Copyright © 2012 by Joan Perry.

ISBN:          Softcover                                 978-1-4691-4137-4

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4691-4138-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

0-800-644-6988

www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk

Orders@xlibrispublishing.co.uk

303134

The Word of God is the standard by which all things are

proved true or false!

Joan Perry

DEDICATION

To my loving husband Ralph, thank you for our fifty wonderful years together.

To our three grown up children, Melanie, Leander and Adrian—you have all three been a blessing in our lives and given us four wonderful grandchildren—Rory, Daniella, Gaby and Cailynn. We are very proud of you. True gifts from God and with Him you all have made my life complete.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my mentor and adviser, Heide Clooney who helped with the editing. She is a wonderful teacher of the Word.

Also, My daughter Leander Brown who helped with the designing of the cover and the formatting of the book. And last but not least, my husband Ralph who pointed out areas of the book that needed better explanations.

CONTENTS

The Invitation

Chapter 1

Chapter 2  Baptism Of The Holy Spirit

Chapter 3  The Fruit Of The Spirit

Chapter 4  Grace & Faith—Belief & Works

Chapter 5  GRACE THAT MISLEADS

Chapter 6  Obedience

Chapter 7  Thoughts And Words

Chapter 8  The Law Of Attraction—Declarations Of Faith

Chapter 9  STUMBLING BLOCKS

Chapter 10  The Seen And Unseen Realm

Chapter 11  Spiritual Authority

Chapter 12  God’s Presciption For Health

FOREWORD

For those who disbelieve the Bible and think there is no God, can they show one person who has been saved from a life of ungodly practices, such as crime, pornography, prostitution, homosexuality, drug addiction, alcoholism and the like, without giving their lives to Jesus our Saviour? Man cannot save himself. The message from the Bible has the power to mend lives broken by sin, which separates us from our Creator—likewise, atheism and agnosticism, all anti-Christ philosophies, cults and other forms of religion, do not have the power to change lives, but can instead, deceive and keep one ignorant of the truth about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The difference between religion and salvation is—

Religion: Is man’s self effort to reach God; results in chronic guilt, apathy, depression, failure, and constant striving for peace and fulfillment. Religion is all about sacrifices and ceremonial laws to atone for people’s sins. It is a ‘works’ program. It is a human need to worship a god or an idol, believing that there is some form of life in that manmade creation that will meet all their needs.

Salvation: Comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Through Him we have redemption and forgiveness of sin. By believing in Him we can have all the treasures of forgiveness, wisdom and knowledge; that results in the freedom that brings joy, peace, love, gratitude, guidance, service and fulfillment to our lives. In the pursuit of happiness, which is a natural human condition, we find it in the One and Only—Jesus Christ the Saviour. Through Jesus Christ we become the righteousness of God.

Working out our salvation requires a firm belief in the truth of the gospel, which develops faith and means that we should not allow ourselves to be misled by believing false teachings and living ungodly lives, especially when we are on our own. In the absence of cherished Christian leadership, we must focus our attention and devotion even more on Christ so that we won’t be side-tracked.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

My purpose for writing this book is primarily to bring God all the glory.

It is not only for new Christians, but also for those who are seeking the one and only true God. And for those who have not yet accepted His gracious gift of salvation, and committed their lives to Jesus to make Him their Lord and Saviour.

It is to reveal how seekers and believers alike become heirs to the Kingdom of God, showing them how to be victorious children of God and reap the rewards that are stored up for them.

It is to give them a hope and a future through their obedience to the Lord’s commands and precepts. Working out their salvation is a process that takes them through to a better life.

It is to strengthen them through the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit working within them to live the abundant life and receive the promises of God.

TO THE READERS OF

THIS BOOK—

Expect the blessings from God and be grateful for His generous mercies which are new every morning.

