Staying full of God

By Andrew Womack

Do you ever feel like you and God have drifted apart and that the love and joy you once experienced with Him has faded? 


If you do, you’re not alone. Most Christians feel like the experiences they have with God diminish over time and that they need another touch.  But that is not what the Bible teaches.


The Bible says God will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5). If that is true—and it is—who moved? 


As born-again believers, we are all capable of living in the fullness of God every day of our lives. God is continually pouring out His love, joy, peace, revelation knowledge, and every other blessing. Butwe can get to a point where we’re not receiving and “feel” like He has drifted away.


Romans 1:21 says,


“When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”


This scripture contains four separate elements, or keys, that can lead us into and keep us operating in the fullness of God. 


Expressed positively, they are glorify God, be thankful,recognize the power of imagination, and have a good heart. We have the power to control each of these in our lives.

Glorify God

In many places throughout the Bible, the word magnify is the same word translated glorify. Therefore, magnify and glorify can be used interchangeably. And magnify means “to make bigger.”


Did you know that you can make God bigger? Technically speaking, God is who He is, regardless of what you think, but in terms of your perception, He can be big or small. You have the power to make Him one or the other in your life.


Most of us have become masters at enlarging the problem and minimizing God and His Word. I remember a lady who thought she was pregnant but found out she had cancer instead. The doctors said she needed a hysterectomy immediately. They said she only had a 50 percent chance of living, and she wouldn’t live more than two weeks without surgery.


She came to me, crying, “Andrew, have you heard what they said?” Now, I don’t always respond this way, but I believe God led me to say what I did. I started laughing and declared, “Cancer’s no problem with God. The lights in heaven won’t dim from the power drain if the Lord heals you! It’s not any harder to be healed of cancer than it is to be healed of a cold.”


I started magnifying and glorifying God. I made the Lord bigger and the cancer smaller. The only thing that made the cancer insurmountable was the value she was placing on what the doctors said. They even called her a fool for refusing treatment and made her sign paperwork to absolve them of liability “when” she died. But she decided to stand her ground and believe God. It’s now been almost twenty years since she refused that operation—and she has a whole slew of children.


What do you value? What’s big to you? You can magnify the Lord and make Him and His Word bigger than any problem. Do it by glorifying, praising, and thanking Him. Find someone in the Word who overcame a situation similar to yours. Meditate on the Word, and make it more real to you than the problem. You need to get to a place where God’s Word is true and where He is greater than any situation.


“All things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23).

Thankfulness

Paul listed un-thankfulness as one of the signs of the end times and put it in the same verse as covetousness, pride, blasphemy, and unholiness (2 Tim. 3:1-2). Not many would argue that we live in a society full of unthankful people, even in spite of the fact that we have more prosperity and opportunity than any people who have ever lived.


The second key to staying full of God is a thankful heart. Glorifying, magnifying, and thanking Him are all interrelated, but to glorify God, you must be thankful. As you are thanking Him, you’re reminding yourself of what He has said and done, which magnifies Him.


“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits”(Ps. 103:2).


Being thankful involves both humility and memory. Humility is the understanding that you didn’t accomplish these things on your own. Then, humbly remembering the good things He has done for you always brings thankfulness. So, it’s important to look back and rehearse your victories and remember whose power brought them to pass.


“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations” (Ps. 100:4-5).


Every time you are tempted to gripe and complain about a problem, don’t. Instead, enter into God’s presence and spend ten minutes thanking Him for His goodness. If you will, you’ll find that the natural desire to complain will cease, and the problem will shrink as you begin to see it in the proper perspective.

Imagination

Imagination is much more important than most people realize. The Hebrew word that was translated “imagination” in the Old Testament literally means “conception.” Imagination is how new ideas are conceived. Without it, people become spiritually and creatively sterile.
A few years ago, I took a trip to Israel. I remember stopping in the valley of Elah. I got out of the bus and walked down to that little stream. I picked up five smooth stones just the way David once did. I began to imagine what it must have been like for David when he faced Goliath. The story came alive.


