"HE IS MY EVERYTHING
-- I GO IN HIS NAME"
March 19, 2000 pm
1Samuel 17:45-51 Then said David
to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and
with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the
God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD
deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head
from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines
this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth;
that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this
assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for
the battle [is] the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands. And it
came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet
David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang [it],
and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his
forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over
the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine,
and slew him; but [there was] no sword in the hand of David. Therefore
David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew
it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith.
And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
The above scriptures note that David came to Goliath in the name of
the Lord.
Deuteronomy 18:5 For the LORD thy
God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the
name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.
The above verse notes the priests of the temple chosen to stand and minister
in the name of the Lord.
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The phrase "in the name of the Lord," is one that infers something being
accomplished as though God Himself were accomplishing it.
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The priests ministered to Israel as though God Himself ministered.
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The people were made to understand that God was behind everything that
those priests did.
David told Goliath that he did not come with a sword or spear to defeat
him.
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This mere Boy was coming to a giant IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.
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It was as good as GOD coming to Goliath when David went in His name.
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God was David's EVERYTHING.
"In the name of the Lord," means "in the authority and POWER of
the Lord."
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As a police officer commands you to obey an order "in the name of the law,"
you may as well defy the entire law when you defy that person, for all
the law's authority is upon that one.
The same manner of speaking is found in the New Testament when the statement,
"In the name of Jesus Christ" is noted.
I am speaking about true Christianity today.
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Yes, many have done things in the name of the Lord, and have been false
prophets.
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The Bible even warns us itself of this kind of people.
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What shows if one is truly in God's name is whether or not they align their
lives up with everything that the Bible teaches for a Christian to be.
But there is an element we need to understand.
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You can actually be a truly born again Christian, and truly saved, but
not LIVING the LIFE that Christ provided for
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OUT OF IGNORANCE of what the scriptures teach, He may have been your Saviour,
but what about your everyday life?
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Is He effective in your everyday living?
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Incorrect concepts of Christian LIFE can leave a truly saved Christian
as a defeated person.
Galatians 5:4-6 Christ is become
of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law;
ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of
righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth
any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Paul said this to truly saved Christians.
Let me explain the point.
Peter preached about God's plan for Jesus to die and be buried, and
how Jesus resurrected from the grave.
Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered
by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and
by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Notice the term "determinate counsel."
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It was God's pre-determined will for Christ to be slain and crucified.
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It was God's will before it ever occurred.
And when the people believed Peter's words about this, they manifested
faith in it.
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They believed it.
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True faith always works.
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It will invariably seek to DO SOMETHING about what it believes in.
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That is why the people who believed asked Peter what they should DO (Acts
2:37).
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I know they had true faith for salvation because they wanted to DO SOMETHING.
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Their faith was saving them.
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And faith without works is dead.
So, Peter told them that the actions that true believers must do are to
repent and to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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People who refuse to do this, simply do not have genuine faith that saves
them.
The reason for baptism, especially, is that they might truly understand
that God considers them AS HAVING DIED WHEN JESUS DIED on the cross.
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Jesus died for us. and as us at the same time.
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We died at the same time He died.
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A soul comes into UNION with Him by faith of baptism into His death.
This is what saves us.
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But AFTER this, it is our UNDERSTANDING OF OUR LIVES after we have died
with Him that determine whether or not we make CHRIST EFFECTIVE in our
everyday living.
Notice this:
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Paul spoke these words to genuinely saved Christians.
Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who
hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes
Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Christ was EVIDENTLY SET FORTH TO THEM, CRUCIFIED AMONG THEM.
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This was the True Christ.
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But these same people were NOT LIVING THE TRUE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
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They were selling themselves short of what they could live.
Paul said that Christ was of no effect to them.
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In other words, He was effective in their salvation.
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They were saved.
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But their everyday LIVES were not lives that Christ effected as strengthened
lives.
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There was so much for them to enjoy, but they were not allowing Christ
to be all that He was meant to be for them.
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Their daily lives left Christ ineffective in influencing a change from
simply living a ho-hum life like people live who do not know God.
Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled
in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed
one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall
not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
According to he context of that last statement, Paul hinted that these
people ere supposed to love one another, but they were actually biting
and devouring one another.
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They were like the Corinthians who were "carnal", in their envying and
dividing apart from one another.
Many people are lie that today in Churches everywhere.
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Many of them do not want to be like that, though.
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They have a genuine desire to CHANGE.
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But, althoug they truly met Jesus one day, and He saved them, as far as
their daily lives go, He is ineffective to them.
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I am preaching about how to make Christ EFFECTIVE in your life!
Paul also described their plight by contrasting his concept of Christian
living against their own
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate
the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ
is dead in vain.
Compare 2:21 with 5:4.
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Frustrating grace and making Christ ineffective mean the same thing.
