PAUL'S SYSTEM OF

TRUTH
THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF
THE APOSTLE PAUL
Mark Hankins
Mark Hankins Ministries
Alexandria, Louisiana
www.markhankins.org
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Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House
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Paul's System of Truth First Edition 2010

Published by Mark Hankins Ministries

PO Box 12863
Alexandria, LA 71315
www.markhankins.org

Copyright © 2010 by Mark Hankins All Rights

Reserved

Reproduction of text in whole or in part without the

expressed written consent by the author is not
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Printed in the United States of America.

 ONE
THE LIFE OF PAUL
THE TRAJECTORY OF
FAITH
No words of Scripture, if we except those,
"God manifest in the flesh," hold within
themselves a deeper mystery than this simple
formula of the Christian life, "in Christ."

-A.J. Gordon

Recently I watched a championship golf match on

television. The greatest golfer in the world today
stood on the green needing to make a very critical
putt. Millions of people watched with millions of
dollars at stake.

The golfer walked around the green and viewed

the location of the ball from several different angles.
He carefully prepared to putt as the crowd watched
almost breathlessly. When he hit the ball, it looked
like he putted the wrong way! It looked as though he
had misjudged the putt and the ball was off course.

I was amazed to see the ball turn and head right

into the hole. As the crowd cheered, I was shocked
that he had made the putt. I thought he had putted the
ball the wrong way. However, from my view, I could
not see the lay of the land on the green. The golfer
actually had to putt the ball uphill. The direction and
the pace were critical. He judged it perfectly and the
ball landed right in the hole.

As I thought about this, the Lord spoke to me, "I

am a champion at putting people in the right direction
with the perfect pace so that they can fulfill their
destiny. When you think I am putting you the wrong
way, remember, I can see the lay of the land. I know
your strengths and weaknesses. I will "perfect that
which concerns you, (Psalms 138:8)."

GOD IS A CHAMPION AT "PUTTING"

PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH
THE PERFECT PACE SO THAT THEY CAN
FULFILL THEIR DESTINY.
 In this book, we take a look at the life of the
Apostle Paul. His life had many unusual turning
points but God was perfectly "putting" Paul to his
divine calling and destiny. We will see the genius of
God as we look at the many turning points in the
trajectory of Paul's life. Webster's dictionary defines
the word trajectory as the path followed by an object
moving through space, also a chosen or taken path.

Paul's life and ministry are a pattern of how God

works in each one of our lives. There is a pattern of
mercy, faith, wisdom, grace, truth, and power that
we can follow today. As we study the life of Paul and
see the heart of Paul in his letters, we will see a "man
in Christ." Every man or woman in Christ has a
definite trajectory of faith and destiny. When it looks
like God is "putting" you the wrong way, remember -
He is a Champion. He is able by His Spirit to get you
in the right place at the right time to fulfill the call of
God on your life.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new

creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new.
 -2 Corinthians 5:17

The Apostle Paul refers to himself as a "man in

Christ" in 2 Corinthians 12:2. You must understand
what Paul means by this phrase a "man in Christ" to
understand the epistles. Paul uses the phrases "in
Christ," "in Him," and "in Whom" more than 130
times in his writings. He is not only describing his
own experience with the Lord Jesus, but also what
happens to any man or woman in Christ. Paul's
letters are summed up in the following scripture:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;

yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me.

-Galatians 2:20

The reality of Christianity for Paul was, "...yet

not I but Christ liveth in me...." Jesus is alive, not
just in Heaven, but in every believer by the Holy
Spirit. Believers are alive not just on the earth, but
also in Heaven by virtue of being in Christ. Ephesians
2:6 tells us that God,"...hath raised us up together,
and made us sit together in Heavenly places in
Christ Jesus." Paul's life and ministry are the life of
a man in Christ - a happy man.

JESUS IS ALIVE, NOT JUST IN HEAVEN,

BUT IN EVERY BELIEVER BY THE HOLY
SPIRIT. BELIEVERS ARE ALIVE NOT JUST
ON THE EARTH, BUT ALSO IN HEAVEN BY
VIRTUE OF BEING IN CHRIST.

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.

Right now things are turning and moving you in the
right direction toward the will of God. Every man in
Christ can follow the pattern found in Paul's life. This
same pattern will work today to change cities and
nations!

There are turning points in every generation. God

used Paul, a man in Christ, to revolutionize the
thinking and understanding of the leaders of the early
church. Paul's letters have endured to influence the
church today.
REVOLUTIONS AND TURNING
POINTS IN HISTORY
The U.S. News and World Report gave this special
report on "History's Turning Points" by Daniel
Boorstin.

The true watersheds of human affairs are seldom

spotted quickly amid the tumult of headlines
broadcast on the hour. Overfed on the news, we
are in danger of having our sense of history
polluted by today's headlines. Today more than
ever we need to sharpen our vocabulary and
remind ourselves of the differences between
history and current events, between "revolution"
and the kinds of "turning points" that confuse
our view of the latest bulletins. Not until the
17th century did the word "revolution" cease to
mean only the circular movement of celestial
bodies in their orbits and begin to describe the
great "commotions" in society. "Turning points"
is a much more recent addition to our
vocabulary. The phrase was embraced in the
mid-19th century as a way of indicating a
sudden change in the direction of things in
 motion. To move from the wilderness of news
into the paths of history, we must distinguish
true turning points from mistaken ones. The
authentic turning points we call revolutions had
centuries old roots.

Words like "revolution" and "turning point"

describe the Apostle Paul's impact on history. He
definitely caused a great "commotion" in society. Paul
caused a sudden change of direction in the early
church. He revolutionized the thinking of the early
church leaders concerning what happened in the
death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As a result, the impact and influence of Christianity

went around the world. Paul crossed social, religious,
cultural, racial, and geographical boundaries. What
God did in Christ was for the whole world and every
generation. Paul started a revolution that still shapes
and changes the world today. The Lord Jesus Christ
used Paul to pioneer the way and to draw the map
that believers walk today in Christ. In his book Life
of Paul, P.C. Nelson gives a great description of the
significance and impact of Paul on Christianity, the
world then, and the world now.
 Great conquerors like Nebuchadnezzar,
Alexander the Great, the Caesars, Charlemagne,
Canute the Great, Napoleon, and many more
have arisen to change the map of the world, but
they have passed from the stage of action, and
their empires have vanished away. Great
philosophers like Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato,
Aristotle, Kant, Hegel, Paschal, and many more
have appeared, but their teachings and systems
are little known except to students of philosophy.
Great poets and orators like Homer, Virgil,
Cicero, Burke, Webster, and others have come
into the lime-light, but they are either unknown
to the rank and file of the world, or nearly
forgotten. Great explorers, scientists, and
statesmen have come and gone, leaving only
dim or fading memories. But, this man Paul,
who loved to call himself a slave - a slave of
Jesus Christ - grows larger with the passing
centuries, and the legacy he left to the world by
far surpasses that left by any of those we have
mentioned.

In less than thirty years, by the energy, influence,

wisdom, and power of Paul and his associates,
Christianity had become a world religion and was
firmly established in many great centers, and had
taken root even in proud Rome, in the Roman army
(Philippians 1:12-18), in the household of Caesar -
that human monster, the emperor Nero Caesar
(Philippians 4:22) "So mightily grew the word of the
Lord and prevailed" (Acts 19:20), not only in
Ephesus, but throughout the Roman empire (Romans
15:15-24).

PAUL'S LETTERS DIVINELY INSPIRED,

AND RICH IN DEEPEST SPIRITUAL
TRUTHS, ARE THE ADVANCED
TEACHINGS OF OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST.

Paul was facile princeps (the acknowledged

chief; one who stands indisputably first) as a
theologian in the apostolic age, and we are still
waiting for a clearer thinker and a more
profound theologian to arise. In that little
bundle of letters, Paul embodied the clearest
statement of Christian doctrine extant. He wrote
very little himself, but set hundreds of the best
scholars in all the Christian centuries to writing
to explain and elucidate and amplify the great
doctrines, which he delivered to the saints (Jude
3). Enormous libraries might be gathered of
books written about Paul, his work and
writings. The greatest minds in the Christian
ranks have been glad to sit at his feet to learn
the way of the Lord more perfectly (Acts 19:26).
These letters divinely inspired, and rich in
deepest spiritual truths, are the advanced
teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, a necessary
and essential part of the Gospel. The four
Gospels prepare the way for this further
revelation of God's truth, and the Epistles throw
a floodlight upon the Gospel records. Peter
classes these letters along with "the other
scriptures," and admits there are things in them
that require study - "Even as our beloved
brother Paul also, according to the wisdom
given to him, wrote unto you; as also, in all his
epistles, speaking in them of these things;
wherein are some things hard to be understood,
which the ignorant and unsteadfast, wrest, as
they do also the other scriptures, unto their
destruction" (2 Peter 3:15,16, A.R.V.).
NO GREAT PREACHER HAS ARISEN TO
BLESS THE PEOPLE OF GOD WHO HAS
NOT LIGHTED HIS TORCH AT THE FLAME
KINDLED BY PAUL.

God made Paul a world-preacher for the whole

Gospel age. He exercised a powerful influence
on the other apostles and other preachers of
Apostolic times, and since then no great
preacher has arisen to bless the people of God
who has not lighted his torch at the flame
kindled by Paul. Alas for the cry, "Back to
Christ" that is being sounded in the ears of the
world today! -Meaning away from Paul and
back to the simpler elements of the Gospels.
Never! Forward with Paul to Christ! Our Savior
is not way back yonder in Palestine and does
not lie buried in the tomb of Joseph of
Arimathea. "He is risen indeed! And goeth
before!" And no better guide than the Apostle
Paul can be found to lead us through the mist
and darkness of this present evil age, into the
very presence of our exalted Lord.
He appears to have all the gifts of the Spirit. We
know that he spoke in tongues more than any
even in Corinth, where this gift seems to have
reached its fullest development (1 Corinthians
14:18); we know that he had discernment for he
demonstrated this time and again (Acts 14:8-
11). He was a prophet in the highest sense of the
word, for many special revelations were given to
him (1 Cor. 14:6, 2 Cor. 12:1,7; Gal. 1:12;
Romans 16:25,26; Ephesians 3;5). He had
divine wisdom (2 Peter 3:15). He had divine
knowledge (2 Cor. 11:6; Ephesians 3:4). He was
a man of faith - God-given faith (Acts 28:3-6;
27:25). He wrought mighty miracles (Acts
19:11,12). He exercised the gifts of healing
(Acts 28:8,9). We are not told that he interpreted
messages in tongues, but that goes without
saying (1 Cor. 14:13).

Preachers like Chrysostom, Luther, Knox,

Wesley, Spurgeon, Finney, Moody, and Gypsy
Smith; poets like Tennyson, Whittier, Francis
Ridley Harvergal, Fanny Crosby and a host of
others owe their finest and highest conceptions
to this apostle. Statesmen like Gladstone, David
Lloyd George, Daniel Webster, Abraham
Lincoln, William Jennings Bryan, and a galaxy
of others have laid their tributes at the feet of
this man of God. Whole libraries have grown
out of the seed thoughts that he sowed. Great
universities as well as smaller schools have been
planted because this man sent out a blaze of
light. Jesus laid the foundation of Gospel truth,
supplied the material for the grand
superstructure which Paul as a "wise master-
builder" erected, He sounds the whole range of
divine truth - Theology, Soteriology,
Ecclesiology, Eschatology.

PAUL'S WORDS ARE LIVING THINGS

WITH HANDS AND FEET.

He was so filled with God that his very words

seemed charged with divine power. As Martin
Luther expressed it, "His words are living things
with hands and feet." He might have added that
they grip the heart, enlighten the mind, stir the
emotions, engage the conscience and move the
will. They probe the soul to its deepest recesses
 of unsuspected corruption, cleanse and purify its
secret festering sores and pour in the balm of
Gilead: they speak in thunder tones of
impending doom to a Felix, blind the eyes of
Elymas, set Aeneas on feet that never before had
walked, delivered a slave girl from an
oppressing demon of divination and bring cheer
to a multitude in time of distress and tempest.
Whole sermons may be found in separate words:
whole volumes in single sentences. Even after
nineteen hundred years, Paul is preaching every
week in a thousand languages in a hundred
thousand pulpits all over the world.

Paul was the master of every situation. He was

indefatigable, inexhaustible, indomitable, and
invincible. Unconquerable in life, he was
victorious in death.

PAUL'S LETTERS ARE AMONG THE MOST

FORCEFUL AND ELOQUENT...IN ALL
LITERATURE.

In his article "The Momentous Mission of the

Apostle Paul" in U.S. News and World Report, Gerald
Parshall also describes the undeniable imprint left on
the world by Paul.

In the middle years of the first century,

preachers of many philosophical stripes traveled
the sea lanes and cobblestone roads of the
eastern Roman Empire. Among them was an
indefatigable evangelist in a rough coat and
crude sandals who supported himself in his
missionary work by making tents. Contemporary
historians did not deem him worthy of a single
mention, having no inkling of how great a tent
maker Paul of Tarsus was. They could not know
that he was erecting the theological tent to
Christianity, making it broad enough to
accommodate all manner of humankind, to
girdle the globe and to survive two millenniums
as a major force in history. He was arrested and
driven from one city after another. He was
stoned at least once, beaten with rods three times
and in five instances given 39 lashes, a
punishment that leaves the back a bloody mess
and can cause death. While Paul traveled by
foot, by donkey, by horseback, and by boat
 across Asia Minor and Macedonia establishing
new congregations, he reinforced his gospel to
previous converts with a series of letters that
have awed even secular historians. Will Durant
called them "among the most forceful and
eloquent...in all literature...."

WHOLE SERMONS MAY BE FOUND IN

SEPARATE WORDS: WHOLE VOLUMES IN
SINGLE SENTENCES. EVEN AFTER
NINETEEN HUNDRED YEARS, PAUL IS
PREACHING EVERY WEEK IN A
THOUSAND LANGUAGES IN A HUNDRED
THOUSAND PULPITS ALL OVER THE
WORLD.

Marvin Wilson, in his book Did You Know, also

brings to light the importance of the life and letters of
the Apostle Paul.

Paul's letters, not the Gospels, give us the

earliest information we have about Jesus. All his
letters were probably written before the first
Gospel was penned. The earliest reference to the
 sayings of Jesus came from 1 Thessalonians,
which Paul wrote about 50 A.D.

THE LIFE OF PAUL

THE TRAJECTORY OF FAITH
Conybeare and Howson give us the principle dates
on the chronology of Paul's ministry.

36 A.D. Conversion
38 A.D. Flight to Tarsus
44 A.D. Brought to Antioch by Barnabas
48 A.D. First Missionary Journey
50 A.D. Council at Jerusalem
51-54A.D. Second Missionary Journey
54-58A.D. Third Missionary Journey
1 Corinthians written at Ephesus;
57A.D. 2 Corinthians in Macedonia;
Galatians at Corinth
58 A.D. Romans written at Corinth
59 A.D. In prison at Caesarea
60 A.D. Voyage to Rome
62 A.D. Philemon, Colossians, and
Ephesians written in Rome
63 A.D. Release from prison
67 A.D. 1 Timothy and Titus written
In prison again at Rome.
68 A.D.
2 Timothy. Death

PAUL: A HAPPY MAN

The joy of Jesus strengthened Paul through all
adversity. He finished his course with joy and
completed the assignment given to him by Jesus
Christ (Acts 20:24). In Philippians, one of his last
letters, Paul speaks of joy and rejoicing sixteen times
in four short chapters. Whatever else a man in Christ
is, he is certainly a happy man.

Towards the end of his life, Paul stood before the

leaders of the Roman Empire and said, "I think
myself happy" (Acts 26:2). Another translation says,
"I have been congratulating myself, King Agrippa."
Paul was a happy man. If you consider the adversity
he encountered in his life, you would expect him to
say something different. He could have said, "I am a
tired man, a mistreated man, a lonely man, a
disappointed man, a hurting man." Instead, Paul
described himself as a happy man.

When Paul met Jesus, his whole life and identity

changed. He was no longer Saul of Tarsus; he was a
new creature. He was not only a changed man, but
he was also a different man. His name, identity, and
destiny changed. Paul found his new identity in
Christ and fulfilled his new destiny. Paul's assignment
was to assemble the thoughts given to him by Jesus
and publish the message throughout the body of
Christ. He was a mouthpiece that Jesus used to speak
and write to believers in every generation. This is not
only true for Paul, but for any person in Christ. You
are such a different person in Christ; you will have to
let God introduce you to your new self.
 TWO
PAUL'S SYSTEM OF
TRUTH
THE POWER OF TRUTH
The Gospel is multi-faceted and meets every need.
The four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John -
are a proclamation of the Gospel. The book of Acts
is a demonstration of the Gospel. Paul's letters are an
explanation of the Gospel. The four Gospels are a
photograph of redemption. Paul's epistles are an X-
ray. An X-ray shows things that cannot be seen in a
photograph. In a photo you see the external, but an
x-ray shows the internal. Both of these pictures are
necessary to see the picture of redemption in its
entirety.

THE FOUR GOSPELS ARE A

PHOTOGRAPH OF REDEMPTION. PAUL'S
EPISTLES ARE AN X-RAY.
 Paul's revelation tells the necessity of the
crucifixion of Christ. He tells what happened in the
unseen - in the spirit realm. The four Gospels tell
what man saw. Paul's epistles tell what God saw. He
tells what happened when Jesus ascended into
Heaven and secured our redemption with His blood.

Paul tells what happened in God's economy when

Jesus died and was raised from the dead. Paul's
epistles are Jesus, the head of the church, talking to
us from the right hand of God. The triumphant, risen
Christ is still talking after His resurrection. He speaks
to us from His place of victory. He is seated.
Redemption is finished.

Paul's letters contain the best explanation of

Christianity in the world. James Stalker says:

The right way to look at them is to regard them

as the continuation of Christ's own teaching.
They contain the thoughts that Christ carried
away from the world unuttered. Of course Jesus
would have stated them differently and far
better. Paul's thoughts have everywhere the
coloring of his own mental peculiarities. But the
substance of them is what Christ's must have
been if he had Himself given them expression.

There was one great subject especially that

Christ had to leave unexplained - His own
death. He could not explain it before it had
taken place. This became the leading topic of
Paul's thinking - to show why it was needed and
what were its blessed results.

THE RIGHT WAY TO LOOK AT PAUL'S

LETTERS IS TO REGARD THEM AS THE
CONTINUATION OF CHRIST'S OWN
TEACHING. THEY CONTAIN THE
THOUGHTS THAT CHRIST CARRIED
AWAY FROM THE WORLD UNUTTERED.

But there was no aspect of the appearance of

Christ into which his restlessly inquiring mind
was constantly getting deeper and deeper into
the subject. The progress of his thinking was
determined partly by the natural progress of his
own advance in the knowledge of Christ, for he
always wrote out of his own experience; and
partly by the various forms of error that he had
 at successive periods encountered, and which
became a providential means of stimulating and
developing his apprehension of the truth, just as
ever since in the Christian church the rise of
error has been the means of calling forth the
clearest statements of doctrine. The ruling
impulse, however, of his thinking, as of his life,
was ever Christ, and it was his lifelong devotion
to this exhaustless theme that made him the
thinker of Christianity.

To get anywhere in life you need a point of

reference, a landmark. Several years ago while in
Paris, France, I couldn't figure out which way the
streets were going because they don't make blocks.
What really helped me was to see an aerial view of
the city. From above I could see that the streets of
the city were like spokes on a bicycle wheel. The
spokes came to the center of the city at the Arc of
Triumph.

I realized that if I knew where I was in relation to

the Arc of Triumph, the center of the city, I could
figure out where the restaurants, museums, river, or
the Louvre were from this landmark. You need to
have a few landmarks to get around in Paris.
 Sometimes life can get pretty complicated. The
devil brings thoughts and imaginations. You go
through trials and difficulties. No matter what trouble
you are facing in life, if you can find the Arc of
Triumph - the Gospel - and get back to your
redemption, you can get anywhere you need to go
from there. The center of the Gospel is what God
has done for you in Christ in His death, burial, and
resurrection. That is the center of Paul's system of
truth; it is what God has already accomplished for
you. Redemption is an accomplished fact in the mind
of God. The Gospel is not what you are trying to get
God to do for you - it is what God has already done
for you.

A BETTER SYSTEM
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou
hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus.

-2 Timothy 1:13

Hold fast and follow the pattern of wholesome

and sound teaching which you have heard
from me, in [all] the faith and love which are
[for us] in Christ Jesus.

-Amplified Bible

Hold tightly to the pattern of truth I taught

you, especially concerning the faith and love
Christ Jesus offers you.

-Living Bible

And the Holy Spirit uses all this to point out to

us that under the old system the common
people could not go into the Holy of Holies as
long as the outer room and the entire system it
represents were still in use. This has an
important lesson for us today. For under the
old system, gifts and sacrifices were offered,
but these failed to cleanse the hearts of the
people who brought them. For the old system
dealt only with certain rituals - what foods to
eat and drink, rules for washing themselves,
and rules about this and that. The people had
to keep these rules to tide them over until
Christ came with God's new and better way. He
came as High Priest of this better system which
we now have. He went into that greater, perfect
tabernacle in heaven, not made by men nor
part of this world, and once for all took blood
into that inner room, the Holy of Holies, and
sprinkled it on the mercy seat; but it was not
the blood of goats and calves. No, he took his
own blood, and with it he, by himself, made
sure of our eternal salvation. And if under the
old system the blood of bulls and goats and the
ashes of young cows could cleanse men's
bodies from sin, just think how much more
surely the blood of Christ will transform our
lives and hearts. His sacrifice frees us from the
worry of having to obey the old rules, and
makes us want to serve the living God. For by
the help of the eternal Holy Spirit, Christ
willingly gave himself to God to die for our
sins - he being perfect, withouta single sin or
fault.

-Hebrews 9:8-14 -Living Bible

 The writer of Hebrews wanted to explain that the
old laws cannot compare to the work of redemption
that God has done for us in Christ. Apparently, many
Jewish Christians were thinking of turning from their
new life of faith in Christ who mediated a better
covenant and offered a better sacrifice for us.

The old system of Jewish laws gave only a dim

foretaste of the good things Christ would do for
us. The sacrifices under the old system were
repeated again and again, year after year, but
even so they could never save those who lived
under their rules. If they could have, one
offering would have been enough; the
worshippers would have been cleansed once for
all, and their feeling of guilt would be
gone...After Christ said this, about not being
satisfied with the various sacrifices and
offerings required under the old system, he
then added, "Here I am. I have come to give
my life." He cancels the first system in favor
of a far better one. Under this new plan we
have been forgiven and made clean by Christ's
dying for us once and for all.
 -Hebrews 10:1-3, 9, 10 - Living Bible

The first system had to be replaced by a new and

better system so man could have fellowship with
God. If you were still living under the old system you
would have to bring animals to be sacrificed for
forgiveness. Each time you sinned, you would be
required to bring a blood sacrifice to church, just like
they had to do in the Old Testament. We no longer
have to do that. The old system was done away with.
The first system that was established has been
replaced with a new and better system ordained by
God and sealed by the blood of His Son, Jesus
Christ.

THE OLD SYSTEM WAS DONE AWAY

WITH AND HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A
NEW SYSTEM.

Whatever Paul taught in Rome, he also taught in

Colossae, Ephesus, Corinth, Thessalonica, and also
wrote to the Hebrews. Paul's letters contain a system
of truth that enables the believer to understand and
grow in the reality of what Jesus has done and is
doing for us.

I like the way James Stalker said, "Paul's letters

contain the thoughts that Jesus carried away from
this world unuttered." Jesus had so much more to tell
his disciples that he could not tell them while he was
on earth (John 16:12-15). He had to wait until after
His death, burial, and resurrection to tell them.

Paul's revelation is for every believer. You should

read the book of Ephesians like Jesus is writing you a
letter through the Apostle Paul. There is a powerful
revelation of truth in these letters. There is a system
of truth that sets you free - free indeed!

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants

of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that
form of doctrine which was delivered you.

-Romans 6:17

But thanks be to God that though you were

once in thralldom to sin, you have now yielded
a hearty obedience to that SYSTEM OF
TRUTH in which you were instructed.
 -Weymouth

Thank God! Your thralldom to sin is a thing of

the past: you have rendered allegiance - from
the heart you have rendered it - to the New
Teaching, the mold into which you have let
your nature berun.

-Way

The King James Version calls it a "form of

doctrine." Way's translation calls it the "new
teaching." Rotherham's translation calls it the "mold
of teaching." My favorite is Weymouth's
translation:"...that system of truth in which you
were instructed." Paul's "system of truth" can be
found throughout his epistles. This system is
powerful.

...you shall know the truth and the truth shall

make you free...If the Son therefore shall
make you free, you shall be free indeed.

-John 8:32, 36
 Since Satan is a liar, the truth would do great
damage to him. There is tremendous power in truth.
The truth is in Jesus. The truth is in the Word of
God. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of truth
(John 16:13). In this book, we will take a journey
through Paul's System of Truth. This system of truth
broke the control of sin and Satan and set the believer
free to serve God.

