Prophecy Today Series:(6) "Salvation, Justification and Sanctification" [The Kingdom, Power & Glory] -Koinonia House

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Salvation, Justification and Sanctification by Nancy Missler

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MINISTRY WEBSITE King's High Way RESOURCES The Kingdom Power and Glory - The Overcomer's Handbook

As was mentioned at the beginning of this series, after being Christians for more than 50 years, what Chuck and I have learned in our research for this material has totally revolutionized our personal walk with the Lord. We consider the truths contained in the Kingdom, Power and Glory book and these articles to be some of the most life-changing principles we’ve encountered since our new birth. As you can tell, we are passionate about this subject because it has made the whole Bible come even more alive for us.

Most Christians have been taught about the Millennium, but many of them don’t realize that not only our rewards, but also our place of responsibility in the future kingdom will be either won or lost according to our faithfulness in this life. (1 Cor. 3:12-15) In other words, our behavior here on earth matters—it counts! Therefore, there is a huge need for us to recognize our own personal accountability before the Lord. This is what The Kingdom, Power and Glory series tries to convey.

Jesus came to deliver us out of the authority of darkness and bring us into His kingdom of Love. Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and gave His Life so that we could be reconciled back to the Father, be given the authority and the power to overcome the enemy and be trained as His companions to rule and reign with Him over the earth. This is what “salvation” is all about.

“Salvation” literally means to deliver from chains or shackles by a payment or a ransom. Christ, of course, paid that ransom for us by shedding His blood on the Cross. Salvation is a “free gift” that God wants everyone in the world to have. All that is required of us is to believe in what Christ has already done on the Cross and commit our lives to Him. This simple act of faith is called “justification” and is what makes us “declared not guilty” before God. (Rom. 3:26; 4:5-6)

Even though “justification” declares us “positionally” reconciled to God and declared not guilty, “experientially” (in our life actions) we have not changed a bit. Our behavior is exactly the same as it was and our character hasn’t been touched a bit. In other words, the act of “justification” doesn’t automatically transform us into Christ’s image. It simply leads us to the process of “sanctification,” which is how God actually conforms us. Thus, complete salvation is really a lifelong process. One way to view this is: Our spirit is saved at our new birth (justification); our soul is in the process of being saved through the sanctification process. And our bodies will be saved in the future at the resurrection. Consequently, we receive the “salvation of our souls” at the end of our faith, not the beginning.

Both 1 Peter 1:9 and Hebrews 10:39 validate this. Therefore, complete salvation doesn’t consist of one simple choice at the beginning of our faith (to accept Christ as “Savior”), but thou-sands upon thousands of choices to stay faithful, obedient and persevering till the very end (allowing Christ to become “Lord” of our lives). The actual saving of our soul is dependent upon our moment-by-moment choice to “put off” our sin and self and to “put on” Christ. (Eph 4:22-24)

So, even though we have a redeemed spirit as a result of “justification,” until we are sanctified, we still have an unredeemed soul and body. The following CHART is what “justification” looks like:

See CHART 2 - Justification 

The gold dot in the middle of the circles represents our re-deemed spirit. It’s gold because at our new birth, it is saved and declared righteous before the Lord. This is a “free gift” just for the asking. Notice, however, the larger and yet, darker grey circle around the gold dot. This circle represents our soul. It’s grey be-cause at this beginning point, it is still unredeemed. It represents our own natural thoughts, emotions and desires that are usually opposite to God’s. Transforming these to Godly thoughts, emotions and desires is what the sanctification process is all about. The outer grey circle, then, represents our body which will be redeemed at the Rapture. This process is called “glorification.”

So, the first step of salvation (“justification”) simply means receiving God’s eternal Life in our spirits (the gold dot). It means we have passed from death (separation from God) to Life (i.e., God is in us).1 However, our soul (the grey circle) still has not changed a bit. It’s still the same as it was before we were born again, our own natural thoughts, emotions and desires.

