Conviction of Sin

A sister in Christ sent this out to our group and it prompted me to write the below piece: “I didn't want to say this But the Lord is telling me The Old Testament convicts of sin continually to show us How much we need a savior and the hope of His coming Where is the crucifixion and the suffering he bore for our sins. Don't discount it as though it wasn't good enough.  Yes, repenting daily is what we must do but remember He cleanses us of all unrighteousness If we live under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and repent and praise Him for what He did to free us.”

I love the Old Testament as much as the New Testament.  Much of the Old Testament warns us about  our sin that is not hidden, (But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out Numbers 32:23, ), (You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance Psalm 90:8). and the coming of Jesus Christ who will die on the cross for our salvation, (From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people of that day realized it was their sins that he was dying for—that he was suffering their punishment, Isaiah 53:8),  (that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved Romans 9:10.  “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins Luke 1:76-77),  and the redemption of sin Colossians 1:13-14 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins,  Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. 

The prophets where there to warn us of our evil ways and yet, His people did not heed these warnings.  Nor, are we heeding he warnings of the Bible in this age.  We are not living in the conviction of the Holy Spirit on a consistent basis.

The word convict is a translation of the Greek word elencho, which means “to convince someone of the truth; to reprove; to accuse, refute, or cross-examine a witness.” The Holy Spirit acts as a prosecuting attorney who exposes evil, reproves evildoers, and convinces people that they need a Savior.  To be convicted is to feel the sheer loathsomeness of sin. This happens when we’ve seen God’s beauty, His purity and holiness, and when we recognize that sin cannot dwell with Him (Psalm 5:4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You). When Isaiah stood in the presence of God, he was immediately overwhelmed by his own sinfulness: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts (Isaiah 6:5).  To be convicted is to experience an utter dreadfulness of sin. Our attitude toward sin becomes that of Joseph who fled temptation, crying out, “How could I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9).

We are convicted when we become mindful of how much our sin dishonors God. When David was convicted by the Holy Spirit, he cried out, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:4). David saw his sin primarily as an offense to a holy God. We are convicted when we become intensely aware of the wrath it exposes to our souls (Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness), (Romans 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God). When the Philippian jailer fell at the apostles’ feet and cried, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:30. He was under conviction and he was certain that, without a Savior, he would die.

When the Holy Spirit convicts’ people of their sin, He represents the righteous judgment of God (Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart).  There is no appeal of this verdict. The Holy Spirit not only convicts’ people of sin, but He also brings them to repentance (Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent); (Luke 13:5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish”). The Holy Spirit brings to light our relationship to God. The convicting power of the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to our sin and opens our hearts to receive His grace (Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God).

We praise the Lord for the conviction of sin. Without it, there could be no salvation. No one is saved apart from the Spirit’s convicting and regenerating work in the heart. The Bible teaches that all people are by nature rebels against God and hostile to Jesus Christ. They are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins). Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” and I will raise him up at the last. Part of that “draw” to Jesus is the conviction of sin.

Unfortunately, the world is so full of sin that we are not making God our Lord. He is not first in our lives.  Sin causes Satan to have legal right in our lives.  We have learned that when we are saved the curse was broken.  Satan’s kingdom was defeated and we got to go free.  Yes, that has happened at the cross, but God’s people are trying to live in disobedience over something that was paid for in obedience.  That’s when God is not our Lord.  Jesus was obedient to the Father even to death.  Most of God’s people are not.

If the devil has a legal right to God’s people’s lives in spite of what Jesus did on the cross we need to know where in the bible it says that:  2 Timothy 2:24-26  And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

What was Paul saying here?  His words reveal that there can be something in a Christiane’s life that gives the devil a legal right to steal their blessings and put a curse of disease on them more than once in the New Testament.  Jesus linked he law of sin to disease in the Gospel of John.  He meets the paralyzed man lying beside the pool of Bethesda.  Jesus heals the man by telling him to take up his bed and walk.  Hours later, Jesus is telling that same man that now that he is healed, he should go and sin no mor, or something much worse would happen to him:  Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked John 5:8-9, Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you,” John 5:14.

