Salvation Through Jesus Christ

Acts 2:21 "And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

All that we must do to be saved is to call out to God and seek His love, mercy and compassion. He will touch our hearts and cause us to repent of all known sin. He will lead us into salvation through faith in His Son. If we believe that Jesus came to this earth to save us from our sins, that He died and rose again from the dead, then we will receive eternal life and all of its blessings. Our relationship with God is fully restored and we inherit great and precious promises.

However, if we refuse to believe in Christ and all that He did for us, we will be eternally damned and excluded from entering the Kingdom of God. The Lord has no obligation to support us in our hard-heartedness and rebellion. He will never override our free will or force Himself on us. The choice to believe the truth is ours alone. We cannot plead ignorance. The Gospel is being preached all around the world, so that no man perishes for lack of knowledge.

We all have an important life changing decision to make. We must choose to believe the truth and walk in the light of it. If we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will inherit eternal life and all of its blessings. We will overcome our own sinfulness and fulfill our divine destinies. We will have full power and authority over all evil. We will share our faith, so that others can be set free and walk in miracles, signs and wonders to attract all mankind to the Lord.

Romans 10:8-11 "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed."

The doctrine of salvation is critically important, yet simple enough for all of us to understand. All that we must do to be saved is repent of sin, believe that Christ died as a substitute for us and that He rose again from the dead. We must then confess Him as our Lord and Savior with our mouths. If we do so, we will be saved from our sins and inherit eternal life. We should then be baptized with water in His name, as an outward sign of the inward change that has occurred in us.

We can also ask the Lord for the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and He will give it to us. His very own Spirit will come and take up residence in us, so that we are changed and transformed into brand new creatures in Christ. The Holy Spirit will convict us of sin and lead and guide us into all truth. He will fill us with spiritual attributes that are like God's very own, so that we can grow in spiritual maturity and ultimately achieve holiness and perfection, just as God is holy and perfect.

The process of regeneration is progressive. As our minds are renewed in the truth, our behavior is transformed, so that we become righteous and godly in all that we think, say and do. We begin to imitate the laid down life of Jesus Christ Himself and walk in love for the Lord and for our neighbors. We eventually become humble servants and fulfill our divine destinies. We will receive supernatural gifts and callings, so that we can positively impact the world around us.

Hebrews 9:28 "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

Jesus died to spare us from the penalty of sin, which is death. He took on all our sin debt as if it were His very own. His sacrificial offering was made for the express benefit of all mankind. If we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will receive eternal life. There is no way that a man can be deemed righteous in God's eyes except through faith in Christ. We are then acceptable to the Lord and righteous in His eyes.

Our relationship with God has been restored once and for all. When the Lord sees us, He sees Jesus in all of His righteousness. We have become joint-heirs with Him to great and precious promises. We are the sons and daughters of God and we will dwell with Him in His everlasting Kingdom on the earth. We will have peace and prosperity, health and longevity, safety and security, joy and freedom for all of eternity.

Our Savior will soon return to complete our redemption in body, soul and spirit. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords who will rule and reign over all the nations of the world. He will judge all of mankind - both the living and the dead - to determine who will enter into His Kingdom and who will receive eternal punishment. Only those who have faith and walk in love and righteousness will dwell in His presence.

Confessing Christ

Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Unless we are born again and accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will be damned to eternal punishment. There is no other way to be saved from our sins except through the atonement that His Blood has provided for us once and for all.

We cannot be saved by our own merits or through good works. The penalty for sin is death. We are justified by our faith - and that alone. We are completely set free when we accept Jesus as our Savior and confess Him as Lord of our lives.

His name is above every other name in heaven and on the earth. Every situation and circumstance has to bow to Him, including death itself. We have received the gift of eternal life and we can now lay claim to it by the Blood and name of Jesus.

As believers in Christ, we should imitate His perfect obedience and follow His example in all that we think, say and do. He was totally righteous in every way. If we emulate His laid down life, we will be certain we are righteous and godly ourselves.

We must keep all of the commandments and walk in love, as Jesus Himself taught us. We can never be deliberately rebellious. If we do sin after having received such a great salvation, we should repent of our sins and renounce them for all time.

If we are sincere, the Lord will restore us to righteousness and even blot our sin from His memory. Eventually we will grow and mature spiritually to the point that we seldom, if ever, sin again. Our own behavior will be like that of Christ.

1John 4:15 "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God."

When we confess Jesus Christ as the Lord of our lives, the Spirit of the living God actually comes to dwell in our spirit man. We become new creatures in Him and we are delivered from the power of sin and death to eternal life. The Bible tells us that Jesus was the firstborn of many sons and daughters of God. We are joint-heirs with Him to all the blessings for righteousness. We are actually seated with Christ in heavenly places at the right hand of God Himself.

We need not beg or grovel to have our prayers heard, whether they are for ourselves or for others. The Lord is ever ready to hear from us. He wants to establish an intimate relationship with His children. We can express all our thoughts and concerns and make our needs known to Him, and He will be totally responsive to them. He will answer all of our petitions and supply all that we require to be healthy, happy and prosperous all the days of our lives.

God dwells in us and we dwell in God through our faith. We have a personal relationship with the Creator of the universe and His Son, Jesus Christ. We have inherited royal blood and we are members of God's very own family for all time. We have better promises than our forefathers had, and possess rights and privileges we have yet to discover. We will soon walk as Christ walked on the earth and resume His ministry of reconciliation, as He desires.

As we grow and mature spiritually, the Lord will be able to manifest His power and glory through us for the benefit of all of humanity. He will do a mighty work all over the earth to reach all men, women and children. We will spontaneously share our faith with others and work miracles, signs and wonders in His name. The Lord will be able to demonstrate His love, mercy and compassion through us. We will prepare the hearts of all men to receive their King.

1Corinthians 12:3 "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and [that] no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost."

We are not able to confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior except by the operation of the Holy Spirit of God that works through us to develop our faith and confidence. The Lord uses His very own Spirit to attract us to the truth and to help us understand the mystery of our salvation. Although it is basic, we cannot comprehend the truth with our finite minds. God's ways are above our ways and we need His supernatural wisdom to understand them.

Yet through the Holy Spirit, we understand the reason for Christ's Blood sacrifice as atonement for our sin. He laid down His life for our transgressions to fulfill the requirements of the law, even though He was without sin Himself. He died so that we do not have to suffer the penalty of death. He was our substitute and paid our sin debt in its entirety. His obedience to the Lord's redemption plan enables all who believe in Him to receive eternal life with all its many blessings.

