Annie343

The disciples used His name as having power to effect change. They boldly used their authority invested in them by the Lord's name. All believers have this authority - use, recognize and submit. This demonstrates power of attorney because everything is subjected to His rule (name) as we pray as if He is praying it. Fear could enter from not understanding the power available to us. Hearing His voice provides confirmation and courage as we trust His direction - leaning on Him and not man's wisdom.

To pray in Jesus' name is using His authority as His representative to declare His will for that situation. It is declaring belief and faith as I use His name - being subjected to and dominated by His power. The limitation is to be aligned with God's purpose and Word as I walk out my salvation.

Ways that open us to shame and persecution - being accused that religion is a crutch for people who are weak, ignorant, unenlightened; also implying that people can walk on us and we shouldn't fight back if we are a true Christian; Ashamed - not standing up for moral actions and tolerating crude jokes; looking the other way when people pray over their food; resisting being identified as a Christian among co-workers; excusing and rationalizing of disobedience from what the Bible says Unashamed - proclaiming beliefs even when unpopular; standing on the promises of God in the face of troubles and hardship

Jesus' name means Yahweh saves and His mission is God's plan of redemption - to save His people from their sins. He fulfilled this mission by providing the plan of salvation for all who believes on Him - He was the Lamb slain as our substitute for the death penalty of sin. In my life, I believed in my heart that Jesus died for my sins and confessed with my mouth that He is my Savior and therefore received forgiveness as well as a restored relationship with God.

Reconciliation is necessary in order for us to live in God's presence. Jesus' blood covers us (God sees the blood when He looks at us) and this gives us access to God to escape from His wrath/anger/punishment/judgment because of being a sinner estranged (alienated) from God. We are saved by Jesus living in us and of Him interceding for us. We now have resurrection life which has been made available to us. We can now live out our purpose to give God glory and honor (now we are restored, delivered and redeemed from sin's grasp). There is no longer a death grip on us and its penalty being our reward. We are now living in harmony with God's will when we accept Christ. The new relationship has been established and we have passed from death to life with a new purpose to live for God. It is God's justice that He is angry against sin and when we refuse to turn from it to receive the just reward. However, He brought us back to Himself by demonstrating His love for us in providing a way back through the sacrifice of His Son.

We were all powerless, helpless and morally weak as sinners at our worst but Christ yet gave His life for our salvation (for the ungodly). There is nothing good and righteous about us that would endear us to God but He took the initiative to save us and bring us back to Him (restore the original relationship that was lost when Adam sinned). God's love is more than adequate and nothing we can do can prevent Him from reaching out to us in love to redeem us. The cross is proof of His love as by the process of time the plan of salvation unfolded. We were unable to save ourselves or do things to make us acceptable to God. Forgiveness is offered by God for all who come to Him. It was at the karios time that He sent Jesus to procure our salvation. It was His sacrifice that made us righteous and offered us new life to live in God's presence. He loved us first. We, in term, should love Him most.

We rejoice because of the grace that is given to us and of God's glory manifested knowing that we have Christ's life in us to be transformed into God's child inwardly. We know that God loves us unconditionally and in abundance (this gift that He gave for our salvation - His love poured out into our hearts). We rejoice because we already know the end result (we win) and look beyond what we see and what we feel when going through trials knowing it is temporal. Our future is sealed, we will be with God eternally. Therefore patience and long-suffering can be part of life knowing that our problems will cause endurance to be formed that lead to integrity and assurance of salvation (attitude and behavior aligning with God's purpose) with the end being the development of maturity of character. Perseverance, tried character and hope all work out to that end of walking in the light. God can trust us to depend on Him regardless of the circumstances. We now have confident hope that we have a reward in heaven (knowing that the ancient prophets have been also gone through things). The Holy Spirit indwells us and is our guarantee that God will fulfill His promises and be with us, never leaving us. This means we can go to God and cry out Abba Father as His child knowing that He desires the best for us and we in term have the goal of giving glory and honor to Him with our life.

Jesus gave His life to make us righteous before God where we are no longer guilty and can walk with peace and confidence of being accepted as a child of God (assurance of salvation). We are made right by our faith in Jesus; we are justified and reconciled with God and we enter into the relationship of grace (undeserved favor and kindness). With justification, we entrust our self to God (faith) and enjoy safety. Abraham was justified by his faith in that he had the expectation that God would keep His promises - he walked by faith and was declared righteous. We can come to God (boldly approach the throne of grace) because of what Christ has done. Justification and faith is still the answer for people today to have peace with God and not by obeying the law. We have entered the new era of being in God's presence and seeking His purpose for our lives.