Being then made free from sin, you became

the servants of righteousness.

-Romans 6:18

JESUS SAID YOU SHALL KNOW THE

TRUTH AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE
YOU FREE. PAUL'S SYSTEM OF TRUTH
BROKE THE CONTROL OF SIN AND
SATAN AND SET THE BELIEVER FREE TO
SERVE GOD.

THE NEW SYSTEM OF TRUTH

The new system of truth was necessary because
of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Jesus
didn't go through the agony of the crucifixion, the
suffering of the cross, and the glory or His
resurrection without effecting radical change. The
death, burial, and resurrection of Christ changed
everything.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new

creature: old things are passed away; behold
all things are become new.

-2 Corinthians 5:17

Noah Webster's Dictionary 1828 gives us a

working definition for the words "system" and
"systematical."

SYSTEM: An assemblage of things adjusted into a

regular whole; or a whole plan or scheme consisting
of many parts connected in such a manner as to
create a chain of mutual dependencies; or a regular
union of principles or parts forming one entire thing.
Thus we say a system of logic, a system of
philosophy, a system of government, a system of
principles, the solar system....
 SYSTEMATICAL: Formed with regular connection
and adaptation or subordination of parts to each
other, and to design the whole.

One of the simplest illustrations of a system is a

chain. A chain is a group of links that are
interdependent upon each other for the strength of
the whole. Not any one link can be a chain; all the
links are dependent upon the other.

The Apostle Paul's letters contain an

interdependent group of revelation realities that came
from what God has done for us in Christ. This
system of truth centers on the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ with the restoration of man as
the object. In Paul's System of Truth, the eight points
are the eight links, which have their center in
redemption. In Paul's revelation we understand the
Bible in the light of redemption. We also learn to see
our personal lives in the light of redemption.

Who hath delivered us from the power of

darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son.

-Colossians 1:13
 Satan can only operate as "a power of darkness."
His works can only succeed in the dark. So the light
of the Gospel of Christ stops anything that only
works in the dark.

Without an understanding of these principles, you

will be spiritually handicapped. It is not who you are
in yourself or your abilities that matter; it is who you
are because you have been born again and are in
union with Christ. This is the bottom line of your
faith - the network or system from which everything
you do in your Christian walk must center. This is
Paul's System of Truth.

THE 8 POINTS OF PAUL'S SYSTEM

OF TRUTH
1. Paul's Pneuma Concept: Spirit, Soul, and Body
2. Identification with Adam
3. Man's Condition in Adam
4. What Happened to Jesus - From the Cross to
the Throne
5. Identification with Christ
6. Who we are and What we have Now in Christ
7. What Jesus is Doing for us Now
8. How to Grow Up in Christ
 THREE
PAUL'S PNEUMA
CONCEPT
System of Truth - Point
One
PLANT OR ANIMAL?
Science classifies all living things in two
categories: plants or animals. Scientists have put man
in the animal kingdom. One day my high school
biology teacher asked the class, "How many of you
are plants?" No one raised a hand. He asked, "How
many of you are animals?" Some students raised their
hands; others did not. He asked if anyone in the class
was dead. He kept on and on in an effort to make his
point - that every living thing is either plant or animal.
My teacher continued until everyone in the class had
raised a hand except me. He asked me, "Are you a
plant?" I said, "No, I am not a plant." Then he asked
me, "Are you an animal?" I said, "No, I am not an
animal." He asked, "What are you, then?" I answered,
"I am a spirit made in the image of God, made a
shade lower than God Himself." He looked at me and
said, "I am not talking about church." I told him, "I
am not talking about church, either."

THE SPIRIT DIMENSION:

ANOTHER KINGDOM
Jesus said He would tell us about another
kingdom-an unseen kingdom. Other translators call it
the "realm of God" and the "dominion of God." Jesus
said, "I am come that you might have life and
have it more abundantly," (John 10:10).

The world only recognizes the plant and animal

kingdoms. You are not meant to operate like an
animal and be caught up in the "seen" world. You are
a spirit made in God's image. When you are born
again, you receive eternal life and move into a new
kingdom. You receive the life of God in your spirit
and become a part of the kingdom of God.

WHAT IS MAN?
 What is man, that thou art mindful of him?
And the son of man that thou visitest him?
For thou hast made him a little lower than the
angels, and hast crowned him with glory and
honour. Thou madest him to have dominion
over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all
things under his feet.

-Psalm 8:4-6

Man did not evolve from a monkey. In fact, Psalm

8 says that God made man a little lower than the
angels. The word for angels in this scripture is
"Elohim" or God. Man is made a shade lower than
God Himself.

In Genesis 1:26 God said, "Let us make man in

our image, after our likeness...." Not only is man
made in the image of God, but he is also created to
have dominion over the works of God's hands. Man
functions the way God functions. The works of the
enemy have been put under his feet through the work
of Christ.

SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY

 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;
and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and
body be preserved blameless unto the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ.

-1 Thessalonians 5:23

Created in the image of God, man is a spirit, who

has a soul, and resides in a body. This does not mean
you are one-third spirit, one-third soul, and one-third
body. More accurately, you can say of yourself, "I
am a spirit, I have a soul, and I live in a body."

GOD IS FATHER PNEUMA; HE MADE

PEOPLE TO BE LITTLE PNEUMAS.

PAUL'S PNEUMA CONCEPT

The Greek word for "spirit" is pneuma. John 4:24
says,"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him
must worship him in spirit and in truth." Jesus
said God is a Spirit or Pneuma. Since man is made in
the image of God, man is also a spirit or pneuma.
 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh
which corrected us, and we gave them
reverence: shall we not much rather be in
subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

-Hebrews 12:9

In this scripture, God is called Father of Spirits or

He is the "Father of pneumas." You are a spirit, with a
soul (which includes your mind, will, and emotions),
and you are staying in a body (the house you live in).
Many theologians have said, "We cannot understand
Paul's letters. We know that people have a mind and a
body, but what is this pneuma concept?"

PAUL'S LETTERS ARE CENTERED ON THE

TRUTH THAT MAN IS A SPIRIT BEING.

Paul's pneuma concept embraces the realm of the

Spirit. Man is a spirit; he is connected to God. God is
a Spirit. God is a Pneuma, and man is a pneuma. I
like to say it this way: God is Father Pneuma;He
made people to be little pneumas. The Holy Spirit
bears witness with our pneuma that we are the
children of God (Romans 8:16). The big "Pneuma"
bears witness with the little pneumas.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,

they are the sons of God.

-Romans 8:14

MAN IS A PNEUMA BEING

When God (Father Pneuma) formed Adam's body
and breathed into him, He inhaled in Heavenand
exhaled into Adam (Genesis 2:7). When Adam stood
up, he walked and talked like Father Pneuma. He had
pneuma love, pneuma glory, pneuma honor, and he
exercised pneumadominion. Adam's mind was so
sharp because he was in fellowship with God, Father
Pneuma. Without trying to think up new words, he
named all the animals. Adam was not a cave man. He
walked and talked with God in the cool of the day.
God said, "I want to talk to My man." Father Pneuma
talked with little pneuma.

And God said, Let us make man in our image,

after our likeness: and let them have
 dominion....

-Genesis 1:26

ADAM'S PNEUMA DEATH

The devil hated Adam because Adam looked like
God. Adam had everything that comes from walking
with God in the realm of the Spirit. He was a happy
man. The devil knew if Adam sinned, he would die
spiritually and lose his dominion, love, joy, and peace.
The devil knew he could mess man up totally if he
died spiritually.

When God made Adam, He originally gave him a

body that would live forever. The day Adam sinned,
he died spiritually. His spirit was cut off from
fellowship with God. His spirit, soul, and body
remained intact. His soul and his body took the
ascendancy, and his human nature took control of
him. His spirit was bound and gagged and unable to
function.

In Adam we are also spiritually dead, or separated

from God. This leaves the door open to the devil.
Satan controls a spiritually dead person through his
flesh and his mind. If you are not born again, your
spirit is not hooked up to God. You are spiritually
dead. A person who is not born again can develop his
spirit; however, the only way he can is to get hooked
up with unclean or familiar spirits in the spirit realm.

Paul's letters are centered on the fact that the real

you is a spirit not a body. If Adam had never sinned,
it would not be necessary for Paul's revelation to
divide spirit, soul, and body. James Stalker gives keen
insight of Paul's pneuma concept in The Life of St.
Paul:

The nature of man, according to Paul, normally

consists of three sections - body, soul, and spirit.
In his original constitution these occupied
definite relations of superiority and
subordination to one another, the spirit being
supreme, the body least important, and the soul
occupying the middle position.

CHRIST RESTORES THE LOST

PREDOMINANCE OF THE SPIRIT OF MAN
BY TAKING POSSESSION OF IT BY HIS
OWN SPIRIT.
But the Fall disarranged this order, and all sin
consists in the usurpation by the body or the soul
of the place of the spirit. In fallen man these
two inferior sections of human nature, which
together form what Paul calls the "flesh," or
that side of human nature that looks toward the
world and time, have taken possession of the
throne and completely rule the life, while the
spirit, the side of man that looks toward God
and eternity, has been dethroned and reduced to
a condition of inefficiency and death. Christ
restores the lost predominance of the spirit of
man by taking possession of it by His own
Spirit. His Spirit dwells in the human spirit,
vivifying it and sustaining it in such growing
strength that it becomes more and more the
sovereign part of the human constitution. The
man ceases to be carnal and becomes spiritual;
he is led by the Spirit of God and becomes more
and more harmonious with all that is holy and
divine.

The flesh does not, indeed, easily submit to the

loss of supremacy. It clogs and obstructs the
 spirit and fights to regain possession of the
throne. Paul has described this struggle in
sentences of stark vividness, in which all
generations of Christians have recognized the
features of their deepest experience. But the
issue of the struggle is not doubtful. Sin shall
not again have dominion over those in whom
Christ's Spirit dwells, or dislodge them from
their standing in the favor of God.

STEPPING INTO A NEW WORLD

When you are born again or saved, your pneuma
(spirit) is born again, hooked up to God (Romans
8:2). You step out of one world and step into another.

Who hath delivered us from the power of

darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son.

-Colossians 1:13

It was the Father who sprang us from the jail

house of darkness, and turned us loose in the
New World of His Beloved Son.
 -Jordan

When anyone is united to Christ, there is a new

world; the old order has gone, and a new order
has already begun.

-2 Corinthians 5:17 -New English Bible

If anyone has entered into fellowship with

Christ, a new world has at once opened upon
him, an old world has passed away.

-Stanley

GET PNEUMATIZED!
The new birth is the circumcision of the heart.
Your heart and your spirit are synonymous terms.
When Paul talked about "with the heart," he was
talking about your spirit, the hidden man of the heart.

For we are the circumcision, which worship

God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus,
and have no confidence in the flesh.

-Philippians 3:3
 Paul said that those who are born of God are
children of God, whether Jew or Gentile. Whether
there is an outward sign of circumcision or not, they
will worship God in the Spirit and have no
confidence in the flesh. We worship God in the
pneuma. Paul said, "I serve God in the pneuma."

Because the carnal mind is enmity against

God: for it is not subject to the law of God,
neither indeed can be.

-Romans 8:7

Your mind must be set on spirit or pneuma things.

Your mind needs to get pneumatized! You get your
clothes martinized (dry cleaned), so you ought to get
your mind pneumatized! You can take the realities of
the realm of the Spirit and who you are in the Spirit
and pneumatize your mind.

PAUL SAID YOU ARE MADE UP OF THREE

PARTS: SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY.

EXERCISE PNEUMA AUTHORITY

 The dominion that God gave to Adam was
conditional. His spirit had to stay in fellowship with
God. When Adam's spirit died, he lost his dominion.
Man is a spirit, and his dominion comes from his
spirit or pneuma.

When we are born again, dominion is restored to

us. Our dominion functions through our spirit, or
inward man. You will not exercise dominion in this
world through your flesh or your mind. The power
and authority of God will be exercised through your
spirit dominated by the Holy Spirit.

FEED YOUR PNEUMA THE WORD

Your soul (mind, will, emotions) and your spirit are
so close together that you can hardly tell them apart.
The Scripture says that only the Word of God can
separate and divide between your soul and your spirit
(Hebrews 4:12).

Only when you are filled with the Holy Ghost,

spending time in the Word, and in the presence of
God can you distinctly tell the difference between
your spirit and your soul. Your spirit is the part of
you that is most like God. As the Word feeds your
spirit, your inward man will rise up and take
dominion over your body and mind.

THE UNSEEN REALM AND THE

NATURAL MAN
In the unseen realm of the Spirit, your spirit man,
the unseen part of you, hooks up to the realm of
God. You begin to see who you are in Christ - who
God says you are. As your spirit takes hold and
begins to feed on the Word, the unseen part of you
begins to dominate the seen.

Paul said you are made up of three parts: spirit,

soul, and body. Each of these three distinct parts has
a function. In Greek, the word for "spirit" is pneuma,
the word for "soul" is psuche, and the word for
"body" is soma.

But the natural man receiveth not the things

of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness
unto him: neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned.

-1 Corinthians 2:14
 The natural man, the psuche man, does not
understand the things of the Spirit of God - they do
not make sense to him. He cannot know them
because they are spiritually (pneuma) discerned.

The natural man is like a person who does not

have a radio, yet the key to his future and to his life is
in the radio waves in the air. People say they do not
believe in the unseen, but they use the unseen every
day just by turning on the radio. The natural man
does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for
they are foolishness to him.

WHICH CHANNEL ARE YOU ON?

The natural man has his radio set on the psuche
(soul) channel, which is the mind, reasoning, and
emotions. He has his mind set on the things that are
seen. He is not receiving anything from the pneuma
channel because he has the dial set on the psuche
channel.

Some people live their entire life on either the

psuche (soul) channel or on the soma (body or flesh)
channel. If they are on the soul channel, they will
receive everything through their reasoning or their
emotions. If they are on the flesh channel, they will
receive everything through their desires, feelings,
urges, and needs. These channels will broadcast
trash to you.

The soma (flesh) channel can overwhelm the

psuche (soul) channel. You think you are in control of
your life and suddenly, your flesh controls you. You
do things you cannot understand. Suggestions, ideas,
and pressures come against you from the soma and
the psuche channels.

When you are born again, God says, "Let me show

you another channel - the pneuma channel." On this
channel you hear that Christ has redeemed you.

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has

made me free from the law of sin and death.

-Romans 8:2

The pneuma channel broadcasts songs of

deliverance and redemption and songs about your
righteousness in Christ. Your Bible shows you
everything that is on pneuma channel. Everything you
need for life and godliness is written in the Word.
 THE PNEUMA CHANNEL BROADCASTS
SONGS OF DELIVERANCE AND
REDEMPTION AND SONGS ABOUT YOUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS IN CHRIST.

SOUL POWER
Psuche, the Greek word for "soul" is where we get
the word "psychosomatic." The mind, or soul, can
have awesome power over the body. This simply
means that what you are thinking affects your body.
A psychosomatic illness originates in the soul and
affects the body. Professionals cannot just treat your
body. They have to persuade you to change your
way ofthinking as well. When you have a
psychosomaticillness, the doctor may give you a
sugar pill to make you think your body is being
treated. The challenge is actually in your mind.

YOUR SPIRIT HAS AN IMPACT ON YOUR

SOUL.
 You can develop your soul (your mind, will, and
emotions) to a degree where it exercises authority
over your body. Psychologists have proven this fact.
Ulcers and stress have proven this. To some degree
your mind is more powerful than your body.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against

God: for it is not subject to the law of God,
neither indeed can be.

-Romans 8:7

If it is possible to have a psychosomatic illness,

then it must be possible to have a "pneuma-somatic"
healing. If it is possible that the psuche (the soul or
mind) can have an effect on the body, then it must be
possible that the pneuma (the spirit) can have an
effect on the body.

If the soul is more powerful than the body, and the

spirit is more powerful than the soul or mind, that
must mean it is possible to have a "pneuma-psuche"
change. Your spirit has an impact on your soul.
Instead of your soul (mind) dominating your life with
confusion, worry, and anxiety, your inner man (your
spirit - the part of you that is most like God) gets in
union with Christ.

WHAT IS TRUE ABOUT YOU IN CHRIST IS

TRUE ABOUT YOU SPIRITUALLY.

Jesus feeds your spirit when you are in union with

His Spirit - like being hooked up to a feeding tube.
Your spirit rises up and takes authority over your soul
(your mind, will, and emotions). Your values,
philosophies, and thinking will change and have an
effect on your body.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the

things of the flesh; but they that are after the
Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be
carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace.

-Romans 8:5,6

God's method of salvation works from the inside

out through grace. Salvation begins by spiritually
being put in union with Christ. Through this union He
feeds you with everything necessary not only for you
to experience complete salvation and sanctification,
but also to meet all your needs.

SANCTIFIED FROM THE INSIDE

OUT
Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold
all things are become new.

-2 Corinthians 5:17

What is true about you in Christ is true about you

spiritually. You do not become a new creation
physically in your body because you still have the
same body. You do not become a new creation
mentally because even after you are saved, you
continue to have problems with your mind. That
means your mind did not pass away. You became
brand-new in your spirit. First Corinthians 6:17 seals
it for you, "But he that is joined unto the Lord is
one spirit."

In his letters, Paul took all that God has done for
you in Christ, explained what Jesus is doing for you
now, and showed your identification in Christ. The
Spirit of God is working and living on the inside of
you. Paul said that God is sanctifying you wholly -
spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). God is
working on you from the inside to the outside. You
must renew your mind and consecrate your body to
the service of righteousness by getting your body to
work, move, and respond in righteousness.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the

mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind....

-Romans 12:1,2

It is your reasonable service to present your body

to God and not to allow the values, thinking,
philosophies, direction, pressures, spirit, or people of
this world to shape you.

THE SPIRIT VS. THE FLESH

 Years ago, a study was done to determine the value
of a human body. The research concluded that the
body is worth eighty-six cents. With inflation, your
body would probably be worth about $2.00 today!
Are you going to let $2.00 worth of dirt control your
life?

Your body will say, "I am not going to pray." You

say, "Okay, I'm not praying." The body says, "I am
not going to study the Word." You say, "All right, I'm
not going to do it because I don't feel like it. I am not
going to church either because I don't feel like it."
Your body may say, "I am offended. They did not
treat me right." You need to get a bulldozer and get
your two dollars worth of dirt moving in the right
direction!

Know ye not that they which run in a race run

all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye
may obtain. And every man that striveth for
the mastery is temperate in all things. Now
they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we
an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as
uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth
the air. But I keep under my body, and bring it
 into subjection lest that by any means, when I
have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway.

-1 Corinthians 9:24-27

The word castaway is the same Greek word for

disqualified. Paul said if you do not keep your body
under subjection, you will be disqualified. You will
not be able to finish. If Paul had a chance to be
disqualified, do you think you and I have a chance to
be disqualified? You may think, "I am so important in
the kingdom of God I could never be disqualified!"
Paul was the head of the whole Gentile church, yet
he said he could be disqualified.

Paul ascended to the third Heaven, talked to Jesus,

and heard words unlawful for man to utter. He
received divine revelation and wrote two-thirds of the
New Testament. If Paul had all that revelation and
still needed to keep under his body and bring it into
subjection, then you and I will need to keep our
bodies in subjection to the Holy Spirit.

GOD HAS TAKEN CARE OF YOUR

 REDEMPTION, BUT YOU HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING WITH YOUR BODY AND
YOUR MIND.

Paul said that he told his body what to do. He did

not allow his body to do what it wanted to do. In
Colossians 3:5, Paul said, "Mortify therefore your
members which are upon the earth." In Romans 8:13
he said, "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but
if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the
body, ye shall live."

God has taken care of your redemption, but you

have to do something with your body and your mind.
As long as you are in this world, you will never get to
the place where you do not have trouble with your
body. Paul called it a war between your spirit and
your flesh.

THE INWARD MAN

Paul gave us a good definition of the inward man
and the outward man when he said, "I (the man on
the inside) keep under my body, and I (the man on
the inside) bring it (the body) into subjection." When
you are born again, your spirit (inward man) is joined
to Christ and becomes a new creation.

For which cause we faint not; but though our

outward man perish, yet the inward man is
renewed day by day.

-2 Corinthians 4:16

Paul said that although his outward man goes

through affliction and difficulty, his inward man is
being renewed daily. He spoke of theconflict between
the flesh (the outward man) and the spirit (the inward
man). He said, "Renewal, restoration, and
strengthening is happening in my inward man every
day."

THE SPIRIT OF MAN IS WHAT MAKES

HIM DIFFERENT FROM EVERY OTHER
CREATED BEING.

Your spirit is not just a mist or a vapor on the

inside of you. Peter calls your spirit "the hidden man
of the heart," and Paul calls your spirit "the inward
man." You are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live
in a body. Your spirit and your soul together make up
the inward man.

Man is a spirit, he has a soul, and he lives in a

body. The spirit of man -the part of man that is most
like God is eternal. The spirit of man is what makes
him different from every other created being.

This truth is essential to the remaining seven points

in Paul's System of Truth. The Apostle Paul's
writings can only be comprehended by understanding
that you are an eternal being made in the image of
God not just the body that houses your inward man.
God expectsyouto getyour body and soul in
subjection to your spirit man by availing yourself to
His Holy Spirit and His Word.

PNEUMA REFERENCES
John 4:23,24: God is a Spirit - Pneuma

Romans 8:2: The law of the spirit of life in Christ

Jesus - Pneuma life

Romans 8:4: The Pneuma walk

 Romans 8:5,6: The Pneuma mind

Romans 8:9: In the Spirit (Pneuma)

Romans 8:10: The spirit of man is alive

Romans 8:14: Sons of God-led by the Pneuma of

God

Romans 5:5: Pneuma love

Romans 2:28,29: The new birth, spiritual

circumcision,in the spirit

Romans 1:9: Worship in the Pneuma

Romans 10:8-10: Pneuma faith

Ephesians 1:3: Pneuma blessing

Ephesians 1:17: Pneuma wisdom and revelation

Ephesians 2:4-6: Pneuma love, life, dominion

Ephesians 6:17: Pneuma sword - the Word of God

Galatians 5:16: Walk in the Pneuma

 Galatians 5:18: Led, directed by the Pneuma

Galatians 5:22-23: The fruit of the Pneuma

Galatians 5:25: Live and walk in the spirit

(pneuma)

Galatians 6:8: Sowing and reaping from the

Pneuma

1 Timothy 4:8: Pneuma exercise

2 Timothy 1:7: Pneuma power, love, and a sound

mind

1 Corinthians 2:9-14: Pneuma channel -

reception,speaking, understanding

1 Corinthians 12:1-10: Pneuma gifts and

manifestations

1 Corinthians 14:2: Praying in the Spirit

(Pneuma) speaking divine secrets

1 Corinthians 14:14: My spirit (Pneuma) prays

1 Corinthians 14:15: My spirit sings - Pneuma

singing

Hebrews 12:9: Father of spirits - Daddy Pneuma

John 5:24,25: Pneuma Life

John 6:63: Pneuma words

Mark 11:23: Pneuma words and authority

1 Corinthians 6:17: Joined to Jesus - joined at the

Pneuma
 FOUR
MAN'S
IDENTIFICATION WITH
ADAM
System of Truth - Point
Two
BEFORE YOU WERE BORN
If your parents moved to Louisiana from Texas
before you were born, their choice would affect the
state you were born in. You would not be a Texan;
you would be a Louisianan. Why? Yet unborn, you
were in your parents when they moved whether they
knew it or not. When they moved, their decision
affected you.

Parents often make decisions that affect the way

their children are born and the way they are raised.
They make decisions that have certain results that are
passed on. Many times people think when they
disobey God their disobedience only affects them.
Their disobedience really affects their families and
those future generations in them.

Everyone in the entire human race originated from

the Garden of Eden out of the first man, Adam, and
his wife,

Eve. Your nationality, where you live, or what

language you speak does not matter. You could not
have come into this earth any other way except
through Adam's lineage.

God created Adam in a state of righteousness and

holiness. Adam had direct, personal fellowship with
God and had dominion over the works of God's
hands. God crowned Adam and Eve with glory and
honor, blessed them and gave them a wonderful
spirit, intellect (soul), and body. God made them just
the way He wanted everyone to be - blessed, happy,
victorious, and prosperous.

YOU WERE NOT BORN IN THE

CONDITION ADAM WAS CREATED IN;
 YOU WERE BORN IN THE CONDITION HE
PASSED ON.

When Adam sinned, he passed from fellowship

with God - from life to death. You were not born in
the condition Adam was created in; you were born in
the condition he passed on. Through Adam - through
one man's disobedience - we were all affected.

ADAM WAS NOT DECEIVED

We understand from scripture that the serpent
deceived Eve. When the Lord asked her what she
had done, she told him,"...The serpent beguiled
me, and I did eat" (Genesis 3:13). Yet, it was not
really Eve's sin that affected the whole human race;
Adam's sin did. Adam was not deceived. Adam knew
exactly what he was doing when he disobeyed God.
Adam knew the moment he took of the fruit of
thattree, spiritual death would set in. He knew he
would lose his authority and it would affect the entire
human race.

