Privilege, Permission, & Promotion

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-29, 4:1-7

Verse 26: Faith is not just about believing that God exists. The true fear of the Lord pierces our hearts to know we belong to Him and there is no other god. There is only one way to the true and living God and that is Jesus. True believers respect God, His position, and His truth. Our faith connects us to Jesus Christ. He reveals the Father and the Father reveals the Son to us. Christ is the only one that can get us close to the Father. We are sheep. Jesus is the good Shepherd. His sheep know His voice. We are a body of one faith, one baptism, and one Lord. Jesus was crucified for all of our sins. It does not matter the color of our skin or the magnitude of the sin. He was the perfect sacrifice to reconcile us back to our Creator.

As believers, we believe in the virgin birth, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus. As we believe in the works that Jesus performed on the earth, we can also believer that this is offered to us to be able to do the same in this earth in our own life. As we proclaim the name of Jesus by faith, the demons hear and tremble. Every knee must bow and confess the Lordship of Jesus. We have grace through His sacrifice. He conquered death and with true repentance we do not have to suffer the fiery damnation that awaits anyone who prefers sin over the holiness of the Lord.

Verse 27: When we become baptized, we are to leave the old behind. This means that we start a journey to change our mindsets by investing in the Word of God daily to escape the influence of the carnal world. We were shaped by so many negative and contrary aspects of life. This is why the bible instructs us to renew our mind after righteousness. We begin to wear a new robe after we have been baptized. It is the robe of righteousness. When we put on Christ, we must deny ourselves. We begin to take responsibility for mistakes, actions, thoughts, and learn how to apply the Word to live a better life. We are to die daily to the flesh so that our spirit man can come forth and be led by the Holy Spirit of God. God works through our situations to bring us into maturity.

We can recognize stages of maturity as we walk with the Lord. When we can handle constructive criticism by not being offended and being able to adjust for improvement, it is a sign of maturity. When we can let things go without continually bringing up the issue, it is a sign of maturity. When we can be honest with ourselves about everything, it is a sign of maturity. We are maturing when we can manage the words that we speak, manage the thoughts that we think, manage the way we respond to others, and can resist the urge to murmur and complain. When we come to the level to see things for what they are spiritually and respond spiritually, we have matured. When we can pray for our enemies without complaining and can go to God in prayer of faith for anything at any time, we have matured.

Verse 28: We are all created by the same God and have the same spiritual opportunities to heal the sick and raise the dead, etc. He has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness. No one is exempt from having the ability to be holy and produce holy fruit. God gave us a blueprint to follow with the Holy Bible. He gave us a navigator to direct our steps in the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the chauffeur. God writes His Word on our hearts. We have no excuse. Through His Word, we have power and authority over the evil works in this world. Read Matthew 28:18 and Mark 16:17-18 to see that everyone born of Christ has the ability to be strong in Him.

Verse 29: If we are Christ’s, the Holy Ghost bears witness. The witness is not about profession but confession from the heart. It is not about what we say but what intentions we have in our heart. Our heart testifies for or against us for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The true glow of love distinguishes the true Disciples of Christ. Love is character based and not action based. Many have imitated what they assume to be works of love and have not been formed in love. The Disciples of Christ are disciplined, single-minded, poised, sincere, and tenacious for Him.

They are not concerned with their own fame and fortune. God favors and blesses as obedience is fulfilled. True Disciples of Christ learn to wait it out until the Lord releases the promises. This is total self-denial. We cannot follow Christ and take up a cross until self is denied. There is no cross bearing the cross if there is no denial in the first place. God does not lie nor does He change His Word to adapt to anyone. He upholds all things by the Word of His power and it cannot change.

The seed of Abraham has friendship, relationship, and faith. Abraham was called a friend of God. He was named the father of faith. He had a relationship with God. We are joint heirs with Christ Jesus. Dominion is ours.