"ISRAEL OF GOD" TODAY: according to the message of salvation by grace through faith alone; the church and believers are the true Israel of God; it is the Christian church made up of Jewish and Gentile believers - all true believers, whatever their social or ethnic backgrounds EXCLUDED: people being caught up with the externals (not spiritual requirements) - emphasize actions that we should and shouldn't do; not an expression of the living trust in Christ; no concern for the inward condition of the heart; exhibiting a good life without an inner change (shallow spiritual walk) TEMPER GENTILE PRIDE: not boasting because of situation because you were only grafted in; God will not spare you as he did not spare the Jewish people; what matters is faith in Jesus Christ and the goodness of God

CHARACTERIZES "NEW CREATION"; the life of the future world has begun in believers now; created anew, or born again constitutes the real difference in believers; any person who believe that Jesus Christ died for him shall be saved from the world of death counted as being crucified with Christ; love as demonstrated by God; have a new spirit - a recreated spirit; God knows who is really sincere and who is not OLD CREATION LOOKS LIKE: serving by trying to keep the law; attractions to men - position, power, acceptance, recognition, money, sex, pleasure, honor, food. possessions OLD CREATION AND NEW CREATION POSSESSES: being crucified (don't have to go the way of the world); deliverance by Jesus Christ's death; the Spirit of Jesus Christ lives within believer to give him the power to conquer the lusts of the flesh; the cross brings the peace of God and the mercy of God experiencing forgiveness of sins and the acceptance of God; the cross creates a new man - acceptable to God by way of Jesus Christ (walk by the rule of the cross and of the new creature); lives with God, he has to believe and approach God in the name of Jesus Christ; boast in the cross of Christ; a believer's new position with respect to the world for salvation; rejecting lifestyle and pleasures of the world (no longer attractive to the world) "YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN" RELATE: being born again is what matters (the old has gone); believe on Jesus Christ and what He accomplished on the cross; born again by the power of the Holy Spirit; God's divine nature in believer's life (born again spiritually)

BECOMING WEARY LIVING OUT OUR FAITH: lack of support, opposition; so much to be done; becoming discouraged; many calls on their time and resources; ingratitude of others; exhausted; obstacles; embarrassments; suffering PROMISE TO FORESTALL: trusting God; strength we find in the Spirit, relief when other Christians help to bear burden; in due time will reap a harvest of goodness; proper timing of God (due time); eternal reward; follow Holy Spirit's guidance; staying alert; when he dies will awaken in the resurrection with renovated powers; inspired by the Spirit; obedient and growing relationship with God (being part of the body of Christ); knowing that results take time; the reaping will come in part in this life and in full in the life to come; the day of reaping is coming; harvest of present blessings; the fulfillment of God's promises at Christ's second coming; DOING GOOD BEGINNING WITH SPIRITUAL FAMILY: believers to have the priority of benevolence; family needs met first who belong to the family of believers (all related); this family refers to all who have become God's children by believing in Christ; responsibility to the community; bound to family by ties (peculiar claim and more closer); Christians distinguished primarily by believing the gospel

SOWING TO THE FLESH: rejecting God; overtaken by the appeal, cravings, passions and lusts : live as you please, seeking earthly position, power, and honor, hoarding, strife with other believers; makes provision for the indulgence of fleshly appetites; licentiousness, intemperance, vanity; using lives to use their resources in wasteful ways; investing in fulfilling sinful human desires; resist the initiatives of the Holy Spirit; distinguished for luxury living, extravagance SOWING TO THE FLESH LOOKS LIKE: heart with the world, mocking God; mimic others in contempt or derision, quarrelsomeness, conceited; prideful; being critical; rejecting God's ministers; Galatians 5:19-21 SOWING TO THE SPIRIT: Using resources to grow spiritually; support the Lord's work; wise stewardship; Holy Spirit controls life (things done through the power of the Holy Spirit); bearing the fruit of the Spirit; led by the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, live in the Spirit; souls reached for the kingdom; the Spirit of God will actually enter his life and take up residence there; the Spirit will implant the divine nature of God within the heart of the believer SOWING TO THE SPIRIT LOOKS LIKE: sowing seeds of kindness to those in need; expresses Christ's love; preparing heart to receive the gospel; wise handling of money, use of talent and investment of time SOWING TO THE FLESH RESULTS: destruction, death, judgment of God; prideful; virtue gone; soul debased (depravity); insult God with impunity; conceit; arrogance; attitude of selfishness