No man, speaking by the Holy Spirit, will ever curse or deny our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That would be blasphemy and the born again man does not engage in that. Our Savior's name is above every other name and we should be careful how we use it in our conversation. We are not prone to offending God if we are saved, baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. We should make all our requests in Jesus' name and hold Him in the highest esteem.

We have Christ's power of attorney on the earth. We can ask anything in His name and it will be granted to us. All we need do is make our requests known to God in Jesus' name and the Father will hear all our prayers. If we have real faith, then we know that our prayers are heard and that we will receive what we ask of Him. We can also drive out demons in the precious name of Jesus Christ. His name is above every other name on the earth and all creation has to bow to it.

Philippians 2:9-11 "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in Earth, and things under the Earth; And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The Father is proud of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should also be proud to confess Him as our Lord. His name is above every other name and very soon now, every knee will bow and give Him all the honor and glory that He so rightly deserves. All men will know the Lord - from the least to the greatest. He will rule and reign as a righteous King for all of eternity.

If we are faithful and true to His calling, we will serve our Lord in these last days as part of His end-times army. As members of the Body of Christ on the earth, we will share our faith with all men, so that they also may be saved unto eternal life. We will help to usher in the Kingdom of God and enjoy many generous rewards for our devoted service to God.

We will share in Jesus Christ's very own honor and glory and rule and reign with Him forever in the Kingdom of God. We will be appointed kings and priests and make certain that Kingdom principles of righteousness and justice are always in force. The Lord will boast of us to all creation and take vengeance on all of our enemies, as He promised us He will do.

All men will eventually know the Lord and have His laws written on their minds and in their hearts. They will dwell together in love and unity, as He desires, and enjoy peace and prosperity all the days of their lives. There will be safety and security in the Kingdom of God. Nothing defiling will ever enter in to disturb God's people or interfere with their blessings.

1Corinthians 15:21 "For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead."

Through Adam we all inherit death as the penalty for our sins. He experienced spiritual death when he deliberately sinned and transgressed the Lord's command in the Garden of Eden. He became estranged from God and was permanently separated from Him. He also suffered physical death for his transgression, and we potentially face the same fate for our sins.

Jesus Christ came to the earth and laid down His deity and walked as a mere man among us. He was human in every way - born one of us - so that He could be our role model for righteousness. He was perfectly obedient to the Father unto death itself. His Blood was shed for all of us, so that we would inherit eternal life instead of the damnation we deserved.

Christ not only died to save us from our sins, but He also rose again through the awesome power and glory of God Himself. The resurrection was the Lord's greatest feat since the original creation. It took dynamic energy to overcome death and restore life to Jesus. Our God is omnipotent and can do anything; we are blessed to walk in the newness of life as Christ did.

We have real resurrection power available to us since we are born again. We are new creatures in Christ, a different species of spirit men. We can actually emulate the laid down life of Christ Himself and appropriate His very own divine power and authority. We are able to preach the Gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons and even raise the dead back to life again.

1Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:"

Christ overcame sin, death and the grave when He walked among us. He willingly gave His life for our benefit and died an agonizing death to atone for our sins. However, He rose again from the dead by the operation of the Holy Spirit of God. He lives forever and we live through Him! Christ conquered death and we who believe in Him will conquer it, as well.

One day in the very near future, we will be reunited with all the dead in Christ. At the last trumpet, they will be raised from the dead to greet their Savior. Jesus Christ will judge all men to determine who will receive eternals rewards and who will be punished in the lake of fire. Our bodies will be changed and put on the cloak of immortality, so that we live forever.

We need no longer fear death; the Lord took its sting away with His resurrection. When Christ returns, we will all put on new, glorious, resurrection bodies and be like Him in every way. We will no longer have to deal with disease and decay. We will walk in perfect heath and vitality for all of eternity, and dwell in the very presence of the Lord, as He has promised to us.

1Corinthians 15:51-54 "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."

If we believe in Jesus Christ and His power to save us from sin and death, then we are set free to enjoy our lives for all time. We will not have to pay our own sin debt and suffer from the curse of spiritual and physical death. We are promised eternal life in the Kingdom of God that will soon be brought into the earth realm. We will have glorious, resurrection bodies that never decay and die.

The dead in Christ will be raised from the dead and we will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye in our very essence. We will shed these mortal bodies that are subject to disease and death; undergo a supernatural metamorphosis; and put on incorruptible flesh that lives forever in the Kingdom of God. We will live long and strong in the presence of God and be eternally healthy.

Death is a heinous enemy to mankind, but it will be swallowed up in total victory when heaven comes to the earth. It is the last enemy that will be put under Christ's feet before He returns. He will re-create our bodies to be like His very own and we will be like Him in every way. We will have access to the same resurrection power that He does and never have to deal with disease and death again.

Redeemed From the Curse

Galatians 3:13 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree:"

We should never underestimate what Christ did for us on Calvary. He was without sin, but He became sin for us, so that we would not have to suffer from its penalty. He took on all our sin debt as if it were His very own. He redeemed us from the curse of the law that stipulated death in payment for our sins. He died a horrific, ignominious death, so that we would not have to do the same.

Now that we have been redeemed from the curse and our right standing with God is fully restored, we can receive all the covenant blessings for righteousness that Jesus bought back for us. We now have peace with God and He will supply all of our needs in abundance. We can approach the throne of grace with total confidence; we are seated with Christ at the right hand of God Himself.

The Blood of Christ covers all of our sin. When the Lord sees us, He sees Jesus in all of His righteousness and He will withhold no good thing from our lives. We will receive all spiritual and temporal blessings. We do not have to do anything to earn them. As long as we have made Christ the Lord of our lives and we keep all of the commandments, our right standing with God is continuous.

Romans 5:9-11 "Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."

We have been justified by the Blood of Jesus Christ and set free from the wrath of God for all time. Our righteousness is no longer an issue with Him. We can approach the throne of grace from a very favorable position. We are now the sons and daughters of almighty God Himself. We are beloved in His eyes and He wants to bless us with all the resources of the universe.

He will hear all of our prayers and supply all that we need in abundance. Christ is our mediator and always makes intercession for us. We have been redeemed from the curse and are entitled to blessings instead. We should know our rights and privileges as joint-heirs with Jesus, so that we can claim our birthright and ask the Lord for all that we are entitled to receive from Him.

If we have faith in Jesus Christ, He actually dwells in us and is our empowerment for walking in love and righteousness, just as He once did. We are more than conquerors through Him. We should imitate His laid down life and appropriate His own divine attributes. We will overcome the world, our flesh and the devil and reign victorious in this life and in the Kingdom to come.

