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Reversing the Curse of Generational Sin

Reversing the Curse of Generational Sin

Talk about a set up. While we were still sleeping in the womb, minding our own business, the baleful consequence of Adam’s sin devastated us. That’s so unfair: We weren’t the ones who ate the apple! Nevertheless, we came into this world as separated from God as Adam became after his fall. We didn’t even know how strange, wrong and unnatural our birth was.

Forget for a moment all the other sins…

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REVERSING THE CURSE OF GENERATIONAL SIN

Talk about a set up. While we were still sleeping in the womb, minding our own business, the baleful consequence of Adam’s sin devastated us. That’s so unfair: We weren’t the ones who ate the apple! Nevertheless, we came into this world as separated from God as Adam became after his fall. We didn’t even know how strange, wrong and unnatural our birth was.

Forget for a moment all the other sins we’ve been hit with by people near and far. This one sin crippled us before we even got started. We were all born not knowing our God—not knowing His great love, His nearness, and His intimate care. We could not even sense our God, much less see Him. Adam had all that and was supposed to pass it on to us. But, well, you know the rest of that story.

How Adam’s Sin Is Overthrown

This is what I call the “granddaddy” of all generational sin. If you can “see” how damaging to you this one sin has been, then you can begin to see how the curse has been at work in other ways. For instance, as bad as it is that we were born not knowing our true Father, that’s not all that befell us. Just like Adam, we now have a nature that wants to walk away from God, rather than towards Him; a nature that prefers our will to His; a nature that trusts our own understanding rather, than God’s.

We call that fallen nature Adam’s nature in honor of the one who passed it on to us. It’s called fallen because it always and only wants to fall away from God and His grace. Now get this: We were never meant to have it at all. As long as we are wrapped up in its warped, self-centered perspective we can never reconnect with our God and get free of it. Our only option is to live under the leadership of that false god, Self. How has that been working out?

That’s why our Father has so much compassion for us. He works through everything to draw us back to Himself. Then, He immediately rushes to our rescue when we turn to Jesus by a) unveiling our spiritual eyes so that we can “see” Him by faith, and b) giving us a new nature, one in the likeness of Jesus, not Adam. Now we can at least make a choice: Do we want to follow Jesus or Self? In this way, the effects of Adam’s sin begin to be overcome.

Other Sins of Generations Past

Unfortunately, Adam’s sin isn’t the only generational sin that afflicted us. Again, we were snookered at birth. All of us were born with deficits which would seem natural to us, ways of going at life that have nothing to do with God’s ways. They were simply the ways of our parents and of previous generations as we received them and walked in them. They seemed natural because it was all we knew of life—not having a clearer understanding to compare them to.

In this unintentional way, we have all inherited some generational sin patterns that become obstacles to our Christian growth. Think of the national stereotypes. These cannot be applied in every case, but there is a reason why we have them. So, we have Scotch with a reputation for being too frugal, British for being too reserved, Germans for being too whatever, and Americans for being too brash. A generational sin pattern isn’t always picked up by the next generation, but there is a gravitational tendency to fall into it.

There is an even darker side, however, to generational sin. The curse and its consequences can travel down the generational lines, afflicting succeeding generations with disease, mental illness, criminal behavior, occult involvement and other truly damaging effects. We know that crack babies suffer terribly for the addictive sin of their parents. This is a direct impact. But there is a sinister creep of past generations into present ones. That’s why our doctors all take family histories. If certain a disease afflicted past family members, watch out!

Questions this Truth Raises

Many people have never been shown what the Bible teaches about generational sin. When they hear about it, it always raises questions, even outright objections. It seems so cruel and unfair of God. How is it right for children to be punished for the sins of their ancestors? Why do we suffer from sins of the past? (Suffering because of our own sins is bad enough!) And what can we do about it?

BONUS: Go now to receive a totally free download, “An Illustrated Guide to the Spiritual Life “—our eBook for expanding spiritual sight at our website for emotional, spiritual and physical healing: healingstreamsusa.org/gift1.

Why the Problem Exists

Generational sin effects happen because God isn’t bound by time. Un-repented sin remains a fresh stain before Him. He views past wrongs as present sins. This keeps generational sin “alive” long after the person who sinned dies. “Like begets like,” even where unwanted characteristics are concerned. God revealed to Moses that our sin account is not canceled by death, but only with repentance.

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord… a God merciful and gracious… but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation." Exodus 34:6-7

Un-repented sin continues to cause chaos in coming generations. Since God gives us freedom of choice, when we choose to sin and do not repent, we are unwittingly “choosing” the consequences of those sins to affect the following generations. This is never what our loving Father wants! In fact, God doesn’t do the actual punishing. He already punished Jesus for our sins. But He does allow the punishing effects of our wrong choices to keep visiting the earth until someone recognizes sin as sin, and repents of it.

But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers… and they make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember my covenant with Jacob.” Leviticus 26:40-42

The Pattern Is Not Compulsory

We don’t have to walk in the sins of our parents. The effects of generational sins don’t mean we don’t have free will, but that un-repented sin causes negative legacies within families and nations. There is a natural tendency for a generational sin pattern to seem attractive or feel compelling. Nevertheless, God through Ezekiel says that each individual is responsible for their own choices. Therefore, a son cannot die because of his father’s sins, only his own.

“The soul who sins shall die… Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise… he shall not die for his father's iniquity; he shall surely live.” Ezekiel 18:4, 14, 17

How Generational Sin Is Passed Down

Sin’s consequences and sinful patterns are passed down the generations in the following ways:

1) Nature: Damaged physiological and psychological genetic inheritance that doesn’t come from God but rather from humanity’s fall.

2) Nurture: Children are shaped by the emotional environment and training that takes place at home. Both the good and the bad in us passes into our children.

3) Spiritual: Habitual sins cause spirits that are drawn to families which may carry characteristics of the curse down the family tree. 

What We Can Do About It

This truth from God is not intended to push anyone into fear, or to put a guilt trip on us, or to cast blame on previous generations. At every step of the way, we had a choice whether to walk in the light of Christ, or to tread a darkened path blazed by previous generations. Nevertheless, it does help to have this light shed upon why we “went wrong” in some of the ways we did and why we have certain problems or issues to deal with that others in different family lines don’t have.