The Word of God comes alive when you can picture what it’s talking about. Let the Word of God control your imagination as you think about scriptures, and you will see things in Scripture that you can’t see with your physical eyes. You see it on the inside…in your imagination.


When the Bible says you’re healed, you’ve got to meditate on that truth until you see yourself healed. Most people allow their imaginations to become vain, and they agree with the image the doctors have painted rather than with the Word of God. They’re told what is going to happen, and they imagine it as truth.


When we fail to be thankful and glorify God, our imaginations automatically become vain. That doesn’t mean they aren’t working; it just means they begin to work against us. Those of us with vain imaginations are pessimists, imagining failure instead of success. We need to use our imaginations to agree with God’s Word and see ourselves the way God sees us: happy, healthy, and prosperous.

A Good Heart

The Scripture makes it very clear that the attitude of your heart is far more important than your actions.


Jesus said it this way in Matthew 23:25-26,
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.”


The Lord is more concerned about your heart than He is your actions.


Matthew 12:35, Mark 7:21-23, and Proverbs 23:7 make it even clearer:
“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things” (Matt. 12:35).


“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23).


“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7).


Our hearts control what we say, and they also control what we do. All of the above are products of our hearts. The opposite of those can be true also. Love, joy, peace, patience, and the rest of the fruit of the Spirit are also products of what our hearts believe. The reason the heart responds in a negative way is because we allow it to be dominated by external, or physical, things instead of by the Word of God.


Our understanding is then darkened, and we become insensitive to God. We actually cause our hearts to become hardened. The word harden, according to the dictionary, means cold, insensitive, unfeeling, and unyielding. When our hearts become hardened or insensitive to God, they automatically become sensitive, dominated by, and controlled by our physical senses.


So, what do most people do when they realize their actions are being controlled by their hearts and are causing problems for themselves and others? They resort to behavior modification. They try to change their actions without changing their hearts, and that never works long-term.If people want their behavior to change, they must change their hearts. They must make sure that the Word of God is the dominant influence.


If you will put these four keys into practice in your life, you will never be the same. It will change the way you think about everyone and everything around you. It will give you a God perspective.

Principles of Giving under the New Covenant

Chapter 27

FREE BOOK DOWNLOAD PDF  Should the Church teach tithing by Russell Kelly 

A Sermon Outline Using Grace Principles of Giving

2 Corinthians 8 and 9 

Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7).

Financial need was obviously very great for the young New Covenant church. The less time that missionaries had to spend in their trade to earn a living meant more time they could spend spreading the gospel. Those assemblies were actively participating in the most important task ever given to mankind—the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although the missionaries did need financial aid, it must be remembered that such was primarily because they chose to be poor and deserved the aid.

Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained elders in every church.... Titus 1:5 For this cause I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you.

There was not just one “elder” or “overseer” but many in each city and in each house assembly where the Bible was studied and preached (Acts 11:30; 14:23;

15:4, 6, 23; 16:4; 20:17; Tit. 1:5; Jas. 5:14; 1 Pet. 5:1, 5). It would have been impossible to pay full-time support for the many elders of house churches.

Second Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9, detail how the Apostle Paul used gospel principles to obtain sustenance for the poor saints in Jerusalem. However, there is no indication that the support was being collected for missionary salaries or for support of church officers.

ONE: Giving is Totally “of Grace” in the Church

No other chapter in the Bible uses the word “grace” more often than Second Corinthians, chapter 8! Thayer defines “grace” as “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, and loveliness.113 What a rich word for God to apply to giving. Therefore, those who give to God’s work actually receive of the grace of God. God gives us grace in order to give, and then God gives us more grace when we do give.

