This is the type of faith I want to see in my own life. This is the type of faith that God wants us to have. Why else would it be held out to us as an example in Hebrews Chapter 11? And remember this, these individuals had such strength of faith even without the opportunity to be born again! They did not have the indwelling, regenerating power of the Holy Spirit as we do now. So what has happened??? What is our excuse?
How is it that man has been empowered with more of God's Holy Spirit - even to change the very nature of who we are - and yet Jesus could ponder, "Will I find faith on the earth when I return?" How is it that these men and women of old could wrought such awesome victories through faith in God and yet now many of God's people seem to be disempowered by and oppressed under the assaults of the enemy? These things are listed for us in Hebrews 11 as evidences of their faith! If God has provided "some better thing" for us (Hebrews 11:40), then where are the evidences of our faith (James 2:14-26)?
I am not speaking of earning salvation or seeking after signs. I am speaking about the reality of walking in resurrected life with Christ. Do you truly believe that such is the expectation of God for His people? Or has serving God merely become about doctrinal debates, church niceties, and religious posturing? Do you really expect to do "greater works than these" (John 14:12) simply because it is God's will to do such through His people? Is our God dead or is He surely alive (in your estimation)? Should we not examine ourselves to see if we "be in the faith" (II Corinthians 13:5)?
We have discussed before how the Greek word for faith "pistis" means both having faith and being faithful. Well, Hebrews Chapter 11 has something interesting to say about these men and women of faith.
"For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." Hebrews 11:14-16
Unlike some might teach, these men and women had a choice as to whether to continue to walk in faith with the Lord. Even after having made the decision to serve God, they could have returned back to the vomit of that from which they were delivered if they had remained "mindful" of it. Yet they considered themselves "strangers and pilgrims" in this world so that they might attain to a city whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:13, 10). Their desire for things above (rather than things below) is what gave fuel to their faith. It is what allowed them to please God and for Him to work through them to accomplish His will in the earth. It is what allowed them to "turn to flight" the armies of the aliens.
While the saints in the Old Testament fought in the natural against enemies (aliens) in the flesh, we war in spiritual battles against enemies (aliens) which are not of the flesh. Fallen, extraterrestrial beings have invaded the souls of mankind in an attempt to pervert what God had created to be in His own image. These aliens (demons) permeate the landscape wherever you go as they attempt to defile man in rebellion against the Lord of Hosts. And we are not speaking of just a few devils. There are armies of them (Ephesians 6:12). Yet, who has the faith to stand against them? To stop their mouths and turn these armies to flight?
Quite honestly, I am sick & tired of seeing people bound by Satan and I am just about as sick & tired of talking about it. Who is ready to turn these demons on their tails? To truly be used of God to set captives free and bring deliverance to those who are oppressed by the enemy? This is not something that can be done in the flesh. We cannot rise up with loud voices, self-righteousness, and determined intent thinking our will to do it will bring it to pass. We need the Holy Spirit of God (Zechariah 4:6).
"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 2:26
In the above text, the absence of the evidences of our faith is likened unto the absence of the Spirit of God. The answer is not to run around trying to do some work for God. The answer is to seek more of God's Spirit; spend more time in communion with Him. We need to be revived in our inner man and really put to death that which is drawing us back to the "old country" from which we have been delivered. It is time for the breath of God to breathe upon us once again and rekindle the spark of life which is His alone (Ezekiel 37:5-10).
Don't focus on what you "don't have" or what you "can't do". Get your eyes off of yourself and look to Christ. I tell you that no obstacle (finances, family, health, education, location, etc.) can impede the work of God's Spirit. If only we would believe...and we often have not because we ask not. As we do, God will answer and He will equip us for the victory in Christ Jesus, for it has already been declared.
"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Mark 9:23
I like a lot of your pastor's videos on youtube but I came across one that was very disturbing it wasn't posted by Omega Ministries but by someone else. In the video it showed your pastor Gary Price sitting in a living room giving a sermon and he asked everyone, "who do you go to for salvation?". In the video you can hear a few people answering "Jesus" then Gary C. Price yells back in anger "YOU COME TO ME FOR SALVATION... NOT JESUS... I'M THE RIGHTOUS MAN!" I was hoping that who ever put that video on Youtube just edited it in a very bad way. But if the video was not edited I would like for you to know that we go to Jesus for Salvation not Craig C. Price. If you haven't seen it I will try to look for it and send it to you. I'm sure its pretty easy to find on youtube I think the title is Gary C. Price False Teacher or False Prophet
ReplyDeleteReally? I mean REALLY "Anonymous"??
DeleteThanks for letting me know that we go to Jesus for salvation, and not man. After 5 years of doing this blog, I guess I should revamp the whole site now that you have given me this fresh perspective.
Thanks for posting your thoughts about Pastor Price in an article that has nothing to do with him.
Thanks for attempting to discredit a man whom you not only don't know, but apparently found teaching sound doctrine at one time (or else why would you "like" his sermons) before finding one manipulated snippet of a sermon taking out of context on Youtube.
Look DEVIL (I call it as I see it), don't waste your time or mine posting such dribble here. And don't falsely believe that my response is due to some misguided allegiance to my pastor. He does not need my defense; may his life and his life's work speak for him as God wills (and may our own for that matter).
My response to your post is simply based on the fact that you are a liar and a sower of discord.
