Deliverance
Deliverance
Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (filthy), 20 Idolatry, witchcraft (drug use), hatred, variance (causing separation with strife or contention), emulations (wanting to be like someone else; jealous of others for who they are), wrath (fierceness), strife (contentious), seditions (causing divisions), heresies, 21 Envyings (jealousy), murders, drunkenness, revellings (letting loose; riotous or wild living), and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
This is sin and those committing such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly, (John 10:10 I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.)
God told Adam when he sinned, then he would surely die (Genesis 2:15-17 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress (to work) it and to keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.)
Adam did eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil from the hand of his wife – Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Before man disobeyed God there was no such thing as death on the earth. Not even in the animal kingdom was there death - Genesis 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat (food): and it was so.
You see here that the plants were food for the beast of the earth as well; so there was no death of any kind upon the earth. Sin brought death upon the earth (Rom 5:12), and the day that man sinned was the day he started to die physically.
When we are born on this earth, we begin to age or die immediately. Everyday we get closer to dying; because death is working in us. When God told Adam the day he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he would die; He was also referring to spiritual death or eternal separation from God.
There are two types of death: the first death is physical, and the second is spiritual; (Revelation 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.)
Everyone will die physically – Hebrews 9:27 and as it is appointed unto men once to die; but not everyone will die spiritually. God couldn't remake man is his own image or start all over again with another man; because He gave us dominion or rule over the earth.
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. Ps 115:16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's; But the earth has he given to the children of men.
If God could not remake man, then how could He reconcile man back to himself? If He could not make us again physically, could He make us again spiritually?
God had a plan to free mankind from sin and the consequences of sin: 1) being separated from God forever, 2) being in bondage caused by sin, 3) sickness, disease, grief, sorrow, and pain.
Bondage comes from being controlled by having a sin or sins in our lives.
2 Peter 2:19 for of whom a person is overcome, of the same they are brought in bondage.
Romans 6:16 Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
A person cannot be reborn through their mother's womb, (John 3:1-8 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus says unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again. 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound thereof, but can not tell where it comes, and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.), but the scripture say you can be born again by the Spirit.
When God made man, He gave him a body, soul, and a spirit; (1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.), so there are three parts to a person.
The body everyone can identify with; the soul is our mind, will, and our emotional side; and the spirit is in everyone’s heart for God to know everything about them.
The soul is where we think, decide, and feel. The body is sense conscience (five natural senses - touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing), the sou1 is self or sin conscience, and the spirit is God's conscience.
The conscience is awareness of or knowing right and wrong. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden in the very beginning, then they became self or sin conscience instead of having God's conscience.
The spirit that God has placed in every person that is born upon the earth is where Adam died spiritually and was separated from God. Our spirit is no longer connected to God, but God is still connected to all of us. In other words, He can know everything about us, but we can't know anything about Him; because of sin being in the way.
Adam spent time with God in fellowship before he fell into sin (Gen 3:8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.).
Afterwards they had a different relationship with God when they were taken out of the Garden where God had placed them, and the earth was now cursed because of sin (Genesis 3:17-19 And unto Adam he said, Because you have hearkened (listened) unto the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to you; and you shall eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return unto the ground; for out of it were you taken: for dust you are, and unto dust shall you return.)
Genesis 3:23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from where he was taken.
Mankind needed a mediator between God and themselves, or a go between. God sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, 2,000 years ago to be that go between. The sin we inherit when we are born comes from the blood of our father. This is why a baby's blood type will be the same blood type of their father and not their mother.
Everyone is born in sin: (Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.)
This meant that Jesus could not have a natural father to be born, because He too, would have been born with sin. God used a woman named Mary, and Jesus would have the blood of God in Him, pure and sinless, instead of the inherited sin filled blood of man.
The Holy Spirit would fertilize Mary's egg in the womb so Jesus could be born without sin (Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.) to be our mediator between God. Since God gave man dominion or control of the earth, and man fell from God by sinning, then the only way back to God would be through another man. Jesus was a man coming down from His Father's throne in heaven to live and die as a man, to free man from being guilty before God. Jesus came to restore what was lost by sin being introduced in the world.