As we proceed in these articles, when we talk about “justification” always remember the “gold dot” in the center of the circle, our saved spirit. If we should die at this point, we would go to heaven and be with the Lord. Sanctification, on the other hand, means seeing the Life of God that was placed in our hearts when we were born again, actually begin to come forth and transform our souls—His thoughts becoming our thoughts, His Love becoming our love and His will, our will.²

Sanctification is how we are transformed from a “soulish” and “fleshly” man to a “spiritual man.” It’s learning how to actually live Christ’s Life. At this point, because we are being sanctified, we becomepartakers of Christ’s Life—His Love, wisdom and power—(not just receivers of His Life). The light of Christ’s Life is coming forth—that beam of Light…

See CHART 3 - Sanctification Process

Therefore, justification is really just the first step of salvation. It’s not the end of the race; but only thebeginning of our walk with the Lord. (It’s the dot in the middle of the circle, not the beam of light!) God desires to make us in character and action, righteous, holy and set apart so that “beam of light” (God’s Life) can come forth. Unfortunately, this transformation into His image doesn’t happen automatically. It’s going to be our constant and continuing choice!

Receiving the Holy Spirit in our spirit is like the down payment, the pledge or the seal of a much greater commitment that is yet forthcoming. (Ephesians 1:13) In other words, the union of our spirits (justification) is simply a symbol of our “betrothal.” Our “wedding” is still forthcoming! “Justification” is what gets us into the Millennial Kingdom and heaven. It’s what opens the door for us, but “sanctification” (learning to actually live and partake of Christ’s Life) is what will make us those faithful and obedient overcomers who will rule and reign there with Christ.

Christ is the One who will accomplish this transformation in our lives by the power of His Holy Spirit. Butwe are the ones who must choose to let Him do so moment-by-moment.

Justification is a free gift that we simply receive and em-brace; whereas, sanctification is the process that will outwardly reveal that we have, indeed, been saved. (John 13:35) The whole point here is that salvation truly is a life-long process. Salvation begins with “justification” and the gift of a new Spirit, but the real work involves the “sanctification process” (faithfulness, perseverance and obedience) because that’s what will qualify us to co-reign with Christ in the coming Millennial Kingdom. Therefore, “sanctification” is what the majority of these articles will be about.

“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setting it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.” (Luke 8:16)

 

 

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Prophecy Today Series:(5) "What is Salvation" [The Kingdom, Power & Glory] -Koinonia House

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The Kingdom, Power & Glory - What Is Salvation? by Nancy Missler

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MINISTRY WEBSITE King's High Way RESOURCES The Kingdom Power and Glory - The Overcomer's Handbook

Over the past couple of months, we have been exploring the real reason for our salvation, which is ruling and reigning with the King of Kings in the future Millennial Kingdom and, after that, for eternity. Our life here and now is simply the training ground, the proving ground and the testing ground for that next life.

 

Our purpose with these articles and with our book has been and will be to integrate the “sanctification process” (actually living Christ’s Life and learning to be overcomers) here on earth with the “reward of inheritance” (co-reigning with Christ) in the kingdom. In order to do this, there are three important questions we want to address: Why are we here? Where are we going? And, what do we have to do to get there?

 

The first question we want to explore then is: Why are we here?

 

Genesis tells us that man was originally called into existence to reign over the whole earth with the King of Kings. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth...And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28)

 

Man was created in the image of God so that one day he could become a “servant-king” and rule the world alongside the true king, the King of Kings.¹

 

There was just one problem: Lucifer. Ezekiel 28 explains: “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering...thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou was perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” (Verses 13-15)2

 

Lucifer was determined to thwart God’s plan in any way he could. He came up with a scheme to deceive Adam and Eve, the first Mr. and Mrs. Man. At his prompting, Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s rule (they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil) and as a result, three things happened: 1) they died spiritually (i.e., they became separated from God); 2) they forfeited their right to rule and reign; and 3) Lucifer (Satan) became their own mortal enemy. (Genesis 3:23-24)

 

Because of their sin, all mankind has inherited those same three consequences: 1) We are all born naturally separated from God; 2) God’s future plans for us to rule and reign along-side of Him have been forfeited; and, 3) We have the same mortal enemy as Adam had, Satan.³

 

These consequences have been passed down through every generation. The Epistle of Romans tells us that every person since Adam is born with a “sin nature,” not a spiritual nature, and thus, has automatically “fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) In other words, without Christ’s intervention, all of us are born “guilty” of sin, the penalty of which is “death” (eternal separation from God). Consequently, not only was man’s fellowship with God broken because of Adam’s sin, we also have forfeited our future rulership in the coming kingdom.