1. The GRACE that God has given” (8:1) 
2. “GRACE of sharing” (Greek); “favor” (NAS); “privilege” (NIV); “gift” (KJV) (8:4) 
3. “Gracious work” (NAS), “the act of GRACE” (NIV) (8:6) 
4. “Gracious work” (NAS), “this GRACE of giving” (NIV) (8:7) 
5. “The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ” (8:9) 
6. “But GRACE be to God” (Greek); “thanks” (8:16) 
7. “This GRACE” (Greek) (KJV); “offering” (NIV); “this gracious work” (NAS) (8:19) 
8. “GodisabletomakeallGRACEaboundtoyou”(9:8) 
9. “The surpassing GRACE God has given you” (9:14)
   All of the above texts describe the Christian’s relationship to grace and giving. 

It is a grace from God and is based on Christ’s example. In contrast to the law which commanded giving, New Covenant giving is grace from beginning to end. It is an act that shares. It rebounds to the giver because one cannot out-give God.

TWO: Give Yourself to God First

Since an unbeliever is not motivated to give, you must first accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. “They ... first gave their own selves to the Lord”

(8:5). Until one joins the family of God through conversion, he is still under condemnation and grace cannot govern his life (John 16:9).

THREE: Give Yourself to Knowing God’s Will

A Christian must seek for, and yield to, the will of God. “First to the Lord, and, then, to us by the will of God” (8:5). Concerning the matter of giving, we must seek to know God’s will in our lives in this area as in every other area of our lives. In the context, “gave themselves to us” means that they agreed with Paul’s request for famine relief for the saints in Judea.

FOUR: Give in Response to Christ’s Giving

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich” (8:9). “Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift” (9:15). Christians who are yielding to God’s will, hastening to know the Word of God, and who are filled with the Holy Spirit are being changed day by day to follow Christ’s example. This example includes every part of their lives, including giving.

FIVE: Give out of a Sincere Desire

“To prove the sincerity of your love” (v. 8). Paul reminded them that in the past they were the first “to be forward [have the desire: NAS]” to give (v. 10). “If there is first a willing mind” (v. 12), again emphasizes the desire. This principle is repeated in chapter 9, verse 7, “as he purposes in his heart.” A believer who is in God’s will should naturally have that sincere desire to give.

Under the law, a sincere desire was the motive for freewill offerings, but it did not matter concerning tithes. God commanded a tithe and expected it, whether or not it was given out of a sincere desire. The Levites and priests still had no inheri- tance and still deserved their portion under the terms of the Old Covenant.

SIX: Give, Not Because of a Commandment

“I speak not by commandment” (8:8); “I am not commanding you” (NIV). “And herein I give my advice” (8:10). “Let every man give ... not grudgingly or of necessity,” “not grudgingly, or under compulsion” (NAS) (9:7); “as God has prospered him.” It is clear from these references that there is no hint of any com- pulsion, demand, or commandment to give under the grace principle.

Scofield wrote at Second Corinthians 8 and 9, “In contrast with the law, which imposed giving as a divine requirement, Christian giving is voluntary, and a test of sincerity and love.”114 Chafer agreed, “The grace principle contrasts with the Old Testament legal system of tithing.... Tithing has been superseded by a new system of giving which is adapted to the teachings of grace.... Under grace, God is not seeking the gift, but an expression of devotion from the giver. Under grace no law is imposed and no proportion to be given is stipulated.”115

Under the New Covenant the Christian obeys God because he has a new nature, is a new creation, and the Holy Spirit is his teacher. “When he said ‘a New Covenant,’ he has made the first obsolete; but whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear” (Heb. 8:13). The “commandment” to give has now been replaced by a “sincere desire” of a new creation. The Christian gives spontaneously because the desire to give is part of the new creation.

SEVEN: Give as Much as You Are Able, or Even Beyond Your Ability

“For to their power [ability], I bear record, yes, and beyond their power [abil- ity] they were willing of themselves” (8:3). “Now therefore perform [finish] the doing of it ... so there may be a performance also out of that which you have [an actual doing from your ability]” (8:11). “... it is accepted according to that a man has, and not according to that he has not” (8:12). “Let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him” (1 Cor. 16:2).