Before Jesus came, God had man sacrifice animals to Him, so their sins could be covered by the blood of animals, or in other words, the animals died in place of man.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. When Adam and Eve sinned, the Lord had animals sacrificed, so they could live (Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.).
Hebrews 10:1-4 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
The blood of the animals covered the sins temporarily, but did not take away the sins. They needed to do this continually because people sin, and need forgiveness. This was temporary until the final sacrifice acceptable to God was complete.
Hebrews 10:11-18 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Glory be to God, Jesus was our acceptable sinless perfect sacrifice placed on God's altar for us, so we don't have to be guilty of sin anymore. We have a new lease on life, or another chance to live another way. Our spirit part of us now can come back to life by God putting His Spirit in our spirit to be connected back to God to have fellowship with Him once again. Now we can follow God's ways because His Spirit will direct us and teach us new
ways.
The soul is the area which needs to be saved or delivered from sin. The spirit God gave us is perfect – (Hebrews 12:22-24 But you are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.) and the soul has a way or influence to make different decisions because of God's presence in a believer's life. The soul can now be led by the Spirit of the Living God, instead of the sinful man we are born with. When we receive what Jesus did for us, then we are born again from heaven, or spiritually born again with His Spirit being in our heart. Hallelujah!
James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death (eternal separation from God), and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Sinners need to turn away from their ways and to God and live. Remember, God made us a living soul, with a capability to make decisions for ourselves, and be responsible for what we decide to do in life. Isn't it great, God did not make us robots?
He gave us a free will, to make our own decisions in life, which way we want to go.
In order to not be held accountable for any of our past sins, we need to accept what only Jesus could do for us. None of us is good enough to be accepted by God without Him, because all have sinned, and God does not accept sin, because there is no sin in Him. Only belief in what Jesus did on your behalf is acceptable to God.
When He sees a believer, He sees what His Son did, and His perfect sinless blood that now takes away our sin, and no longer just covers it temporarily like the animals blood did (1 Peter 1:17-19 And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.)
You can only be cleansed of your sins by accepting the spilled blood of Jesus sacrificed for you (1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.) For all we need to do to accept the blood of Jesus for us is to confess or admit to our sins, and He will forgive us and cleanse us of all guilt and condemnation (1 John 1:8-9 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.)
1 Peter 1:22-23 Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever. This is how a person becomes born again from above, just admit your a sinner, and believe that Jesus was your accepted sacrifice from God, and all your sins are washed away.
Like Jesus said to the woman whom they accused of catching in the act of adultery, - John 8:10-11 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those your accusers? has no man condemned you? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more.
When you receive Jesus in your heart and life, you need to learn a new way, because you now have a new life. You think differently, act differently, and feel differently. You can finally understand life and its meaning. You wake up with a purpose, a reason for living everyday.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
When you become a Christian you are forgiven of all your past sins. God wants you to live right and when you still sin at times just repent, (turn away from, go the other way- confess or admit your sin and ask for forgiveness again) and never feel like you don't have to repent of your sins anymore just because you are a Christian. The difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is a Christian does not want to sin and will fight against doing it, and a non-Christian is someone who does not know any better and follows their sinful nature they are born with, and practice sin.
The blood of Jesus is for the forgiveness of your sins and the cross of Jesus is for the deliverance of your sins. The blood cleanses you of all you ever did and do, and the cross delivers you from continuing to do it. Sin is powerful and is hard to stop once the devil has you trapped.
1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
2 Timothy 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.
The devil is your enemy and is not willing to let you go once he has you in captivity, which is his will, but greater is He that is in you, now that your born again, then he that is in the world (the devil). Your no match for the devil on your own, but the by the power of Jesus Christ, the devil must go! Jesus
defeated the devil, Colossians 2:13-15 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, has he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
The principalities and powers are from the kingdom of darkness, or from the devil, and Jesus defeated all of them when He went to hell for three days and three nights, and took the keys of hell and death away from the devil, Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Revelation 1:18 I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Jesus has the keys for your freedom from the author of sin, the devil.
John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts (strong desires or passions) of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Many Christians never get delivered of sin because most of them don't know He can break the power of the devil over their lives. Many are taught a powerless message about the Lord just receiving forgiveness and His love, but not knowing His work at the cross included our deliverance to no longer have to continue in sin.