 

God Inaugurated a New Program

 

God, however, loved man so much that He inaugurated a new program to bring his sin marred creation back into the blessings of a future glorious reign. (Psalm 8:5-6) He chose a way of deliverance from man’s inevitable destiny (death) and set about to reclaim the kingdom for us.

 

He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to bridge the gap and make it possible for us to once again have fellowship with Him and par¬ticipate in the future kingdom.4 Christ’s mission is to deliver us out of the authority of darkness into the kingdom of the Son’s Love. (Colossians 1:13) Jesus (who knew no sin) be-came sin on our behalf and voluntarily gave His Life as a ransom so that we could: 1) be reconciled back to the Father, 2) be trained as companions of Christ to rule and reign with Him in the future, and 3) be given the author¬ity and power to overcome the enemy.⁵

 

John 3:17 says, “For God sent His Son into the world not to condemn the world; but that the world though Him might be saved.”

 

This is what “salvation” is all about.

 

What Is Salvation?

 

The word salvation actually means “to liberate, to set free or to loose.” It literally means to deliver from bonds (chains or shackles) by a payment or a ransom. (A “ransom” is something that is given in exchange for a life.) Matthew 20:28 tells us that Christ paid that ransom for us.⁶ He exchanged His Life for ours by shedding His Blood on the Cross.⁷ He freed us from our sins by His blood and “loosed us from the pangs of death.”

 

“Salvation” then is a free gift that Christ wants everyone in the world to have.⁸ All that’s needed is for us to believe in what Christ did on the Cross (for the redemption of all mankind) and choose to be obedient to His commandments. By believing in Him, He promises that we will not perish, but have everlasting life.⁹ Romans 10: 9 says: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” This simple act of belief is what makes one “declared not guilty” (or justified) before God. (Romans 3:26; 4:5-6)

 

By accepting what Christ has done for us on the Cross, five things occur: 1) we are set free from our bonds of sin and reconciled to Him; 2) we are delivered from the penalty of death; 3) we are guaranteed an entrance to the Millennial Kingdom (and to heaven); 4) we are given the gift of a brand new spirit (which is like a “down payment,” a pledge or a seal that assures us His promises are true) (Ephesians 1:13-14); and finally, 5) we are given His eternal Life (His Love, wisdom and power) in our hearts. (Colossians 1:27; Romans 5:5)

 

Christ’s death on the Cross signified the end of the Old Covenant (old covenant with Israel) and the beginning of a new one, which provides regeneration and the forgiveness of sin through faith in Christ.¹⁰ Consequently, our salvation does not depend upon us, but rather upon Christ and His faithfulness. Our salvation, in fact, is actually guaranteed by the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:4-6, 11-12)

 

Justification

 

When we first come to Christ and are “born again,” we are declared righteous and holy just like Romans 10:9 tells us. This is called justification, which is a judicial term meaning, “to be declared not guilty before God.” The word “justification” (Strong’s #1344, dikaioo) means to be acquitted, to render just, innocent or righteous. (2 Corinthians 5:21) In other words, Christ has already paid the penalty for us and there is nothing more we can do to add to it. (Romans 3:24) It’s a free gift! (Titus 3:5) The price has already been paid. God uses the instrument of “grace” to accomplish this justification.¹¹

 

Being “justified” also means that we are guaranteed an entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven on the basis of what Christ has already done. He is the righteous and holy One, and He has imputed that righteousness and that holiness to us. The “down payment,” or the pledge or seal of this future redemption is the gift of His Spirit indwelling our own. (Ephesians 1:13) In other words, at our new birth, our “spirit” is saved. (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2:8)

Even though at our new birth, we are “positionally” (an approved fact) reconciled to God, justified and declared not guilty before God, “experientially” (in our life actions), our character, our disposition and our temperament really haven’t changed a bit! Mentally, emotionally and spiritually, we are still the same! Christ has simply imputed (or accredited) His righteousness to us by means of a new spirit. It’s at this point that wemust begin the long road toward true “life transformation” and this process is called “sanctification.” Therefore, being justified before God is really just the first step to¬wards our total salvation. Because the completed work of “justification” is what introduces the complimentary work of “sanctification,” and eventually, “glorification.” It works something like this:

