Category Archives: Holy Spirit

Prayer and the Law of First Mention

05 Saturday Dec 2015

Posted by in Christianity, Emotions, Fear, God, Grace, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Law of First Mention, New Covenant, Prayer, Tracy Gatewood, Tracy Gatewood Prayer, Unity

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God’s Kingdom system works with a set of guidelines much different than secular processes. Leaders are promoted through servant leadership principles, as well as heart attitudes versus achievement through measurable goals and increased revenue. Finances are considered God’s and as stewards, they are protected through a system of tithes and offerings (sowing and reaping).  Prayer is considered the vehicle of communication to God allowing for wants, needs and desires to be met. Prayer also releases blessings on others, healing, prosperity, safety and offers praise to God.

The first nod to prayer is found in Genesis 4:26 AMP “And to Seth also a son was born whom he named Enosh. At that point men began to call (upon God) by the name of the Lord.” {Seth was the son of the first Adam }. Although no “how to” guide or FAQ was provided on prayer within the Old Testament, praying to God was and still is instinctive by those in need.

The first recorded prayer is found in Genesis 18 and resembles more of a negotiation between Abraham and God regarding Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham petitions God repeatedly to save these cities from destruction because there were righteous (in right standing with God) people among their numbers. Abraham and God had a unique level of relationship – more like old friends, freely conversant – casual yet respectful.

Genesis 18:23-28 “And Abraham came close and said, Will You destroy the righteous (those upright and in right standing) together with the wicked? Suppose there are in the city fifty righteous ; will You destroy the place and not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing – to slay the righteous fare as do the wicked! Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth execute judgment and do righteously? And the Lord said, If I find in the city of Sodom fifty righteous (upright and right standing) I will spare the whole place for their sake. Abraham answered, Behold now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. If five of the fifty righteous should be lacking – will You destroy the whole city for lack of five? He said, If I find forty five, I will not destroy it.”

This negotiation  / prayer continues until the Lord agrees not to destroy these cities for even the sake of 10 found righteous.

Can this dialogue be considered prayer? I say yes. Prayer is simply communicating with God and primarily in the form of petitions or requests to Him  (Definition of the word Prayer;http://kingjamesbibleverse.com/definitions/p/prayer/ ) . Abraham was clearly petitioning for the survival of these cities which makes this the focus of the very first recorded prayer. A righteous man (and a prophet) stood and interceded for the cause of cities, assuming that there were righteous people living there because his relative Lot and family were in Sodom. We must therefore assume that a merciful God hears the prayers of the righteous on behalf of cities and nations even accepting prayer as the preferred method to achieve His results because of the example of the Law of First Mention.

Unfortunately, for the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, God dispatched two angels in the appearance of men to find 10 righteous. The men were themselves greeted at Lot’s home by a homosexual mob surrounding his house, demanding the two come out and “play”. Genesis 19:4-5 It is interesting to note that God, prior to the prayer conversation with Abraham, was already in the process of dispatching these two angels as intel to these cities to confirm what He already knew. Had the angels found righteousness among the people, they would have lived. Lot and his family’s lives were spared and were led from this city by the angels of God. (We know Lot’s wife did not make it out).

The bible records Genesis 29, “When God ravaged and destroyed the cities of the plain, he (earnestly) remembered Abraham (imprinted and fixed him indelibly on His mind), and He sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when He overthrew the cities where Lot lived“. Although He did not see fit to spare these cities, God remembered Abraham’s prayer and took care of his family.

The Law of First Mention means that it is the first time an important word, doctrine or principle is used in scripture therefore it is the most complete and accurate meaning serving as a key to its understanding and a foundation for its biblical concept in subsequent chapters. The fundamental concept in the first occurrence remains dominant, and colors all later additions to that doctrine.

The word ‘Prayer’ is not used in Genesis 18 but the principle of prayer is described. The first time the word ‘Prayer’ is mentioned is in Genesis when God Himself instructs Abimelech to ask Abraham to pray for him following his near miss in taking Sarah, Abraham’s wife, as his own concubine. God spoke to Abimelech in a dream and instructed him to restore Abraham’s wife so that Abraham would pray for Abimelech so that he might live. (Abimelech had unknowingly taken the wife of the prophet Abraham for his concubine which was a sin. In response, God sealed fast all the wombs in Abimelech’s house. ) When Abraham prayed for Abimelech, he, his wife and concubines were all healed.

With God’s own acknowledgement of prayer and request to pray – no one can deny the weight that it carries on the earth and in the Heavenlies as well as the authority that is held by the person praying. Even though Abraham lied to Abimelech about his wife (twice) – God rescued and brought Abraham favor because of His established covenant. (see Genesis 15 ). This was a clear act of grace.

The cities and nations of the world now more than ever before are in need of resources and protection. God has clearly provided a method to hear from Him on his strategies and to call in the forces necessary to equip us in this great time of need. Jesus Himself has paid the ultimate penalty to preserve and protect His own. It is time for the unified righteous to pray boldly and confidently as this would be the will of God in these heavy, tumultuous times.

#pray #prayer #Abraham #Genesis #God  #localchurch #church #lawoffirstmention #TracyGatewoodprayer #sacredramblings

 

Tracy Gatewood
Copyright 2019  – Sacred Ramblings  All Rights Reserved
Twitter @TracyLGatewood
Author: Doorways of Grace
Facebook: Tracy Gatewood Christian Writer and Teacher

 

 

The Heritage of the Saints

01 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by in Armor of God, Blood of Jesus, Christianity, Gospel of Grace, Grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, New Covenant

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When you become a Christian a birthright is inherited that is gifted to you by the grace (unearned, unmerited favor) of God. The totality of the inheritance of this birthright is so enormous, one cannot navigate its many benefits and Godly bequests. To be bequeathed this heritage through a risen Savior is a gift like none other that can ever be given – it brings with it re-birth and regeneration, a new beginning, and an impartation of God’s own Spirit. There is no price or finite value that can be placed on this privilege that the Creator of the Universe releases for an individual. Though no thing adequate, the only response must be one of perpetual thanks and praise for the goodness and mercy of the Father.

Psalm 33:12 AMP   Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His heritage.

As Christians we are consecrated, holy and a set apart people; Citizen Ambassadors of Heaven – our churches acting as earthly Embassies and places of light for a dark world in need of comfort, hope and purpose. We are granted access to the Kingdom of God and its privileges, its legal systems that function supernaturally and separately than the world’s systems. In exchange we are asked to be “living memorials” to His faithfulness and promises.

In these times of unspeakable atrocities, we watch organizations violently come against this grace given to us by our Creator (and theirs) – all the while we hold the promise of the Heritage of the Saints, and in the end, will stand as the most protected.