The grace and power of God are so good, however, that we have no need of fear. Everything that has ever happened to us can and will be used by God to work for our good as we give it back to Him in prayer. No matter what came our way through the generations, we can repent of it on our own behalf and that of our ancestors and ask God to cleanse our family line by the Blood of His Son.

Having done that, we can take up this truth and use it as a powerful motivation. If previous generations had a harmful effect upon us (and their sins did), then let’s cling to Jesus so that we don’t commit sins that will harm the generations who follow us. Let us realize that our choices powerfully influence other people, especially our children whether we intend to or not. Knowing this truth strengthens us to keep going in the right direction when the going gets tough.

The Way to Freedom

Generational patterns are hard to notice because we grew up accustomed to how things were in the family. To find freedom from any negative pattern or consequence that you recognize, forgive family members for their part, take responsibility yourself and repent, renounce and carry the un-repented sin to Christ. Then, give thanks to the Lord and say with Joshua, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus, I choose by an act of my will to forgive my father (or other family members) for all the ways that he failed me or hurt me. I renounce the sins in my generational line and I repent for having walked in them myself. Forgive me and break their power over me. I put the Blood of Jesus between me and any generational sin and I cancel all assignments of the enemy in Jesus’ Name. I choose to fully accept myself as the child of the father You gave me. Holy Spirit please come… heal my broken heart, tell and show me Your Truth.

KEEP GROWING: See other liberating and healing articles in our 24-part, absolutely free eCourse for Healing at healingstreamsusa.org/ecourse-for-emotional-spiritual-healing-p1.

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The Indwelling Presence of the Spirit

Did you know that if you are a Christian you are hosting a Mystery? God has always been next to you, but now that you’re born again, He actually resides in you, through the Holy Spirit. This is our assurance of salvation and eternal life with the Lord. It is also our assurance of having saving help available to us in this life. The Holy Spirit enables us to live the right way and rescues us when…

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THE INDWELLING PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Did you know that if you are a Christian you are hosting a Mystery? God has always been next to you, but now that you're born again, He actually resides in you, through the Holy Spirit. This is our assurance of salvation and eternal life with the Lord. It is also our assurance of having saving help available to us in this life. The Holy Spirit enables us to live the right way and rescues us when we don’t. Living the Christian life would be impossible without Him!

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17 ESV

The Indwelling Presence

This isn’t something that you have to earn or try to get. There’s even no need to wonder whether you received this gift. In the moment we became a new creation in Christ, the Holy Spirit started dwelling inside of us. Saving faith, the forgiveness of our sins, and the indwelling Spirit are all given at the same time.

Most of us wouldn’t know this had happened, unless we read it in the Bible. That's partly because we didn’t have the Holy Spirit on their minds when we sought salvation. Then, in becoming saved, Jesus quite naturally caught our whole attention. In keeping with this, the Holy Spirit prefers to help us focus on Jesus, rather than draw attention to Himself.

Considering this set up, it’s no wonder that the Holy Spirit is called the "mystery Person" of the Trinity. He loves helping us secretly from within and does it so well that it takes a lot of practice to recognize His ways of working with us. Still, it’s great good fun playing Hide and Seek with our mystery Guest, once you catch on to the game. But why did the Lord make it that way?

Why Jesus Went Away

You're probably thinking that the disciples had it way too easy, or at least much easier than us. After all, they could physically interact with Jesus and enjoy His visible presence. They couldn't possibly ask for more, right? However, according to Jesus, their experience wasn’t as good as it could get. They would actually benefit more from His departure.

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. John 16:7

What was Jesus thinking? Perhaps, He was simply referring to the approaching crucifixion. Jesus "departed" from His disciples by dying on the cross—making an atonement for their sins which they needed as much as we do. But we know that His departure didn’t end with death. He came back from the dead! But then He went away again, and worse (or so it seems) He's been away ever since. This is apparently His way of making it more to our “advantage.”

Remember “doubting Thomas”? His faith was definitely strengthened by seeing Jesus, just like the other disciples. Surely, that means it’s better to see spiritual realities with our natural eyes, especially the reality of our Risen Lord upon whom all our faith depends. But, no. Jesus rebuked Thomas for not believing what others told him, saying it would have been better if he had believed without seeing. That goes for us, too. Believing without seeing is somehow better.

BONUS: Get your free copy of “New Life in the Spirit“, at our website for salvation questions, new life in the Spirit, and Last Days concerns: forerunners4him.org/gift-a-10.

The Reality We Overlook

God knows what's best for us. Put a period there and let that really sink in. If He thought that we needed Jesus to be visibly present all the time, then we would have that. Clearly though, that's not our Lord's plan. Instead, He gave us a Helper whom we cannot see, but nonetheless resides in us and never departs.

Most of the time, we tend to fixate on the invisible side of our Helper, wishing we could see more. We would be better served, however, by concentrating on the absolutely glorious reality of His steadfast presence. We are joined “at the hip” to our God forever, in the most intimate way imaginable. This is the key to the mystery. It’s the reason why Jesus said having an invisible Helper is to our advantage.

Believe it or not, there were/are a lot of disadvantages to having a visible God to follow around in the world. For one thing, He might be tied up with others for hours or days at a stretch and have precious little time for you. He might send you out on assignment, while He stays back to do other things. Worse, He might even start following you. If you want a visible God with you always, imagine what would happen in your most private moments. I shudder to think.

The Great Advantages

Amazingly, the constant indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit doesn't disrupt our private moments. We have our sense of privacy completely undisturbed, yet He is always with us and within us. That’s truly marvelous! With an invisible Helper, we have privacy, freedom and ever-present help. We can turn to Him in any instant and know He is with us and will help us with any concern we have.

We can also turn away. Of course, the religious side of us will say immediately, “But I would never turn away!” Really? That’s what Peter said. Yet, Jesus left him free to do just that. Had Peter already been perfected, he wouldn’t have turned away. But the real Peter, the still-immature Peter, the Peter who didn’t know himself sufficiently, still needed to grow.