Other times when Jesus healed someone, He used the phrases “you are healed,” and “you are forgiven.” Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you,” Matthew 9:2.  After the Pharisees protested, Jesus answered them, “For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house,” Matthew 9:5-6.

Mark 2:3-12 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

The simple fact is this: there are physical and emotional sicknesses that are the result of our accepting the law of sin in our lives. Yes, we as Christians are very clear on our salvation.  We are way less clear about sin.  We are aware of some sin, but fail to call on the Holy Spirit to expose and convict us of all sins including hidden sins.  We have not been taught how to address our sin even though the bible provides answers.  The body of Christ fails to teach confession of sin, tell God how sorry we are, asking God to forgive us, and finally, to repent.  The church is not teaching this as a whole.  We are in a stupor and cannot hear or see, Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day,” Romans 11:8.

Do not get discouraged about the battle we face between law of sin and the law of God.  God is showing us truth for freedom’s sake.  When Paul looked at the truth of the battle in his own life, he cried out, “Who will save me?”  Then he answers his own question Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So, you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin Romans 7:24-25.

One of our responsibility as servants of God is summed up in Isaiah 61:1-3: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the  opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

All that have sinned need help overcoming sin so that they can have a pure relationship with the Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit.                                                                                                                                              Tony Sanchez 12-20-19

Sickness and Disease

Separation – Is this the root cause of sickness and disease?

So, what is the root cause of many of our diseases?  The root cause of 80 percent of sickness and disease is spiritual and is the result of separation on three levels according Henry Wright:

1. Seperation from God – from His person, His love, and His Word.

2. Seperation from yourself.

3. Seperation from others

You need to follow this closely because these separations are the spiritual root of so many sicknesses and diseases that plague us.  If 80 percent of all sicknesses and diseases involves these separations, then 80 percent of all healing begins with reconciliation with God (Son, and Holy Spirit), reconciliation with yourself, and reconciliation with others. 

***If we have separation with any of these three levels, we have to look at sin in our lives that is causing separation.

Separation from God

Mankind, including Christians, are diseased first of all because we are separated from God, His Word, and His love.  We must realign ourselves with God, and we must embrace the truth of the Father’s love for us.  Do you think the Father would have sent His Son to die for us if He didn’t love us? For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life, John 3:16.  Jesus showed us the deep love of the Father by dying on the cross for our eternal redemption, And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit Matthew 27:50.  The Bible assures us of God’s love: 1 John 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love and 1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.  To be free and healed, you must believe God’s Word that He truly loves you and that you are special in His eyes.  Sin does not allow us to hear or see (discernment) things that are coming from God.

***Separation from God is the result of un-belief and sin.

Separation from Ourselves

There are millions of people who have battled intensely with self-hatred, self-loathing, self-bitterness, self-pity, guilt, shame, regrets, self-condemnation, sorrow, and not feeling loved or appreciated, which leads to depression (hopelessness and despair).  Satan will try to convince you of these lies.  These feelings are deep-rooted lies from Satan that carry with them many disorders, especially autoimmune diseases.  If this is your struggle, you must learn to accept yourself in your relationship with God and love yourself as God sees you (“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love John 15:9).  Not embracing the deception of self-hatred (extreme dislike of self) and guilt of not measuring up.  God loves you!  He declares it in His Word.  Do not deny the truth of His love for you by believing the lies of the enemy, others, and yourself.

***If you have separation from self, you are also separated from God.

Separation from Others

Separation from others opens the door wide to spiritually rooted diseases.  The Word cautions us in Hebrews 12:15: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.  Most often, we push people away or distance ourselves because people have hurt us even though we have trusted them to do good.  We have trusted and tried to please mankind instead of God and mankind has failed us, I t is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man Psalm 118:8. So, who do we trust? God of course! In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Isaiah 56:11.