When God judged Adam and Eve, He judged them

differently. Adam knew what he was doing and
carried the responsibility as head of the family. Notice
that God first asked Adam what happened.

Adam's job was actually to guard the garden, take

dominion, and keep the devil out. Adam reneged on
his authority and allowed his wife to be in a place she
should not have been to listen to the devil. When God
confronted him with his failure, Adam tried to blame
everyone but himself. He replied,"The woman whom
thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the
tree, and I did eat" (Genesis 3:12). Ultimately,
Adam's negligence and disobedience caused man to
lose his dominion.

ADAM, THE ARCHETYPE OF

MANKIND
In our offices we have different kinds of copiers.
We make copies of paper, cassette tapes, video tapes,
and now cd's and dvd's. To make copies of cassette
tapes, we have one machine with a place that says,
"Master." The other places on the machine say
"copy." You can make one copy of the master or
duplicate hundreds of copies.
 In every case, the same material on the master is
duplicated onto the copies whether we make 2 copies
or 100 copies. The same defects, sounds, or
information that are on the master are duplicated
identically onto the copies. If the master is bad, the
copies are bad. If the master is good, the copies are
good.

Adam was more than just one man. Adam was an

archetype or the "master." God did not create the
entire human race at once. He created one man and
one woman and gave them the capacity of
procreation. God let Adam father His family.

God put in Adam everything the whole human race

could want - joy, blessing, and dominion. God made
him the "master." Adam and Eve had all these things.
God called them man and woman and the two
together had dominion.

When Adam sinned, the "master" developed a

defect. Sin, sickness, death, depression, and
confusion - every kind of defect you can imagine -
marred the master. Adam and Eve began to
reproduce and make copies. Those copies went all
over the world throughout the history of man. One
man messed up the whole thing. We were born, not
in the condition that God created Adam, but in the
condition caused by Adam's sin. Adam, now a
blemished master, produced and duplicated the same
blemish in every copy that was ever born.

A COPY OF THE MASTER

What was God going to do with these millions and
millions of bad copies? Satan thought he had won,
but God had a plan from the foundation of the world.
God did some genetic engineering and made a new
master. God could do this because He is the Creator.
He allowed His only Son to become a man, born of a
woman, conceived by the Holy Spirit.

God was manifested in the flesh and walked the

earth with us. Jesus came for three reasons: to reveal
the goodness of God, to destroy the works of the
devil, and to redeem us to God through the cross.

When you are born again, you get on another

machine. You get off the Adam machine and onto
Christ's machine. Christ is the "master" now. When
you get on His machine, the power of His death
erases your old condition.
 The power of His resurrection identifies you with a
whole new humanity, a whole new creation. You are
not the same person anymore. You no longer identify
only with

your natural family. You are now identified with

Christ (Point 5 in Paul's System of Truth).

The same law that allowed one man to affect every

man is the same law that allowed Jesus Christ, the
last Adam, to take the first Adam's condition of sin,
the curse, shame, and death.

IDENTIFIED WITH ADAM

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into
the world, and death by sin; and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned.

-Romans 5:12

Mankind is in the condition that Adam passed into

when he sinned in the Garden of Eden. One man,
Adam, affected the entire human race. Through one
man's disobedience all were made sinners (Romans
5:17). The whole Bible is really about two men: the
first Adam and the last Adam. You get your sin nature
from the first Adam, which Paul refers to as the old
man. The "new man" is Christ who is called the last
Adam.

THE WHOLE BIBLE IS REALLY ABOUT

TWO MEN: THE FIRST ADAM AND THE
LAST ADAM.

Man's condition cannot be corrected by reading a

book or trying to do better. He is a sinner by nature
and cannot truly change himself. A person has to be
born again if he is going to get out of Adam. He has
to lose his identity in Adam and get identified with
Christ, the last Adam. James Stalker sheds light on
man's condition in Adam.

From Adam his children derive a sad double

heritage - a debt of guilt which they cannot
reduce but are constantly increasing, and a
carnal nature which is incapable of
righteousness. These are the two features of the
religious condition of fallen man, and they are
 the double source of all his woes.

But Christ is a new Adam, a new head of

humanity, and those who are connected with
Him by faith become heirs of a double heritage
of a precisely opposite kind. On the one hand,
just as through our birth in the first Adam's line
we become inevitably entangled in guilt, like a
child born into a family which is drowned in
debt, so through our birth in the line of the
second Adam we get involved in a boundless
heritage of merit, which Christ, as the Head of
His family, makes the common property of
its members. This extinguishes the debt of our
guilt and makes us rich in Christ's righteousness.
"As by one man's disobedience many were made
sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many
be made righteous." On the other hand, just as
Adam transmitted to his posterity a carnal
nature, alien to God and unfit for righteousness,
so the new Adam imparts to the race of which
He is the Head a spiritual nature, akin to God
and delighting in righteousness.

THE LAW OF SIN

 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants
of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that
form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, you became
the servants of righteousness.

-Romans 6:17,18

SIN ALWAYS COSTS MORE THAN YOU

WANT TO PAY, TAKES YOU FARTHER
THAN YOU WANT TO GO, AND KEEPS
YOU LONGER THAN YOU WANT TO STAY.

Paul said that we were once the servants of sin.

Sin makes you do things you do not want to do. Sin
is breaking the laws of God, breaking the Word of
God, and rebelling against God. To get involved in sin
is to become a partner with the devil. The result of
sin is death.

Initially, sin is offered as pleasure and looks so

appealing. The devil does not tell you that he is going
to steal from you, kill you, and destroy you. He will
not tell you that up front. In fact, he likes you to
think he does not exist!

The Bible says there is pleasure in sin for a season

(Hebrews 11:25). The devil does not tell you that the
wages of sin is death, or that it breaks your
fellowship with God and causes your destiny to be
the same as his. Sin always costs more than you
want to pay, takes you farther than you want to go,
and keeps you longer than you want to stay. The
devil is trying to get as many people to go to hell with
him as he can.

Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I

that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find
then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is
present with me.

-Romans 7:20,21

Sin is not just something that a person does. Sin is

a nature that gets a hold of people, controls their
lives, and destroys them. Sin breaks your fellowship
with God. Everything that God has deposited in you -
the potential and the possibilities - will never be
realized as long as sin controls your life. Your self-
esteem and self-image are rotted out by sin.
 SIN IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT A
PERSON DOES. SIN IS A NATURE THAT
GETS A HOLD OF PEOPLE, CONTROLS
THEIR LIVES, AND DESTROYS THEM.

But I see another law in my members, warring

against the law of my mind, and bringing me
into captivity to the law of sin which is in my
members. O wretched man that I am! who
shall deliver me from the body of this death! I
thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So
then with the mind I myself serve the law of
God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

-Romans 7:23-25

Paul is talking about body, soul, and spirit. Most

Bible scholars agree that in this chapter, Paul
described the struggle of a person who is not born
again but wants to do what is right. He tries to do
right, but he just cannot do it. There is no hope for
man's condition without Jesus Christ. There is no
hope for man outside of the blood of Jesus and His
death, burial, and resurrection. Only the blood of
Jesus and the power of the Gospel can change a
person. God does not just deal with wrongdoing,
iniquity, or acts of disobedience to His law and His
Word. Hedeals with the root cause of sin and the
very nature of sin in us.

Man's condition in Adam demanded a crucifixion

and resurrection. We needed much more than just a
lesson, we needed life. Jesus came not to give man
just a lesson - but to give us life itself (John 10:10).
Many religions give lessons but Jesus Christ came to
give us life.

For if by one man's offense death reigned by

one; much more they which receive abundance
of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall
reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

-Romans 5:17

FIRST ADAM, LAST ADAM

Adam's disobedience affected everyone that has
ever been or ever will be born. How could one man's
sin affect the entire human race?
 JESUS CAME NOT TO GIVE MAN JUST A
LESSON - BUT TO GIVE US LIFE ITSELF!

A few years ago one of the computers in our main

office started to have some problems. For several
days, technical support tried to resolve the issues
with this computer over the phone. Finally, we had to
call in a service technician. After about half an hour,
the technician told us that the computer had a boot
virus. He really could not explain how this computer
had caught this particular virus. At the time, this
computer was not internet accessible and did not
share files with any other computer.

THERE IS NO HOPE FOR MAN'S

CONDITION WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST.

No one was extremely concerned because we had

back-up files for all of the work done on this
computer. The technician began to tell the worker
who used this computer that the operating system
was corrupt. He said that the only way to fix the
computer was to erase the memory.

The worker still did not show much concern; after

all, we had back-up files for everything. The
technician started to explain that because the
operating system was corrupt, all of the back-up files
were corrupt also. The back-up files could not be
used when the memory was erased and the programs
restored. The files also could not be used on any
other computer. The corrupted files would corrupt
any computer system if they were used. The back-up
files had been made in the corrupt operating system
and would corrupt the system again. The computer
could still be used, but all of the information was lost.
The back-up files had to be destroyed.

Mankind, because of Adam's sin, became corrupt.

One man, "operating system Adam," infected the
entire human race.

THAT FORM OF DOCTRINE

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants
of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that
form of doctrine which was delivered you.
 Being then made free from sin, ye became the
servants of righteousness.

-Romans 6:17,18

People seldom think of doctrine as setting them

free from sin. Most people think of some great
evangelist waving his hand over them, being slain in
the Spirit, and then suddenly, miraculously, they are
free from sin! I believe in the power of God, in the
moving of the Holy Ghost, and in the anointing.
Notice what Paul said, "You obeyed from your heart
a form of doctrine that was delivered you, and it set
you free from sin."

Many people say, "I do not read the Bible, but I

have this problem that I need someone to take care
of." Paul has the answer in "this form of doctrine."
He said it was delivered to you and you were
instructed in the system of truth.

As Paul wrote, the Holy Ghost wove a system of

truth through all of his letters to keep people in the
center of the Gospel and who they are in Christ. In
between the historical references he wove timeless,
eternal truths.
 In Romans 6:17,18 Paul said, "This doctrine will
set you free from sin. You will become a servant of
righteousness." The dreams, plans, and purposes that
God has put in your life will take you where you need
to go if you will stay in this form of doctrine.

BREAKING THE POWER OF SIN

If you get to know some of the prisoners in the
penitentiaries, you wonder how they could have done
what they are accused of doing. Most of them are
not so bad. A man or woman who is not born again
still has a conscience and, for the most part, wants to
do what is right.

ONCE WE ARE BORN AGAIN, WE ARE NO

LONGER SLAVES TO SIN.

The new birth extends beyond the conscience of

man, which tells him right from wrong. The new
birth gives man eternal life and establishes God's
"righteous nature" within him. Then, he has the ability
to break the power and control of sin and the cycle
of sin off his mind and body.
 God makes us righteous by breaking the power of
sin and the effect of sin in our lives. Righteousness is
not just something imputed to us - it is the nature of
God. His nature comes into us and gives us the desire
and the power to change our behavior (Philippians
2:13).

There is therefore now no condemnation to

them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made
me free from the law of sin and death.

-Romans 8:1,2

Once we are born again, we are no longer slaves

to sin. We become servants of righteousness.
Righteousness - right standing with God and being
pleasing to Him - becomes the governing power in
our lives. We desire to do what righteousness wants
us to do, not what the old sin nature wants to do.

SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
When sin is exposed for what it is, it does not look
so appealing. There is no lasting pleasure in it. Paul
made very clear where sin came from, how sin got
into us, and how sin affects us. Then Paul told us
how God dealt with sin in the death, burial, and
resurrection of Christ. He explained how believers
become servants of righteousness.

THE POWER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL

MAKE YOU FREE FROM SIN.

Throughout the book of Romans, Paul shows how

you can be a servant of righteousness and how to
yield to righteousness. The power of righteousness
will make you free from sin. He shows you how you
can be free from the past and from the effects and
control of sin.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12 Paul said, "All things are

lawful for me...but I will not be brought under the
power of any." He was adamant and determined. He
said, "I will not allow anything to control me - my
flesh, my reasoning, my mind, or my feelings. I keep
under my body. I bring it into subjection."
 Great exploits come out of the lives of people who
are slaves to righteousness. Everyone who is made
righteous "in Christ" is accepted by God and pleasing
to Him. They have favor with Him. Their faith soars
and they believe God can do anything! They know
how to receive from God.
 FIVE
MAN'S CONDITION IN
ADAM
System of Truth - Point
Three
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned.

-Romans 5:12

I heard the story of a fireman in California whose

hand was so severely burned, his doctors determined
they would have to amputate. One of the doctors,
however, wanted to try an experimental surgery. He
knew that the body has certain regenerative powers.
He cut the man's side open and inserted the burned
hand for a period of time. To the doctor's
amazement, when they removed the fireman's hand
from his side, it had begun to heal and grow new
skin.

I believe God did a similar surgery with man.

When Adam sinned, man's condition looked so bad.
It looked like God would have to amputate.

SEPARATION FROM GOD

In his alienation and separation from God, Adam
actually became an enemy of God. Sacrifices and
ordinances had to be followed for anyone to
approach God, even at a distance, because of man's
condition in Adam. Specific sacrifices were required
to be made when the law was broken. The shedding
of blood was always required for the atonement of
sins. In the Old Testament, the high priest went into
the Holy of Holies only once a year to make exact
sacrifices of blood for himself and for the people.
When the priest entered the Holy of Holies, he had
bells on his garment and a rope tied around him. The
people knew as long as they heard the bells ringing,
everything was all right. If the high priest did one
thing wrong in the presence of God, he would drop
dead. The reason he wore the rope was so they could
pull his body out of the Holy of Holies.
 THE BIBLE IS PROGRESSIVE
REVELATION- THERE IS A CONTINUAL
REVELATION OF GOD'S REDEMPTION
PLAN.

In 2 Samuel 6:3-7, Uzzah broke the laws of God,

and the power in the Ark killed him. Actually, Uzzah
just tried to help, but they had broken the law in how
to transport the Ark. God was not trying to kill him;
God is not in the

killing business. If they had transported the Ark

according to the law God gave to Moses, Uzzah
would have never had to reach out to steady it. In
ignorance Uzzah did touch the Ark and dropped dead
instantly.

THE MOST ACCURATE PICTURE OF GOD

COMES THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT.

If you break the laws of electricity, you are going

to die. Electricity is not out to kill you, but it will kill
you on the spot if you get hold of a live wire because
of your ignorance or negligence. The power of God
is like electricity. Uzzah broke the laws of God and
the power of God in the Ark killed him. This
happened because of man's condition in Adam -
spiritual death and separation from God.

JOB REVEALS MAN'S CONDITION

The Bible is progressive revelation. From the Old
Testament to the New Testament, and from the four
gospels all the way through the epistles, there is a
continual revelation of God's redemption plan. The
Old Testament is inspired by God, but the most
accurate picture of God comes through the New
Testament.

Man's condition in Adam is also seen in the book

of Job. Job gives a revelation of man's experience
and condition in this world. Some of the things Job
said were not necessarily true. He thought God was
the One causing the calamities in his life, but it was
the devil.

If I wash myself with snow water, and make my

hands ever so clean; Yet shalt thou plunge me
in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor
 me. For he is not a man, as I am, that I should
answer him, and we should come together in
judgment. Neither is there any daysman
betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us
both.

-Job 9:30-33

Job had boils all over him and had lost his family
and all of his possessions. He said, "I am trying to be
right with God, but if I wash myself with snow
water and make myself clean, you are going to throw
me in a ditch, anyway." Job knew that there was
nothing he could do to make himself right with God.
No matter what he did, it could never be enough.

In verse 32 Job said, "For he is not a man, as I

am...." In other words, God does not know what I
am going through. He does not know what it is like
to be a man. How can we communicate? There are
three major revelations from the book of Job: man
needs righteousness, man needs a revelation of God,
and man needs a mediator and a redeemer.

MANKIND NEEDS A MEDIATOR

 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that
might lay his hand upon us both.

-Job 9:33

Neither is there any umpire....

-Moffat

Neither is there any Mediator....

-Rotherham

Job did not know how to get to God; he needed a

mediator. He knew he could not go directly to God.
He needed someone who could help him get to God.
He said he needed someone who might lay his hand
on him and God - someone who knew God but could
also represent him.

How then can man be justified with God? Or

how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not;
yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How
much less man, that is a worm?
 -Job 25:4-6

Job acknowledged that his problem began at birth.

He was born with a sinful nature, which separated
him from God. Man was meant to stand in dignity
before God, but because of sin, man lost his glory,
respect, and dignity. Job said, "I am like a worm."
This is every person's condition in Adam before the
new birth.

When Adam sinned, the earth was cursed and

Adam was cursed. When Adam sinned it affected
every man in the entire universe. Job said even the
universe knows something is wrong. The entire
universe is a mess because of Adam's sin. Paul said
something similar in Romans 8:22, "...the whole
creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together
until now." Man is under a curse until he is liberated
in Christ.

GOD FOUND A SUBSTITUTE

Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and
his life to the destroyers. If there be a
messenger with him, an interpreter, one
 among a thousand, to shew unto man his
uprightness. Then he is gracious unto him,
and saith, Deliver him from going down to the
pit: I have found a ransom. His flesh shall be
fresher than a child's: he shall return to the
days of his youth: He shall pray unto God, and
he will be favourable unto him: and he shall
see his face with joy: for he will render unto
man his righteousness.

-Job 33:22-26

Job prophesied that God had found a ransom. The

Living Bible says, "I have found a substitute." Jesus
is that substitute! Job is talking about redemption! He
is talking about favor and rightstanding with God.

Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes

with man, To bring back his soul from the pit,
to be enlightened with the light of the living.

-Job 33:29-30

In other words, the fire has gone out of man. Yet,

God would send the mediator and pay the ransom
through the substitutionary work of Christ. He would
restore righteousness and set man's spirit on fire
again!

Job asked that his words be printed in a book

never to be erased (Job 19:23,24). God thought it
was a good idea! Under the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit, Job saw a larger picture and prophesied: "For I
know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand
at the latter day upon the earth" (Job 19:25).

PAUL REVEALS MAN'S

CONDITION
In the book of Romans, which is primarily about
righteousness, Paul describes man's condition.

What then? are we better than they? No, in no

wise: for we have before proved both Jews and
Gentiles, that they are all under sin. As it is
written, there is none righteous, no not one:
There is none that understandeth, there is
none that seeketh after God.

-Romans 3:9-10
 They are all under the domination of sin, held
down by sin and subject to the power and the
control of sin.

-Romans 3:9,10 - Carpenter's

Paul said that the Jews have a covenant with God,

but they are still controlled by sin. Gentiles have no
covenant with God and are also controlled by sin.
God had to deal with sin through Christ to break the
power of sin for Jews and Gentiles.

There is not one who is really wise....

-Romans 3:11 - Weymouth

Paul said that even all the great schools of learning

and philosophers of his day in Athens, Corinth,
Ephesus, and Alexandria were ignorant and devoid of
understanding. Man with all of his knowledge is still
alienated from God. When man dies he will go to hell
and spend eternity separated from the loving God
who created him. This is man's condition in Adam
before regeneration in Christ.

WITHOUT HOPE, WITHOUT

COVENANT, WITHOUT GOD
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time
past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called
Uncircumcision by that which is called the
Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
That at that time ye were without Christ, being
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and
strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope, and without God in the world.

-Ephesians 2:11-12

Paul explains your adamic condition before you are

born again in Christ. You are without hope, without
the covenant, and without God. Your condition in
Adam is dead in trespasses and sins. You are not
physically or mentally dead, but you are spiritually
dead.

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that

hath not the Son of God hath not life.

-1 John 5:12
 As I mentioned in the previous chapter, man's
condition in Adam demanded a crucifixion and
resurrection. We needed much more than just a
lesson, we needed life. Jesus came not to give man
just a lesson - but to give us life itself (John 10:10).
Many religions give lessons but Jesus Christ came
togive us life.

MANY RELIGIONS GIVE LESSONS BUT

JESUS CHRIST CAME TO GIVE US LIFE.

You can have religion and still be dead. You can

serve on the city council and still be dead. You can
live in a big, fancy house in the suburbs and still be
dead. You can have a store at the mall and still be
dead. You can slam-dunk a basketball and still be
dead. You can have a tan in Wisconsin and still be
dead. You can have your picture on the cover of
Time magazine and still be dead. You can even be a
priest and wear a robe and still be dead.

SPIRITUALLY DEAD
Wherein in time past ye walked according to
the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that
now worketh in the children of disobedience.

-Ephesians 2:2

You were spiritually dead, through your sins

and failures, all the time that you followed this
world's ideas of living, and obeyed the evil
ruler of the spiritual realm - who is indeed
fully operative today in those who disobey God.

-Ephesians 2:1,2 - Phillips

You also has God given life from the dead, for
dead you were. Slain by your trespasses and
sins in an atmosphere which you had once
passed your lives, following the tendency of the
present age, controlled by the ruler of the
kingdom of the lower air, the demon spirit
which is now so active in the children of
disobedience.

-Arthur S. Way
 Your former lifestyle was controlled by a set of
values inspired by the devil.

-Ephesians 2:2, Johnson

When you are spiritually dead you follow the

course of this world. When you follow the course of
this world, the prince of the power of the air -the
spirit that works in the children of disobedience -
controls you.

Paul is talking about a spiritual condition that was

passed on to you from Adam that allows the devil to
dominate you. If you are living with the world's
standards as a measure for what is right and wrong,
you are obeying its unseen ruler, the devil. The
course of this world will take you straight to hell.

CONTROLLED BY THE DEVIL

If your values and philosophy of life make no
room for eternity and you do not see that you will
one day stand before God, you are being deceived.
When you live only in the light of the present and
what makes you happy now, you are living under the
devil's influence. You are being controlled by the
devil.

You drifted along with the tide. You were not a

master of your own fate, and you are not a
captain of your own soul. The windy gust of
passion and self-will, the devilish promptings
of the evil one threw you this way and then
threw you that way....

-Ephesians 2:2,3 - Carpenter

You are ridden by the passions of your sensual

nature, obeying the impulses of that nature
and its dark imaginings of your mind.

-Arthur S. Way

...obeying the orders of our bodies and of our

imaginations.

-Noli

Among whom also we all had our conversation

[lifestyle] in times past in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the
 mind; and were by nature the children of
wrath.

-Ephesians 2:3

Paul says you are following the course of this

world, thinking you are the captain of your soul.
When in reality, you are controlled by the devil and
you don't even know it. Your condition has subjected
you to the wrath of God. When you follow the lust
of your flesh and of your mind, you are opening
yourself up to the wrath of God.

IN ADAM - IN CHRIST
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall
no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law
is the knowledge of sin. For all have sinned,
and come short of the glory of God; Being
justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God
hath set forth to be a propitiation through
faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, through
the forbearance of God. To declare, I say, at
 this time his righteousness: that he might be
just, and the justifier of him which believeth in
Jesus.

-Romans 3:20,23-26

Understanding man's condition in Adam helps us

see the necessity of the cross of Christ. In his letters,
Paul went into great detail describing man's condition
in Adam to show us the extent of our salvation in
Christ. Not only does Paul describe man's standing
before God, but he also describes how the flesh and
the mind control unregenerated man.

All of us were bound in that state at one time;

responding only to the satanically inspired
impulses of our evil natures so that we too were
led to obey the cravings of our instincts and
went about satisfying the longings of our flesh.
Like others, we did not realize we were
accumulating God's wrath and that our very
natures were sending us to hell.

-Ephesians 2:3, Lovett's

 He contrasts our condition in Adam with our
position in Christ like a jewelry store displays its
diamonds against a background of black velvet. Paul
paints the picture of man's background so we can
see it like the cut of a diamond and every facet of
what God has done for us in Christ. We see the
wisdom, love, purity, righteousness, and power of
God on display on the dark background of man's
sinful condition.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great

love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with
Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised
us up together, and made us sit together in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the
ages to come he might shew the exceeding
riches of his grace in his kindness toward us
through Christ Jesus.

-Ephesians 2:4-7

The word "quickened" means He has given us life

- spiritual life. This life restores dominion to the
point that we are no longer controlled by our flesh or
our minds. We are not dominated by the devil. We are
not following the course of this world any longer. We
are quickened together with Christ.

Paul told us to be thankful to God for all things:

thankful for giving us the victory; thankful for
always causing us to triumph; thankful for qualifying
us for our inheritance in Christ; thankful for
delivering us from the power of darkness and for
translating us into the kingdom of His dear Son. In
Christ, you have redemption through His blood, even
the forgiveness of sin.

Everything we need pertaining to life and godliness

has been provided in Christ (2 Peter 1:3). What is left
to do? Study the Word and find out who you are in
Christ.

