The whole idea of works is sickening.

Works are these:

I have to pray.
I have to go to church.
I have to tithe.
Oh woe is me I have to blah blah blah!!
I have to........and the list goes on.

Whatever happened to this, "For the LAW of the Spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus has made me FREE from the LAW of sin and death".

Where is works? It's cancelled out! by what? by the LAW of the Spirit of LIFE.

Now many of God's people are in bondage to sin because of a lack of knowledge. "My people perish for a lack of knowledge". They are perishing in their minds because they don't know about this LAW of the Spirit of LIFE that is resident in the believer. What is this Spirit of LIFE anyway?

I was talking to a brother just yesterday on this very thing. He was just coming out of what he called a backslidden state. This man is in his 60's and this in and out has been going on far too long. We sat down to have coffee and I didn't pull no punches, I laid it on the line. "The reason why you keep falling into the same trap is because you lack knowledge (he shut right up). You don't believe that God loves you and that He will keep you. God loves you brother, (his eyes started to well up) and He wants you to be a conquerer." I told him brother, listen to me, you need to stop telling me and everyone else what you are doing, what you are doing is not good. Telling me how many times you pray, and the people that you pray for. How many times that you go to church in the run of a week, and the sacrifices you make etc.."

He got talking about something that someone did and he was about to say the dung word, and stop short and said Marlarky. I said to him, ahhh, you see what you did. You've just gave an example of a legalist. This is what they do, they are not true even to themselves. That word was coming up from his heart, I saw it, I told him brother it would have been better if you had of said it so that you can recognize it for what it is and asked the LORD to deal with it. But legalists will hide their true identity and they are so pious, man I hate legalism, because I have seen what it can do, and it's pretty nasty(I know I was one myself). Thats why Jesus had a hard time understanding the Pharisees, they were constantly kicking against their own conscience. They knew the right thing but they loved themselves more than they loved God. Pharisees protect thier identity, and Jesus said, If you lose your [identity] you will gain a new one.

Even Jesus had to give up His identity as one who was with the Father before the foundations of the world. It says that He became a little lower then the angels. Jesus divine became a man, and when He rose from the dead, He received a new identity. That new identity is the Mediator of the New Testement. He was no longer a man, He became a glorified man in the which that we one day will follow after, I believe that I will be changed into His glorious likeness, not in the image of a man, but the image of God.

Getting back to the topic at hand:

What did Jesus bring with Him when He came to planet Earth?

Moses brought the law, but what did Jesus bring?

There are lessons to be learned, if anyone hath ears to hear, let him tell this forum what did Jesus bring with Him when He came down to Earth?

I know what it is, but lets bounce this stuff off one another. "The Law of the Spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death". This LAW becomes instant in our heart, however the workings out in our lives is progressive hence "He's is working all things out for our good", and this knowledge is depened on what the Father will reveal to us. I myself have been a slow learner.

My God, LORD raise up real teachers to teach your word

O how sin hurts God! Thats why we should stop sinning. O how it grieves God to sin. O that we would pray & fast until Christ be formed in us, until nothing but Christ...until all that this world can offer maybe vile to us.
I dont want to hurt my MASTER.

Stop sinning...stop hurting God.

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Brent

Lazarus said:

Healing waters wrote,

Quote: "Amen brother, Stop Sinning is the beginning of the journey. What comes afterwards is shear hell, but if we endure we will overcome the lust of the flesh"

Hmm...When I stoped, what came afterwards was love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

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Robert.High

Quickend said:

Karl is right, we must fight because it is going to be a battle.

But something that has helped me is this:

We can view it repentance in one of two ways:

1. Resisting Sin

2. Surrendering to Christ

Both are completely biblical as well as completely true. But if we merely focus on "resisting sin" it's going to seem long and hard without any sort of rest. But if we simply surrender to Christ, and allow Him to reign in us, it's actually easy and very much enjoyable, and you find yourself resting in holiness.

One mentality makes it hard, the other easy. One seems to be without rest, the other is rest. One requires your own strength, the other is strength.

Jesse said

I agree that you must fight against sin, but if your focus is merely fighting sin then there is of course a problem. When the focus simply becomes walking with Christ, it's a delight.

But I would also contend that you get to a place where it's easy to say no to temptations, because you love Christ. When I first gave up drugs, I had to fight hard against the temptations to go back. But now my focus isn't on staying sobor it's on walking with Christ, and the thought of returning to drugs is not a temptation as it once was. I can truly say it's easy to stay sobor. It would be harder for me to go out and get drunk then it is to say no to sin.

This is what I am saying, it does get easier. Not that you will ever be above temptation. No, the bible says we can be free from sin but not free from temptation. But that you can grow in grace to the point where what was once such a huge fight, is no longer.

But of course, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls. Anyone can become a backslider.

Maybe I'm just not very good at communicating the point I'm trying to make.

Did not read all of the replies, but I would just like to say Amen and thanks for the original message.

I would like to point anyone who is interested to an author (who was recommended by Ravenhill) named George Asbury Mclaughlin. He has some really incredible writings that I have just started dipping into. They can be found on the Free revival cd that can be downloaded at www.freerevivalcd.com

I would also highly recommend this cd to anyone who does not have it yet. Though i dont agree with everything presented, it is a wealth of revival resources from nearly all revival preachers of old.

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Joe E

I must make this clear that I also do not agree with everything presented on this cd. That would be impossible because many opposing views are given.