JESUS DID NOT DIE SPIRITUALLY

JESUS DID NOT DIE SPIRITUALLY BUT BORE OUR SPIRITUAL DEATH UPON HIMSELF

(Observations On The Substitutionary Suffering Of Christ In His Death)

Jesus gave Himself at the cross through His body and His blood (pouring out His life) which were laid in substitution for the salvation of mankind. If an angel or even God the Father could have given his spirit for our salvation, this would not meet the requirements of Justice. That´s why God the Son, had to come in flesh. From the moment He became flesh He begun to die for mankind. His substitutionary death involved suffering in Spirit, Soul and Body, but that while He was in Flesh.
The sin of mankind, our dead spirits, our diseases and the demons which enslaved us were born by Him during His whole life in the flesh, which was culminated with the full judgment of sin which was laying on Him there at the cross, when sin was fully weighing on His whole being, tormenting and oppressing Him. He was suffering the consequences of our sins there at the cross. When His body died and His soul and spirit descended to the world of the dead, Satan had no longer a legal right to torment His spirit, because of the fulfillment of the sentence of punishment which was ours, sin punished in the sinful flesh. As He descended to Hades, His major spiritual suffering ceased. Since His spirit and soul had not sinned, He went, led by God´s angels (Ps 18:19) into the Bosom of Abraham (Paradise), where those who were righteous awaited the full redemption and resurrection to come out of Hades into Heaven. His spirit did not have to die nor acquire the nature of Satan (rebellion) nor he was taken by him captive to be tormented in Hell, as some ( e.g. followers of E.W. Kenyon and Kenneth Hagin ) teach. His spirit had suffered when actually the whole Hell had come spiritually over Him (WHILE IN THE FLESH) in Calvary. He carried our spirits which had identified with Him, dying to sin along with Him, and then after three days we were raised spiritually along with Him by the Eternal Spirit. The righteous spirit of Jesus (which by the Eternal Spirit offered Himself in sacrifice on our behalf) did not die spiritually, He only took on Himself our spiritual death. He did not acquire the devil´s nature, which implies practice of sin and rebellion against God, but by the Eternal Spirit He acquired our suffering and curse at the cross, and in exchange imputed us His Righteousness as He rose from death, as He had never ceased being righteous, just, and never committed any sin or unrighteousness. He clothed Himself with our shame and spiritual death and clothed us in exchange with His nature and life. The idea that His spirit was under slavery and torment by the devil is not real. Rather in those 3 days (partial days) in which He was in Hades He shone in darkness (Jn 1:5) and preached the good news unto the captives of hope of the Abrahamic Covenant and unto the antediluvian spirits in prison. He revealed Himself as the Messiah which was promised. Some would argue that the thieves at the cross were also crucified and suffered physically for their sins, concluding that the punishment in the flesh was not enough to atone, but they did not die for the sin of mankind as the unblemished lamb of God. An angel would not be able to be taken captive to Hell and allow the devil to enslave and torment him and nor let the devil be a co-redeemer through chastising on that angelic spirit our sins until he could avenge sufficiently God´s righteousness because sin was committed in the flesh and had to be atoned for in the flesh.

POINTS IN FAVOR OF HIS SUFFERING IN THE WHOLE BEING WHILE STILL IN THE FLESH AT THE CROSS AND NOT BECAUSE OF A SUPPOSED DEATH AND CHASTISEMENT OF HIS SPIRIT IN THE DUNGEON OF HELL

1)Mark 14:32-36 So they came to a place called Gethsemane. There He said to His disciples, "Sit down here till I have prayed." Then He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be full of terror and distress, and He said to them, "My heart is oppressed with anguish to the very point of death: wait here and keep awake." Going forward a short distance He threw Himself upon His face and prayed repeatedly that, if it was possible, He might be spared that time of agony; and He said, "Abba! my Father! all things are possible for Thee: take this cup of suffering away from me: and yet not what I desire, but what Thou desirest."

After His prophetic act of the first Supper of giving His life as a ransom for the sins of mankind, Jesus´ body, soul and spirit were in anguish of death, in anticipation of the coming suffering, nevertheless body, soul and spirit did not sin, nor give in to Satan and to sin at any moment, till He turned His spirit to the Father. When He was at the cross, and the full judgment of God came upon Him, He did not die spiritually, He only bore on Himself the spiritual death of mankind and allowed death to take over His body, for He gave Himself freely, knowing He had authority to lay down His life and to take it back at any moment, as He willed. His spirit and soul were not invaded by the kingdom of darkness, only resisted and fought against it as it assailed Him. They were never controlled by the devil at the cross or in Hell, nor were invaded by the kingdom of darkness, they only fought against it.

