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What is Truth?

Mike Hoesch — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 01:26:53 +0000

"...thy word is truth."

The truth is very different than the narrative of the current culture.

The disciples asked Jesus, “why do you teach the people in parables, it doesn’t seem that they are understanding them?” Jesus replied to them:

Matthew 13:11-15 “For everyone who listens with an open heart will receive progressively more revelation until he has more than enough. But those who don’t listen with an open, teachable heart, even the understanding that they think they have will be taken from them. That’s why I teach the people using parables, because they think they’re looking for truth, yet because their hearts are unteachable, they never discover it. Although they will listen to me, they never fully perceive the message I speak. The prophecy of Isaiah describes them perfectly: Although they listen carefully to everything I speak, they don’t understand a thing I say. They look and pretend to see, but the eyes of their hearts are closed. Their minds are dull and slow to perceive, their ears are plugged and are hard of hearing, and they have deliberately shut their eyes to the truth. Otherwise they would open their eyes to see, and open their ears to hear, and open their minds to understand. Then they would turn to me and let me instantly heal them.” (TPT)

Jesus’ answer is a good description of one who has embraced a narrative and its fruit rather than truth.

Definition of narrative: a) A representation of a particular situation or process in such a way as to reflect or conform to an over arching set of aims or ideologies. b) a story that connects and explains a carefully selected set of facts, supposedly true events, experiences, or the like, intended to support a particular viewpoint or thesis.

Definition of truth: the word of God (according to Jesus in John 17:17).

When one adopts a narrative for their “truth”, it blinds their eyes from seeing clearly.

They now see, hear and interpret everything through that narrative. They are no longer able to view things objectively. All information contrary to the narrative that they have adopted is deemed offensive and threatening. The narrative has been linked to their identity and their well-being. A narrative can be more destructive than an addiction to heroin or meth. A narrative is divisive and is intended to manipulate a person‘s perspective. The very definition of the word requires an author. Most people who have adopted their narrative don’t even recognize or know who the author is. In the mind of one who has adopted this narrative as truth everything consistent with that narrative are facts and truths and, therefore, anything contrary to that narrative is a lie or false. A narrative is formulated to produce tunnel vision which leads to emotions of fear and anger. An opposing point of view challenges their very identity and they see all opposing views or information as a personal attack on themselves, which causes them to fight. They have no peace about anything that does not fit the narrative they have adopted. They are constantly seeking validation for that narrative. Searching high and low for supporting voices. That narrative becomes the authority in their life. Even what is really truth becomes subject to that authority. Good becomes evil and evil becomes good. The basis of the interpretation of truth is now the narrative.

The word of God is not a narrative. It is truth. It contains factual events related to us by the spirit of God. These truths are related to us to produce freedom. Freedom from ideologies, dogmas and theologies that have held man in bondage for millennia. Any view, information, or narrative contrary to the word of God is not truth, no matter the presentation or popularity, it is bondage. Understanding that fact reveals to us who the author is of that contrary view, information and narrative; it is satan. Knowing who the author is reveals the motive behind the message: death, destruction and loss..

In 1 Timothy 1:4, Paul admonishes Timothy “do not give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith…”;

The word fables that is used here is defined; a story or narrative; a speech, word or saying. It comes from the Greek word mythos, from which we get our English word: myth – a story used to relate or explain something ie. an idea or belief and is often a misrepresentation of the truth; generally the author or originator is unknown.

Paul warns Timothy that discussing a narrative with others will only produce more questions and no godly edification. Paul expands this instruction in his second letter to Timothy by saying we must preach the word because;

2 Timothy 4:3-4 “…for the time will come, without fail, when they will not endure (to hold on firmly or remain steadfast to) sound doctrine, but after their own lusts they shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears… that truly they shall turn away their ears from truth and be turned to a narrative.”

Peter speaks of fables and contrasts them with the truth of the word which was inspired by God. Peter describes the doctrines that he was up against as cunningly devised narratives aimed at deceiving people.

2 Peter 1:16 “ for we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ…” verse 20-21 “… knowing this first that no prophecy/word of the scripture is of any private interpretation for the prophecy/word came not in old-time by the will of men but holy men of God spoke as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit…”

We see in those examples from the word of God that a narrative has been around a long time, just concealed in different terminology. The definition is what reveals to us that it is a narrative. You can call it a doctrine, teaching, ideology, myth or a paradigm, but no matter what term you try to conceal it in, the meaning brings us right back to a narrative instead of truth.

The truths in the word of God, such as 1 Corinthians 5 and 2 Timothy 3, according to our current culture’s narrative, would be considered false and extremist view points. In fact, most of the truths expressed by Jesus, and even most of the Proverbs and Psalms would be placed in that category.

Without a standard higher than majority opinion, popular consent, and even knowledge from the most advanced levels of education, a person will be easily misled following any narrative that makes them feel good about themselves. The author of the narrative easily manipulates their audience by using phrases, slogans or images to move them in the direction they want them to go. Like a drug addict, the longer the narrative remains in one’s mind and heart the harder it is to be released from its effects.

The highest standard of evaluation for any information is the truth of God’s word. God has given us his word as that standard so that we might discern good and evil. When one knows and lives in God’s truth they are free. God’s word was written to benefit all mankind and give them the greatest liberty available in the earth. That liberty being the ability to follow His spirit with all of our heart thereby experiencing the very life of God. Narratives will come and go but the truth of God is eternal and unchangeable.

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Where is God?

Mike Hoesch — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 19:28:32 +0000

Where is God?

Have you ever heard those words in your mind?

It may sound like, “…the symptoms seem worse today, the pain is back, it’s the last day and no money, you need to do something, it’s irresponsible to do nothing…”

All of those thoughts are the devil mocking you; trying to get you to give up your victory! If he could take your victory, it would already be gone. Those thoughts are proof that he can’t take your victory, he is trying to get you to surrender it to him, that’s the goal behind those thoughts.

Don’t give up your victory!

The thoughts of the enemy are designed to draw you into the flesh, into your effort, your works, you ‘doing something’, so that your faith is made void;

Romans 4:14 – For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

The enemy wants to disquiet you to your very soul, to convince you that you don’t have the victory. All those suggestions on what you should do so you can be healed, or what you should feel like if you were really healed, are from his goal to move you to unbelief and doubt so you give up on your victory. Let the devil and your own soul know you are not giving up anything that God has already given you in Christ; that if the Lord has healed you, you are healed now, not when your symptoms change!

Psalms 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope/trust thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health/salvation of my countenance, and my God.

Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me, O Jehovah, and I am healed, Save me, and I am saved, for my praise art Thou. (YLT)

When your heart is fully persuaded there will be no place in your mind and heart for any of those thoughts from the devil, they will have no influence on you. You will be giving God glory, not to get something, but because you have it already!

Romans 4:18-21 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform!

We are instructed not to look at the things we can see with our natural eyes but to use our spiritual eyes to see, 2 Corinthians 4:18 and 5:7. This is important because our God is a spirit, John 4:24. So, to see him we must look into the spiritual world. That’s why the enemy wants to keep you in the flesh or natural realm so you cannot see the victory that God has provided for you in the spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:18, 5:7; we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. …For we walk by faith, not by sight:

John 4:24; God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Ephesians 6:10 tells us that we are to be strong in the Lord our God and in the power of his might, which is spiritual. Jesus said the words of God are spirit and life, John 6:63. We are blessed with spiritual weapons that God has given to us to defeat every attack of the devil at its very root, which is spiritual. Those weapons are God’s words of truth. Submitting to those words with a believing heart and condemning those thoughts of the devil will cause him to flee and our victory will spring forth, James 4:7, Isaiah 54:17.

John 6:63; It is the spirit that gives and preserves life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

James 4:7; Submit yourselves therefore to God (his word). Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Isaiah 54:17; No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness is of me, saith Jehovah.

When we use those weapons, even though they are spiritual, they produce victory in our natural physical world.

“Where is God?” the devil taunts… our heart replies with the sword of the spirit, “it is written; the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead is dwelling in me giving and preserving life to my mortal body, (Romans 8:11)….for Jehovah my God is with me wherever I go… he will never leave me or forsake me, (Joshua 1:5,9).”

