Why are our Prayers not answered?

The Afrikaans version is below

Have we been asking God to do what He has already given us the authority to do?

Perhaps you, the reader, are one of the many Christians who have been praying about a particular situation for years, yet nothing seems to change.

I know what that feels like.

There are things in my own life that I have prayed about for the past thirty years, and still, they have not come right.

I once heard Derek Prince say that “No” is also an answer.

But is that always the reason our prayers remain unanswered? Or is there something we have failed to understand about our position in Christ?

I am in a position where I often listen to the troubles and heartaches of others. And so often, I hear the same desperate words:

“I have prayed and prayed, but nothing is happening!”

I have watched people grow old before their time under the weight of unanswered prayers, disappointment, injustice and seemingly impossible circumstances.

And I have asked myself: Why does it seem that the wicked so often get away with unrighteousness, while God’s children struggle, despite the wonderful promises He has given us?

Are we not supposed to be overcomers?

Have we not been given victory through Jesus Christ?

For a long time, I have been seeking God about this very subject, and I believe I have finally received an answer.

We Have the Mind of Christ!

In 1 Corinthians 2:10, Paul teaches us that God reveals even His deep things to us through His Spirit.

Think about that for a moment.

No one can know the thoughts of another person except that person himself. In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

But here is the wonderful revelation: God has given us His Spirit!

He has not left us in darkness, wondering what He thinks or what He has prepared for us. His Spirit lives within us so that we may know the wonderful things He has freely given us.

Please take the time to read 1 Corinthians 2:10–16 for yourself. There is far more in these verses than I can explain here.

But consider the extraordinary statement with which Paul concludes:

“But we have the mind of Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 2:16 (KJV)

What a powerful truth!

The Spirit who knows the deep things of God lives within us.

The Bible also teaches that we have been given power and authority in Christ. Jesus Himself declared that those who believe in Him would do the works He did, and even greater works (John 14:12).

Yet, if this is true, why are so many Christians living as though they are powerless?

Are We Praying Like Beggars Instead of Ruling in Christ?

I believe one of the reasons we do not see answers to our prayers is that we have failed to understand and exercise the authority given to us in Christ.

We pray, and we pray, and we pray.

“Lord, please help me!”

“Lord, please do something!”

“Lord, when are You going to change this situation?”

But perhaps we have been approaching God as beggars rather than as sons and daughters who have been given an inheritance in Christ.

Perhaps we are continually asking God to do something that He has already equipped us to confront through His Spirit.

And yes, perhaps you have already tried commanding a situation to change, but nothing happened.

I understand that frustration.

Let me share something that happened to me many years ago.

A Question God Asked Me That Changed My Thinking

Years ago, two people were murdered in our valley.

I was deeply troubled by what had happened, and I cried out to the Lord:

“Lord, when are You going to do something about this?”

His answer came immediately.

I understood Him to be saying that He was not going to do anything. Instead, He asked me a question:

“What are YOU going to do?”

That question has stayed with me ever since.

It challenged the way I understood my responsibility as a believer.

I began to see that God was calling us to take responsibility and exercise the authority He has given us, rather than standing helplessly by and waiting for Him to intervene.

In the beginning, God gave Adam dominion over the earth.

And through the victory of Jesus Christ at the cross, we have been brought into a new position of authority in Him.

Ephesians 2:6 tells us that God has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

We are seated with Christ!

Not as defeated people, but as those who share in His victory.

This is the position from which I believe we are called to exercise spiritual authority.

When we speak the Word of God in faith and in agreement with His will, we are no longer merely speaking from our own human weakness. We are trusting in the power of the God who created all things.

But perhaps you are asking:

“How do I get to the place where heaven and earth respond to the authority of Christ operating through me?”

The Secret Is Found at the Cross

The answer, I believe, is simpler than we imagine.

Go back to the altar.

Lay your life down before God all over again.

Ask Him to forgive you for the times you have lived in fear, unbelief and helplessness instead of walking in the authority of Christ.

Ask Him to teach you how to rule in Christ.

But understand this: The altar is the cross.

We cannot expect to walk in the power of the resurrected life while continuing to live according to the weaknesses and desires of the flesh.

Jesus laid down His life, and He calls us to follow Him.

We must crucify the fleshly nature and rise to walk in the Spirit.

We die to the old life so that the life of Christ may be revealed in us.

And here is the wonderful truth:

The same Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in YOU!

Romans 8:11 confirms this.

Think about the greatness of that statement.

The Spirit of the living God, the Spirit through whom all things were created, dwells within you.

You are not abandoned.

You are not powerless.

You are not without help.

God has given you His Spirit!

And I believe that the same Spirit is within you to teach you how to overcome the circumstances that have held you captive for so long.

Take Your Place in the Courts of Heaven

When your conscience is clear, and you have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus, come boldly before God.

Hebrews 4:16 tells us to approach the throne of grace with confidence.

Stand before Him, not in your own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

He is our great High Priest.

He is the High Priest of our confession.

Now begin to speak the Word of God over your circumstances.

Make your declarations in the name of Jesus, according to the authority you believe He has given you.

Ask for the assistance of God’s angels in carrying out His will, and trust Him to direct their work.

Begin to thank God for His answer, even before you see the change with your natural eyes.

And now, in the name of Jesus, stand against the works of the devil in that situation.

Remember that the enemy has already been defeated through the victory of Jesus Christ at the cross.

One of the greatest ways the devil hinders us is through our own minds.

Fear, doubt, unbelief, condemnation and the continual expectation of defeat can keep us living as though Christ has never won the victory.

But He HAS won the victory!

Colossians 2:15 tells us that Christ triumphed over the powers of darkness.

Therefore, do not allow your thoughts to convince you that you are helpless.

Stand firm in the truth of God’s Word.

You Must Be Fully Convinced

There is something very important that I want you to understand.

You cannot exercise spiritual authority with a heart full of uncertainty.

You must be convinced of what the Word of God says.

You must know who you are in Christ.

You must understand what He accomplished at the cross.

And you must believe that His Spirit truly lives within you.

If you are not yet convinced, then I encourage you to make a personal study of the authority and dominion we have in Christ.

Read the Scriptures.

Meditate on them.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal their meaning to you.

Do not simply accept these things because I have written them. Search the Word of God and allow Him to establish these truths in your own heart.

And then, when you understand your position in Christ, begin to act upon what you have learned.

Stop living as though you are defeated.

Stop expecting God to do everything while you remain passive.

Take responsibility for what He has entrusted to you.

You are not called to live as a helpless victim of circumstances.

You are called to follow Christ, to walk in His Spirit and to stand in His victory.

