Tag Archives: easy bible lessons

Claiming Your Rights as Heirs of God

Believers have full access to the Father’s resources. They are co-heirs with Christ and heirs to every spiritual blessing. Yet, they live defeated and powerless lives. We may know the truth in theory, but we have not always been taught how to walk in it practically.

Identity and Faith: The Keys to Accessing our Inheritance

Christians have an inheritance waiting for them. Many never experience it. This is not because God is a withholder, but because many of us lack understanding.

Many are waiting until Heaven to receive what God has already provided for us on Earth. Meanwhile, they live in spiritual poverty, sickness, mental torment, and defeat. Everything Jesus purchased for them at Calvary remains unclaimed.

We have to change. We need to learn why many Christians never claim their inheritance, and also learn what that inheritance actually includes. We must understand what already belongs to us as children of God, according to scripture.

Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

This clearly declares that if we are children, then we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. We are not servants begging for scraps. Heirs! Everything that belongs to Jesus belongs to us: Every promise, Every provision, Every blessing, and Every resource. Our inheritance was never meant to be postponed until Heaven. Scripture teaches that God has already given us all things that pertain to life and godliness

2 Peter 1:3-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Our inheritance must now be known, believed, declared, received, and defended. The first thing we need to wrap our heads and hearts around is that our inheritance includes righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

This passage tells us that we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ. Past tense. Already done. This righteousness is not something we strive to earn; it is something we receive automatically when we are born again.

Our inheritance also includes healing.

1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.

This passage tells us that by His stripes we were healed. Healing was purchased at the cross and belongs to us now.

Our inheritance also includes provision and abundance.

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

These passages show us that not only is God able, but Jesus became poor so that we, through His poverty, might be rich. God’s abundant provision is part of our redemption.

Our inheritance also includes peace.  

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Jesus has given us His peace, not as the world gives, with strings attached, but as an everlasting inheritance.

Ephesians 1:3 confirms that we have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ. These blessings are not promises for the future; they are present possessions that can and should be our current reality.

Claiming our inheritance:

In the natural world, an inheritance must be claimed. In the same way, our spiritual inheritance is accessed by faith.

Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

With the heart we believe, and with the mouth we confess. Believing and speaking are the two required components for faith that saves. “Saved from what?” Hell, for starters. When we believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord and we say it with our mouth we become born again. Every other promise of God that was given to us at salvation is obtained the same way.

James 2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 

James teaches us that faith without works is dead. “Works”, in this context, means an action or actions that demonstrate what we say we believe. It literally means, “the effects of faith, or the fruit of belief”.

What we truly believe will always be expressed through corresponding words and/or actions.

How we speak and behave is the fruit of what we believe. Faith is audible and observable. What we truly believe will be heard and seen by God, His holy angels, the devil, and all his demons. They all know what we truly believe in our hearts. It is not a mystery to them. They just have to watch and listen. If we understand faith, we will recognize it in others, too. Jesus demonstrated this on several occasions.

Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.

Jesus saw their faith. He then said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”    

According to this story, the way He sees our faith is by seeing our actions. Our deeds showcase whether we have faith or not. In a broader sense, we can’t have true saving faith and have no “works” to show it. When we were born again, we only needed to declare our belief in Jesus. We needed to declare that He is Lord and that He rose from the dead. A verbal declaration was the only work required to receive eternal salvation.

That same principle applies to being saved from sickness, depression, and addiction. It also applies to worry, poverty, and confusion. It applies to whatever else we need saving from. Jesus paid the price for all those things. He gave us specific instructions on how to lay hold of them. He also explained how to defend them from being stolen or lost through neglect.

To claim our inheritance, we must first know God’s will. We find His will through His written Word. F.F. Bosworth  was quoted saying “Faith begins where the will of God is known.”

Faith comes by hearing the Word.

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Everything that belongs to Jesus NOW belongs to us. We are His body. We have His spirit. It is time for us to think like heirs, speak like heirs, and take possession of these things by faith.

JESUS IS COMING!

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Graham Cooke meets a Witch Doctor. HILARIOUS!

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The Mechanics of Faith: Unlocking Promises

Jesus taught faith to His apostles and repeatedly demonstrated faith. Jesus eventually sent them out in pairs to practice what they learned. They continued to practice these teachings long after His death and resurrection. The spiritual laws and faith principles that Jesus taught and demonstrated work without fail when properly understood and applied.

Somewhere down the line, the Church let these truths slip. She stopped teaching and demonstrating faith. The demonstration of the gospel began to weaken until it had all but disappeared. We must now contend for the faith that was lost by the early Church.

Jude 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

How faith works has largely been forgotten by the modern church. In fact, most Christians have never been taught how faith works.

Most Christians approach faith legalistically. They try to believe harder, read more, pray longer, cry louder, confess constantly, but nothing changes. The result of this striving trains one to think that faith is unpredictable. It also suggests that God’s will is always a mystery. But that’s not biblical faith.

When we understand biblical faith and we operate according to the principles that Jesus revealed, faith works every time. The practical application of faith will always produce measurable results. We need to understand how faith works. Let’s start with the gospel of Mark.