Psalm 94:14 AMP  For the Lord will not cast off nor spurn His people neither will He abandon His heritage.

In a message dated 1904, Charles Haddon Spurgeon stated: “There has never been a time when a weapon has not been forged against the church of Christ. Yea, even at the present moment, as I stand here, and with the eye of fancy survey our world, I see a fire blazing — fierce is the flame and high its pile of fuel. I see a monarch forging a weapon; a crowned tyrant longs to bring forth chains of iron for the liberties of Europe, and smaller despots long to destroy the germ of all true liberty, the glorious gospel of the blessed God. I see the armies ready against the Lord of hosts, ready to do battle against the servants of God. Still here is the sweet comfort; they may forge the weapon; they may fashion the sword; they may shut the prison door; they may confine the prisoners, they may make their instruments of torture; but they can not prosper; for God hath said it: He “breaketh the bow; and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.” “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper. He will not let it do so.”

It is our responsibility to hold fast to the confession and profession of our faith without wavering as our heritage includes a High Priest – a holy Advocate – that has been installed into this office by His own blood. This heritage includes a blueprint, the Word of God, that has its own divine power when claimed as truth for an uncompromising hope and future despite what swirls about. Jesus is the High Priest of our Confession and when we confess aloud with our mouth what we have and who He is,  He is faithful to act upon it but we must speak. It is for us to lay hold of this heritage tightly, not with limp-wristed hands but with strong hands confident in the goodness of the heritage of our God. This same heritage in which we were grafted claims of a Red Sea that parted and then flowed back killing Pharaoh’s army, a plan to kill all Jews foiled by a young Jewish Queen, a victorious army of only 300 led by the least of his tribe, a bleeding woman of 12 years healed in an instant by faith,  a freed man that was possessed by a legion of demons.

I submit that the very future of our country and our world depends upon our stand for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that from Him was borne liberty from which this very nation was birthed. With each assault on this Gospel message that is inextricably tied to the foundations of this place we so love and embrace, we watch as the life blood of the free world drips drips, drips from these wounds. Although we will never lose our heritage as Saints in God’s Kingdom, we appear to be losing the battle for our Promised Land that was so hard fought by our #FoundingFathers who always put its future and God first.

No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand which conducts the Affairs of men more than the People of the United States. Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.
– George Washington, First Inaugural Address, April 30, 1789

Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence. That He ought to be worshiped. That the most acceptable service we render to Him is in doing good to His other Children. That the soul of Man is immortal, and will be treated with Justice in another Life respecting its conduct in this. These I take to be the fundamental points in all sound Religion, and I regard them as you do in whatever Sect I meet with them. As to Jesus of Nazareth, my Opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the System of Morals and His Religion, as He left them to us, is the best the World ever saw, or is likely to see.
– Benjamin Franklin, letter to Ezra Stiles, March 9, 1790

We must remain intentionally cognizant daily of the heritage we have been given by God, and who we are as if the very future of the whole world depends upon our remembrance.

No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; And every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn. This [peace, righteousness, security, and triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And this is their vindication from Me,” says the Lord.


The Heritage of the Saints
All Rights Reserved 2019

Tracy Gatewood
Doorways of Grace
#hope  #KingdomofGod  #HighPriest  #Jesus  #ReligiousFreedom
#stableandfixed  #America   #FoundingFathers

Twitter:  @TracyLGatewood
Sharing Link: The Heritage of the Saints  http://wp.me/p1zoxs-vT
Facebook: Tracy Gatewood Christian Writer and Teacher
Instagram: tgatewood1
Author:       Doorways of Grace –
My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus

Related Posts:
The Bishop of Our Soul    http://wp.me/p1zoxs-vq
Jesus the Constant             http://wp.me/p1zoxs-uI

Jesus The Constant

22 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Blood of Jesus, Christianity, Emotions, Fear, Gospel of Grace, Grace, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus, Blood of Jesus, New Covenant, redemption, New Covenant, redemption, Sin, Tracy Gatewood

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Proverbs 15:4 AMP  “The Lord has made everything (to accommodate itself and contribute) to its own end and His own purpose – even the wicked (are fitted for their role) for the day of calamity and evil.”

In these apparent end of time days, it does provide comfort to understand that God has His hand on all things. When Judas betrayed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, this set the stage for the final days culminating by setting into motion the redemptive agreement that was struck before the beginning of the Earth. God does have a Plan and He uses the good and the evil to bring about His own purposes. As undeniably wrong as it was for Judas to betray the Son of God over a few pieces of silver (or over anything), had Judas walked away from the high priests remaining with Jesus, the Plan of God and the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus to redeem all of mankind from the sin that separates would have at the very least been postponed. These acts of betrayal and sacrifice had to occur and did so in their correct time and season.

Proverbs 16:33 AMP ” The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly of the Lord (even the events that seem accidental are really ordered by Him)”.

In these days of common unrest, rebellion and lawlessness where the entire world is boiling over and at breaking point, I must conclude that this is the way of the season and part of the Plan. And if that is so in this great unrest, I am even more glad that I know Jesus who is The Constant in this story, being with us from the beginning – even before people inhabited the Earth. He draws us to Himself as the Great Shepherd, knowing that His sheep hear His voice finding profound comfort, peace, safety and stability in and through Him. Those who know Him, The Constant, also understand Him as the great High Priest. He rose from the dead as High Priest. Interestingly, His grave clothes were linen – as were also the garments of the Levitical high priests of His day – as if those who buried Him in the tomb foreknew His Destiny.

Hebrews 6:5-6 AMP “So too Christ (the Messiah) did not exalt Himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed and exalted by Him Who said to Him, You are My Son: today I have begotten You. As He says also in another place, You are a Priest (appointed) forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 4:16 – 15 AMP “Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest who has (already) ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession (of faith in Him). For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but Who has been tempted in every respect as we are yet without sinning.”

But now in these days when God is using both good and evil to accomplish His purposes, we must be strong and not despair through the journey, understanding that He will bring all things together for good that know and love Him. As stated by the Apostle Paul: Romans 8:28 AMP We are assured and know that ( God being a Partner in their labor) all things work together and are (fitting into a Plan) for good to and for those who love God and are called according to (His design) and purpose.

The players in the Plan, both good and evil, have been set.  We must remember that we are the Citizens of Heaven, representatives of the Kingdom of God and worldwide Ambassadors in His Embassy, the Church.  This is not our home – our home is with Him.

#HOPE   #GRACE   #LOVE

Tracy Gatewood
Twitter: @TracyLGatewood
Website: http://www.tracygatewood.com
Author: Doorways of Grace
Amazon Author bio: http://www.amazon.com/Tracy-Gatewood/e/B00Y8Q4UT4

 

 

 

Fear and Your Self Deliverance

19 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by in Blood of Jesus, Emotions, Fear, Gospel of Grace, Grace, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, redemption, Sin, Tracy Gatewood

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Jesus and Thorns

Fear University
Session #7 


ALL Christians have the ability to self-deliver from mental and physical illness and disease through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. 