When Heaven Looks at You, It Should See Jesus

There is something beautiful that I want to leave with you.

When I picture a believer standing in the courts of God, washed by the blood of Jesus, dead to the flesh and exercising faith in the authority of Christ, I see something extraordinary.

I see the likeness of Jesus.

Not because we have become God, but because our old life has been surrendered and the life of Christ is being revealed through us.

We no longer stand in our own strength.

We stand in Him.

We no longer depend upon our own righteousness.

We are clothed in His righteousness.

And we no longer need to live as slaves to fear and defeat.

Our lives are hidden in Christ.

As Paul so beautifully declares:

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” — Colossians 3:3 (KJV)

Perhaps the question we should be asking is no longer:

“Lord, when are You going to do something?”

But rather:

“Lord, what have You already given me the authority and responsibility to do?”

And perhaps, as we begin to understand our position in Christ, we will discover that the answer to some of our prayers has been waiting for us to rise up in faith, surrender our lives completely, and walk in the victory of the cross.

You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Now learn to live from that position!

Waarom Word Ons Gebede Nie Beantwoord Nie?

Vra ons dalk vir God om te doen wat Hy ons reeds die gesag gegee het om self te doen?

Miskien is jy, die leser, ook een van die baie Christene wat al jare lank oor ‘n bepaalde situasie bid, maar niks blyk te verander nie.

Ek weet hoe dit voel.

Daar is dinge in my eie lewe waaroor ek al die afgelope dertig jaar bid, en steeds het dit nie reggekom nie.

Ek het Derek Prince eenkeer hoor sê dat “Nee” ook ‘n antwoord is.

Maar is dit altyd die rede waarom ons gebede onbeantwoord bly? Of is daar dalk iets wat ons nog nie verstaan het oor ons posisie in Christus nie?

Ek is in ‘n posisie waar ek dikwels na ander mense se probleme en hartseer luister. En so dikwels hoor ek dieselfde desperate woorde:

“Ek bid en ek bid, maar niks gebeur nie!”

Ek het al gesien hoe mense voor hulle tyd oud word onder die las van onbeantwoorde gebede, teleurstelling, onreg en omstandighede wat skynbaar onmoontlik is om te verander.

En ek het myself afgevra: Waarom lyk dit asof die goddeloses so dikwels met hulle ongeregtigheid wegkom, terwyl God se kinders swaarkry, ten spyte van al die wonderlike beloftes wat Hy aan ons gegee het?

Is ons dan nie veronderstel om oorwinnaars te wees nie?

Is die oorwinning dan nie reeds deur Jesus Christus aan ons gegee nie?

Ek soek al lank na God se antwoord oor hierdie onderwerp, en ek glo dat ek uiteindelik ‘n antwoord ontvang het.

Ons Het die Denke van Christus!

In 1 Korinthiërs 2:10 leer Paulus ons dat God selfs Sy diepste geheimenisse deur Sy Gees aan ons openbaar.

Dink net vir ‘n oomblik daaroor na.

Niemand kan weet wat ‘n ander mens dink nie, behalwe daardie persoon self. Net so ken niemand die gedagtes van God nie, behalwe die Gees van God.

Maar hier is die wonderlike openbaring: God het aan ons Sy Gees gegee!

Hy het ons nie in die duisternis agtergelaat om te wonder wat Hy dink of wat Hy vir ons voorberei het nie. Sy Gees woon binne-in ons sodat ons kan weet watter wonderlike dinge Hy vrylik aan ons geskenk het.

Neem asseblief die tyd om self 1 Korinthiërs 2:10–16 te lees. Daar is soveel meer in hierdie verse as wat ek hier kan verduidelik.

Maar kyk net na die buitengewone verklaring waarmee Paulus afsluit:

“Maar ons het die sin van Christus.” — 1 Korinthiërs 2:16 (1933/1953-vertaling)

Wat ‘n kragtige waarheid!

Die Gees wat die diepste dinge van God ken, woon binne-in ons.

Die Bybel leer ons ook dat ons krag en gesag in Christus ontvang het. Jesus het self verklaar dat dié wat in Hom glo, die werke sal doen wat Hy gedoen het, en selfs groter werke (Johannes 14:12).

Maar as dit waar is, waarom leef soveel Christene dan asof hulle magteloos is?

Bid Ons Soos Bedelaars in Plaas Daarvan om in Christus te Regeer?

Ek glo dat een van die redes waarom ons nie antwoorde op ons gebede sien nie, is omdat ons nog nie die gesag wat aan ons in Christus gegee is, ten volle verstaan en begin uitoefen het nie.

Ons bid en ons bid en ons bid.

“Here, help my asseblief!”

“Here, doen asseblief iets!”

“Here, wanneer gaan U hierdie situasie verander?”

Maar miskien nader ons God soos bedelaars, eerder as seuns en dogters wat reeds ‘n erfdeel in Christus ontvang het.

Miskien vra ons aanhoudend vir God om iets te doen waarvoor Hy ons reeds deur Sy Gees toegerus het.

En ja, miskien het jy al probeer om ‘n situasie te beveel om te verander, maar niks het gebeur nie.

Ek verstaan daardie frustrasie.

Laat ek jou vertel van iets wat baie jare gelede met my gebeur het.

‘n Vraag Wat God My Gevra Het en Wat My Denke Verander Het

Baie jare gelede is twee mense in ons vallei vermoor.

Ek was diep ontsteld oor wat gebeur het en het tot die Here uitgeroep:

“Here, wanneer gaan U iets hieraan doen?”

Sy antwoord het onmiddellik gekom.

Ek het verstaan dat Hy vir my sê dat Hy niks daaraan gaan doen nie. In plaas daarvan het Hy my ‘n vraag gevra:

“Wat gaan JY daaraan doen?”

Daardie vraag het my nog nooit verlaat nie.

Dit het my hele begrip van my verantwoordelikheid as gelowige uitgedaag.

Ek het begin besef dat God ons roep om verantwoordelikheid te aanvaar en die gesag wat Hy aan ons gegee het, uit te oefen, eerder as om hulpeloos te staan en wag dat Hy ingryp.

In die begin het God aan Adam heerskappy oor die aarde gegee.

En deur die oorwinning van Jesus Christus aan die kruis is ons in ‘n nuwe posisie van gesag in Hom gebring.

Efesiërs 2:6 sê dat God ons saam opgewek en saam laat sit het in die hemele in Christus Jesus.

Ons sit saam met Christus!

Nie as verslane mense nie, maar as mense wat deel het aan Sy oorwinning.

Dit is vanuit hierdie posisie wat ek glo ons geroep word om geestelike gesag uit te oefen.