 

Our spirit (which is the energy source or power source of our lives) is saved at our new birth. (Ephesians 2:8-9) This, as we said, is called “justification.”¹² Our soul (which is made up our own natural thoughts, emotions and desires) is in the process of being saved through the “sanctification process” that we are all in now. (James 1:21; 1 Peter 1:8-9)13 And our bodies will be saved in the future at the resurrection which is called “glorification.”¹⁴ In other words, “complete salvation” is really a life-long process. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

 

To be continued next month: “Salvation is a Life-long Process.” This article has been excerpted in part from Chuck and Nan’s new book The Kingdom, Power and Glory.

 Yes! Jesus is Coming!

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The Kingdom, Power & Glory "Hope Realized" by Nancy Missler

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MINISTRY WEBSITE King's High Way RESOURCES The Kingdom Power and Glory - The Overcomer's Handbook

Thank you for the hundreds of calls, letters and e-mails that we have received about our new book. It has been so exciting to see so many “receive the Word with openness of mind,” but then “search the Scriptures to be sure these things are so.” (Acts 17:11) Bible Studies on this material seem to be springing up all over the country! Praise God!

If we had only two words to describe what this study has meant to us personally, they would be “Hope Realized.” Through learning and applying these principles, our hope in Christ has been realized, apprehended, understood and em-braced. We now know why we have been called, where we are going and what we have to do to get there.

What exactly is “hope” and why is it so very important to possess? Strong’s Concordance defines it as: “favorable and confident expectation.” It goes on to say, “it’s anticipation with pleasure, and expectation and confidence in the future.”

Ephesians 1:18 stresses the importance of each of us possessing this kind of “hope”: Paul says “…that we may know what is the hope of His calling and what [are] the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…” In other words, he is saying once we understand the real reason why God has called us—what His purpose is—hope, confidence and expectation will result.

Proverbs further tells us that this hope will become a “tree of Life” in our lives. (Proverbs 13:12) Validating again, that when we realize (apprehend or understand) the “real reason” why we have been called, it will put everything together for us—i.e., the whole Bible will come alive. The symbolism of the “tree of Life” in the Word of God simply represents “equipping believers with divine wisdom and understanding” in order to have levels of responsibility in the coming kingdom. (Proverbs 3:13-18) It also stands for man’s possibility of ruling and reigning with the King of Kings over all the earth.

When this hope is embraced, it becomes the most powerful motivating force in our lives. This hope is produced from understanding the purpose of our salvation, which is to be able to rule and reign with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom and after that for eternity. Our life here on earth is just the testing ground, the proving ground and the training ground for that purpose. (Proverbs 9:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10-11)

Listen to one of the hundreds of letters we have received recently about The Kingdom, Power and Gloryand how it has revived this person’s “hope of His calling”:

“I wanted to take the time to tell you both how much your new book, The Kingdom, Power and Glory has meant to my wife and I. This book, more than any other, has revolutionized our viewpoint and attitude about the importance of our Christian commitment and service to the Lord with each and every moment that we have been blessed with.

“Let me share with you one of the most important insights that we have gleaned so far. Prior to reading KPG, I never had the slightest idea of what was really at stake in terms of my eternal destiny, possible rewards, or the contribution in terms of service to the Kingdom that could be uniquely mine own. Not only that, but the concept of eternal rewards for service to the Kingdom was never a part of any teaching or theology that I had previously had.

“In fact, I was raised in the Assembly of God Church. There we were taught that it was possible to lose our salvation for virtually any infraction. Sadly, it put many of us in a state of ‘manic depressive theology’ due to the belief that a person can lose his salvation for committing any willful sin. As a result of this type of theology, it became a virtual impossibility to feel secure in my salvation and as a result, there was no attempt to really grow in the faith because I never knew whether I was really saved to begin with.

“What better ploy could Satan use? What better way to keep us from witnessing to others: After all, how can anyone feel totally comfortable in witnessing to someone else, if they are not sure they are saved themselves?