Hebrews 8:6 "But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises."

Jesus Christ was our sacrificial victim, our mediator and high priest all rolled into one. He came to save us from our sins and to provide us with life in abundance, to the overflow. He defeated the devil for all time and restored our authority over all things in the earth. We are now able to prevail over all evil by the Blood of the Lamb and the words of our testimony. We walk in divine power; Christ has restored dominion back to mankind once and for all time.

We are redeemed from the curse and heirs to eternal life, and we share with Christ in all the covenant promises for righteousness. If we ask the Lord, He will send His very own Spirit to us, so that we can be empowered to walk as Christ Himself walked on the earth. In addition, the Lord will unveil His secrets and mysteries and reveal the details of our eternal destinies to us. We are kings and priests in training for reigning in the Kingdom of God.

The Lord will grant us wisdom and revelation, so that we are more than conquerors in this life and in the next. We will overcome all evil with good and be totally victorious through our Lord, Jesus Christ. All of nature will be re-created and subject to us once again. All human governments and their economies will be totally reorganized. We will bring peace and order to an otherwise unstable world and bring heaven into the earth, as we are destined to do.

Very soon now, the Lord will boast of us to all creation and shower us with blessings in His everlasting Kingdom. We will enjoy health and longevity, peace and prosperity, safety and security, joy and gladness for all of eternity. There will be no more war, violence and conflict. No man will oppress or exploit another. The Lord will take vengeance on all of our enemies and protect us from all harm. Nothing will disturb our well-being ever again.

Spared From the Penalty of Death

John 11:25 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"

We were all once dead in our sins and doomed to total physical and spiritual destruction for all of our trespasses. However, through our faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement for all our sins, we are made alive again in our spirit man. Our faith in Christ - and that alone - assures us that we have been restored to righteousness and now enjoy a personal relationship with Him.

Had Jesus not been raised from the dead, death would still have reigned over all men for all time. His victory over sin, death and the grave is our assurance of eternal life. One day in the very near future, all the dead will be raised to face judgment. The righteous will be given new bodies and enter the Kingdom of God, but the wicked will endure eternal punishment in the lake of fire.

Since we are no longer faced with the penalty of death, we will enjoy eternal life in the Kingdom of God. We will all be changed into glorious, incorruptible, resurrection bodies like the Lord's very own. We will live forever in the presence of our God and be eternally young and vigorous. We will be healthy and strong and see our children and our children's children for all generations.

Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

The Bible tells us that the wages of sin are death - both physical and spiritual. However, through our faith in Christ, we have been justified by His Blood and set free from the law of sin and death for all time. Jesus died to save us from our sins, but He also rose again to eternal life through the power and glory of God the Father. That same resurrection power is available to each of us. If we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, He actually dwells in our spirit man.

He is our empowerment to walk sin free and in total righteousness under all situations and circumstances. We should no longer even have a sin consciousness. We have been redeemed from sin and all that it entails. We are now free to enjoy our lives and serve the Lord as He has planned for us. If we imitate the laid down life of Christ Himself, we will be imbued with divine power and authority. We have eternal callings and divine destinies that must be fulfilled.

We will experience the fullness of blessings through our faith in Jesus Christ. We are no longer under the curse of the law. We have the power to overcome all evil and walk in total victory. We also have great and precious promises for our righteousness. We are actually seated with Christ in heavenly places and have immediate access to the throne of grace for every need. No matter what we require, the Lord is ever ready to provide for us according to His riches in glory.

Revelation 21:4 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

If we have a genuine faith in Jesus Christ, we will live forever and escape illness, pain, suffering and death as penalties for our sinfulness. We will become like Him in every way and enjoy new, glorious, resurrection bodies that are totally free of disease and decay. We will not experience physical death or separation from God in any way. We will walk in the newness of life, as Christ Himself does, and dwell happily in His presence in the Kingdom of God.

There will be no death or disease in Christ's Kingdom. Jesus has overcome all that for us. His Kingdom will last for all of eternity and His people will enjoy perpetual blessings. We will dwell in peace and prosperity, safety and security, joy and freedom for all generations to come. We will not experience pain or suffering of any kind. The Lord will blot all that from our memories. Everything will be as it was created to be from the very foundation of the world.

The Lord will take up residence with us in the Kingdom of God and make certain that all of our needs are met in abundance. We will dwell in love, peace and unity with all men and even angels. Life will be beautiful and serene, and no evil will come near us. Christ will rule and reign as a righteous King to make certain that we are in full protection at all times. We will worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth, and His laws will be written in our very minds and hearts.

Saved to Eternal Life

John 17:2-3 "As thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

The Kingdom of God will soon be ushered into the earth realm with all the awesome, divine power that the Lord used to raise Christ from the dead. All men who dwell there will receive new, glorious, resurrection bodies that are free of disease and death and live forever in the presence of God Himself. We will be reunited with the faithful dead in Christ, who will also rise from the dead and be given new bodies.

We will all enjoy eternal life and the many blessings that it has to offer us. All men will be righteous and walk in love and unity with their neighbors. There will be peace and prosperity on the earth, safety and security for all Kingdom residents. The Lord Himself will dwell with us in the Kingdom of God and blot out all our sorrow and pain. He will provide all our needs from the vast resources that the universe offers.

All men will ultimately know the Lord and the power of His might. He will abolish all evil from His presence. We will no longer have to teach others about God because all of us will be perfectly righteous in His eyes. We will be intimately acquainted with our God and worship Him in Spirit and in truth, as He desires. We will keep all of His sabbaths and perpetual feast days and go to Jerusalem to worship.

John 5:24 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my Word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

None of us is inherently worthy to receive eternal life. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. We all inherited iniquity from Adam's transgression. However, we have grace with God and we are justified by our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. We have our righteousness restored and the penalty for our sins has been paid once and for all with Christ's Blood. We can approach the throne of grace with full confidence that our prayers are heard.

Because of Christ's victory over sin, death and the grave we no longer have a sin consciousness. Freed from guilt, shame and condemnation, we now enjoy all the blessings of righteousness to include the promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of God. The dead in Christ will soon be raised; we will all be together once again; and enjoy good health and longevity. The Lord will provide all of our needs even before we ask Him. He will lavish all the wealth of the universe on His people.

There will be no lack or deficiency in God's Kingdom. We will be prosperous and live in peace and unity with one another. Our families will all be blessed and multiplied from generation to generation. Nothing will harm us or defile the serenity of Kingdom life. The Lord will remove all evil far from us, so that we need never fear any oppression or bondage of any kind. We will have safety and security in the very presence of our merciful and loving God.