In August 2010, I had a very unexpected technicolor encounter arriving special delivery via Holy Spirit showing Jesus on the cross, as He revealed to me that His work was indeed finished. Wide awake, I watched as Jesus gave up His own Spirit, signifying that He gave it up of His own will (dismissing His Spirit) and did so when He was ready.  His life was not taken from Him, but His work was complete. Since that time,  I have inched my way forward through teaching, writing and learning more about this grace but have also been impacted mostly by the healing component of grace.

God’s Healing Generals: Oral Roberts, T.L. Lowery, Lester Sumrall, Amy Semple McPherson, Kathryn Kuhlman, John G. Lake and Smith Wigglesworth transferred their powerful healing anointing into people in need. These are the selfless greats that worked diligently to heal thousands for God. The utilization of saints to impart healing miracles still works today but by God’s grace, the revelation has come to light that the Healer Himself lives inside each of us who accepts Jesus as Savior and it is God’s Holy Spirit that will do His work from the inside out. God’s Spirit can hold His own internal Camp Meeting on your behalf.

When Jesus exchanged his life for your life on a cross at Calvary, He purchased for you an eternal covenant that included divine healing and the right to good physical health and a sound mind. In my observation, almost all health issues generate in the mind and flow to the body.  People sin and can give legal right to a spirit of disease and infirmity.  You must understand that God works through a legal process using blood as the currency of Heaven. When Jesus shed His blood for you, His blood was infinitely more valuable than the blood of any Old Testament sacrificed animal. His death and resurrection was required to be your once and for all sacrifice.

Through the actual process used to redeem sin through Jesus, He accepted the assignment to go through a horrific scourging before He was put on the cross. A crown of thorns was shoved onto His head, mocking Him as King of the Jews. Every place that blood poured from Jesus’ body purchased our legal right from God to be free from the penalty of death by sin from the beginning of our life to the end. We can be healed and walk in health; mind and body because of the scourging of His body.  To embrace the concept of what Jesus did for us is fairly simple – but the hardest part is having the faith to believe that it works.

When a person accepts Christ, his/ her spirit comes alive or is activated. The Holy Spirit takes up residence within and assumes His role as Comforter, Counselor, Teacher, Helper and Healer. He is also the Administrator and Coordinator of all of the gifts. When the Holy Spirit sets up shop within you – a whole host of marvelous things can now unfold, not the least of these is calling upon Him as Healer to apprehend spirits that cause emotional / mental concerns as well as physical. (Cancer is a demonic spirit and by and through the grace established through Jesus, a person may be delivered.)

Through your authority in Jesus, your body, when spoken over,  must submit to the Spirit even down to the cellular level for your health.  You can actually speak to your systems (immune, metabolic, etc), chemicals (commanding hormones, etc to align), organs to calibrate to normal levels.  You can release a command, even a decree to your mind and body to align with God’s perfect will in the name of Jesus and by the blood of Jesus. Most people will think this is crazy.  Most certainly, there are doctors called into God’s service to tend to His people as healing missionaries, but none of them can conduct a creative miracle or a healing miracle  – these only occur through God’s Spirit.

Mark 3:27AMP
But no one can go into a strong man’s house and ransack his household good’s right and left and seize them as plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may thoroughly plunder his house.

If you are ready to plunder physical and mental/ emotional disease and infirmity, the first step is identifying then binding the offender. All emotions are spirit based: fear, condemnation, panic attacks, bitterness, jealousy, trauma, anxiety, depression. Life for us mere mortals can become extremely challenging, bringing with it legitimate reasons to experience any of the above but it is when these initial responses continue on for days, into weeks or worse, turn into months or years, is when there is a demonic component and we must stop, then take notice and action.  Redirecting our minds back into proper alignment through reading the word of God and understanding His deep, immutable love and grace, dismantling the house of the Strong man (binding) and acknowledging the work of Jesus Christ, arrests the demonic and produces freedom. When you pray,  pray like you have the rights of ownership because you do by His blood. Pray like you own the title deed to your healing because you do.

It is important for those with understanding to pray for others. Many Christians do not feel good enough or adequate to take this step. You can pray for someone despite your failings, or any shortcomings. Don’t let satan convince that you are an unworthy vessel. You were made clean through the power of the cross of Christ once and for all. There are natural consequences of sin, no doubt, but your spirit is totally clean and pure. Do not allow yourself to get down into condemnation or false teaching on this topic. We connect with God with our spirit to His Spirit.

Each day focus on the loveliness of Jesus, His purity, His beauty and His perfect, unyielding love for you. Speak to Him and ask Him to transform your mind, calibrating it to His mind of perfect peace, of love, of tranquility. Fix your eyes and thoughts squarely on Jesus. By elevating your mind above your health and healing needs, concentrating on Him relieves burdens and breaks yokes in ways we cannot through our own thoughts and self analysis.

Jesus bore your sickness, disease, infirmities and emotions on the cross so that you would be free. Live free.

Follow Me on Twitter: @TracyLGatewood
2015 Book: Doorways of Grace
Sharing Link:  http://wp.me/p1zoxs-u0
Related Post: Fear University Session #6  http://wp.me/p1zoxs-tS

Fear University is a 7 Part Series. Parts 1-5 are featured on my Facebook account and not available on WordPress. I have also written recently:

Healing and the Armor of God
https://wordpress.com/post/tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/1814

Prayer for the Armor of God
https://wordpress.com/post/tracylgatewood.wordpress.com/1844

The Armor of God Prayer

14 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by in #HolySpirit, Armor of God, Christianity, Gospel of Grace, Healing and the Armor of God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Keys to the Kingdom, Sword of the Spirit, Tracy Gatewood Prayer, Wisdom

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The following is a prayer that is written for you and based on Ephesians 6:10 – 18 as well as the New Covenant promises made to all who believe in Jesus Christ. I hope that you will print this prayer and read it aloud as part of your daily reflection.

cathedralwindow

Heavenly Father,  I come before you with praise and thanksgiving for the many blessings that you have given me. It is your desire that I walk by faith and not by sight throughout all circumstances, standing on the promises of your Word which exhort me to put on complete armor (v6:12AMP)  so that I may stand firmly, resisting every intrusion of the enemy, drawing strength by the power of your Holy Spirit. I cast every care onto Jesus who has by His eternal blood, rescued me from every contagion, all lack, pestilence, and calamity.  Your Spirit is my strength in every time of need.