In most cases, you will find un-forgiveness, bitterness, envy, jealousy, rejection, anger, feeling unloved and a level of animosity when there is separation from others.  This is present with spouses who put up walls and withdraw (separating) from one another resulting in a marriage devoid of compassion, kindness, and love that leads to a divorce rate of more than 40%. Separation can be with family members, friends, co-workers, government, church, minority groups, and sisters & brothers in Jesus Christ.  Separation can cause one to withdraw totally with little to no interaction with anyone leaving them in a lonely world of darkness.

Separation from others becomes a root deep inside us that defiles those around you, causes your soul to be in captivity, and makes your body very susceptible to disease.  Make peace with your brothers and sisters, and anyone else who have injured you.  Then Jesus said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” Luke 23:34.  We must repair these breeches before the process of reconciliation can begin, Those from among you shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In Isaiah 58:12.

The difference between separation from God and yourselve is there can be two parties involved when you yourself have separation from others.  You being separate from others due to offenses and hurts by them.  The other party being separate from you for offenses or hurts you caused them even though you may not have known there were issues.  So we have unresolved issues that will not allow reconciliation.

Since the beginning, when God created Adam, He never intended mankind to be alone, And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him,” Genesis 2:18, And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place, Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man Genesis 2:21-22. When you separate yourself from others, you are contrary to what God had in mind when He created Adam and Eve.

We need each other.  The church needs good sons and daughters of the Father.  We need each other’s love.  We need each other’s prayers.  We need each other’s faith.  We each other’s support. We are not the same without each other.  We are part of Christ’s body, and we need others to be a part of one another.

***If you are separated from others, you are separated from God and His design for people to be in fellowship with one another.

In all three of these spiritual separations, the enemy of our soul finds a place to bring destruction, because the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly John 10:10. When we embrace the enemy’s lies, we end up suffering at his hands. The Bible warns us not to be “ignorant of his devices” 2 Corinthians 2:11. The word “devices” means methods or practices Satan uses to try and destroy us.  We need to know how the enemy is doing it.  We need to understand his devices so that we can cut him off at the pass in your life.

How does separation from God, yourself and others, affect your autoimmune system?  All of the above affects your bones and the marrow in your bones that produces the white blood cells called T lymphocytes (also called T cell and thymocyte).  They are part of the immune system and develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. They help protect the body from infection and helps fight cancer and other autoimmune diseases.

So, bitterness, self-bitterness, un-forgiveness, accusations, criticism, slander, pride-fulness, arrogance, envy, jealousy, hatred, self-hatred, fear, anxiety and stress, anger, (hostility, wrath, animosity), rejection, guilt, shame, condemnation, self-condemnation, unloving spirits, hate, self-hatred, occultism, addictions, and many more, causes the immune system to be compromised.  These sins and others dry the bones, meaning the marrow cannot produce white T cells to fight off sickness and disease. Don’t take my word.  Let the Word of God speak to us.

What does the Bible have to say about sin affecting our bones with regard to sickness and disease?

Psalm 6:2 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

Psalm 38:3 There is no soundness in my flesh Because of Your anger, Nor any health in my bones Because of my sin.

Psalm 102:3 For my days are consumed like smoke, And my bones are burned like a hearth.

Proverbs 12:4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.

Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

Habakkuk 3:16 When I heard, my body trembled; My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entered my bones; And I trembled in myself, That I might rest in the day of trouble.

What does the Bible say about healthy bones?

Proverbs 3:7-8 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

Proverbs 15:30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, And a good report makes the bones healthy.

Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Isaiah 58:11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Isaiah 66:14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies.

Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

The roots of disease are the elements of Satan’s kingdom of darkness.  Satan will do everything he can to bring in bitterness, self-bitterness, un-forgiveness, depression (hopelessness, despair), accusations, criticism, slander, pride-fulness, arrogance, envy, jealousy, fear (anxiety, stress,), anger (hostility, wrath, animosity), rejection, guilt, shame, condemnation, self-condemnation, unloving spirits, hate, self-hatred, self-pity, murmuring and complaining, rebellion, occultism and addictions.  These are many of the sins that cause separation from God, yourself, and others.  But God has given us divine power and precious promises to escape the corruption of this world that prevents lapses (sin) that lead to sickness and disease.