Father, I pray that the Holy Spirit will touch the person holding this book in such a way that his/her life will be forever changed for the better and I pray that with your divine power every burden will be lifted and he/she will enjoy freedom of life through Jesus Christ. Father, touch this reader’s heart to feel the love of Christ as never before. May the anointing that destroys every yoke become an everlasting part of his/her spiritual life. I pray Lord that you will protect and lead him/her in the way of righteousness. Deliver this person from all bondages that prevent spiritual, physical, mental and emotional well-being. May your love, favour and power rest on this person at all times, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

WORKING OUT YOUR SALVATION

Philippians 2:12b-13. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

THE INVITATION

Dearly Beloved,

Because I love you with all my heart, please accept my precious gift of salvation. You are valuable and precious to me and I so want to embrace you with my love—just say yes to me and I will show you what my love, grace, mercy and forgiveness feels like and I will turn your mourning into dancing and give you the desires of your heart and I will pour out blessings on you above anything you could imagine. I will heal your hurts and restore you to wholeness. I will teach you my ways and lead you to new pastures. I will give you my love and my peace that surpasses all understanding; my joy which will strengthen you, and the abundant life you deserve as a child of God. Just give me your heart and I will give you a new life.

Just say YES to me.

With the greatest love of all—

Jesus.

CHAPTER 1

Salvation is a precious gift from God through Jesus Christ. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved. Romans 10:13.

Salvation is a progression towards the fullness of God’s blessings. Salvation is not just having your sins forgiven; it includes the meeting of every human need. God created us with a very real need to be attached to someone or something, but He is the only one who can meet all our needs. Salvation takes you safely through this earthly life and brings you at last into God’s eternal kingdom. You are a work in progress, growing in faith and the righteousness of Jesus; as well as growing in the knowledge and wisdom of God. When you find your creator, you find what you have been seeking all your life, even if you haven’t realized it yet. God designed you with a special place in your innermost being that only He can fill. Salvation then includes all the benefits purchased for us by the death of Christ on the cross. Whether these benefits are spiritual, physical, financial, material, temporal, or eternal, they are all summed up in one great, all-inclusive word—SALVATION.

Acts 4:12. There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. (Jesus Christ, the name above all names).

Now let me introduce you to Jesus our Saviour.

To know Jesus is to love Him. When you develop a personal relationship with Him, you will be led by His Spirit. Most people know about Him and that’s as far as they go. But not you!

When you realize that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and when you accept and receive His gracious gift of salvation and total and complete forgiveness of all your sins, big or small, it destroys the power of sin in your life. All sinful desires will not have any hold over you anymore. You are set free. If you get nothing into your heart and head, than just this; that in God’s eyes you are the most valued and precious person and that His love and mercy and His amazing grace and his forgiveness are all yours to have and to cherish all the days of your life. If you can truly understand and believe this fact, then you will be able to experience heaven on earth and victory over the power of sin. God’s love is awesome. It is unconditional and everlasting, but you won’t experience it unless you submit to him and receive it with an open heart. His love fills you to overflowing with joy—why would anyone not want that?

1 John 1:7b. The blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. Vs.8. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth, Vs.9-10. But if we confess our sins to him, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

It is true that God does require you to confess your sins, but the scope of both confession and salvation goes far beyond this. Psalm 78:22 tells us how God became angry with the Israelites after their deliverance from Egypt, because they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation. Even though God provided everything they needed during their journey from Egypt to the promised land; they still complained and were ungrateful and thought they were better off as slaves in Egypt; hence, they could not enter the promised land until they repented of their unbelief. Too many people today moan and complain all the time about their problems and circumstances and are not living in their full potential; ‘their promised land’. They are still ‘walking in the desert’ as the Israelites did, because they do not trust in God’s promises and provision.

Your salvation comes through believing in Jesus and his finished work on the cross. He did it all for you; for all of us. Jesus said YOU HAVE TO BE BORN AGAIN to receive the gift of your salvation and it can only come through Him and no other way. John 14:6. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life, no one can come to the Father except through me. The born again experience can mean one of two things—visiting in God’s presence or staying in God’s presence. To live in God’s presence is to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit. Oh what a joyful experience this is!

John 3:16-17

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.

FOR GOD (the author of salvation)

SO LOVED THE WORLD (the object of salvation)

THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON (the gift of salvation)

THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM (the means of salvation)

SHALL NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE (the purpose of salvation).

Romans 10: 10. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God , and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

Jesus chose to obey the will of the Father God to die on the