For the sake of growth, God allows us to turn away, so that we can discover of our own free will how wrong that decision truly is. If Jesus followed us visibly down all our dark alleys, we would grow to hate His “meddling interference.” Wisely, He steps back and let’s us make the discovery on our own. But catch the wink. Even when we turn away as Christians, the Holy Spirit secretly and silently goes with us, helping us in ways we only later recognize. That’s better, isn’t it?

What does the Holy Spirit Do?

This is not a complete list—just enough to get you started. He’s hiding, but He wants to be found. You’re the seeker, so be sure to get in the game. Enjoy this loving hunt!

1) He's our Helper. For any kind of assistance that you could possibly need, He's got your back. From laughing to weeping, working to playing, God has always been (and always will be) with you. Leaning into His power and wisdom can help us immensely in every field. Just keep in mind that God still requires us to do our part. He’s the Helper. We’re the doers.

2) He's our Sanctifier. At conversion, we were “sanctified” when the Holy One came to live within us and “set us apart” for a life with God. But there's more to being sanctified than that. Before we get to enjoy eternity with God in heaven, the Holy Spirit will be cleansing our thoughts, attitudes, emotions and actions as we cooperate with Him down here. What needs cleansing? Anything that doesn’t match up with Jesus!

3) He's our Truth Teller. This just may be His biggest assignment. Jesus said He was sending the Spirit to lead us into all truth. He does this by convincing us that sin really is sin, that God’s ways (righteousness) really are the right ways to go, and that His judgment in these matters is all that really matters. For instance, He brings to mind truths from scripture just when we need to remember them. Then, He helps us believe them and act on them, if we let Him.

4) He's Our Guide.  Apart from revealing truth to us, the Spirit is also our guiding light. Because He knows what's best for us, He can lead us in the way that is right for us. If we listen to Him, the Spirit will highlight the next right thing to do. He also leads us into the right way of living. He does this by guiding us towards trusting Jesus in every situation. Then, when we surrender our heart to Jesus, the Holy Spirit lifts us and leads us step by step into the new life.

5) He's Our Source of Renewal. Because He indwells us, the Spirit can help us dwell within Jesus. This is always exhilarating! Only by abiding in Christ can we live the life Jesus died to give us—while still on earth. This is the Spirit’s most beautiful work. From this place of surrender and trust, the peace, love, joy, and other fruit of the Spirit flow like a river. This can only be received if we trust Jesus with our life and loved ones, and are willing to follow His leadership. Holy Spirit helps us with this in ways that it will become your delight to discover.

Naturally enough, the Holy Spirit is a Self-starter. He isn’t going to sit on His Hands waiting for us to get in the right mood in order to begin His divine assignments. With or without our permission, He is ever at work helping us, sanctifying us, revealing truth to us, guiding us and supplying us with the fruit of new life. It just goes so much better when we cooperate! Good spiritual health is letting the Holy Spirit have His way.

Want to learn more? Get your free copy of “New Life in the Spirit“, at our website for salvation questions, new life in the Spirit, and Last Days concerns: forerunners4him.org/gift-a-10.

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Overcoming Strongholds of the Flesh

Daily life can be a battle of emotions. Feelings of anger, rejection, shame, envy, and fear can catch us in a strong grip that’s hard to overcome. Like addictions, these wayward emotions can become spiritual strongholds that disconnect us from the peace of Christ and hold us captive to stress. Stay with me and we’ll explore how these strongholds are formed and how they can be brought down.

One…

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OVERCOMING STRONGHOLDS OF THE FLESH

Daily life can be a battle of emotions. Feelings of anger, rejection, shame, envy, and fear can catch us in a strong grip that’s hard to overcome. Like addictions, these wayward emotions can become spiritual strongholds that disconnect us from the peace of Christ and hold us captive to stress. Stay with me and we’ll explore how these strongholds are formed and how they can be brought down.

One True Spiritual Stronghold

The first thing that we need to see is that Jesus is our Rock, our true Stronghold. We are meant to run to Him when threatened by sin or danger, because He protects us against the enemy’s advances. He also restores us to emotional freedom.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

Many Counterfeit Strongholds

Unfortunately, strongholds of the flesh usually got to us before Jesus did. These strongholds are un-surrendered, unhealed or uncrucified areas of our old nature. They rise up and resist the new Spirit-filled life. The enemy’s lies—believed by us—created these strongholds out of past experiences that we didn’t handle God’s way. Our own self-defensiveness helps to maintain them.

Strongholds are thought fortresses built by our past wrong reactions to events. Without intending to, we fortified them with false beliefs we had about those events at the time. We created these strongholds thought by wrong thought, just like a medieval castle is built stone by stone. But instead of keeping us safe, these strongholds keep us trapped inside past mental and emotional patterns that are based on pain, not truth.

We don’t need them! Like David, we now have the Lord to protect and help us. Jesus wants us to learn how to resist them and pull them down.

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

The Power of Strongholds

Emotional strongholds are built upon false beliefs about ourselves, God and the world we live in. The power of strongholds depends almost entirely upon how deeply and tenaciously we believe things that aren’t true. For instance, when we are hurt we get angry and want to hold on to feelings of unforgiveness. This is exactly the wrong thing to do! Yet, as long as we deep down believe that not forgiving someone is right, unforgiveness will fill us with resentment. If we truly believe that forgiveness is the right way to go, we let it go and that’s the end of it.

When did we first start “believing” in the rightness of unforgiveness? When we were children. Anyone who knows little children knows that they are champions at letting things go. They live in the splendor of an interior freedom sustained by the Spirit of grace. What a marvel they are! Unfortunately, pain or injustice eventually enters their lives at a level beyond their unschooled ability to release. They start holding on to negative feelings and grow up to become like the rest of us.

BONUS: Go now to receive a totally free download, “The Missing Peace“—our eBook on gaining inner peace and freedom at our website for emotional, spiritual and physical healing: healingstreamsusa.org/gift-3.

An Enemy in Childhood’s Garden

All the negative emotions which become strongholds of flesh had their beginning in a similar way sometime in our past. God never gave them to us. We cultivated them by listening to that other voice. In some way, the enemy began suggesting to us that anxiety and worry were a good way to protect us from perceived danger; that rejection by others carried a truth about us we needed to listen to; that feeling depressed was the proper response to disappointments. On and on. And we believed it!