Now Father, having done everything to stand through all danger, I tighten the Belt of Truth around my waist that secures this armor and look unto Jesus who is all Truth and Grace as He stands victorious on my behalf. I have been crucified in Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

Confidently, I put on the Breastplate of Righteousness which diligently guards my heart from condemnation and accusation as well as protects my chest cavity. I am the righteousness of God by faith in Christ Jesus, seated in Heavenly places at the Father’s right hand (2 Cor 5:21, Ephesians 2:6) therefore I am in right standing with God because of Christ’s sacrifice and my relationship to Him.

Gratefully, I put on the Shoes of Peace that allow me to stand firmly and with stability with no fear and in true understanding of the grace given to me by my Lord Jesus Christ. I also remind myself that You Lord are my Defender.

I lift my Faith as a Shield to quench every destructive emotional spirit sent to me by the enemy. By faith I lean my entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom and goodness.

I place the Helmet of Salvation and hope on my head to guard my mind and believe always in a confident expectation of good in every situation, praising God for my wholeness, restoration, financial protection, and deliverance from all evil. I ask for the manifestation of every blessing given to Abraham as a joint heir of his Covenant which has been purchased by the precious blood of Jesus.

With confidence and respect, I wield the Sword of the Spirit, which is the inerrant Word of God. I ask you Father to enable me to use your Word to defend me from Satan and for the purpose of claiming your promises.

Finally, I Pray in the Spirit in every season and persist in watching out for fellow believers, praying for them with depth and intensity as your Holy Spirit leads me. Thank you for giving me a burden for people who do not know your Son.  I ask for 20/20 vision in the realm of the Spirit to discern your wisdom and your will for me as well as for others.

I ask all these things in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ my Lord. 
AMEN (So be it)

#Prayer #Pray #ArmorofGod

Copyright 2019 Doorways of Grace Ministry
All Rights Reserved

Twitter: @TracyLGatewood
Facebook: Tracy Gatewood Writer Teacher
Author: Doorways of Grace; My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and
Meeting Jesus
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Related Post:
Healing and the Armor of God – a teaching post on the Armor of God   http://wp.me/p1zoxs-tg

Healing and the Armor of God prayer

07 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by in Armor of God, Blood of Jesus, Bride of Christ, Christianity, Emotions, Fear, Gospel of Grace, Grace, Healing, Healing and the Armor of God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Leadership, New Covenant, redemption, soul, the Spirit, Tracy Gatewood, Tracy Gatewood Prayer, TracyLGatewood

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Armor of God image

Few of us live with the reality that there is a spirit realm that has an ability to impact our minds through thoughts, ideas and suggestions. All thoughts, good and bad, right and wrong are not all completely generated from within our minds. Because our flesh has actually been circumcised – cut away, made separate from us [ Colossians 2:11]  we can, through the power of the Holy Spirit and because of Christ’s sacrifice take dominion and authority over our flesh and this disruptive spirit realm.

The Apostle Paul instructed the Church at Ephesus to put on the complete Armor of God as a primary source of resistance in combat against “spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) spheres” Eph 6:12 AMP. “ Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day (of danger) and having done all ( the crisis demands), to stand ( firmly in place). Eph 6:13 AMP  Notice the Apostle Paul says here to stand, so we must be able to do it. We must stand rooted from a position of victory, not pleading from a defeated stance. Our victory has already been won by Jesus.

A little known truth is that most disease begins from within the mind and travels through the body wrecking health – either through emotional spirits (ie fear, bitterness, condemnation, anxiety, trauma, shame, abuse)  or generational spirits that repeat patterns of disease from prior generations. Through prayer, we can take authority over spirits of disease and infirmity and the Spirit of God will move forward to do His work [ Matthew 12:28 ]. Like prayer, the partaking of the Lord’s Supper should become a daily part of times of devotion; properly discerning the Body and expressing gratitude and appreciation to Jesus for the lashes that He took, to purchase health and healing. The blood spilled from His head by the crown of thorns purchased healing, and restoration for our minds to enable rest. Prayer and the Lord’s Supper are readily available and much easier than driving to a pharmacy.

Fear is enemy #1. The spirit of fear is the red carpet on which the enemy makes a grand entrance to walk out onto the stage of a person’s mind. Fear is like oxygen to the enemy, the atmosphere in which he thrives. Both fear and condemnation open portals from hell, allowing the sewage of paranoia, bitterness, anger, malice, mistrust, confusion and even lust, and addictions to pour forth into a person.  It is for these reasons, Jesus commands us not to fear. If we remain free of fear, the enemy has nothing on which to grab hold to move us into poor decisions, and life altering reactions, or to damage our emotional or physical health.

The following is Ephesians 6:14 -18 from the Amplified version which highlights the key components of armor as described by Paul:

Eph 6:14
Stand therefore, (hold your ground), having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put the breastplate of integrity, and of moral rectitude and right standing with God.

The belt of Truth is Jesus Who is the Truth and the One who holds the armor together, keeping it securely in place. The breastplate of righteousness guards the heart and chest cavity.  For those who have accepted Jesus as Savior, we are the righteousness of God by faith in Christ Jesus, so therefore in right standing with God. Righteousness is a free gift that cannot be earned, nor can it be lost. Guarding the heart, which is the gateway to the soul (the soul is comprised of the mind, will and emotions), could be second in importance only to the direct protection of the mind.

Eph  6:15 And having shod your feet in preparation (to face the enemy firm-footed stability, the promptness and the readiness produced by the good news) of the Gospel of peace.

Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace. This rich Jewish word also means wholeness, safety, completeness, perfection, prosperity. Strong’s Concordance further states that shalom means rest and the absence of agitation or discord.  Jesus is Shar Shalom, the Prince of Peace and the Prince of Rest. Jesus bequeathed peace to His followers [John 14:7]. We possess it and own it by right as a gift from Him. When you are prepared you can be at peace – in peace there is no fear, and without fear, the enemy has nothing on which to grasp.

For many of us, it takes more than just the knowledge that Jesus gave us peace to actually be peaceful. Enter God’s Holy Spirit to bring a person into rest as the comforter.

Phillipians 4:6-7 AMP
Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace (shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort is, that peace) which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians vs 6:16
Lift up over all the {covering} shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked (one).

As previously mentioned, our minds can become mine fields of thoughts, ideas and suggestions that are not our own nor are they from God. It is our responsibility to fix our focus on Jesus, keeping minds focused on things above and not beneath while standing on faith in His finished work. Faith defined in the Amplified as the leaning of the entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power.

Have you ever put out a candle with a wet paper napkin and heard that quick sizzle sound when the candle snuffs? That is a quench. Your faith acts as a shield around your mind, quenching harmful effects of negative thoughts, keeping them from penetrating further into your soul. Ask the Holy Spirit to apprehend every spirit that is not from the spirit of God out of your mind. This works.