Because our heart is fixed on those truths we see clearly where God is in our situation and the victory he has provided! This is what Jesus said in Matthew 5:8, “blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.”

Click here for more on Our Faithful God.

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What is the rest of God?

Mike Hoesch — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 21:07:26 +0000

"...this is the rest that will cause the weary to rest..."

What is this ‘rest’ that is spoken of in the Word of God?

Is it peace? Many think of peace as an absence of turmoil or being able to ignore the situation.

Is it assurance? Many express assurance as, “I know I will be healed some day.”

Is it a knowing? Many know what the word states and can even quote it or memorize it to tell others but remain bound to their efforts.

Is it a revelation? Even a revelation of the spirit is subject to our will; to have the spirit speak directly to us does not remove our choice.

Is it a feeling of freedom? Unless that feeling is the fruit of having believed the word it will not be a lasting reality, only a feeling that was connected to an inspiring thought or feeling experienced in the moment.

Is it contentment? Often contentment is confused with faith and is expressed as, “I’m just waiting on the manifestation.”

Is it quiet and calm? Quietness and calmness are thought of as the passive fruits of the rest, yet, Jesus cast out the money changers and overthrew the tables and drove out the animals, with a whip he had made, and never left the ‘rest’ of God.

Is it joy? Many work hard at being joyful, are quick to laugh and very lighthearted but inside are suppressing contrary feelings and thoughts of lack or insecurity.

‘The rest’ as related to us in Hebrews chapters 3 & 4 is simply believing the word of our Father. Believing the word to the point that we see there is nothing on our part required to obtain anything. A feeling of having been satisfied, as one would feel after a large holiday meal. Accepting with all your heart that you don’t need anything. That what Jesus did for you is enough and that you possess all that he has done for you, even though the natural world may be presenting contrary evidence. The ‘feelings’ of rest are a fruit of belief and include peace, assurance, a knowing, revelation, freedom, contentment, joy, quietness and calm, which are manifested by the spirit dwelling in you, and not dependent on your circumstances.

Hebrews 4:10 “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”

What is entering into His rest? According to Hebrews 4:10 it is ceasing from our own works or efforts in trying to accomplish something, just as God ceased from His works.

Why did God rest? There was nothing left for him to do, he believed (knew) it was done, it was enough, nothing else was needed. The plan that he had for mankind and his Son, our Savior, was complete in every detail, he did not miss anything. In addition, he planned all this to not interfere with man’s free will. The plan included every possible response to the choices of man without deviating from his original design. That is what made it possible for God to be at rest, He saw it all done before he said “…let there be…”.

Dictionary definition of ‘rest’:

#1 Verb– cease/stop work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself or recover strength; be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified place

#2 Verb– remain or be left in a specified condition (you can be assured Jesus did it all)

#1 Noun– an instance or period of relaxing or ceasing to engage in strenuous or stressful activity; an object used to support something (armrest)

#2 Noun– what is remaining of the whole (the rest of the inheritance); the remaining part (the rest of the saints)

The word sabbath means rest, to cease, a cessation or intermission. The word is actually a transliteration, since there is no word in English that it translates to. It was used by God to declare a time of no work whatsoever. Many of the feasts in Israel had such days, which were a type and shadow of Christ fulfilling all the law, where there is nothing left for man to accomplish – they could just rest.

On the day of atonement if anyone in Israel was caught working, stranger or Israelite, they were cut off from the nation. This signifying that when Christ was offered there was no work required from man for their redemption or reconciliation, and that work would keep them from experiencing the benefits of the atonement. See Exodus 31:12-18; Leviticus 16 & 23.

Jesus said: “…come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest…” Matthew 11:28

Jesus accomplished everything for us that we lost through sin so we can rest. Mans desire to ‘do’ something comes from a sin consciousness and a perception that we are not complete. That thinking was sown into us by the devil. The devil knows that getting us into works will make our faith void, Romans 4:14. Any attempt to do a work for something Jesus already accomplished is to say that he did not do enough for us or that our Father didn’t think of everything. That thinking will stop us from receiving because it is unbelief. When we are “doing” to get, we are not believing that Jesus did it all.

Jesus plus nothing equals everything. Jesus plus anything equals nothing.

It’s called a rest/Sabbath because there is nothing left for us to do but rest. When our heart accepts/believes the word of truth that it is finished, then we feel no need to do anything, just freely enjoy all he has done. When one buys a new car there’s nothing more to do but enjoy driving it. One will maintain the car but there is nothing they must do to make it perform its designed function. They are no longer wondering “…will my car start this morning? Will it break down on this long trip? What is going to break next?” All of those thoughts of uncertainty melt away and are replaced with joy, peace, confidence, etc., all because they believe that the new car is complete with no defects. If something should unexpectedly malfunction they have a written warranty from the manufacturer that will remedy the issue without worry or fear.

When Christ said it was finished, in John 17:4 and 19:30, he was saying there was nothing else to do. When we accepted what he did for us, we were made a new creation, 2 Corinthians 5:17. This new creation has a ‘written warranty’, like the new car. If something malfunctions we use the provisions in the written warranty (God’s Word) to remedy the issue. When Christ accomplished everything it even included deliverance from all issues after we are made new.

So, even though sickness or disease may come upon us, Christ conquered that, too. We can by faith just exercise our rights given in the warranty and because we believe that Jesus already defeated that, we simply rest that it is resolved.

Entering into our rest in Christ is simply believing the good news of our Fathers word that Jesus has done it all for us, there is nothing left for us to ‘do’!

The only ‘doing’ is laboring in His word, not to try to get something, but to discover what He has done so we can believe it, Hebrews 4:11,12.

John 6:29 “…this is the work of God that you believe on him whom He has sent”.

Mark 9:23 “…all things are possible to him (or her) that believeth…”

Ephesians 1:3 “…(our Father) who hath blessed us with all spiritual in the heavenlies in Christ.”

Romans 8:32 “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

“For we which have believed do enter into rest…”, Hebrews 4:3.

“So we see they could not enter into the rest because of unbelief”, Hebrews 3:19.

“And you are complete in him….”, Colossians 2:10.

Choose to believe that Jesus did it all for you, that nothing is missing, nothing left for you to do but to rest in what he did.

Have a good rest!

To connect all the dots from the Word of God on this topic of resting watch the video series
“Entering the Rest of God”

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Signs+Wonders=belief?

Mike Hoesch — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 17:28:08 +0000

Didn’t Jesus say that we would believe by seeing signs and wonders?

Take a close look at the flowers in the picture…they were created by our God. It defies logic and reason. How did that complex beauty come out of a little seed? Where did it get its design from? It is by any definition a miracle, a wonder of creation and a sign of the glory of our God.

This leads us to the question at hand: If signs and wonders produce belief for receiving from God, then, in light of these wonders of creation all around us, why would anyone still have unbelief?! There are many who marvel at the wonders in creation but do not believe in God. You might be thinking, what about the miracles, signs and wonders that Jesus did? Didn’t Jesus say that we would believe him for the signs that He did? Below we will connect the dots from the Word of God to understand what Jesus said.

We will start with the words of Jesus:

John 10:37,38 “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”

John 14:10-11 (Jesus is replying to Philip) “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.”

In the above verses, Jesus was responding to those who would not believe what he had said; that God was his Father. So, he said that if they wouldn’t believe him because of what he said then they should believe the ‘signs and works’ as proof that he was the Son of God. Why? Because it was the Father doing the works in him and the works were testifying to the Father being in Jesus and Jesus in the Father. Jesus was testifying that no man could do the miracles, signs and wonders by themselves; it has to be God (who was the Father of Jesus) working through them. In John 3:2, Nicodemus acknowledged this fact when he said to Jesus “…we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” He had already told them in John 5:19,30 that he could do nothing of himself. He made the same point to Philip who told Jesus to show him the Father (remember Philip was one of the twelve who saw signs and wonders done by the spirit of God through himself and the rest of the disciples).

Jesus was saying the works testified that the Father was in him and he in the Father. They were not done to produce believing for healing miracles, casting out devils or any other work that was done through Jesus; just that he was the Son of God (his Father, Jehovah – the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc.) and it was God doing the works in him. Yet this doubt was a challenge that he faced often and responded by addressing their unbelief that he was from the Father. See below:

Matthew 12:23-28 “And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.”