 2 Peter 1:3-11  as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,  by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  But also, for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,  to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.  For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.  Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

A basic conclusion is this: A person who desires to separates themselves from who God is and what God has created (self and others) leads to sickness, disease, and even death.  A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment Proverbs 18:1 NKJV.  People who do not get along with others are interested only in themselves; they will disagree with what everyone else knows is right. Proverbs 18:1 GNT

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior, Ephesians 4:31.

What next?  You must rid yourself of your false doctrine because it isn’t working and take the following steps to repair your relationship with God, self, and others.

1. Confess your sins to God. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1:9

2. Ask God for forgiveness.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors Mathew 6:12.

3. REPENT! Ask God to help you repent because you cannot do this on your own.  Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, Hebrews 6:1.

4. Ask God His forgiveness for being separated from Him.

5. Forgive yourself for separating yourself from self.  

6. Forgive those who have offended you to the point that you have separated yourself from them.  Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends, Proverbs 17:9 NLT. Colossians 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

7. Start declaring your love to God and all those people who you have separated yourself from.  Declare you love for yourself, 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 created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Romans 8:38-39.

8. Reach out to God to repair the damage caused by your choice to separate from God.

9. Reach out to others to repair the damages by both you and them because of your choice to separate from them.

10. Sing praises to the Lord. O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, For You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth Isaiah 25:1.                    

Sin is THE block to healing from sickness and disease.

Tony Sanchez 10-27-19

Universalism

Is Universalism Seeping into the Church of Today?

Universalism aka; Universal Reconciliation, universal salvation, or Christian universalism, is the belief that all people can be saved, and that all people enter into heaven independently of their religion and of the knowledge they happened to gain during life.  If the creator (God) is responsible for the world, then, universal salvation from pain and suffering for all beings, is a requirement of benevolence.  In other words, God cannot be perfectly good until all people are saved from the suffering that God made possible. Is the church of today bringing in these beliefs and teaching false doctrine? 

Are you, as a believer in Christ sure you are going to heaven?  Does the church teach confession of sins and repentance to build faith for laying on of hands (Hebrews 6:1-2)?  Does the church call on the Holy Spirit so that the Holy Spirit can convict the Body of their sins? Do believers believe they will go to heaven just because they are Believers?

The truth according to God’s Word, whether a believer in Jesus or non-believer, is this, we are either going to heaven or we are going to hell.  Unfortunately, Bible Scripture is being replaced by doctrines of mankind regarding the truth.  The Bible is very clear as to where we may be going according to our beliefs.  Beliefs that will allow us everlasting life with God, the Son, and Holy Spirit or everlasting torment and punishment in hell. This message applies to all.

1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

John 13:36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”  (In other words, continue the path of righteousness and Peter will be able to follow Jesus).

John 8:21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die (an everlasting death) in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

John 8:24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Matthew 12:32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

Matthew 25 :46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 26:24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

Luke 13:34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!

Hebrews 3:11-19 So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses?  Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So, we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Isaiah 3:11 Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, For the reward of his hands shall be given him.

Luke 16:25-26 But Abraham said, ‘Son (rich man), remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’  “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’  “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’  “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Revelation 14:9-12 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Revelation 20:10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

As I was driving to work today, I believe the Lord gave me the following vision/information.  In the end times believers and un-believers will choose the desires of their life.  They will choose to protect self, families, wealth, possessions, status in the church, and their own beliefs (Pride). 2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.  1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

 They will not lay down their life for Jesus.  Rather, they will deny Jesus just as Peter did, John 13:37-38 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.  Most will be just as fearful as Peter. They will deny Christ and take on the mark of the beast.  It will not be instantaneously. Rather, it will be a quick progression, but subtle enough as to not alarm people.  It is a deception like the world has never experienced. Now, are you sure you are going to heaven?                                     Tony Sanchez 10-11-19