Ephesians vs 6:17
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God.

Like Hebrew word Peace (Shalom), the word Salvation (Sozo) has multiple meanings translated from the Greek: healed, made whole, forgiven from sin, saved, deliverance, financial prosperity. It is a beautiful word of hope. We are seated in heavenly places and free in Christ Jesus, holding all hope; a confident expectation of good throughout any  circumstance.

When the Holy Spirit revealed to you the truth about Jesus and you asked Him into your heart, that same revealed truth and your willingness to be healed can through that same action provide your healing. The word Sozo means salvation and healing. Your mind is made whole, and healed by putting on the helmet of knowledge that Jesus’ death and resurrection was all that was required for your restoration, and that the blood of Jesus will re calibrate your mind and emotions to a state of rest and freedom if it is applied.

The Sword of the spirit is the Word of God and one of the two offensive weapons in the Armor of God prayer.  Reading the Word of God provokes a cleansing action over your mind, rinsing away dust, debris and toxic thinking that collects on a daily basis. Reading the Word aloud allows not only you to hear it but you-know-who hears it as well. Significant power is released into the atmosphere when speaking God’s Word aloud. In God’s Word there is Spirit and life! The Word, and the Blood and Name of  Jesus are the most powerful tools of weaponry for a Believer. No foe or circumstance can withstand these three sources of Holy Spirit packed dynamite.

Ephesians vs 6:18
Pray at all times (on every occasion and in every season) in the Spirit, with all manner of prayer and entreaty. To that end, keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding on behalf of all the Saints (God’s consecrated people).

Praying in the Spirit refers to a heavenly language, or a prayer language, that is only revealed to God and unlocks great mysteries in and by the Spirit. We are exhorted by the Apostle Paul to use our prayer language at every opportunity and to intercede for fellow Believers. To intercede means to stand in the gap for a person, nation, or organization. We are to be very intentional with our prayer habits and intercession. We live now under the Eternal Covenant of Grace, leaning with full confidence into Jesus and the blessed assurances that have been purchased for us.

Here are the verses in sequence without my comments:  Ephesians 6:10-18 AMP

10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].

11 Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.

12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

13 Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].

14 Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,

15 And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the [a]firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness [b]produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.

16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of [c]saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].

17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit [d]wields, which is the Word of God.

18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).

Tracy Gatewood

Sacred Ramblings

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Amazon Author: Doorways of Grace: My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus
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Sound the Trumpet – A Call to Action for Apostolic Leadership

23 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by in Blood of Jesus, Christianity, Gospel of Grace, Grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Leadership, New Covenant, the Spirit, Transformational Leadership

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The Apostles and Jesus
Sunday morning in response to the appeal on 21martyrs.com, I prayed for the persecuted church and Christians around the world that are falling into the hands of extremist murderers.  My big question to God was, Where are the Apostles? Where is Apostle Peter, Where is Apostle Paul, Where is Apostle John – We need them, What would they do in this situation? If they don’t show up, I’m yelling, “Come Lord Jesus and Come …. Now! ” Anybody out there with me?

Where are modern day Apostles; global Generals of The Church of Jesus to condemn these practices, and convene other leaders of the Church for calls to action as its people and churches are under attack by these devils? Where is the voice for the zero tolerance on these atrocities by Christians worldwide? We need our global Christian leaders with Apostolic callings that hear from the Holy Spirit to step forward to devise effective global solutions, partner with governments and lead the spiritual sectors of the world. The Church can no longer function  where it simply prioritizes Small Group member numbers and volunteer headcounts as their primary focus.

I’m not a prophet, but I do have an educated theory that Satan has unleashed these devils at this time upon the earth because he too believes that Jesus’ return is very close. These tyrannical practices of murdering Christians are a last ditch effort to subdue the earth. I further believe that this outpouring of evil fueled by Satan is occurring as a direct reaction to the preaching of the gospel of Grace that is pouring across the entire world. Grace is the true gospel message based on the Love of God for all mankind, and the power held in the sacrifice of Jesus; in His body and His blood. The true Gospel is built on the foundation of the blood of Jesus and not in identity or performance. The blood of Jesus simply enrages Satan. I guess by now he has read the end of The Book.

Every church in the world can be engaging in weekly, Jesus-focused, unified prayer over these atrocities. God responds to the prayers of His people – He is Listening. Prayer is the most powerful source of communication that we have as Believers. Praying back these devils and showing gratitude to Jesus who by His blood and mercy, has put ALL demonic power under His feet. Jesus has provided His people with the same authority and devices to put these forces out of business by using the creative power and understanding given by the Holy Spirit. Are we listening to the Spirit on what to do? I have to believe He is Speaking.

Every church in the world can have an ISIS / Extremists line item in their budget to earmark toward prayer rallies, funds for refugees, and programs like Congressman Frank Wolf’s Wilberforce Initiative. The combined Protestant and Catholic churches have practically limitless financial resources and human capital if we can agree together on objectives that will have the strongest impact and stop depending upon the governments of the world to figure it out. For the moment, we need global Christian leaders to step forward that have the power, the influence and the courage to convene other Christian leaders and all Christian people around the world. I can call them out in this article however I will let the Holy Spirit speak to them individually and in His own way, but we as Christians know who they are across the globe.

Anti-Christ is a spirit and we are watching in real time this demonic spirit seduce people into believing that crucifying children, repeatedly raping women and beheading men for their beliefs is justified. We watch as they overtake city’s, regions and soon nations. To date, the nation of Israel has not been overrun by these devils. These enemies will know they will get their teeth kicked in when they cross Israel’s borders, and will be in for the fight of their existence. The United States must send aid to Israel to fight these extremists. In case you need an idea, sending Israel money to combat terrorism is another objective that can be considered under your church’s budget line item of Extremists. Israel will need aid and lots of it to fight this accursed plague that is swarming its neighbors in the Middle East. Israel requires our support to win.

As a New Covenant intercessor, I am committing my prayer time and focus to the global Church, the Kingdom Government and all Apostolic Christian Leaders around the globe that will hear from the Spirit and move on their specific role in these final days of fortress building around the Saints and the innocents of the world. It’s time to move.