Mark 11:23-24 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

This passage of scripture reveals the mechanics of faith. Notice the order.

First: We speak to the mountain; we speak to the problem. We exercise our God-given authority and command it to move, stop, leave, live, die, whatever the case may be.

Second: We refuse to doubt in our hearts. We maintain our confidence regardless of what we see or feel.

Third: We believe that what we said will come to pass. Not hoping and wishing. Believing! We reinforce that belief by calling things that don’t exist as though they did. (Romans 4:17) We speak the answer, not the problem.

Fourth: We believe we receive the answer the moment we pray, not after we see results.

Fifth: We shall have what we believed we received if we don’t quit. 

This is the divine order of faith. None of this works without first being filled with truth. It’s essential to have a constant intake of the Word of God.

F.F. Bosworth, the author of Christ the Healer, makes a very profound observation in his writings. He is quoted.

“Faith begins where the will of God is known.”

The Bible is God’s Word, and His Word is His will for man.

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith comes by hearing His Word, and His Word reveals His will. The prayer of faith never contains the words, “If it be thy will Lord”. The prayer of faith is prayed when the will of God is known.

It is God’s Word that fuels our faith in Him and His promises. It feeds our faith the nourishment it needs, it strengthens us when faith seems weak. It is God’s Word we speak and stand on to move the mountains we face.

Our faith in God is governed by spiritual laws like the natural world is governed by physical laws. When we understand the laws and operate accordingly, we get results. If we violate the laws, results are delayed or denied.

Laws work off of legalities and faith is a legal exchange. Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of God. The promises of God are ours, but we can only receive them in exchange for our faith.

Now, let’s break down this law step by step. First, faith requires declaration. Notice Jesus said, “Whosoever shall say, not whosoever shall hope or think, whosoever shall say.”

Faith without corresponding works is dead.

James 2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

The primary work of faith is declaring what we believe. We must speak. We must declare. We must voice what we believe.

Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Notice the pattern. We believe in our heart, and we confess with our mouth. Both are required. We can’t just believe in our hearts and stay silent. We must give voice to our faith because words are the creative force that brings life to our faith. It is only a living faith that brings things from the unseen realm into the visible realm.

Here’s where many Christians fail. They declare and confess their faith, and then they start talking about the problem again. They declare God’s promises one day and then complain about their circumstances the rest of the week. And then they scratch their heads and wonder why faith didn’t work.  

Strong faith requires consistent intake of God’s Word and consistent confession, not occasional, but consistent.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

“Hold fast” means to maintain, to keep, to continue. Our confession must be unwavering until we see the manifestation.

The reason many believers don’t see results is that they don’t hold fast to their confession. They believe for a moment, confess for a day, and then go back to speaking doubt and fear.

Faith requires sustained confession. Our faith-filled words tell everyone listening that we still believe. Our words reveal to all people listening, to God, the angels, devils, and ourselves what we actually believe.

We must keep saying what God said, no matter the circumstances. It does not matter how we feel or how long it takes. Our consistent confession is what keeps faith activated.

When we stop declaring the answer, we stop the answer from coming. If we start speaking doubt and unbelief, we actually reverse the process. We give the enemy license to steal from us and take back any ground we have gained.

Romans 4:20-21 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

This passage describes Abraham’s faith. It says, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief. He was strong in faith, giving glory to God. He was fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

Abraham was fully persuaded, not partially convinced, not mostly sure, fully persuaded. And that full persuasion came from meditating on God’s promise until it became more real to him than his circumstances. This is the primary area where Christians struggle. I believe this is the reason the early Church let faith slip.

Without a heart and mind full of the Word, they say the right things. However, the words are empty and powerless. This is because they don’t believe them in their hearts. They declare their healing, but are still convinced they’re sick. They declare provision, then continue to worry about money. They declare the victory but then talk defeat defeat.

There is a disconnect between what they say and what they believe. This cancels faith. Faith requires heart belief, not just mouth confession.  

We cannot separate what we believe in our heart from what we confess with our mouth. If there is any contradiction, our heart’s belief will always win. We can say, “I’m healed a million times.” But if we believe in our hearts that we’re still sick, nothing will change.

Faith requires agreement between our words and our convictions.

That agreement comes from getting God’s word so deeply rooted in our hearts that it becomes our reality. We meditate on the word. We speak the word. We think the word. We see ourselves through the word.

Over time, our hearts will come into complete agreement with what God said. When that happens, when there’s no doubt in our heart, faith produces results with absolute certainty. That’s the foundation and the beginning of the process. The Word in our heart creates faith. The Word in our mouth creates our reality.

Believing and receiving are supposed to happen when we pray. The having happens later. There’s usually a bit of a time gap with faith, and most Christians can’t handle that time gap. They pray and believe for a minute, but when they don’t see immediate results, the doubt starts. Faith requires us to maintain our position. Once we’ve prayed, believed, and received, we must stand on that belief regardless of how long the manifestation takes. Faith stands until.

Faith doesn’t keep praying the same prayer repeatedly. Faith doesn’t beg God to give us what He already promised or provided. Faith says thank you for the answer. Faith speaks as if we already have it. Faith acts as if it is already done.