Galatians 4:1-7

Verse 1: 1st Point children are heirs to their parents’ estate. As Jesus is heir to God, He reconciled us and we became joint heirs through Jesus’ sacrifice and righteousness. The blood covers us as we walk in righteousness and turn from a life of sinning. God has to give us permission to lay hands, cast out demons, etc. We were granted permission to use the name above every name. The name of Jesus. Permission is extended when we accept Jesus in our hearts and confess with our mouth and live unto Him daily.

2nd point we must remain humble for God resists the proud. We must remain humble as little children and having faith as a child in order to receive inheritance. Our power rests in humility and faith. Power does not come with titles, positions, seniority, but power comes from God because He empowers. God proves us so we will not abuse others. God has to send us through tests to determine the level of trust we have. This is why God does not simply throw us into anything. He tests us with everything even our family. He can grant permission when He receives submission.

Verse 2: Soldiers have to go through boot camp to get prepared for authentic assignments. The soldiers for Christ have to also go through boot camp with our situations to prepare us for real spiritual battles. We have to be under the proper leadership and anointing in order to grow properly and be groomed for the area of ministry, great or small. We have to learn to carry weights from relationships. The weight of prayer, love, accountability, encouragement, rebuke, and obedience. We learn how to sacrifice, persevere, and consider our ways. Challenges teach us discipline. The Spirit led leaders will guide the people and show them how to flow in the Spirit and operate under the necessary anointing. People seek power but power without discipline is disaster. Power needs management and accountability. Spirit led teachers provide protection as well as direction.

Verse 3: We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. The law was produced to tell us what we were not supposed to do. Being born again, we do not have to look far for the confirmation of right and wrong. It is on our hearts if we are filled with the Spirit of God. We know revelation that brings understanding of the basic 10 commandments that were written on stone. Yet, God no longer writes on stones, but on flesh. In days of immaturity, we function as to tempt God out of our ignorance, but when we have been made free from bondage of sin and carnality, we seek to do His will and know not to tempt the Lord thy God. We understand His love and also His judgment. We grow to learn more about His sovereignty and wisdom.

Verse 4: Jesus was born under the law and came to fulfill the law of the Old Testament. He did not come to destroy it. This means that God did not change His mind, but He made better provision. We no longer need to sacrifice animals for forgiveness of sin. He allows us to eat what is good as long as we give thanks to Him first. Jesus became the perfect and ultimate one time needed sacrifice for all sin. Repentance is a grace for all men to turn away from whatever sin they have practiced or practicing. We cannot afford to live in sin and should not want to do so. Sin separates us from the presence of God and without His presence there is no joy. If there is no joy, there is no strength.

Jesus tore the veil that divided the people from God after the fall of man.

Adam and Eve caused us not to be born in the image and likeness of God but in the image of sin. This is why we have to be reborn to bear the image and likeness of God. This is why we have to be after the 2nd Adam (Jesus) and not the first. Grace has allowed us to have the fullness of Him. We do not have to remain in the elementary things of the spirit. We can press into deepness and achieve intimacy with God. He wants us to be hot or cold because lukewarm is not tolerated. Lukewarm cannot be trusted. Lukewarm is doubleminded.

Verse 5: We are redeemed by the Blood of Jesus. We are adopted and accepted in the beloved. Jesus redeemed us back to the state of God’s original design of thought when He said let us make man in our image and in our likeness.

Verse 6: We are not servants but His children. We have the right to call Him Father. We have all the rights as children and can partake at His table. We have the opportunity to dwell in His presence even right here on earth. Today, God is accessible to us. We can call on Him and He hears the cries and voices of His children who honor and adore Him. He does not hear the prayers of the wicked and a doubleminded man cannot expect to receive anything from the Lord.

Verse 7: We are not bastards but heirs. God owns, made, and controls all things. We have the ability to receive all that God has for us. Without faith it is impossible to please God but he that comes to him must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them who seek Him.