Jesus said for us to have those works in our life we must believe on him so the same spirit of God in Jesus would be in us doing those works:

John 14:12 “… he that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these because I go to my Father.”

John 17:21,22 “…that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gave to me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one…”

Signs and wonders are not guaranteed to produce belief for a miracle. Many sick people attend healing conferences where there are miraculous healings, but only a small percentage walk away free from their symptoms. When I was sick with cancer, I saw others receive miracles, but only felt discouraged because I would walk away still sick with all the same symptoms. With all the signs & wonders we read and hear about, why do so many people remain sick? Jesus said the key to receiving was simply believing, (Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24) the believing that comes from receiving and embracing the truth.

In John 5:20, Jesus makes the statement that seeing signs and wonders will cause you to marvel but says nothing about them causing one to believe.

“For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that Himself does: and He will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.”

In John 5:36 Jesus says the ‘works’ simply testified that God sent Jesus; they were for no other purpose, but to reveal the Kingdom of Heaven and the Father to the people.

“But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”

John 15:24 “If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.”

Notice: they saw the works, but they did not believe in Jesus but rather hated him. These are Jesus’ own words. Even in John 14:29 and 13:9, Jesus said I tell you before it come to pass that when it comes to pass you ‘might’ or ‘may’ believe. He didn’t say that it would cause them to believe, he just said that there is a possibility by them hearing it before it happens it could produce belief in them but no guarantee.

Signs and wonders cannot change our will, they can influence it, but only the truth (the word of God, John 17:17) that we receive in our heart will produce belief. Please read Hebrews chapter 3 and 4, which illustrate this point with the children of Israel.

Our Father did not send signs and wonders to heal and deliver, but he sent his word, Psalms 107:20; “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

Yes, even the power in the word, He says, is subject to our will. He sent his word to all of Israel but not all were healed or delivered. Jesus had this same experience. They heard his words, they saw the mighty works but remained in unbelief. See Matthew 13:54-58:

“And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”

This was nothing new, it happened to many others that the Father sent to share His “word”; consider what Jesus said in Luke 4:21-29:

“…he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son? And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elijah sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath. And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.”

Jesus said the miracles and signs he was doing were not moving people as a whole to believe and receive. Many more people remained bound in Jesus’ day than actually received the deliverance he offered, even though his miracles were ‘published abroad’. He rebuked Chorazin, Capernaum and Bethsaida (Matthew 11) because he had done many signs and wonders yet they would not repent and believe.

Jesus said that signs follow the preaching of the Word. They do not go before; he said that the Father confirms the Word to those people that will believe with signs following, not preceding.

Mark 16:20 “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”

In Romans 10:17, It tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, not by seeing signs and wonders.

Signs and wonders have the potential to positively influence our heart, generally producing a deep desire to see or experience them for one’s self, but there is no guarantee that they will cause you to believe to receive. God gave us his truth as a basis for belief and the ability to choose of our own free will; let’s choose to believe the truth and see the goodness of our Father here and now (Psalms 27:13)!

We should all desire to see the signs and wonders of our Father. In fact, if we are believing, we can expect to see them because we are believing the Word. Our focus should be the same as Jesus’, he did all that the spirit of our Father led him to do and to speak, and he left the results up to our Father.

Jesus said to Jairus, “…fear not, only believe and your daughter will be made whole…”(Luke 8:50), He was encouraging Jairus to make the choice to believe then he would see the sign and wonder of his daughter being made whole. Jesus did not say “look at what I did for that woman, just hold on and I’ll do the same for you…”

Let’s choose to believe the word our Father is speaking to us, and we will see the signs and wonders just as Jairus did.

For more of what the word shares on signs and wonders Click Here (I touch on this subject in many of the videos in this ’Believing’ series and more specifically in parts 6 and 7).

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Confession: a fruit of belief

Mike Hoesch — Sun, 12 May 2019 02:38:25 +0000

Confession: a fruit of belief

"Does my confession move God to heal me?"

Confession brings possession”, that’s what I and many that I have spoken with were taught. Is that really true? Or did they leave something out? Let’s reword that phrase according to how it was taught to me: “I’m going to speak/confess/use these scriptures to get God to release what He has for me.” On the surface, it sounds good. You are probably thinking of the same verses I am, about death and life in the tongue. There are many such scriptures in the Word, but, is just saying a Bible verse what moves God? If our intent is to leverage God into releasing something to us through our much speaking, that is called (in the Bible) a dead work which will only produce the fruit of frustration and disappointment.

The first principle of God, according to Hebrews 6:1 is “repentance from dead works and faith towards God…” Faith is being steadfast on God’s works, not ours.

Using the word in that way is not a fruit of belief but an attempt to use your efforts to make something grow from that word instead of letting the spirit, through revelation of the truth of that word, manifest the demand that you’re placing on it because you believe. The confession as revealed in the word is one that is a fruit of our belief, not the root. Example: let’s say someone gets a sickness or disease so they pray and nothing happens that they can see or feel, so they’re thinking “that didn’t work”. In desperation they pick up a book on healing that gives a testimony how someone saw in the word, 1 Peter 2:24 and began to confess that over themselves throughout the day and now they are healed and symptom free. The writer of the book leads you to the conclusion that the person got healed because they faithfully confessed the scripture. So we, still facing symptoms in our body, decide that is what we need to do to be healed. We write out all these scriptures and then begin faithfully confessing the scriptures and we’re thinking that by confessing the scriptures we’ll be healed, but, will we be healed? If that’s what it takes to receive healing then Jesus did not do it all for us, he still needs us to confess the word to be healed.

Confession, as used in the New Testament, simply means “saying the same thing as another” or “agreeing with another”. The only “another” that is beneficial is the spirit of God, which agrees with the word of God.

Can one really be healed just by confessing the scriptures alone? No! First of all, if we are saved we have already been healed, because Jesus not only bore our sin but the consequences of sin (Galatians 3:13, Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 8:17, 2 Corinthians 5:21, and many more) by paying the penalty of that sin. Secondly, Jesus said that it is belief and belief alone that causes us to appropriate or receive what God has provided for us (which is in Christ Jesus, Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24, John 6:28-29, and Ephesians 1:3). So, if we’re using the word of God to get something from God, with that being our motive, that becomes a dead work. By doing so, we would be saying it’s our effort that’s going to release the spirit of God because we’re speaking the scriptures. If that is our motive, we are deceived, and the spirit can’t release the provision through that deception, which is unbelief of the truth. In Titus 1:16 Paul shares that even though someone may confess that they know God, in their actions they can actually deny him.

Titus 1:16

They profess (same Greek word as translated confess) that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Also, Jesus said “This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me (Matthew 15:8).” Our actions are an overflow of what our heart believes, yet we could say something with our mouth and believe something different in our heart. The only way to discern what our heart motive is, is to let the Spirit reveal the Word to us and compare our actions and motive with that Word, Hebrews 4:12.

The word of God itself does not go void! The word of God is Spirit and life which will always accomplish what the Father sends it to do:

Isaiah 55:11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I will, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Psalms 107:20

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

God sent His Word of healing to all of Israel, but not all of Israel was healed, why? How does His word accomplish it? How does it work? As Jesus said, be it unto you according to your belief. When we believe that Word, the spirit of that truth is released into our life. Does it work just because we quoted or spoke it repeatedly? No. Does it mean that we believe just because we are quoting scripture? No. I know in my own healing journey, I quoted many scriptures trying to get healing and did not see any positive results. I speak with many others who are so frustrated with confessing and rebuking that they are ready to give up on the word and God. Why is it frustrating to them? Because they are trying to get something from God that they think they don’t have yet based on their circumstance, situation or symptom. The word defines that method of evaluation as unbelief. If we believed what we are confessing as Jesus demonstrated or as those who received from him when he was ministering here in person, we would not be seeking to be healed, we would be testifying of what he has already done for us.

It’s not the repeating the scriptures alone that brings forth the fruit but when the confession has become a fruit of our belief, then we’re just affirming what we have already believed in our heart and our mouth is making confession in agreement to what our heart has already received. Remember the definition of ‘confession’ above: Confession, as used in the New Testament, simply means “saying the same thing as another” or “agreeing with another”. The “another”, we should be saying the same thing as, out of belief of the truth, is the spirit of God.

