#2225 0103 16A

            As 2016 begins, a new heart attitude, that everyone needs, is the way to start this New Year.  This new heart is one that will believe and trust on the divine power of God by faith—a heart attitude that truly believes He will heal our body by faith; provide our needs each day; bring about justice; protect our interests; and give spiritual wisdom when it is needed—all by faith and through prayer.

            After repenting, confessing, and forsaking any known sins in our life, we must then believe that our heart has been forgiven, and our attitude has been changed—to one that will trust God in real faith because it believes what Jesus accomplished on the cross.  We are obligated to maintain that position of trust on God through faith in Christ.

            Jesus Romans 6:10-11 “died to sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth to God.  Likewise reckon ye also [regard; count; consider] yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

            The rebellious heart attitude of no trust on God is dead, but a believing heart attitude of faith in God is alive.  That scriptural position of trust on God by faith alone; and the obedient attitude of faith in Christ, must be retained and maintained.  We are not to tolerate any other heart attitude.

            Satan will try to get us away from that position of faith, and he suggests that we should see before we believe.  He hides the fact that we are a branch of God’s Truth connected to the Vine of divine power.  If we make an uncompromising decision to believe the Word—that we are now dead to the old attitude of no trust, and alive to a new attitude of believing faith—God will prove that His Word prevails over Satan’s lie.

            That attitude of being dead to sin but alive to God, is to be retained through any circumstance of life—and that retention is by following New Testament instruction.  If we maintain that stand, we will overcome the devil by faith in God.

            Responding to things and people as God’s Word says to respond, is really not difficult, because we just rely on God’s power for success.  There is no limit to what Ephesians 1:19 “the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,” can do.  Our spiritual eyes need to be spiritually enlightened.

            The apostle was sent to the Gentiles Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”  If we will choose to believe, the Holy Spirit will inspire us to know that we are forgiven when we trust God—because the cost is paid.

            The heart attitude change everyone needs is one that will trust on the divine power of God, and will believe that He will provide our needs, bring about justice, heal our body, and protect our interests, when we act in faith on His promise to do that.  It is Ephesians 1:19 “according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.”

            It is the mercy of God showing the love of God.  Ephesians 2:4 “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

            The inward change of attitude is the inward conversion of heart that must take place.  Matthew 18:3 “Verily I say to you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  A little child is totally dependent; humble and teachable; because they are willing to trust a parent—we must have that same attitude toward God—be willing to trust Him.

            We are to humble ourselves before Him; depend on His power alone; and always be ready to learn when He teaches us through the various circumstances we meet in life.  We are to maintain this humble attitude of trust on Him through every situation.  Colossians 3:17 “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”  Jesus is the Vine Who gives us the strength, the ability, and the desire to carry through in faith.

            The key to living an overcoming life of faith in Christ, is to maintain the Scriptural position of trust on God—seeing ourselves dead to the unbelieving attitudes of the past, and alive to the believing attitudes of the present.  Whatever we say, do, or decide, is to be done by the power of the Holy Spirit within—only.  We are to believe in our heart without seeing with our eyes.

            When Jesus is truly within our heart by faith, we will be able to do things; meet situations; and treat people around us by His power only; through that same faith only.  It will be easy to return good for evil, and natural to not take revenge, because we believe and know that God will deal with the wrong in His way and time.

            When we decide to meet offensive people and difficult situations as God’s Word says—knowing that Christ’s Spirit is in our heart—we will be able to respond as the Bible says to.  As we maintain that position of faith in Christ; and that attitude of trust on God, it will be no problem to obey the Word concerning everything.  We are protected from failing by a shield of faith.

            We find it easy to pray for our enemies; to lend and expect nothing in return; and to give more than we are asked to give, because God provides the ability to do it—we just make the choice to do it—by faith in Him.  As we trust God in faith, He proves that His Word means what it says—and in following His Word, there is “exceeding great reward” Genesis 15:1—as God promised Abram.

            Trusting on the power of God, through faith in the Blood of Christ, includes every concern of every day.  All parents want to have obedient children, but we are not to depend on the way we talk to them for obedience.  We are to give the children instruction and advice, of course, but in the Name of Jesus, and depending on the power of God to put an obedient spirit in them before saying anything.

            This heart attitude of trusting on the power of God is necessary for healing—as with every other promise of God.  Mark 11:24 “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”  If we truly believe, we will definitely receive—as we depend on God in faith that we are delivered, strengthened, and healed—not by feeling; but by believing.

            We are to reject any human way of healing, and put our faith on the power of God, because He will not share our trust, or our loyalty, with any other power, plan, or process.  Exodus 34:14 “Thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”  Deuteronomy 4:24 “The LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”

            We are to claim healing in Jesus’ Name, because John 16:23-24, “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”  We are to see ourselves delivered, and believe the victory is ours on the authority of God’s Word alone.

            This is a free-will choice on our part, to believe that God’s Word means what it says.  The question must be settled whether we are going by what we see, or acting on what we believe.  Acting in faith can only be done by the power of the Spirit.  We are to walk and work in complete dependence on God’s power.  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13.

            Jesus was teaching Matthew 12:10 “and a man with a shriveled hand was there.”  The man was not able to use his arm.  Jesus would have been speaking about Revelation 13:8 “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” Who bore every sin, sickness, pain and weakness on the cross.  The man would have had to believe that, and when he did, Jesus said Matthew 12:13 “Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.”

            God offers us “exceeding great and precious promises” 2 Peter 1:4, that are part of our divine inheritance, so the moment we pray in faith, we are to see the work of healing done.  We are to begin acting in dependence on the divine power of God to make it a reality—just as the man who had a withered hand.

            God’s divine power enables the weary to win.  It is about believing the Word and depending on God.  Isaiah 40:28 “Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary.”  We should not put limits on what God is able to do for us.  When we are ready to believe, we are to act in faith on His Word.

            Isaiah 40:29-31 “He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”

            The shed Blood of Christ provides forgiveness, healing, and victory to those who believe and act in faith on God’s promise.  Satan is the author of trouble, disease, conflict, and contention, but 1 John 3:8 “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”  It is our responsibility to believe that that is true; then act in faith like we do believe.

            Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, releases us from those things Satan tries to put on us.  Our part is the willingness to believe, that comes from a change of heart—it is making a new start with a renewed heart that is willing to put faith in action.  The power of God, through the indwelling Spirit, enables us to do it.  A new heart makes a new start—this time on Ephesians 1:19 “the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe.”