“Bottom line: I am learning each and every day as I study and ponder the messages contained in KPG. The only regret I have is that I didn’t have it forty years ago. It would have saved me years and years of stumbling around in spiritual darkness looking for the light…”

* * *

Interestingly, Proverbs 13:12 also tells us that “hope deferred makes the heart sick.” In other words, without knowing the “hope of our calling,” we die. We are unable to witness to others as the above letter so beautifully describes, because we ourselves are not sure where we are going. And, this is why the enemy is making such inroads in so many of our lives.

Having “hope” is a huge factor in being able to endure and persevere though our trials—being able to stay afloat in the heaviest of storms. Having “the hope of our calling” becomes the “anchor of our souls.” (Hebrews 6:19)

The purpose of The Kingdom, Power and Glory is to help believers understand the real reason for their salvation (their inheritance in Christ in the coming kingdom). (Titus 2:13) And, also, to help believers implement the practical application of sanctification in their lives so they may apprehend the above reward.

It’s important to understand this future hope does not re-place our temporal hopes (our hopes for marriage, careers, family, ministry etc.); it simply enhances (magnifies, amplifies and strengthens) them. In other words, when our temporal hopes fade (and they will because they are temporal), our eternal hope will always be there to carry us through. Our temporal hopes are fleeing (brief, they pass away quickly), but, the “hope realized” that we are talking about here—our inheritance in Christ—is eternal.(Romans 15:13)

It’s like God’s Agape Love. When the human loves fade away and die, which they often do because they are human, God’s Love (Agape) will always be there to carry us through. It’s the same thing with the “hope of our salvation”—it will always be there to carry us though life’s ups and downs. This is the answer to the hopelessness that so many Christians are experiencing today.

Hope that anticipates what can be ours if we hold fast our confidence firm to the end (Hebrews 3:6) does, in itself, pro-duce “fruit.”

Encouragement and Hope for the Future

Our purpose, again, with our book is to integrate “the sanctification process” (actually learning how to live Christ’s Life) here on earth with “the reward of inheritance” (co-reigning with Christ) there in the coming kingdom. Our purpose is to provoke one another “unto love and to good works.” (Hebrews 10:24)

As older Christians, who have at times blown it just like everyone else, we have learned through the grace of God how to turn around (1 John 1:9), how to give things to God (Romans 12:1-2) and how to overcome. “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors [overcomers] through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, shall be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Je-sus, our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)

Our intention is to give encouragement and hope for the future, to shed more light on God’s specific plan of redemption, and to answer those three important questions: Why are we here? Where are we going? And, what do we have to do to get there? Once we understand God’s answers to these questions, it should give us the incentive to live here and now, as God desires because this life truly is the training ground for the next.

The bottom line is: The way we live our lives here and now will have eternal and unchangeable consequences in the next life. In other words, what we do after we have been born-again dramatically affects our role, ourposition, our place, our status and our authority in the coming Millennial Kingdom. “He that overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be My Son.” (Revelation 21:7)

 Yes! Jesus is Coming!

-The Classic Christian Network- -Biblical Prophecy Today Network-  -Last Generation News Report-

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Prophecy Today Series: "The Kingdom, Power & Glory”(3) -Koinonia House

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The Kingdom, Power & Glory - The Challenge of This Study pt. 3 by Nancy Missler

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MINISTRY WEBSITE King's High Way RESOURCES The Kingdom Power and Glory - The Overcomer's Handbook

We have received so many wonderful comments about our new series, The Kingdom, Power and Glory. As William Welty mentioned in the Foreword of the book, we pray it might be “the road map through the times of trouble that are about to refine God’s children and judge all of God’s enemies.” And, that the Lord will use the series, “to help all of us become firmly entrenched overcomers.”

There is such an urgent need in the Christian body right now for a renewed recognition of our own personal accountability before the Lord. It’s absolutely essential that we develop a “kingdom perspective,” where we see our lives in the context of eternity and acknowledge the importance of becoming over-comers here on earth.

We noted last month that an overcomer is simply one who recognizes his moment- by-moment choices, confesses his sin and then, chooses to turn around and go God’s way.

He is not someone who is perfect, religious or good. David in the Old Testament, if you recall, was an overcomer. In the New Testament, he was even called a “man after God’s own heart.” He certainly wasn’t perfect or good or religious! He simply knew how to confess his own sin and turn around from following it. This is the kind of overcomer we are talking about and that God desires.