This view is exactly what the Word of God teaches. The writer of Hebrews 11 relates this truth in verse 13. “These all died according to faith, not having received every promise here on this earth, (made complete in Christ, the Heavenly City, etc – see verses 17,39,40) but, having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed they were pilgrims and strangers on the earth.”

Notice the progression leading to confession:

1. 1. They saw the promise (heard the word)
  2. Were persuaded of it (convinced the word was true)
  3. They embraced the promise as theirs (believed)
  4. Then…they confessed (as if they had already received, even though they did not physically experience all of the promises here on this earth)

I was bound with thinking that my confession was going to produce the fruit of healing in my life. I would panic when I realized that I had forgotten to go through all my scriptures during the day. I realized after countless times of confessing 1Peter 2:24, that was not the way to go. In fact, I started to feel like one of those Jesus said not to be like in Matthew 6:7:

Matthew 6:7:

“….use not vain repetitions, as the heathen (unbelievers) do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

You might ask then what benefit is confessing the Word?! It is very beneficial! It is an outward expression of our belief, our agreement with God, which is actually worship/praise. It also ministers to our own heart, “….faith comes by hearing”. God told Joshua that we should meditate in his word day and night.

Joshua 1:8:

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

We do not confess or speak the word to get something from God, but to observe to do (live) all that is written therein and by doing so we will make our way prosperous and will have good success. But our confessing or meditating alone will not release it; it’s living the word (we live what we believe in our heart) that positions us for that word to manifest in our life. When we begin to live the scriptures, it is because we understand and embrace them through belief and are persuaded they are speaking truth to our heart. We see the manifestation because we’ve yielded our heart to them. Our Father told us death and life are in the power of the tongue. What makes our words death or life is our belief behind them, not the speaking of them. They that love it, agree/believe in our heart, shall eat/partake of the fruit of it. Confessing the word God’s way, keeps us focused on the things of the spirit instead of the flesh. To be spiritually minded is life, peace and health to all our flesh;

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Proverbs 4:20-22. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

I hear this question quite often, “…when should I stop confessing?” (That question reveals they are still thinking that their actions are affecting whether or not God will release healing, instead of believing that they are already healed). My reply is often, “If it takes a thousand times for you to get to the place where you just accept that what that scripture is saying is true and is accomplished for you and your situation, regardless of being able to see it in the physical or not, then go ahead and quote the word a thousand and one times, just to make sure your heart is at rest in the place of belief” (see Hebrews 4:1-11). In fact if one believes there is a certain thing that must be done in order be healed, they should do it now, why wait another second?! Because until that ‘certain thing’ is accomplished they will not receive their healing. Have you considered that the woman with an issue of blood put the condition on her receiving healing, not God: “For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.” Mark 5:28. What if she had not touched? She set the condition for her healing not God.

If one is thinking that they must confess in order to be healed, that is their condition for healing, not God’s. What if they are a deaf mute? How will they confess to be healed?

I’m sure you’ve experienced that once you have received and you know in your heart that it’s done you actually stop thinking about it because you have it. If anything, you might thank the Father but you are not confessing scriptures about it. You might say “Father thank you, that’s awesome, I’m really enjoying that benefit that Christ provided for me”. But you stopped trying to get it through confessing because you have it. So, if you know that you are healed and have received it based only on belief of the word and not your senses, what would you be “confessing”?

Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to us to let the truths of God’s word fully persuade us that we have all that Jesus died and rose again to provide for us than to just quote scriptures about it, hoping that we will get it because of our confessing? This is how Paul, inspired by the spirit of God, expressed it:

2 Corinthians 4:13 “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;”.

Not a dead work but the fruit of having believed the word of our Father; beautifully simple.

Related teaching: Our Words

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But… what about that verse in Hebrews….?

Mike Hoesch — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 03:21:57 +0000

But....what about that verse in Hebrews...?

I think the most challenging doubts to my heart have been the doctrines about verses in the bible that I have learned in church that are not true, but were taught as if they were true,
by people who sincerely believed them.
Hebrews 10:26 was one of those verses that plagued me with doubt and uncertainty.

Below is what our Father showed me from His word to replace that doubt and uncertainty
with peace and truth….

NOTE TO READER: Many of the scriptures in this article were not written out for sake of space but should be read where and when they are referenced. It is the spirit that quickens, the Word is spirit and truth, so without reading those references one would not have the complete answer of peace from the spirit in truth.

Hebrews 10:26-31

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

An important principle to keep in mind when studying any topic in the Word is: God has never changed (Malachi 3:6)! In James 1:17 it says…there is no variableness or shadow of turning… with our Heavenly Father. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, (Hebrews13:8)! So… with this in mind, how is Hebrews 10:26 through 31 consistent with the grace and mercy nature of our Father as revealed in and by His Son our Savior Jesus?

We should get some background to see clearly the point that is being made in those verses (I recommend we begin by reading Hebrews 8:1 to 10:25). The following verses will give us the information that will serve as background we need to have a clear understanding.

8:1 tells us that what we are about to read (chapters 8 to 11) is a summary of the first 7 chapters. Below are some major points in that summary to help us see the context of 10:26-31.

8:6 Jesus is a mediator of a better covenant established on better promises (not just a physical priest with animal sacrifices).

8:12 “…I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I no more remember…” an important prophecy that is fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus, the lamb of God, without spot or blemish.

9:1-12 shows the ‘better’ of 8:6; Jesus is a priest but of a spiritual order one that would not just atone (cover) but remit (take or send away) our sins forever: ETERNAL REDEMPTION!

9:14 the old sacrifices of animals could not ‘purge your conscience’ only cover (atone) until Jesus would come.

9:26 Jesus was offered ONE TIME to take away (remit) sin not just cover it up.

9:28 when we first see Jesus he is on the cross bearing our sins, showing his separation from God (Psalms 16, 22; Deuteronomy 21:22-23 etc.) as our substitute (2Corinthians 5:21, 1Pet.2:24a, Isa.53:4,5, etc.), but when we see him the second time he is resurrected from the judgment, without any sin (Acts 2:24,27,31; Isa. 53:10-12; etc.), the first born from the dead! (Revelation 1:5; Col.1:18, etc.)

10:1-3 the animal sacrifices never perfected anyone. They were still conscious of their sins; that’s why each year a sacrifice was made on the Day of Atonement (covering). This was a testimony to man that the issue of “sin” had not been resolved between God and man.

10:4-18 when Jesus came to do the will of his Father it showed that it wasn’t God’s will to have all these sacrifices (Psalms 51:16,17; 40:6; 107:21,22; Proverbs 21:3, etc.). They could never take away sin – it was “…a soul for a soul..” – not an animal for a man! But a man without spot or blemish (no sin, Hebrews 4:15), Jesus was this man! He took all of our sin upon himself and bore the judgment that you and I would have to bear if we died in our sin! (2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 53:5,10 etc.) However, this ‘man’ Jesus, when the judgment was satisfied he raised up (1Corinthians 15:3,4,12-17, etc.). If Jesus had died for his own sins he would still be in hell, but his resurrection proves it was our sins that he died for! No more judgment against us who believe (Romans 8:1, etc.), we have been set apart (sanctified) forever through receiving the salvation in Jesus! He was the first and last offering necessary to redeem man from sin. Through the new birth the spiritual part (the new man Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10, etc.) is sealed from ever being corrupted (Ephesians 1:13;4:30; 1Peter 1:23; John 3:15,16; 10:27,28, etc.). There is NO MORE SACRIFICE that can be offered if we sin – it was taken care of, once and for all through Jesus. If it was not enough he would have to be offered over and over, Hebrews 9:26. It was prophesied in the Old Testament and the Spirit of our Father dwelling in us bears witness that; “…where the remission of these (our sin) is there is no more offering for sin” and that our Father will never bring them up again to judge or condemn us.

10:19-25 the spirit, through the writer of Hebrews, is telling us that we are delivered from sin and we do not have to walk in sin any more (read Rom. 6 through 8 which is making the same point with more details, tailored to a different group of saints). What kept us separated from God was the ‘flesh’. Jesus removed that veil of flesh through his sacrifice. Now, we through belief are one with the Father, as Jesus is one with the Father, through the spirit (John 17:20-22). We through the spirit are not subject to the flesh (Romans 6:9-13). We should encourage one another to do good works not sin.