1John 2:25 "And this is the promise that He hath promised us, [even] eternal life."

Our human minds can hardly comprehend eternity in the presence of our God. We can only imagine what life will be like with no limits of any kind. To have all our needs met even before we ask, seems fantastic to us. But it will soon become a reality for God's people. The Kingdom of God will be the spectacular culmination of the Lord's eternal redemption plan for His people.

Life will be simple and wholesome, peaceful and serene. We will lack no good thing - temporal or spiritual. All men will dwell in love and unity as brothers; there will be no conflict or contention of any kind. The dead in Christ will be raised to be with us, so that we are together for all time. We will even interact with angels and keep company with the Biblical patriarchs.

The Kingdom of God will be idyllic, a new and improved Garden of Eden for all of its residents. There will be no disease or death that causes us pain and suffering. We will enjoy eternal life and all many benefits. The Lord will take an active interest in our lives and shower us with blessings of all kinds. We will have perpetual hope and confidence in His presence forever more.

Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

It is vitally important that we be baptized with water after we give our lives to Jesus Christ. This may only be an outward sign of an inward change that has taken place in us, but it will benefit us in many ways. It strengthens our faith and serves as a symbol of renewal and transformation in our lives. It will enhance our spiritual walk and give us hope and confidence before our God.

There are several baptismal methods and timetables that Christians observe. Some subscribe to sprinkling with water, while others believe that you have to be totally submerged in it. In many Christian religions, infants are baptized and dedicated to the Lord. Other denominations feel that you need to have attained the age of consent before you are effectually baptized.

The Word is not specific regarding how we should be baptized or when it is most expedient. However, it does say that we should be baptized with water after we give our lives to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Whether we are sprinkled or immersed is inconsequential to the fact that we do indeed submit to the rite itself. It is a tangible sign of our dedication to the Lord and His ways.

Colossians 2:12 "Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [Him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead."

Baptism suggests that we have been buried with Christ unto death, and risen again with Him to the newness of life. Christ was baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist when He began His public ministry. If He submitted to that rite Himself, we should be willing to do likewise. He is the pattern Son and role model for all of us, and we should follow in His footsteps in all that we think, say and do.

The most important aspect of water baptism is the symbolic act of cleansing that it represents to the new believer. We are baptized to the death of our sins and all worldliness, and risen again in Christ through the operation of the Holy Spirit of God. We are made brand new creatures in Him and we should then imitate His laid down life, so that we can become holy and perfect, just as He is holy and perfect

Although Christ was human in every way, He was totally obedient and sinless before God. He only said and did what the Father told Him to do. He laid down His life for others and always walked in love for His fellow man. We can emulate His righteousness by fully surrendering our lives to God. We should love the Lord with all our might and humbly serve Him and His people, as we are destined to do.

Galatians 3:26-27 "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

It is not absolutely necessary that we be totally submerged in water as Jesus was in the River Jordan. However, it is still important that we submit to the symbolic cleansing and death to sin that baptism with water represents. Water baptism signifies that we have put on Christ and all of His righteousness. He now lives in us to fulfill His perfect will in our lives and we should be totally submitted to His lordship.

Once we are born again and baptized, the spiritual regeneration process begins in us. Our minds are renewed in the truth and our behavior is eventually transformed. We become new creatures in Christ and imitate His laid down life. The Lord can then begin to use us in divine service to others. We will ultimately do the works that Jesus did during His ministry and usher in the Kingdom of God for all of eternity, as we are destined to do.

If we have put on Christ, then we are His Body in this world. Nothing will be impossible to us. He uses us to minister to others, so that they can be saved and have eternal life just as we have. He will confer His very own power and authority on us, so that we can walk as He walked on the earth doing good to all men. We will preach the Gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons and even raise the dead back to life again.

Luke 11:13 "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall [your] Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?"

Although Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan and immediately received the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not automatic for us, as some seem to believe. We have to ask the Lord to impart His Holy Spirit to us. He will gladly come to indwell us and fill us with His very own spiritual attributes. The Holy Spirit will convict us of sin, lead and guide us into all righteousness and help us to spiritually mature.

The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and our Counselor and will enable us to understand the deeper mysteries of God more readily. He may even give us a prophetic look at the future. The Holy Spirit manifests in our spiritual prayer language, so that we can speak and pray in other tongues. We may also be given other spiritual gifts such as discernment, revelation, words of wisdom and knowledge and working of miracles.

The Holy Spirit of God imparts gifts and callings at will to each of us, according to the plan and purpose of God. These spiritual manifestations enable us to walk in power and authority, as Christ Himself walked on the earth. The more we divest ourselves of our carnal tendencies and our selfish soul ambitions, the better able we are to walk in the Spirit instead of the weakness of our flesh and fulfill the call of God on our lives.

2Corinthians 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God."

Some Christians believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit only occurred in the early church on the feast of Pentecost. They mistakenly conclude that spiritual gifts are no longer available to believers, but there are many people today who have received the Holy Spirit and fully operate in it.

If we are sincere, the Lord will send His very own Spirit to fill us with all His divine attributes and His awesome power from on high. The Holy Spirit will permeate our entire being with His very own unique characteristics and supernatural capabilities meant to benefit all of mankind.

We may receive a gift of spiritual tongues, so that we can pray and make all our needs known to God. Other spiritual manifestations such as prophecy, words of knowledge and wisdom can be granted to us. We may be able to discern spirits and work miracles according to the will of God.

The Lord is not stingy in giving His gifts to us. I am certain that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not only available, but also extremely desirable to all believers who wish to overcome the world, their flesh and the devil. If we ask Him, He will come and indwell us to the fullest extent possible.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit will change our lives as nothing else can. If we permit Him full sway in our lives, we will grow and develop in the things of God and be a testimony to His power at work in us. We will walk as Christ walked and demonstrate godliness in everything that we do.

We will mature as Christians and fulfill our divine destinies, as we should. We will operate in the very same anointing power and authority that Jesus did and work miracles, signs and wonders in His name. Anything will be possible to us once the Holy Spirit of God has touched our lives.

John 3:5 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God."

The Lord has made it very clear that there is a special invitation for all men to enter into the Kingdom of God. However, it is impossible to do so, unless we are totally sin free. We must repent of all our sins, confess Christ as our Lord and Savior, and be baptized with water and the Holy Spirit to enjoy eternal blessings in His presence.

