Why do we keep pointing to what Jesus did, said, and what is recorded of Him in the bible? Because He is the true picture of who WE are. He has set the bar for what God’s original intention is for us, the new creation. Then He paid every price so we could fully live in that reality—not in the sweet by and by of heaven—but in the here and now on earth!

There is only one way to overcome the pain and torment of your soul, the pain of your sickness and the fear and the torment that is in your mind, and that is to come to the Lord Jesus Christ and give it all to Him. And as you leave it all with Him—trusting Him as your caretaker—His peace will fill your mind and your spirit, soul and body, and raise you to a new level of life and health!

1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that as new creations in Christ, we have been given the mind of Christ! When we cooperate with the Holy Spirit to renew our minds to God’s Word, we begin to think and respond as Jesus in the earth, instead of like the world does!

“We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18 HCSB). How do we become more like Christ? As we see Him here in this life through God’s Word, we are transformed into His image in our spirit, soul and body.  There is no, “If you do, then I will” in this verse. It doesn’t say we qualify if we are good enough, if we pray enough or if we give enough. He has qualified us by His sacrifice, His blood, and His victory over Satan. The key is to allow Him to transform us by the renewing of our minds!

I believe Elijah stood in front of the battles before him and was able to call down fire from heaven. He was able, when necessary, to stop the rain. He was able to speak the will of God over his situations and over an entire nation of people. Elijah’s prayers prevailed, and now, with the very life and power of God living within us, how much more so should ours!

Many people, including some preachers, say that God is completely sovereign and therefore whatever happens is His will. But does a farmer reap what God sows? What kind of crop will the farmer get if he takes the year off and just tells God he will take whatever crop God produces? No, the farmer reaps what he himself sows. If this principle is true for the farmer, isn’t it true for us also?

When King Nebuchadnezzar observed the three Hebrew children in the flames of the fire he threw them into for not bowing to his image, he was shocked to see a fourth man walking in the flames with them (Daniel 3:25). Regardless of the kind of fire you may be in—whether it’s a fire of some type of sickness or disease, or a struggle in your finances—there is another identity in your midst! The Lord Jesus Christ is with you in the midst of every struggle, abiding IN you, operating THROUGH you and working FOR you each and every day! “The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil” (Zephaniah 3:15).

Each and every day of our lives we should arise acknowledging our identity in Christ, not our old man! We don’t come crying to God telling Him who we used to be, we come to Him thanking Him for who we are now, hidden with Christ in the Father! (Colossians 3:3)

As believers, faith is a lifestyle we are all called to embrace. Three times in the New Testament we are told “The just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38). What does that mean? It means that our decisions are not solely based on our senses. It requires that some steps be made without having all the facts, resources, or people in place, but God will make the difference!

Paul had an interesting view of himself. He thought of himself as a man who had died and awakened to a new life in Christ. He considered himself a dead man, yet still breathing. Dead men do not get offended at people. Dead men do not scream back when they are screamed at. Dead men can be poked, kicked, mocked and spit upon, and they still do not respond. The devil and his followers have no weapons left when Christians do not respond in fear or anger to their evil threats and actions!