Offenses Leads to Bitterness and Un-forgiveness

Definition of OFFENSE: 1. An act of stumbling, a cause or occasion of sin, stumbling block. 2. Something that outrages the moral or physical senses. 3. The act of attacking, assault. 4 The act of displeasing or insulting, the state of being insulted or morally outraged, takes offense at the slightest criticism. 5 breach of a moral or social code, sin, and misdeed

Matthew 18:7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!  Matthew 18:7 How terrible for the people of the world because of the things that cause them to sin. Such things will happen, but how terrible for the one who causes them to happen!)

As I observe people, I have realized how so many are hurt due to offenses.  You can see the different stages of hurt that has manifested on their faces, demeanor, and actions. An offense almost always results in rejection.  We take offense because we believe what man says or does to us despite the fact that God is very clear on who we should trust. Psalm 7:1 O LORD my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me.  Psalm 56:11 In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?  Man cannot do anything to you unless you open the door for him to do so.  Man offends by criticism, judging, accusations (charges against you) blame, slander, backbiting, gossip, etc.

How do we open the door to torment and destruction when we are offended or when we offend?  Before we go any further, I want to give you a list that is a result of offenses and I want to ask you to meditate on these and tell me which one is the strongman.  This strongman will allow the rest to manifest and is the general over the rest.

Bitterness…Unforgiveness…Resentment...Retaliation…Anger/Wrath…Hatred…Violence…Murder

If you picked Murder, you are incorrect.  Murder is the end result.  We have to identify the one in control once we opened the door due to the offense.  Bitterness is the strongman.  Bitterness initiates the process that can ultimately result in murder or will leave you in bondage somewhere in between Bitterness and Murder.

Bitterness - Hebrews 12:15 Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.   Bitterness corrodes like acid, eating away at our soul.  It poisons the mind first and then the body.  It is often marked by cynicism and animosity toward others.  Bitterness is a strong man kept in place by several underlings.  Each underling is given entry into our lives by the one preceding it.  The severity of the evilness of each underling gets progressively worse.  Bitterness is a strongman and he seeks a place to live.  You are the palace and he wants to be in your house.  Once you let him in, he will bring others to torment you.  He is the general and he has an army that he will try bring in and destroy you.

Un-forgiveness - Something has been done to you and there is a spirit assigned to you.  What is the first thing that comes to you when someone wrongs you?  Un-forgiveness.  Bitterness is the strongman and the first armor he trusts in is Un-forgiveness.  Un-forgiveness is now part of your life and your will not have forgiveness if you give a place and habitation for Un-forgiveness.

What Bitterness is banking on is you remembering a record of wrongs.  He is banking on the spirit of Un-forgiveness reminding you of Bitterness someone has against you.  The task of Un-forgiveness is to remind you, rehash it, bring it up, project it, and torment you with it.  Un-forgiveness will replay the words, the voices, the sights, the sounds, the actions and memories.  Un-forgiveness will flash at you everything others have ever said or done to you over and over again to reinforce itself so the strongman of Bitterness can stay.

Resentment – The strongman now sends out another spirit to reinforce Un-forgiveness.  Resentment stands on the foundation of Un-forgiveness.  The record of wrongs is now fermenting and Resentment fuels the fermentation of Un-forgiveness.

Resentment defiles you by saying “You know what?  I really don’t like you.  I resent you. I’m never going to forgive you.”  Bitterness is trusting the spirit of Un-forgiveness to stay with you and add fuel to the fire. He is trusting that Resentment will get a foothold for more torment and control. 

Retaliation – “I’m going to get even.  You’re going to pay.”  I remember what you did to me and you better watch your back.”  The spirit of Retaliation is much more dangerous than Un-forgiveness and Resentment.  After Resentment has started to simmer, we find ways to get back at the person who caused it.  We do this in many ways and one of the most common is slandering the person.  You will express your criticism to anyone who will listen.  You want to be heard and you want someone to agree with you and when they don’t, you go to the next person.