Here is how they made Him ineffective.
Galatians 5:1-6 Stand fast therefore
in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye
be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to
every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified
by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for
the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
If they set out to be circumcised, which was an Old Testament ritual
that inducted a male into the Judaic religion, Paul said that Christ would
profit them nothing, or be made ineffective with them.
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We can put anything into the place of circumcision that we use as a means
to PHYSICALLY DO SOMETHING IN ORDER TO PLEASE GOD.
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Notice what ACTION God is pleased with.
Galatians 1:15-16 But when it pleased
God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called [me] by his grace,
To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately
I conferred not with flesh and blood:
SOMETHING PLEASED GOD.
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What was it?
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It was the revelation of God's Son in Paul.
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And who did it?
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GOD REVEALED His Son in Paul.
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GOD DID THE ACTION.
Do you get the picture?
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God is only pleased with HIS OWN ACTIONS.
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God created in Genesis 1 and said IT IS VERY GOOD.
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And God had everything finished for Adam by the time Adam was created.
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NONE OF YOUR ACTIONS ARE GOING TO PLEASE GOD.
Here is what pleases God:
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith
it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him.
FAITH PLEASES GOD.
DID YOU KNOW THAT ATTENDING CHURCH SERVICES IN ITSELF IS NOT PLEASING
TO GOD?
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Sound shocking?
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It is true.
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Simply going to church every week does not please God the least bit.
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FAITH PLEASES GOD.
But when we come to Church service in order to LEARN and UNDERSTAND more
about what it means to be UNITED TO JESUS, and you exert faith in that
truth, then THAT pleases God.
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You are exerting faith.
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And that alone pleases God.
We cannot please God by a performance of good works.
The reason so many are making Christ ineffective in their living is
due to the fact that they DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT CHRIST IS IN THEM, AND
THAT HE IS THEIR JUSTIFICATION.
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Many know Christ is in them, as such, but they do not understand what difference
that can make.
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Most people believe the only difference it makes is to make one ready for
the rapture.
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So, in the meantime, Christ just sits there doing NOTHING in their everyday
lives.
JUSTIFICATION is a big issue that will make a difference when understood.
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Justification means being right in the eyes of God, and acquitted of a
crime.
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What do you look at for your justification?
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If you say, "I am basically a good person, and never steal nor hurt anyone.
I even pray and go to church."
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GOD IS NOT LOOKING FOR ANY OF THOSE THINGS to consider you justified.
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Notice what the Bible says justifies a person.
Romans 4:24- 5:1 But for us also, to
whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our
Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised
again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Jesus was killed for OUR OFFENCES.
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Think about it.
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If He was killed for our offenses, then it was as though we were killed.
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It was for OUR OFFENCES.
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The only explanation is that Jesus died AS US.
Many look at Jesus as one who took the death penalty to set the convicts
free from having to pay the penalty themselves.
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WRONG.
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He did take our death penalty but we UNITED TO HIM and DIED WITH HIM, giving
us RESURRECTION FROM OUR DEATHS.
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That is the reason we read the following:
Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old
man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed,
that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he
that is dead is freed from sin. {freed: Gr. justified} Now if we be dead
with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
That is not the same as saying he died so we would not have to.
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WE DIED WITH HIM.
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We are JUSTIFIED from sin, or made FREE from sin, by our deaths with Christ.
Romans 4:25 says that Christ's resurrection is my JUSTIFICATION.
Jesus was condemned by the world as a false Christ.
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But when He was resurrected, He was justified in what He declared about
Himself.
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He really was SON OF GOD.
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And if we are justified by HIS resurrection, then His resurrection MUST
COUNT AS OUR RESURRECTIONS, TOO.
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Since we are in UNION with Him, we are justified by His resurrection.
Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence
of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by
the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification
of life.
The righteousness of one single man made many others
righteous.
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Jesus Christ causes justification to come upon everyone
who accepts this all as truth.
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That can only be possible if God looks upon us all
as ONE WITH JESUS.
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God began the process of making us one with Him in
the death of Jesus.
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Jesus said that when He is lifted up on the cross,
He would draw all men to Him.
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He would be united to everyone who ever lived, and
all of their sins.
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AND HE WOULD CAUSE EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THEY
ALREADY PAID THE DEATH-PENALTY FOR SIN WHEN HE DIED.
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FAITH in that would save a soul.
John 12:32-33 And
I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
This he said, signifying what death he should die.
That is why we stress so strongly Baptism in the
Name of Jesus Christ.
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The whole point of the Gospel is that Jesus died
and resurrected as us.
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The way to make HIM EFFECTIVE after you get saved
is by realizing that after Jesus died AS YOU he is now LIVING FOREVERMORE.
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If you were united to His death and resurrection,
then you are still united in HIS PRESENT LIVING.
