The Believer's Part in Becoming Spirit-filled # 12

Life On The Highest Plane

Cleansing

Faith

Perhaps through hunger and thirst or through the remembrance of God's gracious promises or through sheer desperation because of your wilderness wanderings you have come up to the border line of the promised land again and again. It may even be that you have essayed to go to a conference to spy out the land, to see if the life was all it promised to be, above all to see "if it works." In the lives of some you met or in whom you listened who are yielded, full-of-faith ones you have seen marvelous clusters of the fruit of the Spirit, "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control." Yes, you are  convinced the life is all that the Bible purports it to be and you have seen it "work" but - but - but there are giants in the land. The world, the flesh and the devil loomed large before you and you said, "Greater is he that is n the world than He that is in me." Through unbelief you turned back again into the weariness, the restlessness and the powerlessness of a carnal life.

Dear friend, does this message find you there today, grieving God, rejoicing satan and robbing yourself? Then it comes as God's own command to you, "Arise, go over this Jordan; go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it." Cease grieving your God: possess your possessions in Christ through faith.

Whether young or old in the Christian life there is but one way in which our spiritual possessions are actualized - by faith. Faith opens the Christian life to us: faith accompanies us the entire length of life's journey, and faith at last leads us into the land where we see Him as He is and there faith gives place to sight.

Colossians 2:5-6, "For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the Spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him."

Colossians 1:23, "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister."

Faith opens the door to every blessing that is ours in Christ.

2 Timothy 3:15, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

We have access by faith.

Romans 5:2, "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

We have sonship by faith.

Galatians 3:26, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."

We have righteousness by faith.

Phil. 3:9, "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."

We have forgiveness of sins and sanctification by faith.

Acts 26:18, "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan unto God, they they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that it is in me."

We have cleansing by faith.

Acts 15:9, "And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith."

We have Christ's indwelling by faith.

Ephesians 3:17, "That Christ may dwell in your heart by faith."

We receive the Holy Spirit by faith.

Galatians 3:2, "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the  works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"

We inherit the promises by faith.

Hebrews 6:12, "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

We have victory over the world by faith.

1 John 5:4, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith."

We have victory over the evil one by faith.

Ephesians 6:16, "Withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one."

We have victory over circumstances and difficulties by faith.

Hebrews 11:33-34, "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions., Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens."

We are kept through faith.

1 Peter 1:5, "Who are kept by the power of God through faith, unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Matthew 21:21-22, "Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt now, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

We have power through faith.

Matthew 17:19-20, "Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could we not cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."

Two things are absolutely essential to a harmonious relationship with God, we must believe that God is and that God does. Apart from these two fundamental convictions there is no salvation and no blessing.

Hebrews 1:6, "But without it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

~Ruth Paxson~

(continued with # 13)