Tracy Gatewood
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Today is George Washington’s 283rd birthday: 2/ 22/ 1732

You Can Do It Yourself

28 Tuesday Oct 2014

Posted by in Blood of Jesus, Christianity, Emotions, Fear, Gospel of Grace, Grace, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus, Blood of Jesus, New Covenant, redemption, the Spirit, Tracy Gatewood, Tracy Gatewood Alabama, TracyLGatewood

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Moses

Young children depend on adults to accomplish most every task on their behalf. As children grow they develop skills allowing them to complete a wider array of responsibilities without the aid of an adult. Most often a parent will provide oversight as a child performs a task over and over again until the responsibility can be entrusted to them to fully execute. It could be something simple, tying a shoelace, or a much more complicated assignment – walking alone to catch a school bus – but at some point a parent will look to the child and say, “OK, loved one, you can do this yourself.”

In the same way, our Father wants us to grow in knowledge of our own capabilities as His beloved children. Jesus’ sacrifice, has opened a gateway of blessings for you and for your use. Jesus has left His Holy Spirit to train, teach, guide, comfort and counsel – and to administrate blessings to God’s people. God’s Holy Spirit administrates and coordinates the work that the now resurrected Jesus finished on the cross. Christ Jesus is not walking the earth, but seated at the right hand of His Father, mediating the Eternal Covenant (Agreement) for which He gave His life while also interceding on our behalf.

Hebrews 7:25 AMP Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them.

We have been given His Spirit to assist in every aspect of living; to enhance and order our lives, enabling us to reach our destiny and purposes for the greater good of others.

Getting Free Can Be Beautifully Simple

Two primary benefits that the Spirit can administrate to an individual are healing and deliverance. Because God’s Spirit lives within us, we have the power and we have been given the authority to thwart disease, infirmity and emotional illnesses within our own bodies and minds; ie prolonged depression, suicidal tendencies, extreme and protracted fear and anxiety, even severe psychological conditions.

Praying to release healing is different than simply pleading with God to be healed – prayer of this type spoken aloud requires faith and understanding in the grace that has been provided through the stripes that Jesus bore, the eternal power of His blood and acknowledgment of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 3:13-14 AMP Christ purchased our freedom (redeeming us) from the curse (doom) of the Law (and its condemnation) by (Himself) becoming a curse for us, for it is written (in the Scriptures), Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree is crucified); Deuteronomy 21:23) To that end that through (their receiving) Christ Jesus, the blessing (promised) to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might (all) receive (the realization of ) the promise of the (Holy) Spirit.

Despite “religious” activity that does more to complicate the benefits of grace and the gift of the finished work, what is illustrated in scripture by Jesus with healing is really so beautifully simple. He did not require healing retreats, counseling referrals, hand holding, or even hand-outs. Jesus simply prayed with faith and love while oftentimes, laying hands on the afflicted person to transfer His healing power. The Holy Spirit within us is all that is needed to exert the same power that Jesus Himself has for all mankind. I believe there is one thing that Jesus wants you to know about praying for your own healing. By partnering with His Holy Spirit in faith-filled prayer, “You can do it yourself“.


Boot Camp with the Master Teacher

I have walked my own personal journey of revelation on this very important subject. Over a 10 year season, the Lord was gracious to heal me of 3 medically documented conditions; a misaligned hip turning arthritic, degenerative disc disease and a migraine headache / vertigo combination, starting out as a virus that lasted 5 years. Each time these conditions were overcome by prayer; twice as the Holy Spirit acted through my own prayers and once by a well-timed intercessor. These conditions have never returned.

During another 2.5 year Boot Camp season of trial, the Holy Spirit again trained me to enlist him to arrest emotional conditions of the mind through prayer; panic, torment, fear, depression, suicidal thoughts, and despair relating to poverty, lack, rejection, trauma, shame and abuse – and a rarely used, biblical referenced “technique” of identifying an offending emotional spirit and binding it.(Mark 3: 26-28) In wrestling with the spirit realm, binding is the “flying cobra hold” of healing prayer. Binding disengages a spirit, and renders it powerless.

The Time is Now

Can we collectively embrace that a wise and loving Father would create for us a way by which we can walk in fullness and joy to freely live the radical message of the Good News? If there was something consistently better, more accurate and more powerful than Jesus’ stripes to achieve our healing, wouldn’t it make more sense for God to point us in that direction rather than ask His Son to endure 40 lashes or wear a crown of thorns for our healing and deliverance?

Isaiah 53:5 AMP But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement (needful to obtain) peace and well being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes (that wounded Him), we are healed and made whole.

In 2010, there were 35.1 million inpatient discharges in the U.S., 100 million outpatient discharges and 51.4 million procedures performed in our hospitals. If even 15% of these intakes were avoided by Christians taking hold of God’s supernatural promises and benefits for them, that would be a tremendous victory. We must have resolve and determine to take hold of what Jesus has already done for us – He has gone before to prepare a grace-way for His people, just as God did for Moses and the Israelites. The present “Red Sea” of disease and infirmity, seemingly incapable of navigation, can be parted by rejecting fear, embracing faith in the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s power, a power that lives within every person that has a relationship with Jesus. It is important now, more than ever, that we learn to walk out what Jesus has given us as a gift from the Father

Tracy Gatewood
Sacred Ramblings
You Can Do It Yourself
All Rights Reserved   2020

Tracy Gatewood
Author:  Doorways of Grace: My Uncommon Journey to Healing, Wholeness and Meeting Jesus
Facebook:  Tracy Gatewood Sacred Ramblings

Embracing the Gospel of Grace

04 Sunday May 2014

Posted by in Blood of Jesus, Bride of Christ, Christianity, Emotions, Fear, Gospel of Grace, Grace, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus, Blood of Jesus, New Covenant, redemption, Leadership, the Spirit, Tracy Gatewood, Tracy Gatewood Alabama, TracyLGatewood

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Tracy Gatewood

Since the summer of 2010, I have been held captive by this topic of the Gospel of grace. The true meaning of grace has powerful, paradigm shifting ramifications that are impacting the worldwide church by bringing new and deeper revelation and understanding to each triune member of the Godhead. Has God held back this revelation of grace to release it across the earth now as a final attempt at bringing the highest numbers of people into His Kingdom just before Christ’s return?

1. The complete understanding of true grace is imparted by the Holy Spirit and comes through divine revelation.

I believe this to be the essential piece to the grace-understanding puzzle and the primary missing piece for church leaders that are teaching this from the mixed grace perspective or a mixture of law-based grace. When this true understanding is revealed by God one is shown clearly first the complete truth of the finished work of Christ and immediately following, is given the revelation of the power of the blood of Jesus. The two go hand in hand and receiving this is the first step towards understanding true grace. It is the recipient’s “Damascus Road” experience where blind eyes are opened. Those that have experienced this will immediately relate. This divine process makes it more difficult for those that have received this revelation of true grace – it is hard to be a pioneer of truth – everyone kicks against it, but when this understanding is received, you know that it did not come from you because you had never heard it taught. Why the revelation of true grace has only been doled out to so few is unsure but God’s call is irrevocable and His appointed teachers must teach.