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Don't you think it makes sense that HE IS TO LIVE
AS YOU, after He died as you?
Galatians 2:20-21 I
am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live
by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by
the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
What is your hope of glory?
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Do you depend upon good living?
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Do you depend upon GOOD DEEDS?
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Do you look to church attendance or daily prayer
in themselves?
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NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE YOUR END HOPE.
Colossians 1:27 To
whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Your only hope of glory is CHRIST IN YOU.
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You'll never be justified by good deeds.
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Its not going to be in going to church services.
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ITS CHRIST, HIMSELF.
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HE is your justification.
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Its not being Pentecostal, Catholic or Lutheran or
any other denominational label.
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ITS CHRIST IN YOU.
God sees JESUS CHRIST when He sees you.
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He saw you DIED when Jesus died.
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He saw you BURIED when Jesus was buried.
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He saw you resurrect when Jesus resurrected.
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AND YOUR LIFE TODAY IS JESUS CHRIST.
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But you will FRUSTRATE the grace of God from being
effective in your daily living when you act like you are not in union with
Him at all, and like He is not your justification as you try to do something
to please Him.
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LET THAT LAST SENTENCE SINK IN.
If you do not see your union to Him, then you WILL
INVARIABLY TRY TO JUSTIFY YOURSELF THROUGH GOOD WORKS.
When David ran after Goliath with just a sling
and stone, God was portraying to us that man's devices will not conquer
the enemy.
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But the faith of a boy in union with God would make
that boy just as good as GOD HIMSELF FACING THE GIANT.
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And God is bigger than any giant.
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Saul went in his armour.
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David went IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.
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He went in faith that God was with him.
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Spiritually, Goliath faced GOD.
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Who can defeat God?
When you pray for the sick IN THE NAME OF JESUS,
have faith that God looks at you as JESUS CHRIST laying hands on the sick.
When the devil attacks your family, run after him
in JESUS' NAME, and God sees you as JESUS CHRIST chasing the devil.
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And that is what the devil will see, too!
Matthew 7:21-23 Not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy
name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them,
I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
These people will lay claim on what they did IN HIS
NAME as basis to enter heaven.
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To truly do a thing in Jesus' name is to BE IN UNION
WITH HIM and having God see it as though Jesus Christ Himself did it.
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But Jesus will tell these people that HE NEVER KNEW
THEM.
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To "know Jesus" is to be in intimate UNION with Him.
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Adam KNEW Eve.
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Adam's Physical union foreshadows spiritual union.
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These people were never UNITED TO JESUS, yet they
claim to do things AS JESUS.
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because of their false claims, He told them to depart.
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Nobody is going into Heaven because of good deeds...
not even due to healing people.
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CHRIST IN YOU -- IN UNION WITH YOU -- is your only
hope of glory.
Many read Paul working in JESUS' NAME, but do not
understand what Paul understood when he did it in that NAME.
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You can believe Jesus is healer and Saviour.
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But that will not affect your everyday life.
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Until you understand Him as your life, you render
Him ineffective in your everyday life.
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HE IS OUR JUSTIFICATION.
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OUR HOPE OF GLORY.
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OUR LIVES.
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OUR REDEMPTION.
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OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (1 Cor 1:30.)
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OUR EVERYTHING!
Refuse to even CONSIDER adding any good deed to what
God did on the cross as your justification.
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Drop the heavy loaded burden of what you incorrectly
feel makes you a Christian today.
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DON'T FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD.
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Let grace WORK in you by letting CHRIST LIVE IN YOU.
Paul said that if we are going to add one little
work to your repertoire of chalk marks on the list of what is taking you
to glory, then leave Christ altogether and go back under the law entirely.
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That does not mean we should not concern ourselves
over good works.
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WE NEED GOOD WORKS.
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BUT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS!
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Do not commit good works in hopes of them taking
you to glory.
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True believers will commit good works, and without
good works such people are not true Christians.
I do good works because I am already saved.
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What makes Christ effective in me today is that I
know He is inside me and alive.
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He is a real Spirit inside me wanting to influence
my life.
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I am in His name and am one of His vessels who understands
He wants to use my body as an instrument.
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We share my body.
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And I sense Him urging me to act, and I cooperate
with Him and act according to His will.
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I do not circumvent that by taking the initiative
to do good deeds without rendering myself to Him first for direction.
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I would have no right to claim that had I not been
baptized into His death in faith that I died with Him.
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I took on HIs name.
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I share His name.
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I share His authority and power.
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He will not give it, He will SHARE IT WITH US.
Replace all the works-oriented thinking and false
philosophies and concepts with these truths from the bible.
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Don't frustrate God's grace, and ultimately yourself,
any longer.
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HE IS YOUR LIFE.
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Know that as Paul knew it.