And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
Mark 2:3-12

Why did Jesus look at the man sick with palsy, “Thy sins be forgiven”? Many say that this man’s sin was caused by sin, and I believe that may have been true, but today I began to think about this passage in a way that I never saw before. Let me cover some ground first on faith:

We know that faith comes by hearing (referring to receiving) the Word of God (see Romans 10:17). We see the disciples asking Jesus to increase their faith, and His way of doing that was to give them something to receive; He told them that if they will believe, then they can exercise their authority over a mountain and command it to be cast into the sea (see Luke 17:5-6). It’s when we receive the Word of God, that our faith increases. Jesus simply gave them something to receive. We see Jesus telling people, “Your faith has made you whole.”

With that said, I believe that Jesus was simply giving the sick man something to receive when He said, “Thy sins be forgiven.” This man who was sick, was likely laboring under a heavy load of guilt and shame (as many are today, who are in need of a healing!). Jesus’ words telling him that his sins were forgiven, was all that was necessary to bring enormous healing to the man, not only mentally, but also physically. Many times, a person’s load of guilt and shame can serve as a wall to keep the person from receiving the healing (both mentally and physically) that they need.

It would shock many Christians today to find out how many religious spirits and strongholds are at work in the everyday believer’s life. This is something that affects almost everybody! Many also have a tainted perception of who they are, and an inaccurate self-image.

Religious spirits often work to belittle and “humble” people falsely. A religious spirit says, “You shouldn’t feel good about yourself; you’re just an old sinner barely making it to heaven!” but if we look into God’s Word, we find that our heavenly Father says, “You’re the work of my hands; you are my child and a member of the royal family; you were created in my image, and purchased (redeemed) with the Blood of My Son; you are a masterpiece because you’re my creation! You are my artwork, and I am your painter!”

Religion opposes God’s Word on so many levels, it’s not funny! Paul speaks against the religious mindset (and other ungodly mindsets) and tells us that is why we must take every thought captive which rises itself against the knowledge of God. Religious mindsets do just that - rise them self against the knowledge of the truth in God’s Word!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

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

True Christian faith comes by knowing and receiving the Word of God. So what are you receiving in His word right now? Have you received His Word about the forgiveness of your sins and your justification (being made innocent by His Blood)? Or are you still carrying a load of guilt and shame, wondering if you were to die, if your sins are truly forgiven? It is vital that we receive what God’s Word tells us about the forgiveness of sins, and so many other things that are important to our victorious life here on earth.

Do you really believe what God’s Word has to say about you, and the person that you are in Christ? If not, then you will always live below the level that God has called you to live. Your faith will never be where it should be, and evil spirits will enjoy the leverage that the strongholds in your mind are giving them.

We need to boldly receive what God’s Word has to say, so that we can have the faith necessary to receive the good things that God has for us, and live out the victorious life that God planned for us before we were conceived!

One of the most beneficial things about deliverance ministry is to clean a person out from all the garbage and religious bondage and strongholds that they have accumulated over the years. Such mental and spiritual darkness actively works diligently to distort and cloud out the voice of God in their spirits. The more you listen to it, the less you will be able to hear God’s voice when He speaks to you. One of the important things for prophetic ministry is to be able to hear God, and hear Him clearly. If we have a prophetic gifting, but at the same time, carry spiritual and emotional garbage in our minds, then there will be times when we’re right on in prophecy, but other times we are likely to misunderstand or even have our flesh twist or distort the message that God is trying to give us. Having a sound clear mind, as God’s Word speaks of, is therefore vital to anybody who wishes to move in the area of the prophetic.

2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

I find that God can give me incredible revelation and prophecy, but only when my mind is clean and clear to accept it, I have such boldness and confidence to move forward and proclaim what God has given me without asking myself, “Was that just me, or was that really from God?” When your mind is clear and sound as God speaks, I believe you will know it without any doubt in your mind. Only when there is unnecessary mental and emotional traffic does God’s voice become less clear and recognizable.

We need to have that kind of clarity so that when God gives us something, we stand on it with confidence and are assured that what He said was indeed from Him and is given to us for an important mission in our lives or those around us.

It seems that a nearly endless flow of problems can be found when a person does not truly feel loved and accepted by God. It creates jealousy against other brothers and sisters in Christ. It causes a person to find it hard to spend time with God, in His Word, and they cannot really get into worshipping Him. Feeling distant from God makes it hard to trust Him for anything, because we feel so unworthy. We may be able to believe His Word when it tells us that we can heal the sick, but we feel like we’re not in a position to walk in that kind of power. Feeling distant from God also discourages us from giving God our burdens and trusting Him to heal our wounds. It therefore, hinders the inner healing process from emotional wounds of our past.

It’s no wonder that Satan and evil spirits try so diligently to cause a person to feel like God is somehow disappointed or even angry with them!

If Satan wants us to feel like God is angry with us, then how does God want us to feel?

So how do we change our perception of our relationship with God? Begin to take God’s Word seriously; you need to begin accepting what God’s Word says concerning your relationship with Him. If it says that you’ve been justified, then you need to begin seeing yourself as having been made innocent, just as if you’ve never sinned, because of the Blood of Jesus. After all, that is what it means to be justified!

When we begin to see ourselves in light of what God’s Word has to say, our perception begins to change and our faith soars. If God’s Word tells us that you’ve been forgiven and clothed in the righteousness of Christ, but you continue to wonder if your sins have been forgiven, then you’re not taking God’s Word seriously, and it’s allowing a devastating stronghold to remain in your mind.

Jesus tells us that if we continue in His Word, we will know the truth, and the truth will make us free (see John 8:31-32). Free from what? The bondage which the lies of Satan have held us in!