Acknowledge and declare, "I am who God says I

am. I am a new creation in Christ. Old things have
passed away. Everything has become new. I was
identified with Christ in His death, burial, and
resurrection, and now I am in union with Him. I am
no longer in Adam-I am in Christ!"
 SIX
WHAT HAPPENED TO
JESUS FROM THE
CROSS TO THE
THRONE
System of Truth - Point
Four
ONCE UPON A TIME
Everyone likes a great story that begins with the
phrase, "Once upon a time...." The story of Jesus is
the greatest story ever told. It is not a fantasy, but a
true story that has changed the world for thousands
of years. The story of Jesus is told in over a
thousand languages to millions of people, young and
old, around the world and is still changing lives
today! One day as I was studying Hebrews chapters
9 and 10, the word "ONCE" stood out so clearly. I
began to see God's plan of redemption in Christ and
how the wisdom and power of God very effectively
"ONCE" paid the price for our freedom.

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by

his own blood he entered in ONCE into the
holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for us.

-Hebrews 9:12

He went ONCE for all into the [Holy of]

Holies... but with His own blood, having found
and secured a complete redemption (an
everlasting release for us).

-Amplified

Whenever you face any challenge, remember this

story and tell it again -- Once Upon a Time! When
Satan comes against you, just bring up this story and
say, "once upon a time..." and the devil will leave.
Now, we as believers can take the Word of God and
tell the devil a bedtime story. Say, "Devil, ONCE upon
a time Jesus defeated you for all eternity." Speak the
Word of God with boldness and rock the devil to
sleep!

In whom we have redemption through his

blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according
to the riches of his grace.

-Ephesians 1:7

From the cross to the throne, Jesus paid for our

redemption, deliverance, freedom, and healing. Paul
continually emphasized that Jesus purchased our
redemption to make us free from sin. "Redemption"
simply means "freedom or deliverance through the
payment of a price." Again and again Paul tells us that
Jesus obtained eternal redemption for us through His
blood.

In whom we have redemption through his

blood,even the forgiveness of sins.

-Colossians 1:14

THE FOUR MAJOR VIEWS OF THE

ATONEMENT
 Much was taking place in the death, burial and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, more than what meets
the natural eye of a casual reader. It was a production
of God and is the central focal point of history and
the plan of redemption. These are four major views
of what happened in these events and how they
affect us today.

1. SUBSTITUTION OR SATISFACTION: Jesus

took man's place, died his death and became sin for
every man. In becoming a substitute for sinful man,
He satisfied the demands of a holy God. He took our
place on the cross and identified with us in our sin,
sickness and sorrow so that they could be removed.
He was buried, justified, triumphed over evil, and
raised to sit at the right hand of God.

Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried

our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God and afflicted. But he was
wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities: the chastisement of our
peace was upon him; and with his stripes we
are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned every one to his own way; and
the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us
all.

-Isaiah 53:4-6

He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall

be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my
righteous servant justify many; for he shall
bear their iniquities.

-Isaiah 53:11

When he sees all that is accomplished by his

anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of
his experience, my righteous servant will make
it possible for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear their sins.

-Isaiah 53:11 TLB

Who was delivered for our offenses, and was

raised again for our justification.

-Romans 4:25

Who was delivered up because of our offenses,

 and was raised up because of our being
declared righteous.

-Romans 4:25 Young

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who

knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.

-2 Corinthians 5:21

Him, who had no acquaintance with sin, God,

for our sakes, treated as an embodiment of
Sin, in order that we, in our part, might
become, through union with Him, an
embodiment of the righteousness that God
desires.

-Wade

2. THE RANSOM VIEW: Man was held hostage

by the lord of death and Jesus became the ransom in
order to redeem us back to God. By His obedience,
Jesus overthrew the kingdom of darkness and took
back the authority Adam had lost through
disobedience. We see Jesus is Lord. He is Victor!

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers

of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise
took part of the same; that through death he
might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is the devil; and deliver them, who
through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage.

-Hebrews 2:14,15

...He might put an end to Him who possesseth

the lordship of death...

-Weekes

And having spoiled principalities and powers,

he made a show of them openly, triumphing
over them in it.

-Colossians 2:15

He set Himself and us free from all the spirit

powers of evil...
 -Deane

And the hostile princes and rulers He shook off

from Himself, and boldly displayed them as
His conquests...

-Weymouth

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold,

I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the
keys of hell and of death.

-Revelation 1:18

3. THE BLOOD COVENANT: Through the

offering of His own blood Jesus became a perfect
sacrifice. He once for all, by the shedding of His
blood and His death, fulfilled the Old Covenant and
activated the New Covenant based on better
promises. For more complete study on the blood of
Jesus, see our book,The Bloodline of a Champion.

Whom God put forward (before the eyes of all)

as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood
(the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of
 atonement and reconciliation, to be received)
through faith. This was to show God's
righteousness, because in His divine
forbearance He had passed over and ignored
former sins without punishment.

-Romans 3:25 (Amplified)

Now the God of peace, that brought again

from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great
shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of
the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in
every good work...

-Hebrews 13:20, 21

4. THE MORAL VIEW OR THE LOVE OF

GOD: The driving force behind the death, burial and
resurrection is God's great love for mankind.

For God commended His love toward us, in

that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us.

-Romans 5:8
 Yet the proof of God's amazing love is this....

-Phillips

JESUS TOOK UPON HIMSELF OUR

CURSE
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the
law, being made a curse for us: for it is
written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a
tree.

-Galatians 3:13

Jesus did not die the death of a martyr; He died as

our substitute. It was important that Jesus die the
death on the cross to fulfill the law concerning our
redemption from the penalty of sin. Jesus knew the
price, the penalty for sin, and knew He would pay
that penalty. He knew that for a moment in time He
would be made sin, be made a curse, be separated
from His Father, and descend into the heart of the
earth.

Other religions do not see the necessity of the

crucifixion of Jesus because they do not understand
man's condition. Many religions offer us many
lessons, but Jesus Christ gives more than a lesson -
He gives us life itself. Jesus did not just die for you.
An exchange took place. He was made a curse so
you might be redeemed from the curse of the law.
What happened in Jesus' death and resurrection was
far greater than everything He did while He was on
earth. In His earthly ministry He dealt with the
"branch offices" of evil. In His death and
resurrection, He went to the headquarters of evil and
took care of evil for every person for all time.

JESUS CAME TO DIE

When the time came for Jesus to go to the cross,
He said, "To this end was I born..." (John 18:37).
Jesus is "...the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world" (Revelation 13:8). Jesus was not afraid of
physical death; he was no coward-Jesus came to die.

...I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of
myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it again.
 -John 10:17,18

Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father,

and he shall presently give me more than
twelve legions of angels? But how then shall
the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

-Matthew 26:53,54

IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

Jesus slept in the middle of a storm, walked on the
water, raised the dead, cast out devils, and healed
every kind of sickness and infirmity. In every
situation, He was the Master. When the time came to
go to the cross, He entered a state of shock, grief,
and distress so severe that He could hardly function.

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place

called Gethsemane, and saith unto the
disciples, Sit ye here, while I go pray yonder.
And he took with him Peter and the two sons
of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very
heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is
exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye
 here, and watch with me. And he went a little
further, and fell on his face, and prayed,
saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this
cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will,
but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the
disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith
unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me
one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not
into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak. He went away again the
second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father,
if this cup may not pass away from me, except
I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and
found them asleep again: for their eyes were
heavy.

-Matthew 26:36-43

Luke 22:43 says that Jesus was so full of grief that

an angel had to come and strengthen Him lest He die
prematurely. Sorrow and grief came upon Jesus
in Gethsemane because He was about to be made a
curse for us, the substitute who would die our death.
The disciples had never seen Jesus like this. The
Good News Bible says, "He began to show grief and
distress of mind." One translation of Matthew 26:37
says, "In the anguish and the desolation that came
upon Him now...."

He began to be distressed and overwhelmed.

He then said, My soul is very full of grief, even
to death.

-Matthew 26:37,38 - Fenton

My soul is crushed with horror and sadness to

the point of death...stay here...stay awake with
me.

-The Living Bible

Jesus pleaded with his disciples, "Please stay

awake, please pray with me, please help me out."
Jesus literally went into shock.

Horror and dismay came over Him.

-Mark 14:33 - New English

...and [He] began to be full of terror and

distress, and he said to them, My heart is
 oppressed with anguish to the very point of
death....

-Mark 14:33,34 - Weymouth

And [He] began to be horror-stricken and

desperately depressed.

-Phillips

The increasing realization of what lay ahead

came to Him with such a sense of
overwhelming shock, that He was distraught in
His mind. He said, My soul is grief-stricken
with a grief like unto death.

-Barclay

SEPARATION FROM THE FATHER

If Jesus were to die the death of a martyr, He
would only be dying His own death. However, He
was facing the death of a sinner. He was taking our
condition - the death we deserve. What Jesus went
through on the cross cannot be adequately described.
He had always been with the Father. Now for a
moment in time, He was going to become sin for us
and be completely separated from the Father.

Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee;

take away this cup from me: nevertheless not
what I will, but what thou wilt.

-Mark 14:36

Jesus said, "God, if there is any other way that

man can be redeemed without Me being made sin and
going to the cross - being separated from you - let it
happen. If there is not another way, not My will, but
Your will be done."

Imagine a person who had lived holy and righteous

in the presence of God their entire life. How repulsed
they would be when subjected by force to some
filthy act of sin! Jesus is the only person who ever
walked the earth to never know sin. Yet, He Who
knew no sin becamesin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21)!
Jesus became our substitute, willingly taking upon
Himself the wrath of the Father for our sins, truly
tasting death for all men and receiving our just
punishment.
THE CUP OF GOD'S WRATH
In his book The Cross and the New Testament,
Leon Morris says:

It was not death as such that He feared, it was

the particular death that He was to die - that
death in which He was one with sinners, sharing
their lot, bearing their sins, dying their death.
Nor should we overlook His reference to the
drinking of the cup. This is usually taken as no
more than a metaphor for suffering.

C.E. Cranfield points out that in the Old Testament

the metaphorical use of cup refers predominately to
God's punishment of human sin. He concludes that
this cup is God's wrath against sin.

When Jesus said, "Let this cup pass from me"

(Matthew 26:39),He knew that the cup of God's
wrath and anger against sin was now filled and He
was to drink it until it was totally empty. Jesus took
God's wrath against you and me and against sin. He
became our substitute so we could be right with
God, be pleasing to Him, and accepted before Him.
 On the cross, Jesus became our substitute for the
penalty of sin. He was made a curse for us. He took
the punishment we deserve and that a holy God
demands. He took the wrath of God that was against
us so we could be welcomed into God's presence
approved and forgiven. Christ redeemed us from the
curse of the law.

ENGRAFTED INTO CHRIST

Therefore if any person is [engrafted] in Christ
(the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new
creature altogether); the old [previous moral
and spiritual condition] has passed away.
Behold, the fresh and new has come!

-2 Corinthians 5:17 - Amplified

I live in an area where there are a lot of plant

nurseries. These nurseries grow millions and millions
of plants that are shipped all over the United States.
One thing I have learned from the nurseries is the
engrafting process.

When you want to engraft a plant you must make

a cut on the plant. In order for the branch to grow
into the plant correctly you must make an identical
cut on the branch. Then, you must put that branch
inside of the open wound of the plant and wrap them
together and they become one. There is no grafting
without wounding.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried

our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was
wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities: the chastisement of our
peace was upon him; and with his stripes we
are healed.

-Isaiah 53:4-5

What happened when He was wounded? He was

wounded with the identical condition that we had. We
were put right into Him, and our condition was
engrafted into Christ.

JESUS - FIRST BORN FROM THE

DEAD
 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold,
I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the
keys of hell and of death.

-Revelation 1:18

Jesus tasted death for every man in his death and

resurrection. One translation says that He was the
first man to enter the death experience and master it.
Jesus entered the death experience when He was
made to be sin for us. Satan thought he had the Son
of God, but God declared Him righteous and
quickened Him by the Spirit (1 Peter 3:18). He was
made alive, and we are made alive with Him
(Ephesians 2:1).

JESUS WAS WOUNDED WITH THE

IDENTICAL CONDITION THAT WE HAD.
WE WERE PUT RIGHT INTO HIM, AND
OUR CONDITION WAS ENGRAFTED INTO
CHRIST.

God's voice rang out with a declaration of

righteousness from Heaven, "Thou art my Son, this
day have I begotten thee" (Acts 13:33). God's voice
reverberated all the way down into the heart of the
earth, and hell began to shake. Demons trembled and
ran in total confusion and utter defeat.

And having spoiled principalities and powers,

he made a shew of them openly, triumphing
over them in it.

-Colossians 2:15

When God declared Jesus righteous, He was born

again. The Bible says Jesus is the firstborn from the
dead (Romans 8:29). Jesus was the first man ever to
be born again.

SATAN'S MASTERY DESTROYED

When you understand man's condition and what
happened to Jesus from the cross to the throne, you
will say, "I was there. His crucifixion was my
crucifixion. His death was my death. His curse was
my curse. His shame was my shame. His separation
from God was my separation from God. His burial
was my burial. I was buried with Him. His descent
into the heart of the earth was my descent into the
heart of the earth. His sufferings were my
sufferings."

Paul saw that in the resurrection, Christ destroyed

Satan's mastery over the human race forever. Jesus
did not just cast out a legion of demons in
Capernaum. He went into hell's home office and
dethroned the devil for all eternity!

Jesus destroyed the devil, put him to naught, and

paralyzed him. The devil has never been, nor will he
ever be the same again!

That through death he might destroy him that

had the power of death, that is the devil.

-Hebrews 2:14

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances

that was against us, which was contrary to us,
and took it out of the way, nailing it to his
cross; And having spoiled principalities and
powers, he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it.

-Colossians 2:14,15
 In Ephesians 1:19,20 Paul said, "I am praying that
you will be able to see the exceeding greatness of
God's power to us who believe, according to the
working of His mighty power which He wrought in
Christ when He raised Him from the dead."

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest

display of power in the history of the universe. The
reason such tremendous power was used was
because Jesus was destroying everything Satan did in
Adam and He was making a new creation. This
power is available to every believer.

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST

IS THE GREATEST DISPLAY OF POWER IN
THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE.

When you fully understand what happened to

Jesus from the cross to the throne, you will hold
your head up high! You will say, "Devil, you better
take your hands off me. Jesus paid the price for me,
and I refuse to be bound. Take your hands off my
mind, my body, my family, and my finances. You
have no right to touch or interfere with any aspect of
my life!"
 SEVEN
YOUR IDENTIFICATION
WITH CHRIST
System of Truth - Point
Five
JESUS IN YOUR JERSEY
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered
him up for us all, how shall he not with him
also freely give us all things?

-Romans 8:32

How, then, shall we respond to all this? If God

is rootin' for us, who can win over us? If he
didn't hold back his own Son, but put Him in
the game for us all, won't He even more
gladly, in addition to his Son, equip us with all
we need to win the game?
 -Jordan

I played football in high school so I know what it

means to come in the game for somebody. If you
have ever watched a football game on TV, you hear
announcers giving their commentary on what is
taking place in the game. You may hear the
announcer talk about a particular player, let's say
number 65 (that was my number in high school).
The guys on the other team are whipping him all over
the field, stomping him really bad, he is bleeding, and
has grass stains and dirt all over him. Every time the
ball is hiked number 65 gets slaughtered. He gets
pushed so far back that you think he's on the other
team. Number 65 is just being dominated by the other
team. Then the coach says, "I've got a plan." He pulls
number 65 out and replaces him with the strongest
man on the team.

GOD MOVED ON THE INSIDE OF YOU

AND GOT IN YOUR JERSEY, HE
IDENTIFIED WITH YOU SO YOU COULD
IDENTIFY WITH HIM.
 That's what God did for us when He sent Jesus to
die in our place. God put Jesus in number 65's
(mankind's) jersey. Number 65 runs back on the
field, and now the whole picture changes. The
announcer says, "You know something has happened
to number 65. He's kicking that ball all over the field
now."

Before man was identified with Christ (in His

death, burial, and resurrection) depression,
discouragement, fear, failure, shame, and guilt had
whipped him all over. But now, number 65 is winning
and now he's dominating. What happened was God
saw man's condition and knew that he could not train
you enough to change the game. He knew He is
going to have to get in your jersey. There's no other
way. He said, "We can't train them, let's just jump on
the inside of them and I'll live on the inside of them,
I'll walk in them." The incarnation is when God got in
your jersey. You say, "Yeah, but that's Jesus." When
you were born again there was another incarnation.
God moved on the inside of you and got in your
jersey, He identified with you so you could identify
with Him.
 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me.

-Galatians 2:20

GOD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF CHANGING

IDENTITIES.

Identification is defined in Webster's Dictionary as:

"to consider or treat as the same, the condition or
fact of being, the same in all qualities under
consideration." These words are all related to each
other: identification, identity, identical, and identified.
Many people live and die and never really find their
true identity.

EVERYTHING THAT SATAN DID IN ADAM,

GOD REVERSED IN CHRIST.

Have you ever checked in for a flight and been

asked for proof of identification? You can say, "Here
I am. Can't you see - this is me? I can prove that I
exist. Just look." Even when Iplayed baseball in
elementary school, they wanted to see my birth
certificate! I could have said, "Look, Ican prove I
was born. Here I am." That was not enough; I
needed some authentic, legal, official proof that I was
who Isaid I was. This is all a part of life in this
natural world.

In the realm of the Spirit you say, "Well, here I am.

Obviously, I am who I am." God will ask, "Do you
have any identification on you?" You say, "I sure do, I
have some identification right here in Galatians 2:20:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet
not I but Christ liveth in me....' That is my
identification with Christ. I am with Him."

ONE WITH THE MASTER

A.J.Gordon said, "For every statement made about
Christ in His death and resurrection, there is a
parallel statement made about the believer, so that
Christ and the believer are one together." It is true
that parallel statements
 can be made but there really is no parallel because
parallels never meet! A.J. Gordon went on to say,
"The glory and the mystery of the believer's life is
that he or she is one with the Master - inseparable
from Him. It is not a life running alongside his, and
taking shape and direction from it. It is his life
reenacted in his followers; the reproduction in them
of those events which are immoral in energy and
limitless in application." That is your identification
with Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, "But he that is
joined unto the Lord is one spirit." You are one with
Christ and in Christ. Your spirit is joined with His
Spirit.

CRUCIFIED TOGETHER WITH

CHRIST
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified
with him, that the body of sin might be
destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve
sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.

-Romans 6:6, 7

The old person we used to be was nailed to the

 cross with Him....

-Cressman

...our old inherited self was crucified with

Him....

-Bruce

...our former evil identities have been executed,

so to speak.

-Richert

Jesus died on the cross, but Paul said something

else happened on the cross. Your old man or the "old
person" you used to be before you were born again,
was crucified with Him.

The "old man" (as we have seen in point three)

also represents the old man that was in Adam, the
race that Adam produced, and the condition passed
on to us from our first birth in Adam. Paul said that
anything produced by Adam was crucified with
Christ. Everything that Satan did in Adam, God
reversed in Christ.
 If you have been crucified with Christ, then you
are also deadand therefore free from sin. Romans
6:11 says, "...reckon ye also yourselves to be dead
indeed unto sin...." The word "reckon" is an
accounting term which simply means "to consider"
or "account it to be so."

Let us consider ourselves as actually dead to

sin.

-New Berkely

You no less can count yourselves dead so far as

sin is concerned.

-Authentic

DEAD TO THIS WORLD

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me.
 -Galatians 2:20

With Christ I have been co-crucified.

-Marshall

Christ took me to the cross with Him.

-Laubach

You also are to account yourselves to be in

relation to sin, dead men.

-Way

What did Paul mean when he said, I have been

crucified with Christ? This throws theologians off.
They ask how Paul could say he was crucified with
Christ when Jesus was crucified with two thieves.
Paul was not even in Jerusalem at the time, but Paul
was not speaking from a natural standpoint.

Our old man is crucified with him.

-Romans 6:6
 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the
world is crucified unto me, and I unto the
world.

-Galatians 6:14

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision

availeth >any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a
new creature.

-Galatians 6:15

[The world] has no more influence on me,

than if it were not.

-Locke

Satan is the god of this world. Many people are

influenced by this world and the spirits of this world.
They are influenced by the lust of the eyes, the lust
of the flesh, and the pride of life. They are controlled
by fame, prestige, and money. They are trying to be
somebody in this world. Paul said, "I died to this
world."
ALIVE UNTO GOD
I consider myself as having died and now
enjoying a second existence, which is simply
Jesus using my body.

-Galatians 2:20 - Distilled Bible

This gives us a little different picture of

Christianity than what is generally seen today. You
can say that Jesus is with you, you are following
Him, and Jesus has saved you. When you come
across Paul's letter he says, "I am crucified with
Christ, and I am not even alive anymore. Christ lives
inside of me. It is Jesus using my body. You see me,
but it's really not me. The old Paul [Saul] died.
Everything about him died - his ambitions and
desires. He was crucified with Christ. He is dead and
gone. All that is left now is Jesus."

Paul also said, "For me to live is Christ"

(Philippians 1:21). He is not only saying to "reckon
ourselves to be dead unto sin, but also to see
ourselves as "...alive unto God through Jesus Christ
our Lord" (Romans 6:11).
 You were not only crucified with Christ, but you
died with Christ. You not only died with Christ, but
you were buried with Him. You were not only buried
with Christ, but you were quickened and made alive
in Him. You were not only made alive with Christ, but
you were raised with Him. You were not only raised
with Christ, but you are seated together with Him.
You are not only seated with Christ, but you share the
authority of His resurrection and His power. You
share the authority of His throne. You are triumphant
in Him. We are not going to stay at the cross. We are
going from the cross to the throne. Many people
want to go to the throne, but you have to go to the
cross first, then on to the throne.

JOINT-HEIRS WITH CHRIST

You are not just seated with Christ, you are blessed
with Him. Paul says we are heirs of God and joint-
heirs with Jesus Christ. This is your identification
with Christ. God is in the business of changing
identities.

I have been crucified with Christ. Now it is not

my old self, but Christ Himself, who lives in
 me.

-Galatians 2:20 - Noli

You should be doing pretty good if Christ Himself

lives in you! Jesus is triumphant. He is the Master. He
is the Boss. He has conquered the devil, the world,
and the flesh.

JOINT HEIR - EQUAL POSSESSION

BECAUSE OF EQUAL POSITION.

You can look at this as theology or as a reality. If

you think too much about it, you will never figure it
out. If you just accept it at face value and say, "That
is what Paul said, and that is God's revelation of
Christianity to me. That is what I am, and that is
what I have," then you won't get into a lot of
theology and mental reasoning trying to figure it out.

I have been crucified with Christ and, I live

now not with my own life but with the life of
Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in
this body, I live in faith - faith in the Son of
 God who loved me and sacrificed Himself for
my sake.

-Galatians 2:20 - Jerusalem Bible

Someone said to me, "Pastor, in all the sermons we

have heard about what happened on the cross, the
preacher always identified us with the crowd - the
Roman soldiers, Mary the mother of Jesus, the
disciples, or someone else in the crowd who was
hollering, 'Crucify Him!' No one ever told us that we
were identified with Christ." Paul did not identify
with the crowd, he identified with Christ. He said, "I
was crucified with Christ, and there I died with
Him."

I IDENTIFIED MYSELF COMPLETELY

WITH HIM. INDEED, I HAVE BEEN
CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST. MY EGO IS
NO LONGER CENTRAL. IT IS NO LONGER
IMPORTANT THAT I APPEAR RIGHTEOUS
BEFORE YOU OR HAVE YOUR GOOD
OPINION, AND I AM NO LONGER DRIVEN
TO IMPRESS GOD. CHRIST LIVES IN ME.
 -GALATIANS 2:20 (MESSAGE)

JESUS DEFEATED THE DEVIL

The devil still can't figure it all out! He knew God
had a plan to redeem man, he just didn't know how it
was going to happen. The Bible says that if he would
have known, he never would have crucified the Lord
of Glory (1 Corinthians 2:8).

When he stung the Son of God with death, he was

like a bee that loses its stinger and then goes off and
dies. Jesus took the sting of death for every person.
He dethroned the devil who had the power of death.

The devil is saying, "How can this be?" This is a

legal covenant that God made with man. This
covenant is legal because of the incarnation. When
Jesus came to earth and put on flesh by being born
of a woman, He legally became our substitute. He
became the second Adam (Romans 5:14). This was
the plan from the beginning. Back in the Garden, God
revealed how it would all happen. In Genesis 3:15, He
said that the seed of woman (Jesus) would bruise the
serpent's (Satan's) head.
 Paul said that one man, Jesus Christ, died for
every man. Since He died for every man, then every
man died in Him. How is it possible that one man
could die for every man?

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because

we thus judge, that if one died for all, then
were all dead.

-2 Corintians 5:14

...now that we recognize that one man died for

everyone, which means that they all share in
his death.

-Good News Bible

We know that Christ died for all of us. So our

old self died with Him.

-Laubach

Jesus did not come to prove He could conquer the

devil. That would be no match! Jesus became a man
so the victory He accomplished would be for all
mankind. Jesus won the victory in the confines of
human life. So Jesus' victory was not just for the
Godhead, but also for all of mankind.