Anger and Wrath – After Retaliation gets a foot hold, anger starts to set in.  Un-forgiveness, Resentment and Retaliation have been building and now a strong feeling of anger comes along.  Un-forgiveness and Resentment can be hidden skillfully by someone who is deceptive.  Retaliation can be hidden, but Anger starts to show physically.  Family, friends, coworkers, see this manifestation of anger in your face and demeanor.  It is a very uncomfortable for people to coexist with a person with anger and wrath.

Anger and Wrath never occur unless these three, Un-forgiveness, Resentment and Retaliation have been festering for some time.  You get angry for a reason.  The reason is because of the breach, because of the hurt, because of the victimization, and they think their anger is justified.

Retaliation may seem worse than Anger, but this is the fermenting stage.  Retaliation sets the stage to eliminate, but you will not eliminate anyone unless you have Anger and Wrath working within the spiritual dynamics of this principality and the spirits that create and answer to it.

We are dealing with Anger coming out of a relationship.  This is the Anger and Wrath tied to Bitterness.  This is a progression of spiritual dynamics producing the elimination of a person in a relationship.  It is the root behind all people who murdered someone and are in prison.  It is the root behind all family splits, behind all division, and behind all break up of human relationships.

Hatred – After Anger and Wrath has gained their foothold, Hatred comes.  Hatred not only has the root of Bitterness, but is being fueled by all of the previous.  Now begins the stage of elimination. 

Hatred says this: “I exist on the planet and you do too, and one of us has to go and it will not be me.  I hate you; I can’t stand you.  I resent you, I am going to get even because you don’t belong on this planet.”  Hatred involves the elimination of the other person.  Retaliation was the fermenting stage of this.  Anger started to vocalize it and now Hatred comes to help execute it.

Bitterness is banking on the fact when you are ready to forgive, ole Un-forgiveness will pull up a flash card of memories reminding you of what they did to you.

Violence – You can see violence every day in families and the news is a constant reminder how bad it is getting.  This is the progression of breakup of human relationships out of Bitterness.  Bitterness is behind all domestic violence and all juvenile violence.

Violence is what puts people in jail and this is why we have a police force.  Violence is Anger and Hatred in motion because it is not just emotional and spiritual anymore, it has now become physical.

At this level, people will hate you so much; they will want to punch your lights out physically or verbally.  Bitterness is banking on the fact that this progression in your life is going to keep him in place and these spirits are able to generate their nature in you and also in others to fuel this thing back and forth.

Murder – The seventh and final spirit that competes the full plan of the devil for destruction originating from the strongman of Bitterness (Hebrews 12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled) is the spirit of Murder.

This can actually be physical murder, or murder with the tongue, which is character assassination.  When hatred, violence and murder are in someone’s life, they feel they are justified and everybody else is going to pay the price.  Have you been a victim of this?  Did you feel defiled?  Have you victimized someone else on this basis?

Beware – If any one of these seven spirits answering to bitterness exists, all of the preceding spirits will be there.  If left unchecked, all the rest will surely come.  For example, if you see Hatred in a person, Un-forgiveness, Resentment, Retaliation and Anger always precedes Hatred.  Each of the seven is progressively worse than the one just preceding it.  You are a target of the strongman of Bitterness and you don’t want him to set up his throne within your life.

Resolution – In order to defeat the strongman of Bitterness, you need to understand how his armor works.  You have to understand the Bitterness armor in your life so that Bitterness can be dealt with and you can be set free.  If you have been offended by someone or you have offended someone, the breach needs to be repaired with that person if at all possible.  If it is not possible, you can still be free by the power of God through Jesus Christ whether there is any resolution with that person who created the breach or not.