CAUGHT IN A SIN: someone running from sin, but sin overtakes him and catches him; caught expresses a strong sense of surprise (never suspected) - no one is free of sin for human desires still exist in believers but overwhelmed; detected - pictures a believer unexpectedly discovering that a believer is trapped in some sin; however, no person is better than any other person (we will all stand before God) RESTORATION LOOKS LIKE: Acting in submission to God and His word; yielding to the Holy Spirit and bearing fruit; seeking to maintain a good conscience; not comparing self to others but the Word of God as the standard; appropriate confession, restitution, torn relationships repaired WHO AND WHAT SPIRIT FOR RESTORATION: believer mature in the faith and can handle delicate situations; lay aside attitudes of superiority; being kind, forbearing and forgiving with love and gentleness with a readiness to help; believers who walk in the Spirit, bear the fruit of the Spirit, live a crucified life in Christ consistent with his position in Christ; approaching in meekness. RESULT OF TRYING TO RESTORE WITHOUT HUMILITY: Exhibiting a judgmental spirit, false pride, lack of love, forgiveness and caring; critical, shaming, slander, hardness, indifference, harshness, rejection, ostracism; displays envy, jealously, arrogance; using person as a public example and humiliating; "holier-than thou" attitude

CRUCIFY THE FLESH: is a reference to the flesh being brought under control and living for God; it is the spiritual battle that is lifelong - to look at the cross and realizing victory by your walk; it refers to the baptism of the Holy Spirit by which we identify with Christ in His death and resurrection; it is to hold on to your faith by not submitting to the flesh (flesh and Holy Spirit opposing each other); even though we have sinful desires (sin and rebellion at work) from the old self, we seek to realize when the flesh still attacks and hinders the Spirit; its when we are joined with Christ rising to a new life; to restrain our desires with the Spirit's power, relying on Him and experiencing victory and forgiveness that is available to us with having fellowship with God; we understand that we have to commit our tendencies to God's control CHRISTIAN WITHOUT CRUCIFYING THE FLESH: are you walking by the Spirit or allowing sin to reign; it is the Spirit guarding us and being strengthened by the Spirit; as being crucified have you truly confessed Christ and yielded to His influences showing that you are controlled by the Spirit; it's when we turn our backs on the flesh and turn to Jesus Christ - no longer serving the flesh (living in the desires of the flesh) but giving God the control to possess us and being freed from the passions and lusts of the flesh; since it is desiring to follow righteousness and to please God in all that we do, we do not give the position of the flesh to enslave us and to be in bondage; to crucify is to walk by the Spirit - to live as God directs and not allowing the flesh to have power above God; we are challenged to live our life by walking consistently looking at Christ which means we are crucifying the flesh PRODUCED LUKEWARM CHRISTIANS: do you trust God is the question or are you a slave to the flesh?; it is being counted as belonging to Christ (profess/confess) without changing your lifestyle; instead of living free from the flesh, we coddle it as being part of us (habits); life not being surrendered to God tells us they do not have God's life (abundant); not knowing our position in Christ but being led by feelings; the key is commitment and love to God; the blood of Jesus and the work of the cross is not in front of our eyes but looking also to what the world offers; it's being prideful that you can do things "your way"; we are to have a life that radiates God's love (witness to others); not being conscious of living soulfully for Christ as being a priority but just giving lip service to the thought (saying that it is okay to be what you want to be); did the cross do an internal work in your life? - live like it

PATIENCE IMPORTANT CHARACTER ELEMENT: the opportunity to witness to others by the Holy Spirit's work in us for endurance; we persevere even in the face of persecution knowing that God is long-suffering toward sinners; we see how Christ reacted with compassion and boldness for the long haul; forbearance works in our favor when things (events) do not work out; this steadfastness is the foundation of working for Christ when we work with unpleasant people; it is the Spirit of God helping us so that we don't explode or seek retaliation in trials with others; we yield to being wrongfully treated knowing at the end we will have peace and be with God in the future; it sees beyond the limitations of this life by never giving in to the enemy (Satan) but holding on to God's hand PEACE IN FAMILY AND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY: it is important that Christians learn to live together and worship together; it can be a witness of the church as seeing believers operate to being in harmony to every situation, this includes wholeness and well-being for a right relationship with God and man; it is the binding and joining together as a family unit to provide a stable environment for growth; in the Christian community there is peace to every one (working together to form the body of Christ) being the goal for being united; we seek to have the peace of God and the peace of assurance to counter disturbing acts of conflict; peace deals with personal relationships; to have peace in the family and the church, being on one accord, unites us together to help and encourage each other to see God in situations; it does not focus on what I can do to climb the ladder of success but that we all can see value in each other; it speaks of peace with God that transcends understanding with prosperity being deep within; it is the quietness of God's peace