A NEW IDENTITY IN CHRIST

Understanding your identification with Christ is the
center of the Gospel. Paul had such a radical identity
change that he said, "It is not even me living
anymore."

That is a radical identity change! Someone said

that the power of God hit Paul so hard on the road to
Damascus that it knocked the "S" off the front of his
name and replaced it with a "P." He was never Saul
again!

If you committed a crime, the prosecution could

grant you immunity from prosecution in exchange
for your testimony against the Mafia. The FBI might
promise you a new identity. They would change all of
your records - your fingerprints, your address, and
your social security number. They would move you
to a new location and change every record
concerning every bill that you owe. They would
totally wipe out your past and give you a new
identity.
 How does God change your identity? The moment
you receive Christ, you become a new creation in
Him. It may take you a while before you can say,
"I'm not even that person anymore!" However, as
you feed on the Word of God, it will become real to
you.

The devil may have been after you for years, but
God has wiped out all record of your past - every
account that was against you - every sin, every claim
the devil had on you! "As far as the east is from the
west, so far hath he removed ourtransgressionsfrom
us" (Psalm 103:12).

God has changed your old address and now you

live "in Christ." If you stay where He has relocated
you, the devil cannot find you! Do not talk about
your feelings or past failures. Do not give the devil
another shot at you. "For ye are dead, and your life is
hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). God says,
"Your old nature passed away. You have a new
identity now!"

FIND YOUR IDENTITY IN THE

WORD
 When John the Baptist came out of the wilderness
preaching, people asked him, "Who are you?" They
asked if he was the prophet Elijah come back (John
1:19-22). John simply quoted from Isaiah 40:3. He
answered, "I am the voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord..."
(John 1:23). In other words, he opened his Bible and
said, "Let me tell you who I am. It is written right
here." This is the key to your identification with
Christ - finding out who the Word says you are.

EVEN JESUS FOUND HIMSELF IN THE

SCRIPTURES.

As a teenager I struggled with my own identity.

The Lord showed me that even Jesus had to find
Himself in the Word. Even though Jesus was deity,
He had to lay aside His deity power when He became
a man. In His humanity, He had to study the Word
for Himself to find out who He was. Even Jesus
found Himself in the Scriptures (Isaiah 61:1-2) and
then He declared it in Luke 4:17-19. "...And when he
had opened the book, he found the place where it
was written," Luke 4:17.
 Many people have an identity crisis. They see
commercials on TV and say, "I want to be like that."
They think if they comb their hair like a movie star,
they will be like them. They forget that people in
commercials and the movies are actors who are
pretending to be someone they are not.

If the devil can get you to flip flop mentally with

your reasoning and your flesh, he will totally defeat
you. You need to dig into the Word of God and find
your identity there. You need to find out who God
says you are. He knows who you are because He
made you. He created you to reflect His glory! Let
the Word of God establish your identity.

KNOWING YOUR TRUE IDENTITY

The devil will do everything he can to steal the
Word from you and keep you from understanding
your identity in Christ. The devil wants you to see
yourself in the natural. He will get you to study your
family tree and go generations back to find out who
you are. He will try to make you think that because
your mother was divorced and your grandmother
was divorced, that you will end up in divorce court.
He will try to tell you that because your father and
your grandfather were alcoholics, that you have to be
one too - after all, it runs in the family!

When you are born again, you are born into a new
family. The devil will come to you saying, "Who do
you think you are?" That's when you open up your
Bible and read to him for a while! Say to him, "Let
me tell you who I am! I have no other identity than
Galatians 2:20 -- I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."
The devil knows whether you know who you are or
not.

The seven sons of Sceva tried to use the name of

Jesus to cast an evil spirit out of a man without being
in relationship with Jesus. The evil spirit called their
bluff. "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are
you?" (Acts 19:15). The devil left the seven sons of
Sceva "naked and wounded" because they were not
identified with Christ.

Jesus identified with us when He became a man.

In His humanity, He identified with us so that He
could know how we feel. He knows the struggles we
go through. When He went to the cross, He took our
sinful condition and our curse. He sealed our
identification with God there. Jesus is now at the
right hand of God - forever a man - representing a
new, victorious humanity for all generations.

A NEW, VICTORIOUS IDENTITY

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those
things which are above, where Christ sitteth on
the right hand of God.

-Colossians 3:1

God initiated our identification with Christ, but we

must accept it and mix our faith with it. He identified
us with Himself by sending Jesus to the cross to
become sin for us so we could be dead to sin. We
must accept by faith our identification with Christ in
His resurrection.

The significance of the resurrection is determined

by the nature of the death. When you understand
what happened on the cross - Jesus' resurrection
becomes not just His victory but victory for every
believer.
 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
RESSURECTION IS DETERMINED BY THE
NATURE OF THE DEATH.

Once you see yourself seated with the victorious,

resurrected Christ at the right hand of the Father, you
will never again identify yourself with defeat, failure,
depression, fear, sickness, poverty, or lack. The truth
of His triumph, which God has branded into your
spirit, will cause you to declare, "I am going over, not
under. I went under with Christ in His death, but now
I am going over with the new identity He has given
me in His resurrection. I lost my old identification,
and now I have a new one. I am wearing new dog
tags now, stamped with the name that is above all
names!"

WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT

HAPPENED ON THE CROSS - JESUS'
RESURRECTION BECOMES NOT JUST HIS
VICTORY BUT VICTORY FOR EVERY
BELIEVER.
 You are a totally different person than your mother
and father made you. It does not matter who your
earthly daddy is; once you are born again, God is
your daddy (Romans 8:15)! This does not mean to
disrespect your parents, but it means that even people
who may not know who their biological parents are
do not have to live their whole lives with a big gap in
their soul. They can declare, "I am identified with
Christ, and God is my Father. I know the family I
belong to!" When you are born again, you are "re-
fathered." You may have come from a dysfunctional
family, but now you are part of a fully functional
family - the family of God!

RE-CREATED IN HIS IMAGE

You can get a whole new identity when you accept
who God says you are and believe you have what
God says you have. God can give you a new identity.
He is our "manufacturer." He is able to produce a
new identity for us. We are not dealing with someone
who just repairs things. We are talking about
someone who makes people out of nothing! God
alone is the Creator. He is the original people person.
 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and
there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then
I went down to the potter's house, and, behold,
he wrought a work on the wheels. And the
vessel that he made of clay was marred in the
hand of the potter: so he made it again
another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to
make it.

-Jeremiah 18:2-4

God told Jeremiah, "Go down to the potter's

house. I am going to show you that when people
have defects in them, I can make them again!" God is
in the business of remaking people. He does it from
the inside out.

WHEN YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, YOU ARE

RE-FATHERED BY GOD!

When you are born again, your spirit is recreated.

Then God rebuilds you from the inside out by
renewing your mind, and by changing your attitude
and thinking. The re-creation then becomes evident
by your actions. "For it is God which worketh in you
both to will and to do of his good pleasure"
(Philippians 2:13).

The devil would like to destroy your dignity and

your self-esteem. When you see your value in the
light of the price God paid for you through Christ,
you will hold your head up high and forget those
things which are behind. You will say of yourself,
"Glory to God! That person died. I am a new
creation in Christ."
 EIGHT
WHO YOU ARE AND
WHAT YOU HAVE IN
CHRIST
System of Truth - Point
Six
Wherefore henceforth we know no man after
the flesh: yea though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we
him no more. Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become
new.

-2 Corinthians 5:16,17

When anyone is united to Christ, he is a fresh

Creation; the original conditions have passed
 away; mark! They have been replaced by new
conditions.

-Wade

Therefore, if anyone is [engrafted] in Christ,

the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new
creature altogether); the [previous moral and
spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold,
the fresh and new has come!

-Amplified

...the deadliness of our former condition has

passed away...

-Shuttle

...and the true Christian is not merely a man

altered but a man remade...

-Deane

What God has done in Christ is the act of an

entirely new creation. What Adam lost through
disobedience was more than restored in the great plan
of redemption in Christ. What does this terminology
"in Christ" mean? When someone makes Jesus their
Lord, they are engrafted into Him and comes into
union with Him. It means that everything Satan did in
Adam, God completely reversed and restored in
Christ. God's work in Christ far outweighs anything
done to man through Adam's fall. God did in Christ
what He wanted to do in every man. When you make
Jesus your Lord, God sees you in Christ. Your first
birth put you in Adam and your second birth puts
you in Christ.

GOD DID IN CHRIST WHAT HE WANTED

TO DO IN EVERY MAN.

What is the new creation? It is something new in

kind or quality, something never heard of before! We
can see in 2 Corinthians 12:2 that Paul referred to
himself as a man in Christ and throughout his letters
everything God did for us in Christ is set to the credit
of our account. There is an entirely new
identification, authority, and position for a person in
Christ.
 Paul uses the terminology in Christ, in Him, in
whom, or in the Lord around 130 times in His letters.
He prayed that we would receive the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of Him; the eyes of
our understanding being enlightened; so that we
would know what is the hope of His calling, what is
the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power
toward us who believe (Ephesians 1). I like what

A.J.Gordon says in his book, In Christ about what

God did In Christ:

No words of Scripture, if we except those, "God

manifest in the flesh," hold within themselves a
deeper mystery that this simple formula of the
Christian life, "in Christ."

Indeed, God's taking upon Himself humanity,

and yet remaining God, is hardly more
inexplicable to human thought than man's
becoming a "partaker of the divine nature," and
yet remaining man. Both are of those secret
things that belong wholly unto God. Yet, great
as is the mystery of these words, they are the key
to the whole system of doctrinal mysteries. Like
the famous Rosetta stone, itself a partial
hieroglyph, and thereby furnishing the long-
sought clew to the Egyptian hieroglyphics, these
words, by their very mystery, unlock all mysteries
of the divine life, letting us into secrets that were
hidden from ages and from generations.

THROUGH THESE TWO WORDS, IN

CHRIST, WE GET A PROFOUND INSIGHT
INTO THE DIVINE METHOD OF
SALVATION.

And thus, through these two words, we get a

profound insight into the divine method of
salvation. God does not work upon the soul by
itself; bringing to bear upon it, while yet in its
alienation and isolation from Him, such
discipline as shall gradually render it fit to be
reunited to Him. He begins rather by reuniting it
to Himself, that through this union He may
communicate to it that divine life and energy,
without which all discipline were utterly futile.
The method of grace is precisely the reverse of
legalism. The latter is holiness in order to union
with God; the former, union with God in order
to holiness.

Nothing is more striking than the breadth of

application which this principle of union with
Christ has in the gospel. Christianity obliterates
no natural relationship, destroys no human
obligations, makes void no moral or spiritual
laws. But it lifts all these up into a new sphere,
and puts upon them this seal and signature of
the gospel, in Christ.

NOTHING IS MORE STRIKING THAN THE

BREADTH OF APPLICATION WHICH THIS
PRINCIPLE OF UNION WITH CHRIST HAS
IN THE GOSPEL.

Thus Christ, in taking man up into Himself,

takes all that belongs to him. Instead of rending
him away from his natural connections, He
embraces all these with him in Himself, that He
may sanctify them all. And not only is this true,
but the opposite and far more wondrous fact,
namely, that Christ, in raising man into union
 with Himself, raises him into all that belongs to
Him, into his divine life, and into partnership
with his divine work. So that he dies in his
death; rises in his resurrection; ascends in his
ascension; is seated with Him in his session at
the Father's right hand; and lives in his eternal
life. So marked is this latter fact, that it has led
some speak of the event of the Christian life as
affording "a striking parallel. Parallels never
meet, while the very glory and mystery of
believer's life is that it is one with the Saviour's
and inseparable from it. It is not a life running
alongside his, and taking shape and direction
from it. It is his life re-enacted in his followers;
the reproduction in them of those events which
are immortal in energy and limitless in
application.

POWERFUL PREPOSITIONS
Paul shows us how we are connected to Christ
and what our relationship to Him is: He died FOR us
so we died WITH Him, therefore we are now IN
Him, THROUGH Him we can do all things and BY
Him all our needs are supplied!
 Paul uses the powerful prepositions in Christ to
show you who you are and what you share with
Him. Prepositions are connecting words such as for,
with, in, through and by.

If I said I walked by the house you would see one

picture, if I said I walked through it you would see
another, or I could say I walked with it and you
would see another picture altogether! The entire
picture changes when I say I walk IN the house.
God has completely changed ourposition by placing
us in Christ! We look very blessed in Him. Everything
Christ did in redemption has been set to the credit of
the believer's account as though they did it. All we
need to do is take our place in Christ!

ACKNOWLEDGE WHO YOU ARE

That the communication of thy faith may
become effectual by the acknowledging of
every good thing which is in you in Christ
Jesus.

-Philemon 6
 ...full recognition and appreciation and
understanding and precise knowledge of every
good [thing] that is ours in [our identification
with] Christ Jesus.

-Amplified

...every blessing which we have in our life in

union with Christ.

-Good News Bible

I pray that everyone who meets you may catch

your faith and learn from you how wonderful
it is to live in Christ.

-Laubach

YOUR FAITH BECOMES CONTAGIOUS BY

BEING CONSCIOUS OF EVERY GOOD
THING THAT IS IN YOU IN CHRIST.

When you are in Christ, there are a lot of good

things in you! Paul says we need to acknowledge
those things - who we are and what we have in
Christ. All of Paul's letters are centered on who we
are, what we have, what God has done for us, and
what we can do because we are in Christ. We are not
talking about what we are going to have when we get
to Heaven, but what we have now in Christ.

Paul's teaching reveals the contrast between

religion and relationship. Instead of trying to achieve
something in our own strength that only God could
do for us, we need to agree with Him and
acknowledge what He has already done. Let us look
at some of the facts that are true about every
believer. Let's relax in the facts of who we are and
what belongs to us IN Christ!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

-Ephesians 1:3

But of Him are we in Christ Jesus, who of God

is made unto us wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption.
 -1 Corinthians 1:30

Giving thanks unto the Father which hath

made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light, who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness and
hath translated us into the kingdom of His
dear Son, in whom we have redemption
through His blood, even the forgiveness of sin.

-Colossians 1:12-14

And having spoiled principalities and powers,

He made a show of them openly, triumphing
over them in it.

-Colossians 2:15

In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and

knowledge.

-Colossians 2:3

There is therefore now no condemnation to

them which are in Christ, who walk not after
 the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of
the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me
free from the law of sin and death.

-Romans 8:1-2

Now thanks be unto God, which always

causeth us to triumph in Christ.

-2 Corinthians 2:14

But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great

love wherewith He loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with
Christ (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised
us up together, and made us sit together in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

-Ephesians 2:4-6

Every place you see those words in Christ, in the

Lord, in the Spirit, stop there and begin digging
because there are great treasures to be found!
Acknowledge or speak the same thing as God says
about you and then your faith will become effectual,
affecting your world around you.

John wrote in His books about the same thing, but

used the Greek word zoe, or eternal life. The gospels
Matthew, Mark and Luke emphasize the Kingdom of
God, also used in Paul's writings. Let's see the Life
of God and the Kingdom of God and how these
themes flow together in Christ.

THE ZOE LIFE OF GOD

In the Gospel of John, the main theme is eternal
life. In the Greek text, the word for this God-kind of
life is "zoe."

Eternal life is not something you get when you die.

It is something that happens to your spirit when you
are born again.

The Holy Spirit breathes life, zoe, into your inner

man. "He that hath the Son hath life" (1 John 5:12).
Eternal life is the divine nature of God. It is a spiritual
substance that is in God. It is what flows through
Him, and what makes Him the way He is.

For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath

 he given to the Son to have life in himself.

-John 5:26

In him was life; and the life was the light of

men.

-John 1:4

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to

kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might
have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly.

-John 10:10

Jesus said, "The Father has zoe life in Him, and I

have zoe life in me." This is what made Jesus
different from everyone else on the earth. He had the
very zoe life of God at work in Him. This God-kind
of life produced light wherever Jesus went. That light
shined in the darkness and could not be overcome
(John 1:5). When you get the zoe life of God in you,
you are able to be an overcomer.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the

 world: and this is the victory that overcometh
the world, even our faith.

-1 John 5:4

That God-kind of life is the power that raised

Jesus from the dead. Because we were in Him, it
raised us up also, and gives us power to walk in its
glorious power over sin, death and the old man. Paul
used this terminology when he explained man's
identification and union with Christ in His death,
burial and resurrection. Here is one example:

Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism

into death: that like as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even
so we also should walk in newness of life.

-Romans 6:4

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN

YOU
Just as the main theme of John's Gospel is eternal
life (zoe), the main theme in all of Paul's letters is
being in Christ. In the Synoptic Gospels - Matthew,
Mark, and Luke - the main theme is the kingdom of
God. When you are born again "in Christ," you have
eternal life and the kingdom of God within you (Luke
17:21).

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath

made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, and
hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son: In whom we have redemption through his
blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

-Colossians 1:12-14

THE DOMINION OF GOD

The word kingdom has basically the same meaning
as dominion. If you substitute the word dominion
each place where the word kingdom is used in
Matthew, Mark, and Luke, you will be able to see
more clearly what the kingdom of God is. John the
Baptist said the dominion of God is coming. Jesus
said the dominion of God is here. Paul said that you
have left the power of darkness and have entered the
dominion of God.

The kingdom of God is not Heaven; it is within

you and it is here and now. The moment you are
born again, you leave the dominion of death. You
leave the authority and jurisdiction of darkness and
enter a new kingdom where Satan no longer has
dominion over you. When Adam sinned, he lost his
dominion. When Jesus came, He restored dominion.

For if by one man's offense death reigned by

one; much more they which receive abundance
of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall
reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

-Romans 5:17

Ben Campbell Johnson's paraphrase translates the

kingdom of God as the "Spirit dimension." John
4:24says, "God is a Spirit." The kingdom of God
would have to be a spirit dimension. What God has
done for you in Christ is who you are in your spirit -
it launches you into the realm of God. Your spirit,
joined to Christ, can receive spiritual blessings. You
do not have to go to Heaven to have Heaven in your
life.

THE WORD OF FAITH IS NIGH

THEE
The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and
in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which
we preach.

-Romans 10:8

The dominion of God is as close as your heart and

your mouth - it is within you. Paul was saying that
you do not have to ascend to the right hand of God
to bring Jesus down. You do not have to descend into
the deep to bring Christ up. You do not have to go to
Tulsa, Toronto, or Los Angeles to get the blessings of
God. The kingdom of God is within you. All you
have to do is get the Word of God in your mouth and
in your heart. You have passed from death to life.
The life of God is inside of you!

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO GO TO

HEAVEN TO HAVE THE LIFE OF HEAVEN.
 Do not try to get a hold of the kingdom of God
with your head or your flesh. Get a hold of it with
your inner man, your spirit. Reach out and say, "I am
in Christ, and Christ lives in me. I am in the kingdom
of God, and the kingdom of God is in me. I have
eternal life, and the eternal life of God is in me." Do
not keep your boat in dry dock - get into the river!
The river of living water flows from the kingdom of
God. Romans 14:17 says that the kingdom of God is
"...righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

Perfect Union with the Master

He's the Vine and I'm the branch
He was wounded; I was engrafted
Perfect union with the Lord

He's the Head and I'm His body

He became sin just for me
And I passed from death to His life
Where I live eternally

Now I reign with Him forever

Enthroned far above
Every name and all dominion
And He's wrapped me in His love
 -Trina Hankins

If you are not impressed with who you are in

Christ you have not seen Him lately! "The fullness of
the Godhead bodily dwelleth in Him. And you are
complete in Him who is the head of all principality,"
Colossians 2:9,10. The Amplified Bible says, "In
Christ you too are filled with the Godhead-Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit."

IF YOU ARE NOT IMPRESSED WITH WHO

YOU ARE IN CHRIST YOU HAVE NOT
SEEN HIM LATELY!

He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

-1 Corinthians 6:17

He who is in union with the Master is one with

Him in spirit.

-Weymouth

But he who unites himself with the Master

forms a single spirit.

-Authentic

But if you give yourself to the Lord, you and

Christ are joined together as one person.

-The Living Bible

 NINE
WHAT JESUS IS DOING
NOW
System of Truth - Point
Seven
And hath put all things under His feet, and
gave him to be the head over all things to the
church, which is His body, the fullness of him
that filleth all in all.

-Ephesians 1:22,23

Jesus put aside His glory, became a man, and lived

on the earth as a member of the human race for
thirty-three years. That was not the end of His
identification with mankind. Jesus suffered as a man,
died as a man, and is now a resurrected man seated
at the right hand of God the Father.

God is now our Father as well as our Creator, and

Jesus is the firstborn of the family of God.
Throughout all eternity, the only begotten Son of God
will remain fully God and fully man. There is an
eternal union between God and man because Jesus
fully identified with us.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great

love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with
Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised
us up together, and made us sit together in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

-Ephesians 2:4-6

Jesus is the express image of the Father God, the

outshining of His glory, "...The perfect imprint and
very image of [God's] nature," (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus,
according to the perfect will of God, is still actively
working for our good to save us to the uttermost by
ever living to make intercession for us. He is also our
Mediator, our High Priest, and the Shepherd and
Guardian of our souls.

JESUS OUR HIGH PRIEST

 Jesus has obtained a more excellent ministry. If
you kept the Old Covenant, God guaranteed that He
would bless you coming in and going out
(Deuteronomy 28:6). He guaranteed that He would
forgive all your iniquities and heal all your diseases
(Psalm 103:3).

He brought them forth also with silver and

gold: and there was not one feeble person
among their tribes.

-Psalm 105:37

Some people say, "But that was in the Old

Testament and it was just for Israel. That's not for us
today." Actually, these promises were made to those
who would not fear but believe - for those who
would have faith. The Bible says that Abraham
believed God and it was counted to him as
righteousness (Romans 4:22).

Even so, we have a better covenant. Paul would

not call it better unless it included at least as much as
the Old Covenant. Righteousness has not just been
imputed to us, but we have been made the
righteousness of God in Christ. We have received
eternal life - the life and nature of God. Our bodies
have become the temples of the Holy Ghost (1
Corinthians 3:16).

God, who at sundry times and in divers

manners spake in time past unto the fathers by
the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken
unto us by his Son.

-Hebrews 1:1,2

Paul was saying that what the prophets spoke to

us about in the Old Testament was fulfilled in the
New Testament in Christ. He said in Galatians 3:24-
26 that the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to
Christ (Galatians 3:24-26) and now we are living in
the reality of all that God promised Abraham. He
exhorted them to stand fast in the liberty in Christ
and to not be entangled again with the yoke of
bondage to the Law (Galatians 5:1). He had set forth
Christ crucified and they received the Spirit by the
hearing of faith and not by the works of the Law
(Galatians 3:12).

In the letter to the Hebrews, Paul was writing to

Jewish Christians who wanted to go back to the Old
Covenant under the Law. Paul told them, "You don't
want to go back! Jesus is a better spokesman, a
better priest, and a better sacrifice. In the Old
Testament the sacrifices for sin had to be made year
after year. In Hebrews 10:12, Jesus entered into the
holy place with His blood, and made the sacrifice for
sin once and for all!" The sacrifice for sin will never
have to be made again because the blood of Jesus
obtained eternal redemption for us.

But now hath He obtained a more excellent

ministry, by how much he is the Mediator of a
better covenant, which was established upon
better promises.

-Hebrews 8:6

Under the Old Covenant, the high priest carried out

in detail every part of the covenant given to Moses
such as sacrifices, intercession and worship, guiding
the people, releasing blessings and the mediation of
the covenant. It wasn't perfect and had to be
repeated yearly. Under the New Covenant, we see
that Jesus, the Head of the Church, our Savior and
Friend, is also our High Priest, once for all time. We
see that provision has been made through God's great
redemption plan to bring us into His Presence.

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter

the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and
living way, which He consecrated for us
through the veil, that is, through His flesh,
and having a High Priest over the house of
God, let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience and our bodies washed
with pure water.

-Hebrews 10:19-22

Christ came as a High Priest of the good

things to come, with the greater and more
perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that
is, not of this creation. Not by the blood of
goats and calves, but with his own blood, He
entered once into the Holy Place once for all,
having obtained eternal redemption... how
much more shall the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered Himself
without spot to God, cleanse your conscience
 from dead works to serve the living God? And
for this reason He is the Mediator of the new
covenant...

-Hebrews 9:11,12,14,15

In His redemptive work, Jesus opened Heaven to

all who are washed in His blood. We have entered
into His body and are now in union with Him. The
first thing we see in His Holy Place is Him, our High
Priest. We feel the cleansing effects of the sprinkling
of the blood upon our conscience. We see our
Mediator washing us with pure water as He sanctifies
and cleanses us with the washing of water by the
Word so that we can be a glorious church, not
having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that the
church should be holy and without blemish
(Ephesians 5:26, 27). He put away sin once for all as
our High Priest - once for all. He justified, sanctified
and glorified us by His sacrifice (Hebrews 9:24-27;
Romans 8:30).

FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF THIS

BLESSEDNESS, NOTHING IS NECESSARY
EXCEPT FAITH IN THE BLOOD. THE
 BLOOD ALONE HAS DONE EVERYTHING.