We are going to get offended as we go through life.   The key is don’t hold the offense captive (…. bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5).  When someone says or does something that makes you feel a “ping of hurt,” recognize that “ping of hurt” as an offense.  This is especially important for people who have a long history of rejection in their lives.  They tend to take anything that someone says as rejection and therefore, is an offense to them.  Immediately renounce the words or actions that caused the “ping of hurt” in the Name of Jesus.  Below is the prayer and authority that we use when an offense comes.

Forgive me Father for taking offence.  I renounce this offense.  I repent for believing in this offense and in the name of Jesus Christ I cast out this offense (Mark 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons). I choose to believe what You say about me and not the offender.

Guard you heart against offenses because in doing so, you protect yourself against the downward spiral of torment that Bitterness brings to you and all people that are around you. Don’t claim the words or actions of the offense, but instead claim what God has to say about you.  I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well. Psalm 139:14. 

Forgive those who offend you and understand that it is the sin working in them. 

If man offends me, I choose to forgive him. Yes, if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins Matthew 6:14.

Blessings, Tony Sanchez

Parental Rejection

Parental Rejection 1. withholding of affection from or denial of attention to one's child. That being said, nine out of ten people have either been on the receiving end or the giving end or both.

Every child has a fundamental right and need for an unthreatened and loving (not anger or wrath) relationship with both parents. To be denied that right by a parent by abusing, neglecting and abandoning children, is child abuse. It is the child who is being violated by a parent's alienating behaviors. They did not ask or choose this abuse for themselves.  The actions of the rejecting parent are not Godly. 

When a parent chooses not to be active or is absent in a child’s life, young or old, great damage is done. Children are left to feel unworthy, unloved, rejected, and worthless due to the lack of self-esteem that comes along with being rejected by a parent.

For the child, parental alienation is a serious mental condition. The severe effects of parental alienation on children are well-documented—low self-esteem, self-hatred, lack of trust, depression, substance abuse, anger, and addictions are widespread, as children lose the capacity to give and accept love from a parent. Self-hatred is particularly disturbing among affected children, as children internalize the hatred targeted toward the rejecting parent.  They believe that the rejecting parent did not love or want them, and experience severe guilt of not being worthy to be loved as it relates to parent betrayal. Their depression is rooted in feelings of being unloved by one or both parents and being separated from them. Alienated children typically have conflicted or distant relationships with the alienating parent also, and are at high risk of becoming alienated from their own children and self.  Research reports that fully half of the respondents in the study of adult children who had experienced alienation as children were alienated from their own children. Contrary to popular belief, the effects of a father’s rejection of a child can have a more adverse effect on the child’s psychological development as rejection by the mother.  Men are the head of the family (But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God, 1 Corinthians 11:3) and must show love to their children and must show the mother the same love. Three neurological studies (studies of the physical brain) suggest that parental rejection activates the same part of the brain which is activated by the experience of physical pain. Both physical and emotional are traumas and have long term effects on our physical and emotional (soul) health.

What are the long-term effects of parental rejection?

It goes without saying that both a mother’s and father’s acceptance of, and love for their child is of paramount importance in relation to the following few examples; how the child’s personality develops; their self-image; – their self-esteem; – how they learn to relate to others.

Whether intentional or not, the effect on a child who is rejected by one parent or both can be devastating. The result is often low self-esteem, chronic self-doubt, and depression.  The impact lasts well into adulthood. “How can a child expect anyone else to ever love them if even my own parents don’t love me?” How can a child love themselves if the parent does not show and teach them love?

When the caretaking is assumed by friends and relatives who explain that it’s not that their parent doesn’t love them, they just don’t know how, the children have a way to at least try to understand that the rejection isn’t personal even though it’s very, very painful and very, very personal to them. Hopefully, with good treatment and support, the parent is eventually able to once again open their heart and arms to their child. Children being children (even as adults), they are often able to forgive and accept only if love is restored

Rejection can take on many subtle forms and when it is left unattended, can wreak havoc on a person’s emotions (soul): Not hugging your child.  Not telling your child you love them.  Not showing interest in what makes your child tick. Not being a part of their life. Not saying these simple words, “I love you.”  Biting sarcasm, criticism, accusations, and judging have a profound effect on them.