Jesus says that if we continue with Him and His Word, then we will know what the truth really is, and the truth will set us free. Here is the good news about strongholds. We can’t cast out our flesh, but we can greatly reduce its emotional power by taking down the strongholds we built into our flesh. And we can grow an entirely new set of emotional responses as we go along.

So, Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  John 8:31-32

Casting Down Strongholds

Here’s how this works. Let’s take the stronghold of bitterness once again as an example. With every person that we utterly and completely forgive, that stronghold’s power over our flesh decreases. Eventually, our heart begins to “learn” the new truth that the Holy Spirit first convinced us of in our head—namely, that forgiving from the heart is always the right thing to do. The more our heart re-learns to forgive (remember early childhood), the easier it becomes to forgive. Eventually, it becomes the first thing we want to do, not the last!

This doesn’t stop our flesh from trying to tempt us to hold on to anger and resentments. The flesh will always play that game. Yet, as we take down strongholds of hurt and bitterness created in the past, two good things begin to happen. First, we gain more freedom on the inside. We have less residual anger and less reason to be angry, because we are carrying less of the past along with us. Second, we learn what to do with fresh temptations to be angry. We now know how to forgive from the heart and we are stronger believers that the Lord’s way really is the right way. Therefore, we live with far more freedom from anger than ever before.

Don’t Stop with One Victory

Apply this to every negative emotion that has grown to stronghold levels. Carry that negative emotion as a captive to the Lord. See by His Word what the right thing to do with it is. Ask Him to reveal to you the lie that you’re believing which makes the negative emotion grip you so tightly. Cast down that false belief. Choose by an act of your will to believe that God’s truth really is the truth. Keep praying and proclaiming that truth until your heart finally believes it.

This is not easy work. I’ll admit it, but I’ll also insist that it is a guaranteed path to emotional freedom. If you want to feel like a child again on the inside, if you want to quickly and far more easily get free of the grip of negative emotions, you need to learn how to carry these strongholds as captives to Christ. For example, I used to be pinned to the mat by feelings of rejection. But after an extended season of stronghold destruction, a day came when someone rejected me, and I felt sorry for them, rather than for me!

Let’s do this! Let’s do some holy demolition and regain the heart of a child!

Prayer

Father, I have lived inside the walls of my strongholds for so long they have become a part of me, but I want to find out what life in Your Kingdom is like on the other side of these walls. Lead me in the way of childlike trust and simplicity of heart! I ask you to help me take all of my strongholds down, untruth by untruth, and rebuild with Your truths the godly walls of love, mercy, faith and grace around the renewed heart You are giving me through Jesus. What I can’t tear down, will You? Come charge my walls! Send, allow, withhold—do whatever it takes so that our two hearts can meet and beat as one in this life.

KEEP GROWING: See other liberating and healing articles in our 24-part, absolutely free eCourse for Healing at healingstreamsusa.org /ecourse-for-emotional-spiritual-healing-p1.

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Our Incredibly Loving Father

Few things devastate a nation like failed fathering. Statistics show emotional and societal damage caused by failed fathering. For example, in the USA over 90% of prisoners are males; 95% of those on death row hated their fathers. Unfortunately, not only prisoners, but many people don’t know their fathers or have failed relationships with them. This is all around us. We know it only too well.

The…

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OUR INCREDIBLY LOVING FATHER

Few things devastate a nation like failed fathering. Statistics show emotional and societal damage caused by failed fathering. For example, in the USA over 90% of prisoners are males; 95% of those on death row hated their fathers. Unfortunately, not only prisoners, but many people don’t know their fathers or have failed relationships with them. This is all around us. We know it only too well.

The Danger of a Distorted Image

What we may fail to see is that this failed fathering creates a distorted image of Father God in our hearts. Bearing a distorted image of God unwittingly blocks us from discovering our true image. It also distorts how we try to live.

We are created in God's image, to bear it, not just reflect it. The image of God we bear (or carry) deep in our hearts is everything in our spiritual life. It determines how we seek Him, act towards others, and how we respond to what He allows in our lives. For example, if I fear that the Father is a hard judge towards me, I will not only stay away from Him, I will become a hard judge towards others. We become like the Image of God we carry!

Jesus kept spiritual eyes constantly upon the Father’s heart for Him and us. All that He did flowed out of that ongoing faith connection. That’s why it's important to keep our hearts rightly set on a true image of God. 

Consider the powerful influence of these three image-shapers:

1. Adams nature in us still tries to hide from God in guilt, fear of punishment, and shame over our sinful ‘nakedness’.

2. Our birth fathers and mothers might have created powerful, but false impressions of what God the Father is like by being distant, uncaring, over-bearing, unaffectionate, abusive, threatening, harsh in discipline, angry in punishment and sinful.

3. Our spiritual fathers, such as pastors and teachers, may have planted wrong images of the Father by being unloving, judgmental, easily offended, stern and strict. In a word: different from Jesus. Not so much by their words, as by their ways.

These distorted images don’t reveal the Father’s heart of love but instead, resemble the enemy’s ‘dark heart’. We must cast down these false images by first forgiving those who sowed distorted images in us, then by renouncing the lies that were planted and confessing the truth in their place.

The Image Formed by Family

Our fathers and mothers are god-like to us when we are little. They teach us right from wrong and exercise complete power over us. This can contribute to a distorted image of Father God, if their ways don’t match up with the Lord’s.

Earthly fathers should create a solid foundation of love, affection and proper discipline to mold children properly. Lack of this foundation causes a void, often a hurting wound which the enemy takes advantage of. Thus the ‘father wound’—a pervasive, deadly and societal curse—emerges. Small wonder we need so much restoration!

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. Malachi 4:5-6

Clarifying Our Image of the Father

We call God our Father, but miss the point of intimacy. Typically, we relate to Him as the great high God who is distant and mysterious in nature until the living faith through Christ is birthed in us. Remember, Jesus came to reveal Him as “Abba”—Daddy. Just knowing this truth in our head doesn’t guarantee it rules in our heart, but at least let us get a clear picture in our mind.

Our Father’s incredible grace was first seen in the Old Testament when He revealed the glorious nature of His grace-filled being to Moses.