With this foundation laid 10:26 becomes clear….and if we sin there is no offering or sacrifice that we can offer or any that is required; for that sin was paid for in Jesus, “…the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world…”

The only thing we can do when we sin is to repent (change our mind) and receive the forgiveness that was provided in Jesus‘ sacrifice of himself and his resurrection. We can offer nothing else.

If we choose to sin the only fruit that it produces is the same it produces in an unsaved person; feelings of fear, condemnation, and judgement – it does not, however, come from God. We, through that sin, open ourself to the devil, and that is the only fruit that he has to give.

God established the ‘law‘ of sowing and reaping at creation (spiritually and physically), this law is still in effect today, it was not done away with after the resurrection of Jesus (See Genesis 2:15-18; Galatians 5:16-25; 6:7,8; Romans 8:5-7). Under the Law of Moses man was to execute the ‘fruit’ of breaking the law, not God. If there was not a man to execute the judgement the offender would eventually reap what they sowed ( Proverbs 26:2; Ecclesiastes 8:ll; Psalms 109:17; Deuteronomy 28:15,45; Job 4:8; Romans 2:,14,15; etc.). Just look at the people from the time of Adam to the Law. Did all those spoken of in Hebrews 10:28 go to Hell when they died? NO! Look again at those who died in the wilderness after the Exodus from Egypt. Read Numbers 14, 16, 17, 21, and Deuteronomy 8; most all of them had accepted God’s way of salvation and were saved, but they refused to go into the land because of their fear and unbelief, which sowed unto themselves seeds of death. Did they all go to Hell? NO! They just opened themselves up to the devil and lost their physical life on earth. Those who had accepted God’s way of salvation went immediately to Paradise, those who rejected it went into the lowest hell, not God’s choosing but theirs. This example, of God’s people choosing to walk after their carnal desires instead of God’s blessing, is recorded over and over throughout the bible. They are written for us to learn from not to cause fear or condemnation.

This same point is being made in Hebrews 10:26-31. It’s talking about reaping the consequences of walking in the flesh (to be carnally minded IS death, Romans 8:6). When we as a saved person yield to sin we become it’s servant and sin leads to death (physical). James 1:13-15 and Romans 6:15-23 is written to believers/saved people. The same point is written in 2 Peter 2:20-22. Under the old covenant there were consequences for sin, (disobedience to the word of God), which often resulted in the destruction of their flesh. The word of God revealed in laws, statutes, and ordinances, were only types and shadows of the true spiritual things that God used to show or represent his Son and what Jesus would establish and fulfill to and for us as believers, his children. If those things were so important to God in just types and shadows, and the breaking of them was showing disrespect or dishonor to his Son that would come, how much more now that Jesus has come. We as believers have been given authority and power to refuse sin and honor what God has done for us in Christ. Once your eyes are open to truth there is responsibility to walk in it. By not walking in it we are actually submitting ourselves to the devil, which brings destruction of one kind or another (Romans 6:16). God does not withdraw his Spirit from his child nor is He bringing destruction upon them: we, through sin, are choosing to walk outside of the safety provided in our status as God’s children. God is not going to break his own word and violate our free will. So.. walking in the flesh is a fearful thing, for we are putting our life in the ‘hands’ of the devil by consenting and cooperating with his purposes.

In conclusion… Is God executing judgement upon his children (saved), even when they willfully sin? NO! that is not the nature of our loving Father. There is, however, the law of sowing and reaping, that he established from the beginning, just like gravity, it is still in effect (Galatians 6:7). Each of those laws can benefit us or hurt us, it’s our choice, not God’s. There is NO assurance of security from the devil when we walk in the flesh. There is assurance of security when walking in the Spirit.

John wrote “… my little children I write these things unto you that you sin not…” These things are recorded in the word because our Father loves us and wants us to joyfully fulfill our days upon this earth. Walking in His Spirit is enjoying life to the fullest. Walking after the flesh, in sin, will lead us to destruction, something our Father is helping us to avoid. As you continue reading in Hebrews, chapters 11-12, you will see that is exactly the point he is making and God’s part in helping us to receive it.

To embrace any other interpretation would not be consistent with our Father’s nature but rather, religious legalism, the very thing the Father sent Jesus to deliver us from.

There is much that could be added to this, especially on the subject of relationship/fellowship, but truly I believe that this will get the general point across to someone who will read all the references with a willing heart to hear what the spirit is saying.

Click here for a more in depth teaching on Hebrews 10:26 .

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Below is what our Father showed me from His word to replace that doubt and uncertainty
with peace and truth….

Hebrews 10:26-31

8:1 tells us that what we are about to read (chapters 8 to 11) is a summary of the first 7 chapters. Below are some major points in that summary to help us see the context of 10:26-31.

8:6 Jesus is a mediator of a better covenant established on better promises (not just a physical priest with animal sacrifices).

9:1-12 shows the ‘better’ of 8:6; Jesus is a priest but of a spiritual order one that would not just atone (cover) but remit (take or send away) our sins forever: ETERNAL REDEMPTION!

9:14 the old sacrifices of animals could not ‘purge your conscience’ only cover (atone) until Jesus would come.

9:26 Jesus was offered ONE TIME to take away (remit) sin not just cover it up.

The only thing we can do when we sin is to repent (change our mind) and receive the forgiveness that was provided in Jesus‘ sacrifice of himself and his resurrection. We can offer nothing else.

To embrace any other interpretation would not be consistent with our Father’s nature but rather, religious legalism, the very thing the Father sent Jesus to deliver us from.

Click here for a more in depth teaching on Hebrews 10:26.

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Drawing Your Line in the Sand

Mike Hoesch — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 17:05:02 +0000

Drawing your line in the sand

draw a line in the sand
idiom

1. a point beyond which, once the decision is made, the decision and its resulting consequences or benefits are permanently decided and irreversible.

2. a point of decision beyond which one will proceed no further.

3. to create a real or artificial boundary or distinction between (two places, people or things)

4. to indicate the threshold or level above which something will become unacceptable or will provoke a response; to create a boundary and imply or declare that its crossing will provoke a (negative) response.

Drawing your line in the sand is simply making a decision, from your heart, that you will not allow anything or anyone to move you away from it. This decision, when based on the Word of God that one has believed, becomes an ‘all in’ commitment. It is a permanent and irreversible decision of the heart.

It is not motivated by need or circumstances although the decision will affect both. It is motivated by a deep conviction, a truth that has become to you more valuable than any previous conviction, even something that we may have perceived as truth. This value and our determination not to compromise it in any way is the motive behind the decision. It is the Word becoming alive. It is a concept becoming to you, a reality. It is words on a page becoming spirit and life to your heart.

The line drawn is the fruit of belief; the action that the spirit of truth inspires when we believe. It is effortless and peaceful yet at the same time bold and intolerant! It is the result of having received what we have believed, even though there may be no tangible, physical evidence to support it.

Your line in the sand is a fruit of the truth you have believed.

Drawing your line in the sand can seem, to those around you, foolish and irresponsible, but to you it is a sound decision based on facts that the spirit has made alive to your heart. To you it is the obvious choice – one that there is no risk involved. It is agreeing with God, our Father. It is surrendering entirely the results to Him knowing that “…no word from God is void of power…” Luke 1:37asv; He “… hastens His Word to perform it…” Jeremiah 1:12kjv; “…not one of all His promises has failed…”, Joshua 23:14niv

Jesus drew his line in the sand concerning his Father’s Word. He made a decision to only do what He saw his Father do, John 5:19. Where did Jesus see his Father do anything? The same place that you and I see both the Father and Jesus ‘doing’…in the Word.

Jesus took those words and wrote them on his heart. He learned to keep them by living them. Living them released the strength of the spirit dwelling in Him. Those words mixed with his steadfast belief in them produced a determination in him to stand against and not participate in anything contrary to His Father’s word. And he did this before He was baptized in the spirit for power.

There is no compromise in the Spirit of Truth.