So too, we must be righteous at all times and submitted to the will of His Father. We cannot be doing our own thing after we are born again and baptized. If we were sincere at the time of our conversion, then we have become new creatures in Christ and our behavior should reflect that. We were bought with a dear price, the Blood of Jesus Christ Himself!

We should follow all of the Lord's commandments to us and walk in love, as Christ instructed us. We must put the Lord first in our lives and treat others, as we would ourselves. We cannot compromise our love walk in any way. The Holy Spirit will operate in our lives to convict us of any sin and lead and guide us into all righteousness.

Our minds will be renewed and our behavior will soon be transformed, so that we eventually become holy and perfect, just as God is holy and perfect. We will one day reach full spiritual maturity and become more Christ-like in our thoughts, attitude and behavior. We will serve as godly role models to all of mankind and walk in our divine power and authority.

Spiritual Gifts

1Corinthians 12:4-6 "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all."

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to all believers who have received the baptism in God's very own Spirit. They are awesome manifestations of divine power and ability, meant to benefit all of mankind. The Lord distributes them at will to those who are fully sanctified and prepared to operate in His authority. However, authentic spiritual gifts are given only to those who recognize their value and appreciate their purpose. They are not intended for use as parlor games, for self-gratification or personal promotion.

The Lord would be remiss if He gave spiritual gifts to those who were not worthy of them. Those individuals could misuse His power and actually injure others in the process. The enemy often mimics these gifts to the detriment of mankind, in an effort to mislead and manipulate men into bowing down to him, rather than God. He is the author of lies and will use anything he can to steal, kill and destroy God's people. We should be wary of anyone who purports to have spiritual gifts without God's involvement.

We must pray and ask the Lord for discernment to determine whether an individual is operating in His Holy Spirit or demonic spirits. He will always reveal the truth to us, so that we are never cuckolded or played out of position. We will know them by their fruits, if they are uncompromisingly righteous and walk in love. His Holy Spirit will take leave of an impure vessel and we should be wary of those who claim to operate in spiritual gifts, other than those that the Lord Himself distributes to mature believers.

Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

The gift of tongues is usually available to every believer that is baptized in the Holy Spirit of God. Our spiritual prayer language will enable us to communicate with God without interference of any kind. We bypass our natural mind and understanding when we pray in tongues and approach the throne of grace direct - spirit to Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to pray in our spirit man, as we should.

He makes intercession for us when we pray in our spiritual prayer language. Sometimes we are so overwrought that all we can do is cry out to God in our pain. This is the time when His Holy Spirit intervenes on our behalf and we can receive divine insight into all of our problems and concerns. So too, the enemy cannot penetrate our communications if we regularly use our spiritual gift of tongues in prayer.

We should pray in tongues and with our natural mind, as well. Then we will never be deceived into thinking that we heard from God, when what we heard was the voice of the enemy. The Lord always gives us an inward witness to confirm what we have heard is truly from Him. So too, whether we pray in the Holy Spirit or with our human minds, what we hear should always line up with the written Word of God.

Acts 2:4 "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

When we pray in tongues, we bypass our human speech and understanding with all its limitations. We communicate straight with the mind and Spirit of God. We discuss our needs with Him without distraction and interference. He answers us by giving us a certain "knowing" in our spirit, that translates into our human understanding, so that we can apply what He has spoken to us in our daily lives.

We should pray in tongues often, so we build up our spirit man and hear clearly from God. We can pray in tongues and pray with our human understanding too. If we are in a corporate setting and choose to pray in our spiritual prayer language, we should also pray for an interpretation, so we can edify all those who are listening. Praying in tongues is a sign to unbelievers and also a powerful witnessing tool.

It is not gibberish, nonsense or mumbo jumbo, as some would have us believe. Praying in tongues is a tool for heightened insight and understanding. It has a scriptural basis, in that the early Church received the same gift on the Feast of Pentecost. It is God's gift to us when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, and it will revolutionize our relationship with our Creator by improving communication with Him.

1Corinthians 12:7-11 "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will."

In addition to speaking in tongues, we may also receive other spiritual manifestations, such as increased faith, prophecy and revelation. As we grow and develop in the deeper things of God, He will be able to share more gifts with us. We may receive words of wisdom or knowledge to share with others. We may be able to discern spirits, cast out demons, heal the sick and perform various other miracles in Jesus Christ's name. All of these gifts are desirable and important to our functioning effectively in our divine destinies.

The more we work at developing our spiritual maturity and relationship with His Holy Spirit, the more the Lord can trust us with spiritual manifestations. If we are sanctified for His use, willing and obedient to His guidance and direction, then He will give us extraordinary gifts that enable us to walk in the supernatural realm in our service to Him and to others. We will operate as Christ did during His ministry, and work miracles, signs and wonders to attract all men to our faith. Nothing will be impossible to the sons of God.

So too, spiritual fruit, that are like God's very own attributes, will emerge in our lives after we are baptized with the Holy Spirit. These will enable us to improve our relationship with God and with others. If we develop these spiritual attributes, we become holy and perfect, just as He is holy and perfect. We will have faith, love, peace, joy, goodness and gentleness. We will become meek, temperate and longsuffering. We will eventually put our spirit man in ascendancy to our flesh and soul and always walk in the Holy Spirit.

Walking in the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-25 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

The baptism of the Holy Spirit of God has the power to totally revolutionize our lives. Spiritual fruit are divine characteristics that emerge in us after we receive the Holy Spirit. They grow and develop until they permeate our very being and enable us to walk in the supernatural realm at all times. Without these attributes, we would still be worldly and subject to temptation and sin. However, with spiritual fruit manifesting in our lives, we become godly.

Through the operation of the Holy Spirit, we can cultivate all spiritual fruit. Christ taught us to develop love in our lives, and we should love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. In addition, we must love others as we love ourselves, and be at peace with all men wherever possible. We need joy to revitalize us and keep us enthused in our spiritual journey. Our faith is critical to us and will only grow as we deepen our relationship with God.

If we are longsuffering, we will be patient, merciful and compassionate with all men and forgive all wrongs that are committed against us. Goodness and gentleness are essential if we want to be effective in all of our relationships with others. If we are meek and temperate, the Lord Himself will exalt us and can use us in divine service to His people. He wants us to be humble, obedient and disciplined before His anointing power and authority will be given to us.

Ephesians 5:8-10 "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light; (For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord."

We should walk in the Spirit rather than our flesh and cultivate all the spiritual fruit in our lives. We should sanctify ourselves on a continual basis. If we do so, we will grow in maturity and perfect our godliness. We were once in darkness, but we now know the truth and are responsible for it. We are children of light and should walk in that light in all that we think, say and do. We are sons of the living God and we must learn to operate in power and glory.