Stewards Shaped by Grace, Rhodes Thompson, says “Another discovery is now revealed: God’s grace shown in those churches [in India] was complemented by people’s voluntary response [quotes 8:3]. Exactly! No legalistic response to the amazing grace of God is appropriate. That is why Paul wrote [quotes 9:7]. God’s grace obviously encourages, but does not force, the decision to be made. However, when faith responds to grace, God’s power at work within that life ... or within the churches ... is able to do far more abundantly than all that people can ask or think (Eph. 3:20). What we cannot do or cannot even imagine being done, God’s grace working through our faith does.”116

EIGHT: Give in Order That There Might Be an Equality

2 Cor. 8:13 For I do not mean that other men should be eased, and you burdened,

2 Cor. 8:14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their need, that their abundance also may be a supply for your need, that there may be equality.

1 Tim. 6:17 Command them that are rich in this world, that they should not be high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy;

1 Tim. 6:18 That they do good, that they become rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.

While others are simply not able to give much at all, some can afford to give much more than the Old Covenant ten percent. Circumstances are different from household to household. God understands. Let us not forget the saying “little is much if God is in it.” God can do more with the widow’s mite or the grain of mustard seed given sincerely than with millions given to purchase his favor.

The grace principle of “equality giving” refers to giving as much as one is able. This does not mean that everybody is to give the same percentage. It means that those who are prosperous should give a lot more—until they actually notice a crimp in their checkbook—“Give until it hurts!” When those who are prosperous give more, and those who are poor give less (but still as much as they can), the results are an “equality” according to what each was able to give.

New Covenant grace-giving principles are fair; they are not set at the same legalistic level for everybody. While some families have good incomes and few bills, others have low incomes and many bills. Example One: A family giving ten percent of $200,000 would have much more remaining than the same size family giving ten percent of $20,000. Under the modern definitions of “tithing,” this is an unfair legalistic burden. Example Two: If two families both earned $40,000 and only one had free housing, paid expenses, and insurance, should both give the same amount? What would be a burden for one to give would not be felt by another. Example Three: If two families had the same income and one had oppressive medical bills, does God expect them both to give the same amount? Under grace giving principles, the answer is “no.” Yet the tithing law made no exceptions to land owners and did not require non-landowners and craftsmen to tithe at all!. These examples illustrate why grace principles are superior to tithing. Tithing was never the “superior” principle which produced most of the income in the Old Testament.

There is no commandment after Calvary concerning how much” to give. God has no desire to cause some to be “hard pressed” or “burdened” (KJV) because of any guilt about how much they must give (8:13). The greater burden of giving falls on those who are able to pay more (1 Tim. 6:17-18.)

NINE: Give Because of a Burden for Lost Souls

Although not mentioned specifically in these two chapters, this was, and should be, the reason for all spiritual giving. When Paul said “woe is me if I preach not the gospel (1 Cor. 9:16),” he was referring to his calling and burden for souls. Every Christian needs a vision of lost and dying relatives, friends, and the world on its way to hell without Christ. Yet, the Old Covenant tithing principle from law had no evangelistic outreach to the lost world and non-Hebrews around it. How can it, therefore, be called a superior principle when it produced no burden for the lost?

TEN: Give Joyfully

2 Cor. 8:2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality [rich gener- osity: NIV].

The secret of the Macedonian churches’ abundant generosity in giving included: (1) a great trial of affliction, (2) abundant joy, and (3) deep poverty. “In Christ” they had abundant joy which could not be erased through any amount of persecu- tion or poverty. It was this great joy in the gospel which provoked them to give over and above that which was expected by mortal man. “God loves a cheerful giver” (9:7). Happy and joyful Christians are also “giving” Christians. When the gospel is preached, the forgiveness of sins is realized, and the assurance of salvation is known, God’s peace and joy transform lives and giving practices.