-ANDREW MURRAY

Jesus fulfilled every detail of the covenant and with

His death activated the new will and testament
forever. His blood is ever before the Father and cries
for mercy, grace and victory as He mediates His
Covenant, the better covenant, based on better
promises! Jesus Himself has become the guarantee or
surety of a better covenant.

By so much was Jesus made a surety of a

better testament.

-Hebrews 7:22

In keeping with [the oath's greater strength

and force], Jesus has become the Guarantee of
a better (stronger) agreement [a more excellent
and more advantageous covenant].

-Amplified

JESUS, OUR INTERCESSOR AND

SAVIOR
Wherefore He is able to save to the uttermost
them that come unto God by him, seeing he
ever liveth to make intercession for them.

-Hebrews 7:25

He can save to the utmost limit of

completeness....

-Wand

Jesus is able to save us to the uttermost. I like to

say from the guttermost to the uttermost! The work
He has begun, He will finish. He knew you before
you ever thought about Him and has a plan for your
victory in every battle! What He has started, He will
finish - not just halfway, not thirty percent, not
seventy-five percent, but completely!

Jesus is your Savior and is well able to save you.

The word save or salvation in the Greek is the same
word as deliverance, safety, healing, preservation and
soundness. He is able to save completely - to the
uttermost!
 Jesus lives in Heaven where as a High Priest, He is
praying continually, ever interceding to the Father for
the Church. We have some of His prayers in John 17
and in the letters written to the Church, so we have
insight into what He is praying for. He desires for us
to walk in truth, be fruitful, be enlightened, to walk
worthy, to be grounded and grow in His love, and
strengthened and filled with His glory. It is good to
take His prayers and pray them as He spoke them.

Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest

Who has [already] ascended and passed
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let
us hold fast our confession [of faith in Him].
For we do not have a High Priest Who is
unable to understand and sympathize and have
a shared feeling with our weaknesses and
infirmities and liability to the assaults of
temptations, but One Who has been tempted in
every respect as we are, yet without sinning. Let
us hold fast then fearlessly and confidently and
boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the
throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners),
that we may receive mercy [for our failures]
 and find grace to help in good time for every
need [appropriate help and well- timed help,
coming just when we need it].

-Hebrews 4:14-16 Amplified

Christ has given us a better covenant based upon

better promises. He obtained a better ministry. As
High Priest, He understands the temptations,
struggles, and the difficulties that we face in this life.
He understands our weaknesses. This gives us
confidence to go to the Father and look to Jesus, the
Author and Finisher, or Perfecter of our faith
(Hebrews 12:2). He is the One who knows us and
our needs better than we do. As we go before the
throne of grace to get God's help, we know we can
come boldly because Jesus is our Savior and
Advocate. Jesus' new job is to represent us.

Jesus ever lives to pray for us! He is the head and

we are His body so He is touched with our feelings
and weaknesses. We are joined together, one with
Him, so that means we can join Him in His session at
the right hand of God. With the help of the Holy
Spirit, we are able to pray a perfect prayer and make
powerful requests in His faith and see His will come
to the earth. As we hold fast to His Covenant, the
Holy Spirit will helps us to pray and make
intercession according to the will of God (Romans
8:26-27). It is Christ that died, and furthermore is
risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
makes intercession for us (Romans 8:34).

JESUS OUR ADVOCATE

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary
the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour.

-1 Peter 5:8

The Bible tells us to be on our guard, to be

watchful and attentive because we have an adversary.
Your adversary the devil is constantly trying to gain
access into your thought life, your marriage, your
family, your finances, and your future.

SATAN IS THE ACCUSER OF THE

BRETHREN - JESUS IS THE ADVOCATE!
 The Greek word for adversary is antidikos, which
simply means a lawyer who argues in court or it
means a prosecutor. The book of Revelation refers to
Satan as the accuser of the brethren. He will bring up
all of your thoughts, all of your failures and
weaknesses, and proceed to prosecute you. He will
constantly point out every little thing you didn't do or
everything you should have done. He is the accuser
and that is what he does best. He will bring you
before the Judge and he will actually use facts against
you. He will use facts of past sins, and past mistakes,
to bring you into a place where he can devour you.
He uses just enough facts to make you sabotage your
own future with your own thinking and talking.
However, the devil never tells the rest of the story.
This is why we must come to understand the Word
of God.

You must realize who your adversary is and how

he works. In 2 Corinthians 2:11, Paul says "...we are
not ignorant of his devices." Another meaning of the
word devices translated from the Greek is mind. We
are not ignorant of his mind schemes. The devil's
biggest tool is to play mind games.
 WHEN JESUS IS HANDLING YOUR CASE
YOU CANNOT LOSE. IN FACT, JESUS HAS
NEVER LOST A CASE.

The devil could never sell his stuff if he weren't

camouflaged. He brings condemnation, guilt, and all
kinds of feelings and puts pressure on you and on
your emotions. Then, he will get you to move out of
line with the Word. The devil is the tempter and the
accuser. He will tempt you to do what is wrong.
Then after you do it, he will accuse you and
condemn you.

My little children, these things write I unto

you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we
have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous.

-1 John 2:1

The difference between Jesus and the devil is that

the devil is the accuser and Jesus is the advocate. As
an advocate He is our lawyer. One translation says,
He is the one that pleads your case for you. This is
where Jesus comes in; and He will always tell the
rest of the story. The rest of the story is that He has
pardoned you of every sin, every crime, every
thought, and purged you with His blood. When Jesus
is handling your case you cannot lose. In fact, Jesus
has never lost a case.

But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,

we have fellowship with one another, and the
blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from
all sin. If we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.

-1 John 1:7,9

Your advocate will tell you to plead the Blood of

Jesus and tap into His mercy and grace. He will
anoint you with fresh oil and strengthen you to stand
up and resist the devil by speaking His Word. He is
your lawyer in Heaven and He is on your side. If God
be for you, who can be against you!

JESUS THE HIGH PRIEST OF YOUR

CONFESSION
 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the
heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and
High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

-Hebrews 3:1

Look at the words Apostle and High Priest. The

word Apostle means a sent one, or one sent to
establish something. A High Priest one who
represents someone else. Jesus was sent to establish
everything His blood purchased for us and represent
everybody His blood has redeemed.

The only way He can do His job is through our

profession. The word profession is the same Greek
word as confession. Jesus can only do His job when
we say something. He represents our confession
before the Father God. Confess with your mouth that
His Word is true no matter what the circumstances
around you look like. He is waiting for you to
acknowledge that He has already redeemed you - you
are delivered and have been made righteous in Him.

It is important for the body of Christ to carry out

the divine commands of Jesus, the Head of the
Church. He instructed us in Matthew 18:19, that
whatever we bind on earth will be bound in Heaven,
and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in
Heaven. Some things will never change until the
church takes our authority on the earth. When we
do, He will watch over His Word to perform it
(Jeremiah 1:12). He is the Apostle and High Priest of
our confession.

But in these last days He has spoken to us in

[the person of a] Son,Whom He appointed heir
and lawful Owner of all things, also by and
through Whom He created the worlds and the
reaches of space and the ages of time [He
made, produced built, operated, and arranged
them in order]. He is the sole expression of the
glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying
or radiance of the divine], image of God's
nature, upholding and maintaining and
guiding and propelling the universe by His
mighty word of power...

-Hebrews 1:2,3 Amplified

Whenever we get in the Spirit we can hear what

He is saying. When we read the Word and the Holy
Spirit breathes it to life in our spirits, we then take
hold of it, praying in the Spirit. The dunamis power
of God is released against every obstacle, lifting up a
standard against the enemy and causing the creative
will of God to come to pass!

JESUS OUR SHEPHERD

Now may the God of Peace who brought up
our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great
Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of
the everlasting covenant, make you complete
in every good work to do His will, working in
you what is well pleasing in His sight, through
Jesus Christ.

-Hebrews 13:20,21

Jesus is also the Great Shepherd of the sheep. He

is the Head of the Church, and we are His body. That
means the directives for the body of Christ come
from the head of the body - Jesus. He is the Great
Shepherd whose voice we know and follow. Psalm
23 deals with what Jesus is doing for you right now -
the ministry of the Great Shepherd.
 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He
maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he
leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth
my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though
I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou
preparest a table before me in the presence of
mine enemies: thou anointest my head with
oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

What a wonderful Shepherd! Peter calls Him the

Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Peter 2:25).
He tells us that when the Chief Shepherd is revealed,
we will win the conqueror's crown of glory (1 Peter
5:4)!

JESUS IS PRONOUNCING THE

BLESSING
 The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord
make his face to shine upon you , and be
gracious to you The Lord lift up His
countenance upon you and give you peace.

-Numbers 6:24-26

In the Old Covenant, God guaranteed that He

would bless you coming in and going out
(Deuteronomy 28:6). After giving the Great
Commission and commanding the disciples to be
filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus lifted up His hands to
bless the disciples. While He was blessing them, He
parted from them and was carried up into Heaven
(Luke 24:50,51). Jesus entered into the role of a High
Priest over the Church and one of His ministries now
is to release the blessing. In the Old Covenant, one of
the duties of the priest were to pronounce blessing.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

-Ephesians 1:3
 TEN
HOW TO GROW UP IN
CHRIST
System of Truth - Point
Eight
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the
Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up
in Him and established in the faith, as ye have
been taught, abounding therein with
thanksgiving.

-Colossians 2:6,7

When our children and grandchildren were born,

one of the most important things that demanded
attention was their nourishment. This care of the
babies would begin to establish a pattern of eating
and growing. There were always questions about
how much they ate and weighed. If they were
crying, the first question asked was if they were
hungry or needed changing. I would say, "Feed that
baby quick!" One of our grandsons had a problem
eating during the first days and how happy we were
when he got established in a routine and began to
grow!

Much of the letters to the Church deal with being

established in faith and growing up spiritually. Then
we become productive, full grown Christians who
look, talk and act like Christ. How did you get saved
and receive Him? By hearing the Gospel, believing it
in your heart and confessing with your mouth Jesus
is Lord. That is faith. Faith involves hearing, believing
and speaking what you believe.

That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the

Lord Jesus, and shall believe with thine heart
that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved. For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation.

-Romans 10:9,10
 In this chapter we will see how to renew our
minds and feed our faith by meditation in God's
Word (Section 1), how to be strengthened spiritually
through prayer and fellowshipping with God
(Section 2) and the necessity of being in your place
in the Body of Christ (Section 3). Paul emphasizes
how important this link in the chain of his System of
Truth so that we can carry faith from generation to
generation and fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus.
 SECTION ONE
THE WORD OF GOD
RENEW YOUR MIND
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God.

-Romans 12:1-2

The renewing of your mind is a continual, lifetime

process. The day will never come when you will be
able to say, "Okay, I've done that, now my mind is
renewed." You need to renew your mind throughout
your entire lifetime by daily feeding on the Word.

Since you have heard about Jesus and have

 learned the truth that comes from him, throw
off your old sinful nature and your former way
of life, which is corrupted by lust and
deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your
thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new
nature, created to be like God - truly righteous
and holy.

-Ephesians 4:21-24 TLB

When you are born again, you become a new

creature in Christ. You become a new man on the
inside, but there is evidence that the old man was
there. The evidence is in your mind, your thinking,
your reasoning, your opinions, your traditions, your
emotions, your conduct, and your behavior.

THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND IS A

CONTINUAL, LIFETIME PROCESS.

When my grandfather (who we called Pop) died,

we attended his funeral, went to the cemetery where
they lowered him into the ground and then went back
to the house where he and Granny had been living to
eat and fellowship. As I look around, I saw all the
evidence that Pop had lived there (his bed, clothes,
pictures, glasses, etc.) were lying around, but Pop
was gone! He would never live there again because
he had died and was buried and all that was left of
him was the memories.

After a period of time, I came back to visit Granny

and everything looked very different because she and
my mother had gone through all the drawers, closets,
the garage and the entire house. They had gathered all
of his belongings together and had gotten rid of them.
All that was left were a few pictures and items to
remember him by.

That is how it is when you get saved. The old man

is gone - dead and buried, but you still have evidence
he was there. You have all of this old man junk lying
around, but you do not have to get up every morning
and kill the old man. He is truly gone!

...reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed

unto sin....

-Romans 6:11
 You are to reckon, or consider to be true, that you
died with Christ, were buried with Him, and were
raised with Him. Then sin shall no longer have
dominion over you. As you reckon it to be so,
evidence of the old man's existence will begin to
disappear.

We are in a world where even many Christians still

think like their old man and keep many of the values
from their old nature. They do not want to get rid of
their "old" stuff because their flesh likes it. They
want to keep a few memories and hang on to some
old habits and attitudes. Instead, they need to haul off
some things like lying, anger, stealing, and corrupt
communication.

This we know - that our old self was nailed to

the cross with Him, in order that our sinful
nature might be deprived of its power.

-Romans 6:6 Weymouth

Part of going on with a new life is marking the

spot where the old one died! We have been crucified
with Christ, the old man is dead and now it is no
longer I but Christ who is living in me!
RENOVATING YOUR MIND
Your soul has stored memories, experiences,
events, failures, disappointments, hurts, bruises,
intellectual ideas, and reasoning. It's like a
warehouse! You have all this "baggage" in your soul
and it all needs to be restored.

Paul speaks of renewing your mind in Romans

12:2. The Machievelle translation says, "...to renovate
your mind." The Knox translation says, "Remake
your mind."

A few years ago, I restored an old truck. I thought

I could do it for about $5,000, but once I started
working on it, I discovered that a panel was rusted
out. I knew I had a choice to either replace the panel
or paint over it. If I just painted over it, in a year or
so, the rust would break out and ruin the whole paint
job.

Many times people decide, "I'm a busy person, and

I do not have time to meditate on the Word. I do not
have time to pray in the Holy Ghost, so let's just have
a little meeting and I'll run around the church." In
essence they are just painting over the rust.
 The anointing breaks the yoke of any bondage the
devil has put on you (Isaiah 10:27) and gives you the
freedom to renovate your soul. The anointing breaks
the control of the enemy, but you still have to receive
the engrafted Word which is able to save your soul.
That means there is a process to renovation.

RECEIVE THE ENGRAFTED WORD

...lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, receive with meekness the
engrafted word, which is able to save your
souls.

-James 1:21

To receive the Word with meekness means to be

teachable. You must have an attitude that accepts the
Word as final authority. You must have a hunger for
the Word and pay attention to the Word. An attitude
of meekness and getting the Word engrafted in you
are two parts of a whole; you cannot get the Word
engrafted in you if you do not receive it with the right
attitude. James 1:21 says that the engrafted Word is
able to save your soul.
 When the Word is properly engrafted, behavior will
change. If you are having trouble with a behavior or
attitude, go back to the Word and let it be engrafted
in your heart and receive it with meekness. The
ability to save your soul is in the Word. The anointing
will help you, but you will have to receive the
engrafted Word through a daily process of meditating
on it.

You can engraft entire chapters of the Bible on the

inside of you, such as 1 Corinthians 13, Isaiah 53,
Psalm 23, and Romans 6 and 8. You can take all the
redemption scriptures, prosperity scriptures, and
healing scriptures and get them engrafted on the
inside of you. When the devil comes, the Word is
already working in you and will raise up a standard
against him!

REDEEMED FROM ALL INIQUITY

Who gave Himself for us, that He might
redeem us from all iniquity....

-Titus 2:14

...that He might cut us loose from every evil

 habit...

-Jordan

Jesus gave Himself to redeem us from all iniquity.

Iniquity is sin, but it is more than just an act of sin.
Iniquity is an evil tendency or habit, a weakness in
your character, a continual thing that is going on in
some area of your life. It may have come into your
life by something that has happened to you. The
attitudes, habits, and iniquity of those you live with or
hang around can creep in and pollute you as well.

Your parents may have had the same problem with

iniquity. This is why people will say, "His daddy was
an alcoholic, now he is one!" "Her parents were
divorced. Come to think of it, so were her
grandparents. I guess she was bound to be divorced
too!" These things are generational iniquity problems.
They can continue to mess up an entire family,
generation after generation until the blood of Jesus
breaks them.

If there is iniquity, a tendency toward sin, in some

area of your life, you can get it repaired, renewed,
restored, and changed by receiving with humility the
Word of God as the supreme and final authority on
the subject. The engrafted Word will make the real
changes on the inside of you. Feed on what God has
done for you in Christ. Begin to declare, "I am who
God says I am, I have what God says I have, and I
can do what God says I can do!"

You are a new creation in Christ when you are

born again. God becomes your Father, and iniquity
does not run in His family. Even if you were abused
or something happened in your family to pollute or
affect you in some way, it has no right to dominate
you or your children any longer once you become a
new creature in Christ.

The Word says, Jesus gave Himself for us to

redeem us from all iniquity (Titus 2:14), and that He
has redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians
3:13). The Word also says that He has delivered us
from the power of darkness (Colossians 1:13). In
John 14:30, Jesus said, "The prince of this world
cometh, and hath nothing in me." Another translation
says, "He has no place to get a hold of me." When
you are born again you can say, "The devil is coming
after me, but he can't get hold of me anywhere
because Christ has redeemed me from all iniquity."
 One of the first places the devil will attack is in the
mind. In Genesis 3:13, Eve said, "The serpent
beguiled me...." Years ago, I read a translation which
said, "The serpent made me forget." The devil will
"beguile" or show you a pretty picture. Unless you
are meditating on the Word, you will forget what God
says.

(For the weapons of our warfare are not

carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling
down of strong holds;) Casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ.

-2 Corinthians 10:4,5

...we take captive and render submissive to the

Christ every defiant thought.

-2 Corinthians 10:5 - Wade

Paul said, "Neither give place to the devil"

(Ephesians 4:27). If you start thinking in line with
fear, then you actually give the devil a place to work
in your life. Fear is faith in reverse. Do not allow fear
to set in. Take those thoughts captive that do not
measure up against the standard of the Word!

The devil may also come against you with

thoughts of condemnation like, "You'll never amount
to anything. What makes you think you will ever be
able to do anything significant?" Those thoughts did
not come from God. They are not in the Bible.
Remember what Paul said in Romans 8:1,"There is
therefore now no condemnation to them which are
in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit."

You need to capture thoughts that do not line up

with God's Word. If the devil can get you under
condemnation, shame, or guilt, he can cheat you out
of your inheritance.

THE ART OF MEDITATION

Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly
to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
 -1 Timothy 4:15

I like what Norman Vincent Peale said, "It seems

there is an invisible reservoir of abundance which can
be tapped by obeying certain spiritual laws." In
difficult times people search out resources to sustain
themselves. Those who put their trust in God and
learn to tap into His supply will not lack and will even
flourish.

IT SEEMS THERE IS AN INVISIBLE

RESERVOIR OF ABUNDANCE WHICH
CAN BE TAPPED BY OBEYING CERTAIN
SPIRITUAL LAWS.

There is an art of meditation upon God's Word

which draws out His wisdom and His supernatural
power to produce amazing results. Meditation is
often overlooked and skipped as we go through the
daily affairs of life; it's important to study how to
meditate and what to meditate on in order to see the
results of Christian meditation.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and

in His law doth he meditate day and night;
and He shall be like a tree that's planted by the
rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in
his season; his leaf also shall not wither and
whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

-Psalm 1:2,3 KJV

You thrill to God's Word, you chew on

Scripture day and night. You're a tree
replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every
month, never dropping a leaf, always in
blossom.

-Message Bible

Most blessed is the man who believes in, trusts

in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and
confidence the Lord is. For he shall be like a
tree planted by the waters that spreads out its
roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear
when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green, It
shall not be anxious and full of care in the
year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding
fruit.
 Jeremiah 17:7,8 Amplified

He is like a tree planted along the riverbank,

with its roots reaching deep into the water-a
tree not bothered by the heat nor worried by
long months of drought. Its leaves stay
green....

-Taylor

Most blessed is the man who trusts me, God,

the woman who sticks with God. They're like
trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots
near the rivers-Never a worry through the
hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf,
serene and calm through droughts, bearing
fresh fruit every season.

-Message Bible

He is like a tree by the water side that thrusts

its roots to the stream: when the heat comes it
feels no alarm, its foliage stays green; it has no
worries in the year of drought, and never
ceases to bear fruit.
 -Jerusalem

In 1 Timothy 4:15, Paul said to "meditate upon

these things; give thyself wholly to them, that thy
profiting may appear to all." When a tree is well
watered, it is evident to all because you can see the
fruit and the green leaves. In the same way, those
around you can see the results of the Word working
in your life. The fruit of blessing, health and peace is
very tangible!

HOW TO MEDITATE
The dictionary defines the word meditate as this: to
talk with yourself, mutter, cogitate; it is an inward
and outward conversation; it means to study, chew
over, think over, ponder, excogitate, muse, reflect,
mull over, speculate. The word cogitate means to
think deeply, think out, think up, dream up, and to
hatch. Excogitate is to invent; create mentally.
Christian meditation is NOT sitting on the floor with
your legs crossed, humming to yourself and
emptying your mind. You cannot have a relationship
with God without having a relationship with the Word
of God.
 YOU CANNOT HAVE A RELATIONSHIP
WITH GOD WITHOUT HAVING A
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORD OF
GOD.

If you know how to worry or if you have been

offended, then you know how to meditate. You
constantly think about what could happen, what is
happening and speculate about the results. It even
affects your body and

emotions! The Bible originated in the East where

the culture is given to meditation and it has much to
say about this exercise. Philippians 4:6,7 says not to
worry about anything, but to turn those worries into
requests followed by thanksgiving.

God promises to surround your heart with His

peace. According to verse 8, our part is to do
something with our thoughts. We are to meditate or
think about things that are true, honest, just, pure,
lovely, of good report, virtuous, and begin praising
instead of worrying.

According as His divine power has given unto

 us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him that hath called
us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto
us exceeding great and precious promises; that
by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is
in the world through lust.

-2 Peter 1:3,4

As Christians, we do not have to participate in the

corruption around us. There is an escape! Because of
the new birth, you are a partaker of God's divine
nature and have in you everything you need to
overcome in life. Through meditation, the Word
becomes engrafted in you and is able to save or
restore your soul which is your mind, will and
emotions (James 1:21). When you are speaking the
Word of God, pondering, muttering, turning it over,
digesting, and dreaming about all of these great
promises that are given to you, you begin to draw up
divine power, just like a tree draws water out of the
soil it is planted in.

WHO ARE YOU WEARING?

 While I was watching the Academy Awards on
television, I listened to the announcers interviewing
the actresses and discussing the beautiful designer
gowns that the ladies were wearing. I noticed the
announcers asked the ladies WHO they were
wearing? Really they were asking the name of the
designer - Versace, Oscar de la Renta, etc. As
Christians, we must understand that we are to clothe
ourselves with Christ. We must put on or clothe
ourselves with the garments of praise and robes of
righteousness!

When a Christian meditates on who they are in

Christ and allows the Holy Spirit to clothe them with
power from Heaven, they are putting on or wearing
Christ. In Ephesians 4:23,24, Paul said, "be renewed
in the spirit of your mindput on the new man, which
is created in righteousness and true holiness." Again,
Paul says in

Romans 13:14, "put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the
lusts thereof."

You should not be wearing your old identity. God

has designed new clothes for you to put on. Put on
the consciousness of your redemption and who you
are in Christ. People around you will be able to see
Jesus' love, joy, peace, ability, and wisdom. You will
bring glory to Him and people will ask, "Who are you
wearing?"

FEAST ON THE WORD

Your words were found and I did eat them and
they were to me the joy and rejoicing of my
heart.

-Jeremiah 15:16

When your words showed up, I ate them

swallowed them whole. What a feast!

-Message Bible

When your words came, I devoured them:

-Jerusalem Bible

Your words are what sustained me, they are

food to my soul.
 -Taylor

My mother was the slowest eater I have ever

known. We would start our meal together and two
hours later she would still be chewing! I would tell
her to take the rest home because I had things to do!
She would then tell me the benefits of eating slowly.
Doctors say you should chew your food 32 times
before swallowing and that digestion begins in your
mouth where the food is broken down before you
swallow.

God's Word is faith food and is meant to be eaten.

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," Matthew
4:4. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word
of God and it has to be digested for faith to come.
When you meditate, the Word gets in your eyes, your
ears, your mouth and then into all of your body.

In Mark 4, Jesus taught the importance of hearing

the Word and compared it to seed. The most
important thing was for the roots of the seed to go
down into the soil, causing growth and eventually
fruit to come forth. Wherever you have a need in
your life, begin to gather seeds of the Word so that
you can plant them in your heart and grow a crop of
healing, peace, finances, your family's salvation, etc.
1 Corinthians 3:6 says, "I have planted, Apollos
watered; but God gave the increase."

The planting occurs when you first hear the Word

and then it must be watered by repetition. Some
reject the watering process and get no results from
the Word they heard. If there is no increase, check
out your watering or your meditation of the Word.
Proverbs 4:20-22 instructs us to keep the Word in
our mouth, before our eyes and in our heart. When
we do this, health is the result. Take it just like you
would take medicine. He wants you to be well
because He sent His Word to heal you (Psalm
107:20)!

DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF THE

LORD
David said his delight was in the Law of the Lord.
What are those laws? They are His Word. They are
the Law of Faith (Romans 3:27), the Law of Love (1
Corinthians 13), the Law of the Spirit of Life
(Romans 8:2), and the Law of Sowing and Reaping
(2 Corinthians 9:6-11). Every Christian must be
personally responsible to tap into the power of God in
these areas in order to live above the corruption in the
world. Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible,
overflows with David's love for God's Word. He
mentions meditation seven times. When you sing
psalms like David, it is a form of meditation. He said,
"I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing
praise to my God while I have my being. My
meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the
Lord," Psalm 104:33,34.

GOD IS CLOSER THAN YOU

THINK!
There are warning signs on some rearview mirrors
that say, "the objects in the mirror are much closer
than they appear." God is closer to you than you
realize and when you acknowledge Him, He will
respond to you! When Paul was in Athens, he
addressed the philosophers there on Mars' Hill who
had an altar to the Unknown God. He told them about
the God who made the Heaven and earth and how
that if they would seek Him they would find Him.
"...He be not far from every one of us: For in him we
live, and move, and have our beingFor we are also
His offspring," Acts 17:27,28. God is not far from
you and when you call on Jesus, when you
acknowledge Him and His Word, you will tap into His
Presence.

WHATEVER PART OF THE BIBLE YOU GET

THRILLED ABOUT IS WHAT WILL WORK
FOR YOU.

As you meditate on Hebrews 10:19-22, the Holy

Spirit will paint a vivid picture of how, through the
Blood of Jesus, you have access with boldness into
His throne room. God's Word will begin to flood your
consciousness. You will have tapped into that great
reservoir of abundance, love and unlimited grace. You
will have the mind of Christ.

You will enter the realm where all things are

possible. Whatever part of the Bible you get thrilled
about is what will work for you. It will walk off the
page and into your heart, living and abiding in you,
guiding you every step of the way, every night and
day. Fall in love with it! Eat it! Delight in it! Speak it!
Sing it! Shout it!
 SECTION TWO
THE POWER OF PRAYER
THE ART OF PRAYER
Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching
thereunto with all perseverance and
supplication for all the saints.

-Ephesians 6:18

One of Paul's duties and delights was in the area of

prayer. First in Paul's prayer life was the importance
of praying for those in positions of authority so the
church could live a quiet and peaceable life (1
Timothy 2:1-2). According to Ephesians 6:18, there
are all kinds of prayer for different purposes that can
be used by the direction of the Holy Spirit. In
studying his writings you see that each letter contains
one or more prayers that he is praying for the
churches or saints. These are post-resurrection
prayers that can be used by all believers. They are
especially effective when they are made personal or
prayed for others. Note the prayers of Paul at the end
of this section.

Paul's prayers were seasoned with praise and song

and you can see in Acts 16 how, when he and Silas
were imprisoned, they prayed and sang praises with a
loud voice until the earth shook the prison doors
open! He mentions singing in the Spirit in both
Ephesians and Colossians.

PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT

We know that Paul was baptized in the Holy Spirit,
used this prayer language frequently and also
functioned in the gifts of the Spirit. In the book of 1
Corinthians 14, he talks much about prayer in
tongues or in the Spirit. He contrasts the two,
explaining the need for both and the place they should
have in personal prayer and public gatherings.

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue,

speaketh not unto men but unto God: for no
man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit
he speaketh mysteries.
 -1 Corinthians 14:2 -1

He that speaketh in an unknown tongue

edifieth himself...

-1 Corinthians 14:4

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit

prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and
I will pray with the understanding also: I will
sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the
understanding also.

-1 Corinthians 14:14, 15

I thank my God I speak with tongues more

than ye all.

-1 Corinthians 14:18

These are some examples of his use of speaking in

tongues. As you study this chapter you see that he
did not minimize its importance, but gave instruction
for the sake of order in public meetings. A good
example of this kind of prayer is in Acts 13 when
certain prophets and teachers gathered for the
purpose of fasting and ministering to the Lord. In
that atmosphere of prayer, the Holy Spirit, spoke and
gave them instruction concerning the ministry of
Saul, as he was called at the time, and Barnabas.
They were separated and sent out to fulfill a new
assignment. He depended on prayer in the Spirit to
pray the will of God (Romans 8:25, 26) and to cause
doors of utterance to open (Colossians 4:3; Ephesians
6:19). Paul coveted the supply of Spirit of Jesus
Christ given by the church in Philippi (Philippians
1:19).

Staying in an attitude of prayer will also help you

to be led supernaturally like Paul when he had a
vision of the man in Macedonia asking him to come
(Acts 16:9,10). He was alert and steadfast in his
prayer life, with thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2). He
was a man of prayer who instructed us to pray about
everything and follow through with thanksgiving to
receive the supernatural (Philippians 4:6, 7).

My mother was a woman of much prayer. Some

say I taught her how to pray! One night when I was
a teenager, not living for God, I was with some boys
in their car and was involved in a car wreck which
totaled six cars. thought, "This is how people die!" I
walked out without a scratch and went home to find
my mom sitting in her rocking chair praying. I told
her what happened and she said, "I know. I have
been praying for you and the Holy Spirit told me to
tell you that Satan has desired to have you, so that he
might sift you as wheat, but he won't because I have
prayed for you." These are the same words Jesus
told Peter in Luke 22:31,32. We must have this kind
of prayer like Paul mentioned in Galatians 4:19 where
he travailed in prayer until Christ was formed in the
believers.

Here are some of the prayers Paul prayed that we

can use to pray effectually for ourselves or for
others.

EPHESIANS 1:17-23

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father

of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that ye may know
what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of
the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is
the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward
who believe, according to the working of his mighty
power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised
him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand
in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and
power, and might, and dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this world, but also in that
which is to come: And hath put all things under his
feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to
the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him
that filleth all in all.

EPHESIANS 3:14-21

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of

our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in
heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you,
according to the riches of his glory, to be
strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner
man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;
that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May
be able to comprehend with all saints what is the
breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to
know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the
power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the
church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world
without end. Amen.

COLOSSIANS 1:9-12

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it,

do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye
might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all
wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might
walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being
fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the
knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might,
according to his glorious power, unto all patience and
longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the
Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of
the inheritance of the saints in light.

PHILIPPIANS 1:9-11

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet

more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye
may be sincere and without offense till the day of
Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness,
which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise
of God.

PHILEMON 4-6

I thank my God, making mention of thee always in

my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which
thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all
saints; That the communication of thy faith may
become effectual by the acknowledging of every
good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

1 THESSALONIANS 2:13

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing,

because, when ye received the word of God which
ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of
men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which
effectually worketh also in you that believe.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:23-24

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;

and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body
be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also
will do it.

Below you will find more references that contain

prayers Paul prayed in his letters:

2 Timothy 4:16-18

1 Thessalonians 1:2-4

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
 SECTION THREE
TAKING YOUR PLACE IN
THE BODY OF CHRIST
Probably the greatest satisfaction we get as
believers after we are born again, is from being in our
place, functioning and serving in our place in the
Body of Christ. The epistles of Paul not only reveal
the revelation of redemption but the bulk of them deal
with our relationships and attitudes and how to
function in the Church. The Lord said this to me
years ago, "The blessing and the move of God
does not come by studying it alone, it comes by
serving it."

THE BLESSING AND THE MOVE OF GOD

DOES NOT COME BY STUDYING IT
ALONE, IT COMES BY SERVING IT.

In Acts 9, the guys who were holding the rope for

the Apostle Paul when he was let down in a basket
outside the city wall probably didn't realize they are
holding half of the New Testament in their hands.

The body of Christ cannot function unless it is

assembled together. Look here at this scripture in
Acts:

And when they had prayed, the place was

shaken where they were assembled together;
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,
and they spake the word of God with boldness.

-Acts 4:31

Did you know that one of the key words in the

book of Acts is the word "assembled?" Why did they
assemble themselves? The body of Christ requires
assembly. Have you ever bought your child a toy,
maybe a bicycle or a tricycle or something for your
baby? On the box it has a beautiful picture, but in fine
print it says "some assembly required."

God says redemption is yours, blessing and healing

is yours. He will show you a beautiful picture, but
right at the bottom it says, "some assembly required."
There is no other way to enjoy the benefits of the
picture without each part getting in its place because
some assembly is required. The Holy Spirit said it to
me this way, "There are things you need to know that
I am not going to tell you if I already told it to
someone you are supposed to be in relationship
with."

When he [Jesus] ascended up on high, he led

captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. And
he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets;
and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fulness of Christ.

-Ephesians 4:8, 11-13

You have now yielded a hearty obedience to

that system of truth in which you have been
instructed.

-Romans 6:17 Weymouth

 They were obedient to a form of doctrine that set
them free from sin. As a Christian, when you submit
to a pastor or other leaders in the church, you will be
in a safe environment to become a disciple, be
instructed in doctrine and changed in lifestyle. You
will be equipped for functioning in your place in the
Body of Christ.

Paul lived as an example, instructor and a spiritual

father. He was an example of how to work hard and
to suffer persecution and misunderstanding and the
godly response to have. A good father has such a
close relationship to his children that he can not only
instruct, but discipline, bring correction and warning.
Many do not want this kind of relationship today, but
when Paul wrote First Corinthians he dealt with the
same issues.

We work wearily with our own hands to earn

our living. We bless those who curse us. We are
patient with those who abuse us. We appeal
gently when evil things are said about us. Yet
we are treated like everybody's trash - right up
to the present moment. I am not writing these
things to shame you, but to warn you as my
 beloved children. For even if you had ten
thousand others to teach you about Christ, you
have only one spiritual father. For I became
your father in Christ when I preached the Good
News to you. So I urge you to imitate me.

-1 Corinthians 4:12-16 TLB

Paul preached, warned, and instructed for the

purpose that he may present every person mature
(fullgrown, fully initiated, complete and perfect) in
Christ (Colossians 1:28, AMP). In Heaven, Jesus is
praying and watching His Word to perform it. The
Father God is working in us both to will and to do of
his good pleasure. The Holy Spirit has been sent to be
our Teacher, our Helper and give us revelation in the
knowledge of God and perfecting what concerns us!
He wants us to grow up to look like Him!

When I was a young boy, our family would go on

vacations and stay in a cabin. One of the things I
remember about the old camp house we stayed in
was the marks on the wall that recorded the height of
the children who had lived there. You could tell just
how much taller each child had grown each year. I
thought that might be what God does with each of
His children. He wants us to grow and mature, but
some of His kids might stay the same year after year
or might even get shorter! When we are in our place
in the Body of Christ and grow by hearing and doing
the Word, there is a reward for diligence and it is
evident to those around us.

But now put away and rid yourselves

completely of all these things: anger, rage, bad
feeling toward others, curses, slander, and
foulmouthed abuse and shameful utterances
from your lips! Do not lie to one another, for
you have stripped off the old (unregenerate)
self with its evil practices, and have clothed
yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which
is [ever in the process of being] renewed and
remolded into [fuller and more perfect
knowledge upon] knowledge after the image
(the likeness) of Him Who created it.

-Colossians 3:8-10 Amplified

In school there is a period of time when you are

instructed. It is followed by tests which have to be
studied for and passed before you go on to the next
level of learning. Two important tests in the school of
the Holy Spirit are the money test and the love test.
The Holy Spirit is so patient and knows how to teach
each one of His students so that they can pass if we
just don't give up and quit. He will encourage us and
give us strength to finish the courses with joy!

PASSING THE MONEY TEST

Paul set a standard for hard work, generous
giving, sowing and reaping and reminded the
churches to remember the words of Jesus, "It is
more blessed to give than to receive," Acts 20:35. In
2 Corinthians 8-9 there is a pattern of how an
individual or a church body gave out of their poverty
until they always at all times had all sufficiency to
give generously to every good work (2 Corinthians
9:8). He commanded and urged generosity and
continued sowing and reaping financially in Galatians
6:6-10. He taught that you could open a debit and
credit account in the kingdom of God through tithing
and giving so that fruit would abound to your
account. This would be a fragrant sacrifice to God
and He would supply all your needs according to His
riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:15-19).
As a Christian and leader in the church it was
important to him to teach the church to follow his
example in giving, which was his obedience to the
teaching of Jesus Christ.

Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to

benefit others and make friends. Then, when
your earthly possessions are gone, they will
welcome you to an eternal home. If you are
faithful in little things, you will be faithful in
large ones. But if you are dishonest in little
things, you won't be honest with greater
responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy
about worldly wealth, who will trust you with
the true riches of heaven? And if you are not
faithful with other people's things, why should
you be trusted with things of your own? No
one can serve two masters. For you will hate
the one and love the other; you will be devoted
to one and despise the other. You cannot serve
both God and money.

-Luke 16:9-13 NLT

 The spirit of generosity is a defining mark of a
Christian. Paul challenged the churches in his letters
to follow his example in giving. The standard is set
by Jesus Christ Himself. The grace of Jesus is that
He became poor, so that we through His poverty
could be made rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). This is part
of His substitutionary work in redemption. In
Galatians 3:13,14, Paul teaches us that Christ became
a curse for us on the cross, so that the blessing of
Abraham might come on the Gentiles through faith.
As we give to others, Paul taught the church at
Ephesus that whatever good thing they did, they
would receive your reward from the Lord, no matter
who you are (Ephesians 6:8).

WHEN YOU WANT WHAT GOD WANTS

FOR THE SAME REASON HE WANTS IT,
YOU ARE INVINCIBLE.

This matter of giving and receiving was so

important to Paul and such a part of the New
Testament church that Paul left Titus in Corinth to
specifically teach them about this grace of giving and
receiving (2 Corinthians 8:6). Through this ministry
there were needs met and the blessing of God came
upon the churches and individuals, the same as in
Acts 2:45 and 4:34,35. When Christians >grow up in
this area of giving and receiving, there is abundance
and supply, freedom from the love of money and the
churches are strong! There is no end to the blessing
of God. "When you want what God wants for the
same reason He wants it, you are invincible (F.F.
Bosworth)."

PASSING THE LOVE TEST

First and Second Timothy and Philemon are rich in
instructions to those in the five fold ministry. They
contain specific guidelines concerning holy conduct,
church affairs, and exhortations to be bold and on
fire with the gift of God. Very essential to the work
of God is harmony and unity among Christians. Over
time, the love of God became Paul's quest and its
importance grew as Paul became more acquainted
with Christ Jesus.

My daddy would always say, "You can tell how

you are getting along with God by how people look
to you!" I learned that even though I had a gift or
anointing it was of no use to the Body of Christ if my
attitude was wrong or I held offense against others.

I remember one times when Bro. Hagin was

preaching on walking in love. I swallowed my pride,
made some adjustments and repented. Just a few
weeks later I had a great financial breaktrough.

Relationships are key to the personal growth and

the entire advance of the kingdom of God. As a
young pastor I was zealous to make progress in the
first little church I pastored. One of the members
was giving me trouble and I knew I could straighten
him out! There was a district superintendent of my
denomination who I liked to spend time with and I
told him about this particular issue in my church.
This wise elder gave me some of the best advice -I
will never forget that day. He said, "Mark, you may
be able to whip a skunk, but you might not want to!"
That slowed me down and realized I should pray
about things, get the wisdom of God and release the
care of them to God and He would fight my battles
for me! That is walking in love. I learned to be quick
to repent, quick to forgive and quick to believe.
When you practice the love of God, you will grow
up.
 YOU CAN TELL HOW YOU ARE GETTING
ALONG WITH GOD BY HOW PEOPLE
LOOK TO YOU! -B.B HANKINS

Ephesians 5:1,2 (Amplified) says, "Therefore be

imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example],
as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. And
walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one
another]." When you walk in love, you will be honest
and will glorify God in all your relationships doing
nothing to discredit the name of Jesus and the work
of God.

Another lesson I learned as a young husband is

that if I wanted God to answer my prayers, I needed
to treat my wife right, walking in love with her. One
time I was praying and the Lord spoke to me, telling
me He would not hear me until I made things right
with Trina. Talk about crucifying the flesh! I had to
apologize and only then I felt the presence of the
Lord as I went to pray (1 Peter 3:7).

Bro. Hagin said that walking in love is the way to

victory, and it is the truth! If you walk in love you
will display all the fruit of the spirit and not fulfill the
lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-23). The love of
God is released into our spirits by the Holy Spirit
(Romans 5:8). When we follow after it, the gifts of
the Spirit will begin to flow and Paul told us to
eagerly pursue and seek to acquire this love and to
make it our great quest (1 Corinthians 14:1
Amplified).

YOU MAY BE ABLE TO WHIP A SKUNK,

BUT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO.

THE LOVE OF GOD

If I can speak in the tongues of men and even
of angels, but have not love, I am only a noisy
gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have
prophetic powers, and understand all the secret
truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge,
and if I have sufficient faith so that I can
remove mountains, but have not love (God's
love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).
Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in
providing] food, and if I surrender my body to
be burned, but have not love (God's love in
me), I gain nothing. Love endures long and is
patient and kind; love never is envious nor
boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or
vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with
pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does
not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us
does not insist on its own rights or its own way,
for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or
fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the
evil done to it [it pays no attention to a
suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice in injustice
and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right
and truth prevail. Love bears up under
anything and everything that comes, is ever
ready to believe the best of every person, its
hopes are fadeless under all circumstances,
and it endures everything [without weakening].
Love never fails [never fades out or becomes
obsolete or comes to an end].

-1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (Amplified)

 There is only one standard of perfection and that is
Jesus Christ. Through our identification with Him in
His death, burial and resurrection; who we are and
what we have now in Christ; through the power of
the Holy Spirit working in us; and what Jesus is
doing for us now in Heaven, we can grow up into
Christ in all things. Instead of being tossed about by
different winds of doctrine and trends of the day, we
can grow up into the full stature of Christ by taking
our place in Him.

Being confident of this very thing, that he

which hath begun a good work in you will
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

-Philippians 1:6
 Study Questions
CHAPTER 1 THE LIFE OF PAUL:
THE TRAJECTORY OF FAITH
1. The word __________________also means a
chosen or taken path.

2. The word trajectory is defined in Webster's

dictionary as the path followed by an
____________________________.

3. ___________________refers to himself as a
"man in Christ" in 2 Corinthians 12:2.

4. Write Galatians 2:20 ___________________.

5. Write Ephesians 2:6 ___________________.

6. Believers are alive not just on the earth, but also

in ___________ by virtue of being
_______________.

7. What God did in Christ was for the

_____________ and _________________.

8. The Lord Jesus Christ used Paul to

_______________ the way and to draw the map that
believers walk today in Christ.

9. The letters of Paul are divinely inspired, and rich

in deepest spiritual truths, are the advanced
______________ of our Lord Jesus Christ.

10. Write Acts 20:24 ___________________.

11. Write Acts 26:2 ___________________.

CHAPTER 2 THE CENTER OF THE

GOSPEL
1. The four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John - are a _________________ of the Gospel, the
book of Acts is a ____________________ of the
Gospel; and Paul's letters are an
____________________ of the Gospel.

2. The four Gospels tell what ________ saw;

Paul's epistles tell what ________ saw.
 3. The center of the ______________ is what God
has done for you in Christ in His death, burial, and
resurrection.

4. Write 2 Timothy 1:13 in The Living

Bible ___________________.

5. Write Romans 6:17,

Weymouth ___________________.

6. Write John 8:32, 36 ___________________.

7. The first system that was established (Hebrews

9-10) has been replaced with a new and
_____________ system ordained by God and sealed
by the ___________________.

8. James Stalker said, "Paul's letters contain the

____________ that Jesus carried away from this
world unuttered."

9. The Apostle Paul's letters contain an inter-

dependent group of _________________ that came
from what God has done for us in Christ.

10. This system of __________ centers on the

death, burial, and resurrection of Christ with the
restoration of man as the _____________.

Name the 8 Points of Paul's System of Truth

11.
______________________________________

12.
______________________________________

13.
______________________________________

14.
______________________________________

15.
______________________________________

16.
______________________________________

17.
______________________________________

18.
______________________________________

CHAPTER 3: POINT 1 - PAUL'S

PNEUMA CONCEPT
1. Write Psalm 8:4-6 2 ___________________.

2. Write Genesis 1:26 3 ___________________.

3. Write 1 Thessalonians
5:23 ___________________.

4. The Greek word for "spirit" is

______________.

5. You are a ___________, with a _____________

(which includes your mind, will, and emotions), and
you are staying in a _______________ (the house
you live in).

6. Paul's letters are centered on the fact that the

real you is a ____________ not a ______________.

7. When you are born again or saved, your

___________ (spirit) is born again, hooked up to
_____________ (Romans 8:2).
 8. As the ________________feeds your spirit,
your inward man will rise up and take
______________ over your body and mind.

9. Write Colossians 1:13,

KJV ___________________.

10. Write Colossians 1:13,

Jordan ___________________.

11. Write Philippians 3:3___________________.

12. Write Romans 8:7___________________.

13. When you areborn again, your ____________

(inward man) is joined to Christ and becomes a new
creation.

14. Man is a _____________, he has a

_____________, and he lives in a ______________.

15. God expects you to get your body and soul in

subjection to your spirit man by availing yourself to
His___________________ and His
_________________ (2 Corinthians 4:16).
CHAPTER 4: POINT 2 - MAN'S
IDENTIFICATION WITH ADAM
1. Everyone in the entire human race originated
from the Garden of Eden out of the first man,
______________, and his
wife,_________________.

2. You were not born in the condition Adam was

created in; you were born in the condition he
___________________.

3. We were born, not in the _____________ that

God created Adam, but in the condition caused by
Adam's sin.

4. Adam, now a blemished "____________,"

produced and duplicated the same blemish in every
____________ that was ever born.

5. The same law that allowed one man to affect

every man is the same law that allowed Jesus Christ,
the last Adam, to take the first Adam's condition of
sin, the ____________, _____________, and
__________________.
 6. The whole Bible is really about two men: the
_________ Adam and the ____________ Adam.

7. There is no hope for man's

_________________ without Jesus Christ.

8. Once we are born again, we are no longer

_____________ to sin.

9. The power of ____________________ will

make you free from sin.

10. Write Romans 8:1-2 ___________________.

CHAPTER 5: POINT 3 - MAN'S

CONDITION IN ADAM
1. In his alienation and separation from God, Adam
actually became an ______________ of God.

2. The shedding of ______________ was always

required for the __________________ of sins.

3. Job gives revelation of man's

____________________ and
_____________________ in this world.
 4. There are three major revelations from the book
of Job: __________________________,
___________________, and
________________________________.

5. Write Romans 3:9,10 ___________________.

6. Write Ephesians 2:1,2, Phillips

7. Whenyou follow the course of this world, the

prince of the power of the air = the spirit that works
in the children of disobedience -
_________________________.

8. The word "__________________" in Ephesians

2:4-7 means "He has given us life - spiritual life."

9. This life restores dominion to the point that we

are no longer controlled by our ________________
or our ____________________________.

10. Paul told us to be thankful to God for all

things: thankful for giving us the
__________________; thankful for always causing
us to __________________; thankful for
______________us for our inheritance in Christ;
thankful for ________________ from the power of
darkness and for ___________________ us into the
kingdom of His dear Son.

11. In Christ, you have ___________________

through His blood, even the
_____________________ of sin.

12. Everything we need pertaining to

________________ and _________________ has
been provided in Christ (2 Peter 1:3).

CHAPTER 6: POINT 4 - WHAT

HAPPENED TO JESUS FROM THE
CROSS TO THE THRONE
1. Write Hebrews 9:12,
Amplified ___________________.

2. Write Ephesians 1:7 ___________________.

3. Write Colossians 1:14 ___________________.

4. Write Galatians 3:13 ___________________.

5. ______________ simply means freedom or

deliverance through the payment of a price.

6. Jesus did not die the death of a martyr; he died

as our ___________________.

7. Write John 18:37 ___________________.

8. Write Revelation 13:8 ___________________.

9. Write John 10:17,18 ___________________.

10. Write 2 Corinthians 5:17,

Amplified ___________________.

11. Write Isaiah 53:4,5 ___________________.

12. On the cross, Jesus became our substitute for

the ______________________ of sin.

13. Jesus took the punishment that we deserved

and redeemed us from________________________.

14. Jesus was the first man to enter the death

experience and _____________________ it.

15. Jesus destroyed the ______________, put him

to __________________, and _______________
him.

CHAPTER 7: POINT 5 - YOUR

IDENTIFICATION WITH CHRIST
1. Define "identification":
________________________

2. The glory and the mystery of the believer's life

is that he or she is ___________ with the master -
_____________ from Him.

3. In His _____________ and ________________,

Jesus went to the headquarters of evil and took care
of evil for every person for all time.

4. Jesus became a man so the _______________

He accomplished could be obtained by everyone.

5. Let the Word of God establish your

_______________.

6. Write 2 Corinthians 5:14 Laubach

Translation ___________________.

