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Paul says in Romans 3:28, "For we maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law [the observance of which has nothing to do with justification, that is, being declared free of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]." This causes many problems for religious people because religion teaches that God moves in our lives in proportion to our performance.  Religion teaches that if you do all these things just right, God will accept you, bless you, heal you… you will be holy." THAT IS JUST NOT THE TRUE GOSPEL. THAT IS ANTI-GOSPEL! Satan the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10) uses religion to deceive non-believers and Christians to breed hatred against God, feelings of unworthiness of God’s love, self-righteousness, and pride. In my opinion, this is Satan’s greatest deception. He uses religion to get people to embrace their work as the work of God. We all have within us the knowledge of God’s wrath against ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. In our hearts, we already know we aren’t good, but sinners in need of salvation, so when witnessing, there is no need to bombard people with the fact that they are sinners. What usually ends up happening is that instead of a desire to draw closer to God, religion develops more rebellion against God. Condemning people and subjecting them to religious do's and don’ts that no one can consistently do breeds doubt, unbelief, and rebellion against God. We don’t need to convince people they are sinners; we need to show them the way out of sin. The way out is the Gospel. Jesus said, "And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw and attract all men [Gentiles as well as Jews] to Myself" (John 12:32 AMPC). I am a firm believer that Satan, the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10) uses religion to make people think that they are victims. Here is what I mean: religion causes the believer and non-believer to think that we are all just victims of God’s wrath upon mankind and that it is God who causes all the ills of the world, such as war, sickness, financial problems, and so on. Unfortunately, many leaders in the church are effective in helping people believe that God allows these things because people do not perform the law correctly. Wrong-believing leaders will say that it was the Lord, in His sovereignty, who sent destruction and in the next breath say that God is good. This wrong belief is crippling to the body of Christ, leaving many of God’s sheep wandering, searching, performing, hoping and wishing that God will, when He already has! The truth of the Gospel is that God is a good God! He is not mad at mankind, nor does He cause bad things in our lives. He not only loves mankind, He likes mankind! His mercies towards mankind are new every morning! Our performance or lack thereof has no bearing on His faithfulness! The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of every believer, and He is waiting on you to resist the devil and appropriate what He has already provided through Jesus Christ at the Cross. This does not mean that we can live like the devil and still get what we want from God. A true Christian wants to please God, and has a desire to serve God, but sometimes still sins. But when we do, we acknowledge our error, repent, and stand before God with confidence in our Savior's sacrifice on the Cross. Truth is none of us are perfect. Not one. None of us deserve the blessings of God. We have been taught that if we aren't holy according to man's standards, God won't bless us. Listen Beloved, if you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, you have been made righteous. When God looks at you, He doesn't see your goodness — He sees Jesus and His righteousness. So let me ask you...
The power for deliverance is in the Gospel! The Gospel is the power of God. It is the Gospel—The Good News that God has already provided through Jesus Christ that draws all of us including our loved ones closer to God. The Good news of God’s grace empowers men to receive the forgiveness of their sins, healing of their bodies, deliverance from Satan’s oppression, and more! If you would like prayer for yourself or a loved one we would be honored to pray with you, submit a prayer request. If you would like to share a testimony about the Good God you serve comment below. |
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