Studying this topic correctly takes ample time and requires the continual flow of revelation from the Holy Spirit. It’s not like studying for one stand-alone message or even a message series – the study that does this subject total justice requires immersion; not a sprinkle or even a dunk, you have to buy a snorkel and plan to stay underwater to study its depths for months into years to grasp the rich treasuries of the mysteries of Jesus and His grace.

Every leader is given particular insight into a subject or a category that entails an important assignment and task to complete. It is my observation that the teaching of true grace has been assigned to a very small number of people in this particular season to carry forward the work of the Apostle Paul, and they alone are the ones to teach it. Time is short and it is important that leaders remain in the lanes of their assignment.

2. If someone has correct knowledge of true grace, they understand the reality of living by the Spirit whom does not condone sin or evil behavior. Holy Spirit always reveals Jesus.

The primary argument that I hear repeatedly from people lacking grace revelation is something that I never witness happen among any true grace follower. They warn that a person walking in true grace (which they refer to as radical grace) has disregard for God’s laws and commands and because they do not adhere to God’s commands they consequently could never walk in the blessings of God nor could they ever live a Godly lifestyle and could be in grave danger of turning and walking back toward eternal damnation.

The Law, of which there were 613 including the Big 10, was given by God and all were good, holy and just but these Laws were not meant to govern Righteous people or those that believe in Jesus and are under the New Covenant. Jesus came to fulfill the Law and He did. The old law based covenant is obsolete and now there is a much better way. The righteous are to be governed and directed by the Spirit. God has written His laws on the tablets of our hearts and they are no longer written on stone.

True grace acknowledges Jesus’ finished work and from His resurrection was birthed the Holy Spirit who each of us have within to rely on as comforter, advocate, teacher, revelator and holy internal transformational leader. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to transform into the likeness of Christ.

He is the most underutilized and misunderstood member of the Trinity and He is there for us RIGHT NOW. Grace teaches us to live with Holy Spirit dominant in our minds, lives and hearts daily, asking Him to take over so we can fully live the gift of what God has given to us through the death and resurrection of His Son. Does this sound like a plot to instill spiritual anarchy throughout the ranks of Christendom across the globe? No – it is the highest degree of spiritual maturity, requiring an uncommon relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

3. An understanding of true grace requires an understanding of the combination of faith and grace as the two work together and in balance.

Jesus cleared the way to the throne of God by His blood acting as the propitiation for all sin from the very beginning of the world to the very end of time and there is nothing we must add to this or can do to make God love us more. Any such action would rank higher than the blood of His Son, a Deity, whose blood was completely sinless. (Have you ever pondered where Jesus’ blood came from? It was the blood of God –) An action list includes fasting and tithing although these are healthy personal disciplines but never should be done in an effort to make God move or to get His attention.

For example, giving a first fruit tithe acts as a reminder to place the church first and places one’s confidence on God because of Jesus’ sacrifice and finished work. Provision was covered in the atonement. He is Jehovah Jireh the Provider. Don’t try to get God to move by giving the tithe. Tithing acknowledges in confidence that He will provide and in fact, He already has. By faith in His work, have an expectation that Jesus will “deliver the goods” and right on time. In fact, be expectant that He will deliver them exceedingly, abundantly more than could ever be asked for or thought. Now that’s faith.

As a personal illustration, my very first real estate sales transaction was $5,150,000 and that’s the truth.My very first transaction ever was a 7000 SF restaurant lease listing that was dropped into my lap that I leased to a respected, well-established concept. On the sales transaction, I received a hot tip on a corner lot from the Holy Spirit and acted upon it quickly and that is all the credit I can take for this event. Every conceivable novel-like twist and turn happened during the process for one solid year, but I remained steadfast in my belief that God had told me what to do and that Jesus had done the work for it to be delivered.

If I repeated, I am the righteousness of God by faith in Christ Jesus once, I prayed it a hundred times to drive that concept deep into my own spirit, ease the fear and to bring me back to rest. The righteousness of Jesus has been imputed from Him into me and I am blessed and favored by God not because of what I do because of what Jesus did for me what I could never do on my own. Pay day was a blessed event.

Learn how to listen to the Holy Spirit and gain understanding of your responsibility of resting in Jesus’ Finished work. God gives us the power to get wealth. Begin to leverage grace through faith in Jesus finished work in your own life and watch as God brings you through a journey of growth in the knowledge of His Son individually customized for you. God wants to bless your life so you can be a blessing to others which expands His Kingdom so none shall be lost. Ask the Holy Spirit for favor in the marketplace and favor in the ministry place – He is the one that grants it.

4. Living with grace consciousness rather than sin consciousness elevates God to His rightful status, the One who loves us without condition and calls us to Him as His Beloveds.

The gospel message (if told accurately and received confidently), can be enough to break yokes of bondage, drive out demons, heal sick, restore peace to minds and set people free. Teaching the people about their victory in Jesus, providing a clear explanation of how He conquered the devil, combined with teaching God’s promises in these areas works miracles. The Holy Spirit shows up when the Gospel message is preached and His presence is all that is necessary because He is the one with the power.

Jesus never condemned or struck fear in the hearts of those He healed because He is the embodiment of grace and truth. He walked the talk because He is the talk. He is the Word. The Word states you are seated with Christ Jesus in heavenly places. Could you be seated in heavenly places if you were a Sinner? No, God in His perfection cannot cohabit with sin. You are a precious, powerful Saint so embrace that and press through the fear and the condemnation and use this power given to you – you already have everything you need to be an overcomer. Your spirit was made righteous and perfectly holy when you accepted Jesus. You are a powerhouse! Isn’t this more effective than wallowing in the negative, shaming perception of seeing yourself as a sinner? Practically no one wants to remain in bondage. Faith and confidence supplies the grease on the wheel allowing you to turn faster from what you were doing, or repent – Metanoia – in the Greek, which simply means to change your mind. Move toward Jesus and get yourself out of the pit.

Aside from protecting the presence of God and guarding the Holy Spirit’s work within a church, it is a primary responsibility of a pastor to point always to Jesus – not to raise awareness of sin-consciousness, or modify behavior, but to put the focus on Jesus. Resting in Jesus and the truth of the gospel steers the mind around the condemnation that surrounds the sin. Perfect love, which God has for people, casts out fear – spend time focusing on God’s love and watch fear and condemnation dissipate, then move out.

5. Using true grace in intercession means you are always standing firmly from a position of victory already won and never from a defeated stance. Hallelujah!