The difference between getting results and failure lies in our actions. It is found between the moment we pray and believe, and the moment we see the answer.

Feelings are not the indicator of whether we received. God’s word is. So, if God’s word says, “By whose stripes you were healed” in 1 Peter 2:24, then you were healed.” Past tense, finished, and you believe that regardless of what your body feels.

The same thing applies to deliverance, to provision, to any breakthrough in any area. We find what God promised in his word. We speak, pray, and ask for it based on the integrity of God’s Word. We believe we receive it the moment we pray. And then we thank God, declare the answer, and thank God for the finished work.

We then continue to feed our faith with God’s Word. We speak only words that affirm our belief in Him. These words confirm His finished work.

Faith isn’t hoping God will do something. Faith is knowing He has already done it in Christ. We are receiving what He provided by believing what He said.

John 14:12-14 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

JESUS IS COMING!

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Itching Ears; Why YOU might have them.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 

This is more evident in our society today than ever before. We have unqualified teachers in abundance. They regurgitate others’ teachings without personal revelation. This results in an exchange of information without impartation. There is no demonstration of truth without impartation. This is one reason we don’t see the supernatural power of God in our services like we should.

Matthew 23:9-10 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 

That may seem contradictory. The Lord Jesus gave us teachers in the form of the “five-fold ministry gifts” mentioned in Ephesians 4. However, it is not contradictory. All the five-fold ministry gifts have one purpose: to equip the saints for the work of ministry. All five gifts teach differently. These teachings must be filtered through our relationship with God and His written word.

1 John 2:26-27 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

Suppose we believe false doctrine out of ignorance. Regardless of our intention, we partner with the adversary in leading us into deception. Our wrong beliefs build strongholds of wrong thinking and wrong believing. By believing lies, we assist the enemy in his deceptions and help him build the strongholds that he hides behind. Unfortunately, most of us fall for this deception at one time or another.

Strongholds are not only reinforced belief systems. They are defensive positions in our minds. The enemy hides behind them to wage war. This ensures we stay trapped in wrong thinking and wrong believing. When we speak and act on our wrong beliefs, we reinforce the stronghold. One of the ways Satan keeps us deceived is by separating us from the rest of the flock. He keeps running in the same circle of people who believe like us. He then makes us despise and ridicule the beliefs of other denominations. Denominational divisions were never God’s plan (1 Corinthians 3 ). Now they are an effective tool the enemy uses against us to keep us divided.

To enjoy true freedom in Christ, we must be very selective about what we hear. We must be particular about who we listen to and how much we do it. We should also be very selective about what we watch. Our eyes and ears are receptors for our hearts. What we see and hear has either positive or negative effects on our hearts and minds.

Do you spend a lot of time watching and listening to TV shows with violence and cursing? Do these shows also include sexual innuendo and lies as entertainment? How many hours a day do you spend watching television or surfing the web? How about social media? All of these things contribute to you having itching ears, and they ALL can hinder your spiritual growth.

Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

In comparison, how much time do you spend in God’s word a day? I’m not talking about going to Church or reading a book about the Bible. I’m not talking about you listening to preachers and teachers spoon-feed you their opinions on the Bible. I mean YOU reading and/or listening to the Bible yourself.

1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Peter says in verse 1 to lay aside these things. We constantly see and hear these things on TV, and they are poisoning us. The same poison is also present in all other forms of media. In verse 2, he tells us to desire the sincere milk of the word like newborn babes. Newborns cry out for milk 8 to 12 times a day. They need constant nourishment to keep them healthy and growing. What if you fed that same newborn poison 8 to 12 times a day? Would that child be healthy?

A robust relationship with God through His written Word is essential. It is the only way to skillfully discern sound teaching. Truth becomes obscured when we fill our hearts and minds with the things of this world.

Ask yourself, and ask God: Am I truly abiding in God’s word? Or am I just reading the latest books and listening to the latest sermons? Do I really desire the sincere milk of the word? Do I crave a self-serving gospel that doesn’t challenge me? One that doesn’t strengthen me for trials and testing? Am I comfortable in my Christianity?

If you are not hungry for God’s Word, you haven’t read it enough. Spiritual hunger comes from eating spiritual food, not starving yourself. God’s word is spiritual food. God’s Word is incorruptible seed. God’s Word is light and life!

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

Spiritual growth demands more than just passive consumption of teachings or fleeting moments spent in religious activity. It requires a deliberate, daily pursuit of God’s Word. This pursuit creates a hunger that transforms the heart and mind. It breaks down strongholds of deception and division.

The world will continue to offer countless distractions. Only the living Word of God can discern your deepest thoughts and intentions. It guides you into truth and freedom.

Now is the time to act. Make a decision to guard your heart with diligence. Be intentional about what you watch, listen to, and believe. Set aside the noise of the world and the opinions of others. Immerse yourself in scripture. Nourish your spiritual appetite with the sincere milk of God’s holy, written Word. Avoid the empty calories of culture.

Thank you for visiting truthpressure.com. I hope this has been a blessing to you.

JESUS IS COMING!