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The Truth Shall Set You Free

Jesus said to those who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed", John 8:31.  


Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me, John 15:4. You must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.  The below teachings will help you understand, and to abide in God's Word so that you may bear fruit.


Am I Really Saved?

If you're not 100% confident about your salvation, the following scriptures will help you sort it out.  


 

John 14:6 (NKJV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'

 

John 6:44 (NKJV)

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.

 

Isaiah 45:5 (NIV)

I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God…

 

Acts 2:38 (NKJV)

Then Peter said to them, repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

John 3:3 (NKJV)

Jesus answered and said to him, “most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.


Romans 8:9 (NKJV)

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.


  John 3:5-7 (NKJV)

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.

 

Matthew 7:21 (NKJV)

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 

 

I Corinthians 12:3 (NKJV)

Therefore, I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

 

John 10:1 (NKJV)

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

 

Romans 8:16 (NKJV)

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. 

 

John 3:36 (NKJV)

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”


Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.


John 10:28-29 (NKJV)

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.


If you discover that you are not saved, do you feel the Holy Spirit pulling at your heartstrings, drawing you to surrender your life?  If so, ask yourself if you're ready to surrender it to God, and give up your ways not pleasing to Him.

If so, pray the following.  God, I’m sorry for my sins and ways not pleasing to You. I surrender my life to You and accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I receive Your gift of the Holy Spirit who now lives in me, and I present my body as a living sacrifice to you. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.  


I'm Saved, What's Next?


Many have been left behind not knowing what to do after crossing paths with conversion seekers. Irregardless, the Holy Spirit now lives in you. As such, you’re one step closer to becoming the mature Christian God wants you to be. While the following is not required for salvation, God tells us to;

Praying In The Spirit

What God Says About It


1 Corinthians 14:2, 4, 14

2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 


Romans 8:26

Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.


Jude 20

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.


Operating in It

Like most, I did not grow up around people who prayed in the spirit, nor did I know that it was even possible. As such, I struggled with it due to my unbelief and pride. While some flow in it immediately, others like myself benefit by doing an exercise we all do when learning to speak our natural languages.

God does not control our mouths, so in order for me to release the bubbling feeling that I had deep down inside my belly I started making vowel and consonant sounds. As you do, other sounds and groaning will start to flow from you effortlessly.  Unlike speaking in your natural language, once you start flowing in it you do not decide what sounds to make, but only when to start and stop it.  But, like speaking in a natural language, you do not say the same thing each time you talk. As such, even though you initially may sound the same when praying in the Spirit, it will begin to change as your prayer language grows.
If you’re still struggling with getting started, you may need to deal with barriers like I did. Pray the following. Jesus, I'm born-again and believe that Your Word is true. It says, we are to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and if we ask, we will be filled. So, Lord, I receive your gift of the filling of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.


God's Will


Now and Forever

Whether on earth or in heaven, God does not want people to suffer. He wants us to operate in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.


For Us To Choose Life, Over Death

  • God desires that all men be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, 1 Timothy 2:4
  • I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live, Deuteronomy 30:19
  • Do not live the rest of their (your) earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.  For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do, I Peter 4:2-3


To Be Our Lord and Savior   

  • Jesus answered and said to him, most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3 
  • But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, John 1:12-13
  • Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God, 1 John 3:1


To Bless His Children

  • The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace, Psalms 37:11
  • Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart, Psalms 37:4
  • Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved, Psalms 55:22
  • Length of days and long life and peace they will add to you, Proverbs 3:2
  • Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Matthew 11:28
  • I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly, John 10:10
  • So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine, Proverbs 3:10
  • Then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid;  Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes, Proverbs 3:23-25


For Us To Live In Paradise 

God planned for Adam and Eve to live in paradise on earth, but they were driven out due to their choice to sin.  As such, Jesus prepared another place for His children within heaven. In My Father’s house are many mansions… I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; That where I am, there you may be also, John 14:2-3


Summing It Up

God did not want, nor plan for us to live a life less than that of excellence. Just as the garden was, and heaven is free from death, sickness, suffering, and poverty so will the next heaven on earth be. Even though we currently live in the fallen world, it is His desire that we expereince the same. As such, He has given us a free will, the right to choose life or death, blessing or curses, obedience or sin. He did not make us robots, as such desires to have a relationship with each of us. If we choose to accept His invitation for salvation, we not only gain eternal life in heaven but open ourselves us to the promises and blessings that He has for us, His children today and tommorow.