Once Jesus was baptized by John and received the spirit for power, Acts 10:38, He had the authority and power to execute His calling. We see him executing that authority when he went to Jerusalem on his very next visit (only 12 days after the baptism) when he casts the money changers out of His Father’s house! Fearlessly by Himself!

For many years, Jesus had gone to the temple and witnessed those men defiling His Father’s house, but now He had authority to cast them all out. Jesus had ‘drawn his line’ long before but had no authority to execute it. Now, He was God’s priest with authority over the true temple! Read the account in John 2:13-22. Jesus had received from His Father revelation of the Word, he knew that the physical realm only represented the true spiritual things. Jesus lived by this understanding.

Paul expressed it like this;

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Today, our body is the house of the spirit of God,

1 Corinthians 3:16 & 2 Corinthians 6:16.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

In the old testament people went to the temple to commune with God. Jesus was God’s true temple, made without hands,

Hebrews 9:11,24

But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

2 Corinthians 5:19 states that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself! The temple was a picture or shadow of the true temple and true priest. Jesus would not allow anything to defile His ‘house’ (his body) and was indignant about anyone else defiling the temple of God, not because of the physical value to God, but because of it’s spiritual significance and what it showed about what Jesus, the true temple and High Priest, would be for man;

Hebrews 8:1-2.

We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Jesus’ action was not motivated by carnal anger or frustration but by righteous indignation.

indignation in·dig·na·tion \ˌin-dig-ˈnā-shən
noun

1. strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting or base; righteous anger

He placed a higher value on the spiritual significance of what He saw by the leading of the Spirit, not to the offense of his flesh. He esteemed the Word and purpose of His Father greater than His very own flesh – and the pleasure or discomfort it could give. Remember, He cast out those money changers by Himself. They were more in number, yet He did not hesitate and they feared Him! Why?! To them he was just another man yet they fled at his instruction. Jesus was being led of the Spirit and that authority and power cannot be resisted by the natural! It was mentioned over and over again by those who heard and saw him;

Matthew 7:29

He spoke as one having authority and not as the scribes.

Mark 4:41

“…what manner of man is this that even the wind and seas obey him”.

Mark 1:29

“For with authority He commanded the unclean spirits and they obey him”.

Consider when Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness, He was inspired by the Spirit to go there, not by his own fleshly mind to get something from his Father or be more spiritual. Even though he was led of the Spirit, He was physically affected by fasting just like you or I would be. He was hungry and weakened by it, yet he did not let his response to the temptations be motivated by his flesh. He said that food was not his only source of sustenance but every Word of his Father, which He said in John 6:63 is spirit and life. That is where Jesus had drawn his line. He was going to believe the word regardless of any physical discomfort he would experience. How was he able to do that? He believed the word of his Father.

Mark 9:23 Jesus said, if you can believe, all things are possible to the one who believes…

That word was also written on his own heart (out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks). It was not just a confession to appear holy or a word of knowledge for someone else, it was spirit and life to Jesus – “I live (have life) by every word that my Father has spoken”, was the abundance of his heart speaking.

Was Jesus continually having to ‘draw His line’? No. He, like Abraham, was fully persuaded that what His Father had promised, His Father would fulfill, Romans 4:21.

What our Father promises he is able also to perform!

Like Jesus, our line in the sand should not be connected to anything that can fail. Anything in the natural, carnal, flesh realm will fail. Jesus said , “… the flesh profits not even one thing…” John 6:63 mhv. Paul, in Romans 8:6, put it this way. “…to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Your ‘line in the sand’ must be drawn as Jesus’ was drawn; in the spirit, based solely on the Word of God, not the situation or the symptoms; only the Word of our Father, which is our guarantee;

Isaiah 55:11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

When Jesus was nearing his trial, He said, John 12:27, “…my soul is troubled…” and Matthew 26:53,54 in the garden when one of the disciples drew a sword to defend Jesus, He said “…but how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be.” and then before Pilate, “…to this end was I born to bear witness to the truth” (or “to live the word”, John 17:17). He had drawn the line through His steadfast belief on the Word that he had proved in His life, from his youth! He was not going to compromise now. (see Isaiah 7:15 and Psalms 119:9-16, and many more).

Jesus went through the agony of betrayal, crucifixion, separation from His Father in hell all because he had seen the end in the Word of His Father and believed it. He lived it with all his heart. What he saw in the word was ‘the joy set before him’ that empoweredhim to endure the “…contradiction of sinners against Himself.”, Hebrews 12:2-3.

What he saw in the word was “the joy set before him”….

We see other examples in the word of people like you and me drawing their line in the sand and not accepting anything less than the word of truth that they heard and believed.

The woman with the issue of blood, in Mark 5, had heard of Jesus healing folks and believed with her heart that all she had to do was touch his clothes and she would be healed. Was she deterred by the crowd? or her physical weakness? or what others might say? NO! Why? She had drawn her line in the sand. She was going to touch Jesus, period! There was no obstacle that she could not overcome between her and touching Jesus. She went ‘all in’! That’s what true faith is, going ‘all in’ in the face of contradictory symptoms and circumstances! In fact, that’s what Jesus told her, “…thy faith has made you whole, go in peace and be whole of thy plague.” Jesus did not take credit for her deliverance, he credited her healing to her faith in the word that she heard and believed, Romans 10:17. It was her belief that produced her actions, not her actions producing belief.

With the same steadfast faith, the woman of Canaan in Matthew 15 received her miracle. What was her ‘line in the sand’? I’m not leaving until I get a word from Jesus that my daughter is free! What word did she believe? That Jesus was the Son of David, the Messiah of God, the One with authority over devils. But, did she get the word right away? No, Jesus ignored her, so she went to his disciples – still no word. So, did she give up? No, not this woman – she drew her line and no obstacle could stop her, yes, even being called a dog by the one she was seeking a word from. Jesus said the woman had great faith, Mathew 15:28. That faith got her the word, “be it unto you even as thou wilt…” Was her faith some intellectual idea she assented to from a sermon she heard in church? Was she just hoping that the Son of David, would pity her and have compassion? Was she thinking “I’ll just pester him until he gets tired of me and gives me what I want? No. Jesus said “…woman great is thy faith…”. Hebrews 11:1 tells us “that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. This woman had received the word of Jesus as all that was necessary for the deliverance of her daughter (something she had long hoped for). What she had heard the scripture say of the Messiah of God and what she had heard of Jesus was all the evidence she needed to believe.

Faith in God’s Word always produces results; it cannot fail; for the word to fail, God would have to fail and God cannot fail!

Jesus said, to a desperate man, that “all things (not some things) are possible to the one that believes”, Mark 9:23. This woman’s belief drew the line and nothing, even Jesus ignoring her & putting her down, could erase it.

The only other time recorded in the scriptures of Jesus commenting on someone’s great faith is in Matthew 8, the centurion who came for his word, too. Could this man’s servant whom he loved, been an Israelite who told his master of the Messiah that would come? Could this centurion have heard the scripture “he sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions”? Maybe, but what we do know is that he understood authority. He lived under it and had exercised it over others. He recognized the power in authority and one who had it. He also knew that this authority was released with a word. He had heard that Jesus had this authority over sickness and disease, and because of that, he came to get his word. That is all he needed. Jesus recognized this mans great faith by the steadfast understanding he expressed in his explanation of authority and his peace about the matter. This man was not anxious. He even declined Jesus’ offer to come to the servant, he said that wasn’t necessary. This man did not need to see to believe, he believed already, that is why he just needed the word of authority released. This man’s line in the sand was “when I get my word, it is done”. Jesus gave him that word and he returned to his home in peace knowing that his servant was healed, even though he had not yet seen his servant.

…for the word to fail, God would have to fail and God cannot fail!

Many times we think we have drawn our line in the sand, but in reality we have not. We have what is called mental assent, which is our natural mind and carnal will power making a decision to agree with something we have heard others have experienced. This appears as faith, as long as there is no resistance, obstacles or set-backs and the symptoms appear to be retreating. Mental assent can even appear bold and confident. But, if things don’t appear to improve or they get worse and we experience resistance, our line in the sand just fades away like the tide washing it out to sea.