2)Luke 22:43-44 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

As He prayed in Gethsemane (press of oil) , Jesus was strengthened by the Holy Spirit and through Him offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice, suffering in atonement unto God. God could not take His burden but could enable Him with power to do it as a spiritually filled man, as Jesus was pouring out the spirit unto those He was saving. Jesus was stripped of the Father´s glory, but not of His character and ability. Jesus emptied Himself of all but of love. The Holy Spirit never left Jesus (He flowed of Jesus), not at the cross, nor in Hades, but operated all things, such as obedience and love and fought in unity with Him. By the eternal Spirit Jesus also did all works of reaching awaiting souls in Hades and at the third day rose from the dead, when the legal battle had been won and the angels could help Him raise physically from the dead and legally us with Him.

3) John 6:51ff I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world… Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jesus gave his body and blood (life) in love in substitution for mankind´s salvation. Jesus was speaking of the covenant supper (Lord´s table) where we are to remember His sacrifice in flesh and not any supposed torments in Hell.

4) 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”.

He became sin there at the cross, that is, He drank a cup of sorrow, He was immerged, baptized in the darkness of our sins. He bore on Himself the penalty and shame of our sin. Nevertheless, He did not sin, nor agreed with sin, nor favored sin, nor acquired the nature of sin, nor was controlled at any moment by sin and the devil. God condemned in His flesh, in the likeness of our sinful flesh, mankind´s sin (Rm 8:3). His soul and spirit, which were light, suffered while in flesh, for the devil could only oppress with darkness His spirit and soul through His flesh which had “become sin”. When His body was taken up by the spirit of death, His spirit had to legally leave and depart from that body. He could not come back till all legal demands were met concerning redemption of our soul.

5) John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

Jesus had in Himself the authority to take back His physical life, by rising from the dead. The devil could not kill Him. In His spirit, even being dead physically, He was the eternal resurrection and life. He died on our behalf physically and bore our spiritual death eternally at the cross because He loved us. I believe that though He had paid the price and the veil was rent, He had to remain dead physically three days because the law required the testimony of two or three days to confirm legally that the substitution was effected. He was always in control, He was not mastered or controlled by the devil. Though spiritual death was over Him at the cross it never entered His spirit, nor ever will, nor would ever be His master.

6) Mark 15:33-34 there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

God could not see sin, nor have fellowship with darkness. There hung Jesus, covered (but not invaded) by the darkness of all sins of all mankind and oppressed (but not controlled) by all demons of Hell which were loosed upon Him. Nevertheless God had not abandoned nor forsaken His Son, He was hearing His cry (Ps 18, Ps 22). He had given His Son and His Son had agreed to suffer separation from God´s glory for a while. Jesus cited the Psalm quoted above to fulfill the scriptures. Jesus did not leave allegiance to God. He feared and hallowed Him at the cross (Ps 22). He was stripped from fellowship with the father as one who strips himself of his glory and clothes himself with shame, the shame of mankind, with whom He was identifying Himself. He identified with sinners and their suffering and not with sin or the devil. The cry at His death was our cry, He was identifying with the anguish of our separation from God, which He had not ever experienced before.

7) John 19:28,30 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst…When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

With Jesus’ substitutionary death at the cross, the work of Redemption was potentially consummated. Jesus made then His last prophecy in flesh, and passed out after that. “It´s finished” in the New Testament Greek is “TETELESTAI” which in the market language means “it is paid in full” (as a receipt of the price that was paid). Jesus had paid the price for our redemption with His spiritual suffering in flesh, with His eternal love represented by the symbol of His stricken body and His poured out blood (Jn 6:55). When He rose from the dead and us spiritually with Him, and ascended and seated in His throne in Heaven and us spiritually with Him, Redemption was completed.

8) Matthew 27:50-53 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Psalm 18:6-19 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken… He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place…Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

The rent veil meant that now the access to the presence of God was opened unto all mankind through the crushed body of Christ because He had died for all. Some saints of the Old Testament which slept were taken from Abraham´s bosom and were raised from the dead because the price for their full redemption was already paid by Jesus´ physical death. The earthquake shows that God the Father had heard Jesus´ prayer at the cross and had come in His succor, and that God´s angels were at His side when He surrendered the spirit unto God and they brought Him into a large place in Abraham´s Bosom.