In the days to come, all men will look to us as examples of righteousness. We will win many to our faith by our godly behavior. What we actually say to them in witness will be secondary. They will judge us by how we treat them and others. If we are good, gentle, kind, patient, merciful and compassionate with all men, we will be living testimonies to the power of God at work in us. We will overcome all evil with good and prepare the hearts of all men to receive their King.

Romans 8:1 "[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

There is no condemnation to believers who are in Christ and walk in His Holy Spirit. We have been redeemed from all of our sins, and we are blameless before the Lord. We hear from God clearly and succinctly and we always follow His guidance and direction. He may make unusual requests of us, but we are always obedient to His lead. We know that He will fully equip us to do all good things. We will walk in divine power and authority and overcome all evil.

We will save souls to our faith in unprecedented numbers and bring in the full end-time harvest that is necessary before the Kingdom of God can be ushered in on the earth. The Lord will use us to work miraculous healings and cast out demons of all types. If we are truly sanctified for His purpose, we will have a full measure of His very own anointing power and even raise the dead back to life. Nothing will be impossible to us if we walk in the Holy Spirit of God.

The Lord will be able to use anyone that is willing, obedient and sanctified for His purpose. If we walk in the Holy Spirit instead of our flesh, and put to death all that is carnal and worldly in us, we will be suitable vessels for His awesome glory to manifest through us. However, if we shrink back in fear, doubt or unbelief, He will be compelled to use others to introduce the Kingdom of God. We have eternal destinies to fulfill; we cannot be passive or negative in any way.

2Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

When we made Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives, He actually came and took up residence in our spirit man. All things became new, and the process of regeneration began in us. Our minds themselves will be renewed and our behavior will be transformed, so that we can eventually become holy and perfect, even as He is holy and perfect.

The Lord has a divine destiny planned for us; our lives have meaning, purpose and direction now. We are called, chosen and justified by our faith, and the Lord is able to relate to us on an intimate basis. He knows that He can trust us, and we have learned that we can also depend on Him for all things. Our relationship is growing and evolving.

We know that we will be instrumental in His eternal redemption plan for all of mankind. We are waiting patiently for Him to reveal His specific callings on our lives. He will use us in His service only if we are totally righteous and sanctified. We must relinquish all our carnal desires and worldly ambitions and strive for godliness in all we do.

Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service."

Those of us who are willing to lay down everything in service to our Lord and His people, will be groomed to be members of the Body of Christ on the earth - His hands, feet and voice. We will be part of His end-times army that takes total dominion over the enemy and prepares the world for His return to rule and reign in His eternal Kingdom.

We must imitate the laid down life of Jesus Christ Himself. We are in the world, but not contaminated by it. Our lives are offered as living sacrifices in humble service to the Lord and His eternal redemption plan. We press in to the things of God and we will impact the entire earth and prepare it for delivery to our Lord and Savior at His coming.

But first we must sanctify ourselves of all known sin, so that the Lord can confer His anointing power and authority on us. We have to be consecrated and dedicated to His goals for our lives. We cannot be stubborn or disobedient or He will be unable to use us. His Spirit will take leave of an unclean vessel; we must be purged of all evil.

We will have to deny our carnal desires and forego our selfish soul ambitions in the days ahead. We are being entrusted with a sacred charge. The fate of all mankind rests on our willingness and obedience to the Lord's directives. We cannot be doing our own thing; we must walk in love and unity and be quick to follow Christ's commands.

Ephesians 4:24 "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

The flesh is ever at war with the spirit of a man. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit of God, we have become new creatures in Christ. Our spirit man is in ascendancy to our body and soul now that we are saved. We are able to overcome the world, our flesh and the devil. We will triumph through our personal relationship with Jesus Christ and grow in holiness and perfection.

Our "new man" walks in the Holy Spirit and imitates the laid down life of Jesus Christ Himself.

We can become spiritually mature to the point that we are like Christ in every way, and pick up His ministry on the earth where He left off. The Lord will use us in His end-times army. We can do all things through Christ and will accomplish great things on the earth even prior to His return. We will prepare the hearts of all men to receive their King.

We are the Body of Christ on the earth and we answer to the Lord of lords and King of kings in all matters. We are continually righteous and willingly sanctify ourselves for divine service. We will be the Lord's representatives on the earth in the days to come. We will tear down all demonic strongholds that have kept God's people in bondage to sin and restore peace and order to the world.

None of what we accomplish will be done in the flesh. It is only through the operation of the Holy Spirit that we will be successful in bringing the Kingdom of God to the earth. If we are totally sanctified and consecrated for divine service, then the Lord can endue us with His very own anointing power and authority to work mighty feats in His name. We will overcome all evil with good through the power of God that is at work in us and through us.

2Thessalonians 2:13 "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:"

We were called from the foundation of the world to be in close, intimate fellowship with our Creator. We are His very own sons and daughters, if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Christ now lives in us to fulfill our Father's pleasure, and we are obliged to make ourselves available for the Lord's service in the critical days that lie ahead of us.

If we are willing and obedient, we will become members of the Body of Christ that serve as His hands, feet and voice on the earth. We must be sanctified in the truth and walk in the Holy Spirit of God to fulfill our eternal callings and divine destinies. We will bless all of mankind and deliver the Kingdom of God to Christ in preparation for His eternal rule and reign.

Nothing will be impossible to us if we serve the Lord, as we are ordained to do. He will empower us so that we can overcome all evil with good and take back the entire world from Satan, the enemy of our souls. All of heaven stands ready to assist us in our efforts. There will be legions of angels dispatched to minister to our needs as we bring in the Kingdom of God.

Ephesians 3:16-20 "That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,"

The Body of Christ knows full well who we are and whom we serve. We are strengthened by our faith in our inner spirit man, so that all things are possible to us in Christ's name. We walk in His very own divine, anointing power and authority and we will not be deterred or detained in our mission to establish the everlasting Kingdom of God on this earth.

We cannot let a sense of false humility stop us. Nor can we permit fear, doubt and unbelief to prevent us from fulfilling our responsibilities. The Lord is relying on us to do our part in bringing heaven to the earth. He will supply all that we need to be successful in our efforts on His behalf. We will preach the Gospel to all men and work mighty miracles in His name.

The blind will see; the deaf will hear; the lame will walk. We will cast out all demons that oppress mankind and keep them in bondage to temptation and sin. We will tear down all satanic strongholds in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The entire world will be changed and re-created, so that peace order and stability prevail in all of our lives.