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Exodus 34:6

God's grace is so great that He doesn't even hold our sins against us. He still hates our sins, but He loves us. That’s why, even though He works to bring us to repentance, He maintains a spirit of reconciliation towards us in His great heart (2 Corinthians 5:19).

BONUS: Go now to receive a totally free download, “An Illustrated Guide to the Spiritual Life “—our eBook for expanding spiritual sight at our website for emotional, spiritual and physical healing: healingstreamsusa.org/gift1.

God Put His Love on Full Display

God affirmed His Love for Jesus through public displays of affection in three instances: at Jesus's baptism, the transfiguration on the mount, and before the cross. Amazingly, the Father has the same love for all believers who are in Christ by faith.

God desires to affirm and express His love to you. He loves no one more or less than you. He doesn’t play favorites and loves you just as much as he loves Jesus. If this doesn’t move your heart, pray for fresh grace to be amazed by this revelation from Jesus.

I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. John 17:23

Let Jesus Reveal the Father to You

Jesus’s life and death were intended to reveal the Father.

Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” John 14:8-10

Simply told, the Father is just like Jesus. God's word requires us in faith to cast down every image of the Father we may have been given that doesn’t match up with Jesus.

I and the Father are one. John 10:30

If this is who God is to you, then knowing and believing it gives you joy, peace, and love during every moment of your life in which you touch this living reality in faith. Active-believing-faith powerfully puts us in touch with reality. Not living in such faith is living a bad dream, from which one day we will be awakened.

Why Not Awaken Now?

Start each day intentionally checking whether your heart really believes the following five liberating truths about God the Father. Your Father is always:

1) Loving you (John 17:23)

2) Forgiving you (Hebrews 4:16)

3) Saving you (Jeremiah 33.3)

4) Planning for you (Jeremiah 29:11)

5) Redeeming you (Romans 8:28)

In your head you may accept these truths. But if deep in your heart, you have a problem really believing them, then start attaching your faith to His scriptures. Jesus said our most important work is believing the truth about God. This doesn’t happen without “working out” with the scriptures and prayer!

The Way of Restoration

We can have our hearts restored to a state of deeply trusting our Father. For this to happen we need to recognize when we are serving a lesser image of God: feeling unworthy, anxious or driven to perform.

Pray to see the distorted images in you, then forgive those who planted them. Pray for Jesus to fully reveal the Father to you, repent and renounce all unbelief and confess the truth of His perfect love. Finally, give thanks to the Father for his endless love and grace.

Father, I confess that I have let the enemy and my own life experiences build up false images about You that have kept me from running to You. But! From now on I will fight to believe in the truth about You that Jesus is revealing to me. I will fight to run to You when I am tempted or in need. I will seek Your grace even in my places of deepest disgrace. Let Your perfect love cast out all of my fears!

Don’t make Father do all the running—learn to run to Him! 

 KEEP GROWING: See other liberating and healing articles in our 24-part, absolutely free eCourse for Healing at healingstreamsusa.org.

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Why Do I Need to Be Saved? (3 Reasons)

You may not want to look at what will happen when you die, but why not be ready for it, just in case it happens to you? (BTW, the odds are 100%!) And, let’s face it, all of us have come short of moral perfection. Because of this, we are going to look at the three main reasons why everybody needs to be rescued by God.

Number One: Conscience and Right Living

Let’s be perfectly honest with ourselves…

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WHY DO I NEED TO BE SAVED? (3 Big Reasons)

You may not want to look at what will happen when you die, but why not be ready for it, just in case it happens to you? (BTW, the odds are 100%!) And, let's face it, all of us have come short of moral perfection. Because of this, we are going to look at the three main reasons why everybody needs to be rescued by God.

Number One: Conscience and Right Living

Let's be perfectly honest with ourselves here – we are not even living up to our own moral standards, let alone the ones that God requires. However, we all carry something called conscience. We can think of it as God's homing beacon, directing us towards Him. Our conscience acts as an alarm, notifying us when we act wrong.

This is the first reason we need to be saved—we need help from Someone to live as we were meant to live. 

Number Two: We Will All Die One Day

Death is inevitable. This a common fact. People prefer to change the subject when it comes to this matter, but the truth is that one day you are going to die. Are you prepared for what may happen next?

Human beings have come up with four crafty scenarios to shroud our moral failure:

Endless     Hibernation. You die and     that's the end of it. Only the memory of you remains in the minds of     others, until they also pass out of conscious existence. You're simply in     a state of deep sleep, without any joy, but without pain and suffering as     well. You won't need to worry about answering for your immorality—unless     you wake up to some other Reality.

Recycle with Reincarnation. You never truly die, you simply continue to     exist in another body, although without remembering your past. (How crazy     is that?) There is no hell or endless torment, so you shouldn't worry     about your moral failures. You won't remember anything! All that you     should care about is battling with the present misfortunes that result     from a previous (but unknown) life of yours.

Ally, Ally,     Come in Free. When you     die, you go to this wonderful place of perfection called heaven. In fact,     everyone does. No matter what you do, you'll go to heaven – no need to     fear hell, no need to avoid any sins. God wouldn't let anyone suffer     because He loves us so much. Sounds too good to be true? It is. Your     conscience informs you that right will be rewarded and wrong won’t be. It     never lies, so why not listen to it?

Eternal One-Note     Harmony. After you die, you     become a part of god's “cosmic” consciousness. At first glance it sounds like     a good deal. There's no punishment for your immorality or misdeeds. You     become a piece of un-thinking, un-suffering energy, but you cease to exist     as an individual, as a person. You are consumed by the Eternal Mind. Good     for the Mind, too bad for you. The symphony of real life that once was     your life has melded into a single boring note.

While you may be perfectly okay with such theories, you probably aren't too keen on the idea about being punished. That’s the real problem, isn’t it?

But what if there really is another possibility? What if we really are going to face God after we die? A God that cares how we live. A God for whom moral failure is not a laughing matter, even if He is a loving God. And what if a place of eternal torment really does exist? Why not be ready for that, just for good measure?

Heaven & Hell. This life right now is a drop in the ocean, compared to what comes after that. How would you rather spend eternity—rejoicing in holy comfort or suffering unending punishment? Maybe you’re relying on one of the previous scenarios, but what if they all prove be wrong?