7. Write Romans 6:6 ___________________.

 8. Write Romans 6:11___________________.

9. Write Galatians 6:14 ___________________.

10. Write Galatians 2:20 -

Distilled ___________________.

CHAPTER 8: POINT 6 - WHO WE

ARE AND WHAT WE HAVE NOW IN
CHRIST
1. Write 2 Corinthians 5:17
(Amplified) ___________________.

2. God did ___________________ what He

wanted to do in everyman.

3. God's work in Christ far outweighs anything

done to us by
____________________________________________

4. Everything God did for us in Christ is

___________________ of our account.

5. Name four phrases that describe your position

after the new birth
______________________________________.

6. Write 1 Corinthians
1:30 ___________________.

7. Write Colossians 2:9-10 ___________________.

8. Write 2 Corintians 5:21 ___________________.

9. Write Colossians 2:3 ___________________.

10. The central theme of the Gospel of John is .

11. Eternal Life is the ______________________

of God. It is a spiritual substance that is in God.

12. Write 1 John 5:4 ___________________.

13. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke - the main theme

is the
______________________________________________.

14. Write Colossians 1:13 ___________________.

15. The kingdom of God is _____________,

_________, and _______________________ in the
Holy Ghost.
CHAPTER 9: POINT 7 - WHAT
JESUS IS DOING FOR US NOW
1. There is an eternal union between God and man
because Jesus fully __________________ with us.

2. Jesus, according to the perfect will of God, is

still actively working for our good to save us to the
______________ by ever living to make for us.

3. Write Hebrews 8:6 ___________________.

4. Jesus fulfilled every detail of the new covenant

and with His _________________,
_________________ and _______________
activated the new will and testament forever.

5. Write Hebrew 7:22 ___________________.

6. Write Hebrews 7:25 ___________________.

7. The word save or salvation in the Greek is the

same word as
_______________________________________

8. Write Romans 8:34 ___________________.

 9. The Greek word for ____________ is antidikos,
which simply means a lawyer who argues in court or
it means a ____________________.

10. Write 1 John 2:1 ___________________.

11. Jesus can only do his job when we say

something. He represents our _________________
before the Father God.

12. Write Hebrews 13:20,

21___________________.

CHAPTER 10: POINT 8 - HOW TO

GROW UP IN CHRIST
SECTION 1
1. Write Colossians 2:6-7 ___________________.

2. Write Romans 12:1-2 ___________________.

3. The _____________ of your mind is a

continual, lifetime process.

4. You are to reckon that you _________ with

Christ, were _________ with Him, and were
___________ with Him. Then sin shall no longer
have _____________ over you.

5. The ______________ breaks the control of the

enemy, but you still have to recieve the
_______________ which is able to save your soul.

6. The Word says, "Jesus gave Himself for us to

redeem us from all ___________." (Titus 2:14)

7. Write 2 Corinthians 10:4-

5 ___________________.

8. Write 1 Timothy 4:15 9. _____________ is a

relationship with the Word of God.

SECTION 2
10. Write Ephesians 6:18 ___________________.

11. Write 1 Corinthians

14:2 ___________________.

12. Write 1 Corinthians

14:4 ___________________.
 13. Paul depended on prayer in the Spirit to
pray__________________ and to cause
_____________ to open.

14. We must have the kind of prayer like Paul

mentioned in ________________ where he travailed
in prayer until Christ was formed in the believers.

SECTION 3
15. The blessing and the move of God does not
come by ________________________ it alone, it
comes by __________________ it.

16. Write Acts 4:31 ___________________.

17. The body of Christ cannot function unless it is

__________________ together.

18. Write Colossians 3:8 (Amplified)

19. Luke 16 tells us if we are ______________ in

little things, you will be faithful in large things.

20. When you want what _________________

wants for the same reason He wants it, you are
_____________________.

21. Write Ephesians 5:1-2

(Amplified) ___________________.

22. If you __________ in the spirit you will not

______________ the lust of the flesh.

23. Write Romans 5:8 ___________________.

ANSWER KEY FOR

STUDY QUESTIONS
CHAPTER 1:
1. trajectory

2. object moving through space, also a chosen or

taken path.

3. The Apostle Paul

4. Galatians 2:20

5. Ephesians 2:6
 6. Heaven, InChrist

7. whole world, every generation

8. pioneer

9. teachings

10. Acts 20:24

11. Acts 26:2

CHAPTER 2
1. proclamation, demonstration, explanation

2. man, God

3. Gospel

4. 2 Timothy 1:13

5. Romans 6:17, Weymouth

6. John 8:32, 36

7. better, blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.

 8. thoughts

9. revelation realities

10. truth, object

11. Paul's Pneuma Concept: Spirit, Soul, and Body

12. Identification with Adam

13. Man's Condition in Adam

14. What happened to Jesus - from the Cross to

the Throne

15. Identification with Christ

16. Who we are and what we have NOW in

Christ

17. What Jesus is doing for us NOW

18. How to Grow Up in Christ

CHAPTER 3
1. Psalm 8:4-6
2. Genesis 1:26

3. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

4. pneuma

5. spirit, soul, body

6. spirit, body

7. pneuma, God

8. Word, dominion

9. Colossians 1:13, KJV

10. Colossians 1:13, Jordan

11. Philippians 3:3

12. Romans 8:7

13. spirit

14. spirit, soul, body

15 Holy Spirit, Word

CHAPTER 4
1. Adam, Eve

2. Passed on

3. condition

4. master, copy

5. curse, shame, and death.

6. first, last

7. condition

8. slaves

9. righteousness

10. Romans 8:1-2

CHAPTER 5
1. enemy

2.blood, atonement
 3.experience, condition

4. man needs righteousness, man needs a

revelation of God, and man needs a mediator and a
redeemer.

5. Romans 3:9,10

6. Ephesians 2:1,2, Phillips

7. controls you

8. quickens

9. flesh, mind

10. victory, triumph, qualifying, delivering,

translating

11. redemption, forgiveness

12. life, godliness

CHAPTER 6
1. Hebrews 9:12, Amplified
2. Ephesians 1:7

3. Colossians 1:14

4. Galatians 3:13

5. Redemption

6. substitute

7. John 18:37

8. Revelation 13:8

9. John 10:17,18

10.2 Corinthians 5:17, Amplified

11. Isaiah 53:4,5

12. penalty

13. the curse of the law.

14. master

15. devil, naught, paralyzed him.

CHAPTER 7
1. to consider or treat as the same, the condition or
fact of being, the same in all qualities under
consideration.

2. one, inseparable .

3. death, resurrection,

4. victory

5. identity.

6. 2 Corinthians 5:14 Laubach Translation

7. Romans 6:6

8. Romans 6:11

9. Galatians 6:14

10.Galatians 2:20 - Distilled

CHAPTER 8
1. 2 Corinthians 5:17
2. In Christ

3. Adams Fall.

4. set to the credit

5. In Christ, In Whom, In the Lord, In Him

6. 1 Corinthians 1:30

7. Colossians 2:9-10

8. 2 Corintians 5:21

9. Colossians 2:3

10. eternal life.

11. divine nature

12. 1 John 5:4

13. Kingdom of God.

14. Colossians 1:13

15. righteousness, peace, joy

CHAPTER 9
1. identified

2. uttermost

3. Hebrews 8:6

4. death, burial resurrection

5. Hebrew 7:22

6. Hebrews 7:25

7. deliverance, safety, healing, preservation

soundness.

8. Romans 8:34

9. adversary prosecutor.

10.1 John 2:1

11.confession

12.Hebrews 13:20, 21
CHAPTER 10
SECTION 1
1. Colossians 2:6-7

2. Romans 12:1-2

3. renewing

4. died, buried, raised, dominion

5. anointing, engrafted Word

6. iniquity.

7. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

8. 1 Timothy 4:15

9. Meditation

SECTION 2
10. Ephesians 6:18

11. 1 Corinthians 14:2

 12.1 Corinthians 14:4

13. the will of God, doors of utterance

14. Galatians 4:19

SECTION 3
15. studying, serving it.

16. Acts 4:31

17. assembled

18. Colossians 3:8 (Amplified)

19. faithful

20. God invincible.

21. Ephesians 5:1-2 (Amplified)

22. walk, fulfill

23. Romans 5:8

 CONFESSION OF WHO
YOU ARE IN CHRIST
That the communication of thy faith may
become effectual by the acknowledging of
every good thing which is in you in Christ
Jesus.

-Philemon 6

I am a new creation in Christ. Old things are

passed away, and everything has become new. I
forget the past. I am new - a new person, with new
life, in a new kingdom in Christ Jesus. The dominion
of God, the move of God and the realm of God are
within me. I have been delivered from the power of
darkness and Satan's authority, and translated into the
kingdom of the Son of God. I am in that kingdom
right now. I have entered into the realm of God. I can
see things with my spiritual eyes in the Word and by
the Holy Spirit, so I boldly declare that I am in Christ
and in the kingdom. Righteousness, peace, and joy in
the Holy Ghost are mine in Christ. In the kingdom I
have been made righteous. I have the peace of God. I
have the joy of the Lord. I have the Holy Ghost. The
Spirit of God is my Helper and Teacher.

All things are possible to him who believes. I am

who God says I am. I have been redeemed. I am in
Him, and He is in me. I am saved. I have been born
of God. Whoever is born of God overcomes the
world, and this is the victory, even my faith. In
Christ I am victorious, I am blessed and I have
redemption. I can do what God says I can do. I
know there are giants in the land, but I walk by faith
and not by sight. I see the unseen. God's movement,
ability, and power are in me and available to me. I can
do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Devil, you are a liar. You are under my feet. Your
power is broken over my family and my future. I
submit to You, Father. As I resist the devil, he runs
from me. I submit to the Word. I agree with the
Word. Devil, take your hands off my mind, my body,
and my finances, in Jesus' name. I belong to God. I
hold fast to my confession of faith. I am blessed so I
can be a blessing around the world. I can see there is
a highway and there is traffic from Heaven to my
house. By the blood of Jesus I am redeemed. Thank
You, Father God, for redeeming me. Thank You for
Your mercy and grace. I reign as a king in life
through Jesus Christ. I am seated with Christ in
heavenly places. He whom the Son sets free is free
indeed. I mix faith with the Word of God. Victory is
mine. The blessing of the Lord is mine. Thank You,
Lord, that I have all that You say that I have. Thank
You, Lord, that You supply all my needs. Lord,
because You are my Shepherd, I shall not want. You
have prepared a table before me in the presence of
my enemies. Right now I am eating from the
righteousness, the redemption, the healing, the
victory, the joy, and the peace. Thank You, Father,
that it is mine in Christ. Thank You, Lord, for the
reality of redemption. Blessing is mine now. Healing
is mine now in Jesus' name. Strength is mine. I am
strong in You, Lord, and in the power of Your might.
Faith says it is mine now. Faith says what God says.
Purchasing and Contact
Information
Mark Hankins Ministries
PO Box 12863
Alexandria, LA 71315
Phone:318.448.4500
Fax:318.443.2948
E-mail:contact@markhankins.org
Visit us on the web:
www.markhankins.org
 Books by Mark Hankins
Spirit-Filled Scripture Study Guide -
$35
This is a comprehensive study of scriptures in
over 120 different translations covering many topics
including redemption, faith, finances, and prayer.

The Spirit of Faith - $15

If you only knew what was on the other side of
your mountian you would move it! Having a spirit of
faith is necessary to do the will of God and fulfill
your destiny. The Spirit of faith turns defeat into
victory and dreams into reality.

The Bloodline of a Champion - $15

The blood of Jesus is "liquid love" that flows from
the heart of God and gives us hope in all
circumstances. In this book we will be studying the
power of the blood of Jesus. Not only will we clearly
see what the blood has done for us, but also what it
does in us as believers.

Taking Your Place In Christ - $12.50

Many Christians talk about what they are trying to
be and what they are going to be. This book is about
who you are now as a believer in Christ.

Let the Good Times Roll - $12.50

This book focuses on the five keys to Heaven on
earth: The Holy Spirit, glory, faith, joy, and
redemption. The Holy Spirit is a genius. If you will
listen to Him, He will make you look smart.

Revolutionary Revelation - $12.50

This book provides excellent insight on how the
spirit of wisdom and revelation is mandatory for
believers to access their call, inheritance, and
authority in Christ.

The Power of Identification With

Christ - $15
 This book focuses on the reality of redemption and
your new identity in Christ. As a new creature, you
have everything you need inside of you to succeed in
life!

Never Run at Your Giant With Your

Mouth Shut - $5
When David ran at Goliath, there was a war of
words going on. In this book, we learn that winning
the war of words is necessary to winning the fight of
faith.

11:23- The Language of Faith - $12.50

Never understimate the power of one voice! This
book contains over 100 inspirational, mountain
moving quotes to "stir up" the spirit of faith in you.

Acknowledging Every Good Thing

That Is In You In Christ - $2.50
This mini-book encourages every believer to have
a daily confession or acknowledgment of who they
are in Christ.
 CD Series
Paul's System of Truth - 12 CD's
These CD's will give you an in depth look at Paul's
Letters and the system of truth that reveals man's
redemption.

For More Information:

www.markhankins.org
 Mark and Trina Hankins travel nationally and
internationally preaching the Word of God with the
power of the Holy Spirit. Their message centers on
the spirit of faith, the identify of the believer in
Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit.

After over 35 years of pastoral and traveling

ministry, Mark and Trina are now ministering full-
time in campmeetings, leadership conferences, and
church services around the world and across the
United States. Their son Aaron Hankins and his wife
Errin Cody are now the pastors of Christian Worship
Center in Alexandria, Louisiana. Their daughter Alica
Moran and her husband Caleb pastor Metro Life
Church in Lafayette, Louisiana. Mark and Trina also
have five grandchildren.

Mark is also the author of several books. For more

information on Mark Hankins Ministries please log on
to our website,www.markhankins.org.
 Acknowledgements
Special Thanks To:
My wife, Trina

My son, Aaron, and his wife Errin Cody

Their children Avery Jane, Macy Claire, and Jude
Aaron

My daughter, Alicia, and her husband Caleb

Their children Jaiden Mark and Gavin Luke

My parents, Pastors B.B. and Velma Hankins, who

are now in Heaven with the Lord

My wife's parents, Rev. William and Ginger

Behrman
 Reference Page
Amplified Bible. Zondervan Publishing House,
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1972.

Barclay, William. The New Testament, A New

Translation. Collins, London, England, 1968.

Boorstin, Daniel. "History's Hidden Turning

Points," US News and World Report, 22 April, 1991:
52.

Bruce, F.F. The Letters of Paul, An Expanded

Paraphrase. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand
Rapids, Michigan, 1965.

Carpenter, S.C. Selections from Romans and The

Letter to the Philippians. Spirit to Spirit Publications,
1981.

Cressman, A. Good News for the World. Soon!

Publications, Bombay, India, 1969.

Conybeare and Howson. The Life and Epistles of

Paul.
 Fenton, Ferrar, The Holy Bible in Modern English.
Destiny Publisher, Massachusetts, n.d.

Good News Bible, The Bible in Today's English

Version. American Bible Society, New York, New
York, 1976.

Gordon, A.J. In Christ, or, the Believer's Union

with His Lord. Gould and Lincoln, Boston, 1872.

Johnson, Ben Campbell. The Heart of Paul. A

Rational Paraphrase of the New Testament. Word
Books, Waco, Texas, 1976.

Jordan, Clarence. The Cotton Patch Version of

Paul's Epistles. Association Press, New York, New
York, 1968.

Knox, Ronald. The New Testament of Our Lord

and Savior Jesus Christ, A New Translation. Sheed
and Ward, New York, New York, 1953.

Laubach, Frank C. The Inspired Letters in Clearest

English. Thomas Nelson and Sons, New York, New
York, 1956.
 Lovett, C.S. Lovett's Lights on Galatians,
Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2
Thessalonians with Rephrased Text. Personal
Christianity, Baldwin Park, California, 1969.

Moffat, James. The Holy Bible Containing the Old

and New Testaments. Double Day and Company,
Inc., New York, New York, 1926.

Morris, Leon. The Cross and The New Testament.

WM. E. Eerdmans Publishing, Grand
Rapides/Cambridge, December 1, 1999.

Nelson, P.C. The Life of Paul. Gospel Publishing

House, Springfield, Missouri, nd.

New English Bible. Oxford University Press,

Oxford, England, 1961.

Noli, Fans. S. The New Testament of Our Lord

and Savior Jesus Christ. Albanian Orthodox Church
in America, Boston, Massachusetts, 1961.

(pg 12) Parshall, Gerald. "The Momentous Mission

of the Apostle Paul," US News and World Report, 22
April, 1991: 54-55.
 Phillips, J.B. The New Testament in Modern
English. The Macmillan Company, New York, New
York, 1958.

Richert, Ernest L. Freedom Dynamics. The

Thinker, Big Bear Lake, California, 1977.

Rotherham, J.B. The Emphasized Bible. Kregel

Publications, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1976.

Schonfield, Hugh. The Authentic New Testament.

Dennis Dobson, Ltd., Great Britian, 1955.

Stanley, Arthur. The Epistles of Paul in Modern

English. Verploegh Editions, Wheaton, Illinois, 1980.

Stalker, James. The Life of St. Paul. The

Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapides, Michigan,
1984.

Taylor,Ken. The Living Bible. Tyndale House

Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 1971.

The Distilled Bible/New Testament. Paul Benjamin

Publishing Company. Stone Mountain, Georgia, 1980.

The Jerusalem Bible. Double Day and Company,

Inc., New York, New York, 1968.

Way, Arthur S. The Letters of St. Paul to the

Seven Churches and Three Friends with the Letter to
the Hebrews, Sixth Edition. Macmillian and
Company, New York, New York, 1926.

Webster, Noah. The American Dictionary of the

English Language, 1828.

Weymouth, Richard Francis. The New Testament.

James Clark and Company, London, England, 1909.

Wigglesworth, Smith. Ever Increasing Faith.

Springfield, Missouri, Gospel Publishing House,
1996.

Wilson, Marvin. "The Apostle Paul and His Times:

Did You Know". christianitytoday.com, Issue 47,
1995.

Verkuyl, Gerrit. The Holy Bible, The New Berkeley

Version Revised Editions, in Modern English.
Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids,
Michigan, 1969.
 Table of Contents
PAUL'S SYSTEM OF TRUTH
THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF THE
APOSTLE PAUL
Mark Hankins
ONE THE LIFE OF PAUL THE TRAJECTORY OF
FAITH
REVOLUTIONS AND TURNING POINTS IN
HISTORY
THE LIFE OF PAUL THE TRAJECTORY OF
FAITH
PAUL: A HAPPY MAN
TWO PAUL'S SYSTEM OF TRUTH
THE POWER OF TRUTH
A BETTER SYSTEM
THE NEW SYSTEM OF TRUTH
THE 8 POINTS OF PAUL'S SYSTEM OF
TRUTH
THREE PAUL'S PNEUMA CONCEPT System of
Truth - Point One
PLANT OR ANIMAL?
THE SPIRIT DIMENSION: ANOTHER
KINGDOM
 WHAT IS MAN?
SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY
PAUL'S PNEUMA CONCEPT
MAN IS A PNEUMA BEING
ADAM'S PNEUMA DEATH
STEPPING INTO A NEW WORLD
GET PNEUMATIZED!
EXERCISE PNEUMA AUTHORITY
FEED YOUR PNEUMA THE WORD
THE UNSEEN REALM AND THE NATURAL
MAN
WHICH CHANNEL ARE YOU ON?
SOUL POWER
SANCTIFIED FROM THE INSIDE OUT
THE SPIRIT VS. THE FLESH
THE INWARD MAN
PNEUMA REFERENCES
FOUR MAN'S IDENTIFICATION WITH ADAM
System of Truth - Point Two
BEFORE YOU WERE BORN
ADAM WAS NOT DECEIVED
ADAM, THE ARCHETYPE OF MANKIND
A COPY OF THE MASTER
IDENTIFIED WITH ADAM
THE LAW OF SIN
 FIRST ADAM, LAST ADAM
THAT FORM OF DOCTRINE
BREAKING THE POWER OF SIN
SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
FIVE MAN'S CONDITION IN ADAM System of
Truth - Point Three
SEPARATION FROM GOD
JOB REVEALS MAN'S CONDITION
MANKIND NEEDS A MEDIATOR
GOD FOUND A SUBSTITUTE
PAUL REVEALS MAN'S CONDITION
WITHOUT HOPE, WITHOUT COVENANT,
WITHOUT GOD
SPIRITUALLY DEAD
CONTROLLED BY THE DEVIL
IN ADAM - IN CHRIST
SIX WHAT HAPPENED TO JESUS FROM THE
CROSS TO THE THRONE System of Truth -
Point Four
ONCE UPON A TIME
THE FOUR MAJOR VIEWS OF THE
ATONEMENT
JESUS TOOK UPON HIMSELF OUR CURSE
JESUS CAME TO DIE
IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
 SEPARATION FROM THE FATHER
THE CUP OF GOD'S WRATH
ENGRAFTED INTO CHRIST
JESUS - FIRST BORN FROM THE DEAD
SATAN'S MASTERY DESTROYED
SEVEN YOUR IDENTIFICATION WITH CHRIST
System of Truth - Point Five
JESUS IN YOUR JERSEY
ONE WITH THE MASTER
CRUCIFIED TOGETHER WITH CHRIST
DEAD TO THIS WORLD
ALIVE UNTO GOD
JOINT-HEIRS WITH CHRIST
JESUS DEFEATED THE DEVIL
A NEW IDENTITY IN CHRIST
FIND YOUR IDENTITY IN THE WORD
KNOWING YOUR TRUE IDENTITY
A NEW, VICTORIOUS IDENTITY
RE-CREATED IN HIS IMAGE
EIGHT WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU HAVE IN
CHRIST System of Truth - Point Six
POWERFUL PREPOSITIONS
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO YOU ARE
THE ZOE LIFE OF GOD
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU
 THE DOMINION OF GOD
THE WORD OF FAITH IS NIGH THEE
NINE WHAT JESUS IS DOING NOW System of
Truth - Point Seven
JESUS OUR HIGH PRIEST
JESUS, OUR INTERCESSOR AND SAVIOR
JESUS OUR ADVOCATE
JESUS THE HIGH PRIEST OF YOUR
CONFESSION
JESUS OUR SHEPHERD
JESUS IS PRONOUNCING THE BLESSING
TEN HOW TO GROW UP IN CHRIST System of
Truth - Point Eight
SECTION ONE THE WORD OF GOD
RENEW YOUR MIND
RENOVATING YOUR MIND
RECEIVE THE ENGRAFTED WORD
REDEEMED FROM ALL INIQUITY
THE ART OF MEDITATION
HOW TO MEDITATE
WHO ARE YOU WEARING?
FEAST ON THE WORD
DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF THE
LORD
GOD IS CLOSER THAN YOU
 THINK!
SECTION TWO THE POWER OF PRAYER
THE ART OF PRAYER
PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT
SECTION THREE TAKING YOUR PLACE IN
THE BODY OF CHRIST
PASSING THE MONEY TEST
PASSING THE LOVE TEST
THE LOVE OF GOD
Study Questions
CHAPTER 1 THE LIFE OF PAUL: THE
TRAJECTORY OF FAITH
CHAPTER 2 THE CENTER OF THE GOSPEL
CHAPTER 3: POINT 1 - PAUL'S PNEUMA
CONCEPT
CHAPTER 4: POINT 2 - MAN'S
IDENTIFICATION WITH ADAM
CHAPTER 5: POINT 3 - MAN'S CONDITION
IN ADAM
CHAPTER 6: POINT 4 - WHAT HAPPENED
TO JESUS FROM THE CROSS TO THE
THRONE
CHAPTER 7: POINT 5 - YOUR
IDENTIFICATION WITH CHRIST
CHAPTER 8: POINT 6 - WHO WE ARE AND
 WHAT WE HAVE NOW IN CHRIST
CHAPTER 9: POINT 7 - WHAT JESUS IS
DOING FOR US NOW
CHAPTER 10: POINT 8 - HOW TO GROW UP
IN CHRIST
SECTION 1
SECTION 2
SECTION 3
ANSWER KEY FOR STUDY QUESTIONS
CHAPTER 1:
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
SECTION 1
SECTION 2
SECTION 3
CONFESSION OF WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST
Purchasing and Contact Information
Mark Hankins Ministries PO Box 12863
 Alexandria, LA 71315
Phone:318.448.4500
Fax:318.443.2948
E-mail:contact@markhankins.org
Visit us on the web:
www.markhankins.org
Books by Mark Hankins
Spirit-Filled Scripture Study Guide - $35
The Spirit of Faith - $15
The Bloodline of a Champion - $15
Taking Your Place In Christ - $12.50
Let the Good Times Roll - $12.50
Revolutionary Revelation - $12.50
The Power of Identification With Christ - $15
Never Run at Your Giant With Your Mouth Shut
- $5
11:23- The Language of Faith - $12.50
Acknowledging Every Good Thing That Is In
You In Christ - $2.50
CD Series
Paul's System of Truth - 12 CD's
For More Information:
www.markhankins.org
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Special Thanks To:
Reference Page