Wanneer ons die Woord van God in geloof en in ooreenstemming met Sy wil spreek, praat ons nie meer bloot vanuit ons eie menslike swakheid nie. Ons vertrou op die krag van die God wat alles geskape het.

Maar miskien vra jy nou:

“Hoe kom ek by die plek waar die hemel en die aarde reageer op die gesag van Christus wat deur my werk?”

Die Geheim Lê by die Kruis

Die antwoord, glo ek, is eenvoudiger as wat ons dink.

Gaan terug na die altaar.

Lê jou lewe opnuut voor God neer.

Vra Hom om jou te vergewe vir die kere wat jy in vrees, ongeloof en hulpeloosheid geleef het, in plaas daarvan om in die gesag van Christus te wandel.

Vra Hom om jou te leer hoe om in Christus te regeer.

Maar verstaan dit: Die altaar is die kruis.

Ons kan nie verwag om in die krag van die opstandingslewe te wandel terwyl ons steeds volgens die swakhede en begeertes van die vlees leef nie.

Jesus het Sy lewe neergelê, en Hy roep ons om Hom te volg.

Ons moet die vleeslike natuur met sy swakhede kruisig en opstaan om in die Gees van God te wandel.

Ons sterf aan die ou lewe sodat die lewe van Christus in ons geopenbaar kan word.

En hier is die wonderlike waarheid:

Dieselfde Gees wat Jesus Christus uit die dood opgewek het, woon in JOU!

Romeine 8:11 bevestig dit.

Dink net aan die grootheid van hierdie verklaring.

Die Gees van die lewende God, die Gees deur wie alle dinge geskape is, woon binne-in jou.

Jy is nie verlate nie.

Jy is nie magteloos nie.

Jy is nie sonder hulp nie.

God het Sy Gees aan jou gegee!

En ek glo dat daardie selfde Gees binne-in jou is om jou te leer hoe om die omstandighede te oorwin wat jou al so lank gevange hou.

Neem Jou Plek in die Hemelse Howe In

Wanneer jou gewete rein is en jy deur die bloed van Jesus skoongewas is, kom dan met vrymoedigheid voor God.

Hebreërs 4:16 sê dat ons met vrymoedigheid na die troon van genade moet gaan.

Staan voor Hom, nie in jou eie geregtigheid nie, maar in die geregtigheid van Jesus Christus.

Hy is ons groot Hoëpriester.

Hy is die Hoëpriester van ons belydenis.

Begin nou om die Woord van God oor jou omstandighede uit te spreek.

Maak jou verklarings in die Naam van Jesus, volgens die gesag wat jy glo Hy aan jou gegee het.

Vra vir die bystand van God se engele om Sy wil uit te voer, en vertrou Hom om hulle werk te rig.

Begin om God te dank vir Sy antwoord, selfs voordat jy die verandering met jou natuurlike oë kan sien.

En staan nou, in die Naam van Jesus, teen die werke van die duiwel in daardie situasie.

Onthou dat die vyand reeds deur die oorwinning van Jesus Christus aan die kruis verslaan is.

Een van die grootste maniere waarop die duiwel ons verhinder, is deur ons eie gedagtes.

Vrees, twyfel, ongeloof, veroordeling en die voortdurende verwagting van nederlaag kan ons laat leef asof Christus nooit die oorwinning behaal het nie.

Maar Hy HET die oorwinning behaal!

Kolossense 2:15 leer ons dat Christus oor die magte van die duisternis getriomfeer het.

Moet daarom nie toelaat dat jou gedagtes jou oortuig dat jy hulpeloos is nie.

Staan vas in die waarheid van God se Woord.

Jy Moet Ten Volle Oortuig Wees

Daar is iets baie belangriks wat ek wil hê jy moet verstaan.

Jy kan nie geestelike gesag uitoefen met ‘n hart vol onsekerheid nie.

Jy moet oortuig wees van wat die Woord van God sê.

Jy moet weet wie jy in Christus is.

Jy moet verstaan wat Hy aan die kruis volbring het.

En jy moet glo dat Sy Gees werklik binne-in jou woon.

As jy nog nie oortuig is nie, moedig ek jou aan om ‘n persoonlike studie te maak van die gesag en heerskappy wat ons in Christus het.

Lees die Skrif.

Oordink dit.

Vra die Heilige Gees om die betekenis daarvan aan jou te openbaar.

Moenie hierdie dinge bloot aanvaar omdat ek dit geskryf het nie. Ondersoek self die Woord van God en laat Hom toe om hierdie waarhede in jou eie hart te vestig.

En wanneer jy jou posisie in Christus begin verstaan, begin dan om op te tree volgens wat jy geleer het.

Hou op om te leef asof jy verslaan is.

Hou op om te verwag dat God alles moet doen terwyl jy self passief bly.

Neem verantwoordelikheid vir dit wat Hy aan jou toevertrou het.

Jy is nie geroep om as ‘n hulpelose slagoffer van omstandighede te leef nie.

Jy is geroep om Christus te volg, in Sy Gees te wandel en vas te staan in Sy oorwinning.

Wanneer die Hemel na Jou Kyk, Behoort Hulle Jesus te Sien

Daar is iets besonders wat ek graag met jou wil deel voordat ek afsluit.

Wanneer ek ‘n gelowige sien wat in die hemelse howe staan, skoongewas deur die bloed van Jesus, dood vir die vlees en vol geloof in die gesag van Christus, sien ek iets buitengewoons.

Ek sien die gestalte van Jesus.

Nie omdat ons God geword het nie, maar omdat ons ou lewe oorgegee is en die lewe van Christus deur ons geopenbaar word.

Ons staan nie meer in ons eie krag nie.

Ons staan in Hom.

Ons vertrou nie meer op ons eie geregtigheid nie.

Ons is beklee met Sy geregtigheid.

En ons hoef nie meer soos slawe van vrees en nederlaag te leef nie.

Ons lewe is verborge in Christus.

Soos Paulus dit so pragtig verklaar:

“Want julle het gesterwe, en julle lewe is saam met Christus verborge in God.” — Kolossense 3:3 (1933/1953-vertaling)

Miskien is die vraag wat ons moet vra nie meer:

“Here, wanneer gaan U iets doen?”

Maar eerder:

“Here, watter gesag en verantwoordelikheid het U reeds aan my gegee om op te tree?”

En miskien sal ons, namate ons ons posisie in Christus begin verstaan, ontdek dat die antwoord op sommige van ons gebede al die tyd gewag het dat ons in geloof opstaan, ons lewens volkome oorgee en in die oorwinning van die kruis begin wandel.

