titles:
Not by Works | The Law of Faith
At the Mercy Seat | Your Words - Your Future
Not by Works | The Law of Faith
At the Mercy Seat | Your Words - Your Future
CD Series - $9.92 (Retail $16.00)
MP3 Series Download - $4.96 (Retail $8.00)
DVD Series - $18.60 (Retail $30.00)
MP4 Video Series Download - $9.30 (Retail 15.00)
MP3 Series Download - $4.96 (Retail $8.00)
DVD Series - $18.60 (Retail $30.00)
MP4 Video Series Download - $9.30 (Retail 15.00)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Prayer Warrior
Audio Series
Audio Series
The life of an intercessor is a call to power, not perplexity; to faith, not fear. The prayer warrior examines today’s emergencies with the mind of Christ and speaks Christ’s words to the yet unformed substance of tomorrow.
Message titles:
Prayer Warrior | The School of Prayer
Praying Your Vision
Praying Your Vision
CD Audio Series - $11.16 (Retail 18.00)
MP3 Audio Series Download - $5.58 (Retail $9.00)
MP3 Audio Series Download - $5.58 (Retail $9.00)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
House of Prayer
Audio Series
Audio Series
This
classic series from Francis Frangipane helps us to not only understand
the power of redemptive intercession but to walk in it to the glory of
God.
Message Titles:
A House of Mercy | Zeal for God's House
The Intercessor's Vision | Standing Before God
Prayer Warrior | The Life of Vision
If My People will Pray | A Call to Prayer
The Intercessor's Vision | Standing Before God
Prayer Warrior | The Life of Vision
If My People will Pray | A Call to Prayer
CD Audio Series - $17.36 (Retail $28.00)
MP3 Audio Series Download - $8.68 (Retail $14.00)
MP3 Audio Series Download - $8.68 (Retail $14.00)
Limited time offer!
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