John 14:12, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

I recently felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to change the word “works” into “miracles” in the above verse. After all, that is what is being talked about here - the miracles that only Jesus could do! If we look at the previous verse, we find that Jesus is telling the Pharisees to believe upon Him, if it was only because of the works (or unique, undeniable miracles) that He was able to do:

John 14:10-11, “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.”

Some might say, “But the works that He was doing, was preaching the gospel!” If that were the case, then Jesus wouldn’t be the only one capable of doing such things. Anybody can preach the gospel. What Jesus was referring to, was what set Him apart as the Son of God. God’s Word tells us that, “Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs.” (Acts 2:22)

God confirmed Jesus was the Son of God by showing forth great signs, wonders, and miracles! God’s Word also tells us that He would confirm the disciples’ preaching with signs following as well:

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

So is it absurd to say that we are to be doing the same miracles that Jesus did? I don’t think it’s aburd at all, given that Jesus spells it out in plain English here:

Mark 16:17-18, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

I want you to read John 14:12 in this way, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the [miracles] that I do shall he do also; and greater [miracles] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

This is just a short brief… I’ve been putting together a teaching on this, which is PACKED with Biblical facts about how we ought to be flowing in the power of God, performing mighty miracles in Jesus’ name!

Praise be to God!!!

Before you read what is in this post, I want you to know that you that I love my brothers and sisters in Christ, whether they consider themselves pentecostal, baptist, Catholic, etc.

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
1 Corinthians 1:10-13

Paul was seeing the early signs of division among believers, and he didn’t like it, neither did the Holy Spirit (being that He inspired Paul to rebuke the nonsense). Has Paul addressed this issue today, he might as well of said:

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am Pentecostal; and I Methodist; and I am Baptist; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was John Wesley crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of the pope?

Christianity is by far the most divided religion in the world today. Even the cults and pagans have more unity than we do!

There is only one truth! If one denomination believes one thing, and another denomination believes another, then one of them is wrong. One of the denominations is believing a lie, because there is no such thing as two truths when it comes to spiritual matters. Either Christians can have demons, or they can’t. Either tongues and spiritual gifts are for today, or they aren’t. Either healing and miracles are for today, or they aren’t. When two different denominations believe differently on a subject like this, then one of them is deceived, and has chosen to believe a lie!

I was telling somebody the other day that I would actually consider putting a bumper sticker on my car, if I found one that said, “Get out of church, and get in your Bible!” It is when Christians follow their pastor around and are gullible to accept everything he tells them, is when they are led astray into false doctrines and teachings of men. Even the early church was diligent to research scriptures to make sure that what they were being taught was true (see Acts 17:11). How many Christians today do the same thing? Probably not many; they merely accept what “sounds right” from the pulpit, and that’s where they fall into trouble. Satan has some awfully convincing arguments about some things, but it’s all exposed when a person gets into the Word of God and learns the truth for themselves!

Don’t get me wrong, there are some great churches out there that do teach the truth in God’s Word, but they are not the minority here in America. If you are going to be in church, then get yourself in a church that FEEDS you the TRUTH, the raw Word of God. Anything else is setting yourself up to be brainwashed and lukewarm in your relationship and knowledge of God!

Pastor James Brandt preached an awesome sermon titled, “Keys to Spiritual Unity” on August 10th, 2008, and it addresses this topic in greater depth. You can find James’ sermons on the GreatBibleStudy.com web site under “Audio Sermons.”
I have friends who are of different denominations, but it grieves my heart to see such division in the Body of Christ! I consider myself more non-denominational than anything, but even many who also consider themselves non-denominational are believing lies that the Word of God would expose, if they only sought the knowledge of God for themselves!

Today I was reading Matthew 25, where Jesus told the parable of the three servants. A master went away, and left one servant with 5 bags of gold, another servant 2 bags, and another 1 bag. The first two servants invested the money, and doubled the master’s investment. The last servant hid the money out of fear.

Are we using what God has given us, to yield Him a bumper crop? Or are we not using our gifts (prophecy, discerning of spirits, healing, etc.) because of fear? While the master praised the servants who invested the money, He rebuked the servant who hid his investment out of fear. Consider what is said in verse 26…

Matthew 25:26, “His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed.”

Then if we read on, Jesus tells us…

Matthew 25:29-30, “For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

In other words, to him who USES what is given to him, that man will receive MORE, and will have an ABUNDANCE! But on the contrary, those who do not use what God has given them, even the things that they have been given will be TAKEN AWAY! Do you want the gifts that God’s given you, taken away from you? Then start using them!

Are you using what God has given you? Whether it be prophecy, tongues, healing, etc., it is vital that we use what God gives us, and when we do, He will pour out more upon us.

Today we see so many churches that are dry and lifeless, and only once in a while do we see the hand of God do a miracle in such churches. Why is that? Could it be the same reason as we find in the Bible where Jesus could not do many miracles in Nazareth, because of their unbelief? If Jesus couldn’t do many miracles back then because of unbelief, what makes us think that things are any different today?

Matthew 13:58, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”

Let me assure you that Jesus did want to do many mighty works in Nazareth!

The Holy Spirit gave me a tap on the shoulder this morning about how our unbelief can hinder the miracle working power of God. We can keep Jesus (or the Holy Spirit) from being able to do many miracles in our midst, because of our doubt and unbelief in the miracle working power of God!

I just heard a really neat piece of insight about unforgiveness. The minister said that one of the reasons that we find it hard to forgive somebody, is because we have a hard time trusting God with that situation; maybe God won’t punish them enough, or would forgive them and let them off the hook (just as He’s let us off the hook!).

Forgiveness then, is a form of trusting God. It’s putting out trust in Him with that particular situation, and knowing that His way of handling things is far better than ours.