The vast majority of people who have ever lived believed in reward and punishment in the afterlife. Where did they get that? They didn’t make it up out of thin air! Deeply rooted inside us is conscience—the moral law within our hearts. All around us in an immense and glorious creation. Creation speaks of a Creator God. Conscience tells us we are accountable to Him. 

This is the second reason why we need to be saved—to come out on the side of reward, rather than punishment when we die.

BONUS: Go now to receive a totally free download, “The 2 Facts of the Resurrection,” at our website for salvation questions, new life in the Spirit and Last Days concerns: forerunners4him.org.

Number Three: Ending the Greatest Robbery of All

The two primary reasons for wanting to be saved (as we have seen) are one, that we might live this life the way it was meant to be, and two, so we can find ourselves in the right place in the next life. But the most fundamental reason for wanting to be saved is the all-too-easily overlooked fact that we are separated from the One who created us!

The startling thing about this dreadful catastrophe is that we seem to be okay with being cut off from our God. From birth, we don't know Him. We can’t see Him. We can’t hear His voice. We can't enjoy His company. We can’t connect! Think of it: in relation to God, we are massively ignorant, blind, deaf, and dead. Yet, somehow this appalling state of affairs seems “normal” to those who don’t know Him.

Yet, our own efforts prove that it’s not possible for us to reestablish the lost pathways of communication and communion on our own. If it can be done, only God is able to do it. That’s where Christianity comes in. Jesus says He can do just that for anyone who chooses to believe in Him and follow Him. But it gets even better.

If the Christian religion is true (as we believe that it is) then this "God that we don't know" simply happens to be the most loving, most exciting and most beautiful Person in the universe! Not knowing Him is the most horrible loss anyone can experience. Dear God, save us from not knowing You!

And that is exactly what He wants to do…

Prayer

God, I have to be honest with You. I don’t know You, but deep down I really do believe that this world has a Creator and deep down I know that I am not living with a completely clear conscience. All three of these reasons for seeking You apply to me! I don’t want to have to face You at the end of my life with my moral failures hanging over me. I don’t want to take a chance on those other “possible endings”—my heart is telling me that the Christian view of heaven and hell is the right one. And I don’t want to go on living separated from You, if there is a way that we can be reunited. Please, calm my fears and increase my desire to know You that I may seek You with my whole heart. Reveal Yourself to me in ways that I can sense and understand. Help me want what You want and make me willing to surrender everything to You.

Want to learn more? Get your free copy of “Getting to Heaven” at our website for salvation and living by faith, Forerunners4Him.org.

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Our New Identity

Identity issues determine so much about how we live and what we do with our time. You can’t enjoy life if you have a poor image of yourself. Yet, even the gospel isn’t here to tell you how great you are—for it was Jesus who said, “Without me, you can do nothing.” Therefore, you can only rightly define yourself in Christ and not in prideful self-esteem.

Discovering who we really are means our…

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Our New Identity

Identity issues determine so much about how we live and what we do with our time. You can’t enjoy life if you have a poor image of yourself. Yet, even the gospel isn’t here to tell you how great you are—for it was Jesus who said, “Without me, you can do nothing.” Therefore, you can only rightly define yourself in Christ and not in prideful self-esteem.

Discovering who we really are means our sense of self-worth will be purely based upon the solid rock of Jesus’ love for us. That’s it! Nothing is better than the astounding fact that you are His beloved.

Identity and the Lost Image

What could be more valuable to us than discovering who we really are? Not truly knowing who God is, made us not know who we are either. We all suffer from this debilitating identity loss, which is made worse by our failure to realize it and face up to it.

Our identity crisis resulted from the fall from grace. When Adam fell he died spiritually and lost the capacity to rightly behold God. Both God’s and man’s image fell from his sight and left Adam unable to see who God was or who he truly was himself.

Jesus came to restore our lost vision of God and our true identity. We have a new identity as New Creations now that faith in Christ has come to us. This is the new birth’s miracle that raises us from sin and separation from God into eternal life united with Him.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a New Creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

What Does It Mean to Be a New Creation?

Despite being a New Creation, we may still experience our old nature in how we feel, think and live. But in truth, new things have been added that radically change all things. Upon becoming New Creations, some things already passed away such as:

1.Our former self who didn't know Jesus ceases to exist. Christ's revelation transforms us into someone who can now choose to live for Him. Before conversion our only option was living for ourselves. How well did that work out?

2. We stop being one with our sins. Receiving Jesus separates us from our sins through forgiveness and justification. Continuing in sin becomes difficult because of the guilt we feel and our loss of Christ’s presence. Eventually, this leads us to hate sin.

3. We stop being outsiders and belong to the family of God. Since we are now part of His Body here on earth, we are no longer strangers to the covenant. And we are never alone for He is always with us.

Those three things get taken away, but new things—wonderful things—get added in:

·         We no longer measure anything without reference to Christ, now that we know who He is as Creator of all and Lord over all.

·         We are given a new heart, a new spirit, the Holy Spirit (!), Jesus’s name (for power and petition) and God’s righteousness (to cover us).

·         We live in a new covenant of great mercy!

·         We stop being our past, our sin, our negative emotions and become children of God with a wide-open future and a new nature to cultivate.

As New Creations, however, we are still a mystery even to ourselves. Our true identity is only revealed by Jesus when we trust Him enough to follow Him. We, therefore, should die to self (the false god) and learn to live through trusting Christ.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3

BONUS: Go now to receive a totally free download, “The Missing Peace“—our eBook on gaining inner peace and freedom at our website for emotional, spiritual and physical healing: healingstreamsusa.org.

We Are New, But the Old Is in Us

Here’s how this works. Our true self is reborn through conversion. We now have a fresh start (as often as we need it) with a new center in Christ from which to live. Even so, the New Creation is a redeeming of the old, not an elimination of it.

Since the New Creation comes to life when we fully trust in Jesus, continued trust in God and walking in the light lays our old self to rest. However, if we cease to rely on God, our old nature comes back to life. Therefore, ask yourself: will you live by a resuscitation of the old “dead” version of you, or by a resurrection of the new?