Nothing that we do for the Lord will be done in our own strength. We need not fear that we will be incapable of serving Him in the days to come. As long as we are consecrated and dedicated to His eternal redemption plan, He will empower us to walk in the supernatural. We will be obedient to do all that the Lord assigns us and overcome all evil with good.

1Corinthians 12:27 "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."

The Body of Christ is an extension of Jesus Christ Himself on the earth. Men, women and even children will be used by the Lord to usher in His Kingdom. Our background and experience will be irrelevant to our success. If we are purified and sanctified for His purpose, He will imbue us with His very own anointing power, so that we can serve Him.

It is critical that we walk in love and unity with other members of the Body at all times. We can definitely accomplish a great deal more by working cooperatively, rather than functioning on our own. We must look to Christ as the Head; be totally submissive to His will; and immediately obey all that He tells us to do, so that we can be successful in all of our efforts.

We will be Christ's very own ambassadors on the earth and resume His ministry where He left off. We will do the works that He did, and even greater works, since He has gone to be with His Father. We will preach the Gospel, convert and baptize many men to our faith. We will heal the sick, cast out demons and even raise the dead back to life again.

The Body of Christ will tear down all demonic strongholds that interfere with our work or impede the coming of the Kingdom of God. We will take total dominion over everything in the world. We will restructure human governments so that they line up with Kingdom principles. We will replace cruel and dictatorial leaders with those who care for others.

We will speak to all of nature and it will comply with our commands. The plant and animal kingdoms will be in harmony once again and subject to man. The climate will be temperate and predictable, so that there are no more natural disasters that cause devastation and destruction. All the effects of pollution will be reversed and the earth will be renewed.

Colossians 2:13-15 "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [And] having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

The Body of Christ is forgiven of all their sins, sanctified by His Blood and justified through the merits of Jesus Christ Himself. We have been given the same anointing power and authority that Christ had to do good for all of mankind. We must fulfill His ministry on the earth and prepare the way for Him to return to rule and reign in His Kingdom.

Christ defeated the devil with His victory over sin, death and the grave. We will also destroy demonic strongholds that impede our progress or interfere with our effectiveness on His behalf. Our words that line up with God's very own, will work miracles of restoration on the earth. Whatever we bind on the earth will absolutely be bound in heaven.

Whatever we loose on the earth in the way of blessings will also manifest. We will restore peace and order to the world and restructure all its governments and economic systems. We will deliver all of creation from the decay and destruction that it has suffered for so many years. There will be legions of ministering angels that are assigned to back us up.

Satan will not stand a chance if we take a unified stand against him. We will strip him of all his power, just as Jesus did, and take back the entire world for the Kingdom of God, as we are destined to do. Mankind will be freed of bondage and oppression of all types. We will exercise our God-given authority and release blessings on the earth instead.

Zechariah 4:6 "...Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."

This will not be a simple task or a friendly takeover of the planet. The enemy is providing as much resistance as he can to prevent the coming of the Kingdom of God to the earth. He will blind men to the truth and hinder all our efforts to restore order and stability to this world. He knows that his time is short and that he will soon be stripped of all his power and authority. He will not acquiesce peacefully; He is determined to destroy all mankind.

He wants us to believe that we are unable to serve the Lord and that we are powerless to stop his advance. We will have to come up higher and rise up in our God given power and authority to destroy all of his efforts to interfere with our work. We will triumph over him, just as Christ did during His ministry on the earth. Satan is already a defeated foe; we need only assert ourselves in Christ's name and he will relent.

The Holy Spirit of God will move over the face of the entire world to enable God's people to take back their authority in every area. We will receive a full anointing of the Lord's very own awesome power to be successful in all that we do. We will accomplish the seemingly impossible on His behalf and deliver the Kingdom of God to Jesus Christ at His coming, just as we are ordained to do. Nothing will remain the same; Satan will soon be eradicated.

We will put all enemies under Christ's feet; overcome all evil with good; and set many free to enter God's Kingdom for all eternity. The full number of souls must be gathered in during the end-time harvest before heaven is brought into the earth. It is the Lord's desire that no one perish for lack of hearing the truth. He wants all of mankind free to choose the blessings of eternal life rather than never-ending punishment.

A Divine Commission

Matthew 28:18-20 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen."

The longer we walk with Christ and the deeper our personal relationship with Him, the greater the responsibility that we have. We cannot presume to slide into the Kingdom of God on our own merits. It is only through our faith in Him, that we have inherited eternal life. We must show our gratitude by offering ourselves in humble service for the Lord's eternal redemption plan.

Jesus Christ gave us a divine commission when He ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. His work here is done, but ours is only beginning and will not be completed until He returns to rule and reign in His everlasting Kingdom. As the Body of Christ on the earth, we must take back the power and authority that the devil stole from Adam in the Garden of Eden.

With His victory over sin, death and the grave, our Savior stripped Satan of all his power and gave it back to mankind. Now we must walk in dominion over all matters in this world. We will destroy all demonic strongholds that would interfere with the coming of heaven to the earth realm. All mind blinding spirits will flee as we preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all of mankind.

We are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. We have limitless capabilities and supernatural gifts that enable us to do the very works of Jesus Christ Himself - and even greater works. We walk in the same divine anointing that He operated in during His ministry here on the earth. We can work miracles, signs and wonders in His name to attract all men to our mighty God.

Ephesians 1:18 "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,"

We must come up higher in our walk with the Lord and fulfill our divine destinies, as we are supposed to do. Each of us is called to be a member of the Body of Christ on the earth - His hands, feet and voice - and we should resume His ministry where He left off. If we do not recognize our responsibility and assume our roles, there will be important work that is left undone.

It is vital that we know who we are and whom we serve. We were created in God's very own image and likeness, and we should have His heart for the lost and forsaken, as well. We have been given a divine unction to deliver men from bondage to all of their sins. We have a sacred responsibility to set them free, so that they will be able to receive eternal life as we have.

The Body of Christ will walk in miracles, signs and wonders in the days to come. We will heal all the sick and set captives free of enemy oppression and afflictions of all types. We will do even greater works than Jesus Himself did, the Bible tells us. We can assume that we will work creative miracles and even restore missing body parts, plus raise the dead back to life again.

Christ read men's minds and hearts, and we will be endowed with much the same ability in our evangelistic efforts. He transported Himself from place to place through the power of the Holy Spirit. He spoke to all of nature and it complied with His commands. These greater works will be available to us if we are sanctified and consecrated to walk as Christ Himself walked.