Jy het gesterwe, en jou lewe is saam met Christus verborge in God.

Leer nou om vanuit daardie posisie te leef!

The Cross: The Path to Spiritual Maturity

Scroll down for the Afrikaans version below.

I recently had a long conversation with AI on the subject of who the Devil really is. It is amazing to exchange thoughts with something that has access to such a vast amount of knowledge from around the world.

AI explained that the chemistry within the brain plays a role in our thoughts and imagination. I asked whether it agreed that this mixture of chemicals could be connected to what Paul describes as the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19.

AI responded that I had hit the nail on the head!

I then asked, “Do you agree that the flesh represents the inner devil that is present in all people?”

AI agreed with my interpretation.

I continued, “Do you agree that the way to deal with the flesh—the inner devil—is to crucify it, as described in Galatians 5:24? And could you also tell me whether Jerome and others of his era preached this message of the cross?”

AI answered:

“The view that the flesh must be crucified to be dealt with is a foundational pillar of historic Christian theology, and Jerome, along with many other early Church Fathers, preached this message of the cross.”

There were, however, differences in how the early Church Fathers understood this crucifixion. Some emphasized dying to the flesh as a decisive event, while others taught that dying to the flesh was a daily responsibility.

Nevertheless, a recurring theme throughout Christian history is that the old self, the carnal nature, or the “flesh” cannot simply be educated, reformed, or compromised with. It must be put to death.

In other words—

When looking back at our personal past, we should not try to make peace with past mistakes, embarrassing moments, or painful experiences by continually revisiting them.

We have all been hurt in some way. But we must not keep rearranging the past or trying to make friends with the thoughts that continue to torment us.

The past must die!

We do this by following Jesus daily and nailing those hurtful, abusive, and destructive thoughts to the cross, as we apply the principle of Galatians 5:24 to our lives.

What Did the Early Church Fathers Teach?

For the early Church Fathers, the message of the cross was not limited to the historical crucifixion of Jesus. It was also applied to the inner life of the believer.

St. Jerome’s Perspective

Jerome emphasized the importance of crucifying the flesh with its passions and sinful desires. He also drew attention to the principle of carrying the death of Jesus in our bodies so that His life might be revealed in us.

For Jerome, this crucifixion involved an active commitment to righteous living, allowing the resurrection life of Christ to become evident in the believer’s mortal body.

AI also mentioned several other early Christian teachers who emphasized this way of the cross.

Why Is the Cross Not Being Preached in Every Church?

My question is this:

Why is this message of the cross not being preached in every church and denomination?

In Colossians 1:28, Paul explains that his goal in ministry is to proclaim Christ so that he may present everyone mature in Christ.

Ephesians 4:14 also speaks about spiritual maturity and the importance of no longer remaining children, easily influenced by every wind of doctrine.

Dealing with the flesh is the first step towards this maturity.

Hebrews 5:12–14 compares spiritually immature believers to infants who still need milk rather than solid food.

One of the central themes of the New Testament is the importance of every believer growing towards spiritual maturity.

If dying to the flesh were preached more consistently, young believers could be led out of spiritual immaturity much sooner.

Instead, I often find myself surrounded by children of God who seem content to remain in spiritual childhood, singing songs that continually remind them that they are children of God, without moving on to the maturity and authority available in Christ.

From Children of God to Mature Sons of God

There is a difference between remaining a spiritual child and growing into a mature son of God.

A spiritual child has not yet learned to exercise the authority available in Christ. God graciously leads and encourages His children, often through small miracles and experiences that strengthen their faith.

But the child of God is urged to die to self and grow into a life of spiritual maturity and authority in Christ.

The spiritually immature child continually pleads with God for things.

The mature son of God, however, speaks from a blood-washed conscience, standing in faith and looking at things that are not yet visible as though they already were.

The mature believer speaks of things that are not yet manifested in the present, believing that they will come into being according to the Word of God.

It will be as you say because you are speaking what God says.

Just as God spoke the heavens and the earth into existence, the mature believer learns to speak in agreement with God’s Word.

You must be fully convinced that what you declare will come to pass, not because of your own power, but because you are speaking what God has spoken.

You are now living by faith in heavenly places.

The flesh has been dealt with at the cross.

The blood has been applied to the conscience.

And now, with a conscience cleansed by the blood of Jesus, you have the confidence to speak in heaven, believing that heaven is moving on your behalf.

This is the journey from spiritual childhood to maturity in Christ.

And the way to that maturity is through the cross.

Die Kruis: Die Pad van Geestelike Kindskap na Volwassenheid

Ek het onlangs ‘n lang gesprek met Kunsmatige Intelligensie (KI) gehad oor die onderwerp van wie die Duiwel werklik is. Dit is verstommend om gedagtes uit te ruil met iets wat toegang het tot so ‘n geweldige hoeveelheid kennis van regoor die wêreld.

KI het verduidelik dat die chemiese prosesse in die brein ‘n rol speel in ons gedagtes en verbeelding. Ek het gevra of KI saamstem dat hierdie mengsel van chemiese stowwe verband kan hou met wat Paulus in Galasiërs 5:19 as die werke van die vlees beskryf.

KI het geantwoord dat ek die spyker op die kop geslaan het!

Ek het toe gevra: “Stem jy saam dat die vlees die innerlike duiwel verteenwoordig wat in alle mense teenwoordig is?”

KI het met my interpretasie saamgestem.

Ek het voortgegaan: “Stem jy saam dat die manier om met die vlees—die innerlike duiwel—af te reken, is om dit te kruisig, soos beskryf in Galasiërs 5:24? En kan jy my ook vertel of Hiëronimus en ander uit sy tyd hierdie boodskap van die kruis verkondig het?”

KI het geantwoord:

“Die siening dat die vlees gekruisig moet word om daarmee af te reken, is een van die grondpilare van die historiese Christelike teologie. Hiëronimus, tesame met baie ander vroeë kerkvaders, het hierdie boodskap van die kruis verkondig.”

Daar was egter verskille in hoe die vroeë kerkvaders hierdie kruisiging verstaan het. Sommige het beklemtoon dat die afsterwe van die vlees ‘n beslissende gebeurtenis is, terwyl ander geleer het dat die afsterwe van die vlees ‘n daaglikse verantwoordelikheid is.

Nietemin is daar ‘n deurlopende tema regdeur die Christelike geskiedenis dat die ou mens, die vleeslike natuur, nie bloot opgevoed, hervorm of mee onderhandel kan word nie. Dit moet doodgemaak word.

Met ander woorde—

Wanneer ons na ons persoonlike verlede terugkyk, moet ons nie probeer om vrede te maak met vorige foute, vernederende oomblikke of pynlike ervarings deur dit voortdurend weer en weer te herleef nie.