You did not hope that this silly video was misedited. How do I know? Because you did not go to the source. If you felt that Pastor Price had a sound teaching ministry, but were concerned about the words of that video, then why didn't you contact him for clarity? No, instead you say that you "hope" it was misedited, but then go on to repeat the same misrepresentations in that video. This shows that your intent is not to ascertain the truth but to spread false rumors and accusations.
How do I further know that your intent is malicious? Because you cannot point to even one article on this site which says that we must turn to any man/woman besides Jesus Christ for salvation. You are attempting to camouflage your true intent by appearing to be concerned about my faith.
If you were the least bit concerned about the truth, then you could have found out that Pastor Price is speaking about his son in those statements. He is making a correlation to the story of the Prodigal son (Luke 15) and indicating that his son (not general believers) will have to come to make things right with him as his father if he is to be saved. We cannot get right with God in a vacuum. When we approach God for forgiveness and salvation, He will often tell us to go back to those we have wronged and seek forgiveness, especially those who were sent by Him to be Godly influences in our lives and we rejected that counsel. That is the context of those statements (that even you have misquoted).
Look, in case you haven't noticed, I am shaking OFF the snakes.
I have only one word for you: Repent!! Stop pretending to open my eyes to a problem that doesn't exist as a cloak for your venom and seek Christ.
Too many "brethren" walk around trying to malign the reputation of others in the faith because they are full of the spirit of anti-christ. They slither around pointing out how others are in error because they are serpents sent to stymy God's work in His Body. There is such a thing a Godly correction or rebuke, but that would come in the Spirit of God, not in the spirit of what you have attempted to do here.
So as for your feigned concern: Thanks, but no thanks.
"These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." Proverbs 6:16-19
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Rev. 12:10
Have you been hiding in the closet while I pray?? LOL!! You are so right about these things. I have been sick of talking about it and seeing people in bondage as well. It's just time for Christ to be manifested fully in our lives. God has surely been dealing with me on carnality and worldliness. The reason many don't have the Holy Spirit and can't rise to the occasion is because they REFUSE to let go of the WORLD!! It's time out for it!! Let us all examine ourselves!!
ReplyDeleteI will set no wicked thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness!! Psalm 101:3-4
Hi Stephanie, I am just literally so tired of foolishness, and there is so much of it, especially in religion. We see people all day every day who need Jesus. I want to be prepared to be used by God to reach them, however He sees fit. The faith of even a mustard seed. Sounds so small, but... I cannot speak for anyone else but myself. May God complete the work He has started.
DeleteDisconnecting from the world is one reason, but I think pride is another.
ReplyDelete...out of weakness were made strong (Hebrews 11:33-34).
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Cor 12:9)
The problem is pride and our own strength, which is the core problem in Satan and the root of our nature. Many of us simply have a hard time humbling ourselves and letting God make the load light. God's Spirit can never operate when we think we "know" or think "we're not that bad inside" -- this is all pride.
Jesus said "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart..." (Matt 11:29). We need to humble our soul with fasting and prayer and keep doing it until we see results. Sitting at Jesus' feet and seeing how he walked will amaze us! We've got to become lowly, get spit on, disrespected publically, and humiliated -- people are scared to do this.
We need to get low, proclaim our weakness out loud as Paul continued, and learn the ways of Jesus, but many of us are too puffed up with pride. We got to drop it, then Christ's power will rest on us.
Hi Neal,
DeleteI can see that. I think they are likely all connected. Even pride is merely one aspect of the things "in the world". If there is anything we are proud of, it will be based in that which is invested in this world.
"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." I John 2:16
Yes, I think people are scared to walk as Jesus walked...all the way around. This includes a number of things. Walking in humility of spirit for one, but also not being afraid to address evil when it is in your midst. Like Jesus, our goal must not be to be led by our own understanding, but to be led by the Father and seek to do His will in all. Surely then - as with the men & women of faith in Hebrews - we will also walk in His power...a power to overcome the enemy, endure persecution, and set captives free.
sorry, I did not mean to upset you and that was not my intentions at all so I'll ask that you forgive me and pray for me. You are right should have went to the source but please know that I really wasn't trying to insult you or Pastor Price. Again my apologies and if it was any unclean spirits that motivated me to ask that question then I'll be seeking god forgivness also.
ReplyDeletePeace
Hello Anonymous,
DeleteI am not upset. Neither am I concerned about being insulted. I honestly don't care about that. The tone of my response was to illustrate how baseless those comments were.
There are many who post here that do not agree with me, and that is fine with me for I am not the standard. For that matter, there are also those who post here who do not agree with Pastor Price. That too is fine with me as neither is he the standard. And I have stated this many times before.
It would perhaps shock some to know that I may not agree with Pastor Price on everything, but I submit to him as my Pastor because I know he is a man after God's own heart. I am not looking for perfection in those with whom I fellowship, but a sincerity before the Lord to be made perfect, even in their imperfections (as I hope they afford me the same grace).
For the record, you never asked a question. You simply made insinuations. When we find ourselves promoting that which we ourselves even doubt as being true, then we have to wonder what is inspiring us. The enemy will always try to discredit the work of God; and I am not saying that Pastor Price or even myself is doing the work of God. Let each decide for themselves as the Spirit leads. My point is that if our faith is not first in God Himself, then any accusation made will be able to turn us away from truth, no matter the messenger.
The issue I have is with the spirit of your post; and for the reasons stated. While I have no patience for the tactics of the enemy, you do not owe me an apology.
May we all be about the Father's business.