Why is becoming an overcomer so important? Scripture tells us that overcomers are the only ones who will inherit the Millennial Kingdom and possibly rule and reign there with Christ. Again, don’t misunderstand us, we believe all Christians will be “with Christ” (John 14:3) in the Millennium and in heaven, but only the overcomers––only those faithful and obedient ones who recognize their choices and allow Christ to live His Life out through them––will inherit positions of authority there.¹ Therefore, it’s imperative that we learn what makes us an overcomer; how we become an overcomer and what the future holds for overcomers?

It’s grievous that the church today seems to be relying upon the illusion that being born again and bringing others to Christ is the ultimate goal of preaching the Gospel. It’s not! This is just the beginning.Working alongside of Christ in the coming kingdom is the final and ultimate goal! Philippians 3:14 tells us that it’s the prize of the “high calling” of God.

Fear and Condemnation

Before we go any further, we want you to be aware of some-thing very important. This is something we didn’t stress enough in the first edition of The Kingdom, Power and Glory. The enemy hates this message of “overcoming.” He hates it more than any other subject because it reveals his total inability to defeat Christ. Therefore, he is going to try everything he can to put fear and condemnation upon you, in order to keep you from reading and learning this material. His goal is the destruction of all doctrine surrounding the future Kingdom of Heaven.If this occurs, we want you to recognize where these feelings are coming from and realize they are not from God. Scripture tells us that “Love casts out all fear.” (1 John 4:18) Therefore, knowing that “God loves us” needs to be the foundation upon which any new Biblical truth is built.(Jeremiah 31:3)

As far as God is concerned, it doesn’t matter how badly we’ve blown it in the past; it doesn’t matter what horrible things we’ve done; and, it doesn’t matter how many times we’ve failed. That’s what 1 John 1:9 is all about. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is the basis of how we are able to overcome and the means by which we can be-come faithful. So, don’t let the enemy get to you and feed you lies. This material is too important!

Remember, there’s a big difference between conviction, which is from the Lord’s Love (John 16:8) and will ultimately draw us closer to Him; and condemnation (guilt, reproach, accusations), which comes from the enemy and pushes us further away from the Lord. Romans 8:1 assures us that “there is therefore, nocondemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”

The Challenge of This Study

So, this study is in no way meant to be frightening, condemning or intimidating. In fact, we pray it will prove to be just the opposite. We pray the material will challenge each of us to become “faithful overcomers” in our personal lives, our professional lives and our spiritual lives. And, we pray that if we arenot overcomers now, these principles will challenge us to turn around and become so; if we are not obedient now, they will show us how to be in the future; and if we are not faithful now, they will convince us that it’snot too late to learn stead-fastness.

Proof of this is: We received a letter from a friend who has been in prison for many, many years. He shares in his letter that any of us can learn to become overcomers, no matter where we are in life. No matter what we’ve done, who we’ve hurt, or how far we have fallen, there’s still time.

Listen to what he says in his letter: “I feel like an overcomer when I choose the difficult over the easy. It might be loving someone unlovely (and there are many here that qualify) or it might be accomplishing the goals I’ve penned in my daily planner. My accomplishments here have been miniscule. I’ve written no books, have no substantial savings, etc. But some-how I think God sees me as an overcomer. And how He perceives me is all that truly matters anyway...I’m very thankful for prison and for my hardships, because they have clothed me with humility.”

We believe this man is one of God’s special “saints” and he’s going to have a special place in the future kingdom, because he is a faithful overcomer right where he is now. After hearing his testimony, none of us can say “I can’t do this!” “It’s too difficult! If a guy in prison (without much temporal hope) can become an overcomer, then any of us can!

So, from now on, when we talk about “overcomers” through-out this study, think of this prisoner as an example. Again, he’s not “perfect,” he’s just someone who recognizes his choices.

Encouragement and Hope for the Future

Our purpose with this study is to integrate “the sanctification process” (actually learning how to live Christ’s Life and become overcomers) here on earth with “the reward of inheritance” (co-reigning with Christ) there in the kingdom.