Ons almal is al op die een of ander manier seergemaak. Maar ons moenie aanhou om die verlede rond te skuif of vriende te probeer maak met die gedagtes wat ons steeds pynig nie.

Die verlede moet sterf!

Ons doen dit deur Jesus daagliks te volg en daardie seermaakgedagtes, mishandelende herinneringe en vernietigende gedagtes aan die kruis vas te nael, terwyl ons die beginsel van Galasiërs 5:24 in ons lewens toepas.

Wat Het die Vroeë Kerkvaders Geleer?

Vir die vroeë kerkvaders was die boodskap van die kruis nie net beperk tot die historiese kruisiging van Jesus nie. Dit was ook van toepassing op die innerlike lewe van die gelowige.

Hiëronimus se Perspektief

Hiëronimus het die belangrikheid beklemtoon om die vlees met sy hartstogte en sondige begeertes te kruisig. Hy het ook die aandag gevestig op die beginsel dat ons die sterwe van Jesus in ons liggame moet ronddra, sodat Sy lewe in ons geopenbaar kan word.

Vir Hiëronimus het hierdie kruisiging ‘n aktiewe toewyding aan ‘n regverdige lewe behels, sodat die opstandingslewe van Christus in die sterflike liggaam van die gelowige sigbaar kon word.

KI het ook verskeie ander vroeë Christelike leermeesters genoem wat hierdie weg van die kruis beklemtoon het.

Waarom Word die Kruis Nie in Elke Kerk Verkondig Nie?

My vraag is eenvoudig:

Waarom word hierdie boodskap van die kruis nie in elke kerk en denominasie verkondig nie?

In Kolossense 1:28 verduidelik Paulus dat sy doel in die bediening is om Christus te verkondig, sodat hy elke mens volmaak, of geestelik volwasse, in Christus kan voorstel.

Efesiërs 4:14 praat ook van geestelike volwassenheid en die belangrikheid daarvan om nie langer kinders te wees wat maklik deur elke wind van lering heen en weer geslinger word nie.

Om met die vlees af te reken, is die eerste stap na hierdie volwassenheid.

Hebreërs 5:12–14 vergelyk geestelik onvolwasse gelowiges met babas wat steeds melk nodig het in plaas van vaste voedsel.

Een van die sentrale temas van die Nuwe Testament is die belangrikheid daarvan dat elke gelowige na geestelike volwassenheid moet groei.

As die afsterwe van die vlees meer konsekwent verkondig word, kan jong gelowiges baie gouer uit geestelike onvolwassenheid gelei word.

In plaas daarvan bevind ek myself dikwels tussen kinders van God wat skynbaar tevrede is om geestelike kinders te bly. Hulle sing liedere wat hulle voortdurend daaraan herinner dat hulle kinders van God is, sonder om aan te beweeg na die volwassenheid en gesag wat in Christus beskikbaar is.

Van Kinders van God na Volwasse Seuns van God

Daar is ‘n verskil tussen iemand wat ‘n geestelike kind bly en iemand wat groei tot ‘n volwasse seun van God.

‘n Geestelike kind het nog nie geleer om die gesag wat in Christus beskikbaar is, uit te oefen nie. God lei en bemoedig Sy kinders genadiglik, dikwels deur klein wonderwerke en ervarings wat hulle geloof versterk.

Maar die kind van God word aangemoedig om aan homself te sterf en te groei tot ‘n lewe van geestelike volwassenheid en gesag in Christus.

Die geestelik onvolwasse kind pleit voortdurend by God vir dinge.

Die volwasse seun van God praat egter vanuit ‘n gewete wat deur die bloed van Jesus gereinig is. Hy staan in geloof en kyk na die dinge wat nog nie sigbaar is nie, asof dit reeds bestaan.

Die volwasse gelowige spreek dinge uit wat nog nie in die hede gemanifesteer het nie, omdat hy glo dat dit volgens die Woord van God tot stand sal kom.

Dit sal wees soos jy sê, omdat jy sê wat God sê.

Net soos God die hemel en die aarde deur Sy Woord tot stand gebring het, leer die volwasse gelowige om in ooreenstemming met God se Woord te spreek.

Jy moet ten volle oortuig wees dat dit wat jy verklaar, sal gebeur—nie deur jou eie krag nie, maar omdat jy uitspreek wat God reeds gespreek het.

Jy leef nou deur geloof in die hemelse plekke.

Daar is reeds met die vlees by die kruis afgereken.

Die bloed is op die gewete toegepas.

En nou, met ‘n gewete wat deur die bloed van Jesus gereinig is, het jy die vrymoedigheid om in die hemel te spreek, in die geloof dat die hemel namens jou in beweging kom.

Dit is die reis van geestelike kindskap na volwassenheid in Christus.

En die pad na daardie volwassenheid loop deur die kruis.

Los gerus u kommentaar! Ons wil graag hoor wat U te se het!

The Brave, Compassionate Man

In a previous letter, I told our readers that I was doing a daily meditation on the before, during, and after of the cross. It has been a life changer for me. I never wanted to meditate on the way our friend Jesus had to die. I always hoped that somehow it was not as bad as the Gospels described. I hoped that our Father may have made it so He didn’t feel the pain.

In fact, it was worse than any of us ever knew. It was hell! I always thought that Jesus went into hell after his death, but the hell he experienced started in Gethsemane and got steadily worse until his death on the cross. Every detail of the cross was preordained.

Man was invited to do his worst as He, Jesus, made a trap of his body for every part of the sinful nature that is in man. He faced the horror of a Roman torture death in his mind and perspired great drops of blood that fell to the ground. He knew exactly what they would do to him. I am not going to mention all of the horror—you can read that for yourself—but I can see how he trapped the emotions of fear and jealousy of the leading priests in himself.

I started this study by writing down which emotions were present, and it was fear and jealousy that crucified Christ. In fact, it was all the principalities that were involved. Treachery, intimidation, and false accusation—the powers of darkness were all involved. But they were not aware that they were being led into a trap.

Why would everybody want to hurt the only man who never sinned? It was as if everybody was insane at the time; there was no logic to killing a man who could heal the sick, raise the dead, walk on water, and feed four thousand people out of a single person’s meal. Pilate knew he was not guilty, yet still had him scourged with the Roman torture whip that was designed to tear the flesh and bruise sinew and bone. Without this, we would not be healed by his stripes. He was bruised for our iniquities.