Peter thought he had drawn his line when he said he would die before he would ever deny Jesus, Mark 14:27-31. However, when they came to take Jesus in the garden, he fled in fear. He then followed at a fear-safe distance and once in the courtyard where he could see Jesus, he denied him 3 times, even with an oath. What was Peter’s motive behind his declaration? It was not steadfast belief in the word but a natural, emotional, needy, self-centered declaration! How can we say such a thing about the water-walking Peter?! Because he denied Jesus 3 times!

It is easy for us to be bold in our confessions and declarations when everything is going good but what about when it looks bad (naturally speaking)?

How can you know when your line in the sand is drawn? Faith does not look at what we can see with our natural eyes, but what it sees in the spirit. Only the Word of God can give us a clear view of the spirit. Jesus said the words he spoke were spirit and life, John 6:63.

2 Corinthians 4:18

…we look not at the things which are seen (with our natural eyes), but we look at the things which are not seen (with our spiritual eyes): for the things which are seen are temporal (natural, of the flesh); but the things which are not seen are eternal (the spiritual, of the new creation).

When your line is drawn as a fruit of belief in God’s Word, it is a line that nothing in the natural, physical realm can erase! As Jesus said to Jairus, “fear not, only believe and your daughter will be made whole,” Luke 8:50. In fact, our Father God Himself said that. “He sent His word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions,” Psalms 107:20.

When your line is drawn you have peace which goes beyond natural understanding.

When our line is drawn, our belief has moved us into cooperation with His Word on one side of the line and the natural physical realm on the other side, we have chosen the victory in the word that He has sent!

Drawing your line in the sand is not passive in any way! It is you doing all to stand by not moving off the Word of truth that you have believed (not trying to believe). It is you violently taking what Jesus paid a high price to purchase for you! ‘NO’ is not an acceptable answer to one who has believed to receive. Yes and amen are the words resounding in your heart. Those symptoms and circumstances have no pull on your heart because you have drawn your line; you and the word you have believed are all that is left on your side of the line.

You, like the woman of Canaan and the Centurion are walking on knowing it’s done before you actually see anything in the natural.

Thank you for downloading this article. I pray that the truths contained therein will be quickened to your heart and produce the peaceable fruit of freedom and righteousness in your life and those you share it with.

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belief vs. unbelief

Mike Hoesch — Sat, 01 Sep 2018 04:29:46 +0000

belief vs. unbelief

Will unbelief hinder the manifestation of healing?

Can unbelief stop the manifestation of my healing from coming forth?

That is a question we hear quite often when one is thinking that they have believed and still do not see the outward change in their physical body. In the article below we will connect the dots in God’s word to see how belief and unbelief affect receiving our healing and the manifestation.

When we only believe, our faith (steadfastness) in what we are believing for allows the Spirit to release what we are drawing upon the Spirit to do. If we have any doubt to what we have believed for, then we are what the Bible refers to in James as being double-minded and therefore, unstable (not steadfast, wavering), which is a manifestation of unbelief and we are not able to receive (God is not withholding from us, it is already in the Spirit dwelling in us, Romans 8:11):

James 1:6-8
But let him ask in faith, without wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Jesus made this same point;

Mark 11:22-24
Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

The woman with the issue of blood believed that if she touched Jesus’ garment she would be made whole. So, her belief produced action that empowered her to press through the crowd to reach Jesus. After she touched the hem of his garment, notice what Jesus said about it; “…Daughter, thy faith has made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague”.

Mark 5:25-34
And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
…. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

It was her faith or steadfastness on what she believed that released the virtue in Jesus to her, no wavering or unbelief. (Note: the indwelling Spirit was not given until after the resurrection. John 7:39. Today, every born-again person has received the indwelling Spirit which is where the ‘virtue’ flows from.)

Consider the centurion, in Matthew 8, who had the sick servant and came to Jesus believing for a ‘word’. Jesus said he had not found so great faith in Israel; Why? Because the centurion believed he didn’t need Jesus to come to his house to have the servant made whole (seeing to believe), he believed in the authority that Jesus had to just speak the ‘word’.

Matthew 8:6-13
… and when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.
Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel….
And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Then Jesus told the centurion to , “Go thy way and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee”. The servant was healed because his owner, the centurion, believed. In his heart once he had the ‘word’ it was done. That is unwavering steadfast belief; no doubt or unbelief present in his heart when he heard the ‘word’!

Let’s look at Jairus’ belief:

Luke 8:41-55
And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: (Mark 5:23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lies at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.)
For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him…. While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but is asleep. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

Notice, when Jairus came to Jesus and besought him to come to his house and heal his daughter, he believed that if Jesus came then she would be made well and live. Jesus was moved to follow Jairus because he recognized belief (Jairus’ belief produced Jesus’ action to come). When one came from Jairus’ house saying the daughter was dead, Jesus told Jairus, “…fear not, believe only and she shall be made whole…”. If Jairus had feared he would have been giving place for unbelief to rule and his daughter would not have been made whole. But we see that Jairus did believe because his daughter was made whole. This shows that Jairus rejected the fear which would have been the manifestation of unbelief. Fear would have opposed the belief that he had come to Jesus in and would have divided his heart to where he could not receive (Mark 11:23-24, James 1:8,7). When they got to Jairus house, Jesus gave the mourners opportunity to believe and when they would not, he cast them out of Jairus’ house so that their unbelief wouldn’t affect Jairus.

This is why in Mark 16:17-20, it says the signs and wonders followed the preaching of the word because the word has the potential to produce faith in someone who will believe it. “..these signs shall follow them that believe… and …confirming the word with signs following.” It is also true that wrong words can produce unbelief and doubt, if a person will allow it, that is why Jesus removed the mourners.

In Mark 6, it says Jesus was able to heal only a few sick folks, and the majority rejected the ‘mighty works’ because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:52). Jesus’ belief to release the Spirit of power was limited by their unbelief. The people heard him teach the word and heard of the ‘mighty works’ but they did not mix it with their choice to believe and therefore did not experience the manifestation in their life. That is exactly what Hebrews chapter 3 and 4 records concerning the children of Israel when leaving Egypt:

3:12 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

3:19 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God (not believing his word).

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.

So, we may believe Jesus is the Christ and accept Him as Savior but limit the manifestation of the Spirit of power in our life (including in our mortal bodies) because of our unbelief.

Belief and unbelief are the manifestation of the will of our heart. The Spirit of God will never violate our will. As it is written:

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

It is our choice to reject doubt and unbelief and be single-minded in belief.

In conclusion, the Word of God is very clear that unbelief limits the release of what the Spirit is capable of releasing, Romans 8:11.

Romans 8:11.
But if the Spirit of of our Father that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead will also give or preserve life to your mortal (dying) bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you.

It’s important to mention that this question arises in many because of a misunderstanding that the ‘manifestation’ equals the absence of all symptoms. Looking to the flesh for evidence that you have believed to receive is actually a manifestation of unbelief. Jesus said the flesh profits nothing – it is the Spirit that gives life, John 6:63. At the moment one believes, they receive, Matthew 21:22, not when they see it in their flesh. As Jesus said to Thomas, “…blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”, John 20:29, because believing is seeing/receiving, 2 Corinthians 4:18.

When we believe, it releases the Spirit to manifest outwardly what we have received through belief inwardly. It cannot give what we haven’t believed for, Matthew 21:22.

Matthew 21:22
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.

Remember, that the healing begins inwardly and can take some time before it shows outwardly as in the case of the fig tree in Mark 11. Don’t let the outward appearance cause you to doubt, just keep steadfastly believing in what Jesus has accomplished for you and belongs to you, right now!

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The End of Fear.

Mike Hoesch — Mon, 18 Jun 2018 20:05:22 +0000

The End of Fear

Can I really be free from fear?

Yes, you can! We can all be free from fear according to 1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

John tells us the solution to be free from fear: “perfect love casts out fear”!

WOW! the answer I had searched for a long time…but I had no clue as to what “perfect love” is.

John also wrote in the previous verses that “God is Love”(vs. 8,16) and in verse 7 that “love is of God”. But to be honest , that was not helpful. I still had fear.