9) Luke 23:39-43 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Jesus did not answer the thief “Be patient, today I need to go to Hell in order to suffer, one day I will come back in my kingdom to take you from Hell and resurrect you”. He would be rather saying, “You´ve made the best choice, I am the king, even today you will be with me in Paradise”. Since He was the righteous king while His body was lying in death, He went to visit to the sector of Hades called Paradise or Abraham´s bosom to preach Good-News unto the prisoners of hope: “Behold I am the Messiah, the King you were awaiting. Get ready to come out of here unto heaven when my body will rise and be justified on the behalf of those who believe in me”. Also we who are living today were resurrected spiritually with Christ on resurrection´s day and will be raptured and transformed at His second coming.

10) Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 1 Peter 2:18-20 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Hades had two compartments: Hell properly and Abraham´s bosom. Jesus did not go to be tormented in Hell, but He went to preach in the compartment of those who died in the hope of the coming of the Messiah, He went also to witness to the spirits in prison who had rebelled during the flood. He did this because being dead in the flesh he had access by the Spirit to eternity. I believe that it is also by the eternal Spirit that He took our sins and diseases upon himself 2000 years ago and imparts unto us now His life, healing, forgiveness, righteousness, health and power.

11) Luke 23:44-46 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Jesus did not surrender His spirit to the Devil to be tormented by him, but unto the Father. In truth, the spirit of Jesus was always one with the Eternal Holy Spirit, even carrying our sins, sicknesses and death. He was obedient in spirit. He was not experiencing His fellowship and presence. He was feeling abandoned by Him because of His suffering for our separation from God, but He was acting not by feelings but in the Spirit. Darkness during the crucifixion was due to the materialization of mankind´s sins and of the demons of Hell around Him at the cross

12) Matthew 27:57-60 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Even the body of Jesus after the crucifixion was treated with respect and zeal and was not considered as the body of a sinner or of an outcast from God. Why would His spirit have to be chastised and punished in Hell?

13) Acts 2:26-27 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Acts 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell (hades), neither his flesh did see corruption. Psalms 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (sheol); neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Jesus did not remain for long in the world of the dead, called Sheol or Hades. Very early in the first day of the week He rose and from this day on, God could take Him to heaven along with those who were in Abraham´s bosom, taking captivity captive and empting paradise on under the earth and bringing it to heaven. His body did not see corruption, so God was not punishing His body at the cross, that is what the devil and mankind did to Him. Sin was chastised on His integral being WHILE ON FLESH. There was no punishment for His flesh after the legal penalty was paid in flesh. Even though He was not suffering in Hades during those 3 days, He needed to come back to heaven to be clothed with His former glory.

14) John 20:17 "Do not cling to me," said Jesus, "for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But take this message to my brethren: ’I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’" Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Jesus had not yet ascended to the Father to be received in Glory (now as a man and on our behalf) and be glorified. He was in a rush and did not want to be detained from this purpose, that is why He wanted to return as soon as possible to the Father, from where he had come 33 years before. His blood was poured out on Calvary Hill in Jerusalem, now He was only flesh and bones, as High priest He had offered His blood on the altar of the cross, which was accepted (rent curtain/dead resurrected) because He rose and His people had risen with Him on resurrection day. Entering the Holy of Holies by His blood is a metaphor of a reality, of His spiritual sacrifice, of His restored fellowship and of our restored fellowship with the Father. By (dia) His blood instead of with His blood is the correct translation of the Greek.

15) 1 Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 1 Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

He was put to death in the flesh and was vivified by the Spirit, by which He went and preached to the dead while He was dead. He would not be able to do it if He would be still guilty and being chastised in terrible torment by the devil, till He would pay enough (what would be enough? And for how long?) for the sins of all mankind and in all times. In truth He overcame death, sickness and sin, and the devil, in simple way, He annihilated the power of the devil, killing death and death dealing power and fear of death, by dying to sin in flesh and being without sin. Legally after three days He regained His body from the death spirit by expelling him from it and reentering His body; He was also making the Spirit available for our resurrection.

16) 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Jesus redeemed us by His death in the flesh. He was justified in His body in the resurrection by the power and life of the Holy Spirit, which joined His spirit in it. His spirit (and soul) was just and did not need to be born again as we need, but it was carrying us who needed justification, so He was justified by the Spirit on our behalf. He had to be transformed in His body as it was recreated as the first fruits of resurrection and glorified in ascension.

17) Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Sin was condemned in Jesus´ flesh, though His spirit was suffering there in flesh with the weight of man´s spiritual death.

18) Hebreus 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 2 Corínthians 5:21 For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

He never sinned, nor was united to sin or to Satan, though He had become sin. This is a metaphor concerning the fact that all sins of mankind and their consequent curse and suffering were laid upon Him. He cleanses us through His love and sinless life poured out on our behalf. The poured blood is a symbol of this love ministered by means of the Eternal Spirit, which operated even in Hades.

19) Colossians 1:22 yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.