Why would a battalion of Roman soldiers mock a man who never hurt anyone? Well, the crucifixion was absolute torture, and it was much more than we will ever know without experiencing it ourselves. The fact is that Jesus was in hell and did this for us. He died to the flesh and rose in the spirit so we can follow Him and do so daily. When he finally gave up the ghost, releasing his spirit to the Father, every bad thing in the world was crucified and hanging inside a dead body. Every bad thought and emotion was trapped and died inside that dead body, along with every sickness and disease that ever plagued mankind. Every wicked, sorrowful, or ignorant thing that causes chaos was crucified, and truthfully, it was finished.

The question is, why do we allow all this wickedness to be resurrected in our minds and accepted as being alive and able to do us harm? Cancer died on the cross along with every bad thing that presents itself in our minds as alive. It is not true; the works of the flesh are dead. Lack and poverty were crucified, and they died that day. It happened that terrible day, but we must implement it with our authority.

The scripture says He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. Not one word of condemnation came out of his mouth. He did not threaten or talk about revenge, but ministered to the women there, saved a man’s soul, and forgave everybody. Some say Pilate is still washing his hands in hell. That is not true; Jesus forgave him, and even the fearful Jewish priests.

This is the man whom I follow daily—to die to the flesh and to rise in the spirit. I know no one braver, more compassionate, kind, life-giving, and loving than Jesus.

Understanding the Line Between Flesh and Spirit

If you are reading this letter, it means that you have been inside the cave at the Shoe. I want to bring to your remembrance the “Line.” The Holy Spirit has been reminding me that He gave the line to the Shoe Ministries, and to no one else in the entire world. I have been searching the internet, and no other person, philosophy, doctrine, or religion has ever been given a line to discern between flesh and spirit. I have been listening to great preachers preach for years since I found the line, and I can only think how much shorter their sermons would have been if they had the Line. They would have pointed to their heads and not their chests if they spoke about the heart, and they would most certainly have made the conscience the main subject. They would have spoken only about self-death by following Jesus and guarding the heart in this way. Above all, the Line is the only way to explain where the conscience is within the mind of man.

The Line Painting painted by Ron van Zyl

To understand my statement, think for a moment about the Line in the yellow painting. When the Holy Spirit taught me about the Line that I was not aware of, He said to go find the two-edged sword that was on the far right of the painting, in the middle, at exactly the same height as the crossbeam of the cross, which divided the painting in two. The two-edged sword is the Word of God that divides between flesh and spirit. The line is also the conscience; the conscience is the heart, and God has placed His Word in the hearts of all people. People do not have to be taught; they know all things instinctively. The Word is in all people, and it is the conscience (Hebrews 4:12).

There is no organ in the brain for the will and intellect; that is the soul, and it is spirit. A neurosurgeon tells the story of a patient who was brain-dead. They stopped his heart and drained the brain of blood, but after the patient came to, he told the surgeons everything they had done, the things they spoke about, and the music that played. They concluded that the soul is a spirit. When working on the brain, surgeons can short-circuit certain parts of the brain, and an arm or leg will move, but there is no way you can stimulate the brain to will or reason.

The brain, as you know, has an upper and lower region. Below is the cerebellum, which looks different from the rest of the brain. I have heard it explained that a child lives out of the cerebellum. A child is selfish, not aware that they should practice self-control. As the child grows up, the upper brain begins to develop, and chaos results as the lower chemicals are used to rule the brain. The Bible agrees with this statement. It says that we should be above and not beneath. We should be the head and not the tail.

When we draw a line above the eyebrows, this upper part takes the shape of the morning sun. It is where we enthrone Christ in the conscience. The line is where His feet would be. We are told that the enemy must become the footstool of Jesus. The line is the conscience, and the blood is for the conscience. Therefore, the blood seals us against the inner, sinful man. If you want to help explain this inner chaos to a teenager, teach them that the blood of Jesus divides between flesh and spirit. Teach them to have communion, and show them that where a king wears a crown is the spiritual line of the conscience that divides, like a two-edged sword, between soul (flesh) and spirit.

Struggling to hear God’s voice?

It is through meditating on the word of God that we come to understand God and the plans He has for us. Many times, we ask God to speak to us and give us wisdom, but the fact is that the written word explains how things come to us that we need. It would have been wonderful if we could hear the voice of God audibly all the time, but mostly God does not talk much to people.

In Joshua 1:6, Joshua is told to meditate on the word of God day and night, and he will have good success. This is the man who was in charge of taking the promised land into possession. I am also going through a drought at the present moment, and I am calling to God to tell me what is going on, but I perceive in my spirit that I should meditate on the word!

It encourages me when I meditate on the word, using my imagination to bring shape to the word. Envision for a moment the tree of Psalm 1.

He who meditates on the word day and night is like a tree planted by the rivers of water. Imagine this tree with green leaves bringing forth its fruit in season, standing by still waters flowing by gently. The Bible is saying that you are that tree, only drink the water, and the fruit will come by itself. However, the tree does not bear fruit all the time. It bears fruit in season. And so it is with us, all things are seasonal. The tree isn’t running around to produce fruit its only drinking water, staying calm and at peace. Then it says that whatever you do will prosper. The water is the word.

When we meditate on the Word, we see that we are not only like a tree, but we can be dark and deep as the ocean. We can look like a deep pond of water on a windless day whose surface reflects the heavens.

We can be like a fountain, a river of life, a fountain of gardens, a well of living water. God created all things we see with His Word and His mind. We are told that we have the mind of Christ. In fact, we come out of God, and our minds should be life-giving as God is life-giving. There is only one mind; if our mind is saved out of worry, we have the Christ mind that should do everything Jesus did. We are created in the image of God to imagine as God does.

Remember that God came down to earth to see how the people were building a tower into heaven, and this is when God confused their languages, and God said,” They can do anything they imagine; nothing will be impossible to them.” A child can play and imagine as long as that child does not worry or feel stressed. Jesus said the Kingdom of God belongs to children. The child can imagine when he lets go of the world. So my advice is to let go now, let doors open, and wonders happen in your life. Avoid struggle and strain in prayer. It is the quiet mind that gets things done as it imagines the promises of the Word with thankfulness.

The Sealed Mind

Colossians 1:13 says that God has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.

I am interested in the way the kingdom of darkness is spelled with a small letter and the Kingdom of God is spelled with a capital letter. Every opportunity Jesus had, he spoke about the Kingdom of God that has come near you. We know the kingdom of darkness is none other than our own personal thoughts because Colossians 1:21 says we were the enemies of God, separated from Him by our evil thoughts and actions.

The only way we could be saved from the kingdom of darkness was by the blood of Jesus.