Pray like you have already won what you are praying for. That’s right – you now have a duty to focus on God and praise Him for what He has already done for you based on the atonement and the finished work of His Son. Stop begging God to make you well, whole, provided for, peaceful or free. Jesus died to pay for what you need then went down to hell and beat the devil on his own turf. The proof of ratification of this new covenant was Jesus’ resurrection. It truly is Finished. Offense, think offense Could there be a stronger offensive line than Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit? Stop making yourself crazy. Continue to pray against demonic hindrances and wait for the need to manifest. Picture yourself as a Knight with armor, fully protected, with large bugs flying against your armor and bouncing off – that is what you are in the spirit realm as you remain covered in the blood of Jesus. Stop giving the demons more credit than the blood of Christ. They are defeated nuisances that can only harm if you allow them to harm which typically comes through attacks in the mind.

Take communion every day, thanking Jesus for His great sacrifice while recognizing that His body and His blood are within you providing every single thing necessary to protect and defend, provide, heal, make whole, and make right. Fear is a destroyer and is the devil’s favorite hiding place. When he makes a Grand Entrance, it is always walking on the red carpet of fear. Guard your heart and your mind by bringing back to daily remembrance the finished work of Christ Jesus and walk in faith of the grace He has placed on your destiny.

Tracy Gatewood #Prayer #GospelofGrace #Grace

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The Spirit of Life

07 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by in Blood of Jesus, Bride of Christ, Christianity, Emotions, Grace, Healing, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus, Blood of Jesus, New Covenant, redemption, Leadership, Sin

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The Spirit of Life

Galatians 5:4-6  If you seek to be justified and declared righteous and to be given a right standing with God through the Law, you are brought to nothing and so separated (severed) from Christ . You have fallen away from grace (from God’s gracious favor and unmerited blessing). For we (not relying on the Law but) through the Holy Spirit’s help, by faith anticipate and wait for the blessing and good for which our righteousness and right standing with God (our conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action, causes us to hope. For (if we are) in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision or non circumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.

There is nothing more that you can do to earn higher degrees of God’s love, to gain more of His awareness, His attention or His Favor than to be devoted to His Son; truly grasping the ramifications of Jesus’ sacrifice on your life and believing that it is through His body and blood that you are completely, and perfectly situated in Him. If there was anything you could do, then it would be more powerful and more important than what Jesus did for you. Favor from God (grace) and right standing with God (righteousness) are not based on your works. These are secured when you exercise your faith and believe that Jesus has paid not only for your sin debt, but that He died for you to have all the blessings given to Abraham; an uninterrupted supply of healing, provision, protection and peace. Access to this comes through unwavering faith and a rest in His finished work.

At times, I need information drilled down for me to a level of relevancy – I grasp and retain concepts best if done so experientially by walking them out. In junior high and high school, I struggled terribly with the math requirements; Algebra, Trigonometry and all manner of related evil. My school counselor, in his mercy,  gave me the option to take Consumer math; a curriculum that provided mathematical problem solving with practical application to issues that were relevant, mostly related to business and very unlike algebraic equations. It was somewhat remedial but I did not care and excelled. As I  teach and write on spiritual concepts, I must first bring them to a point of personal relevance by examining them, breaking them apart and putting them back together.  Through personal experiences, I have broken down specific concepts and walked out truth regarding Jesus that has fortified me in ways that are relevant and life changing.

Galatians 3:20-21  AMP   I have been crucified with Christ ( in Him I have shared His crucifixion); it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith (in adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Therefore, I do not treat God’s gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose);  I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God.  For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through (observing the ritual of)  the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly  and to no purpose and in vain. (His death was then wholly superfluous).

Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection terminated the Adamic line and His death marked the end of the Law.  Since His death, we have been afforded a new way, a New Covenant (Agreement) solidified between Himself and God on our behalf – we are no longer bound by a sin-based nature. We must set our belief on the foundation of the sacrifice of Jesus, and His work that cleared the way.  Hebrews 8:13 When God speaks of a new (covenant or agreement), He makes the first one obsolete (out of use). And what is obsolete (annulled because of age, out of use), is ripe for disappearance and to be dispensed with altogether.

Do you still use your 8-track to play your music?  My guess is that you don’t. You listen to music on a CD player or MP3 or Sirius or internet streaming. 8 track players are no longer in use because there are better ways that are more efficient and provide higher quality sound. No more bulky tapes to store that take up too much space. Nothing to bang your knee against in your car because your 8 track was installed underneath your factory radio. The 8 track player is obsolete. Why?  There is a new and better way to play your music!  The same principle is true about the New Covenant Jesus has made with God for you which did away with an older covenant that was law based, focusing on sin consciousness and condemnation.  When you listen to the Spirit, He will guide you into life, all truth and aid you in making decisions, shape your character and give you guidance into God’s will. The life of Grace is all about listening to the voice and direction of the Spirit. The life of a Christian is all about listening to the voice of the Spirit.

I AM FREE, FREE, FREE FROM THE CONDEMNATION OF LAW-BASED LIVING.

GLOSSARY
Justified – Just As If You Had Never Sinned – Gal. 3:23  we are justified by faith
Righteous – In Right Standing With God – Rom. 3:21 righteousness cannot be earned, it is a gift and comes through faith in Jesus. Gal 3:17 if righteousness could be gained through law, then Christ died for nothing.
Grace – Undeserved, unmerited Favor (one definition) Eph 2:8 AMP For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved by (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith.
The Law – 10 Commandments given by God to Moses for the Israelites plus 603 additional Rabbinical Laws. The Law was given to the unrighteous, not to the righteous.  To fulfill the Law – all had to be kept, or none were kept. Focusing on rules results in focusing on sin-consciousness and condemnation. We are made righteous by faith not rules or law. All Christians are to focus on Jesus and listen to the Holy Spirit.
New Covenant – What we have with God as Believers after the death/resurrection of Christ. Heb. 8:13 When God speaks of a New Covenant, He has made the first obsolete.

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I am going to make a bold statement. Life as we know it is about to become extremely difficult globally and in order for us to survive – despite its counterintuitive feeling, we must understand Grace, where we first look only to Jesus and without fear, recognize what He has purchased and that He provides the supply for our needs. Our systems and the ways we are accustomed to operating will not continue to work. This does not at all mean we sit down and stop doing our careers, and our ministries but the mindset is different. We depend on our supply from Jesus, because of His sacrifice and we then depend on the Spirit to administrate our lives and make our paths plain. This is God’s Way. People that are not saved will perish for they do not know, trust or understand Jesus and will not look to Him.

Recently, I have noticed that the Holy Spirit is prompting many teachers to step out and teach on Fear and give the public an understanding of its DNA. Unless we understand that fear is a spirit and how to manage it, many will not make it emotionally through the upcoming trials and tests. It is essential that people gain an understanding of the Gospel of Grace, the truth of the power of the blood of Jesus and learning practical application of both in their lives.