Perception is reality.  This is a reality for both our children and ourselves. If we define a situation as real, it becomes real in its consequences.  If your children perceive you are rejecting them, they will believe it and suffer. It’s self-fulfilling rejection (feeling unloved). Rejection and unloving become one with the child.  It’s an awful thing that keeps a child in bondage.   If a child perceives himself rejected by her parent and family then they will inevitably have self-worth issues, self-rejection, self-hatred, and self-bitterness. If they think they have little value, they will act in a way that causes others to walk on them. They will do destructive things to themselves and others.

They won’t stand up for themselves, they won’t put themselves out there, and others will perceive this and treat them accordingly. We will all experience continuous rejection in life, and hopefully we’ll go through it in a way to make us stronger in character, but it is very difficult if we don’t receive the love we deserve.  

The unloving spirit leaves a void in their lives that children need filled.  They most often fill that void and emptiness with destructive activities such as addictions and constant fear.  The unloving spirit is a fear and it brings depression, Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a food word makes it glad Proverbs 12:25.  Kind and loving words from a parent makes their heart glad and at peace. The parents Godly love will cast out all fear because God’s love has no fear (There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love 1John 4:18). Understand, it is not our love, but God’s love that we convey to our children.  Children simply want their broken heart to be healed so that they are not in fear of not being loved and rejected.

We don’t want our children to develop an identity of rejection early on that will make life harder for them and others they are associated with.  Especially, other family members like siblings and grandparents. Grandparents play a big role in a rejected child’s life when the parents do not accept the responsibility of a loving parent.  More and more, grandparents are having to stand in the gap for a rejected child. It may require the grandparents to raise the children whom the parents have abandoned. Unfortunately, the parents don’t have a clue to what sacrifices grandparents make.  They tend to ignore what the grandparents do for their kids as they live their lives separate from their kids and grandparents. The children need their parents love more than they need their grandparents, because grandparents are not their mother and father and it is difficult for the grandparents to take the place of the parent’s love.

We don’t want our children’s personalities to develop around their fear of rejection by a father,  And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord, Ephesians 6:4. Do not bring wrath into their lives, Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged Colossians 3:21. We do need to assure our children that we love them and accept them as they are. And we should assure them often with the spoken words, “I love you.” We don’t have to be perfect. We don’t have to be happy and cheerful all the time. We don’t have to never lose our temper or always have hours available for our kids. We just need to be around, emotionally available, and free with our feelings of love and praise. Parents must bring up their kids as God says: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it Proverbs 22:6.  Train them up with God’s love.

To make our children feel accepted we simply need to purposefully talk to them, listen to them, discern what is in their hearts, take them seriously, make time for them, and be genuine and available.

No one is perfect and we don’t need to pretend to be perfect for our children. The essence of acceptance is that children feel they are loved based on their position as your child, not on their performance. Acceptance is based on your actions as parents.  There are no excuses for parents who don’t show love to their children. NONE!

Children are precious to God. God makes it clear, through the Bible, that we are to love, respect and care for children, bringing them up to become the adults God intends them to be.

Psalm 127:3-5 Behold, children are a heritage (inheritance) from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So, are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate. This section must be taken spiritually as well as biologically in light of NT revelation.  A man’s offspring would join in his defense (character) in the city’s gate, the place disputes were addressed.

Mark 10:13-16 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

Conclusion

This teaching applies to children, parents, grandparents and past generations who failed to love their children or did not receive love from their parents. We have no other choice but to reverse this iniquity of the generations by simple showing and declaring God’s perfect love to their children, (Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:7

We must understand what God commands us to do no matter what our parents have done to us:

Ephesians 6:1-4 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

We can only honor a rejecting parent by forgiving them, Mark 11:25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

We need to show compassion for our parents because they were not taught God’s love by their parents and their parents, parents and….  Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” Luke 23:34.  Our parents just did not know.

May you all receive God’s perfect love through your mother and father, Tony Sanchez