We will explore each of the passages that seem to hint of a Millennial disinheritance, along with the Greek and Hebrew words in each Scripture. We will also share some of the verses that absolutely revolutionized our theology when we first began to understand the full ramifications of what they really meant. We want to put all this information at your fingertips and then let you decide what you believe and how it will affect your own personal walk with the Lord. We want you to be “like the Bereans” and study these verses and see what the Holy Spirit shows you.²

Our purpose is to provoke one another “unto love and to good works.” (Hebrews 10:24)

As older Christians, who have at times blown it just like everyone else, we have learned through the grace of God how to turn around (1 John 1:9), how to give things to God (Romans 12:1-2) and how to overcome. “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors [overcomers] through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, shall be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)

“He that overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be My Son.” (Revelation 21:7)

 Yes! Jesus is Coming!

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The Kingdom, Power & Glory - Pt. 2 by Nancy Missler

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MINISTRY WEBSITE King's High Way RESOURCES The Kingdom Power and Glory - The Overcomer's Handbook

Last month we began a new series called The Kingdom, Power and Glory. As was stated in that first article, Chuck and I are convinced that the truths contained in this series “are some of the most life-changing principles we’ve encountered since our new births.” That’s a big statement considering we both have been believers for over 50 years and in minis-try for 35!

We told the story of the famous statesman, Daniel Webster (who, by the way, was a believer), and how he felt that the greatest thought that had ever passed his mind was his own personal accountability before the Lord. And, he meant after he was saved. This, we said, is the subject we will be exploring over the next several months—the importance of our own personal accountability or responsibility before God as believers.

Again, a few of the issues that we are going to cover might go against some of your traditional viewpoints. So, we encourage you to “be open and teachable” like Acts 17:11 exhorts and then, “search the Scriptures to see if these things be so.”

We used to believe that God’s whole reason for calling us was to “be conformed into His image.” (Romans 8:29) But, we’ve come to understand that God’s calling is far more extensive than that. The real reason for our calling is to rule and reign as kings and priests with Christ in the coming Millennial Kingdom and after that for eternity. Both Genesis 1:26-28 and Revelation 5:9-10 confirm that we were created for this very purpose.

Being conformed into His image is critically important (being a living example of Christ is what will bring others to Him), but the real purpose for our calling is to have positions of authority alongside of Christ in the coming kingdom. But, here’s the catch: Our life here on earth is the training ground, the proving ground, and the testing ground for that privilege. In other words, it doesn’t happen automatically! It’s doesn’t happen without effort! The deciding factor is how we live our lives here and now!

Consequently, there is an urgent need in the Christian body for a renewed recognition of our own personal accountability before the Lord (after we have been saved). It’s essential that we have a “kingdom perspective,” where we see our lives here on earth in the context of eternity. We must understand that once we are saved, we are still responsible for what we do with the rest of our lives here and now.

Saving faith is more than just belief. It’s more than just knowing the Scriptures! And it’s more than just going to church on Sundays. Saving faith is learning how to be a partaker of Christ’s Life––which means not only receiving His Life at our new birth (being born again), but also living His Life every day (through sanctification)!

What Is an Overcomer?

The Bible calls these kinds of “sanctified” Christians (those who partake of His Life) “overcomers.” The Greek word to overcome is nikao, which means “victory over hostile powers.” Christ, of course, is the real overcomer, but as we become cleansed, open and yielded (sanctified) vessels, He can over-come the world, the flesh and the devil through us. Overcomers, then, are those faithful and obedient Christians who not only talk about doing the will of God, but who also do it.

As we begin to discuss overcomers, we want to make some-thing absolutely clear. We are not talking about someone who is perfect or religious or good. We’re talking about someone who simply recognizes his choices, confesses his sin, and then chooses to turn around and go God’s way. Remember David in the Old Testament? He was an overcomer and yet remember all the ways he blew it? The New Testament even calls him “a man after God’s own heart.” Why? It’s because David knew how to confess his sin, how to turn around from following it, and then, how to go God’s way.

This is the kind of overcomer that we are talking about. He is just a regular person who has learned to follow Christ regardless of what is going on in his own life. He could be that janitor in the school building down the street, or that laundry woman in the back room of that large downtown hotel or that widow in the country who faithfully gives her one dollar every week to the Salvation Army.