James 3:17-18 "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

We will take control over the political and economic systems on the earth. World leaders will be challenged to see whether they are fair to their people and generous to their needs. We will restructure and reorganize all human governments to line up with principles of righteousness and justice for all. We will put an end to all wars and violence, so that all the nations of the world are at peace. All political infrastructure will be absorbed into Christ's Kingdom and there will be no more conflict between men.

The Kingdom of God will be fair and just, peaceful and serene, safe and secure, as we have been promised. Nothing evil or defiling will ever enter into it to disturb our God or His people. The earth itself will never end, but it will be totally renewed to align with God's way of doing things. Heaven itself will manifest in this world because of our diligence. All sources of contention will be expelled to the lake of fire, and Satan and all of his minions will be banished to the bottomless pit, so that they can no longer oppress us.

In return for our faithful service to the Lord in implementing His eternal redemption plan, we will be appointed kings and priests of our God. We will assist Christ Himself in judging both men and angels. We will have the heathen for our inheritance and rule and reign with Him in the Kingdom of God for all of eternity. We will enforce Kingdom principles of fairness and equality for all, and be capable leaders of His people. All men will give us respect and praise, as we share in Jesus Christ's very own honor and glory.

Romans 8:21-22 "Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

The people of God enjoy real freedom. We have been delivered from the curse and redeemed from all of our sins. We have been given divine power and authority over all things in the earth, just as Adam once had. The Lord has commissioned us to take back the entire planet for the Kingdom of God. Nothing will remain the same; all things will be made new again and we will be successful as we serve our God in effecting His eternal redemption plan.

We will help to set all of creation free of decay and destruction and reinstate its original beauty and balance. All the plants and animals will be in harmony with one another and subject to man. The climate will be regulated and temperate, so that there are no more natural disasters that plague men ever again. We will restore order and stability to all of nature and reverse the effects of pollution. The earth will be re-created to be a literal paradise, just as it was in the Garden of Eden.

All of this will be accomplished in the name of Jesus Christ and through the might of His anointing power, as it works through us. The words that we speak will all line up with the Word and the will of God Himself. We will glorify our Lord and Savior and deliver His Kingdom to Him upon His return. He will destroy all evil in the wrath of His coming and take vengeance on all our enemies. Nothing that is defiling will ever enter into the Kingdom of God.

An Eternal Inheritance

Ephesians 1:10-11 "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on Earth; [even] in Him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will:"

We have great rewards for our faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Not long ago, we were lost in our sins and subject to eternal damnation. But since we have believed in Him and the power of His atoning Blood, we have been redeemed for all time. We have the promise of a wonderful future and the hope of eternal life in the presence of God Himself.

Very soon now, the Lord will have us usher heaven into the earth realm, so that all things in heaven and on the earth can be joined together under the lordship of His Son, Jesus Christ. We have a divine inheritance that we will share with Christ as joint-heirs. The Kingdom of God will be given to Christ and to His saints who have faithfully served Him. It will be our eternal legacy for righteousness.

There will be peace and prosperity, safety and security, health and longevity for all who reside there. The Lord will take vengeance on all our enemies and boast of us to all creation. We will be kings and priests of God and rule and reign with Jesus Christ Himself over all the nations of the world. We will be heroes to all of God's people and share in Christ's glory.

Romans 8:23 "And not only [they], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our body."

We are promised a full redemption, not only of our spirits and souls, but of our bodies, as well. We will all be changed in our very essence into incorruptible, glorious, resurrection forms that live forever in the presence of our God. No disease or death will plague us ever again. We will be youthful and vigorous and enjoy perfect health all the days of our lives.

The Kingdom of God will be a virtual paradise for all who dwell there. There will be no evil that disrupts its peace and serenity. We will live free of fear and molestation, in safety and security for all eternity. All men will walk in love as brothers. We will all know the Lord, from the least to the greatest of us, and worship Him in Spirit and in truth as He desires.

We will be key players in the Kingdom's political system in our roles as kings and priests. We will judge both men and angels, as the Lord does. We will have the heathen for our inheritance and rule and reign with Christ Himself. All nations of the world will follow our leadership and guidance and there will finally be peace and unity among men, as God intends.

1Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."

The Lord will meet all of our needs in abundance and actually dwell in our presence for all of eternity. He will boast of us to all creation and take vengeance on all of our enemies. We will enjoy peace and prosperity, joy and gladness, safety and security in the Kingdom of God. Nothing evil will harm and defile us, nor interfere with our well-being ever again.

All that we require will be supplied to us from the vast resources that the universe has to offer. The Lord will lavish us with all good things - both temporal and spiritual. We will build beautiful homes for our large families to dwell in together for generation after generation. We will long enjoy the work of our hands and be in total harmony with all creation.

We will be given new resurrection bodies that are free of decay and corruption and impervious to disease and death. We will live forever in love, peace and unity with our neighbors. The Kingdom of God will be a veritable paradise as it was in the Garden of Eden, and we will be in awe at its beauty. All of nature will be in perfect balance and subject to man again.

Life in the Kingdom of God will be quiet, serene and joyful. We will dwell with both men and angels. All the Kingdom residents will be righteous, loving and obedient to the Lord. His laws will be written in our minds and hearts for all of eternity. We will fellowship intimately with Him, and there will no longer be a separation between our God and His people.

Deuteronomy 28:2 "And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God."

If we are faithful to follow all the Lord's commandments to us and walk in love as we have been taught, we will enjoy radical blessings when heaven is brought into the earth. We will dwell in the very presence of our awesome God. We will celebrate all the Lord's Sabbaths and feast days, and give Him all the praise and thanks that He deserves for all eternity.

We will have endless peace and unlimited prosperity in the Kingdom of God. It will be a literal paradise for us, just as it once was in the Garden of Eden. All of our needs, both spiritual and temporal, will be met in abundance. We will have safety and security, free of all fear and molestation. All men will walk together in love, peace and unity as brothers.

Those of us who have served God faithfully in ushering in His Kingdom to the earth realm will share in Jesus Christ's very own honor and glory. We will judge both men and angels and rule and reign over all the nations of the world. The Lord will appoint us as kings and priests, and we will make certain that Kingdom principles are in force at all times.

Our God will boast of us to all creation and make our names a praise on the earth. We will no longer suffer shame and humiliation for our former sinfulness. We will be elevated to positions of prominence as the redeemed and faithful of the Lord. Our legacy of praise and honor will extend to our children and our children's children for all generations to come.

Topics for Discussion

1. The Doctrine of Salvation
2. The Doctrine of the Resurrection
3. Water Baptism
4. Baptism of the Holy Spirit
5. A Personal Relationship With Christ
6. The Body of Christ
7. An Eternal Inheritance