I have been crucified with Christ… it is no longer I who live, but Christ… lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20 

Breaking with False Ideas of Self

False ideas from the world shaped our old nature. Some of us carry false characteristics in our personality that we mistakenly think of as ourselves. Those characteristics might be in us, but they are not us. For example:

anxiousness, perfectionism, addictions, self-salvation, anger, excessive sensitivity, timidity, deep grief, persistent loneliness, panic, impatience, stubbornness and excessive being-in-control

These elements may describe our previous personality as we knew it, but they aren’t our true God-given personas. They spring from false ideas that block the power of the New Creation from emerging. They certainly don’t reflect what God originally made us to be before the enemy interfered.

Note this about our these false “personalities”:

1.We didn’t have any of these negative traits in the womb. As children we didn’t have any “baggage.” We loved and trusted freely.

2. When we die and go to heaven these traits will be stripped from us. They weren’t God’s original intention for us. They certainly aren’t who we now are deep down.

Refuse any false belief about yourself—don’t be deceived by the enemy. Instead, embrace the new identity that God is speaking to you about. Get your image right by seeing His. Anything in you that is not like Jesus is not you—not the “real” you that is now united to Him.

The Great Exchange

Without Christ we are weak, sinful, foolish and ignorant, but in Him we are secure, complete and sustained. Archbishop François Fénelon wrote, “Expect nothing of yourself, but all things of God. Knowledge of one’s own hopeless, incorrigible weakness combined with absolute confidence in God’s power are the two foundations of the spiritual life.”

God isn’t asking for perfection, or for us to change ourselves, but to learn to see life from His perspective. Heaven's perspective on our life is liberating. Look through to heaven with eyes of faith and seek to see who you are in your eternal being for that’s the real you, the eternal you. Let the power of that vision be released into your heart now.

The Way of Restoration

We become joyful when we realize who we really are in Christ through faith. However, always remember that the greater joy is who Jesus is to us.

To get restoration, learn to detect false images in you, take responsibility by repenting and renouncing them, and thank God for making you a New Creation. Then, as you trust Him, the new you will come to life, like a child awakening to the morning’s light!

Prayer

Father, as a New Creation I cannot define myself by anything less than who I am now in Christ without damaging my self-image, security, sense of worth and purpose. I will, therefore, accept no lesser definitions of who I am. Help me break all agreement with my former ways of seeing myself and trust completely in Your heavenly perspective!

KEEP GROWING: See other liberating and healing articles in our 24-part, absolutely free eCourse for Healing at healingstreamsusa.org.

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Jesus Our Invincible Savior

Our History Is His

Jesus is not only our Lord and Savior, He is also our invincible, all-conquering Hero. All our history belongs to Him – in fact, our story is His story. Before the cross there was the fall of humanity away from walking with the Lord. Yet, even during those seemingly chaotic ages, God was preparing the world for the Savior to come. Nothing happened solely by chance.

When He came to earth, Jesus plunged into the depths of our depravity as He single-handedly redeemed us at the cross. After His ascension, history reveals His patient way of rescuing and restoring humanity—a long, agonizingly slow process. Yet, His Hand is everywhere for those who have “eyes to see.” Nevertheless, for the uninitiated it is easy to look at our history and not see His Story. That’s tragic, because seeing Him changes everything.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation… He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. Colossians 1:15, 18-20 ESV

The “Door” of Entrance

Jesus is our entry point if we want to truly know God. No one comes to the Father except through Him. Jesus not only reveals the Father to us, He also covers our sins and leads us to God. Jesus is the door to genuine spiritual life.

It happens in this way. We all carry a spirit, but we are born spiritually “dead” due to the Fall. When we turn to the Lord through faith in Christ, Jesus is revealed to us. We are spiritually reborn! As a result, we can now behold the Lord by faith. This changes everything!

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 ESV

BONUS: Go now to receive a totally free download, “Walking in the Spirit“, related to this article at our website for salvation questions, new life in the Spirit and Last Days concerns: forerunners4him.org.

A Level Playing Field

When we are saved by grace, our sins are forgiven and God gives us a fresh start in life with Jesus at the center. What your life has been like prior to receiving the revelation of Jesus Christ (including fame and fortune or the lack of it), has no value in the spiritual life. All that really matters is that you know Him, and that you know Him well enough to put Him first. Then, we can’t help but want to follow the footsteps of Jesus in our renewed spiritual life.

For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29 AMP

The primary path to becoming like Jesus is by calling on Him - calling for His mercy, His help, His wisdom, and His guidance. He tells us that if seek Him with our whole heart, He will answer us. Nothing makes us more single-hearted in seeking Him than troubles! Even so, your most common mistake will be to forget to call on the Lord. Old habits die hard. I know only too well how readily I lean on me, rather than on Him. But what a difference it makes when prayer leads the way!

Prayer is vital because we cannot be saved in this life (from troubles) or for the next (from hell itself) through good works or good intentions. The only way is through trusting Jesus Christ and nothing else. What works for getting us to heaven, also brings us into a “heavenly” life on earth. Even the worst reprobate, if he (or she) starts calling on Jesus in every moment of need, can quickly surpass the growth of someone with less need who rarely turns to Jesus.

If your need for Him is great, see this as a hidden blessing. Surrender your heart to Jesus, seek to trust and follow Him with each new problem, and rejoice (at least) that you have such a Friend to call on. Best of all, He never tires of coming to our aid.

The Rhythm of the River

There is a rhythm to this - just like breathing: in and out, coming and going. We come to Jesus as we seek Him and as we turn to Him, especially during times of hardship and personal burden. Then, we drift. Then, we come running back chased by fresh troubles! Ultimately, we want to major on the coming back and minor on the drifting away.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

But it does not end there. After you have been restored, there is the leading out - the going forth. We follow his lead as we discover his method of loving friend and foe equally, and of serving Him despite opposition and difficulty. This quote from the book of Matthew sums it up well:

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 16:24-25 ESV

Our Surrender Is the Key!

At the first sign of falling away, call on Jesus. When you go through rough times, remember that no matter what, Jesus Christ is our anchor. We go to him to rejuvenate, rehabilitate and reinforce our faith. Trust, then obey. That is the rhythm. I sincerely hope you learn to live in the presence of Jesus. Just keep in mind that this requires surrendering your life to Him.