Look at the name of Jesus Christ. What does it mean? God didn't just name Him this for no reason. Jesus means savior, deliverer, one that saves or rescues from harm or danger, and Christ means the anointed one of God, or God's power being placed upon Him to be able to deliver. Let us now look at His name and what it really means, the God empowered deliverer, to free us and make us whole. Hallelujah! Jesus is on the throne of God right now, empowered from on High to deliver. Our anointed deliverer, precious Jesus.
How do you as a Christian, get to the cross to be delivered? Your character and make-up of who you are has been molded over years of time being in the world without the Living Christ in your heart. The same with Christianity, it will take time to form Christ within you, so you can become totally new and free, Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. You need to learn new ways with your new life Christ has given you. If you don't follow the new man that has been created on the inside of you, you will go back to the old ways, or to your sinful nature, remaining in bondage to your enemy, the devil.
The way you follow the new person created in the inside of you is to start to read your bible. A Christian that does not read their bible is like a car without tires. The car is there, but it won't be going anywhere, and the same way it is for a Christian who can't go anywhere, because they don't know where to go and how to get there. You need to read, and not only read your bible, but start to do the things it says to do.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
The word reproof in the Greek, (the language the New Testament was translated from) means conviction or convince. Conviction means to prove guilty or wrong and convince means to persuade by evidence or argument. The Word of God brings conviction, it shows you what you are doing wrong and will instruct you the right way to do it. Take your time when it comes to reading the bible. Don't read it like a newspaper, but let it get down deep into your heart.
Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? says the Lord; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? His Word is like a hammer that breaks up the hard heart, and a fire that takes away things that need to go in a believer's life.
Why do you think so many people do not like to hear things out of the bible? The cross is where the old ways get crucified or put to death. Crucifixion is painful because the old self is leaving so the new can take over.
This is where most Christians never get to because they are not willing to pay the price for change. Do you want deliverance today from whatever it might be? You have to want it more than anything else. You have to be tired of serving it and obeying the bondage you are under. The devil did not get you overnight and it may not be overnight when you are free, but it will come if you are not willing to give up so easily.
Only the persistent receive from God, and not the pretenders to get what they want and then say goodbye. God will see who means business with Him and who don't. There are no discounts and no sales when it comes to the kingdom of God.
1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Satan or the devil is not going to tempt you with something that you can't be tempted with, because then it wouldn't be a temptation.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.
The devil can't tempt you with alcohol, for example; if you never really liked drinking, but if he tempts you with something you use to like or do like, then it is a temptation, and could be hard
to say no. God is not the tempter.
James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man, but the devil is – Matthew 4:1-3 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
When the devil came to tempt Jesus He replied back with the Word of God quoting Deut 8:3, (Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.), and we need to do the same thing when the enemy comes to us.
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
Jesus came to set the sinner free. and can and will do it if we continue in His Word. This means to keep reading, studying, and applying or using it in
our lives. Just because you read the bible or hear the Word of God preached does not mean it will benefit you,
Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
The gospel means good news. the news that Jesus came to give us eternal life with Him. and
also to free us from sin now. Just because someone hears the gospel preached that does not mean it will benefit them. unless they believe what they heard and respond by accepting what
Jesus did for them. If you don believe, you don’t receive anything from God. Jesus talked about the Word of God being preached to others and you will see different ways the Word of God can effect a heart in Mark Chapter 4.
Mark 4:1-20 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 9 And he said unto them, He that has ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 13 And he said unto them, Know you not this parable? and how then will you know all parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
You see here the Word is heard, but it does not work for everyone that heard it, because they didn't keep it in their heart for it to be able to work in their lives. It is easy to start out as a Christian believing in the Word of God, but when it gets hard, because of the enemy coming to get you off course,
then many will surrender to the enemy or Satan, and give up.
Whenever anyone gives up, that is when they lose. Never give up, keep going forward, and trying. Just think, it can only get better, and will! When things become difficult as a Christian, remember how bad your life was without the Lord in your life. Now your life counts for something and you are not going through these things for nothing.
Written by Pastor Michael J. Wilson