Paul does not speak nothing of Jesus having to die spiritually and be launched in the dungeon of Hell where He would be tormented for our justification. He reconciled us with Himself in His body which died for us. There at the cross His integral being was tormented while in flesh on our behalf by hell´s hosts. That happened till the Death Spirit took hold of His body.

20) Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

He fulfilled the Law of the Old Covenant by His death. Therefore He abolished the ceremonial law in His flesh. We were made a New Creation under a New Law – Love.

21) John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

The New Covenant became legally effective only with His Resurrection. The disciples were then able to be Born Again and receive the indwelling of Holy Spirit. On Pentecost they received the Holy Spirit power to minister.

22) Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 9:11-12 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

While alive He was tempted in all things, without sinning. When He died He could no longer be tempted. By the sacrifice of His blood which was poured out (His love and life being given for us in substitution) He entered the Holy of Holies, the heavenly tabernacle (His resurrected body being glorified as the first born of the new creation).

23) Hebrews 9:26,28 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

He put away (annihilated) sin and death by His death toward sin and His Resurrection. He who believes in Him receives the keys to come out of it and overcome it. He offred Himself as a Lamb and a High Priest. His flesh was the rent veil. The way and the altar was the cross.

24) 1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

God did nor die at the cross or in Hell. He is immortal. God did nor become Sin. He never saw sin. The man Jesus Christ was made sin in the sense we pointed out before: He bore our sins. God had come in flesh and He suffered in flesh for our sins. Jesus did not need to be purified of sins. He did not have them. He by the Eternal Spirit was cleansing men´s sins because He had authority to give His life and to take it back.

25) Hebrews 2:9 But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man.

He did not become lower than the angels because of suffering, but because He came in flesh and stripped Himself of His divine attributes, though He never ceased being God. He was crowned with glory because of His obedience and substitutionary sacrifice.

26) Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

The devil was destroyed legally through the death of Jesus in flesh. Jesus did not have to burn or punish or exert any power over the devil to defeat him in Hell. He had only to remain obedient and sinless on our behalf. The key that Jesus took from the devil was a legal one – His imputed Righteousness – the lack of which had allowed the devil to be master of man by means of guilt for sin and fear of death and disease. But now by the Name of Jesus we get the key back, we are the Righteousness of God in Christ, we have the authority to resist and expel the devil, to undo his works and establish the works of the Father.

28) Philippians 2:6-8 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation (emptied himself) , and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus was always God, but being in flesh he emptied himself of the prerogatives of deity. It was not as deity that He paid the chastisement and penalty and was our sin substitute, but as a sinless unblemished man. As God the Father, He gave His Son. As God the Son He was obedient to death at the cross. As God the Spirit He manifested Salvation toward those who receive it by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus. His sacrifice was characterized by obedience even to death and death at the cross, but the death of His spirit and unison with the devil´s nature is a doctrinal error should be decidedly rejected.

29) In truth, we who have been crucified and died daily with Him in this world, were justified, we are the righteousness of God in Christ, we also reign with Him by the Word of Faith in our hearts and mouth. We are risen with Him. In the Name of Jesus we have received all spiritual authority while in flesh and not when we go to heaven, because we are submitted to His Lordship and are already seated legally with Him in heavenly places (Eph 2). We are citizens of heaven, we are New Creations, Children of God, inheritors of God and co-inheritors with Christ. We need not to undergo disease and oppression, nor defeat, nor poverty because He bore it all on our behalf in Calvary (Isa 53), so supernatural health belongs to us. And if peradventure we become sick or go through the valley of shadow of death, we have the provision of supernatural healing and resurrection because by His stripes we are healed, if we only take hold of the promises and act in faith. We are prosperous because as children of Abraham we have attitudes of obedience (Dt 28) and act accordingly doing His Word. We are in Jesus Name masters over the devil, disease, poverty, fear, death, the world and the flesh. We are identified completely with Him and He with us. The old man was crucified with Christ, a New Man created according to Christ lives in us now. He is an overcomer, more than conqueror in Him. There is no need to murmur, nor to cry in fear imploring and begging that God will do what He has already promised us in the Word. By faith we can receive with thanksgiving all things that belong to us and spoil the devil of the precious lives of lost men and women who are prisoners of ignorance. At the Cross Jesus was bitten by the serpent at the heel, but on resurrection day He stepped fully on his head and restored unto us all he had stolen. When he sat in His throne in heaven there was a man in glory, mankind was legally raised back into righteous standing with God, we need only to renew our minds and align our thoughts and actions with God´s Word.

(A Study by Clayton Bezzan: c_bezzan@ig.com.br 12/2011)