ELEVEN: Giving Is the Result of Spiritual Growth

Not only did they give “to their power,” that is, all they could spare, but they gave “beyond their power,” that is, they did without some necessities for a while (8:3). “Praying [begging] us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints” (8:4). This is true New Covenant giving at its best!

What more could a pastor ask for from his church when money is needed? The church was actually “begging” (NAS) for Paul to let them give beyond their means! “Therefore, as you abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that you abound in this grace [of giving] also” (8:7). Giving is the normal result of spiritual growth. The Christian who is fed the right spiritual food grows spiritually and gives in accordance with his new nature.

TWELVE: Giving Produces More Spiritual Growth

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (9:8). God will also “both supply bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; being enriched in every thing to [for the purpose of ] all [even more] bountifulness [to others], which produces through us thanksgiving to God” (9:10-11).

When we give to God’s work, he promises to supply our “sufficiency.” This means that he will make us “contented” in what we “need,” as compared to what we “want.” The purpose of this sufficiency is that we may then, in turn, “abound in every good deed,” that is, keep right on performing God’s work with that sufficiency.

Phil. 4:15 Now you Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communi- cated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but only you. Phil. 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

The wonderful promise of Philippians 4:19 is not an unconditional promise to be claimed by all believers. We cannot ignore the context of verses 14-18. Paul made that particular promise only to those in Philippi because they had supplied his needs. Christians who refuse to contribute to the needs of God’s people have no claim to the promised blessings in verse 19!

Giving is a circle: God gives first, we give second, then God gives more, so we can give more. God’s spiritual blessings stop flowing into us when we stop becoming a spiritual blessing to others. Since we cannot out-give God, the circle should keep on expanding to include more and more people! Our needs (not our wants) will be met on earth and givers will accumulate spiritual blessings both here on earth and in heaven. God will continue to enrich the believer throughout eternity with him in heaven.

THIRTEEN: Giving Results from Preaching the Gospel

“... they glorify God for your professed subjection to the gospel of Christ (NAS): for your obedience to your confession, and for your liberal distribution to them, and to all men” (9:13). The circle returns to its beginning at the grace of God and the gospel. The text does NOT say “obedience that accompanies your preaching and the practicing of tithing.” A church that obeys the grace principles of giving will be blessed. When Christ is preached (which is God’s great gift to us), we give ourselves, and then keep on giving as we become burdened for lost souls. Again, preaching Christ grows his church! Preaching tithing is preaching an “unprofitable” Old Covenant principle which has been abolished (Heb. 7:5, 12, 18). Whereas churches that preach tithing regularly without preaching Christ will not grow, churches that preach Christ regularly without teaching tithing will grow. It is that simple!

The most important thing to understand about the Bible

The Whole Bible was written for you........

BUT the whole Bible was not written to you. 

(Extracted from the free eBook Administering the children's bread by Cornel Marais and Simon Wilson www.charismaministries.org)

• You have to rightly divide the Word of truth (The Scriptures) to find out which are applicable to you and which are not.
• The most important thing to divide between, is the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

Law vs Grace 

This is not to be confused with the Old Testament and New Testament

which are merely a collection of books written before and after a significant point in time.

Covenant Governs Relationship

The covenant you are under determines: 

1. How God relates to you and 

2. How you relate to God. 

Don’t relate to Him through a covenant that is not applicable to you!

A covenant is like an employment contract. It defines the parameters of your relationship. Without understanding your covenant/contract you do not know how to relate to your employer (or God).

2 Tim 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (NKJV)

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (NKJV) 

Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (NKJV)

Knowing your rights (what Jesus died to give you) as a son of God and finding your identity in Him, is what will result in you living a life of faith and power. The most sure place to find out what your rights are is the Word of God. 

Heb 8:6-13 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah — 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (NKJV)

• Covenant determines how God relates to people.
  
• The Old (Law) Covenant: God had to relate to sinful people as a Holy Righteous God
  would/had to. Do bad get cursed, do good get blessed.
  