As you surrender and trust Him, our Lord's peace will rule over you. A person can only truly find a peace-filled, joyous life through Jesus Christ. Always remember that the unique sensation of peace you felt when you got saved came to you as you surrendered your heart to our Lord and Savior.

That state of peace can be with us all the time. Where He goes, His peace goes, and all His paths are peace. Learn how to follow in His footsteps by calling on Him to help you trust and follow Him. As you do, your interior life will become a river of peace. Your story will be caught up into His Story. Our all-conquering Hero will have conquered you!

KEEP GROWING: Get your free copy of “Living in the Spirit” at our website for living by faith, Forerunners4Him.org.

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Jesus, Our Invincible Savior

Our History Is His

Jesus is not only our Lord and Savior, He is also our invincible, all-conquering Hero. All our history belongs to Him – in fact, our story is His story. Before the cross there was the fall of humanity away from walking with the Lord. Yet, even during those seemingly chaotic ages, God was preparing the world for the Savior to come. Nothing happened solely by chance.

When He came…

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The Power of Beholding True Images

The images that we carry in our heart of hearts deeply impact our lives. If we see our true self as Christ-like, we will be able to discern that anything that doesn't look like Him in us, comes from sin and not our true self. However, if we carry a distorted image of the Father, we will be unable to see what God is showing us and unwilling to take responsibility for our sin, therefore running away from God in shame just as Adam did.

This article focuses on all the important things that image-bearing holds for us. Keep in mind that there are two steps out of a stronghold. The first step is recognition of error and the second step is a willingness to take full responsibility for the recognized error. These steps are directly influenced by the images that we carry in our heart of hearts.

The Power of Beholding

Our hearts have eyes and as such, we need to learn how to keep an inward focus on the Lord. We are warned to be careful about what we behold as it’s what we inevitably become.

Consider the change that takes place on women's countenance when they see a baby or on children’s faces when they watch a fireworks display. Now, recall how most folks look like when worried about a problem. See the difference? What gets our attention ‘gets us’ and transforms us, that’s the power of beholding.

For this reason, God forbade the Israelites from creating images that portrayed Him. Since no image can truly represent Him, God didn’t want His children beholding and becoming like any false image of Him. That’s why the second commandment warns against worshiping and serving false images.

Service and worship are intimately connected. We serve what our hearts are focused on the whole day. We bear what we behold and give birth to its image through our thoughts, words, and deeds. We become what we worship and focus on. Eventually, we are made over to the image we behold in our hearts of hearts, both images of God and of man.

Therefore, a distortion of either image will hinder our walk and deny us joy because emotions tend to match what we focus on. Fortunately, by refocusing on the Lord, our emotions get released. When we genuinely refocus on Jesus by beholding Him with faith, He powerfully transforms us.

BONUS: Go now to receive a totally free download, “The Missing Peace“—our eBook on gaining inner peace and freedom at our website for emotional, spiritual and physical healing: healingstreamsusa.org.

Beholding Is Key to Our Transformation

Our Father is using the awesome power of 'beholding' to save and transform the world. We are only changed by God’s grace, not by our work or righteousness. Grace helps us look to Jesus and get answers for everything that is dark in us.

The following are four revelations designed to completely transform you. Let these truths push you into a lifetime adventure of ‘getting the look that causes the shift’.

1. Beholding Initiates True Spiritual Life

When we were fallen, we lacked the ability to behold God, we were spiritually blind. The revelation of Jesus Christ brought us into the Christian life. Salvation allows us to behold Jesus with eyes of faith as He is revealed to us (Matthew 16:15-17).

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-5

2. Beholding Saves and Sustains

The revelation of Jesus Christ saves and sustains us. Our strength cannot sustain our Christian life.

We can't look into ourselves for wisdom, righteousness, or the saving power that we need.  God trains us to behold Jesus by faith through calling upon Him in prayer. We should rely on Jesus every step of the way by looking to Him for all of our needs.

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder, and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2

3. Beholding Transforms and Sanctifies

We are transformed by the revelation of Jesus Christ in our Life. We become more like Jesus and bear His image when we behold Him even by little faith. The new nature of Christ in us comes alive when we look to Jesus and surrender everything to Him. This has to happen for our trust and obedience to flow freely again. Otherwise, we will be stuck living our lives our way.

“Let go” and let God have His way and watch new life begin to flow. When this happens we become transformed. The Holy Spirit lifts us and carries us. We stop ‘hanging in there’ and trying to live on our own strength.

Jesus's life comes into us and flows through us when we are born again and when we surrender everything to Him. Our old nature is then laid to rest and a new, better version of us comes to life.

This is the graceful transformation of our lives inside out, which no work of the flesh, religious practices or moral striving can accomplish.

But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

4. Beholding Glorifies and Perfects

In heaven, the revelation of Jesus will have completed our transformation. Sight will replace faith as the veil of time and space is lifted forever. We will behold Jesus and become like Him. We will see Jesus in his glory and He will bring the new life in us into being.

Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2

Let’s praise God for the power of beholding Jesus!

Handle These with Care

Prayer, Bible study, worship, fellowship, and service are the five disciplines needed for growth. Be careful, however, that the enemy does not use these disciplines to draw you from a life of surrender through pride, complacency, and self-righteousness. It is not the disciplines themselves which change us, but the way that they can shift our focus back to the Lord.

Repent and renounce any self-righteousness that might emanate from these five disciplines. Instead, use each one of them to ensure your inner focus is upon the Lord in such a way that your surrender to Him brings you into His peace.

The Way of Restoration

To be restored to the life that God intends for us to live we need to be able to recognize when our focus has shifted away from beholding Him by faith. It’s that simple (and that tricky!).

Prayer

Father, I renounce trying to change myself by my own efforts. Only by beholding Jesus am I actually transformed. Make me aware of those times when my heart turns away from beholding Him. Help me cast down all false images of myself, of others and of You. By Your grace make me willing to surrender everything to You.

KEEP GROWING: See other liberating and healing articles in our 24-part, absolutely free eCourse for Healing at healingstreamsusa.org.