In reading on I found more clarification, something that helped me to understand: 1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Finally, a definition of “love”, that to me, was something tangible, something I could relate to: keeping the commandments is the “love of God”. And the commandments were not grievous, or in plain english are ‘not hard for us to do’. It was becoming a little clearer, now. I could experience love by keeping the commandments. But, at that time in my life, my legalistic thinking saw that as an impossible obstacle. “No wonder I wasn’t free from fear, I was a miserable sinner, I could never keep all the commandments…” And to make it worse, John said only “perfect love” casts out fear. Was he saying I had to keep all the commandments perfectly, before fear would leave? Fear was now telling me, “…how could I do perfect love when plain love seemed an impossible obstacle…”.

Never the less, the small still voice of our Father encouraged me there was hope for me to be free. So, continuing on in the word I saw 1 John 2:5

“…whosoever keeps (obeys) his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected…”

Now it was even clearer. Perfect love is simply obeying the word of God. One cannot obey two opposite commands at the same time. Obeying the word instead of the fear, would cast out the fear. Now the light was beginning to shine through the darkness. For example; Proverbs 29:25 states, when I put my trust in God I will be safe – no fear, but if I am afraid of what man thinks of me I will be trapped, ensnared by fear which is holding me back from the freedom in the truth which is in that word or commandment of God, (John 17:17). So, it was not saying in 1 John that I had to keep all the commandments/word first and then fear would leave. What John is sharing is, instead of obeying the thoughts and emotions of fear when it is speaking, obey the word instead, and fear will leave. Simple.

John 8:32 says that we will ‘know’ the truth, not just a mental or intellectual awareness, but an experiential grasp, like trust. That will bring freedom; freedom from anything that is holding or binding us, including fear. Believing the truth will not only free me from the bondage, but will keep me from getting into bondage.

I could see now that fear was a weapon satan uses to hold me back from the victory that I already possess as a child of God, through Jesus Christ. So, now, instead of obeying the fears and being held in torment or bondage I can simply obey the word of God, his truth, which will bring freedom and safety when ever fear comes to me.

This was God’s plan from the beginning. Keeping/obeying his word/commandment to remain free. If Eve had only stood on the word that God spoke to her through Adam, she would not have yielded to the fear that satan was speaking to her, 2 Corinthians 11:3

But I fear (a godly concern), lest by any means, as the serpent (satan, Revelation12:9, 20:2) beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

God gave them that commandment in the beginning not to bind or limit them, but to keep them free and safe. John said the commandments are ‘not grievous’ because in keeping them there is great reward Psalms 19:7-11

The law (word, commandment) of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony (word) of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes (word, commandment) of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment (word) of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear (respect, reverence) of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments (word, commandment) of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

The word of God, his commandments, are still the avenue to release freedom, love, joy, peace, and all the fruit of the Spirit. Walking in the word of God is walking in the Spirit . Jesus said the words that He spoke to us are ‘spirit and life’, not fear, John 6:63

It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

So, choose freedom today, choose to walk in the word when fear is speaking to you and watch the fear flee; it will be cast out! Fear cannot dwell where the word of God is kept/obeyed. The word kept in your heart is the Love of God perfected in you.

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Can the devil read my mind?

Mike Hoesch — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 00:46:48 +0000

Can the devil read my mind?

This is a question we hear quite often, you may have wondered yourself; Can the devil read my mind? Or can the devil put a thought in my mind without me being aware of it? In this article we will let the Word of our Father connect the dots on this topic.

Satan can recognize what we are thinking in many ways that appear like he is “reading our mind”. The most obvious way is that he just observes our actions and reactions. Our actions and reactions are an outward expression of our thoughts. He can plant ‘seeds’ in our mind through things that we hear from friends, through the many forms of media (TV, Facebook, news, etc.) in a sermon in church, and the list goes on and on. Once that seed is received or planted and is watered through those various mediums mentioned above, it grows in our mind/heart. When we finally recognize the thought it has developed into, we think “…where did that come from?” It appears that the devil just stuck it in there without our permission. However, it was developed from a seed before we noticed it, because we did not reject it when the seed was first presented to us.

In nature a seed looks very different than the plant that grows out of it. So is the seed of that thought we are having that came into us unchecked. That is why we are told to check every thought with the word, whether it comes as a ‘seed’ or the ‘developed plant’. In 2 Corinthians 10:5:

We are to… Cast down imaginations (thoughts, words, ideas, etc.), and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (the Word of our Father), and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Satan cannot do anything to us without our consent and cooperation. We often cooperate with him by not recognizing his ways and methods. Words spoken are expressions of spiritual thoughts. The thoughts can be inspired by God or satan; (both are spiritual not physical). We are spiritual (spirit & soul) and physical (body). In this physical world, we express the spiritual part of us through our physical body. We use words, gestures, facial expressions, etc., all of which are physical expressions of spiritual thoughts and emotions. In Matthew 16, Peter expressed to Jesus two thoughts that “he” thought were good. The first one Jesus affirmed was from his Father (it agreed with the Word). The second Jesus recognized was from satan and he told us how he knew that in verse 23; “…for you (speaking to satan) savor not the things that be of God but the things that be of men…”

Jesus said we should be “…as wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove…” Matthew 10:16. He was telling us that we can learn to discern the beguiling ways and methods of the serpent, no matter how or by whom they are being communicated to us. Paul mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:3 that Eve was beguiled in her mind by the serpent, which in Revelation 12:9 & 20:2 states ”…that old serpent, called the devil and satan…”. Satan spoke to her mind just like he spoke to Jesus’ mind when he was tempted in the wilderness, Luke 4:1-13. Satan still uses the same ways and methods on us, but we don’t have to be beguiled or deceived by them.

We are not cooperating with the devil just because we hear one of his thoughts. Jesus heard all the thoughts the devil was speaking to him when he was tempted in the wilderness and when Peter spoke, but he cast them down with the Word of his Father that he had written in his heart, Psalms 119:11. It was that word he had written in his heart that enabled him to recognize that the thought he was hearing in his mind and those audible ones spoken to him were not his own or his Father’s.

We can, through renewing our heart and minds to the word of God, discern every thought we hear in our mind, audible or not, and learn to cast down those not coming from God.

Satan does speak to us spirit to spirit and God speaks to us spirit to spirit. We must learn to discern and recognize who is speaking to us. An easy way to do this is by recognizing whether the thought, idea or emotion coming to us agrees or disagrees with any or all of God’s word. This is what we are instructed to do in 2 Corinthians 10:5 and Proverbs 4:23. Does it agree with what God has accomplished for us in Christ or does it oppose that? Does the thought, idea or emotion bring peace, rest and security? Or does it produce anxiety, fear and uncertainty? Is it going to lead you to the flesh / carnal realm or to the Spirit of God, Romans 8:5-6 & Galatians 5:16-17?

Luke 10:19 tells us we have power over all the power of the devil, the enemy. So, it does not matter whatever device he uses to try and get our cooperation, we have power to resist and not yield to him. By doing so, he will have no success against us. Remember, he needs us to yield to / cooperate with him for him to kill, steal and destroy in our life. That is why he is speaking to us and trying to get us to yield to him, Romans 6:16:

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

We do not have to yield to the devil! We just submit ourselves to God’s Word and ways and reject the words and ways of satan and he will flee from us, James 4:7 & 1 Peter 5:8-9;

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith…

In conclusion, what difference does it make if satan can ‘read our minds’ or ‘insert thoughts into our mind’? – It cannot affect us beyond our consent in yielding to it. It is the devil using these ideas to try and persuade us that he has some advantage over us, or that we should be fearful about certain thoughts. Don’t accept those ideas, they are from the devil not our Father. Lets just keep our mind and heart stayed on our Father and His Word, Isaiah 26:3:

Thou wilt keep them in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because they trust in thee.

We have been given the victory over satan! That is why he needs to persuade us to accept his way of thinking so he can work in our life. It is the very same method he used with Eve. We can reject the way Eve responded and choose the way Jesus responded.

We do not have to be deceived for we are not ignorant of his devices, 2 Corinthians 2:11. The good news is that the Word and the spirit of our Father are with us continually leading and guiding us to truth, John 16:13 &14:26; the truth that sets us free, John 8:32! Let’s think on and meditate in that good news! Philippians 4:8;

Finally, my friends, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

For more on this topic go to Understanding the Devices of the Enemy Series

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