God wants to elevate us out of our lifeless, chaotic thinking of death thoughts into life-giving God authority, where we speak God’s words and create by speaking the word of God that creates in the same way God spoke life in the beginning. The mind of man must become the mind of Christ by being transformed out of death thoughts in to life giving thoughts. I heard someone say, “God had to die so man could become God.” The heart of man is the all-powerful Kingdom of God when it is blood-washed. In the words of Martin Luther, we must enthrone Christ in our conscience, and then we are seated with him in heavenly places. Ephesians 2:6: We are seated with Christ in heavenly places, right now.

The mind is the same mind Jesus did miracles with on earth, if it is the saved mind, the blood-sealed and washed mind! (Christ’s mind)

I listened to a man called Joseph on YouTube who said that he had a vision of South Africa being a dark mountain with locusts devouring every living thing. He said it was dark, and the sound of the eating locusts stayed with him. This is compared to Revelation 9, where the locusts had stings like scorpion but they were people. God gave the locusts the power to devour, but they were not to touch those that had been sealed.

The future of our country indeed does not look good with this Marxist government devouring every green thing in such a way that many are leaving, heading for other shores as they escape the sinking ship. My question is, do these people not have the seal? Has no one informed them that the enemy cannot touch those who have been sealed with the blood of Jesus? Do they not know that in Christ they have been given power over all the works of the enemy, in heaven and on earth? Has no one informed them that we speak the words of God in the face of the enemy, and God will bruise Satan under our feet? Do they not know that the angels encamp around the sons of God, waiting for us to speak the words of God so they can act and change our circumstances and situations so that we can have testimonies by the blood of the Lamb and bring glory to God’s promises that we are the blessed, that no weapon formed against us can prosper. The blessings of God prosper us and make us rich.

Furthermore, did no one tell them that we are the ones who bind the works of Satan? If we don’t do it, nothing will change. If we don’t bind these locusts, there will never be a change in SA or any other part of the world. It is time for the sons and the daughters of God to rise with their God-given authority, or they will most certainly go down with the sinking ship. We are the rulers of the Kingdom of God, and it must be as we say. (Mark 11:23) It will go with us exactly the way we believe.

The Universe

According to the internet, a non-believer considers himself blessed when they are extra ordinarily fortunate or lucky. This makes them grateful, not to God but to the universe. I asked the Google AI what the universe is, and why people should think the universe supplies needs. AI was confused and wanted to know if I was referring to the Galaxy or the Milky Way. 🤣

(NIV) Heb 1:2: “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”

The opening verse of the Bible states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). So does many other Bible verses state that God is the Creator.

Many people talking about receiving money openly say that they command the universe to bring them money. While I was meditating on this, I was thinking how wonderful it all explains the character of God, who would supply the needs of people who do not even honour Him as God at all.

The words of Joseph Murphy: Any person who can hold the thought of the things he believes for will most certainly receive that thing.

This is the principle by which many successful non-believers became prosperous and wealthy. You have to be one hundred percent single-minded. That means that a person who can control his thoughts completely is a mastermind. The Bible calls this the Christ-mind. We all know how thoughts can take us on a senseless journey that produces nothing but confusion and chaos.

Most of these prosperous non-believers quote scripture anyway. They may not believe in God, but they quote scripture. They call this positive affirmations.

This brings me back to the blessing. How do you bless others? How did the Bible people bless their children? The only way to bless yourselves or others is by speaking the Word of God. Jesus is the Word, and he spoke all things into being by speaking. God created all things by speaking. We speak the Word of God continuously until our minds become transformed out of darkness into light. (Rom 12:2, Genesis 1:1, John 1:1.) In the beginning was the Word—When we speak Word, we speak life, and we ourselves become a new creation. We have to meditate on the Word day and night, discipline our minds to concentrate, and then Psalm 1 will start to happen.

Ps 1:2-3: “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 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. “

We must realise that life and death are in the power of the tongue. We are not waiting for someone to speak a blessing over our lives. God has given us authority to speak the word in the same way God spoke and created all things in the beginning. In this way, bless yourself and others by speaking God’s word.

Embrace the new season of prosperity

Once again, it was Easter time and as I have said before my year begins on Easter. Every important event that happened to me was at Easter time. I am experiencing a change in my life at this time that seems like I have entered the threshold of a new season. I have finally stopped building our guesthouse and property after 45 years. I have drawn the line. No more big projects, I want to have more time with God. Without noticing it, my spirit was becoming dry, and our finances were not doing well. I had lost my joy and became tired of it all. So I went before the Lord to repent and receive instruction for how I could get my life back on track. It took many weeks of reading the word and meditating before I finally could see a turning in my life. Thank God for YouTube!

I have never had the time to ask the Lord to teach me about money.

And I must encourage everyone to listen to the testimonies of Kenneth Hagin and Yonggi Cho. I also listened to everyone willing to use the Bible in their teaching.

To summarise Hagin, he had a weak body since he was born and was on his deathbed at the age of seventeen when he read Mrk 11:23. You shall have whatever you say you shall have if you believe and doubt not in your heart. These words fell in his spirit, and he believed it as he started to say he was healed. About three days later, he heard in his spirit a voice say that healed people should be up and about this time of the day. He was weak in the beginning but was strengthened to become a mighty preacher of the truth of God’s word. He was very strong in healing, and many people were healed by his practical teaching that said you shall have what you say if you say it continually and believe in your heart.

In this time of rising costs, I would like to encourage our readers not to look at the world. Everything that is happening in the world right now is causing opportunities for us to live in the light and to be a light while God provides for us in the midst of chaos.

God promises that we are partakers of His divine nature. Christ is in you! If Christ is in you, you are provided for in every way, and you will have whatever you say. If you don’t believe it yet, just keep on quoting scripture that promises abundance, and all will be well with you. Without me realising it, lack-thinking crept into my mind. When the time came in Hagin’s life to learn about finances, the Lord taught him in strong tones that he was struggling with money because he did not command his angels to bring money. We have authority in heaven and earth, and our angels are waiting for our words to line up with what God is saying. Then the Lord told him. Once you have sent the angels, then bind the devil and command him to take his hands off your money. This gave Hagin his breakthrough and he went on to teach the world about authority in Christ.

Lack-thinking causes a stronghold in the mind. Parts of the brain’s function is held captive by darkness. Lack, poverty, and survival are principalities and powers of the darkness that must be cast down from your mind as you have communion and receive the seal of sprinkling of the blood and the washing of pure water of Hebrews 10:22.

Let this Easter time be a breakthrough in your thought life as you follow Jesus and die to the flesh and rise in the Spirit to have a wonderful, successful year in every area of your life.