In our opinion, these believers are often more faithful over-comers than the most popular Christian television personalities. In no way is being an overcomer dependent on our socioeconomic status, our educational abilities or our years as a Christian. Being an overcomer simply depends upon our own moment-by-moment choices.

Why Is Being an Overcomer so Important?

Okay, so why is learning about being a faithful overcomer so important? Why make such a big deal about it? It’s important because the Bible teaches us that overcomers are the only ones who will inherit the Millennial Kingdom and possibly rule and reign with Christ. They are the ones who will have various levels of responsibility in the coming kingdom.

Now, don’t misunderstand me. We believe that all Christians will be a part of the Rapture. All Christians will enter the Millennial Kingdom. And, all Christians will be “with Christ.” We have that eternal security. But only the “faithful overcomers”—the ones who have fulfilled the conditions set down by God in His Word—will inherit and have positions of authority in that kingdom.

Some of those “conditions” are found in Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:12; Matthew 24:45-47; Galatians 5:19-21; James 2:5 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. So, there’s a huge difference between simply entering the Millennial Kingdom (which all believers will do) and actually inheriting that kingdom (which only the faithful overcomers will do). All born-again believers will enter, but only the overcoming Christians will rule and reign. Again, the deciding factor is how we live our lives here and now. This is why learning how to become an over-comer is so very important! What we do in this present life does affect our role in the future kingdom.

Kingdom Perspective

At the beginning of the “church age,” this kingdom perspective (that we are being trained here to rule and reign with Christ there) was the central message and the prevailing thought taught throughout Christendom. Now, however, at the end of the age, this message has been essentially forgotten. Except by a few great men:

Charles Stanley (Baptist pastor, radio preacher, and author of 45 books) wrote in his book, Eternal Security: “Does our behavior matter once we are assured of our salvation? You bet it does. Are there any eternal consequences when a believer sins? Absolutely. Will eternity be the same for those who follow Christ faithfully and those who live for themselves? Not a chance. Our God is a God of justice as well as grace. His offer of grace is continually extended to even the most vile sinner. But His justice moves Him to keep a careful record of those who remain faithful and those who do not. His grace moved Him to sacrifice His only Son to provide a way for our salvation. But His justice causes Him to take special note of those believers who are willing to sacrifice for His Son.”

Donald Grey Barnhouse: (Pioneer of radio preaching, Presbyterian pastor and author of many theological books) says in his commentary on Romans: “We can be sure that at the Judgment Seat of Christ there will be a marked difference between the Christian who has lived his life before the Lord, clearly discerning what was for the glory of God...and a nominal Christian...All will be in heaven, but the difference between them will be eternal. We may be sure that the consequences of our character will survive the grave and that we shall face those consequences at the Judgment Seat of Christ.” 

Erwin Lutzer (Pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, radio personality and author of 30 books, includingOne Minute after You Die) notes in his book, Your Eternal Reward: “The assumption that “rewards” are nothing more than the crowns themselves is false in my opinion. Rewards have more to do with levels of responsibility that will be given to us. When we become like Him, we will be qualified to share with Him in the inheritance, and to work with Him in important positions of high responsibility over the whole universe.”

Tim LaHaye (Pastor and the author of the Left Behind series and 50 other books) says in his book, The Popular Bible Prophecy Workbook: “Apparently Christians will be assigned to specific areas of service in the kingdom directly proportionate to the amount of ‘good works’ performed while alive on earth.”

So, the message we would like you to consider is this: All Christians will be “with Christ” in the Millennium and in heaven, but only the overcomers––only those faithful and obedient ones who recognize their choices and allow Christ to live His Life out through them––will inherit that kingdom and have positions of authority there.

It’s grievous that the church today seems to be relying upon the illusion that being born again and bringing others to Christ is the ultimate goal of preaching the gospel. It’s not! It’s just the beginning.Working alongside Christ in the coming kingdom is the final and ultimate goal! Paul even tells us in Philippians 3:14 it’s the prize of the “high calling” of God.

* * *

 Yes! Jesus is Coming!

-The Classic Christian Network- -Biblical Prophecy Today Network-  -Last Generation News Report-

 -Christian Issues Network-   -Last Call Devotional Network-   -Natzsal The Jewish Network-

     -Michael James Stone Online-