• The New (Grace) Covenant: God relates to sinful people through Jesus, reconciling them to Himself and no longer relating to them through the Law since Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law on the behalf of people.
  
  
  Heb 7:18-19 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. (NIV) 

• The Law Covenant was weak and useless in providing people with right-standing before God because nobody could ever keep it perfectly (Gal 3:10, James 2:10, James 4:17).
  
• The better hope by which we draw near to God is not our own righteousness or holiness, but through Jesus Christ’s free gift of righteousness. (Eph 2:8-9, Rom 3:20-26)
  
• Because of this Jesus qualifies you to do the same works and greater because you have the same right-standing before God as Jesus has. (John 14:12).
  
  
  Gal 3:11-14 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (NIV)
  

• NO ONE is justified by the law. No one can please God by keeping the law and living holy.
  
• Righteousness (right standing before God) is attained by faith in Christ only.
  
• The Law is not of faith which makes relating to God through it not pleasing to Him. (Heb 11:6)
  
• Jesus became a curse for us, removing the right of the curse of the Law to come on us. (This doesn’t mean the curse doesn’t exist)
  
• Living under the Law, trying to be justified by your own efforts to live holy and pleasing to God is A CURSE! No good will come from it.
  
• In fact, you alienate yourself from the life of Christ by doing it. (Gal 5:1-5)
  
  
  2 Cor 3:4-9 Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant- — not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! (NIV)
  

• Law Covenant: Ministry of DEATH and CONDEMNATION.
  
• Engraved on stone: 10 Commandments.
  
• Grace Covenant: Ministry of LIFE and the SPIRIT.
  
• Engraved on our hearts
  
  
  

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (NKJV) 

(The underlined part in the NKJV does actually not appear in the original Greek text. It was added by translators, trying to place a conditional on no condemnation)

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (ESV)    

You will feel condemned whenever you try to live under the law. That is the purpose of ministry of death and condemnation. 

Walking in the flesh refers to your own self-efforts (self-righteousness) to please God. (Law) 


Walking in the Spirit means trusting in Christ for your sufficiency. (Grace through Faith) 

• Matt 9:16-17 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved. (NKJV)
  

• We are not to mix the old and new covenants. Mixing them will never work. You have to decide which one is better, which one you want, and live according to it.
  
• Jesus + anything = nothing.  Jesus + nothing = everything.
  
• Under the Old Covenant, God dealt with people as a righteous just God would. Under the New Covenant, He treats them like He wants to: With love, kindness, favour, joy, peace etc.
  
• Under the Old Covenant, your right-standing before God was determined by your ability to live righteously. Under the New, your right-standing before God is Jesus. You are the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor 5:21).
  
  
  
  
  Why do I need to know this?
  

• Otherwise you will believe God is the problem, causing or allowing sickness as judgment and punishment.
  
• You will always wonder about God’s will and never be truly able to be in faith. As long as you are not sure, you will always be on a rollercoaster of faith or unbelief.
  
• You will be problem-focused instead of solution focused.
  
• You will judge people instead of ministering to them. (Salt losing saltiness.)
  
• You will become purely works-based, prescribing things the person needs to live up to before God will move on their behalf.
  
• You will minister condemnation and guilt which leads nowhere good.
  
• You will confuse people.
  
  
  
  
  Conclusion
  
  
  Your knowledge and understanding of the new covenant and new creation will give you confidence to believe for supernatural blessings to manifest. If you are not sure of who you are or what you are allowed to do, you won’t have confidence to be or do anything. But if you know your position and authority, you will have the confidence to do what needs to be done.
  
  
  Be. Know. Do.
  
  
  Because we are and know who we are, we do. 
  
  
  We don’t do to become. 
  
  
  Our identity is found in Christ alone, 
  not in our deeds. 
  
  
  Whether we succeed or fail, 
  we remain the righteousness of God in Christ.