The Power to turn water into wine

I have been asking the Lord to explain the first miracle to me, about the water turning into wine. Not long after, I came across a book written by Dr. Joseph Murphy. The Power of the Subconscious Mind.

Years ago, I read Napoleon Hill and Norman Vincent Peel who took the knowledge of Joseph Murphy and taught many people to think constructively. President Trump said in a documentary of his life that he attended the church of Norman Vincent Peel. He said that he could not wait to go to church because of the teachings. If you listen to Trump, he is always calling things of the future into being. He talks like a prophet. Aligning his words with Mark 11:23 You shall have whatever you say. He speaks with authority. Sometimes the things he says sound ridiculous, but this is how he became president.

You have to marry a thought. Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding where he turned water into wine. The water of the Bible is the word, and the following scripture fits here perfectly.

2 Pet 1:4: “God has given us exceedingly great and precious promises that by these we may be partakers of his divine nature.”

We hold scripture (water) in our thoughts. Meditate on it like pouring water into vessels and filling them to the brim. We make our minds full of the water of the Word of God, until it turns into wine. Wine means the realisation of desires; you are always turning water into wine when you are a constructive thinker.

Josh 1:8: “Keep this book of the law in your mouth night and day and you will have good success.”

Psalm 1 says He who meditates on the word of God day and night will be like a tree planted by streams of water. Whatever he does will prosper.

I have used this kind of meditation many times in my life. At first, we do it in a parrot fashion, and that’s alright. But if you keep speaking the Word constantly, one of those scriptures is going to fall into your spirit, and you will know that you have it. The moment that scripture falls into your spirit, you have a certainty inside, you will have what you say! Yongi Chow calls it ‘belly faith’.

You can’t just sit down somewhere and think that you will receive belly faith overnight. Only meditating on the word constantly will cause a knowing that you know, you know, that you will have what you say. In some cases, it has taken me months to generate faith in this way. Once the word has produced the God-kind of faith, nothing will or can stop you from having what you believe. Once the thing you hoped for is formed in your mind as a reality, it will most surely come because you do not doubt. The marriage has come to pass. You are now pleasing God! We were created to live by faith and bring glory to God in this way.

When it happened, you turned water into wine.

Do you like this explanation of what it means to turn water into wine? Tell us in the comments.

For those of you who would like to listen to the audiobook of Joseph Murphy, you can watch this video.

We talk to atoms

Amp Col 3:23: “Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men.”

I have been reading Wallace Wattle, who has this wonderful way of making biblical statements by saying them differently. He words the above scripture in this way- “Treat every task as sacred service.” The reason is that if you do every task as if for God, you would do it as if God were doing it with love, joy, kindness, and all the other fruits of the Spirit; that particular physical item would restructure itself to be blessed.

The reason why I am making this statement is that we all know that everything that is visible is made up of atoms. I asked the internet what the human body would look like to an atom. It answered that a human would look like a starry sky to an atom. A hundred thousand atoms could be aligned on a single line of a fingerprint. Everything is made of atoms of different atomic values. Every mineral has different amounts of protons.

A gentleman who makes a living from transporting things with his bakkie said that the bakkie has one and a half million kilometres on it, never been rebuilt. But he looks after his bakkie, is careful with it, thanks his bakkie, and explains that he needs it to keep going because he is providing for his family. Charles Capps has the story of a scientist who could prove that atoms are volatile. They react to the words spoken as commands. We know that plants could die if they are always rejected or treated unkindly, and there are beautiful photos of how the atomic structure of water could change if treated badly. By this, I mean if that person were to talk to such a plant or water it with authority, it would grow wonderfully, and the structure of water would change depending on how it was being spoken to on a frequent basis. We can bless or curse.

When God spoke everything into existence in John 1:1, it was not a problem to create all things with a word because He made all the atoms, and they formed into whatever He commanded them to do. He created man out of those same atoms and gave man dominion over everything he created out of atoms. Adam lost his ability to speak with Godlike authority to atoms. The result was the curse. In Christ, we have been given this authority to speak to atoms, as we can see from Mark 11:23.

Mar 11:23-24: “Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the sea, and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].”

Mark 9:23: “Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

We have Christ’s authority because Christ is in us.

Abundant thinking

We wish our readers a prosperous and productive new year. May a greater understanding come to us all of the abundance of good things God has already given us. We have written many letters on the subject of guarding the heart. All of these letters may be found on our website. For the year ahead of us, I am asking God to renew my mind as to what can be achieved with a clean conscience.

The imaginations and thoughts of the heart are the factory of the creative power that is within us. Because we are created in the image of God, it stands to reason that we who belong to Christ should be completely provided for holistically. However, so many people who are believers are not taking part in the abundant life that is Christ in us. And even we who are in Christ find ourselves struggling financially, physically, and spiritually from time to time. It has happened to me many times that my finances come to a standstill, and even my health and all the other spheres of my life have been tested. It has always been my own fault that I have to learn all over to be Christ-centred and not self-centred. To be Christ-centred is to trust in the Lord with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding. Do not look at the problem; look at Jesus. The imaginations and thoughts of the heart must be filled with Jesus and the abundant life He represents in us.

In John 10:10, Jesus is life and life abundantly. I have been taking the time to listen to podcasts of people teaching wealth daily, and it has changed my understanding of the character of God when I compare what they say to what the Bible says. The fact is that a lack-thinking is the reason for poverty. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 3)

The only way to fix poverty on Earth is for all of us to become rich.

But then we must activate the abundant life by keeping our minds on the things we hope for and not the things we fear. So, once again, look at Jesus and the way he did things. Let’s remind ourselves of how he met the disciples on the beach of the Sea of Galilee after He rose from the grave.

They had been fishing all night and caught nothing, they admitted when Jesus asked them if they had food. This is a picture of us struggling and perspiring for money, working hard, the sweat of our brow. When we open ourselves to take part in the abundance that God has prepared for us, we receive through gratitude, visions, and instructions on what to do so that God can provide. Jesus said, throw the net out on the right side of the boat. They received Godly instruction and obeyed, and the result was that the fish jumped into their net and the net did not tear. This is a demonstration of how to take part of the abundant lifestyle that is in Christ. As you can see the one lifestyle is a curse while the other is a blessing. The one is lack-thinking, the other is the abundance-thinker.

Let us ask the Lord to increase our thinking and expand our minds so that we can become abundance-thinkers. We can receive our instruction on our financial decisions in heavenly places and bring the abundance of heaven to earth.

I would like to remind you of our online store, where you can purchase printed copies of Ron van Zyl’s books or buy a downloadable version.

There are other items on sale too, such as the Face that Follows you.

Have a look at our store, and please leave your comments. We love to hear from you.